Obama's bipartisan hopes for stimulus plan fade

[denem]

Source: LA Times

His economic stimulus package is expected to pass, but with party differences apparently irreconcilable, it is unlikely to win the 80-vote Senate majority he envisions.

January 15, 2009. Reporting from Washington -- President-elect Barack Obama's hopes of scoring significant bipartisan support for his stimulus package are fading, as the debate over the nearly $800-billion plan morphs into a classic Washington impasse: two rival parties in irreconcilable conflict.

Obama had hoped to induce Republicans to back his plan by putting forward a series of business tax cuts. But GOP support is peeling off as the party crafts alternative ideas that rely even more heavily on tax reductions.

House Republican leaders have set up a working group to draft their own stimulus proposal focusing on permanent, across-the-board tax relief. And the Republican Study Committee, a group of about 100 conservative House Republicans, unveiled a bill Wednesday that contains a series of tax cuts, including reducing all personal income tax rates by 5% and cutting the corporate tax rate from 35% to 25%.



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-obama-stimulus15-2009jan15,0,3980514.story

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Pelosi stated that the tax cuts share in the Democratic bill is being reduced from 40% to 33%. Total projected expenditure is around $850 billion. The $3000 tax credit for new hires has been axed.

[xchrom]

1. recommend -- bears watching closely. nt

[denem]

3. I can't say enough about the Reuplican House proposal

I hope they stick to their guns and consolidate the Republican Brand to the bitter end.

[blm]

4. Agree - let them OWN their pro-corporate taxbreaks position in 2010 election cycle.

.

[Raven]

2. Fine. Let the Republican assholes live with it!

I admire Obama for trying to bring folks together on this but it is time to leave some people in the dust.

[PSPS]

5. It's amazing that, even at this late date, they still think they can sell the "trickle down" myth

[Phred42]

6. BO is nutz if he thinks the Reich will play nices with him

[Dawgs]

7. Big surprise!! Don't the "do nothing" republicans understand what got them in this mess?

This will only help the Democrats when the economy turns around without the Republicans help.

[Hydra]

8. This is what we told them

The Repubs want what they want, not a compromise. They'll push until they get what they want, and then they'll say that they won the battle.

Nice try Obama- the only time they want to be "bipartisan" is when it screws we the people.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

9. Strip the bill of all concessions to the puke lobby machine. Dems should stop trading w/the enemy of

working class Americans.

[AzDar]

10. Bipartisanship = date rape

[EconomicLiberal]

11. Bipartisanship doesn't work, Obama.

Let the Repukes swim in a pile of their own shit.

[PM Martin]

12. Well Obama, you gave it your best shot.

and you failed. I hope you now know you have to play hardball with this scum.
Working with the opposition, especially when it comes to what the center left wants, is impossible.
The right is militant. There is no getting around them, you must punch through them.
The same thing happens here in Canada. Steve Harper runs roughshod over the majority opposition constantly. You have to stand your ground and try to peel off a few moderates as well as rally the public to your side.

Obama should still take a moderate course, but there will be no way to compromise with extremists.

[eridani]

13. All he needs is 51 votes

Why not go for a fully effective stimulus with more spending and fewer tax cuts?