I hope Reid knows what he's talking about. They better hurry up and pass the damn thing before Gov. Bredesen decides to stick some more money in the bank by kicking sick and elderly people off their health care, again. Okay, so the stimulus package is not perfect, but I don't think we have time to wait for perfect. It's only money for healthcare, education, jobs, aid to middle class families in crisis, along with unemployed and poverty stricken folks. Why hurry?
Reid said he believes at least two Republicans of "good will" would support the Democratic-crafted package. "Do we have the votes? We believe we do," said Reid, who expects a final vote on the package will be held on Thursday.
It appears the stimulus would attract only a few GOP votes, however, and Senate Democratic leaders distanced themselves from earlier hopes that the economic recovery could draw more Republican support.
Democratic leaders also cast doubt on an effort negotiated by centrists such as Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) to strip as much as $200 billion from the bill. . . "If they think they're going to rewrite this bill, President Obama is going to walk away," said Reid, when asked about efforts by about 20 centrists to lop off $100 billion to $200 billion from the cost of the package. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) said such a large cut in the bill’s size would cost Americans hundreds of thousands of jobs.
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