Brown Let His Party Boss Block His Research & Development Credit Amendment

Liberal Democrat Sherrod Brown once bragged that he could stand up to his party, yet yesterday he buckled when he allowed Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid to block his amendment that would help Ohio’s ailing economy.

Rather than voting to keep the debate open on the Small Business Jobs & Tax Relief Act (S. 2237), Brown caved to the political pressure of his Democrat party boss and voted to end debate, which robbed small business owners of a tax deduction for researching new products.

Remarkably, Brown once said, “when his party is right, I vote with it; when it’s wrong, I vote against it.”

As the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

• “‘When my party is right, I vote with it; when it’s wrong, I vote against it,’ said [Sherrod] Brown.” ( Sabrina Eaton, “Ohioans Delight In ‘Contract’ Euphoria,” Plain Dealer [Cleveland, OH], 4/7/95)

“Sherrod Brown brags about his ability to fight for Ohioans, yet when given the chance to stand up to his party and fight for his own amendment which would help Ohio’s economy, he folded like a house of cards,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox.  “With a backbone like that it’s no wonder Sherrod Brown votes with Barack Obama 95 percent of the time.”   

BACKGROUND… 

Sherrod Brown Let Leader Reid Block His Research & Development Credit Amendment

“As for the Democrats, well, even they have some ideas that might do some good for the country. Senator Brown of Ohio has an amendment to extend the research and development credit, which I know has bipartisan support, even if Republicans might differ in his approach. And Senator Begich has an amendment that would extend a popular tax break for investments by small businesses. I don’t fully endorse the specific approach taken by these two, but if they had a chance to offer and debate I think we might be able to work out an agreement and get a result.  But we can’t even have that debate or get a vote on these Democratic amendments, because of the politics.  “Personally, I can’t imagine why Democrat senators would tolerate this kind of authoritarian approach. It seems to me if Senators Brown of Ohio and Begich really believe in their amendments, they’d fight for a vote on them. It’s hard to believe their constituents sent them here to rubber stamp everything their party leader puts out there, regardless of its impact on their states.  (Mitch McConnell, We Can’t Vote on a Speech, Press Release, 7/12/12)

And Brown Followed His Orders And Voted To End Debate Without Getting A Vote On His Amendment

Brown Voted For Cloture On The Small Business Jobs & Tax Relief Act. (S. 2237, CQ Vote #177: by a vote of 53-44: 7/12/10, Brown Voted Yea)