Thread: Sen. Jim DeMint to Help Lead Effort to Stop Stimulus

Sen. Jim DeMint to help lead effort to stop stimulus

By Ben Szobody • STAFF WRITER • January 29, 2009

U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint told reporters today that he intends to be "one of the leaders" in the effort to stop an economic stimulus bill in the Senate, and that he has more allies at the outset than he did in a bitter and ultimately successful effort to defeat 2007 immigration reform.

DeMint proposed a stimulus plan of his own in a speech to the conservative Heritage Foundation Thursday, but wouldn't say if he's willing to filibuster Democratic-favored stimulus in the Senate that he called "one of the worst pieces of legislation ever produced in Washington."

Unanimous Republican opposition in the House this week "galvanized freedom-loving Americans," DeMint said in a conference call with reporters, describing his goal of securing the 41 votes necessary to force Senate debate.

"I think everyone's changed their mindset from yesterday," DeMint said. "I think now we have a real possibility to stop this."

He blasted the House-approved stimulus as a central government approach to jump-starting the economy that spends relatively little on infrastructure and doesn’t do enough to create permanent jobs.

DeMint said his plan, developed by the Heritage Foundation, eliminates uncertainty and encourages risk-taking by giving more money to workers and producers. He wants to make permanent the Bush tax cuts and add an additional cut from 35 percent to 25 percent for the top marginal rate and for corporations.

With further simplifications in the tax code, DeMint said the plan would create 7.5 million jobs over five years and 22 million jobs within 10 years.

He also praised Gov. Mark Sanford’s opposition to the Obama administration’s proposed stimulus, saying the money it would send to state budgets would allow South Carolina sidestep needed reform.

Meanwhile, DeMint said he hopes to have time to show taxpayers what the Democrat-favored stimulus would do, pointing to what he said is a stimulus mandate for the military to buy environmentally friendly cars as an example.

"It's not obstruction we're after," DeMint said. "We've got better ideas."

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pb ... 0990129020

Senate Republicans May Use Filibuster to Block Stimulus
Friday, January 30, 2009
By Josiah Ryan, Staff Writer

Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) (Photo: Sen. Kyl Web site.)

(CNSNews.com) – Republican senators who oppose the $819 billion economic stimulus plan passed in the House Wednesday declined to say whether they personally would lead a filibuster to try to stop the legislation in the Senate. But they said a filibuster is an option and they are developing a strategy to stop the bill.

The House bill passed 244 to 188. No Republicans voted for the legislation and 11 Democrats also opposed it. As this story went to press, GOP senators indicated they were working on a coordinated plan with Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and that a filibuster is a possible part of that plan.

“I think its going to take 60 votes to pass the bill,â€

Sessions: ‘Financial Soul’ of U.S. at Stake with Stimulus Bill
Friday, January 30, 2009
By Ryan Byrnes

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., center, speaks out against the economic stimulus measure making its way through Congress during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009. He is flanked by Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., left, and Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., right.

(CNSNews.com) - The proposed economic stimulus plan will cost taxpayers a whopping $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years – not just the $819 billion contained in the proposal that the House approved this week.

With additional debt costs adding $347 billion over 10 years – the proposed stimulus is a budget-destroyer, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) said in an interview with CNSNews.com Thursday.

“This kind of package, at this size and this scope, is just unthinkable for us at this time,â€