Senate Allies Fault Obama on Stimulus
The Page by Mark Halperin — ... The President-elect's economic recovery plan ran into cross-fire from his own party, suggesting it could take more time to pass than Democrats once hoped. ...

Paging Admiral Ackbar
A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days — I don't mean to get unnecessarily conspiratorial, but I find it more than a little interesting that Barack Obama's stimulus package is getting fire from Democrats for not being sufficiently New Dealish . Perhaps Team Obama did not do the necessary amount of consulting with its Democratic allies on the Hill before rolling out the plan and therein lies the genesis for many of the complaints. If so, Republicans ought to rejoice in the possibility that Team Obama is too clumsy to keep its natural allies happy and loyal and draw hope from the possibility that within some time, the incoming Administration will be about as popular with Capitol Hill Democrats as Jimmy Carter ended up ...

Hullabaloo — ... Considering his strong support of Obama during the primaries, many people wondered what John Kerry's role was going to be since he was passed over for a cabinet position. I think today we saw that he's going to be lead liberal kabuki dancer in the revival the Democratic musical comedy called "How To Succeed In the Village Without Really Trying." ...

Paging Admiral Ackbar
RedState: Conservative News and Community — I don’t mean to get unnecessarily conspiratorial, but I find it more than a little interesting that Barack Obama’s stimulus package is getting fire from Democrats for not being sufficiently New Dealish. Perhaps Team Obama did not do the necessary amount of consulting with its Democratic allies on the Hill before rolling out the plan and therein lies the genesis for many of the complaints. If so, Republicans ought to rejoice in the possibility that Team Obama is too clumsy to keep its natural allies happy and loyal and draw hope from the possibility that within some time, the incoming Administration will be about as popular with Capitol Hill Democrats as Jimmy Carter ...

Newspaper Roundup for Jan. 9, 2009
CNSNews.com Headlines — Home News National CNSNews.com Newspaper Roundup for Jan. 9, 2009 Friday, January 09, 2009 By Susan Jones, Senior Editor Fox News: Group That Funded Rep. Ellison's Pilgrimage to Mecca Called a Front for Extremism The Hill: Conyers s opposition to Gupta is connected to Michael Moore Washington Post: Polygamist leader: Arrest is religious persecution Chicago Sun-Times: Blago seeks to have Fitzgerald removed from case The Guardian: Obama administration prepared to hold low level talks with Hamas Fox News/AP: Obama: Let's Postpone Digital TV Switch Washington Times: ...

Senate Democrats Bristle at Obama's 'Trickle-Down' Stimulus
Taylor Marsh — ... Relying on tax cuts, as Obama is doing right now in order to entice Republicans on board, sounds familiar. It’s very George W. Bushian and part of how we got into this mess in the first place. ...

It's called 'governing'
Political Animal — IT'S CALLED 'GOVERNING'.... The business of passing major legislation can be messy and frustrating , but this really is how it's supposed to work. President-elect Barack Obama's economic recovery plan ran into crossfire from his own party in Congress on Thursday, suggesting that quick passage of spending programs and tax cuts could require more time and negotiation than Democrats once hoped. Senate Democrats complained that major components of his plan were not bold enough and urged more focus on creating jobs and rebuilding the nation's energy infrastructure rather than ...

Respect My Prioritize!
Vodkapundit — President-Elect Obama and Congress-Just-Sworn-In are already at loggerheads : Senate Democrats complained that major components of his plan were not bold enough and urged more focus on creating jobs and rebuilding the nation’s energy infrastructure rather than cutting taxes. Just hours earlier, Mr. Obama called for speedy passage of the stimulus measure, warning that the recession “could linger for years” if Congress did not pass his plan within weeks. If I may steal a line from Glenn Reynolds… They warned me if I didn’t vote for Obama then Congress and the White ...

Most Americans Favor Stimulus Package
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire — ... However, the New York Times notes the plan "ran into cross-fire" from Obama's own party, "suggesting that it could take more time to pass than Democrats once hoped." ...

Krugman: Obama's Stimulus Doesn't Go Far Enough
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — ... Top Democrats in Congress have aired similar concerns -- in particular questioning whether tax cuts will have much of an effect on the economy. ...

Krugman: Obama's Stimulus Doesn't Go Far Enough
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed — ... Top Democrats in Congress have aired similar concerns -- in particular questioning whether tax cuts will have much of an effect on the economy. ...

Krugman on The Obama Gap
The Agonist - thoughtful, global, timely — ... Furthermore, Senate Democrats are, well, perhaps unhappy isn't the best word but it will do, with Obama's 'Stimulus Plan.' Heck, his honeymoon might be shorter than Bill Clinton's! ...

Obama Calls Jobs Report 'Stark Reminder' of Need for Urgent Action
The Caucus — ... is a “stark reminder” of the need to act quickly on his economic recovery plan. “Clearly, the situation is dire, it is deteriorating, and it demands urgent and dramatic action,” he said. Mr. Obama made the remarks in Washington before he officially announced more members of his national security team, ...

Congressional Dems Discover Their Vertebrae
Open Left - Front Page — It seems that congressional Democrats may have discovered their vertebrae: WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama's economic recovery plan ran into crossfire from his own party in Congress on Thursday, suggesting that quick passage of spending programs and tax cuts could require more time and negotiation than Democrats once hoped. Senate Democrats complained that major components of his plan were not bold enough and urged more focus on creating jobs and rebuilding the nation's energy infrastructure rather than cutting taxes. Further ...

1/9: Selling The Stimulus
Blogometer — ... is doing to the left, but because he makes [Senate Maj. Leader] Harry Reid cry on queue, people love him. It's almost like Reid and [IL Sen. Dick] Durbin know it and are happy to cry on cue if it means conservatives stay rallied to McConnell." OBAMA III: Facing Pressure From The Left Although liberal bloggers want Congress to pass an economic stimulus bill as quickly as possible, they don't mind that Dem Sens Tom Harkin (D-IA), Kent Conrad (D-ND), and John Kerry (D-MA) are voicing concerns about Obama's proposal: ...

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 ( ...

Bill Scher: Disorganized Dems? Or Democracy In Action?
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com —

The LiberalOasis Radio Show: Gaza Edition
LiberalOasis : The Blog — ... audio podcast for the show is here: (iTunes / XML feed / MP3). Video of the opening monologue, about prospects for President-Elect Barack Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, is below. After that are related thoughts posted earlier at OurFuture.org, "Disorganized Dems? Or Democracy In Action?" Disorganized Dems? Or Democracy In Action? Crossfire from his own party! Key Democrats blast Obama stimulus plan! Political ...

Everyone with a part to play
Political Animal — EVERYONE WITH A PART TO PLAY.... Last week, several top transition officials, including Lawrence Summers, talked to some Democratic senators about what the incoming administration has in mind for an economic rescue plan, and the lawmakers appeared rather unimpressed . Indeed, some reliably progressive Democrats, including John Kerry and Tom Harkin, seemed none too pleased. Digby ...

Stimulus changes afoot
Political Animal — STIMULUS CHANGES AFOOT.... Last week, top Obama transition officials met with several senators to go over details on the economic recovery plan, but the lawmakers were far from pleased with what they heard. Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), one of many with concerns, said that Lawrence Summers ended the meeting by saying, " Message received, loud and clear ." Apparently, Summers meant it, and in the incoming administration has made ...

1/12: Pressure From The Left
Blogometer — ... ' Jed L encourages his readers to make their voices heard: "If, like Krugman, you support a larger, bolder economic recovery package, then now is the time to make sure your voice gets heard. This isn't just a test of Obama and Congress -- it's also a test of how well we can continue the push for change from the outside, and the conditions are ripe. Obama has already signaled his willingness to go larger, and Congress has already begun to push him. We're in the middle of a national debate right now, but it's not about whether or not we need a stimulus. It's about whether or ...

David Sirota: The Rise of American Czarism
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — ... standing up to the incoming administration on taxes, and to see Senate Democrats stake out juxtapositional stances against Obama on the stimulus bill. And it's why I'm glad to see that ...

The Rise of American Czarism
Open Left - Front Page — ... standing up to the incoming administration on taxes, and to see Senate Democrats stake out juxtapositional stances against Obama on the stimulus bill. And it's why I'm glad to see that ...

There's Something Happening Here...
Open Left - Front Page — ... a year ago, I wrote an article for In These Times predicting that congressional progressives would be emboldened to assert themselves in an unprecedented way under an Obama administration - and that the broader progressive movement would help itself immensely by focusing on working with and strengthening those lawmakers. Now, after eight years of a rubber-stamp Congress, that prediction seems to be coming true. In the last few weeks, we've seen: - Senate Democrats publicly press Obama to make the economic recovery package far more robust. ...