Will Stimulus Bill Be a Lost Opportunity?

I hate to say it, but it's looking like Congressional Democrats are already squandering their opportunity to show that government can be rational and work for the best interests of all. The proposed economic stimulus is a great chance to start this newly elected government on a positive path; one that repudiates the partisan divide and strong-arm tactics that have characterized recent Republican rule. Yet this bill seems to be starting things off on the wrong foot.

There are problems with both the content of the bill and how it's being handled by Congressional leaders. For example, a provision to fund family planning was jettisoned while the package was making its way through the house. What was it doing in there in the first place? It has nothing to do with helping the economy, and was guaranteed to raise partisan objections. I have no problem with funding family planning, but this was a dumb way to do it. And what about all of the infrastructure projects that were promised? These are a great way to get people to work and provide benefits to us all. Yet the House version of the bill has far less infrastructure spending than originally proposed. Why? So that the folks in Congress can fund pork-barrel projects in their home districts, no doubt. This sounds suspiciously like business as usual to me.

And then there was the vote in the House, where not a single Republican approved of the bill. How does this demonstrate any kind of bi-partisanship? If I thought the Democrats had taken the time to negotiate with Republicans while crafting this package, I would point the finger at the Republicans for not helping the economy. But it looks to me as if the approach has been to craft whatever legislation the Democrats want, and then let the chips fall where they may. So much for reaching across the aisle! And don't get me wrong. It's not as if I think the Republicans should get much say in the bill, given the shape they left the country in. But President Obama has called for a new era of cooperation, and the Congressional leaders from his own party seem to be turning their back on him.

So right out of the chute, it would seem that Democrats in Congress aren't doing anything to break the old stereotypes of Washington politicians. In fact, if anything, they're reinforcing them.