Are Democrats Out Of Touch On Stimulus Bill?
Suppport has been fading for the Democrats’ political payoff bill, aka the stimulus package. This morning, Rasmussen reports that people support the principles behind the Republicans’ plan over the Democrats’ plan. Here’s what they’re reporting:
With the Senate poised to vote Tuesday on an $827-billion version of the economic recovery plan, 62% of U.S. voters want the plan to include more tax cuts and less government spending.
Just 14% would like to move in the opposite direction with more government spending and fewer tax cuts, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty percent (20%) would be happy to pass it pretty much as is, and five percent (5%) are not sure.
Republicans and unaffiliated voters overwhelmingly want to see more tax cuts and less government spending. Democrats are more evenly divided: 42% agree with the Republicans, 32% want to pass the plan as is, and 22% would like to see more government spending and fewer tax cuts.
If Democrats continue to ignore the will of the people on the biggest issue of the day, they will pay a price in 2010. More important than just the raw statistics is the intensity factor. Rest assured that the people that comprise the 62% feel that way intensely.
I just took a quick visit to a message board I frequent. This comment is typical of the commenters’ questions:
I’d like to know how many of the supposed jobs that would be created will end up going to the types of jobs where people are currently unemployed or are in danger of soon becoming unemployed? Somehow…the types of jobs that are mentioned in this article seem to be jobs that would be done by people who work for government already and so already are employed. Sign replacement is simply done by highway or street departments. Have they lost people due to layoffs in those departments? And the skate park idea seems to me to be something where federal funds shouldn’t have even ever been requested. That is a strictly local project that if built should be done with either St. Cloud city money or private fundraising to complete it. That isn’t even something I would consider of regional significance in any way. If these are examples of the types of projects that the stimulus bill will fund…I think we are screwed.
The commenter asks several important questions, questions that I think people across America are asking. This is the hardest hitting question:
Somehow…the types of jobs that are mentioned in this article seem to be jobs that would be done by people who work for government already and so already are employed. Sign replacement is simply done by highway or street departments. Have they lost people due to layoffs in those departments?
I’ve called this bill the Political Allies Payoff Act because it’s a comprehensive wishlist from the Democrats’ special interest allies. In this instance, the commenter is talking about rewarding the unions with public works projects. The commenter rightly asks whether these people are laid off or if they’re in danger of being laid off. The answer to both questions is no.
In other words, this doesn’t even meet President Obama’s criteria of creating new jobs or saving existing jobs. I haven’t read where any city’s street department is laying people off.
Support for this bill will shrink after people hear this:
Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C) has further ingratiated himself with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi…not…by declaring that Pelosi and Harry Reid “failed” the bipartisanship test on stimulus.
“In order for us to get the confidence of America, it has to be done in a bipartisan way,” Shuler said in Raleigh following an economic forum, according to the AP.
“We have to have everyone, Democrats and Republicans standing on the stage with the administration, saying, ‘We got something done that was efficient, stimulative and timely.’” Here’s the kicker: “I truly feel that’s where maybe House leadership and Senate leadership have really failed.”
Shuler, rumored to be mulling a ‘10 Senate run, was one of 11 House Democrats to vote “no” on the stimulus and was already deep in Pelosi’s doghouse. Now he’ll have to build a Harry Reid wing.
Bully for Heath Shuler. Though he’ll be in Pelosi’s doghouse, he’s spoke what’s on his mind. She’s a tyrant and an autocrat. Eventually, people rebel against that type of leadership style. It’s about time she was replaced by someone who’s interested in making America the best it can be. we’ve done nothing to deserve a Speaker who’s biggest interest is in accumulating power and paying off those that keep her in power.
All these indicators tell me that the DC Democrats aren’t in synch with America. That isn’t the position to be if you’re trying to win elections.
Technorati Tags: Polling, Stimulus, Pork, Political Payoffs, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, President OBama, Democrats, Heath Shuler, Maverick, , Tax Cuts, Spending Cuts, Job Growth
Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog