Democrats in Disarray on Stimulus 2.0: Where Do House Dems Stand?
| FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Jason Altmire (PA-04), John Barrow (GA-12), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Lois Capps (CA-23), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Kathy Castor (FL-11), Ben Chandler (KY-06), David Cicilline (RI-01), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jim Costa (CA-20), Mark Critz (PA-12), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Kathy Hochul (NY-26), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-10), Ron Kind (WI-03), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Tierney (MA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), John Yarmuth (KY-03)
Democrats in Disarray on Stimulus 2.0: Where Does Kissell Stand?
North Carolina Democrat Can’t Have it Both Ways on Unpopular Stimulus Redux Washington — Although the White House claims nearly all Democrats support a second round of stimulus spending, it seems Congressional Democrats like Larry Kissell aren’t ready to publicly admit it. In fact, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had to scramble on Tuesday afternoon to block a vote on the second stimulus package, despite the White House’s claim that 95 percent of Democrats support doubling down on more failed stimulus spending and job-destroying tax increases. Given the confusion, Kissell should explain where he stands on the issue that matters most to middle-class families in North Carolina struggling in the wake of the original failed stimulus package. “Larry Kissell and his Washington Democrat colleagues should be able to admit and defend their own positions publicly on President Obama’s second stimulus plan,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Job creation clearly matters most to middle-class families in North Carolina, which is why Kissell needs to make it clear whether he is among the 95 percent of Democrats who support more failed stimulus spending and job-killing tax hikes.” The White House claims nearly unanimous support for the second stimulus plan from Democrats: “The White House said its package enjoys the support of 95 percent of Democrats and that by the end of the year it will be clear to voters that Obama and his party are trying to work for more jobs while Republicans are obstructing progress.” (Sam Youngman and Russell Berman, “Rep. Cantor rejects Obama, says president’s jobs package is dead,” The Hill, 10/3/11)
If this is the case, Congressional Democrats are clearly not in a hurry to show their support publicly: “President Obama today in Mesquite, Texas, attacked Republicans for not moving on the jobs bill he sent to Congress on September 12.
“‘My question to Congress is what are you waiting for?’ the president asked the crowd. ‘Do they not have the time? They just had the week off…’ “The problem is Senate Democrats haven’t acted to pass it either. And, even worse, at around the same time Messina and the president were complaining about the House GOP not voting on the jobs bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced he would block an attempt to bring the jobs bill to the floor of the Senate for a vote.” (Jake Tapper and Mary Bruce, “President, Allies, Launch Ill-Timed ‘They Won’t Even Vote On It’ Attack on GOP,” ABC News’ Political Punch Blog, 10/4/11)Clearly, Larry Kissell and his Washington Democrat colleagues want to have it both ways when it comes to their proposal for a second stimulus in the wake of the first attempt’s massive failure. But with middle-class families in North Carolina watching a bad economy take a turn for the worst, Kissell needs to declare where he stands on President Obama’s answer to the biggest issue on voters’ minds. Democrats in Disarray on Stimulus 2.0: Where Do House Dems Stand? http://ow.ly/6Onh8 #madeinwdc
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