The Washington Post reports that the House of Representatives approved the massive $2trillion stimulus bill by voice vote. Lawmakers returned to Washington to be present for the vote, after Kentucky’s Rep. Thomas Massie threatened to object to the voice vote, which would have delayed approval.
Massie tried to make a motion for a recorded vote, but failed to get a second, and it was declared that a quorum was present. Many members were visibly angry with Massie. Many wore surgical gloves and held their hands over their faces when they passed other lawmakers and staff.
The bill now goes immediately for President Trump’s signature which he says he will sign.
Rep. Thomas Massie told WKRC radio that he plans to vote ‘no’ on the $2-trillion spending bill approved by the Senate and now to be voted on by the House.
Thomas Massie
He has also said he will object to the voice vote the House had planned — an action that could delay the vote for several days. One objection would mean representatives have to return to the House to vote in person.
Massie told WKRC radio he was concerned about spiking the national debt.
“This is $2trillion. It’s almost $6000 for every man woman and child . . . and represents $30,000 of additional national debt because there is no plan to pay for it.”
Massie has been critical of the “stay-at-home” and business closure issues instituted by the Kentucky governor.
“The greater harm to society is the public’s unquestioning acceptance of the unchecked authority of governments to force private behavior and disrupt economies,” Massie said in a tweet.
See The Chicago Tribune’s story here. Their paywall has been lifted.
The Washington Post reports“>See The Washington Post’s story in full here.
Why do we keep electing people like Massie? Northern Kentucky seems to always vote Republican whomever is the candidate. Beshear’s election was an anomaly; but then most people recognized that Bevin was a jerk. Even Trump thinks Massie is a grandstander. Everyone should be concerned about the debt but this is a true emergency. Did Massie object to the debt incurred by Trump”s tax giveaway to the corporations a couple of years ago? I never thought I would vote for a “Trumper” but I will be voting for Massie’s opponent in the primary. At least he is from Northern Kentucky and we know where McMurtry stands.
Why do Kentuckians keep electing people like Massie, Mitch and Paul, because they represent true Kentuckian values…help the rich and not the brown people
He makes good sense – on both counts. There have been epidemics for thousands of years. This outbreak is nothing new. The herd gets thinned sometimes. A bad flu virus will just kill a few old and frail people. Debt and a crashed economy could erase this nation for every successive generation. And it is scary how everybody just listens to the government and the news media so obediently. Massie is a reasonable voice. It makes sense, he has two degrees from MIT. He’s a rational person, not one prone to hysteria like the average citizen.
You may disagree with Massie, but you cannot deny he is acting on his principles. His actions are not those of a self serving politician.
Let me clarify this claim of MIT as evidence of being reasonable. There is an old phrase, “You can tell an MIT man, but you can’t tell him much.” I am from NKY, I too have a few degrees from MIT, and teach there now after 30 years in industry. Massie’s actions have been unfortunately consistent with that old saying. His actions may be rationale — yet also ideological and ineffective. The tradition of great engineering schools like MIT is to get things done, with rigorous science yet an eye on practical solutions. Engineers collaborate across teams and diverse stakeholders. They pay attention to what works and what doesn’t. They make trade-offs and compromise. His actions today are not that of a rationale engineer; he not only threatened the spread of illness in Congress, his ongoing intransigence and inability to collaborate hurts the district. I agree (intensely) that debt is a huge problem for the US. There have been many chances the last 8 years to raise the alarm about debt, both during Obama and Trump terms. We have whiffed as a country every time. Massie has yet to demonstrate capability in politics to form coalitions, craft policy, and engage in the real world sausage-making that is the law; to make a difference. I wish him well, but see no evidence that he has earned his role to represent Kentucky at the national level. While he may be trying his best, the outcome has been received as self-serving ideology, affirming a purist world view, rather than getting things done. Perhaps he would be happier staying at home to write books or head out on the libertarian talk circuit. It is one thing to be a non typical politician, another to pop-off rather than contribute at a time of national crisis.
Thomas Massie is a true PATRIOT!! He believes in our constitution and bases his votes on following it to the tee. If we had more people like him in Congress, we would have more liberty for all of our citizens.
My name is erin Earl’s I’m in this just like every other American and we do need the stimulus checks we are not about to pay Bill’s and feed are family’s so we need the 2,000 a month for a while that’s the only way people can get back on there feet get bills payed and take care of rent feeding are kids and a lot of other stuff everybody needs money to spend are we all won’t make it yall are reopening business but how is that going to help us we don’t have any money to go spend at the places because we have no money