Agenda: Wooing Republicans
Posted: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 9:22 AM by Domenico Montanaro
The L.A. Times plays up the positive comments Congressional Republicans made about the tax cut plans within Obama's stimulus plan.
The Washington Post also led with Obama's efforts to woo congressional Republicans. "Obama officials said they tried to keep the package ideologically neutral, rejecting an option supported by many progressives to make people who are not working eligible for a ‘refundable’ tax credit. And they passed up conservative provisions such as estate tax relief and capital gains tax cuts that disproportionately benefit wealthier individuals. After a lunchtime session with his economic advisers, Obama rejected suggestions that the tax cuts were designed to win over GOP votes. ‘The notion that me wanting to include relief for working families in this plan is somehow a political ploy, when this was a centerpiece of my plan for the last two years doesn't make too much sense,’ he told reporters.”
“Some prominent Republicans expressed reservations about the tax proposals' specifics. Jon Kyl (Ariz.), a member of the Senate Republican leadership team, said he hadn't studied the list of proposed cuts, but that he favored reducing corporate and capital gains taxes, and providing more generous small-business incentives. And, he said, ‘These changes should be permanent, rather than just temporary.’”
Yesterday’s meetings, the New York Times adds, “were a mix of symbolism and substance between the man who will be sworn in as the 44th president and the Congressional leaders who hold the fate of his agenda in their hands. The sessions, aides said, were particularly aimed at encouraging Republicans to buy into the plan and help ease resistance over a $775 billion price tag. Mr. Obama pledged to help advance the legislation in any way he could, participants said, including inviting skeptical members of Congress to meet with him at his transition headquarters or at his temporary residence, the Hay-Adams Hotel.”
Roll Call reports, "As Obama solicited ideas on the stimulus package, Democratic aides have been meeting with their Obama transition counterparts on the details. But sources on both sides of the aisle said aspects of the proposal -- particularly on the tax cut side -- were mainly drawn up by Team Obama. One top Republican aide said GOP officials had no substantive meetings with Obama advisers on the stimulus package before Monday."
