Obviously, the struggling economy continues to dominate the news, as yesterday saw a staggering number of layoffs. However, the CBO yesterday did release a report indicating that President Obama's stimulus plan will help the economy. Even Krugman's onboard, with qualifications.
Of course, the GOP is being ridiculous in their efforts to block stimulus spending and other moves by Barack. The latest from the Washington Monthly is that Boehner asked the House GOP to vote against the package. Barack's trying to be bipartisan, but the GOP isn't having it.
The Repugs are also doing their best to keep Gitmo from closing. They're actively working to block moving the inmates to prisons in the U.S. They're busily working to scare the public that the prisoners will be "in their backyards" rather than locked up in the beastly Supermax prisons to which we send our "worst" criminals (including other terrorists such as the Unabomber and Ramzi Yousef, the architect of the 1993 WTC bombing). And, the Repugs "fear" that moving the inmates to U.S. prisons will make those prisons potential terrorist targets. Honestly.
There is happy news, though. The Prez directed the EPA to allow CA and other states to set their own emissions standards. And, Rep. Conyers issued a new supoena for Karl Rove. Now, Barack's people will be giving the word whether Rove is protected by executive priviledge.
5 comments:
There's some speculation that the Republicans will oppose the stimulus no matter what compromises are made because 1) they won't get credit if it works; and 2) if it doesn't work, or doesn't work as quickly as people would like, they can say "see we knew all along..."
It that's the case, and it makes a lot of sense to me, why are the Dems negotiating away so much?
i hate the repugs.
anyway, i love love love how barack told citi that they needed to cancel the order for their fancy new $50 m plane. he is definitely in charge.
I can understand why safe-seat Repubs from conservative house districts will put up a fight.
But swing-district reps or U.S. senators would be stupid to pose typical partisan opposition to a new Pres, elected on the change the standard-partisan-shenanigans mandate, who is still enjoying the blush of his high-approval honeymoon, no?
That is: people like Obama more than they like Congress, so he'll win this fight.
I agree with you, John. In fact, I'm hoping that he gains points by offering the House Repugs an olive branch today. Maybe he knew it would be refused, but he has the cover of making an effort before he rams the stimulus down their throats.
My hope is that with all this GOP intransigence that the Dems will revive some of the good things they trimmed to try to please Boehner and the boys.
The bill is going to pass so the Rs aren't really risking too much by voting against. Killing the bill would be a whole other story.
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