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Gregg: Stimulus Package Causing 'Frenzy' of Earmarks
News — ... earlier next year. Gregg blamed a "tsunami" for blocking constructive progress on the proposed stimulus. "There needs to be recognition that a one-time government infusion from the federal government that helps you pick-up the revenue problem is legitimate but a government infusion that basically is picking-up the spending side and is basically saying you can continue to spend 17.5 percent over last year is not being responsible," Gregg added. Gregg's Republican colleagues have also expressed skepticism at the proposed program, with leaders in both houses calling for more ...

McConnell, Boehner leave the door open a crack
Political Animal — ... In other words, neither struck a neo-Hooverite position, which seemed to be the GOP message a couple of weeks ago. I'm inclined to think this is an encouraging sign. Republican leaders on the Hill -- who've no doubt talked to economists, counted just how small their minorities are, and noticed Obama's 82% approval rating -- implicitly agreed yesterday that a massive rescue package is, in fact, necessary. They want " tough scrutiny and oversight " of the spending, and expect hearings and safeguards , but at no point yesterday did GOP leaders criticize the notion ...

Krugman: GOP has ‘no coherent theory’ behind obstructing economic stimulus package.
Think Progress — ... over President-elect Obama’s economic stimulus package, which is designed to create three million new jobs, calling it “wasteful spending.” On MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show yesterday, Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman said that Republican leaders have “no coherent theory” behind their attacks, calling their obstructionism a mixture of “politics” and “suspicion.” Obama’s stimulus package may need to be bigger, he explained: ...