The Virginian-Pilot
©
WASHINGTON
President Barack Obama's courtship of congressional Republicans drew praise Tuesday from a pair of GOP lawmakers representing Hampton Roads, but Reps. Randy Forbes and Rob Wittman suggested Obama has some distance to cover in his bid to win Republican support for an $825 billion economic stimulus plan.
In separate interviews, Forbes, of Chesapeake, and Wittman, of Westmoreland County, said that during a luncheon Tuesday, the new Democratic president appeared receptive to Republican ideas about changes to the stimulus package but made no commitments.
"Nobody was trying to put anybody on the spot," Forbes said.
Obama's session with House Republicans was his first trip to Capitol Hill since his inauguration last week. The president has indicated he hopes to have substantial bipartisan support for the stimulus plan, though GOP leaders have complained that the package does not include sufficient tax cuts.
Forbes and Wittman voted last fall against a financial-system rescue plan advanced by former President George W. Bush, a fellow Republican. They sounded skeptical Tuesday about Obama's program to revive the broader economy but suggested there's room for negotiation.
Forbes said there is a substantial gap between Obama's approach to the Republicans and that of the president's Democratic allies in the House. Whereas Obama appeared eager to exchange ideas and talk through issues, "the House leadership has done none of that," Forbes said.
The House could vote as soon as today on the stimulus plan, which the administration hopes to have enacted by mid-February.
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Randy Forbes
Does not rubber stamp anything. Neither has he sought tax breaks for rich people.
He is a very sound compassionate thinker who has respect for ALL people, unlike the poster who thinks rich people are less than him/her. Why is that? Who are "rich people"? Isn't that just a means to cause judgment and to separate us from the real issue; the issue itself? As long as people hide behind their emotions, they will never logically or rationally think thru an issue, so that the merits of the issue stand or fall on thier own.
Obama did a nice thing. He listened. I bet he won't CHANGE his prexisting notions though. If he was about CHANGE, why isn't he leading the dems into a non-bipartisnship discussion of putting away thier false ideals and listening to conservative ones? That's bipartisnship. You lady down your arms and ideals for that of another. Selfishness is when you demand another do it your way. Make sense liberals?
My ideals are not based on my beliefs, but my beliefs are from respect for ALL people, not just certain ones. I don't believe in robbing Peter to pay Paul. Niether do I believe in blame, irresponsibility, selfishness, or any other manifestation of pride. I do KNOW the
I Agree, Lets Not Blame Bush For All
Right after smiling with President Obama, every Republican't in the House just voted against his stimulus plan.
I blame them.
Let's not blame Bush for all
Let's not blame Bush for all the woes in this country. There is enough blame to go around for both parties. Some have said this "not playing nice together" attitude in government started in the Clinton administration.
It's nice to see someone try to break this attitude so some real work can be done. Both sides need to listen and then combine the best ideas that each has to offer.
Welfare
"rebates" for people who don't pay income tax is called welfare. Why not call it what it is?
Are you folks really this clueless?
This economy was steaming along pretty well until two things happened:
1) Democrats took control of Congress in '06
2) The failed directives of Clinton and his cronies to "make sure that everyone could get a mortgage and realize the American Dream"
The financial collapse has been a long time coming what with Americans' propensity to live far beyond their means, but lending millions of dollars to those that couldn't afford it was a recipe for disaster. Do some research on FNMA and FHLMC instead of singing the same BS that you get from B. Hussein Nobama's cheerleaders, ABC, NBC, CBS, and MSNBC et al.............
Is there an Obama supporter (or an anti-Bush person) out there that can actually think for themselves? Are there any of you?
Cummunity Organizer is great training
Isn't it wonderful to have a President who wants to first listen, then consider the logic of recommendations and the make a considered decision based on facts not ideology. President Obama is showing us that his Community Organization skills are what a President needs. There is hope for the world after the Chaney/Bush debacle.
Same Old Tune
Randy needs to find a new tune other than lower rich people's taxes. His inept rubberstamping of everything Bush is what got us into this mess.
An independent statesman would have challenged his president and party to find ways to stop the pet projects and profitteering that happened over the last eight years.
Randy decided it was more important to cut taxes for the rich and forget about paying down our national debt when Bush took office. Of course, he might have wanted the government to go broke.
Good points Cjack
Also, the President courted the GOP for a few reasons.
Amongst them, should this bail-out create additional problems that mirror the FDR bail-out, the GOP won't be able to say "I told you so" in the following elections.
Stimulus
$825 Billion is about $2700 for EVERY person in the US. That is on top of the TRILLIONS that went to bail out the banks and automakers.
I'd like to see the senators, congressmen and president all take a pay cut. How about $1 a year - like they forced on the automakers CEO's. Most of them are millionaires already. Nancy Pelosi can fly coach and use some of her own millions to get back and forth to California.