The 16 Democratic Senators Who Sided with the Banks Today

A move to delay implementation of the part of the Dodd Frank Act which would have capped the amount the big banks can charge merchants for debit card transactions was narrowly defeated today, but no thanks to the Democratic majority.  A surprising 16 Democrats sided with the banking lobby, which cried to Congress that it should be able to charge whatever fees it wants, because that's how the free market is supposed to work.  The unlimited fees charged to merchants would have inevitably raised the prices charged to us, the consumers.  The final tally, crossing party lines, went like this: (60 votes required for passage).

Grouped By Vote PositionYEAs ---54  ---  For the Banks:

Akaka (D-HI)

Alexander (R-TN)

Ayotte (R-NH)

Baucus (D-MT)

Begich (D-AK)

Bennet (D-CO)

Blunt (R-MO)

Boozman (R-AR)

Carper (D-DE)

Coats (R-IN)

Coburn (R-OK)

Cochran (R-MS)

Coons (D-DE)

Corker (R-TN)

Cornyn (R-TX)

Crapo (R-ID)

DeMint (R-SC)

Gillibrand (D-NY)

 Hagan (D-NC)

Hatch (R-UT)

Heller (R-NV)

Hoeven (R-ND)

Hutchison (R-TX)

Inhofe (R-OK)

Johanns (R-NE)

Johnson (D-SD)

Johnson (R-WI)

Kirk (R-IL)

Kyl (R-AZ)

Lee (R-UT)

Manchin (D-WV)

McCain (R-AZ)

McCaskill (D-MO)

McConnell (R-KY)

Mikulski (D-MD)

Moran (R-KS)

 Murkowski (R-AK)

Nelson (D-FL)

Nelson (D-NE)

Paul (R-KY)

Portman (R-OH)

Risch (R-ID)

Roberts (R-KS)

Rubio (R-FL)

Schumer (D-NY)

Sessions (R-AL)

Shelby (R-AL)

Stabenow (D-MI)

Tester (D-MT)

Thune (R-SD)

Toomey (R-PA)

Warner (D-VA)

Webb (D-VA)

Wicker (R-MS)

NAYs ---45  --  For the Consumer:

Barrasso (R-WY)

Bingaman (D-NM)

Blumenthal (D-CT)

Boxer (D-CA)

Brown (D-OH)

Brown (R-MA)

Burr (R-NC)

Cantwell (D-WA)

Cardin (D-MD)

Casey (D-PA)

Chambliss (R-GA)

Collins (R-ME)

Conrad (D-ND)

Durbin (D-IL)

Enzi (R-WY)

 Feinstein (D-CA)

Franken (D-MN)

Graham (R-SC)

Grassley (R-IA)

Harkin (D-IA)

Inouye (D-HI)

Isakson (R-GA)

Kerry (D-MA)

Klobuchar (D-MN)

Kohl (D-WI)

Landrieu (D-LA)

Lautenberg (D-NJ)

Leahy (D-VT)

Levin (D-MI)

Lugar (R-IN)

 Menendez (D-NJ)

Merkley (D-OR)

Murray (D-WA)

Pryor (D-AR)

Reed (D-RI)

Reid (D-NV)

Rockefeller (D-WV)

Sanders (I-VT)

Shaheen (D-NH)

Snowe (R-ME)

Udall (D-CO)

Udall (D-NM)

Vitter (R-LA)

Whitehouse (D-RI)

Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 1  (Lieberman)

It wasn't surprising that my own two Senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, essentially thumbed their noses at their constituents.  They are from New York and in the thrall of Wall Street.  Gillibrand, who often pays lip service to a progressive agenda and manages to get herself on TV a lot to promote the latest liberal cause, was the biggest single recipient of campaign contributions from the mega-banks during her first election campaign. (She had been appointed by Gov. David Paterson to replace Hillary Clinton in 2009.)  Were your senators on the list you didn't want them to be on? Were you shocked that your senator voted in your interests for a change?

The Republicans siding against the banks were the biggest surprise, and a pleasant one at that.  Did you ever think Saxby Chambliss would be pro-consumer? 

Hey -- here's an idea.  President Obama can now appoint Elizabeth Warren head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and she can go through a Senate confirmation after all!  The Senate is just a great big happy family, with some Republicans having values and some Democrats having none.  Who would not love to see Chuck the Two-Faced squirm as he has to pretend to be nice to Warren and pro-middle class while stuffing his pockets with Wall Street largesse?

From ProPublica, here is a really detailed explanation of what today's vote was all about.