‘Moderate’ Republican Stimulus Supporters Anger Conservative Base
Filed under: Republicans
Three Republicans are crossing party lines in order to give Barack Obama cover in passing a “bi-partisan” stimulus bill in the senate, and conservatives are crying foul.
For example, the fiscally conservative Club for Growth just issued this bluntly-worded press release:
The Club for Growth condemned so-called moderate Republicans Sens. Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins for joining with the Democrats to pass the $827 billion stimulus bill.
… These Senators should explain to American taxpayers how they can vote for a bill that will put future generations on the hook for nearly $1 trillion dollars in new spending, including a heap of special-interest pork projects that will do absolutely nothing to stimulate the U.S. economy.
Earlier today, American Spectator’s Robert Stacy McCain urged readers to phone Specter — whom he called “Senator Jellyfish.”
The conservative site Newsmax reports there may be ramifications for these Republican Senators:
Specter is up for re-election in 2010. Washington Republican strategists tell Newsmax this weekend that Specter’s defection has sealed the deal: he will face a primary for the GOP nomination.
The senate bill, of course, differs from the House version. As such, the stimulus will go to conference committee. The good news is that this morning on “Morning Joe,” Senator Collins implied she would vote against the final bill if the compromise bill includes more pork than the senate version. If nothing else, this should serve as a warning to Nancy Pelosi that she won’t be able to get away with larding up this bill any more.
Still, assuming this bill passes the senate, these Republicans have allowed Obama, Reid, and Pelosi to cast this as a bipartisan bill. As such, when it predictably fails, Democrats will now be able to say that Republicans supported it, too.
What is more, backing this massive spending bill further postpones Republican efforts to regain the fiscally conservative mantle — which was lost during the presidency of George W. Bush.
Lastly, this vote is destructive because it kills the excitement and momentum Republicans recently gained when House Republicans unanimously opposed the stimulus.
For their decision to vote for the stimulus — which would raise the amount the government has spent on bailouts to $9.7 trillion — Obama has reportedly referred to the three GOP moderates as “patriotic.” Four Republican Governors, including Florida Governor Charlie Crist, also support the stimulus.
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