I'm John McCain, And I Approved Killing This Polar Bear And Denying Food To That Poor Person

So the Senate, not known for its boldness or its speed, got together and stood up for some additional important elements of the economic stimulus bill, including some pretty solid green energy tax incentives and jobs packages. They also included extensions to unemployment benefits, one of the simplest and most proven methods of injecting money into the economy. This was a fairly good bill.

It came up for vote today. It missed by one vote.

The U.S. Senate refused to consider a Democratic-backed $156 billion economic stimulus bill that would expand a House measure by giving tax rebates to more people and extending unemployment benefits.

The Senate's 58-41 vote was two short of the 60 needed to overcome Republican objections and consider the measure further. Republicans said the legislation passed by the Democratic- controlled Senate Finance Committee last week added too many provisions and would delay getting money into the hands of consumers.

"The president has made it clear that he doesn't want that extension of unemployment benefits," Republican Senator John Thune said.

The article says two votes, but Harry Reid voted "no" for procedural reasons so he could take it up again. So one vote would have made the difference.

58 + 41 equals 99. Who missed the vote?

Not that man of honor!

The Senate also addresses one of the biggest failings of last year's energy bill. Wind and solar power installations are growing at a sizzling pace, but that growth is fueled by production tax credits that expire at the end of the year. An extension was stripped from the energy bill because of an unrelated dispute over taxing oil companies. The credits must be extended as quickly as possible because investors won't pump money into clean power if there's a danger of losing their tax incentives. Renewable energy reduces reliance on foreign oil while cutting greenhouse gases and other pollutants; green technology is also an extremely promising growth industry that could help make up for the loss of manufacturing jobs.

The Senate vote has been delayed until Wednesday, mainly so that the two Democratic senators still in the presidential race, Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, will have a chance to return to Washington after today's Super Tuesday primaries in order to weigh in (both are expected to support the Baucus plan). That would put the count of those expected to vote in favor at either 58 or 59, according to lobbyists -- just shy of the 60 needed to avoid a filibuster. Which means the plan's success or failure could depend on one man, who has kept mum about his stance: Republican candidate John McCain of Arizona.

McCain has made much during the campaign about his determination to combat global warming. If he's the man of conviction he claims to be, he should return to Washington and back the Baucus bill.

Ducking a vote that would be tough to explain to your global warming-denying base; now that's some straight talk. I guess he can go up to the Antarctic and say "My friends, those polar bears aren't ever coming back.

I think I'm going to puke if I have to hear about the "honor" of John McCain for the next nine months.

UPDATE: John Sununu voted against poor people and polar bears, too. That's not going to work in a rapidly bluing New Hampshire. This vote will stick with those incumbents up for re-election.