stephanie
01-04-2009, 09:08 AM
By MIKE ALLEN | 1/3/09 7:56 PM EST Text Size:
Obama’s record-setting stimulus plan is getting such astonishingly quick treatment from House Democrats that officials say it could go from draft to final passage in one week.
Photo: AP
President-elect Barack Obama’s record-setting stimulus plan — the biggest special spending bill in history — is getting such astonishingly quick treatment from House Democrats that officials say it could go from draft to final passage in one week.
The bill has no text or details yet, but it does have a name: Obama revealed Saturday in his YouTube/radio address that it will be called the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.”
When asked about the title, Frank Luntz, a Republican consultant who wrote a treatise on political linguistics called “Words That Work,” told Politico: “Obama's team are the best linguists I've ever seen. Republicans aren't in his league right now."
“Recovery says putting the country back on track, and reinvestment is the next step up from investment,” Luntz explained.
The 111th Congress begins Tuesday with the swearing-in of new members. The stimulus plan — with a price tag of up to $850 billion — is likely to be ready for a vote the following week, officials said.
No draft or outline or outline was circulating this weekend, but House Democratic officials said they hope to have one by early next week.
“We are hoping for a House vote on Week 2 (week of Jan. 12),” a House official said. “It could slip if we decide to hold regular approps hearings. But I think a vote is likely the week of Jan. 12.”
Republicans are suggesting that’s too hasty. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) issued a statement Friday headlined, “Protect the Taxpayer Against the Rush to Spend Their Money.”
“Every dollar needs to be spent wisely and not wasted in the rush to get it spent,” McConnell said.
And House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement that he was concerned the legislation would get “little debate or public scrutiny.”
SNIP:
Obama aides have said they want to get 80 votes in the Senate to demonstrate bipartisan support and so that Democrats alone cannot be blamed for the breathtaking spending.
read it all here and comments..
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17014.html
Obama’s record-setting stimulus plan is getting such astonishingly quick treatment from House Democrats that officials say it could go from draft to final passage in one week.
Photo: AP
President-elect Barack Obama’s record-setting stimulus plan — the biggest special spending bill in history — is getting such astonishingly quick treatment from House Democrats that officials say it could go from draft to final passage in one week.
The bill has no text or details yet, but it does have a name: Obama revealed Saturday in his YouTube/radio address that it will be called the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.”
When asked about the title, Frank Luntz, a Republican consultant who wrote a treatise on political linguistics called “Words That Work,” told Politico: “Obama's team are the best linguists I've ever seen. Republicans aren't in his league right now."
“Recovery says putting the country back on track, and reinvestment is the next step up from investment,” Luntz explained.
The 111th Congress begins Tuesday with the swearing-in of new members. The stimulus plan — with a price tag of up to $850 billion — is likely to be ready for a vote the following week, officials said.
No draft or outline or outline was circulating this weekend, but House Democratic officials said they hope to have one by early next week.
“We are hoping for a House vote on Week 2 (week of Jan. 12),” a House official said. “It could slip if we decide to hold regular approps hearings. But I think a vote is likely the week of Jan. 12.”
Republicans are suggesting that’s too hasty. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) issued a statement Friday headlined, “Protect the Taxpayer Against the Rush to Spend Their Money.”
“Every dollar needs to be spent wisely and not wasted in the rush to get it spent,” McConnell said.
And House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement that he was concerned the legislation would get “little debate or public scrutiny.”
SNIP:
Obama aides have said they want to get 80 votes in the Senate to demonstrate bipartisan support and so that Democrats alone cannot be blamed for the breathtaking spending.
read it all here and comments..
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17014.html