The United States Senate voted against a ‘a $56.2 billion economic stimulus package that would have extended unemployment benefits, increased food aid and funded new construction projects to create jobs,’ as proposed by Democratic Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid, Reuters reported on Friday.

According to backers, the bill would help revive the American economy.

Non-partisan Democrats trying to use the current economic crisis to push through bills they pursued since the very moment they took over control of Senate, on the other hand, pointed out that it would not actually do anything good for the economy. It was, opponents said, nothing but an attempt by Democrats to abuse the economic crisis for their own, partisan and ideological goals.

Part of the bill as proposed by Reid was aimed at keeping in place ‘a ban on development of domestic oil shale deposits that expires next week.’

‘The bill would have extended unemployment benefits by up to 20 weeks and boosted funding for food stamps by 10 percent. It would have helped states pay health-care costs and provided low-interest loans for small businesses,’ Reuters explained.

“What about the honest, hard-working, play-by-the-rule citizens at the bottom of this pyramid left in the ruins after years of mismanagement and outright malpractice by the titans of the financial industry?” said Iowa Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin.

Virtually everybody who is not a Democrat reacted by saying that no is not the time for extra spending packages. After all, the U.S. government could very well inject as much as $700 billion into the economy within hours, perhaps days, time.

More at conservative blogger and TV commentator Michelle Malkin and CQ Politics.