"...as a legislative achievement, coming so early in the term, this is astonishing. "

[babylonsister]

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/a_win_is_a_win.php

Longtime reader commenting on the stimulus deal:

Like everyone else, I'm waiting for the details. But from what I've heard so far, this seems to be a remarkable triumph for the new president.

A month ago, Obama economists Romer and Bernstein released job-creation projections that "assumed a package just slightly over the $775 billion currently under discussion." Lo and behold, the final bill comes in at $789 billion. It reportedly includes Obama's proposed tax cuts, comprising almost exactly the same proportion of the overall package. For the past month, media attention has focused on all the changes to the package, and on the controversies it has engendered. Obama has been criticized for failing to forge a bipartisan consensus, for not safeguarding his priorities, and for not taking a sufficiently aggressive role in the negotiations on the Hill. So it's worth stepping back to take note of the fact that the final package looks remarkably like what Obama has wanted all along. In fact, it's closer to that original proposal than to either the House or Senate versions of the bill. Remarkable.

Whether or not it's the right package is a whole separate topic. But as a legislative achievement, coming so early in the term, this is astonishing.

[Bolo Boffin]

1. Obama's tax cuts have been trimmed a bit.

Instead of $500/$1,000, they are $400/$800.

At least that's what a Reuters article said. That could change before the end. This obviously is a complete failure of Obama's promise, obviously, and he will be crucified on Fox News because of it.

[Avalux]

2. Historically, the passage of this bill so quickly will be a fantastic achievement.

Obama has succeeded in a way not rivaled by recent presidents; perhaps none ever.

I just hope it works. I have no reason to doubt it will.

[WinkyDink]

3. In Bush-terms: "Time for a 3-month vacation."

[northernlights]

4. in retrospect, thank goodness the lazy * took so many vacations

I shudder to think how much damage he would have inflicted if he'd worked a more normal schedule.

Also thank goodness Obama is no lazy slouch. He has much damage to undo, but since he works so much, and so effectively, I have hope he'll be able to undo it.

Charlie Gibson commented tonight on how incredibly quickly Obama got this legislature through. So much for his naivete...

[babylonsister]

5. I still think Obama is playing chess while everyone else isn't.

He pretty much predicted this awhile back, and that's what happened. I'm loving it!

[Cha]

6. Evidently it had to done and

done quickly. The way the bushits left everything..it gave Obamaicans no choice.