GOP blocks Democrats’ jobs outsourcing bill
**Washington (CNN) **– Senate Republicans successfully blocked a bill from coming to the Senate floor Tuesday that Democrats claim would help keep American jobs from going overseas.
Republicans call it nothing more than a pre-election political ploy.
The Democratic bill, which fell seven votes shy of passage, would have ended certain tax breaks for companies expanding overseas while giving new tax incentives to businesses bringing jobs home.
Democratic sources tell CNN they knew all along this measure would not make it very far. That was beside the point.
The point, Democratic strategists candidly admit, was to use the last few days of the congressional session before the election to try to highlight one of the few jobs-related issues Democrats feel they may be able to use against Republicans: outsourcing.
“No question people are angry at Democrats because the economy is bad and we are in charge,” Democratic pollster Mark Mellman said.
“People are even more angry about jobs going overseas than they are about the absence of jobs as they look around their communities. So we’re trying to focus that anger.”
Mellman has done polling on outsourcing, and advised congressional Democrats to push it as political issue, calling it one of the most “potent” issues Democrats have to work with.
“It’s a bright line. It’s not enough to change the whole political climate. (But) is it enough win some seats somewhere? I think the answer is yes,” he said.
Democrats across the country have already been hammering Republicans for sending jobs overseas - both on the campaign trail and in television ads.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D- California, is airing an ad against her opponent, former Hewlett-Packard Chief Carly Fiorina, saying she “shipped jobs to China while Californians lost their jobs.”
In Ohio, Democratic Senate candidate Lee Fisher is running an ad against former congressman and U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman, saying, “Congressman Portman knows how to grow the economy - in China. He voted for millions in tax breaks that exported jobs.”
Rep. Paul Kanjorksi, D-Pennsylvania, claims in one of his ads to be “on the side of working families” while his opponent “favors tax breaks that ship jobs overseas.”
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/28/gop-blocks-democrats-jobs-outsourcing-bill/