Pelosi: down in flames, her house in disorder

The $700 Billion Financial-Rescue Plan went down in flames 228 to 205.

Vote results:
Democrats 140 for 95 against
Republicans 65 for 133 against

The Democrats had the votes to pass the bailout package. So why didn’t they? Why did more than 40% of them go against Pelosi and vote against the bill? This was a big failure for Pelosi (pictured)

Did they want to wait until enough Republicans were on board so they could share the blame for passing such an unpopular piece of legislation?

House Republicans blamed Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s speech. They said she had been too partisan in a floor speech prior to the vote.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R., Ohio) said that Pelosi’s speech “poisoned” the Republican caucus and “caused a number of members we thought we could get to go south.”

Not surprising since she put the entire blame on “the failed Bush policies,” which is not the best way to try to get Republican House members to vote with her.

The real reason the bailout failed to pass in the House is because many members, both Democrat and Republican, are facing tough re-elections.

House members are reporting that e-mails and phone calls to their offices were about running 800 to 1 against the bailout bill.

Democrats voted 140 to 95 in favor of the legislation, while just 65 Republicans backed the bill and 133 opposed it.

A bailout is needed very soon. Will Pelosi get her House in order in time for the next one to pass?

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