Today in Washington D. C. - Feb 3, 2009

The Senate resumed consideration of the economic stimulus legislation (H.R. 1). Votes on amendments are possible today. Around 2 PM, Senate Republicans will hold a press availability to discuss the stimulus legislation. This week will see debate in the Senate over the $900 billion “economic stimulus” bill, which is actually closer to $1.2 trillion when interest payments are factored in. Yesterday, the Senate voted 75-21 to confirm Eric Holder as Attorney General.

A new Gallup poll today shows Americans are highly skeptical of the stimulus bill President Obama and Democrats in Congress are pushing. Of those polled, 54% either want to see “major changes” to the stimulus bill or would like to see it rejected outright. Only 38% support the bill as written, down from a poll last week, where Gallup found “a slim majority” supported the stimulus plan. Americans also have little confidence in the efficacy of the stimulus plan. According to Gallup, “the data show that only 10% of Americans say the economy will get better this year as a result of Obama’s stimulus plan.” Not only that, 53% say that the plan would have no affect on their family’s financial situation, or would actually make it worse. Given this dramatic drop in support, it’s little wonder that Obama will be on a media blitz today, making the rounds on evening newscasts to drum up support for the bill.

Why such a steep decline? The Los Angeles Times has the explanation this morning: “Obama and the Democrats are losing the Washington-based word war about the economic stimulus package. Watch the cable channels. Read the newspapers. The editorial pages if you can. If it’s not about the latest would-be Cabinet member to discover inadvertent income tax errors in his favor, it’s about how the Democrats, mainly in the House, larded up the economic stimulus legislation with every conceivable favorite Dem "goodie" from the arts to sexually-transmitted diseases to bee subsidies.”

And the flood of stories about the many, many problems with the Democrats’ stimulus bill only continues today. The Wall Street Journal reports, “Lobbyists for industry and labor are gearing up to add costly proposals Tuesday to the Senate’s nearly $890 billion economic stimulus plan.” Among the groups jockeying to add spending to the bill are Florida citrus growers, California wine growers, tech and pharmaceutical companies, and of, course, labor unions. Meanwhile, The New York Times examines the $9 billion in the stimulus bill for expanding broadband Internets access. The Times writes, “experts warn that the rural broadband effort could just as easily become a $9 billion cyberbridge to nowhere, representing the worst kind of mistakes that lawmakers could make in rushing to approve one of the largest spending bills in history without considering unintended results.” The story also notes that all the money for this effort wouldn’t be spent until 2015, hardly a timely stimulus.

The Washington Post reports today on a meeting Obama had with Democrat congressional leaders, noting, “One source said Obama appeared to be frustrated by the public perception that the recovery bill was becoming laden with partisan pet projects.” Sen. McConnell said on the floor this morning, “I can’t imagine President Obama is terribly pleased with the proposals Democrats in the House or the Senate have put forward. And I’m hoping he convinced them last night that it’s time to put together a bill that gives an immediate jolt to the economy and creates jobs now.”

Isn't it interesting that both the democrat leaders in Congress (Speaker of the House Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Reid) are pursing an approach to "ram-rod" a stimulus bill loaded with pork and special interest items through Congress with their Democrat majorities. They are not concerned about the Republicans and appear to be daring President Obama to veto the bill. It is obvious they are both trying to teach Obama that they have played along long enough and now its time for basic Government 101: the power of the purse rests with Congress and not the President. And unless the president has the fortitude to stand up and veto the pork and special interest ladened bill, America will be farther down the road to debt beyond measure. Talking will not solve this issue!

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