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View Full Version : We don't have a moment to spare," : Obama


watermock
01-28-2009, 10:06 PM
Isn't that exactly what Paulson said last time?
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http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/executive/president/2009-01-27-obama-economy_N.htm

TODAY
WASHINGTON — The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives quickly approved President Obama's $819 billion economic recovery plan Wednesday.
The vote was 244-188, mostly along party lines.

"We don't have a moment to spare," the president said earlier in the day.

The vote sent the bill to the Senate, where debate is expected to begin as early as this week on a companion measure already taking shape. Democratic leaders have pledged to have legislation ready for Obama's signature by mid-February.

A mere eight days after Inauguration Day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the events heralded a new era. "The ship of state is difficult to turn," she said. "But that is what we must do. That is what President Obama called us to do in his inaugural address."

No Republicans supported the measure. Eleven Democrats opposed it. The vote was Obama's first test of the bipartisanship he pledged in his campaign.

After a meeting with executives, which Obama described as "sober" because of the tough times, the president said the group was "confident that we can turn our economy around."

Obama visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday to address GOP criticism that the package has too much spending and not enough tax cuts. He won compliments but few converts.


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"I don't expect 100% agreement from my Republican colleagues," Obama said between meetings with House and Senate Republicans. Citing a recent round of layoffs among large U.S. companies, he said, "I do hope that we can all put politics aside and do the American people's business right now."

Senate Republicans hope to make changes before it reaches Obama — possibly by adding small business tax cuts or road and bridge spending.

Though GOP lawmakers said they appreciated Obama's visit Tuesday, their leaders urged a "no" vote because of the bill's price tag. "All it does is burden our kids and their kids with more debt," said House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio, citing a non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimate that the plan would add $347 billion in interest on the national debt over 10 years.

Two-thirds of the House bill, or $550 billion, is new spending. That includes money to states and localities, increases in unemployment benefits and other aid to Americans hard hit by the recession, as well as construction projects designed to create jobs. The remaining $275 billion is tax cuts to encourage new spending.

Obama promised to consider Republicans' ideas, but many said they will wait and see. "Reaching out is one thing," said Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. "Actually taking action to include Republican ideas is another."

Contributing: The Associated Press

watermock
01-28-2009, 10:13 PM
This part is pretty critical however....

Stimulus plan would give states $200 billion

Enlarge By Gerry Broome, AP

"This will let us balance our budgets in a way that avoids making draconian cuts," says North Carolina House Speaker Joe Hackney, a Democrat and president of the National Conference of State Legislatures, concerning the $5.5 billion his state would receive as part of a $825 billion economic stimulus bill up for a vote Wednesday in the U.S. House of Representatives.





Yahoo! Buzz Digg Newsvine Reddit FacebookWhat's this?By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY
States and local governments would be the big winners in an $825 billion economic stimulus program set for a House vote Wednesday.
More than $200 billion would go to states, enough to offset $100 billion in projected budget shortfalls they now face in the next two years, plus fund big spending increases. The money could spare states from politically painful program cuts, tax increases or both. Two-thirds of the federal money is aimed directly at states' biggest spending items: education, health care and roads.


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California would get $22 billion over two years, estimates the Federal Funds Information for States (FFIS), a state-financed research group. Texas and New York would get $16 billion each. The smallest take: $578 million for Wyoming, which has a surplus and is considering a property tax cut.

"This will let us balance our budgets in a way that avoids making draconian cuts," says North Carolina House Speaker Joe Hackney, a Democrat and president of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

FIND MORE STORIES IN: California | New York | Wyoming | Nancy Pelosi | National Conference of State Legislatures | National League of Cities | Jonathan Williams | Legislative Exchange Council | Federal Funds Information for States
His state, which would get $5.5 billion over two years, faces a $2 billion shortfall through June 30.

Nationally, states confront $32 billion in projected budget shortfalls this year and $64 billion in 2010, according to a December estimate by NCSL. NCSL spokeswoman Michelle Blackston says states still will watch their budgets tightly. "This will supplement, not supplant, state spending," she says.

President Obama supports a large stimulus plan, including aid to state and local governments, and is scheduled to meet today with Republican congressional leaders.

The federal government gave states $20 billion in 2003 to help them overcome budget problems. The current plan, supported by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats, would dwarf that amount. Included in the aid state and local governments would get over two years:

• $198 billion for all states, FFIS estimates. This money would include about $80 billion for education, $50 billion for infrastructure and $30 billion left to the discretion of governors.

• An extra $45 billion for health care in high unemployment states, the final amount depending on future jobless rates.

• $160 billion for cities, the National League of Cities says. Included: $10 billion for mass transit.

The aid package rewards states for failing to control spending, says Jonathan Williams, fiscal policy director at the American Legislative Exchange Council, a national group that represents 2,000 conservative state legislators. "This bailout is like giving booze to alcoholics," he says.

Hackney, the North Carolina legislator, says the plan "strikes the right balance."

cutthemdown
01-29-2009, 01:22 AM
Of course Obama is excited to spend that money. It's more then any President has gotten to spend in a long long time. You can really put your stamp on infrastructure with 800 billion dollars.

watermock
01-29-2009, 01:26 AM
Not nearly that amount will be spent on that.

rastaman
01-29-2009, 04:06 AM
I guess the infamous 188 within their states respectfully are doing so well financially, that there's no need to bring home any money to their constituents. Maybe the Dem's will give the Group of 188 a much smaller share of the pie since they all voted against the Stimulus package.

barryr
01-29-2009, 06:13 AM
It's just another typical democrat solution. Throw money at something and hope it solves itself. How much of this money is going to get wasted? I say 75% of it. But it sounds like they're doing something, which appeases some.

TailgateNut
01-29-2009, 06:39 AM
It's just another typical democrat solution. Throw money at something and hope it solves itself. How much of this money is going to get wasted? I say 75% of it. But it sounds like they're doing something, which appeases some.


Just like Bushs' policy of trying to buy a victory in Iraq and trowing money at the banking institutions in the 1st failed bailout.

Watering the tops of the tree doesn't help it grow as much as watering the roots. **** trickle down gardening (economics).

Dukes
01-29-2009, 06:44 AM
Anyone know how they expect to pay this back?

Rohirrim
01-29-2009, 07:27 AM
Anyone know how they expect to pay this back?

We'll declare war on somebody and make them pay it back.

baja
01-29-2009, 08:03 AM
Anyone know how they expect to pay this back?

By grossly devaluing the dollar