However, ideology is not the only reason that senators — from both parties — are balking at the president’s plan. As it emerged from the House, it suffered from a confusion of objectives. Mr. Obama praised the package yesterday as “not merely a prescription for short-term spending” but a “strategy for long-term economic growth in areas like renewable energy and health care and education.” This is precisely the problem. As credible experts, including some Democrats, have pointed out, much of this “long-term” spending either won’t stimulate the economy now, is of questionable merit, or both. Even potentially meritorious items, such as $2.1 billion for Head Start, or billions more to computerize medical records, do not belong in legislation whose reason for being is to give U.S. economic growth a “jolt,” as Mr. Obama himself has put it. All other policy priorities should pass through the normal budget process, which involves hearings, debate and — crucially — competition with other programs.
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A Washington Post Editorial: President Obama should heed calls for a more focused stimulus package
3 comments on “A Washington Post Editorial: President Obama should heed calls for a more focused stimulus package”
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Now this article makes sense even if I am not a lover of the Washington Post. Nuff said!!
This is precisely what is wrong with this bill, and it is Congress doing the same old things in the same old way with no sense of urgency or focus on the massive problem at hand. I find it truly alarming that this is what they have come up with to fling at the catastrophe the president says is impending – and alarming that he thinks *this* will stave off that catastrophe. Many, many items in this bill, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, are for things that can wait, for things that should pass through Congress in the usual way, things that have no business in crisis legislation. Are these Congressmen, who are apparently quite cavalier about paying taxes equally cavalier about paying attention?
Obama is exhibiting arrogance and inexperience with the legislative process. As a constitutional lawyer (though his credentials in this area were oversold) he should know that the president is not a dictator whose every whim is enacted into law.
His argument, that he was elected and should therefore prevail, overlooks the fact that every congressman and senator was also elected and is answerable to his constituency and his conscience. And it pays scant heed to recent precedent–Bush’s plans for social security reform, for example, were the will of an elected president and were scuppered by congressmen.
Obama’s caudillismo needs to be curbed immediately for the long term good of the body politic.