Posted on 01/02/2009 1:10:25 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) Republicans in Congress could stand in the way of Democratic President-elect Barack Obama's hopes of signing a massive economic stimulus plan into law right after he takes office on January 20.
The plan, aimed at easing the financial crisis, tops the agenda of the newly elected Congress due to be sworn in on Tuesday -- two weeks before Obama. Hearings in the new Congress could push a final package well into February.
Democrats who control Congress predict the plan -- including tax relief for the middle class and spending on schools, roads and other infrastructure -- will cost between $675 billion and $775 billion.
Republicans voice concern about possible waste and say it could ultimately cost $1 trillion.
"I am concerned by media reports that suggest the Democrats' emerging proposal may cost taxpayers up to one trillion in new government spending, with little debate or public scrutiny of the still-unseen legislation," House Republican Leader John Boehner said in a statement on Friday.
"Let's be clear: it is essential that this legislation be debated in a fair, open, and honest way," he added.
SLIMMED-DOWN STIMULUS
Democrats will need Republican support in the Senate. Despite election gains, they are still a few votes shy of the 60 needed in the 100-member chamber to advance legislation.
A Senate Republican aide, who asked not to be identified, said Democrats could build stronger, bipartisan support with an economic stimulus measure costing less -- around $500 billion.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Wishful thinking.
They better do. Gotta love the medias spin... it will all be blamed on the evil Republicans for standing in Obamarx way.
But but but Biden insisted there would be no pork.
Oh, how I wish...
I trust Biden about as far as I can throw the Capitol building. :)
The boob actually made that statement with a straight face.
"Us too, just not so fast!"
L
Yeah, It’ll be the REPUBLICANS fault that Obama won’t be able to deliver on all those over-the-top promises, NOT the Democrats of Bayh’s Blue-dog caucus.
Just gotta love this spin, doncha?
Thanks for that comment.
It is amazing how some think that Gubamint should be entitled to whatever it wants as long as its leaders think it is OK or deemed necessary.
Unfortunately for those in power and their largest benefactors of this abomination of a last few months financially, the taxpayers continue to question both their motivations and agenda in making us all safe from catastrophic financial collapse, a collapse that the gubamint has induced to a large degree thru its own malfeasance and eagerness to play CYA for political ends.
After the herds of pigs are attached, look for the Dems to dare anyone not to pass the bill because they will be spitting in the face of "working families".
They’ll slow them just enough to earn themselves the blame when Obama ruins what’s left of the economy.
Yep. Well that whole "enumerated powers, limited Government, Federalism" thingy is just soooooooo old fashioned.
Well we've reached DeToqueville's tipping point. 50 percent of us think they can vote themselves money from the Public Treasury. It won't matter what the rest of us think for much longer.
L
Right, they will “compromise” and take a 5% out of the proposal.
Then when it inevitably fails, the Democrats can blame the GOP, because it wasn’t big enough.
The last thing this country needs right now is to print a Trillion dollars in useless paper and foist it on the public.
Stories like this assume that all Democrats will vote for this farce. Surely there are some Democrats who have the good sense to turn down this pork rodeo.
A trillion dollars in the hands of a man who has never held a job longer than two years and doesnt know crap from shinola. It’s insane.
As long as fuel is cheap we need no stimulus in the first place, People will soon atart spending the extra fuel dollars they have in their pockets, relieving the situation the same way it started, with fuel money.
During the last eight years was the press even remotely interested in how the Democrats obstructed everything that the Republicans tried to do?
Just curious, I already think I know the answer.
On that very day there were tales of dog parks, water rides, etc etc etc. All kinds of things that were clearly pork.
Maybe he meant that as a muslim there would be no pork in O’s white house kitchens.
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