Hey,

Amazing!

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18024.html

Boehner to GOP: Vote against stimulus

President Barack Obama is coming to the Capitol this afternoon to curry favor with congressional Republicans. But it appears GOP leaders have already made up their minds to oppose his $825 billion stimulus plan.

House Republican Leader John A. Boehner and his No. 2, Whip Eric Cantor, told their rank-and-file members Tuesday morning during a closed-door meeting to oppose the bill when it comes to the floor Wednesday, according to an aide familiar with the discussion. Boehner told members that he's voting against the stimulus, and Cantor told the assembled Republicans that there wasn't any reason for them to support the measure, according to another person in the room. Cantor and his whip team are going to urge GOP members to oppose it.

In a nod to the president, Boehner did point out that this is the third time that Obama has met with Republican leaders, compared with the zero meetings they've held with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) — a now-familiar refrain from Republicans in the House. But Obama’s diplomacy clearly isn’t buying any votes yet.

This pre-meeting bluster should dampen the mood for an early afternoon meeting with the president, who is making the trek to hear Republicans’ input on the legislation before Wednesday's vote. Once Obama is done with House Republicans, he will cross the Capitol to join the Senate Republican Conference lunch to pitch them on the stimulus.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on NBC's "Today" show Tuesday morning that Democrats in Congress are "drifting away" from Obama's preferred stimulus plan, which was supposed to include 40 percent tax cuts and be free of earmarks.

“Listening to what he said he wanted, we think we may be closer to that, oddly enough, than the Democratic majority, which seems to be pulling in the direction of fewer tax — less tax relief and things like fixing up the [National] Mall. You know, most people don't think that's the way we ought to spend stimulus money,” McConnell said.

Despite the grim outlook for Republican support, administration officials are not giving up. In addition to the president's visit, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is hosting a group of congressional Republicans at the White House tonight. Vice President Joe Biden is visiting the Senate Democratic lunch, and the Senate Finance Committee is undergoing a lengthy markup of the legislation.

"They’ll talk stimulus, but also whatever else is on their mind and whatever they want to talk about," said an administration aide.

Republicans were appreciative of the gesture - but non-commital.

"I'm glad to listen," said Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.).

But Gerlach says he is leaning against the bill.

Democrats are warning that Republicans will continue to be pegged as obstructionists and the “party of ‘no’” if they are unwilling to negotiate.

“The American people rejected the Bush economic policies of the past eight years that resulted in millions of jobs lost and Republicans now have an opportunity to work with the President and Democrats to move our country forward,” said one Democratic aide. “It would be a shame if Republicans choose to promote the same policies instead of listening to the overwhelming majority of Americans who support swift action on the House bill.”

/end

No, don't label the GOP the party of "no!"  Give me a fucking break...

Who cares what the Dems, President, or MSM think of you.

Just do the right thing.

Kevin "Duh."

I think this is a great opportunity for some truly conservative GOPs to come forward and fight The One.  Some GOP folks could become heroes for our country.

Here's to hoping!

Unfortunately, the only time the GOP finds its balls are when its the minority party.

You can thank Rush Limbaugh for this.

I think without him being so vocal against Obama alot of the moderates in the House would have rolled over and voted for it.

this

About time

Too late.

What do they have to lose?  They have already lost the damn election...

Even though I'm a proponent of Keynesian economics , this "Stimulus and bailout" shit had gotten out of hand.

But of course it will pass..

^

Hopefully that can convince America that the last election ( or any election that dims win ) was a shot in the foot.

Eight years too late is better than never, I guess.

Eight years too late is better than never, I guess.

no shit

Man, if it fails the democrats will really get their panties in a wad.  They'll be vilifying the evil Republicans every chance they get (I mean, even more than they do now).

Why is that?
We had the keys to the store for 12 years and got no agendas pushed.
Of cousre a lot of true conservative values are looked down upon by alot of folks here.
Damned moderates

That.

Get the time stamps from the vote, my money is on that the GOP will vote NAY after it passed like every politician does to save face.

Never been a huge fan of Rush but I'm becoming one.  I don't disagree.

If Obama is the way, the light, then why does he need GOP support?

Are the Dems afraid, again, of taking on something all alone?

We are still in Iraq, Pelosi made a promise to be out in 2006 elections...

lol...what a bunch of pussies.

Amen to that.  This "We hope he succeeds" crap needed to die a quick death.

I wish this was the result of some kind of stand on principle, instead of partisan politics or the GOP being upset that $825 billion isn't being spent on their own priorities.

Oh, well, I guess we gotta take what we can get...

Republicans will put on a show and then vote for it.

They only want Republicans to vote for it so they can shed blame to them when the stimulus fails. The Democrats have the votes to pass it all on their own, but don't want to be sole owners of the pork-fest bailout/stimulus when it does nothing but inflate the debt.

As much as I hate to agree with this I believe some will.  Not all, but many of the usual RINOs and some others.

Besides, the congress is run completely by the Democrats.  The Republicans can try to filibuster it but they won't do that.  All the D's have to do is vote and even if every single R says no it still passes and goes to Oblama's desk.

It's not the moderates it'not the radicals it's EVERYONE.  None of them wether dem or rep give 2 shits about getting anything done.  If someone actually got something passed they wouldn't have something to run against.  How much shit did the republicans talk about abortion, guns, etc.. and what did they do when they had EVERTHING for what 6?? 7 years not a goodamn thing.  The only thing any politician cares about is having wedge issues to use to divide the country into narrower and narrower factions.  
The funniest thing about this whole thread is people are talking about the republicans not having balls and that is pretty much what Dems say about their leaders and that's that sad part.

Maybe he should run for office .

I've been saying this for years and years.  They only know how to play defense, and the problem
with that is you never, or seldom, score when you only play defense.

This is also the reason I am A OK with Obama for President.  Screw the Republican party.