Obama Faces a Delay for His Economic Recovery Plan

No deal by Inauguration Day, a blow to Obama's hope for a quick response to the economic crisis

By Kenneth T. Walsh

January 5, 2009 RSS Feed Print

Advisers to President-elect Barack Obama are far less confident than they were as recently as a week ago that his economic stimulus package will be approved by Congress in time for his inauguration on January 20. Even Democrat leaders now concede they can't meet that timetable, partly because Republicans and some Democrats are insisting on a more methodical approach to considering the massive package, which is still evolving and might exceed $1 trillion.

Robert Gibbs, Obama's chief spokesman and the incoming White House press secretary, told reporters on Sunday that it was "very, very unlikely" that the package would be on Obama's desk for signing by the 20th. "We don't anticipate that Congress will have passed both houses an Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Plan by the time the inauguration takes place," Gibbs said.

This is a blow to Obama's hopes of getting off to a dramatically fast start. It is also a sign that his honeymoon with his adversaries and even some in his own party won't last very long.

Meanwhile, Democratic strategists say the Republicans will be playing with fire if they substantially delay or obstruct the emerging economic stimulus package being proposed by Barack Obama and majority Democrats in Congress.

A filibuster in the Senate, for example, "would be a final marginalizing act" for the GOP, says Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg, at a time when the Republican brand seems to be declining and many Americans aren't sure what the GOP stands for.

Greenberg, who was a key adviser to President Bill Clinton, says Americans want "pragmatic, bipartisan action" on the economy and Republicans would make themselves "irrelevant" if they stand in the way of Obama's program and don't give his ideas a chance.

Greenberg adds that in the Senate, where rules allow a minority to block legislation, Republican moderates such as Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania could well vote with the Democrats to put the stimulus legislation over the top.

Tags:
Robert Gibbs,
Inauguration,
Obama administration,
Congress,
economy,
economic stimulus,
Barack Obama

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What some people seem to forget is that this “stimulus package” is going to have to be paid for by someone at some time and in some way. No doubt that way will eventually be in the form of higher taxes. In other words, what this brainstorm amounts to is the raising of your taxes to supplement your income which, of course, is nothing more than an exercise in IDIOCY!!

— thetruthhurts

thetruthhurts of IL 12:41PM January 08, 2009

I'm a 23 year old from Florida and I read a lot of history and let me tell you. The republicans are already on fire and their trying to put it out with gasoline that party has been dead since 9/11 they just dint know it that fat cunning egotistical murder Dick Chaney says the job of the party was to pick up the pieces of the country after the attacks I say the Parties job was to prevent it but hey history does repeat itself remember pearl harbor when Roosevelt allowed japan to attack because he knew the US people would not allow him to enter the European conflict without something a war cry? Sounds familiar to 9/11 doesnt it people blame Bush but his too stupid to mastermind this his just a puppet for the media to spit at and blame a real life SCAPEGOAT and his too dumb to REALIZE IT. funny if it was not so tragic and the American people need to realize this is their fault too YES I SAID IT ITS YOU FAULT IDIOTS for been too busy to vote and too busy getting pregnant at 16 and high all the time to not see your rights been sucked out of the constitution but YOUR elected officials who bailout the bankers to save the credit market while leaving the same bankers who ran the economy into the ground geez talk about a ponzi scheme madoff has nothing on hank paulson that lying rat bastard. Welcome to armaggedon America created by your ignorance

and lack of interest in the slimy vomit pool we call the US government. another Hitler is on the way lets see if you can spot him but it wont do you any good know only a unified people can stop this train and I'm sorry but that is not very likely. oh and here is a hint Americas Hitler begings with a B and is not Bush!

Frank of FL 3:41AM January 07, 2009

I am a registered Republican and its pretty obvious I am no longer represented and maybe haven't been for a very long time.

It seems that Washington is stuck in the mire of 1957 politics and astoundingly incompetent. President Obama needs some room to work and all these morons (both sides of the isle) can do is clog the pipe. Give the guy a chance for crying out loud.

Trying to run a country completely by committee is ridiculous. What are you going to do if some nut sends a Nuclear device and we can't built a ship, a plane, a tank or even sew our own armies clothing. Where are you going to get scientists educated enough to address a problem and where would they work anyway.

Would they ride a japanese bike to a german assembly plant and order fatigues from Walmart? Our government is in shambles. Everyone under 30 better prey a real Hitler doesn't show up. He'll practice genocide on your spoiled rotten selves. I am just astounded when I read the articles of todays situation.

Wealthy in San Diego of CA 9:25PM January 05, 2009

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