| I love the smell of bipartisanship in the afternoon...
The House passes economic stimulus package without single Republican vote.
 Handing the new administration a big win, the House Friday passed President Barack Obama's $787 billion plan to resuscitate the economy.
The bill was passed 246-183 with no Republican help. It now goes to the Senate where a vote was possible late Friday to meet a deadline of passing the plan before a recess begins next week
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All but seven Democrats voted for the bill - a 1,071 page, 8-inch-thick measure that combines $281 billion in tax cuts for individuals and businesses with more than a half-trillion dollars in government spending. The money would go for infrastructure, health care and help for cash-starved state governments, among scores of programs. Seniors would get a $250 bonus Social Security check.
Obama claims the plan will save or create 3.5 million jobs, but Republicans said it won't work because it has too little in tax cuts and spreads too much money around to everyday projects like computer upgrades for federal agencies.
Another way to put this, and it bothers me that this hasn't been more of a talking point, is that every Republican member of the House has just voted against the largest tax cut in history. Later today, all but two or three Republicans in the US Senate will follow suit. |
