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GOP Leaders Oppose Haste On Stimulus
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Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), a key moderate, has received a call from Obama and has had a meeting with Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy F. Geithner. This resulted in a public statement from Snowe praising Obama's effort "to work in a collaborative fashion so critical to developing solutions." She has not expressed concern about the mounting cost of the stimulus plan.
"She thinks we need to spend what we need to spend to get the economy going," spokesman John Gentzel said yesterday.
But McConnell and Boehner sent a message that, beyond a few moderates, such bipartisan support might be hard to find.
As of Jan. 20, McConnell will be the most powerful Republican in Washington, managing a minority of at least 41 Senate seats that will allow the GOP to mount filibusters. Even if Republican moderates such as Snowe and Sens. Arlen Specter (Pa.) and Susan Collins (Maine) defect on final votes, McConnell is urging his colleagues to stay united on procedural battles to force lengthier debates and more votes on amendments, which might allow Republicans to draw concessions on some issues.
In yesterday's statement, McConnell suggested finding "the right mix of tax relief and other measures," signaling his hope for a larger portion of the bill going toward tax cuts than the current projections suggest.
His office has begun a daily ritual of digging through local media reports on stimulus spending proposals by mayors, highlighting what his aides consider egregious requests. Recent editions include Philadelphia's effort to collect $100 million in stimulus funding to redevelop land for a casino and Minnesota's plea for $6 million to help with snow-making at a ski resort. A New Hampshire official was reported calling the stimulus plan "free money" for local projects.
To slow the process, Boehner called for a week-long cooling-off period between when the bill is drafted and when it is voted on, allowing time to dissect it for signs of "irresponsible spending."
