GOP Leaders Oppose Haste On Stimulus

Washington Post: Congressional Republicans Seek Extensive Vetting of Proposal, Which Could Push Its Passage Back To February

(Washington Post)  This story was written by Paul Kane.

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Congressional Republicans objected yesterday to hurried consideration of President-elect Barack Obama's emerging stimulus proposal, questioning the economic value of many of the projects being floated for inclusion and voicing support for a more methodical process that might delay the legislation's passage well into February.

Concerned by Democrats' push to enact the massive bill into law within days of Obama's Jan. 20 inauguration, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R.-Ohio) issued calls for a lengthy vetting of the stimulus proposal, whose price tag could top $850 billion when it is completed next month.

"As of right now, Americans are left with more questions than answers about this unprecedented government spending, and I believe the taxpayers deserve to know a lot more about where it will be spent before we consider passing it," McConnell said in a statement. He coordinated the timing of the statement's release with Boehner, who questioned whether the plan would lead to "more pork-barrel spending that does nothing but give taxpayers' money to special interests and campaign contributors."

Neither GOP leader said outright that they would oppose the legislation, but Republicans, particularly McConnell, have the ability to at least slow the process, which could delay the infusion of federal dollars into the hemorrhaging economy.

Since mid-December, Obama's advisers and congressional Democrats have huddled in the Capitol crafting a stimulus plan that could cost $675 billion to $775 billion, with the expectation that Congress would add tens of billions more in negotiations; some economists are pushing for a package worth more than $1 trillion. Advisers have sketched an outline for the plan that would include about $200 billion in tax cuts for the middle class and businesses, and $350 billion or more to fund a massive infrastructure and technology program to rebuild the nation's highways, bridges, schools, hospitals and alternative energy sources.

Negotiators recessed for the holidays and are not likely to reconvene until after New Year's Day. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) have set a goal of passing the legislation as close as possible to Obama's swearing-in.

House Democrats, who need a simple majority to approve the bill, have considered passing it without going through the committee process, setting up a vote for the week of Jan. 12.

But the stimulus negotiations are posing the first test of Obama's pledge to run an administration that includes Republican input, something Reid reiterated yesterday.

"It is essential that we pass legislation to help create jobs and get our economy back on track. Senator Reid understands that the only way that we can do so is with the cooperation of Senate Republicans, and he intends to work on a bipartisan basis to pass an economic recovery package," said Jim Manley, spokesman for Reid.

"The state of our economy demands swift approval by both the House and Senate of an economic recovery and job creation package. While the House process is still being determined, the House has already laid the groundwork for this package with numerous hearings and the bipartisan package passed in September," said Drew Hammill, Pelosi's spokesman.

The Obama team's goal, according to congressional advisers in both parties, is consensus legislation that could win as many as 80 votes in the Senate, 20 votes more than the number needed to break a filibuster. Democrats will have at least 57 members in their caucus next month, as a recount continues in the hotly contested U.S. Senate race in Minnesota and a scandal involving the Illinois governor delays the appointment to fill Obama's vacant Senate seat.

Although talks with Republican leaders on Capitol Hill have been limited, Obama and his advisers have begun reaching out to GOP moderates, sometimes using Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. as a back channel to his former colleagues in the Senate, according to Democratic and Republican aides.

Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), a key moderate, has received a call from Obama and has had a meeting with Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy F. Geithner. This resulted in a public statement from Snowe praising Obama's effort "to work in a collaborative fashion so critical to developing solutions." She has not expressed concern about the mounting cost of the stimulus plan.

"She thinks we need to spend what we need to spend to get the economy going," spokesman John Gentzel said yesterday.

But McConnell and Boehner sent a message that, beyond a few moderates, such bipartisan support might be hard to find.

As of Jan. 20, McConnell will be the most powerful Republican in Washington, managing a minority of at least 41 Senate seats that will allow the GOP to mount filibusters. Even if Republican moderates such as Snowe and Sens. Arlen Specter (Pa.) and Susan Collins (Maine) defect on final votes, McConnell is urging his colleagues to stay united on procedural battles to force lengthier debates and more votes on amendments, which might allow Republicans to draw concessions on some issues.

In yesterday's statement, McConnell suggested finding "the right mix of tax relief and other measures," signaling his hope for a larger portion of the bill going toward tax cuts than the current projections suggest.

His office has begun a daily ritual of digging through local media reports on stimulus spending proposals by mayors, highlighting what his aides consider egregious requests. Recent editions include Philadelphia's effort to collect $100 million in stimulus funding to redevelop land for a casino and Minnesota's plea for $6 million to help with snow-making at a ski resort. A New Hampshire official was reported calling the stimulus plan "free money" for local projects.

To slow the process, Boehner called for a week-long cooling-off period between when the bill is drafted and when it is voted on, allowing time to dissect it for signs of "irresponsible spending."

[nikosk11]

Do we still have to put up with the Republiscums?

Change is coming, like it or not. Get over it loosers.

[antoniof123]

Aren''t these the same Republicans that wanted the bail out for the rich and no strings attach along with tax breaks for them.

Some nerve Mitch, your day is coming and I smell another blood bath in 2010 for the GOP if they don''t moderate.

No soultions except for lower taxes and smaller government from this group of course I am still waiting for my lower taxes. Like Warren Buffet said he pays less in effective taxes then his people who earn a whole lot less.

No thank you Mitch in January you will need to get all of the GOP senators to vote no to stop this one. But I think you have done a pretty good job of pissing off Hagle and Snowe so good luck with that one. P.S. looks like Minn. is going to go Democrat and what is worst for you wing nuts is he is a flaming liberal.

LOL...

Quick neocons run for the hills.....

[enriquecaliente]

Can someone explain to me, how the very companies that we''''ve given money to from the TARP, are allowed to offshore jobs. Offshore/outsource, it''s still the same. I work for a financial company that has moved high paying American jobs to India. It is also known that the government gives these very same institutions tax breaks for creating jobs, here in America, which they do not do. Here is what I say would be fair. For every American job lost due to off shoring, collect the lost tax money from that company. As far as I''m concerned, in the current economic environment any job moved out of this country is tantamount to treason. Also get the credit card companies in line. The card companies should be made to reduce their interest rates to the current low rate. The banks and the millionaires get all the breaks and we the people are getting screwed.

[flsunjnky]

Good point menmotoscutr, however, I suppose you''re sleeping now.

McConnell and Baehner demanded how much vetting of the $700 billion bankers'' bailout, the $154 billion money market managers'' bailout, the $150 billion insurance execs bailout? How about this: if McConnell and Baehner truly believe the money will do no good, let them remove their respective states from the recipient list. Kentucky and Ohio would not be wasting taxpayer money and such acts of character would prove they are sincere. Every state that agreed that casinos produce no revenue and that the last thing a ski operation needs in order to draw skiers is snow could join them in refusing Obama''s economic stimulus. Personally, I think it would demonstrate how to attach "former" to "incumbent." HappyNewYear!

[ragnar30066]

I think everyone can agree that the American people were had on the "crisis" bailout during the election. They didn''t do with the money what they said had to be done immediately. Yet half of it is already spent. And now the Line of Greed is growing as businessmen, politicians and bureaucrats who put their wallet before their principles struggle to get to the trough of taxpayer money before it is all gone.

Tell you what. Let''s take a hundred billion of that money and pay all these politicians about $25 million to retire forever. Just like business has been doing to stop the damage from CEO''s who have run their companies into the ground. Maybe if we get rid of this generation of politicians we can save the last $250 billion of our grandchildren''s taxes!

[ragnar30066]

You get what you pay for, and you get more of what you are willing to pay for. The government has committed to spending $750 billion to pay for failing businesses and guess what ... businesses are scrambling to present the appearance of failure, so that they can line up for their share. When failure is rewarded and success is taxed, who wants to succeed?

[noloyalisti]

The slimewad Government of Pigs party, the party of death and spending didn''t hesitate to bomb Iraq, the wrong country so they could make money. They did not hesitate to give the taxpayers money to their right wing wacko banker friends. What gives?

[mjlewis6]

The Republican Party has marginalized itself by allowing the current lame duck administration to do little more than use war as an explanation for failure to pursue other items on its 2001 agenda and allowing the economic crisis overtake the nation.

Can there be any doubt the Bush Administration did not deliver a Right to Life Amendment or similar legal process to undo Roe v Wade when it had majorities for 6 years in both house and Senate as well as a conservative Supreme Court?

Can there be any doubt of the FAILURE to pursue education goals by NOT funding the No Child Left Behind Mandate?

Can there be any doubt no immigration reform due to the negative impact of pursuing both business goals and a decline in earning power and employment for the average worker that cannot be mistakenly tacked to illegal immigration?

Can there be any doubt there was no reform or business response, to say nothing of a lack of Republican leadership for answers to the crisis in healthcare for millions of Americans?

It is not the RNC''s "Magic Negro" song that has so marginalized the Republican Party as the Leadership itself. By not being inclusive or sharing the burden of these economic hard times....it is truly the party of the rich for the rich to protect the rich....Goodbye.

[lostcountry1]

after the last 8 years of lies,murder and theft,they should,nt even let a republican in the building. as for the stimulus, i just hope they dont give it to all the union controlled contractors, or none of the average americans will ever see a dime of infrastructure money. also they had better put a stop to employers hiring illegals,[namely mexicans], and start deporting them instead, or all the stimulus money will go to supporting the infamously corrupt country of mexico.finally, every outsourced job had better be brought back to the workers of this country, or there will be no country left to care about.