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Slimmed-Down Stimulus Bill Headed for Tuesday Vote

Senate moderates lower price tag; Obama 'pleased'

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 7, 2009 8:09 AM CST
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(Newser) – After hammering out a bipartisan reworking of President Obama’s stimulus package, senators began debating the measure last night, will continue today, and will likely vote on it Tuesday, CNN reports. Moderates from both parties worked on the compromise in days of private meetings, shaving down a plan that had soared to nearly $900 billion. “There is a winner tonight," said Sen. Joseph Lieberman, one of the centrist negotiators. “It’s the American people, and they deserve it.”

“We trimmed the fat, fried the bacon and milked the sacred cows,” said Dem Sen. Ben Nelson, noting that the bill’s price tag had been lowered to some $827 billion. “We are pleased the process is moving forward,” said the White House press secretary. But House minority leader John Boehner, still a holdout, said, “Ninety percent of a bad idea is still a bad idea.”

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., center, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, left, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Feb. 6, 2009, after a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., center, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, left, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Feb. 6, 2009, after a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., talk about the Senate's work to pass the economic stimulus bill yesterday.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., talk about the Senate's work to pass the economic stimulus bill yesterday.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., center, talks about the Senate's work on the economic stimulus bill yesterday at the Capitol in Washington.
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., center, talks about the Senate's work on the economic stimulus bill yesterday at the Capitol in Washington.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
Guest
Feb 9, 2009 4:45 AM CST
Cut the tax cuts!!
riffran
Feb 8, 2009 3:05 AM CST
taxing the hell out of people helps the economy?...NO....does any one thing help the economy.....NO...does raising taxes help....NO....does cutting taxes help......maybe, in conjunction with a lower fed intrest rate .....but I resent the fact that some damned beurocrat on capital hill can decide that I should spread the wealth, to others who don't earn it....what was that phrase....each according to their need, and each according to their ability.....sorry...Das Kapital, and the socialist mentality behind it is anathema to people who actually work and earn their way.......on their own, without the government nannie teat to suck off of
Snowleopard
Feb 8, 2009 1:33 AM CST
"Tax cuts are the only thing statistically proven to stimulate an economy." This is one of the most moronic things I've ever heard, and should discredit any other statement that Feragola makes. Anyone whose studied economics can tell you that there are many ways to stimulate an economy, and the primary way is by lowering the Fed's Interest rates. Unfortunately, it's been lowered to almost zero, which is forcing the government to resort to a Keynesian approach of stimulus through spending.

Obama travels to stump for bill
AFP

Deal is victory for Obama
Associated Press

 
Senate • debate • vote • economic stimulus package • moderate • Joseph Lieberman • Obama administration

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