Obama's Economic Plan Meets GOP Pushback

Jan. 23, 2009— -- In a bipartisan meeting with Democratic and Republican congressional leaders Friday, President Obama stressed the urgency of swiftly passing the economic stimulus package for the good of the American people and as a matter of political expediency.

"Look, we are all political animals here. If we don't do this, we may lose seats. I may not be re-elected," Obama said, according to a source in the meeting. "But none of that's going to matter if we don't pass this because the economy will be in a crisis and the American people will be hurting."

The $825 billion stimulus package is making its way through Congress, due for a vote in the House next week -- without having received the vote of a single Republican in the two committees that considered the legislation.

The president today brought leaders of both parties into the Roosevelt room of the White House, hoping to gain support from GOP leadership and push the plan through.

"I recognize that there are still some differences around the table and between the administration and members of Congress about, particularly, details on the plan," Obama said. "What I think unifies this group is a recognition that we are experiencing an unprecedented, perhaps, economic crisis that has to be dealt with, and dealt with rapidly."

Obama expressed optimism that, thanks to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Democrats were "on target" for their President's Day time frame for passage of the plan.

House Republicans, who say they have barely been consulted on the stimulus package, came to the meeting prepared. House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., and House Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, brought handouts to the meeting to share their set of specific suggestions for the package being debated on Capitol Hill.

Republican leaders would like to make changes to the tax cuts in the stimulus package, framing it as a way to pick up GOP votes. They also suggested making unemployment benefits tax-free, allowing tax deductions for small businesses equal to 20 percent of income, and allowing businesses to carry losses from one year to another.