Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska) are leading an effort in the Senate to trim the House-passed stimulus package.Along the lines of David Brooks' criticism of the House bill (from last week) and the great "short term investment vs. long term investment" piece in Sunday's NYT Magazine, Collins and Nelson are cutting out a number of the long term investments that wouldn't immediately help the economy:
- $1.1 billion for comparative medical research
- $350 million for Agriculture Department computers
- $75 million to discourage smoking
- $20 million in Interior Department funding
- $400 million for HIV screening
- $650 million for wildlife management
The $1.1 billion for comparative medical research is part of Obama's plan to develop uniform protocols and -- I assume -- thereby streamline (and make cheaper) certain medical procedures.
Meanwhile, Daschle withdrew as HHS nominee yesterday - thank goodness. John Dickerson has a fantastic article in Slate about how the Obama administration's handling of the Daschle situation is a betrayal of its alleged commitment to greater government transparency.
24. Is there a spreadsheet of the stimulus package's spending commitments somewhere on the internet? I think this is the kind of thing Obama said he'll do -- make the legislative process more accessible to people.
25. Is Obama making a concerted effort to get to know Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe? They seem to be such middle-of-the-road key votes on so many issues (a la Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court) that it would be beneficial for him to really nurture those relationships.
Along this line, David Brooks, in February 6's NYT, argues that the Collins/Nelson group could be a harbinger of influential "gangs" of moderates who will become the key swing votes on legislation. Brooks says that Obama needs to decide whether to focus on working with the gangs or with the Democratic bloc: "Barack Obama is not initiating events (he’s had surprisingly little influence on the stimulus bills’ evolution). But circumstances now present him with a precedent-setting moment of decision. Does he embrace the Gang System and try to use it to create a new style of politics? Or does he remain an orthodox Democrat, deferring to the Old Bulls on legislation, enforcing party discipline and trying to pick off a Republican or two here and there to pass laws?"
26. Does Ben Block stay in touch with Susan Collins or people in her office?
27. What will Daschle do in lieu of being HHS Secretary? Will he now be lobbying on health care reform (the irony!!)?
