Obama has arrived in DC; 40% of "stimulus package" will be for tax cuts

Your next president arrived in D.C. tonight arriving aboard a government aircraft. He is meeting on Monday with House and Senate leadership, both Democrats and Republicans. He's also meeting with his own economic team in the afternoon.

Also, word tonight is that a big chunk of Obama's stimulus package is going to be tax cuts. He wants GOP votes:

President-elect Barack Obama plans to include about $300 billion in tax cuts for workers and businesses in his economic recovery program as he seeks to win over Congressional skeptics worried that he was too focused on government spending, advisers said Sunday.

The legislation Mr. Obama’s team is developing with Congressional Democrats will devote about 40 percent of the cost to tax cuts, including his centerpiece campaign promise to provide credits up to $500 for most workers, costing roughly $150 billion. The package will also include more than $100 billion in tax incentives for businesses to create jobs and invest in equipment or factories.

The overall package, of $675 billion to $775 billion, is taking shape as Mr. Obama arrived in Washington and planned to begin trying to build support in Congress and among the broader public for his approach to stimulating the economy. Mr. Obama, who flew to the capital on Sunday to join his family in a hotel suite while awaiting his inauguration, planned to meet with Congressional leaders on Monday and deliver a speech on Thursday laying the ground for his emerging economic program.

Although some tax cuts were always expected to be included in Mr. Obama’s economic package, his team disclosed the scope and some details of the plans on Sunday at a time when Republicans have begun voicing criticism of what they describe as an open-checkbook approach to spending. By focusing more attention on the tax cuts in the plan, Obama aides hope to frame it as a balanced, pragmatic approach.

No doubt, we'll be hearing much, much more about this in the next few days. Read the rest of this post...

Chuck Schumer: Franken won. Let him have the Senate seat.

Norm Coleman, who lost to Al Franken, wants to go to court. GOP Senator John Cornyn wants to filibuster. But, Chuck Schumer said what everyone now knows to be true -- Al Franken won the Minnesota Senate seat:

New York Sen. Charles Schumer says Democrat Al Franken should be seated in the Senate when it convenes Tuesday.

Schumer, the former head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a statement Sunday that it's clear Franken has won the election for Minnesota's Senate seat. He says Republican Norm Coleman can't get enough votes to win, even if claims of double-counted ballots are resolved.

Franken will be the Democrat's 59th vote. You'd think with 59 - 41 margin, the Democrats would be able to pass the Obama agenda of change. You'd think.

UPDATE: Via TPM Election Central, we learn that Majority Leader Harry Reid told Coleman to concede already. Read the rest of this post...

Virginia's Tim Kaine will head the Democratic National Committee

Obama runs the Democratic National Committee now. He's chosen the Governor of Virgnia, Tim Kaine, to replace Howard Dean. Read the rest of this post...

Reid, Hoyer: Don't expect fast action on economic recovery package

We've been hearing lots of noise from Republicans about slowing down the legislation designed to rescue our faltering economy. There's been some complaining from conservative Democrats, too. Despite that cranking, you'd think the new Congress, with increased Democratic margins in both houses, would be ready to go ASAP. It is THE issue of concern to most Americans, after all. Nope:

Lowering expectations for quick passage of an economic stimulus bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid rejected setting "some false deadline" for delivering legislation to President Obama, in favor of a more deliberate approach that allows Congress to get the package right "the first time."

Congressional leaders had hoped to hand Obama a completed economic assistance package immediately after he is sworn in on Jan. 20, but that timing looks increasingly doubtful as the legislation grows in complexity and size. In separate interviews this morning, Reid (Nev.) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the process could take another six weeks.

I have to agree with Jed on this one:

Instead of hitting the ground running, Hoyer seems to want to hit the ground crawling.

The problem here is that by talking about the stimulus as a February action item, Hoyer is simultaneously putting March in play, undermining the narrative that the GOP are the obstructionists, and also emboldening those in the GOP who want to delay and drag out the stimulus as long as possible.

And, I have to agree with Atrios, too:

It's important to remember that in the House, at least, the Dems have a sizeable majority and if they wanted to they could tell the Republicans to pound sand on every single issue. And people get all upset when crazy lefties suggest that running primaries against bad Democrats is a good idea.

Read the rest of this post...

Bill Richardson withdrew himself from the Secretary of Commerce job

The story is just unfolding:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, tapped in December by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as secretary of Commerce, has withdrawn his name for the position, citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state.

"Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact," he said Sunday in a report by NBC News' Andrea Mitchell. "But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process."

He said he plans to continue in his role as governor. "I appreciate the confidence President-elect Obama has shown in me, and value our friendship and working partnership. I told him that I am eager to serve in the future in any way he deems useful. And like all Americans, I pray for his success and the success of our beloved country."

UPDATE: Via email, just received the full statements from Obama and Richardson:

STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA

It is with deep regret that I accept Governor Bill Richardson's decision to withdraw his name for nomination as the next Secretary of Commerce.Governor Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of Commerce Secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office. It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet in order to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post at this critical time. Although we must move quickly to fill the void left by Governor Richardson's decision, I look forward to his future service to our country and in my administration.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON

For nearly three decades, I have been honored to serve my state and our nation in Congress, at the U.N., as Secretary of Energy and as governor. So when the President-elect asked me to serve as Secretary of Commerce, I felt a duty to answer the call.I felt that duty particularly because America is facing such extraordinary economic challenges. The Department of Commerce must play an important role in solving them by helping to grow the new jobs and businesses America so badly needs.

It is also because of that sense of urgency about the work of the Commerce Department that I have asked the President-elect not to move forward with my nomination at this time.I do so with great sorrow. But a pending investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico state government promises to extend for several weeks or, perhaps, even months.

Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact. But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process.Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the President-elect and his Administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done.

So, for now, I will remain in the job I love, Governor of New Mexico, and will continue to work every day, with Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, to make a positive difference in the lives of New Mexicans. I believe she will be a terrific governor in the future.I appreciate the confidence President-elect Obama has shown in me, and value our friendship and working partnership. I told him that I am eager to serve in the future in any way he deems useful. And like all Americans, I pray for his success and the success of our beloved country.

Read the rest of this post...

George H.W. Bush wants a third Bush presidency

As to the point in my open thread about the Bushes: Haven't we had enough of these people? Apparently not. At least according to the first President Bush. He wants to inflict a third President Bush on us:



Seriously, hasn't this family done enough damage to our country?

(Hat tip, Think Progress) Read the rest of this post...

The Obama women have arrived in D.C.

Via the Washington Post, we learn that three of our city's newest residents have arrived:

Future first lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters slipped into Washington last night, flying in from Chicago a day earlier than expected and checking into their new, temporary home at the posh Hay-Adams Hotel.

The departure allowed the family a little extra time to get situated before Malia and Sasha Obama begin classes tomorrow at their new school, Sidwell Friends.

President-elect Barack Obama is scheduled to move today to the nation's capital from his home town of Chicago.

It was the start of classes after winter break at Sidwell that drove the Obamas' plans to arrive in D.C. weeks before inauguration and the family's official move into the White House. The family had requested to stay at Blair House, a guest house on Lafayette Park where presidents-elect normally stay ahead of their inauguration. But the White House declined, saying the building was already booked "by White House officials, the State Department and its Office of Protocol for various events."

I still don't understand what "various events" were so damn important at Blair House.

The president-elect arrives in D.C tonight. Read the rest of this post...

Sunday Talk Shows Open Thread

Your soon-to-be former vice president has emerged to answer questions today. I can't imagine Cheney really cares what people think about his legacy -- or George Bush's, for that matter.

The Blago-inspired Senate drama is getting some more attention with an appearance by Roland Burris.

Besides the drama, the Senate is going to be the battleground over the Obama agenda. The Majority Leader, Harry Reid, and the Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, will both have a chance to share their strategies for the next session. Stephanopoulos should make McConnell explain why he's willing to play politics when the U.S. economy is in such a precarious state.

And, George H.W. Bush? Haven't we had enough of these people?

Here's the lineup:

ABC's "This Week" — Senate appointee and former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, D-Ill.; Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

___

CBS' "Face the Nation" — Vice President Dick Cheney.

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NBC's "Meet the Press" — Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

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CNN's "Late Edition" — Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat; Govs. Jon Corzine, D-N.J., and Mark Sanford, R-S.C.; former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass.

"Fox News Sunday" _ Former President George H.W. Bush.

Read the rest of this post...