The GOP Three: Zeroes or Heroes?

As President Obama’s stimulus plan officially passed the Senate on Tuesday, reports were already beginning about what would happen to the three GOP senators that crossed party lines and voted for the plan.

A report on CNN showed that prominent Pennsylvania Republicans were already trying to find someone to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in a GOP primary in 2010.

In short, most GOP party leaders consider the three senators who decided to break ranks as pariahs.

But, I believe that all of this posturing is just that, posturing. In reality, the GOP Three, (my nickname, by the way) have allowed Congressional Republicans to have their cake and eat it too.

Consider this. Let’s say for a minute that the GOP Three stuck to their party line and made the Senate Democrats take the slower road to get the Stimulus plan passed. This might have slowed the bill’s progress and may have allowed for a GOP filibuster.

But, was a filibuster going to derail the bill? No. Was a filibuster going to show America who really cares most about the current economic situation? No. And most importantly, would a filibuster have trimmed $100 billion from the package and added tax cuts that House Democrats absolutely hate? No.

A filibuster bets all of the GOP political capital on only one potential outcome. If the stimulus plan fails, they would look like geniuses. If it succeeded, they would look like fools.

But, the GOP Three have allowed Congressional Republicans to ride the coattails of more than one result.

If the Stimulus plan works, Republicans can claim part of the victory since the GOP Three helped to trim $100 billion from the original proposal and fought to include a few tax cuts.

If the Stimulus plan fails, they can say that true Republicans were against it from the beginning, and we told you so.

Congressional Republicans are in a no lose situation, thanks to the GOP Three. But if I were Sen. Arlen Specter, I would not hold my breath waiting for a thank you note.