Posted on 01/27/2009 9:57:06 PM PST by Joe27
The House is expected to approve today an $825 billion economic stimulus package that supporters say could help create nearly 4 million jobs at a time when the U.S. economy is in tatters.
The plan could pump billions of dollars into Wisconsin's economy through funding for highway and water projects, food stamps and unemployment benefits, and education and law enforcement grants, among other things.
Rep. Dave Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, helped craft the stimulus package, which he calls an honest effort to prevent the economy from falling further into the abyss. The Wausau Democrat is urging lawmakers to quickly approve the bill, noting that the economy continues to shed jobs every day.
"The time for talk is over," Obey said.
Republicans, however, remain largely opposed to the stimulus plan even after a couple of high-profile meetings Tuesday with President Barack Obama on Capitol Hill. They say the plan won't do enough to stimulate the economy and will only drive the country further into deficit with wasteful government spending.
"There's no way I can support this bill as it's being presented in the House of Representatives," said Jim Sensenbrenner of Menomonee Falls said hours after he and other House Republicans met with Obama on the stimulus plan. Obama met separately with Senate Republicans.
Sensenbrenner and other Republicans gave the president credit for reaching out to them, especially since many recognize that Obama needs little GOP support get the legislation through the Democratic-controlled Congress.
"He came in a show of good will, which will help him in the future in his relations on the Hill with the minority party," said Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Janesville. "But this was not a negotiation session. I don't think he left here thinking this package was going to change much."
The debate over the stimulus plan is taking place as a number of major companies - United Airlines, Home Depot and Caterpillar, among others - are announcing layoffs. State and local governments in Wisconsin and across the country also are hurting, and local officials see the stimulus plan as a lifeline to help them stave off major budget shortfalls that could force them to cut jobs and services.
"The American people expect action," Obama said between meetings with House and Senate Republicans. "I don't expect 100% agreement from my Republican colleagues, but I do hope that we can all put politics aside and do the American people's business right now."
Later, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs predicted that Obama would have some Republican support for the package and joked that the meetings were surprisingly cordial.
"Maybe it's news that nobody threw anything at anyone and . . . nobody yelled, 'Food fight,' " he said.
Senate version The Senate is putting together its own version of the bill this week. Unlike the House version, the Senate bill is likely to include a provision that would shield wealthy and middle-class taxpayers from paying the alternative minimum tax next year. The provision could increase the size of the Senate package to $900 billion. Congressional leaders plan to have the bill on Obama's desk for his signature by next month.
The House bill includes about $550 billion in government spending and $275 billion in tax cuts. On the spending side, the bill would invest billions in renewable energy, science and technology, infrastructure projects, education and health care.
Under the tax plan, workers would receive up to $500 in tax cuts; students would get a $2,500 college tuition tax credit, and poor families could get additional tax credits. Businesses also would receive a variety of tax cuts.
In Wisconsin, the money in the House bill could translate into billions in federal spending and tax cuts, including $563 million for highways and bridge construction and renovation, $44 million in local law enforcement grants, $10 million for the Head Start program and $34 million for low-income energy assistance.
Wisconsin's Democratic House members largely support the plan, saying it would benefit both the country and the state.
"Certainly, Wisconsin and all other states will be greatly aided by this measure," said Democratic Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Madison.
"What we're trying to do is pass a recovery package that will create jobs, act quickly and then end," said Rep. Ron Kind, a La Crosse Democrat. "It has to be targeted, and it has to be temporary."
But Rep. Tom Petri, a Fond du Lac Republican, said he is not convinced that the package offers the right approach.
Republican questions As they continue to examine the bill, Republicans say they have found no shortage of questionable spending items, including $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts and $200 million for the National Mall.
"You can't spend this amount of money without spending money on some willy-nilly things," said Rep. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican.
Even as Republicans are criticizing the House stimulus package as too costly, some economists say the plan might be too small to jolt the economy back to life. Robert Shiller, an economist at Yale University, questioned the plan in an opinion piece published Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal, saying it might not be large enough to make a big difference on the economy.
Given those concerns, it is especially important that taxpayers get the "most bang for the buck" in the stimulus, said Rep. Gwen Moore, a Milwaukee Democrat.
If Congress does nothing, the shortfall in the country's output relative to its potential would be the largest since the Great Depression, Douglas Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office, said Tuesday before the House Budget Committee.
"The expected severity and persistence of economic weakness have led the great majority of economists to think that both large-scale fiscal stimulus and significant new financial and monetary policies are needed to generate a strong recovery in the next few years," he said. "But designing effective stimulus on the scale that the Congress is considering is difficult."
Especially if you live in a district with a Republican or Blue Dog member, tell them to vote NAY!
Like with the atrocious Geithner nomination, we will not get off their back or out of their ear. I am sick of this party being so spineless when they've got every reason in the world to finally get back to principle.
This isn't about stopping it, that can't be done but its about ID'ing and giving hell to everyone Republican that sells us out tomorrow.
Just make a check payable to the DNC. Much simpler bill. The DNC could pass the money directly to ACCORN and other leftists and distribute the so-called “tax cut” portion to the Obama voters. Much simpler. Less hassle.
“Republicans, however, remain largely opposed to the stimulus plan even after a couple of high-profile meetings Tuesday with President Barack Obama on Capitol Hill. They say the plan won’t do enough to stimulate the economy and will only drive the country further into deficit with wasteful government spending.”
Gosh, they STILL might not vote for it even after a couple of high-profile meetings Tuesday with President Barack Obama on Capitol Hill? Where do they get the willpower to ward off that voodoo that he do so welllllll...
Won't that be GREAT!
Tar.....feathers......rails....
Will this be the first annual RINO roundup?
This will be a day of history in many ways.
It would be nice if the GOP took a principled stance. And it is principled and even has a simple talking point: “Frivolous borrowing and debt is the poison that caused this mess. This bill is more of that same poison and will only make the mess worse”.
I heard on the Hugh Hewitt show that $2.5 Billion was set aside for ACORN. That would give Obama enough money to control an army of organizers to harrass a good amount of the population or to use them as tools for reelection. He really is a dictator if this bill passes.
If ACORN was to get that money it will be a great big green light for some interesting turn of events, there are a lot of Americans that are fed up with ACORN and are looking ahead to a better more relevant voting process, and it definitely means NOT having ACORN around.
“The Blue Dogs might out-”principle” the Republicans here.”
Such a thing is impossible. Every ‘blue-dog’ is a Pelosi poodle who sold their soul the second they voted for Queen Nancy to run the House.
This is very bad and very liberal bill. I hope it gets ZERO Republican votes. Not a single Republican should vote for that CRAP. Burn the phone lines on any Republican that does.
Yup. That’s the plan.
“The House is expected to approve today an $825 billion economic stimulus package”
$825 billion? More like 1.1 trillion:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2173261/posts
As they continue to examine the bill, Republicans say they have found no shortage of questionable spending items, including $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts and $200 million for the National Mall.
“You can’t spend this amount of money without spending money on some willy-nilly things,” said Rep. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican.
Yes indeed! ACORN would be the People's Domestic Peace Corps, the major part of the barakracy. That's the plan. They wouldn't need arms to enforce more "local control" over radio stations. IMO.
But I gotta admit, I am concerned about the "it all counts toward 30," "just following orders" government employees also.
Politically, the Republicans get no benefit from voting for the bill. Any and All credit will go to Obama for anything it accomplishes. The Republicans can only possibly gain politically by voting against it.
i.e. A GOP congressman who voted for the bill runs against a Dem in 2010. If “HopeNchange” is still in full swing, the GOP candidate is not going to win because he voted for Obama’s stimulus. The Democrat he’s running against is even more in line with Obama’s policies by virtue of party...”I’d vote for all that and more.”
On the contrary, if people get sick of Obamamaina, the Republican can hold up his “no” vote as an example of his “stong, ardent opposition.”
The world of Orwell has arrived, and outright fascism along with it, tinged with a particulr type of Democrat corruption.
Obvious earmarks are now “notEarmarks”, while blatant pork is “notPork”.
AMERICA, we’ll miss it it, now that it’s gone. Elections have consequences. I just hope the Obama voters remember that when they are rifling my trash cans for food next winter. We don’t have Gub’ment cheese and peanut butter to give away this time.
Any blue-Dog or Republican {heck, any less than extreme leftist & member of the Church of Al Gore}that votes to GIVE tax dollars to ACORN; is committing political suicide.
Funding “voter fraud” won’t help them, or US.
Obama could also use that ACORN funding in the stimulus bill to create an army of community organizers/local politicians. He could take over many cities and localities and create a new political party or just make the Democrats dominant for decades to come.
He would turn all the community organizers into politicians subservient to him and his handouts and favors.
It smacks of the Politburo.
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