Stimulus Sticker Shock: Obama Open to Compromise on $825B Stimulus bill … $900 Billion

Stimulus Package … Deal, or No Deal?

Stimulus package vote ready to go; however, it seems many have issues with this colossal bill that will put our children into debt for years to come. Obama stated that he is ready to make changes to the stimulus bill; can’t we all just get along?

How much of this $825–$900 billion stimulus is just more governmental wasteful spending? What did they say prior to the election about tax and spend liberals?

“The Democrat bill won’t stimulate anything but more government and more debt,” Representative Mike Pence of Indiana, chairman of the Republican conference, said Tuesday. “The slow and wasteful spending in the House Democrat bill is a disservice to millions of Americans who want to see this Congress take immediate action to get this economy moving again.”

On the eve of a key vote, President Barack Obama privately promised Republicans he stands ready to accept changes in the $825 billion economic stimulus legislation, invoked Ronald Reagan to rebut conservative critics and urged lawmakers to “put politics aside” in the interest of creating jobs.

“The American people expect action,” Obama said Tuesday as he shuttled between closed-door meetings with House and Senate Republicans on a trip to the Capitol that blended substance with political symbolism.

John Boehner to GOP: Vote against stimulus. Obama’s Democrats control the House and the Senate and could certainly pass this bill with little to no help from the minority Republican party. However, there also seem to be some fearful Democrats as well. So why does Obama want Republican support? It’s not about can’t we all get a long, it’s about Democrats better not be the only one’s that support a massive stimulus package that fails or when even more $’s need to be requested in the future. It is about the CYA political reelection game.

The $825 billion stimulus package in now creepy closer to $900 billion. Why don’t they just make it an even trillion and call it a day? Will the MSM report on the pork in this stimulus package? Looks like Republicans are accusing Obama of being Bush-like in creating crisis and widespread panic” just like its predecessor in order to get Congress to act expeditiously.

The economic stimulus package proposed by Democratic House leaders totals $825 billion and includes three broad pieces: a $365.6 billion spending measure for such brick-and-mortar projects as highways and bridges; a $180 billion measure to boost jobless benefits and Medicaid, among other things; and a $275 billion tax-relief package, which includes a plan to give a $500 payroll tax holiday to all workers, a proposal from Mr. Obama’s presidential campaign.

Nancy Pelosi’s Contraceptive Measure dropped from Stimulus. Looks like Obama has shown Pelosi who has a greater approval rating.

Controversy over the contraception provision was sparked over the weekend when George Stephanopoulos asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about it on ABC’s “This Week.”

“Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand family planning services. How is that stimulus?” asked Stephanopoulos.

“Well, the family planning services reduce cost,” said Pelosi. “They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children’s health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those — one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.”

“So no apologies for that?” asked Stephanopoulos.

“No apologies,” said Pelosi. “No. We have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy. . . .”

UPDATE I: House Passes Stimulus Package 244-188, Republicans Strongly Opposed

The vote was 244-188, with Republicans unanimous in opposition despite Obama’s pleas for bipartisan support.

“This recovery plan will save or create more than three million new jobs over the next few years,” the president said in a written statement released moments after the House voted.

Earlier, Obama declared, “We don’t have a moment to spare” as congressional allies hastened to do his bidding in the face of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.