GOP walks thin line in opposing stimulus

[Americanhero1]

Congressional Republicans face the tough task of opposing an economic stimulus plan proposed by President Obama – without opposing Obama himself.

So expect the GOP to heap plenty of blame on the congressional Democrats who authored the legislation while shielding the popular new president from any of the mud slung at his allies.

It helps that most Republicans genuinely dislike the initial draft offered by Democrats in the House, an $825 billion combination of spending and tax cuts that seeks to boost funding for programs long ignored by President Bush.

House Republican Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio) complains that the plan “spends too much and spends it too late,” citing a preliminary readout by the Congressional Budget Office that shows very little money will be spent in the first six or so months after enactment.

“We’re trying to figure out how their plan is going to stimulate the economy,” Boehner said. “This is a plan that under-delivers.”

Republicans in both chambers argue that the federal spending is too targeted and focuses on programs favored by liberal lawmakers like House Appropriations Chairman Dave Obey (D-Wis.) – programs which they say will not have an immediate impact on the flailing economy.

“In December, most of us thought we’d be debating shovel-ready projects,” said Georgia Rep. Jack Kingston, a member of the Appropriations panel. “They kind of made it easier for us to say this isn’t a stimulus program.”

Of the $550 billion in federal funds, only $30 billion would be directed to highway construction – which seemed destined to be a major selling point for the proposal before lawmakers drafted it.

Meanwhile, $43 billion is earmarked to expand unemployment benefits and fund job-training programs. Another $54 billion is set aside for renewable energy development and other conservation projects, like insulation for lower-income housing. And $10 billion is included for scientific research and research facilities already funded by the federal government.

“It’s a grab bag for every liberal program that Democrats have wanted or enacted for years,” said Arizona Rep. Jeff Flake, an aggressive opponent of federal spending.

The result, Republicans argue, is an exceedingly high cost for every job created or saved.

But Republicans are in unfamiliar territory these days, as evidenced by their slow, scattered response to the initial proposal.

The early criticism focused on presumed “earmarks” – a favorite boogeyman for some Republicans – including millions for re-sodding the National Mall and money for a mob museum in Las Vegas. Last week, Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California referred to the House bill as an “$825 billion earmark” to expand the federal government.

In anticipating those attacks, Democrats included language in the bill – highlighted in press releases and members' comments – specifically forbidding any of the money from flowing to non-essential member-requested public-works projects, like aquariums or swimming pools.

“They missed duck ponds,” Flake joked. “Do we need to stop that next?”

But even Republicans concede that their attack on earmarks wouldn’t be an effective rationale to oppose a stimulus package backed by the popular president. They also have struggled to muster sympathy for procedural arguments that Democrats have barred them from negotiations over the initial draft.

But even as they go after the Democrats, GOP lawmakers face an internal struggle: With President Bush back in Texas, who among them should be issuing the marching orders in this fight?

In the House, three separate GOP leaders scheduled three separate press conferences last week to express opposition to the initial Democratic stimulus draft. Aides eventually consolidated the two afternoon briefings into a single over-crowded event.

Boehner tapped his No. 2, Whip Eric Cantor (Va.), to take the lead in negotiations with the White House. Cantor assembled a Republican alternative that he and his colleagues are expected to unveil during a session at the White House this week.

That plan, which should favor tax cuts over spending, will be the foundation for their opposition to whatever legislation emerges from negotiations between the House, the Senate and the new Obama administration.

Republicans risk further political damage by opposing a plan endorsed by Obama at a time when troubles in the credit market continue to drag down the broader economy.

But after splitting with their leaders to oppose a $700 billion rescue plan for Wall Street last fall, many Republicans believe they are finally on the right side of the spending debate, arguing that Democrats – and Democrats alone – will soon be responsible for doubling a national deficit that should exceed $1 trillion this year.

“Six months from now, it isn’t Bush’s deficit,” Kingston said. “That’s the Democrats’ deficit.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090126/pl_politico/17957