Teri B.

Senate, Bush on economic collision course

1 hour, 43 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The $150 billion economic aid package on a fast track to passage in the House faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where lawmakers in both parties are seeking to tack on billions for senior citizens and the unemployed.

The House planned a Tuesday afternoon vote on its plan to speed rebates of $600-$1,200 to most income earners while giving tax breaks to businesses.

A Senate panel was to vote Wednesday on a $156 billion version, which gives $500-$1,000 rebates to a broader group, including older Americans living off Social Security and wealthier taxpayers, and would extend unemployment benefits.

Senate leaders hope to pass the economic plan by week's end, said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.

The action put the Senate on a collision course with President Bush, who has cautioned against adding to a carefully negotiated package that brought together House Democrats and Republicans, both of whom surrendered cherished proposals to reach a deal.

The White House and congressional leaders agree it is critical to enact an economic recovery package as soon as possible to help head off a recession and boost consumer confidence.

"The Senate is threatening to create partisan conflict by trying to put in additional programs," said Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman.

In the Senate, though, Republicans were as eager as Democrats to revamp the plan.

Several GOP senators backed the proposal to extend unemployment payments for 13 weeks for those whose benefits have run out, with 26 more weeks available in states with jobless rates higher than 6 percent. Some also have asked for more business tax breaks.

"Many of these additions have bipartisan support, and I hope that the president will recognize that the White House needs to negotiate with the Senate as well as the House," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who backs both the rebates for seniors and the unemployment extension.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, a Finance Committee member, called the unemployment extension "critical" and said she supported ensuring that the rebates reached the elderly.

Under a plan unveiled Monday by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, the Finance Committee chairman, some 20 million senior citizens not covered by the House plan because they don't have income would receive rebates.

"The White House says we mustn't slow the economic stimulus agreement down, or blow it up. I agree. We're going to improve it and get it passed right away," Baucus said.

Baucus' plan would send rebates to all Americans with earned income of $3,000 or more, while the House plan gives only partial rebates to individuals with adjusted gross incomes of more than $75,000 and couples with incomes in excess of $150,000, and no rebate at all to the wealthiest taxpayers.

It also restores a business tax break dropped during the House negotiations that would permit corporations suffering losses now to reclaim taxes previously paid.

gorillamom

I got a letter from Senator Patty Murray this morning about this. She is trying to get more help for Tribes and poor people. The poor are always left out and not noticed. Small businesses do need tax breaks, it's the big businessess who need to be taxed to death as far as I'm concerned. Are you feeling better today Teri? We had a fire last night in the apartment at the end of my building. Scared the crap out of me. One of my neighbors in the building across from me is a volunteer firefighter and had it contained with fire extiquishers so we all got lucky. It could have been much worse. No other apartments were damaged but we all had to find a place to stay last night. I went to my mom's with a couple neighbors in tow for they had no place to go. They let us back in this morning.

__________________

The Clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power,
To tell just when the hands will stop
On what day or what hour.
Now is the only time we have,
So live it with a will,
Don't wait until tomorrow,
The hands may then be still.

Teri B.

Not much. I just dragged my butt out to the doctor. I already had an appointment with a neuro re: my neck - I was rear ended a several weeks ago, and my neck's been bothering me since. I have a congenital defect in my neck., which I didn't even know about it till I got in a wreck about 10 yrs. ago. Anyway, he's scheduled an MRI just to be sure nothing crazy's going on.

They rushed me through there so fast - didn't want all their other patients catching the plague. In fact, I think I'm going to go lay down.

Thanks for asking. I'm glad the fire didn't do any damage to your apartment or hurt anyone.

EvilMonkey

"I'll veto anything less than exactly what I want and how I want it"

Teri B.

And since the Dems are such a bunch of whimps, he'll get it that way, if the last 2 yrs is any guide.

gorillamom

They took the volunteer firefighter to the ER for smoke inhalation, but that was it. Everyone was grabbing fire extinguishers so he could keep it contained in her kitchen until the fire department got here. They are right down the street so they got here fast.

__________________

The Clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power,
To tell just when the hands will stop
On what day or what hour.
Now is the only time we have,
So live it with a will,
Don't wait until tomorrow,
The hands may then be still.

gorillamom

You got that right.

__________________

The Clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power,
To tell just when the hands will stop
On what day or what hour.
Now is the only time we have,
So live it with a will,
Don't wait until tomorrow,
The hands may then be still.

Teri B.

Firemen are hot.