Some select quotes from today’s news that don’t necessarily inspire confidence in the Stimulus bill:
“[Senate Democrats] don’t know everything that’s in the bill,” said a laughing Charles Rangel (D-NY), chairman of the Ways and Committee. “So I’m afraid to go to that da#*ed conference.”
“Basically, it is whatever Obama wants,” said one House staffer up all night sorting through Appropriations accounts. From investments in new energy initiatives, broadband, high speed rail, and health information technology, Obama gained a foothold.
House Minority Whip Eric Cantor said: “”Despite our repeated attempts to work with President Obama and the Democrat Majority, Speaker Pelosi has refused to meet with us, or even include us in key negotiations, choosing instead to stick with a pork-filled bill that even members of her own party do not support,”
“As none of the duly appointed Republican conferees have been part of negotiations on the stimulus package, we request that you provide us the text of the legislation given to CBO. …We find it imperative that we and the American public be able to immediately begin a review of this massive and complex piece of legislation.” — Letter from “conferees” Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI), Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) who have still not seen the bill agreed to in the Conference.
And in the ‘No Pet Projects’ Category:
“Nevada did very well,” Reid, the Senate majority leader, said Wednesday.
In late-stage talks, …Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., pressed for $8 billion to construct high-speed rail lines, quadrupling the amount in the bill that passed the Senate on Tuesday. Reid’s office issued a statement noting that a proposed Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas rail might get a big chunk of the money.
