Posted on 02/03/2009 3:25:48 PM PST by rabscuttle385
The Democrats’ stimulus bill is a “sham” that could pass unless enough angry voters besiege Congress with calls and e-mails, Sen. Jim DeMint, chairman of the Senate Steering Committee, tells Newsmax.
Citing a new Gallup poll showing that three out of four Americans oppose the stimulus in its present form, the South Carolina Republican says Americans are beginning to understand what the stimulus bill is: a grab bag of spending measures that Democrats lusted after for years and will do little to stimulate the economy.
“When people see bike trails and hiking trails and golf courses, they know this is not designed to stimulate the economy and create jobs,” DeMint says. “It’s just basically special-interest, pork-barrel spending. I think the real shame is when people here know that Americans are hurting, and people are losing jobs, and to use that as an excuse to spend money is really terrible.”
Appearing on MSNBC, Chuck Todd of NBC has cited private conversations with Democrats who “admit the Republicans have won the spin war here.” To counteract that, President Obama has gone on a media offensive, conducting interviews in the Oval Office with ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and FOX News.
But DeMint says the Democrats are being driven not by polls but by special or parochial interests.
“No longer are politicians working for the good of the country,” he says.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
DeMint ping!
Just the “stimulus”?
The rest of the Republicans in the U.S. Senate need to heed sage advice and get behind Jim DeMint.
100 Senators and the American people only have one voice. That’s not only a sham, it’s a shame.
We of course must thank GWB for pushing the first one through congress with his socialist RINO buddies.
Unfortunately, nine of them, including South Carolina's other Senator, are too busy cuddling with Juan McCain.
That will be a great start to becoming real conservatives again.
Bookmark
Hey Democrats - You guys have the votes! So pass the damn thing already!
I don’t have much time, so forgive me for posting this on your thread.
From the WSJ:McCain Urges Supporters to Sign Petition Opposing Stimulus
Susan Davis reports on politics.
Sen. John McCain announced his opposition to the nearly $900 billion economic stimulus package in an email message to his supporters asking them to sign a petition that states, “I cannot and do not support the package on the table from the Democrats and the Obama Administration.”
A long-standing fiscal hawk, the Arizona Republican and 2008 presidential nominee wrote that he will not support the bill in its current form because it’s “big on the giveaways for the special interests and corporate high rollers, yet short on help for ordinary working Americans.”
McCain advocates against another massive spending package, instead calling for “a short-term stimulus bill” although he provides no further details or cost of such a bill.
McCain also chastises his former presidential rival for not involving Republicans more intimately with crafting the bill. “I appreciate the discussions President Obama is having with my Republican colleagues, but the time for talking has come to an end and we must now begin some serious negotiation,” McCain wrote, “But as of yet, Republicans have not been given the opportunity to be involved.”
Here’s the full email:
Dear McCain Supporter,
Yesterday, the Senate began debate on an economic stimulus package that is intended to get our economy back on track and help Americans who are suffering through these difficult times. Unfortunately, the proposal on the table is big on the giveaways for the special interests and corporate high rollers, yet short on help for ordinary working Americans. I cannot and do not support the package on the table from the Democrats and the Obama Administration. Our country does not need just another spending bill, particularly not one that will load future generations with the burden of massive debt. We need a short term stimulus bill that will directly help people, create jobs, and provide a jolt to our economy.
I believe we need to evaluate every bit of spending in this stimulus proposal with one important criteria - does it really stimulate the economy and help create jobs - if the answer is no, it does not belong in a so-called stimulus package. Furthermore, the stimulus must include significant direct relief to American workers in the form of payroll tax cuts and programs to help homeowners keep their homes. Finally, we need an end game to this stimulus so that when our economy recovers, these spending programs do not remain permanent and saddle our children with a skyrocketing national debt.
I appreciate the discussions President Obama is having with my Republican colleagues, but the time for talking has come to an end and we must now begin some serious negotiation. But as of yet, Republicans have not been given the opportunity to be involved. The House of Representatives passed a stimulus bill without a single Republican supporting it. In the Senate, the Democrat leadership is trying to jam the existing proposal through regardless of reservations from a number of members. With so much at stake, the last thing we need is partisanship driving our attempts to turn the economy around.
I have long been a fighter against wasteful spending in Washington and long an advocate for a balanced budget — that will never change. I realize we face extraordinary challenges with our economy today, but that is not an excuse for more irresponsibly from Washington. I hope you will join me in saying no to this stimulus package as it currently exists by signing this petition.
Sincerely,
John McCain
Chair, Country First PAC
Democrats losing the message? I guess 2008 is officially over, now I have hope!
Most of the rest of our House Of Lords just want to make "improvements" in the Bill. In other words, they want their piece of the pie for supporting it.
Mark Sanford for President. Jim DeMint for Vice President. Screw the rest of them including McCain and Miss Lindsey.
That's fine.
McCain Urges Supporters to Sign Petition Opposing Stimulus
The problem with McCain's statement is that it's misleading. He opposes the current stimulus but is happy to support a "lite" version of the current stimulus.
Furthermore, as the details of his Gang of 10's alternative proposal have come out today, the "tax cuts" are temporary, meaning that next year, Americans get hit with a de facto tax increase, just as they would be emerging from the recession.
DeMint's plan includes permanent and more extensive tax cuts, including a total and permanent repeal of the Alternative Minimum Tax.
DAMN RIGHT!
Rabs, DeMint must have been reading FreeRepublic. We’ve said all this before and more.
If he is, then the insanity of the past nine months may actually have been worth it, from my end, at least.
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