Teaser:
Quoting Obama, McConnell said at a news conference that Congress should “trim” out the items in the package “that are not relevant to putting people back to work.” He then cited Obama’s praise for GOP ideas: “They have some good ideas and I want to make sure those ideas are incorporated.”
Despite confident talk from Obama and Senate Democratic leaders predicting eventual GOP support for their plan, members of the Senate’s ideological center so far have resisted backing the legislation.
Among those undecided are Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Jim Webb (D-Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine).
“I’d have trouble with it and so would a number of other people,” Nelson said Monday in an interview.Democratic leaders are poised to let senators rework it with a series of amendments to be voted on this week.
This could create a dilemma for House Democratic leaders. They could strike a hard bargain in conference negotiations, but such a move would complicate their chances of getting a bill to Obama’s desk by Presidents Day.
Seeking to drive a wedge between Democrats at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue, McConnell called on Obama to pressure his party into accepting Republican proposals on the Senate floor.
“I know the Democratic leadership is going down to the White House tonight. I hope he can get through to them that the way to build this package is indeed to do it on a bipartisan basis, which doesn’t mean just talking to us but including ideas that we think will work,” McConnell said.
It is a two page piece so go read the whole thing.
No sense passing a bill, as the U.S. House jammed through with no Republican support, that will not accomplish the goals of actually stimulating the economy.
Passing a bill just to pass something and "appear" to be trying to address the situation will do nothing but make matters worse.
The House did what Pelosi always does, talks out of one side of her mouth about bipartisan support then passes strictly partisan bills, hoping the public will not see that she only talks the talk but is incapable of walking the walk.
The Senate will do what it is supposed to do, hash out the differences, compromise and get something passed that at least has a chance of helping a little... although many of us believe letting things alone, letting the chips fall where they may and moving forward from there, would be a better option.
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