Politico: Partisan Breakdown on the Stimulus?

Posted by Kendall Harmon

Loath to criticize a president who enjoys stratospheric approval ratings and the good tidings of most Americans, Republicans on the Hill are instead framing their overwhelming opposition to the stimulus bill as a vote against a congressional Democratic leadership that is far less popular than Obama.

“It’s not so much his effort, it’s what the House has done with this bill, what Pelosi has done with this bill,” explained Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), a veteran member of the Appropriations Committee.

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), a young conservative firebrand, was more blunt when asked what happened to Obama’s honeymoon: “Ask Pelosi.”

Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), a senior appropriator, said that “several people” registered complaints to Obama that the GOP had not been consulted in the development of the bills now being marked up in the Finance and Appropriations committees.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Economics, Politics • Economy • The Fiscal Stimulus Package of 2009 • Politics in General • House of Representatives • Office of the President • President Barack Obama • Senate

4 Comments
Posted January 28, 2009 at 12:06 am [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. Juandeveras wrote:

Pelosi’s Planned Parenthood gift got the royal flush.

January 28, 4:29 am | [comment link]
2. magnolia wrote:

um…where were all these objections while bush was running up the deficit???

January 28, 12:29 pm | [comment link]
3. Sick & Tired of Nuance wrote:

Hi magnolia,

You do realize that ALL spending bills originate in the House of Representatives? (U.S. Constitution Article 1 Section 7) ( Federalist 66).  On occasion, the Senate has tried to originate spending bills only to have the House send back a rejection notice on a blue slip of paper, reminding the Senate who gets to do what.

Why is that important?  Well, the last two years leading up to the current economic situation had a Democrat controlled House and Senate.  So, at least 1/4 of the “Bush” deficit was done by the Democrats.

Having said that, you should also know that many conservatives are hopping mad at the Republican Party.  Personally, I categorize myself as Independent after the lousy job the Republicans have done for the last 8 years.  I used to be a member of the RNC, but no more. 

I would have loved to have seen Ron Paul win the nomination, but the deck was stacked against him.

Well, God bless you.  Keep an eye on the Democrat controlled government.  They have the next two years as a lock, so we can see what they will do.  If the last two years are any indication, it will not be very good.  I predict hyperinflation starting in 2010.

January 28, 4:07 pm | [comment link]
4. Jeffersonian wrote:

um…where were all these objections while bush was running up the deficit???

Speaking for myself only, they were loud and constant.  In Congress, they were substantially on the Democrat side, the side that now wants to spend $800 billion-plus on largely useless pork.

January 28, 4:46 pm | [comment link]
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