Posted on 02/05/2002 11:08:12 AM PST by finnman69
WASHINGTON - The economic stimulus bill that President Bush says will hasten recovery from recession appears dead in the Senate and will probably be shelved, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said Tuesday. Daschle, D-S.D., said neither Republicans nor Democrats will have the 60 votes necessary to win approval of their competing measures — and that the Senate will take up other business on Wednesday.
"It's with great regret I will pull the bill tomorrow," Daschle told reporters Tuesday.
Remember that zealots would rather kill everyone rather then yield power. The hard core Democrats are zealots.
I cannot believe more people are not outraged!! at the Daschle tyranny being perpetrated on the American taxpayer!
Basic communism: NEVER EVER ALLOW A TAX CUT!
That is their motto, that is their vow!
All money and all power to the government not to the taxpayer, our slaves!
If you (not you 3 - but others) stay silent on the effort to cut our taxes - you are joining the sheeple, you are part of the problem, not part of the solution. GET IN THE GAME, for crying out loud!
The tax rate before the rebate is 15% and the tax rate after the rebate is 15%.
I am a CPA who will be doing about 300 returns in the next 6 weeks, I should know what I am talking about.
Standing offer. If you reduced your refund by the rebate check I will do a claim for refund at no charge so long as you split your refund check with me.
DROP DEAD!!
We will impoverish you and create new Democrats.
Oh and by the way, you Republicans can also forget about your efforts to disenfranchise Lassie by repealing the Motor Voter, Cons can Vote, and other masterstrokes of the DNC voter fraud machine!
Thanks for making that call, as well.
So they are polite - great. But will Zell Miller change parties in disgust????? THAT is his duty as an American - did you tell his office people that?
Anyway - thanks again for making the call. More calls must be made!
This outrage must not be allowed to go unchallenged!
President Bush cannot do this, cannot exert the pressure without the backing of the American taxpayers and businesses who are being stomped into the grounds by the Dxxx Dems obstructionism!
Hollings has completely lost it. The Dems are back to their same old tactics - when in trouble, just lie. It's sickening.
I called my Senators and Dasshole but my calls to my Senators won't do any good - Murray and Cantwell. I don't even get a response from them when I write or fax. They are worthless.
They forget - this is post Sept. 11th!
Americans are ready to FIGHT!
Let's roll - over these Dems!!!!!
Does anyone know off-hand if others have used this tactic?
I also called my two senators - two more worthless ones - Finegold and Kohl. BUT - we cannot sit here and do nothing. President Bush needs our help and we must respond.
God, I hate the press.
The RATS have declared was on GW and America. I'm ready to fight them. Have already make calls and sent e-mails suporting both the tax cut and the stimulus package. RATS are putting party politics over concern for America and Americans.
Richard W.
As a dem, people listen when he speaks out. As a RINO, he would be another voice in the wilderness. Be careful what you wish for, you might get it.
Soon after the tragedies of Sept. 11, conventional wisdom developed in the political world that, sooner or later, the public focus would shift away from foreign policy, homeland security and terrorism and back to the economy and jobs -- the top concerns before the attacks. It was widely assumed, by yours truly among others, that when the spotlight shifted away from Sept. 11 and toward the recession, Democrats would benefit: They once again would regain the upper hand they had before the attack.
Americans are not blaming Bush or the GOP for this recession.
Now that the spotlight not only has begun to return to the economy and jobs, but -- as recent polling has indicated -- economic concerns are now greater than worries about terrorism, one might assume that Democratic fortunes would be improving, or that it is only a matter of time before the economic blame begins to fall on President Bush and his Republican Party.
But that simply isn't happening.
When 1,596 registered voters were polled over the weekends of January 18-21 and February 1-3 in the IPSOS-Reid/Cook Political Report national survey, Bush enjoyed an 80 percent job approval rating, with just 18 percent disapproving.
Sixty-nine percent of registered voters approved his handling of the economy. Only 28 percent disapproved, with 56 percent saying that if Bush were running for re-election today, they definitely would vote to re-elect him. Only 18 percent said they would vote for someone else, with 23 percent in between, saying they would consider voting for someone else.
As for Republicans as a party, the economy does not seem to be taking a toll on them, either. The GOP enjoys the support of 46 percent on the generic congressional ballot test -- five points ahead of Democrats, who garnered the backing of 39 percent.
In terms of party identification, Republicans had a 3-point advantage, 46 percent to 43 percent. Both sets of numbers are a far cry from the pre-Sept. 11 days, when Democrats consistently had the advantage.
The fact is that Americans are not blaming Bush or the GOP for this recession.
The 803 registered voters who were interviewed this past weekend by IPSOS-Reid were told, "As you may know, President Bush's federal deficit plan indicates there will be a deficit this year, meaning the federal government will spend more money than it receives." Then they were asked, "Which of the following six reasons do you think is the number one cause of the federal budget deficit?"
Of the six choices, the top pick, with 37 percent, was "spending to win the war on terrorism," while the second highest was "a decline in revenue caused by the recession," with 21 percent. "Spending to improve military and defense to make our country stronger and safer" was picked by 17 percent, while 11 percent chose "accelerating the tax cuts planned for next year in order to jump-start the economy."
Rounding out the bottom were "spending to improve the education of students from kindergarten through college" and "extending unemployment benefits and providing other assistance to displaced workers," with 3 percent apiece.
Like a kid's teeter-totter, when concern for the economy and jobs goes up, everything else goes down.
"It's a mistake to try to divorce the development of Bush as a resolute, determined leader in war from perceptions of whether he is the right person to lead us out of economic problems," according to Thomas Riehle, president of IPSOS-Reid U.S. Public Affairs, who conducted the survey. "When it came to the war on terrorism," Riehle added, "he was decisive, he chose a goal and he stuck with it. And that might be the right prescription for dealing with the economy."
Although it sounds counterintuitive, instead of Democrats needing the economy to remain lousy or worsen to prevail in the midterm elections, it may well be in their best interest for the economy to improve a great deal.
Little evidence suggests that Democrats are going to win the economic argument with which they are gaining so little traction today. If concerns about the economy and jobs decline while other issues Democrats tend to fare far better with -- such as the environment, abortion and certain other social and cultural issues -- begin to rise in importance, the party will have a wider range of targets.
Like a kid's teeter-totter, when concern for the economy and jobs goes up, everything else goes down. When economic and employment fears go down, other issues are allowed to percolate up and take on greater importance in the political dialogue.
Lawyers are known to shop lawsuits around to find the most favorable venue, the most sympathetic judge and pool of jurors, to better their chances of winning a big case. If Democrats are looking for the best venue for this election, they had better pray for a quick economic recovery for the results to go their way.
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