Obama downplays expectations of GOP support
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/01/27/art.obamaradio.gj.jpg caption="Obama met with House and Senate Republicans Tuesday."](CNN) - President Obama seemed to lower expectations Tuesday on how many Republicans he expects to vote for his stimulus package, telling CNN Radio he's not sure even 50 percent of GOP caucus will support the bill when it comes to a vote.
“We're not going to get 100 percent agreement, and we might not even get 50 percent agreement, but I do think people appreciate me walking them through my thought process on this," Obama told CNN Radio's Bob Constantini.
"I hope I've communicated a sincere desire to get good ideas from everybody. And my attitude is that this is the first major piece of legislation we've been working on the Hill, and over time some of these habits of consultation and mutual respect will take over. But, you know, old habits die hard."
LISTEN to the full interview
what good have any of the other "stimulus" bills done? Why do we need to keep giving billions to banks and car companies and other industries that don't know how to manage their own money? We tried it already and now, because Obama wants it, it will definately work?
Come on you knuckle heads!!
The main reason we are in such a mess is because of a relaxing of the qualifications required to get a mortgage( an idea by Gdubs), not because of the lowering of taxes like everyone tries to claim.
Bipartisan support is crucial to get this nation moving again. All you haters, from both sides need to stop and consider the damage YOU are doing to this nation. "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand".
Linda from South Dakota, you are a "typical" Obambi supporter.
Good job with the "book learnin'".
01/20/2013
Doing nothing is an attractive alternative to spending our country into oblivion. Honestly, the first bailout was a bust, the first stimulus checks did nothing, the auto bailout is a joke since Obama has now mandated new CAFE standards that dictate producing cars that Americans simply don't want. So why in the hell would we now think this plan would do any better?
The repubs do deserve some credit – only they can pursue a line of policy for eight years, drive the country into an economic ditch, yet insist that the way they drove the country into the ditch IS the way out.
Tax cuts they gave out for eight years (even when they were about to commence a fraudulent, elective war) didnt work? Have more tax cuts. What a shame!
Now that Bush is out of town, it appears that the GOP has all the answers for what is good for job growth and the economy.PLEASE!!!, Where were you when I needed a voice. Obama might not have been most americans first choice for president but where were the GOP when I need & other american needed a voice or help? I would like to tell John Bonner and all his cronnies that the majoritiy of Americans have drank GOP KOOL AID long enough, and as far as I am concern I will be deciding between the democrats and independents in the 2010 election.
The President needs to be talking to the two biggest obstructionists in Washington D.C. - Reid and Pelosi. Neither one of them is prepared to work across party lines, as we saw with the latest trickery that Mrs. Pelosi pulled relative to committee voting. I would suspect that most Republicans are ready to work with the President but not under the set of rules now in effect. All you people who keep quoting the President ("I won") need to re-think what really happened, and that is that 47% of Americans rejected the Democratic nominees. Yes, that means we lost, but that doesn't mean we do not deserve to be heard. If that is what you believe, think back to 2000 and 2004 when the shoe was on the other foot and you all were much more vocal in your denouncing of President Bush. The country needs cooperation and I will demand that my party (the elephants) give it our President.
So Republicans should sell their souls and agree to something they disagree with even if it's not the popular decision? I hope all Senators and Representatives stay true, Republicans and Democrats. This country needs that.
I just read the contents of the bill and they look like it will help imporove our schools, help modernize the healthcare system, improve roads and bridges etc...but i guess the republicans feel the need that additonal tax cuts for the rich, which by the way did nothing to increase jobs, is the better solution. But 10 years from now when bridges will start collapsing, when AMerica is not competitive in the education etc, then, maybe then, will the Republicans realize that what was being proposed in this bill was important.
I think Repubs should give Obama exactly as much support as Dems gave President Bush.
BTW, If he removes the pork from that proposal, he'll be amazed how much support he'll get for it.
What good is a "tax cut" to someone who is unemployed??
I can understand to some degree "tax cuts" and bailout $ for corporations and business that might help them create new jobs (if they don't spend it on bonuses and corporate planes), but with so many entities/business going out of business (Circuit City, Mervyn's), and others merging, and still others laying off thousands of workers, I can't understand why the stupid Republicans do not want to spend $ on putting people back to work......18% of the "stimulus" package for infastructure isn't nearly enough.......we've got a shi*load of Americans who have become unemployed in the last 6-12 months who need work now!!!!!
Can someone please explain that to me????
The New Deal. The Great Society. I thought THEY were supposed to end poverty. Face it folks the Government is not the answer to the problem – it is the problem.
Obama take the votes you get ... you not need the Repubs ....
All they are doing is looking out for their own self interest not the people ... After blindly going along with all the Bush spending .... they have the nerve to play obstructionists
To Griff, you are a very hateful person. I bet you profess to be a christian too.
The republicans have shut the democrats out for the last eight years. The American people have elected President Obama just as we did former President Clinton with the hope that the agenda of the democratic party would at least get some attention.
Republicans always want the same thing tax cuts. As a retired person, with no job and all my money lost in investments I do not want a tax cut I want a job so that I can pay taxes.
I find it funny that his big idea of bipartisanship is convincing republicans that he is right. He hasn't conceded one part of his stimulus plan. If he truly wanted bipartisanship he would actually incorporate at least a small amount of what the republicans are asking for. Its just one of Obama's many promises that he has broken, such as breaking his own rule and having a lobbyist in his cabinet.
In Minnesota, there was a political commercial that said, "Norm's gotta go." Well, if the GOP is live with obstructionists, then I say, "the GOP's gotta go." Evidentally, they want to be on the endangered species list in the North, East, and West.
Proud American January 27th, 2009 4:49 pm ET
Republicans must stop wasting valuable time. America cannot afford political pettiness. We need action now!!
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Where were you 2-3 years ago? We could have used your voice to chastise the roadblocking Dems. I guess better later than never!
@ Skippee
I will try to explain: With tax cuts comes more money in the employers pocket for what is produced. The more produced the more money, the more money, the more desire to produce, therefore the need for more employees. The less tax , the less of a need to raise the price of the product to make up the shortfall, therefore the consumer gets a good deal and spends his/her money. This could happen quickly in the free market. Infrastructure is good, but because it would be controlled by the state or federal government, it would take a few years to see any result if any result occurred. The economy in short would probably already be in recovery mode, before the government programs and infrastructure created jobs got rolling. Then when they kicked off, someone would still have to pay the tax on these non-manufacturing government jobs – Higher Taxes. Tax cuts would produce manufacturing jobs which would pay for themselves, through consumer spending. The taxes would be paid through more production and more employment.
when is obama going to realize he dont need them clowns,the gop will be absolete in a few years,they dont have any minority support,so thats means the party is over for them,in they know it,with the minority vote expected to be 35% by 2016 the gop will be dead
As he promised during the campaign, President Obama should thoroughly review "line by line" this bill before trying to sell it to the American people. This bill is loaded with pork (things like over $4B for organizations like ACORN? puh-leez!) so it's obvious that he nor his party has really examined this bill to see if it is solely for the purpose of improving our economy. Don't accuse the Republicans of being obstructionists when all they've done so far is merely identify the pork in this hastily, partisan-prepared bill!!!
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS NEED TO GET ON BOARD WITH THE STIMULUS PLAN. EVERY DAY MORE AND MORE PEOPLE LOSE THEIR JOBS AND THE REPUBLICANS WANT MORE TAX BREAKS FOR THE RICH AND CORPORATE AMERICA!!
REPUBLICANS NEED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OR GET OUT OF OFFICE IN 2010.
Obama, you are not straight with American people. You cannot get support form American people for your spending bill. It is not a stimulus bill. I wonder how much money will go to these democrats and in their pockets. This is a good opportunity to make a big buck. I hope Barney and his boyfriend is listening.
The Republicans seem to think that "bipartisanship" means they have a veto power. Tax cut, tax rebate, these old tricks won't play any more. To those who do not have a job or are afraid of losing theirs, they will save instead of spend whatever tax cut or rebate they get so it is not going to stimulate anything. Especially the Republicans want to give more tax cuts to the rich and the super rich.
They also seem to have already forgotten that Obama won less than three months ago. I say the heck with them.
Skippee,
It is really simple. Letting individuals keep more of their own money via tax cuts means more people will have money to invest through many ways including starting or expanding their business which leads to more jobs and growth. Just creating "make work" jobs for people doesn't solve the long-term issue. Americans need to feel comfortable taking risks again. This is the engine that will drive long term growth. I agree we also need to build infrastructure and this can provide some jobs, but both are important.