Roll of Honor

As I suppose I ought to spell it on this occasion.

These are the three Republican Senators who held to the tradition of that half of their party which supported the New Deal, by voting in favour of the stimulus:

Susan Collins (Maine)

Olympia Snow (Maine)

Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania)

The Bill passed by 61 to 37, with the three Republicans joining 56 Democrats and two Independents who caucus with the Democrats (from opposite ends of the Democratic spectrum - Joe Lieberman and Bernie Sanders).

There is one vacancy in the Senate, from Minnesota, and Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, a Republican but President Obama’s nominee for Commerce Secretary, abstained.

The stimulus is also strongly supported by the Republican Governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, who was seriously considered as John McCain’s running mate.