House Republicans Hold Firm (On Stimulus spending. Finally, a party worth supporting)

Powerline ^ | Jan 28,2009 | John Hindraker

[SeekAndFind]

Congratulations to the House Republicans: all 177 voted against the Democrats' pork-fest bill. Eleven Democrats joined the Republicans in rejecting Nancy Pelosi's fiscal insanity, which, the Congressional Budget Office confirmed yesterday, would actually cost $1.1 trillion.

The Republicans put together their own stimulus package; they say that, using Christina Romer's methodology--she will be the Chairman of Obama's Council of Economic Advisers--their program will create 6.2 million jobs.

Whether that's right or not, the Republicans' plan, unlike the Democrats', was actually geared to job creation. Here are a few highlights. The Republican proposal would:

* Reduce the lowest individual tax rates from 15 percent to 10 percent and from 10 percent to five percent.

* Allow small businesses a tax deduction up to 20 percent of income.

* Finance a $7,500 credit for home-buyers who put down at least 5 percent.

* Expand Net Operating Loss carryback rules to give companies that have been profitable in the past but are now losing money prompt infusions of cash.

* Provide an above-the-line tax deduction for private health insurance to equalize tax treatment between those who have employer-sponsored health plans and those who don't.

For the Republicans, this vote is an important first step toward reclaiming the mantle of small(er) government and fiscal responsibility.

[SeekAndFind]

Now it remains to be seen how the GOP Senators will vote. If they all vote like the Lower House did, the GOP just might have hope after all.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

I wouldn't count on the Senate GOP to be as bold in opposing this bailout pork-laden spend-fest. You got a lot of good GOPers like DeMint, Bunning, Inhofe, etc. But then you also have McCain, Graham, Snowe, Specter, and their ilk. I'm predicting it passes the Senate tomorrow with something like a 75-25 vote.

[allmost]

Encouraging developments. Stay away from these waves of disastrous legislation.

[dandiegirl]

Maybe they are actually listening to the common sense of Rush. Why would any Republican put their name on this failure?

[Uncle Miltie]

Thank you for the editorial in the headline. 100% correct. Called my R congresscritter today and thanked him and the caucus.

[tennmountainman]

You mean a lot of the same RINO’s who actually set these socialists bailouts in motion by giving the democrats cover with the first bailout. They helped open a Pandora;s box, in which this country may never recover.

Nice that there are now anti bailouts. Would have been better to never help open this pandora’s box in the first place.

[eclecticEel]

The democrats and their media lapdogs will lambaste the GOP for going along with the Wall Street bailout months ago, and now opposing the “main street bailout” - 10 bucks language of just this sort will appear all over the MSM. Honestly, they will have a point - it’s an unforgivable inconsistency - yet things will get better. They already have less than two years to set themselves up as Zero’s opposition, they better get moving if they expect to have any hope of making gains in the midterm elections.

[org.whodat]

Better hold until the after conference finally vote.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Who are the 11 Democrats who voted “no” on this monstrosity ?

[anniegetyourgun]

Already happening - R’s are now “just being partisan” when America wants them to work with the “popular president” they elected.

[Shermy]

“I wouldn’t count on the Senate GOP to be as bold in opposing this bailout pork-laden spend-fest.”

It’s less a stimulus than a pork-laden spend-fest for pet Democratic causes and industries. Republicans only vote for pork-laden bills that support their own causes and industries.

The good news is the money, the debt, isn’t to be incurred in a year, unlike the bailout money.

Bad news is it is a grabbag of money for the Chicago Crew to dole out.

What happened is the Democrats followed Bush’s example on “crisis mongering” to get a bill quickly through, and adopted the rubric “stimulus” to hide it further.

[Fitzy_888]

Now the Republicans should sponsor a bill. Total expenditure $1.00 just to make it legal. Stimulus for the president salary to reverse the ‘Obama Law of Deminishing Returns.’

[volunbeer]

Well said....... should have never voted for any of this to begin with!

This bill economically rapes our children for very questionable benefit and I hope the RINO’s in the Senate shock us and oppose it.

[Frantzie]

Good post on how Rush hammering that Congressman sorts of help get the troops to get focused.

The GOP needs to show a chart of the S&P 500 since June 2008 when O wond the nomination. October when McCain was down in the polls and day after election.

The freepin truth is the economy has been destroyed because Americans with money are terrified of him and OBAMA TANKED THE ECONOMY - ZERO confidence in him

Wake up GOP and get the word out.

[SeekAndFind]

I wouldn't count on the Senate GOP to be as bold in opposing this bailout pork-laden spend-fest.

If they're wise, they would all VOTE AS ONE AGAINST the stimulus package. What advantage do they have in co-owning a sure to be pork laden bill that does virtually nothing for the economy ?

They don't have the numbers to overturn the Dems anyway, so, might as well make them OWN this mistake and tell their country later -- I TOLD YOU SO -- when it doesn't work ( as it surely won't).

[SeekAndFind]

Would have been better to never help open this pandora’s box in the first place.

Better late than never. And when you're AGAINST SOMETHING, be sure to propose something CONSTRUCTIVE as a better alternative to what's out there. You can't simply be against something. The people also want to know what you are FOR.

[The Chief]

Does anyone know who were the eleven Democrats?
Boyd (FL)
Bright (AL)
Cooper (TN)
Ellsworth (IN)
Griffith (AL)
Kanjorski (PA)
Kratovil (MD)
Minnick (ID)
Peterson (MN)
Shuler (NC)
Taylor (MS)

[SeekAndFind]

republicans are a joke. They are history and will now disappear.

Well, I'll say that this unified vote against a VERY BAD BILL tells me that there is a glimmer of hope.