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Cool Reception
Talking Points Memo —
... After a meeting with Obama economics adviser Larry Summers, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) tells TPM Election Central that the Obama stimulus plan sounds like "trickle-down" to him. ...
Addressing Progressive Concerns
Open Left - Front Page —
Quite a few Democratic Senators are expressing concern over the business tax cuts in Obama stimulus plan. An MSNBC story points to critical comments from John Kerry and Kent Conrad. A couple hours ago, Talking Points Memo quoted Tom Harkin ...
The Outlines of Bush-Style Trickle-Down Economics?
Open Left - Front Page —
Two trusted economic progressives are saying Obama's economic stimulus package reeks of Bush-style trickle-down economics.
Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin (D):
Democratic senators are still emerging from their closed-door briefing with Obama economic adviser Larry Summers ... but a senior Democratic senator, Iowa progressive Tom Harkin, just gave me a dire buzzword: trickle-down.
"There's only one thing we've got to do in this stimulus, and that's create jobs," Harkin told me. "I'm a little concerned by the way Mr. Summers and others are going on this ... it still ...
Progressive Breakfast: Huge Job Loss Adds To Urgency
LiberalOasis : The Blog —
... all sides."
NYT header plays up conflict, but reports: " [Sen. Kent] Conrad, who described the meeting as extremely positive, said [Obama econ adviser Larry] Summers ended it by telling the senators, “Message received, loud and clear.” ... Senator John F. Kerry ... said he expected adjustments to be made. 'We are in a good dialogue,' he said. 'I am very confident about some adjustments being made.'"
More on senatorial tax cut skepticism from Wonk Room and TPM
Digby sees a kabuki dance: "I simply don't believe that Kerry and Conrad ...
Blago Impeached; Tide Turning (Again) on Burris?
FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right —
... Item. Draft of stimulus bill encountering more resistance from Democrats than Republicans. Getting 60 votes in the Senate does not seem like major concern to Senate Leadership; getting "right" package passed does. ...
1/9: Selling The Stimulus
Blogometer —
... 's Chris Bowers is upset about reports that the Obama team is ignoring the concerns being expressed by Harkin, Conrad, and Kerry: "Tom Harkin doesn't feel as though widespread Democrats concerns over business tax cuts in the stimulus package are even being addressed in meetings with the Obama economic team. This worrying suggests that progressives aren't even invited to the conservation over the stimulus [...] And here is the kicker: it is highly likely that while progressives are being snubbed, the business tax cuts were added to the stimulus in order to attract ...
Message Received?
Open Left - Front Page —
... incoming administration had differences over how to focus the huge federal spending in a recovery bill. "Investment, investment, investment has got to be the central focus: energy, roads, bridges, waterways, housing," he said. "Job creation is Job One."
Mr. Conrad, who described the meeting as extremely positive, said Mr. Summers ended it by telling the senators, "Message received, loud and clear."
Now, this is a very different version of the meeting than the one Senator Tom Harkin gave to TPM:
When I asked if he [Senator Harkin] ...
Milton Friedman lives (and other stories)
The Sideshow —
... , "Looks like the next few months are going to give us a succession of confirmed fears." And he provided a link to this story: ...
Obama's Price is Right Negotiating Strategy?
FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right —
So it turns out that the Senate Democrats are not entirely happy about the Obama administration's proposal to spend "only" $800 billion or so on the economic stimulus package, about $300 billion of which would be devoted to tax cuts. Not just any Senate Democrats are angry, moreover, but a series of VIPs who either hold either very prominent public positions (Harry Reid), command a great deal of respect on the Hill (Tom Harkin), are thought to be very close to Obama (Kent Conrad), or all of the above (John Kerry). My question is: can Obama ...
Guess What’s Trickling Down Your Leg
Suburban Guerrilla —
Not jobs! From Talking Points Memo:
Democratic senators are still emerging from their closed-door briefing with Obama economic adviser Larry Summers … but a senior Democratic senator, Iowa progressive Tom Harkin, just gave me a dire buzzword: trickle-down.
“There’s only one thing we’ve got to do in this stimulus, and that’s create jobs,” Harkin told me. “I’m a little concerned by the way Mr. Summers and others are going on this … it still looks a little more to me like ...
