Don't get me wrong -- adding a few more job opportunities is better than nothing. But getting only $15 billion through a Congress that looked the other way when the Pentagon "lost" $12 billion in Iraq (and much more over the years) is a little hard to take.
For out-of-work voters who watched as Democrats expressed gratitude for small favors from a few Republicans who made it possible for even $15 billion to squeak through, it has to be galling. Particularly when one Democrat -- yes, Ben Nelson -- voted against the bill.
Senator Scott Brown, the newly elected Republican from Massachusetts, was the first member of his party to cast his vote for the measure. He was followed by Senators Susan Collins and Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, George V. Voinovich of Ohio and Christopher S. Bond of Missouri, who voted after it became evident that Democrats would prevail. Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska was the sole Democrat to vote no.
