Officials: Family planning money may be dropped

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By DAVID ESPO and ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writers David Espo And Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON – House Democrats appear likely to jettison family planning funds for the low-income from an $825 billion economic stimulus bill, officials said late Monday, following an appeal from President Barack Obama at a time the administration is courting Republican critics of the legislation.

Several officials said a final decision was likely on Tuesday, coinciding with Obama's scheduled visit to the Capitol for separate meetings with House and Senate Republicans.

The provision has emerged as a point of contention among Republicans, who criticize it as an example of wasteful spending that would neither create jobs nor otherwise improve the economy.

Under the provision, states no longer would be required to obtain federal permission to offer family planning services — including contraceptives — under Medicaid, the health program for the low-income.

Democrats considered the politically-potent change as congressional budget experts estimated it would take slightly longer for the overall legislation to achieve an impact on the economy than the administration projects.

The Congressional Budget Office said the economy would feel the effects of almost two-thirds of the money over the next year and a half. The administration claims 75 percent of the funding would be absorbed in that period of time, and Obama has pledged that the bill he signs will meet that target and either save or create up to 4 million jobs.

While the debate surrounding the overall impact of the measure pits economists and their statistics against one another, Republicans quickly seized on the family planning money as evidence that the Democrats were advancing an agenda that went beyond the economy.

"How you can spend hundreds of millions of dollars on contraceptives how does that stimulate the economy?" House Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio said on Friday after congressional leaders met with Obama at the White House. "You can go through a whole host of issues that have nothing to do with growing jobs in America and helping people keep their jobs."

The Democrats who described the likely reversal did so on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to disclose developments not yet made public.

Obama's request to House Democrats underscores the administration's desire to signal a spirit of bipartisanship, a recurring theme for the president in his first week in office.

Whether it also succeeds in gaining votes is unclear, particularly in the House, where the GOP leadership has advanced an alternative that consists almost exclusively of tax cuts. The only new spending in the measure comes for maintaining the current system of up to 33 weeks in unemployment benefits.

By contrast, the White House-backed bill includes about $550 billion in spending and $250 billion in tax cuts.

Much of the funding in the Democratic bill is ticketed for health care and education, as well as money to weatherize buildings and build highways and other transportation projects.

A companion measure is making its way to the Senate floor for a vote next week, and congressional leaders have pledged to have legislation ready for Obama to sign by mid-February.

But White House Budget Director Peter Orszag said he's confident that the more ambitious target can be met, especially as changes are made before the measure reaches the White House.

"With appropriate attention and proper management, you can both get the money out the door ... and still have well-selected projects," Orszag said.

"I don't see how that's possible," said Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee. "They'll be just pouring money down on the ground if they achieve that goal."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090127/ap_on_.../obama_stimulus

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

That's just the one example of money that didn't belong in a stimulus bill that stuck in the media narrative. I'm sure there is more, they need to drop all of it. Not just this one thing.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

That's just the one example of money that didn't belong in a stimulus bill that stuck in the media narrative. I'm sure there is more, they need to drop all of it. Not just this one thing.

I agree. Pelosi needs support Obama's proposal and quit injecting her own agenda as if her approval ratings give her some kind of mandate.

[Peikko 1,575]

No one answered my question as to why bills have to go through the house in this way (with all the addons) nor why the House speaker has an inordinate amount of power (if she does). Also, I still believe that the way the president is elected is shambolic and requires reform and that the office of president delivers too much power into the hands of one man. However, no one cares

[luckytxn 2,264]

No one answered my question as to why bills have to go through the house in this way (with all the addons) nor why the House speaker has an inordinate amount of power (if she does). Also, I still believe that the way the president is elected is shambolic and requires reform and that the office of president delivers too much power into the hands of one man. However, no one cares

Actually I know why and I am sure many know but since it will take so long to teach you what most learn in high school and it has been many years may I suggest that since you are here so much and all that maybe take some time and google and find out. There are many good sites that can explain how bill are started and go through to the end. Also there is info to explain why the speaker of the house has so much power. I agree the power of the presidency is too much and there are sites that will explain how this evolved over time form the beginnings to now. You can even find info on how we elect people in many sites pros and cons. Most of this is simple stuff they teach us in junior and senior high but of course that was basics and now government has evolved to this huge demon. Good luck on the learning and if still unable to do it then feel free to send a message and I will be glad to do a search for you and email links.

[Peikko 1,575]

Grow up in the UK and US history is not prioritised. As for how much I expect to learn on VJ, that would be nil, but I can still ask.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Ok. I was just giving advice on how to find it. A whole civics and government lesson is pretty long. It is pretty straight forward and all the simple version and that would even be long for a thread. I am pretty sure they have a similar way in the UK also. I do remember how the last stimulus bill started out like a few pages and by the time they were done it was a couple hundred. Most of the add ons are what you hear about that are called earmarks and just plain give aways to get a vote from someone. There are a lot of congresspeople so just to get half of them to vote would entail a lot of votes so of course that is a lot of promises.

The speaker of the house has a lot of power mostly but not limited to they are the ones that hand out committee assignments. The committee assignments mean they are the big dog one has to go through to get a hearing or a bill started. If it is a banking committee for an example then the banking execs and their specialists they hire go to them and give money to the candidates campaign and/or other organizations that the congressman are on to get a more fair and balanced reading of their views. This is a lot of power for the speaker.

The president actually had a lot less power at the beginning and over time more and more power was accrued to him. Most of the power is derived of all the powerful positions he gets to appoint people to. They serve at his pleasure so they are beholden to him for a lot. He also has executive powers where by executive order he can do pretty much as he pleases. It used to be that he could never have war powers or even use the military at all unless he had gotten permission from Congress but over time the House just gave him more authority that now he can pretty much kick a countries #### for pissing him off.

This is all simple and could be found in a more thorough manner by using google search.

[Teacher Mark 53]

Grow up in the UK and US history is not prioritised. As for how much I expect to learn on VJ, that would be nil, but I can still ask.

That response is a lot nicer than mine would have been.

The word appeasement sums the question up nicely IMHO.

[NickD 203]

Big loophole today is illegals having a kid that becomes an automatic USC eligible for Medicaid, but don't feel family planning will change that, the law has to be changed. Sure got a frustrated letter from Obey about Nancy in regards to at least an investigation about 700 laws of the US Constitution being broken and misplaced billions and billions of our tax dollars. It's Nancy's position that we have to move on. Known Dave for years, difficult to talk to him as keeps on repeating all the rules and statues congress has developed over the years, like his hands are tied. Feingold has to wait for congress to act.

Was a lot more fun to study the civics test with my wife as to how great this country was. Both the president and the speaker of the house have way too much power, not sure if Nancy is on Bush's payroll or if he is blackmailing her. Just pay your taxes and shut up.