A Stimulus Package?

The New York Times is reporting that senators have struck a deal for the stimulus. It takes 100 billion dollars off the table (because, as Republicans keep telling us, "spending is not stimulus"), but at least it's something.

Did Obama get this going at long last? Maybe a little bit. He pointed out the obvious, "So then you get the argument, well, this is not a stimulus bill, this is a spending bill. What do you think a stimulus is? That's the whole point. No, seriously. That's the point." Based on that, though, he can't be pleased that "centrist" senators are insisting on stimulating less. Nancy Pelosi isn't pleased.

Asked about reported cuts in education spending and other matters like technology that may emerge from the Senate stimulus package as early as tonight, Ms. Pelosi said that those types of cuts were "very damaging" and that she was "very much opposed to them."

Will any of this be salvaged in reconciliation? Maybe a little, but maybe not. Senate leadership thinks it's got 60 votes, and it may be possible that a few more Republicans drift over, but for the most part it really does seem like we've got a Republican party that's joining Rush Limbaugh in hoping that Obama fails. They can feel however they want about Barack Obama, but you'd think that they'd have some recognition that if Obama goes down under these circumstances, we all go with him.