Senators Reach Accord on Stimulus Plan as Jobs Vanish (Collins, Snowe, Specter)

New York Times ^ | February 8, 2009 | Carl Hulse and David M. Herszenhorn

[reaganaut1]

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats reached an agreement with Republican moderates on Friday to pare a huge economic recovery measure, clearing the way for approval of [the package].

...

The fine print was not immediately available, and the numbers were shifting. But in essence, the Democratic leadership and two centrist Republicans announced they had struck a deal on about $110 billion in cuts to the roughly $900 billion legislation — a deal expected to provide at least the 60 votes needed to send the bill out of the Senate and into negotiations with the House, which has passed its own version.

...

The details were negotiated at an afternoon meeting in the office of the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, involving Mr. Reid, other top Democrats and two Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. After they came to terms, the senators brought in the White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, for assurance that the deal was acceptable to the administration. Mr. Emanuel signaled it was.

[greedo]

Snowe Supports Economic Stimulus Package to Boost American Economy & Create Jobs

Works as Consensus-Builder to Develop Bipartisan Compromise

February 6, 2009 Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), a senior member on the Senate Finance Committee, tonight announced her support for a $780 billion economic stimulus package that will produce new jobs and aid the ailing American economy. A key centrist in Congress, Senator Snowe played a pivotal role in working with the Administration and Senate Leadership to adjust the tax provisions in the economic stimulus legislation to help garner support to achieve the bipartisan compromise announced in the Senate.

"The catalogue of arguments in the Senate have spanned the gamut – from those who believed this bill initially was about the right size and the right balance to those who thought it was far too expensive, providing too little bang for the proverbial buck," Senator Snowe said. "However, through true consensus building, the Senate has rightly been engaged in a vigorous and healthy debate to arrive at this monumental compromise."

Over the past several months Senator Snowe has consistently worked to enact a second stimulus package and has championed several pro-growth policies that aim to lift the struggling economy, spur job growth, and assist those who have been displaced by the worst economic downturn since World War II. She worked with members of the Senate Finance Committee to have several of her key job-igniting initiatives incorporated into the measure including: small business expensing to provide firms more rapid write-offs for making job-creating investments and the tax-free treatment of unemployment insurance benefits to help displaced workers.

"Through the Finance Committee tax-writing process we were able to produce a bill that will assist small business owners and hard-working Americans who are struggling during these trying economic times," Senator Snowe said. "The tax and Medicaid provisions of this legislation, constituting nearly 60 percent of the entire proposal, will provide an immediate jolt to our nation’s economy."

This week, during a one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office with President Obama, Senator Snowe discussed the shortcomings of the legislation. The Senator offered the President nearly $100 billion worth of non-stimulative spending that could be stripped from the package. This laid the groundwork to broker a deal that would create bipartisan legislation that is timely, targeted, and temporary.

"Throughout our deliberations this week in the Senate, I have consistently advocated for a package that will truly stimulate this economy, not an omnibus bill bloated with frivolous spending" Senator Snowe continued. "We must be vigilant to ensure this is the right package that will address the urgency of our economic crisis and achieve credibility with the American people."

This week the Senate started to debate a $900 billion economic stimulus package, which through bipartisan negotiations, has been trimmed down to $780 billion. In addition to helping lead negotiations regarding adjustments to the tax portion of the bill, Senator Snowe expects many of her job-creating amendments to be included in the underlying bill, further strengthening the stimulus proposal.

[jersey117]

it will not be told to the stupid American public, it will be just reported as having bipartisan support.

You are so right. I just heard a news update on the radio and that's exactly how ABC News is reporting it- a "bipartisan stimulus bill" is what they called it.

[Lady GOP]

From Ben Stein

For the amount spent we could have given every unemployed person in the United States roughly $75,000.

We could give every person who had lost a job and is now passing through long-term unemployment of six months or longer roughly $300,000.

[big'ol_freeper]

This will be a continuing problem for conservatives. More evidence of why the RINOs need to run out of the party.

[dforest]

When no jobs are created, they will get theirs.

[LibLieSlayer]

You dream of me being banned?

LLS

[SECURE AMERICA]

In 2010 when the next election cycle comes around Americans should vote in one way.
If as common sense dictates this Pork Bill has done nothing to help the economy and has only added a huge financial burden to our gandchildren them Americans should take the Vote Roll Call to the polls and if the Senator Congressman voted for this obamination then they get voted out. If the voted against it they get voted back in.
Time that the citizens started voting for their Country and not for Political Party’s. Voting for Parties is what has gotten us into the position we are in.

[Cedric]

You can make up all the speculative baloney you want.

The FACT is: Out of 219 GOP House Senate members, so far, only 3 RINOs have defected.

That's the kind of solidarity we were praying for just a few short months ago.

And still you bitch.....

[Cedric]

No, no, no.

[LibLieSlayer]

Whew... glad to hear it... I still hope this thing crashes and burns... this crapula bill will destroy our future.
LLS

[jersey117]

When no jobs are created, they will get theirs.

The big losers are going to be the white, male, blue collar workers who voted in lock step with the unions -- the guys in PA and OH who wouldn't listen to Joe the Plumber. They could have drilled baby drilled, now they're on the unemployment line while the inner cities are slated to get all the pork.

[Cedric]

It's gonna pass.

But if we only lose 3 RINO senators, that means only 1.4% GOP House/Senate defectors!

That's solidarity!

Then when the economy really tanks, the GOP won't have any blood on their hands.

And they can make big inroads in 2010.

[LibLieSlayer]

Maybe we can put the dims on trial when America throws them out... and they will... because this bill will do a lot of damage and this economy will get worse than when catah screwed things up... much worse... and America hates their pain!

LLS

[M-cubed]

The Democrats will own this “stimulus” and be held responsible for its (lack of) results <<

Then hopefully “We the People” will target the “Gang of 60”

[Cedric]

I read somewhere that it took a year or so for Carter to meet the kind of legislative resistance Obama had encountered in his FIRST 3 WEEKS!!

Traditionally, the MINORITY party is supposed to go along with the new President for at least the first 100 days.

[M-cubed]

Google: Cloward Piven

It's their playbook........but our whole team needs to see it

[MaPitt]

98% = fuzzy math

37 divided by 40 = 92.5%, not 98%

[Cedric]

Fuzzy reading.

I referenced the entire House/Senate contingent, numbering 219.

Re-do the math.

[RSmithOpt]

This is true but if you recollect-—the vast majority of the American citizens were also against the bail out and it was passed despite the general publics rage!
Wouldn’t you agree that it would seem crystal clear that those elected to office don’t care what the general publics rage stems from in this stimlus and what it should be telling them in the calls, letters and e-mails these elected officials are receiving.
Very little of this money is slated to “stimulate” the economy. The vast majority is going to Acorn ( got to repay those political favors,huh?),Planned Parenthood (this to abort the future”tax payers” and fund events for the Gay community and allow them to adopt children even though it has been proven that children fair better in traditional homes), Medicaid ( it’s budget spiraled funding the illegal population), and the list goes on and on.
If the politicians stuck to just those things that would stimulate the economy ; there wouldn’t be the out rage in the general population but this stimulus is more about getting funds that the political parties can get their hands on to fund the next election, to line their pockets, or to promote an agenda they want to pass. The agenda at hand seems to be How Can We Bankrupt The General Population And Force Them To Comply To What We Want To Shove Down Their Throats! All me; no we!!!
Once elected, these officials don’t want to lose their jobs so they are devising ways to stay in power and control the masses. The public doesn’t get to vote on a vast majority of issues anymore. This is what allowed Congress to vote on their own pay and the abuse of “power” has spiraled out of control since then. The general public is deemed to be to stupid to understand that “they” have our best interest at heart.
The sad truth is that there are a lot of “elected officals” who feel they that are above the law once elected and if they are knowingly breaking the law-—well, they know how to change the laws so they then can be model citizens! How many of these elected politicians should be behind bars? If these laws were broken by a mere “citizen”; do you actually believe the “citizen” would be sent to prison for 2-6 months and allowed to rejoin the population with a “Go And Sin No More” attitude? Very unlikely! Ahhhh, they don’t want to pay there their taxes but you had better not try that stunt. Oh, I know-—that’s what a Pure Trust is all about, huh?
So, you wonder why the American population is fed up! Gee, it would take a rocket scientist to explain that one. The focus seems to be “me”, “I”, and “mine”! Oh, I forget the biggest one- POWER! The power is suppose to be the peoples; not the elected few!!!

[Cedric]

I agree, in large part, with your sentiments.