by Mark Silva
"We know the economy will recover. We just don't know exactly when." -- Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), on FOX News Channel's Hannity.
This is the sort of economic talk that first got the Republican nominee for president in trouble, when he said, during the Republican primaries, "The issue of economics is something that I've never really understood as well as I should. I understand the basics, the fundamentals, the vision, all that kind of stuff.''
But now that the economy is the only subject on the plate, McCain is among the Republicans complaining that the president's economic stimulus bill is too heavily laden with spending and too light on tax cuts.
""It's not a stimulus bill. It's a spending bill,'' McCain told Sean Hannity. "We obviously... have to have tax cuts. We have to have some spending... but we also have to craft provisions that, as soon as our economy recovers, that we will then embark on spending cuts in order to have a balanced budget.
"We know very well that, once you start spending in Washington, you never stop,'' said McCain, well aware that the president is not going to get his bill out of the Senate the way he got it out of the House, without any Republican support.
"I appreciate the president talking to the House and the Senate Republicans...but the reality is that the Republicans were completely shut out in the House,'' McCain said. "Every amendment... was voted down on party lines.
"I think that Americans did really vote for change, and they want us to sit down and work together,'' McCain said. "So far...we have not seen the kind of bipartisanship that I think the American people want in these very difficult times...
"We think it's very important to put this country on a path to reduce spending once the economy recovers.''
Comments
GOP amendments were shut out in the House by Democrat House leader Nancy Pelosi, whose understanding of the U.S. is best illustrated by this video where she claims "500 MILLION AMERICANS LOSE JOBS EVERY MONTH".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8hMJVXt09E
Yes, according to the House Democrat leader, each adult American loses 2 jobs a month!
Posted by: Taxpayer | February 4, 2009 3:38 PM
We just had 3 rounds of Bush tax cuts and stimulus checks just last year and they haven't helped.
Of course it's spending, McCain. That's the stimulus part of it.
The 300b plus tax cuts in the existing bill will do little. I'm saving mine, along with the Bush checks.
McCain and Republicans don't seem to understand we have slid into the abyss. It's gonna take a lot of long, filthy green to get us out.
Posted by: C.Morrisā | February 4, 2009 3:41 PM
Republicans vowing to watch over the economy is like the foxes vowing to guard the henhouse after they've eaten all the chickens.
Posted by: proglib | February 4, 2009 3:43 PM
Memo to Grandpa McCain:
You lost! And you lost not only because you're an insane warmonger but also because you're and economic know-nothing!!!
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4egXbhSOhk
Signed:
80% of America and most of the Rest of the World
Posted by: Hey Joe | February 4, 2009 3:45 PM
"But now that the economy is the only subject on the plate, McCain is among the Republicans complaining that the president's economic stimulus bill is too heavily laden with spending and too light on tax cuts."
.
And yet McCain's not concerned with saddling our young people with the debt from the neonut Repub wars and any future wars that might involve the "bomb-bomb-bombing of Iran" etc.
Oh, Johnny Mack Daddy, you're so precious, now go lay down, it's nappy time.
Posted by: Purple4 | February 4, 2009 3:58 PM
Aw, shucks, Hey Joe. Beat me to it.
John lost. His views were clear in his campaign and he lost.
Or, as Barack put it a few days back,
"I won."
Posted by: ornery | February 4, 2009 4:38 PM
These self-serving, obnoxious "I won" kinds of comments do no one any good. This pork bill will handicap Americans for generations upon generations. It is spending on wish lists, pure and simple. It has GOT to be trimmed.
I would ask that Obama and the Democrats slow down. Obama just wants a "win," and he doesn't care what happens in the meantime. Why should he? His family will be cared for, forever. It's the average joes who are being shafted.
THis is a horrible bill. Please write yours reps and senators and tell them so. I already did.
Posted by: Beth | February 4, 2009 5:47 PM
Wait, how come little johnny is suspending his senate job to come to rescue the American economy? Hey, Beth, he did lose and his crappy grasp of the economy is just one of the reasons. Did you write your senators when Shrub rushed $750 to Paulson's buddies?
Posted by: Neal | February 4, 2009 7:24 PM
If John McCain were president we wouldn't be discussing "stimulating" the economy by handing out hundreds of billions of dollars to sweetheart construction companies and liberal special interest groups. We'd be discussing something that actually WORKS to stimulate the economy: tax cuts. If only McCain had opposed the first "stimulus" bill then we might not have to put up with the clown in the White House now and the lobbyists who've purchased him.
Posted by: Jeff | February 5, 2009 12:34 AM
Rush/Joe the plumber 2012'
Posted by: bill r. | February 5, 2009 8:01 AM