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GOP tries to restore image of fiscal discipline
By LIZ SIDOTI – 8 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking political traction, Republicans are using the economic stimulus package to try to restore an image of fiscal discipline tarnished by a free-spending GOP Congress under former President George W. Bush.
The return to what many Republicans consider their small-government, tax-cut roots is driving unity in a party that now lacks power in the White House and in the Democratic-controlled House and Senate.
Only three Republicans — Senate moderates — voted for the $787 billion measure aimed at pulling the country out of recession. The rest assailed it as filled with pet projects, too light on tax cuts, and too quickly pushed through Capitol Hill.
It's "a long wish list of big government spending that won't work. It won't create jobs. It won't stimulate this economy. And it may do more harm than good," Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., declared after opposing the bill.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., was quick to pounce, saying, "It is sending an entirely wrong signal to the American people to be banking on failure."
By LIZ SIDOTI – 8 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking political traction, Republicans are using the economic stimulus package to try to restore an image of fiscal discipline tarnished by a free-spending GOP Congress under former President George W. Bush.
The return to what many Republicans consider their small-government, tax-cut roots is driving unity in a party that now lacks power in the White House and in the Democratic-controlled House and Senate.
Only three Republicans — Senate moderates — voted for the $787 billion measure aimed at pulling the country out of recession. The rest assailed it as filled with pet projects, too light on tax cuts, and too quickly pushed through Capitol Hill.
It's "a long wish list of big government spending that won't work. It won't create jobs. It won't stimulate this economy. And it may do more harm than good," Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., declared after opposing the bill.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., was quick to pounce, saying, "It is sending an entirely wrong signal to the American people to be banking on failure."
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Three moderate GOP senators broke ranks — Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania — and voted with Democrats.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hwmXd2At1xo7YxJpwKkeATr-_W7AD96D6VGO1
Is it easier for the GOP to be "fiscally disciplined" if they are the minority party or does this signal a real paradigm shift--i.e. actual lessons learned from the Bush era? There was a groundswell of disapproval regarding the bank bailout (though not as big as disapproval for bailing out the big three).
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money in their pockets and less in the government's hands?
But once the economy turns around, Republicans could easily be cast as modern-day Herbert Hoovers who wanted to do nothing — even though the GOP presented its own stimulus plans, which were heavier on tax cuts and lighter on government spending.
Republicans also leave themselves vulnerable to criticism that tax cuts on the GOP's watch contributed to the recession. And they could invite charges of hypocrisy, given that government spending ballooned when Bush and his GOP were at the helm.
But once the economy turns around, Republicans could easily be cast as modern-day Herbert Hoovers who wanted to do nothing — even though the GOP presented its own stimulus plans, which were heavier on tax cuts and lighter on government spending.
Republicans also leave themselves vulnerable to criticism that tax cuts on the GOP's watch contributed to the recession. And they could invite charges of hypocrisy, given that government spending ballooned when Bush and his GOP were at the helm.
Stimulating the housing market like they did certainly turned out to be a ************