Free Republic

Americans are skeptical that an economic stimulus plan from the federal government will help the nation’s economy. This is perhaps due to the fact that most people think that the elected officials in Washington working on the plan are part of the economic problem as opposed to the solution. Less than half (45 percent) of Americans think “Barack Obama’s proposed $825 billion dollar economic recovery plan” will help the economy. Twenty-nine percent think the plan will not make a difference, while 18 percent think it will hurt the economy. Democrats (63 percent) are much more likely than independents (43 percent)...

There's a serious debate in this country as to how best to end the recession. The average recession will last five to 11 months; the average recovery will last six years. Recessions will end on their own if they're left alone. What can make the recession worse is the wrong kind of government intervention. I believe the wrong kind is precisely what President Barack Obama has proposed. I don't believe his is a "stimulus plan" at all -- I don't think it stimulates anything but the Democratic Party. This "porkulus" bill is designed to repair the Democratic Party's power losses...

Obama, allies move stimulus fight into high gear WASHINGTON (AFP) – After a failed "charm offensive," US President Barack Obama and his allies unleashed a hard-hitting campaign Thursday to break defiant Republicans' thus-far united opposition to his economic stimulus plan. The strategy called for millions of labor union members to telephone Republicans from hard-hit states, coupled with an aggressive television advertising campaign targeting potentially vulnerable Republican senators. The ad featured Obama's warnings about the economic crisis he inherited from George W. Bush and invited viewers in Maine, New Hampshire, Alaska, and Iowa to tell their senators "support the Obama plan...

After decades of watching their extravagant, far-Left programs languish in never-never land, Democrats are now realizing their once-forlorn hopes for a return to the good old days. Massive giveaways for their pet socialist schemes – and payoffs to labor unions and other financial supporters – will now be the order of the day. This time they are outdoing their New Deal, Fair Deal, Great Society overspending extravaganzas, cobbling together an $825 billion package they laughingly call a stimulus program, allegedly designed to put unemployed Americans back to work and get the economy back on track.

“Saint Obama is getting his check writing hand ready for the big fat piggy bank his buddies in Congress are about to bust open to the tune of $825 billion and counting…. Lets look at what’s in this stimulus package so far.’

Limbaugh Cracks the Whip, and Republicans Get in Line Conservative talk show hosts are keeping pressure on Republican leaders to oppose the economic stimulus plan and rallying the base in the meantime. FOXNews.com Thursday, January 29, 2009 The minority whip appears to be someone who has never won an election. Republican lawmakers who were having a difficult time becoming the "loyal opposition" in the first week of the Obama administration got a swift kick in the pants earlier this week from the "voice" of their constituents: Rush Limbaugh. The conservative talk show host was one of many across the country...

It had less than 50% support last week and is falling fast. We went from and 11 point spread down to 3 in a week. Independents hate it. More . . .

It seems the House passed bill on ’stimulus’ is not going to survive the Senate. First off, no Republicans (rightfully) voted for it and 11 Democrats joined them. Now Rassmussen is showing that support and opposition for the bill is now equalized: Forty-two percent (42%) of the nation’s likely voters now support the president’s plan, … The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 39% are opposed to it … 3% points is statistically a tie. The fact is Obama and the Dems have promised to fix the economy, but this bill doesn’t do anything for months and years from now. Smart...

Link only, per FR copyright and posting policy Highlights: *"One of the leaders" in the U.S. Senate in an attempt to block the stimulus bill *Spoke today to The Heritage Foundation in Washington *More allies on stimulus bill than on 2007 amnesty attempt

Bill Sammon reports.

Just when it seemed the Republican Party had breathed its last breath, an amazing thing happened: the one-time fiscally conservative, small-government party of yesterday briefly re-ignited. In a vote every conservative can be proud of, the House Republicans, thanks to the efforts of new Minority Whip Eric Cantor, unanimously voted against the crippling spending bill pushed by President Obama and his big-government allies. Of course it took the mother of all pork-barrel bills, with a crippling cost of more than $1.1 trillion that is sure to wreck the economy and drive up inflation to do it, but at least they...

Shortly after the House on Wednesday passed President Barack Obama's $825 billion "stimulus" package, ABC and CBS commiserated with Obama over his unsuccessful efforts to woo Republican votes. "Not one Republican voted for it," ABC anchor Charles Gibson announced on World News with "Rescue Plan" as the on-screen heading, "turning a cold shoulder to the President's appeal for bipartisan support." Reporter Jonathan Karl fretted: "So much for the President's charm offensive. Today it was all partisan rancor and name-calling." CBS reporter Chip Reid related how "the White House says this is a victory for the President, but certainly there is...

You got the full weight of the craziest lefties in America behind it. Looks like on moveon.org is utterly flabbergasted upon learning that not a single Republican in the house voted to support this piece of junk. It would appear that they are suffering from reality shock, after all, how could such a large group of politicians oppose dear leader's proposal? After all, he won!? The only conclusion...they must be Nazis. So now, in the midst of celebrating their 10 year existence and their 4.2 million person membership (about 1.5% of America's population) they have launched a campaign. They want...

Can the Obama administration be anymore tone deaf? After pushing his $1.1 trillion Generational Theft Act of 2009 through the House last night, the White House apparently decided to throw itself a swank cocktail party. According to ABC’s Jake Tapper, the menu included alcoholic beverages (vodka martinis are an Obama favorite, reportedly) and wagyu steak. Yeah, “wagyu steak.” $100 per serving delicacy. I had to look it up, too. On the heels of the most expensive inaugural celebration in American history and passage of a trillion-dollar spending binge that will saddle future generations with unprecedented debt, perhaps President Obama might...

Thank you for contacting me about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. President Obama gets high marks for trying to bring change to Washington, but Congress isn't living up to its end of the bargain. In the face of millions of lost jobs and an economy that continues to shut down, the House passed a bill loaded with pet projects that won't provide the jobs Americans need. Let me be clear: our economy needs immediate stimulus. That's why I called for Congress to pass President Obama's plan to cut regressive payroll taxes, invest in the nation's infrastructure and extend social...

Post-election Obama and ACORN ACORN enthusiastically endorsed candidate Obama in the 2008 presidential race. A fundamentally unethical group, ACORN aims at more than community organizing: it proposes social engineering. Even Fannie Mae is involved. ACORN made headlines during the past presidential campaign, not just for candidate Barack Obama’s past work with the organization, but also for revelations that it was implicated in voter fraud and embezzlement. The situation was serious enough – and public enough – that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ charity, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, decided “to end CCHD funding of ACORN organizations because...

Public support for the economic recovery plan crafted by President Obama and congressional Democrats has slipped a bit over the past week. At the same time, expectations that the plan will quickly become law have increased. Forty-two percent (42%) of the nation’s likely voters now support the president’s plan, roughly one-third of which is tax cuts with the rest new government spending. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 39% are opposed to it and 19% are undecided. Liberal voters overwhelmingly support the plan while conservatives are strongly opposed. Last week, support for the President’s plan was at...

Stimulus seeks to bar illegals from tax creditBy Julie Hirschfeld Davis Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Illegal immigrants without Social Security numbers could not get tax credits under the $800 billion-plus economic stimulus package making its way through Congress. A senior GOP congressional official expressed concern Thursday that the bill could steer government checks to undocumented workers, but in fact the measure prevents anyone without a Social Security number from claiming tax credits of $500 per worker and $1,000 per couple. It also expressly disqualifies nonresident aliens. The Republican spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to...

I just received this from Mark Warner (D) VA in response to my note telling him just say no to the stimulas plan.. Thank you for contacting me with your views on the economic stimulus package. In order to best represent you as your United States Senator, it is vital that I hear your view on this and other important matters. We have received numerous responses from across the Commonwealth from those both in favor of the stimulus and those opposed. I understand concerns about the expense of the bill and about certain provisions included in the package. Although no...

The U.S. Senate could vote as early as Monday on the federal economic stimulus bill, after it passed the House Wednesday night. South Carolina would get $3.2 billion under the current plan. But Gov. Mark Sanford says he’ll have to decide whether he’ll request the money. Republicans in the House voted unanimously against the bill, saying it would spend too much and cut taxes too little. Fellow Republican Sanford says the plan would increase the federal debt too much, threatening the value of the dollar and saddling our children and grandchildren with crushing debt. Sanford says job one for him...