State Republican chairman Bob Gleason released the following statement tonight:
“I would like to commend Pennsylvania’s Republican Congressmen for standing up against the bloated government and uncontrolled spending policies contained within the Economic Stimulus Act. Republicans serve as the voice of taxpayer, and our unified opposition to the bill signifies that our Party is ready to fight for reason in this difficult economic crisis.
“The economic stimulus plan presented to the House Republicans displayed huge costs and massive expansions of government programs, including the temporary expansion of Medicaid to anyone who is currently unemployed, regardless of wealth. Furthermore, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that less than 21 percent of the allocated funds would be spent this year, increasing to 64 percent by 2010, the projected conclusion date of the current recession.
So Republicans stood up to be the “voice of the taxpayer,” but the bill included tax reductions for a huge number of American households. I get this feeling tonight the GOP is falling for an election trap, and don’t forget: A majority of voters in last year’s presidential election considered Obama better on taxes and thought government had a role to play in solving their problems: inflation, high costs of health care, skyrocketing gasoline prices and so on.
Voting against the stimulus package is perilous politically. I bet the DNC already has tape roll ready to go about how Republican incumbents voted against tax cuts for the middle class, and if the economy is still coughing in 2010, they’re going to be potent, especially considering how the Democrats have improved their voter rolls in traditional Republican states like Virginia.
And this is just one week into the Obama presidency.
