by Frank James
Bill Kristol, the conservative pundit, has a response to the President Barack Obama's Washington Post op-ed in which the president argued for Congress to pass his economic stimulus plan.
Kristol's point is that if the president wants Republican help to quickly pass a stimulus bill, Obama should subtract all the spending in the bill that's more about the Obama Administration or congressional Democrats' agenda, whether it's energy or health-care and leave in only truly stimulative spending. The White House should allow the longer-term agenda items to be debated in Congress the way such legislation usually is.
An excerpt:
The Republican position should be: We'll pass on this emergency timetable a real stripped-down emergency stimulus. But if Obama insists on legislation incorporating an alleged "strategy for America's long-term growth," then the country deserves hearings and debate that obviously will take some time. And Republicans should make clear they cannot agree to limiting debate to a couple of days on such momentous long-term legislation.
If Obama wants a stimulus, Republicans will give it to him tomorrow. It's the president's and the Democrats' insistence on incorporating a huge and problematic policy agenda in this one bill that's delaying action. Why then, Republicans can ask, is President Obama delaying a necessary, short-term, emergency growth package?
Kristol's recommendation isn't just coming from Republicans. As I've written before, Alice Rivlin, who was President Bill Clinton's Office of Management and Budget director, has argued similarly that longer term spending, such as infrastructure funding, be split from the stimulus bill. Infrastructure projects need a longer, more thoughtful review, she said.
Comments
Bill Kristol?!?! The Bill freaking Kristol who is historically WRONG about anything and everything and always has been?!?!
Gee Frank,
Last week it was rightwing hack journalist Amity Shales that you were flogging as an "economic expert" and this week it's Billy Kristol whose middle name is "wrong"...is Karl Rove your new boss?
When it comes to blocking President Obama's economic American job stimulus plan, what is old is new for the conservative movement. Fearing a permanent Democratic majority if Bill Clinton succeeded in passing his health care reform package, Bill Kristol in 1993 famously rallied Republicans with a memo urging his party to halt it at all costs. With Congressional Republicans and right-wing talking heads now circling the wagons, history is apparently repeating itself. Afraid not that Obama's plan might fail, but that it might succeed, Republicans are mobilizing a scorched-earth campaign to prevent Democratic success on an economic recovery package.
Posted by: DR NO | February 5, 2009 2:14 PM
If anyone deserves not to be heard, it's Bill Kristol. He's one of the neo-cons that always pushed for Duh'bya's weird and warped anti-conservative policies
.
Having said so, it is correct that the so-called stimulus bill needs to be either reworked or scrapped. You just can't hurry up and throw money at a problem, hoping that some will stick and the economy will be better for it. If there really must be such a bill, spending items in the bill have to be designed to stimulate the economy in the short term. The current bill fails that test.
Posted by: John W. | February 5, 2009 2:33 PM
Obama would do well to do the opposite of anything Kristol suggests.
Its time to forget any bipartisanship and move forward without GOP support.
Posted by: Paul | February 5, 2009 2:59 PM
Obama should put him in his BRAIN BANK,have not seen an idea this good come out of the New White House.
Posted by: Inky | February 5, 2009 3:00 PM
Obama would do well to do the opposite of anything Kristol suggests.
Its time to forget any bipartisanship and move forward without GOP support.
Posted by: Paul | February 5, 2009 2:59 PM
as to Kristol- even a stopped watch is accurate twice/day... he is right here.
Paul- w/o GOP support??? this is what has already happened- REPS had no input or opportunity to ammend the Pelosi written bill...
The bill is a loser- written by a petulant, dogmatic, ideological speaker- who cares more about retaining her DEM majority than any kind of serious recovery.
Start with this- cut taxes and spending dramatically and then negotiate the sunset date for the changes to end if not extended with a new vote. Tax cuts work- when they are not offset by huge spending.
Posted by: heartburn | February 5, 2009 3:22 PM
Kristol's one of the neo cons who helped push Bush into invading Iraq; I can't imagine Obama taking any economic advice from this guy, and I'm sure he won't.
Posted by: rupert | February 5, 2009 3:42 PM
Start with this- cut taxes and spending dramatically and then negotiate the sunset date for the changes to end if not extended with a new vote. Tax cuts work- when they are not offset by huge spending.
Posted by: heartburn | February 5, 2009 3:22 PM
Yes of course! More Tax Cuts!...because they worked so well in the past......NOT!
The last thing our new President should do is take advice from the same Repuglican morons who got us into this economic sinkhole in the first place.
Try again, PrePuke...
Posted by: antacid | February 5, 2009 4:13 PM
Kristol's one of the neo cons who helped push Bush into invading Iraq; I can't imagine Obama taking any economic advice from this guy, and I'm sure he won't.
Posted by: rupert | February 5, 2009 3:42 PM
Rupert- I'm sure he won't either, and, from the looks of things, it does not appear that Obama is taking economics advice from anyone... maybe he can offer us another does of soaring rhetoric to help us through these tough times.
Posted by: heartburn | February 5, 2009 4:21 PM
How long will folks think 'Tax cuts work'? After eight years of the Bush/GOP dogma of tax cuts the economy should be booming. All we have to show for the GOP huffing and puffing for tax cuts is the severe economic crisis we are currently in.
Partisanship sounds great in theory, but theory doesn't create jobs. I wish some folks would pull their heads out of the sand and help deal with the mess that the so-called conservatives have saddled us with.
Posted by: Paul | February 5, 2009 4:46 PM
Yes of course! More Tax Cuts!...because they worked so well in the past......NOT!
The last thing our new President should do is take advice from the same Repuglican morons who got us into this economic sinkhole in the first place.
Try again, PrePuke...
Posted by: antacid | February 5, 2009 4:13 PM
And spending $50M for the the NEA, $650M for digital television converters, or buying an $87 Million dollar icebreaking ship will create how many jobs? Can't wait for your response...go ahead and feel free to cut and paste some article to help you with what I am sure you really want to say..-
Posted by: heartburn | February 5, 2009 4:52 PM
Push for the already failed policy; 'spend baby spend' by means of tax deduction looks like a Mugabe style, I'd say. If the deficit matters, then those with the concern will be advised to count the costs of imported oil and reduce war expenses, I think.
The U.S. need to take an extraordinary measure toward job creation right away. If it fails, the U.S. is sure to fall into decay from trend., I think.
Posted by: hsr0601 | February 5, 2009 5:01 PM
And spending $50M for the the NEA, $650M for digital television converters, or buying an $87 Million dollar icebreaking ship will create how many jobs? Can't wait for your response...go ahead and feel free to cut and paste some article to help you with what I am sure you really want to say..-
Posted by: heartburn | February 5, 2009 4:52 PM
PrePuke,
Let me put it to you this way. YOUR REPUG TEAM LOST!..and not only did they lose, they got creamed in two straight landslide elections because the American people have rejected your tax cuts for the rich mumbo jumbo and everything else that you nuts stand for. And in case you haven't noticed, no one is asking for your advice anymore.
The grownups are in charge now, PrePuke.
This case is closed
You lose...again.
Posted by: antacid | February 5, 2009 5:22 PM
"...Let me put it to you this way. YOUR REPUG TEAM LOST!..and not only did they lose, they got creamed in two straight landslide elections ..."
Posted by: antacid | February 5, 2009 5:22 PM
Yes- 52% to 48% = a landslide.
Don't take my advice- just quitting buying stuff we don't need with my credit card...! is that grown up enough for you?
Posted by: heartburn | February 5, 2009 5:36 PM
Heartburn, we don't need soaring rhetoric to get us through tough times; we need less obstructionism by the Republicans, out there lying about the stimulus bill; they are still out talking about 'pork' that was removed 2 weeks ago. Pelosi got things off to a bad start, but the Senate has a better bill.
Posted by: rupert | February 5, 2009 6:13 PM
I love it. antacid owns you heartburn.
Swamp Scoreboard
---------------
antacid - 2
Everyone else - 1
heartburn - 0
Posted by: Sportscenter | February 5, 2009 7:02 PM
Don't take my advice- just quitting buying stuff we don't need with my credit card...! is that grown up enough for you?
Posted by: heartburn | February 5, 2009 5:36 PM
We probably wouldn't have to if the loser Repugs you support hadn't already bought a trumped war in Iraq on our credit card.
Posted by: ajsalcny | February 5, 2009 7:27 PM
We'd do better hearing from Billy Crystal than Bill Kristol.
Posted by: Flo | February 5, 2009 7:51 PM
"Obama should subtract all the spending in the bill that's more about the Obama Administration or congressional Democrats' agenda, whether it's energy or health-care and leave in only truly stimulative spending."
Classic Republican economic thought: Just pass the money directly to their business partners, no strings or oversight attached.
God forbid the government should spend money on stuff we actually NEED! like roads, schools, and health care.
Posted by: athena | February 5, 2009 9:18 PM