Dems Supported Obama’s First Failed Stimulus, Will They Support Stimulus 2.0?
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), Jerry Costello (IL-12), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), 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), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), 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)
President Obama Wants Congress to Pass it ASAP, But Zero House Co-Sponsors Have Signed on So Far
Washington — President Obama has been insistent on the campaign stump that Congress step up and pass his second stimulus plan post-haste, but so far New York Democrat Tim Bishop hasn’t gotten on board. In fact, there are currently zero co-sponsors for the plan as introduced last week by Rep. John Larson (D-CT) in the House. Since he supported the first one, does that mean Bishop will soon step up and co-sponsor this new stimulus plan that his Democrat leaders are trying to expedite?
“Tim Bishop already supported one failed stimulus that failed to create jobs, will he stand by Obama again and support more stimulus spending that could make our economy even worse?” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “After much lip service about wanting to improve the economy, Bishop needs to speak up and declare whether he stands with Obama or with New York’s middle-class families looking for job creation.”
The Obama stimulus plan currently has zero co-sponsors in the House (H.R. 12, Introduced 9/21/11), despite the urgent rhetoric coming from Democrat party leaders:
The lack of support is not surprising given the underlying low expectations from even the rosiest projections by Democrat economists:
“As long as the GDP grows at an annual rate beneath 2.5 percent, it cannot create enough jobs for new entrants into the workforce, let alone to re-employ those laid off during the downturn, said Martin Regalia, chief economist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation’s biggest business lobby.”
(Tom Raum, “Obama plan would make small dent in jobless rate,” Associated Press, 9/24/11)And billions more in stimulus spending will not create the wave of jobs Democrats are promising, just like the first time around:
“‘Unfortunately, there aren’t many jobs ready to go at the snap of a finger,’ said William Ibbs, a professor of civil engineering at the University of California at Berkeley, who also consults on major construction projects.”
(Kendra Marr, “‘Shovel ready’ jobs could take time,” Politico, 9/26/11)If Tim Bishop’s Democrat leaders are so intent on rushing their second stimulus plan through Congress as soon as possible, then why aren’t there any co-sponsors for their signature piece of legislation? Bishop should either step up and co-sponsor the bill or provide his ideas to create the jobs middle-class families in New York need.