The list of Senators not trusted by the owner of this blog is not provided in its entirety for this post. But two Senators are. They apparently represent Maine’s idea of having a pair. But that is not exactly what the reference suggests even metaphorically speaking. But then maybe pair refers to RINOs.
Collins could specifically define what she means by ‘targeted programs’. Under any circumstance the word ‘program’ generally means pork.
SENATOR COLLINS DISCUSSES ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA
February 4, 2009
U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today met personally with President Barack Obama to discuss her concerns with the proposed economic stimulus package. Senator Collins is leading a bipartisan group of her colleagues, including Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE), to develop a final stimulus package that would boost our nation’s troubled economy and create and save jobs.
“President Obama and I had a productive and lengthy discussion about the economic stimulus package being considered by the Senate,” said Senator Collins. “We spoke about the importance of passing a bipartisan package that would include targeted programs and tax relief to help get the economy moving again.
“I explained to the President my serious concerns with the House-passed bill, which now exceeds $900 billion and includes spending for some programs that would neither boost the economy nor create jobs. That is why I am working so hard with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to forge a compromise. I also assured the President that I shared his goal of passing a recovery package as soon as possible.”
Senator Snowe describes herself as a ‘key centrist’ in the release below. It is sufficient to state these two Senators are engaged in political slight of hand. Accepting the rhetoric without proof of concept including evidence of pork removal from HR1 renders their spoken or printed words as nothing more than snake oil.
Snowe Supports Economic Stimulus Package to Boost American Economy & Create Jobs
Works as Consensus-Builder to Develop Bipartisan Compromise
February 6, 2009
Washington, D.C. -
U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), a senior member on the Senate Finance Committee, tonight announced her support for a $780 billion economic stimulus package that will produce new jobs and aid the ailing American economy. A key centrist in Congress, Senator Snowe played a pivotal role in working with the Administration and Senate Leadership to adjust the tax provisions in the economic stimulus legislation to help garner support to achieve the bipartisan compromise announced in the Senate.
“The catalogue of arguments in the Senate have spanned the gamut – from those who believed this bill initially was about the right size and the right balance to those who thought it was far too expensive, providing too little bang for the proverbial buck,” Senator Snowe said. “However, through true consensus building, the Senate has rightly been engaged in a vigorous and healthy debate to arrive at this monumental compromise.”
Over the past several months Senator Snowe has consistently worked to enact a second stimulus package and has championed several pro-growth policies that aim to lift the struggling economy, spur job growth, and assist those who have been displaced by the worst economic downturn since World War II. She worked with members of the Senate Finance Committee to have several of her key job-igniting initiatives incorporated into the measure including: small business expensing to provide firms more rapid write-offs for making job-creating investments and the tax-free treatment of unemployment insurance benefits to help displaced workers.
“Through the Finance Committee tax-writing process we were able to produce a bill that will assist small business owners and hard-working Americans who are struggling during these trying economic times,” Senator Snowe said. “The tax and Medicaid provisions of this legislation, constituting nearly 60 percent of the entire proposal, will provide an immediate jolt to our nation’s economy.”
This week, during a one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office with President Obama, Senator Snowe discussed the shortcomings of the legislation. The Senator offered the President nearly $100 billion worth of non-stimulative spending that could be stripped from the package. This laid the groundwork to broker a deal that would create bipartisan legislation that is timely, targeted, and temporary.
“Throughout our deliberations this week in the Senate, I have consistently advocated for a package that will truly stimulate this economy, not an omnibus bill bloated with frivolous spending” Senator Snowe continued. “We must be vigilant to ensure this is the right package that will address the urgency of our economic crisis and achieve credibility with the American people.”
This week the Senate started to debate a $900 billion economic stimulus package, which through bipartisan negotiations, has been trimmed down to $780 billion. In addition to helping lead negotiations regarding adjustments to the tax portion of the bill, Senator Snowe expects many of her job-creating amendments to be included in the underlying bill, further strengthening the stimulus proposal.
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CBO Cost Estimate from January 26, 2009
Assuming enactment in mid-February, CBO estimates that the bill would increase outlays by $92 billion during the remaining several months of fiscal year 2009, by $225 billion in fiscal year 2010 (which begins on October 1), by $159 billion in 2011, and by a total of $604 billion over the 2009-2019 period. That spending includes outlays from discretionary appropriations in Division A of the bill and direct spending resulting from Division B.
In addition, CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimate that enacting the provisions in Division B would reduce revenues by $76 billion in fiscal year 2009, by $131 billion in fiscal year 2010, and by a net of $212 billion over the 2009-2019 period.
In combining the spending and revenue effects of H.R. 1, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would increase federal budget deficits by $169 billion over the remaining months of fiscal year 2009, by $356 billion in 2010, by $174 billion in 2011, and by $816 billion over the 2009-2019 period.
Did you read the excerpt or follow the link? Even without pork the so-called stimulus provided is neither quick nor stimulating. It appears Congress and the White House don’t have a clue or think you don’t. Americans will get hosed from every direction.
Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com
From market-based to “savior-based” (Michelle Malkin)
This entry was posted on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 2:12 pm and is filed under Public Affairs, Money Matters, wordpress, Politics, lobbyist, disclosure, ethics, Congress, Legislation.
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February 9th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
The entire North-East is nothing but RINOs and Democrats. Olympia Snowe has been one of the worst for a long time. I love the line “A key centrist in Congress” applied to her. She’s about as liberal as it’s possible for a Republican to be.
But that’s the media’s new definition of centrist. “Moderate” or “wishy-washy” Republicans are now considered by them to be “Right Wing Extremists”.
As for revenue reduction and deficit spending in the stimulus package, I think that the CBO estimate is far lower than reality. But then, this is just a “stimulus” bill. Congress has yet to take up the “regular” federal budget.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
It has been mentioned often spending in these so-called stimulus packages will be spread out so much little will be immediately deployed even if it wasn’t pork.
I just sent off more complaints to my ‘elected’ reps (Senators) for all the good it will do me. But at least I have the simple stuff done.
Some of the GOP Senators I still have some faith in are DeMint, Sessions, Inhofe, McConnell and maybe Shelby. Not sure about Coburn, Cornyn, Kyl and some others. Do you have a list?
February 9th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
My list is shorter than yours. DeMint and Inhofe are pretty much the only names on it.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:54 am
Just about the time you start to think someone in Congress is doing the right thing they change course or direction casting doubt on optimistic expectations from earlier observations. Ain’t politics wunnerful?