Last ditch effort of the Republicans to distinguish themselves from the democrats?

It's interesting that McCain is complaining, as he didn't have a problem with the last bailout.

Republicans step up criticism of Obama
Sen. John McCain and House Minority Leader John Boehner object to the economic stimulus plan. McCain also criticizes a Pentagon appointment and the decision to close Guantanamo.
By Peter Wallsten
January 26, 2009

Reporting from Washington –– Republicans signaled Sunday that they would not be daunted by President Obama's soaring approval ratings, criticizing his proposed $825-billion economic stimulus plan, his strategy for closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and his decision to exempt a top-ranking Pentagon appointee from new ethics rules.

Some of the sharpest criticism came from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the party's challenger to Obama in the election and the recipient of aggressive outreach as part of the new president's efforts to forge an image of bipartisanship.

Obama honored McCain on the eve of last week's inauguration with a bipartisan candlelight dinner, and he has solicited his former rival's advice on top appointments. McCain has returned the favor by pressing fellow Republicans to speedily confirm Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

But Sunday, McCain had few kind words for Obama's initial moves as president. He called it "disingenuous" for the White House to impose new rules to limit the influence of lobbyists but immediately claim an exemption for William Lynn III, the nominee to be deputy Defense secretary, who has lobbied on behalf of defense contractor Raytheon Co.

McCain said he would not have announced the pending closure of Guantanamo, as Obama did last week by signing an executive order, without having first decided what to do with the 245 detainees being held there.


And the senator said he would not support the stimulus plan in its current form, asserting that it should have more tax cuts and less emphasis on projects, such as repairing the National Mall or extending broadband access to rural areas.

"There's got to be some kind of litmus as to whether it will really stimulate the economy," McCain said on "Fox News Sunday," adding later: "There has to be major rewrites [of the legislation] if we want to stimulate the economy."

McCain's comments were echoed by House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), who said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he and many of his colleagues could not support the measure in its current form because they "see this as a lot of wasteful Washington spending, padding the bureaucracy and doing nothing to help create jobs and preserve jobs."

The plan being pushed by Obama and Democratic congressional leaders would add thousands of miles of electronic transmission lines, retool thousands of schools and federal buildings and build infrastructure to promote wind and solar energy. It contains $275 billion in tax cuts –– not nearly as much as Republicans want –– and would fund a range of programs that GOP officials say are unnecessary or would not stir economic activity quickly enough.

The White House has set a goal of spending three-quarters of the money within 18 months and wants Congress to pass the plan by mid-February.

One of Obama's top economic advisors, Lawrence H. Summers, told NBC that the stimulus plan was a "properly sized approach to move the economy forward."

Summers did not rule out additional government investment in troubled banks. And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said on ABC's "This Week" that it could be necessary.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-stimulus26-2009jan26,0,2759612.story

In the Soviet Union there was a form of what could be called "controlled dissent".  Most fascistic regimes utilize this idea.  Controlled dissent essentially calls for those in charge of the main political agenda to allow the existence of a group or groups that appear to be contrary to this main agenda, yet are still controlled by it.  When it appears that opposition exists people will be less likely to rise up against the ruling power and simply accept any progress by those with opposing ideologies as part of the fair political process.

I grow more and more convinced that the Republican Party is utilized on a high level as a form of controlled dissent.  The leftist agenda has moved foward unimpeded for decades.  Conservatives get thrown a bone every once in awhile to appease the the 50% or so who embrace such ideals but really what we have are Judas goats.

Its the same as the Democrats getting elected by saying they will do certain things like end the war in Iraq and, despite having a majority of votes to do so, never actually follow through (because they have no real desire to do so).

This grandstanding by the Republican party is too little too late to do anything at all.

I do not think that the Republican party has quite degenerated into a puppet party controlled by the Democrats, but it does seem that there are fewer and fewer true conservative Republicans left in politics. Who do you vote for when your choices are between a liberal RINO Republican and a true liberal Democrat? It is time for either major reform of the Republican party, or for a third party to become popular enough to take over for the Republican party's actual concervative voters.



 

It's good to see that at least a few people haven't hit the snooze button!

Republican leadership has had decades to offer substantial change and improvements for government and the economy. Yet, they FAILED to do so. While not a 'puppet party' they are dangerously close to becoming 'controlled dissent' if they continue to placate and enable Hussein's communist inspired agenda. Pelosi has successfully 'marginalized' them by limiting their ability to amend legislation––-no effective or active legislative opposition.  

From my perspective, the Republican party, the GOP, is finished. Hussein and Pulosi sunk the last nails in the coffin, the dirt was shoveled and the voices we hear are the echoes from the grave.

Conservative principles, on the other hand, are still alive across the nation. As to who will give them voice and put them to praxis? That remains to be resolved.

My GUESS? A third party will have to emerge. No small task here. Another GUESS? What ever form the next political party takes will have to be a clear and unequivocal statement of true conservative principles based on the writings of the U.S. Constitution and an unfaltering adherence to the Bill Of Rights. No RINO's will be tolerated. Anyone who expects to ascend into any elected office will have to show a history of conservative action and thinking.

True conservative voices need to be given a stage and their ideas need to be unfolded, scrutinized and measured for consistency and viability.

Gentlemen, there is light in the tunnel; it's either the train coming to run our asses over or the dawn's ealy light.