Georgia congressmen split on stimulus plan

Washington — Georgia’s congressional delegation was mostly split along party lines leading up to Wednesday’s House vote on the $825 billion economic stimulus plan.

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A personal plea by President Barack Obama for bipartisanship did little to sway Georgia Republicans, who complain the package costs too much and offers too few tax breaks for businesses and individuals.

“His pitch was that he’d love to have bipartisan support … and that he truly didn’t want this to be politicized,” said Rep. Phil Gingrey of Marietta, one of a group of Republican House members who met with Obama Tuesday. “But this (economic stimulus package) worries me — and it worries most Republicans who are petrified that the downside risk is too great.”

At least two Democrats, Reps. John Barrow of Savannah and Jim Marshall of Macon, were still considering their vote on Tuesday, according to members of their staff. Republican Rep. John Linder of Duluth planned to vote no, according to a spokesman.

The Democrats’ proposal calls for about $550 billion in new spending on everything from roads to schools, but also on social programs like healthcare and food stamps. It also calls for $275 billion in tax cuts, but many Republicans say that’s not enough.

“President Obama’s willingness to speak with House Republicans is appreciated,” Rep. Tom Price, a Republican from Roswell, said Tuesday after meeting with Obama. “Yet the fact remains that there is little to the Democrats’ spending bill that will stimulate the economy. “

Democrat Rep. Hank Johnson of DeKalb County, however, said the proposal will replace years of failed economic policies.

“This gets us away from the failed trickle-down philosophy of tax cuts for the wealthy, replacing it with a new, much-needed policy of rebuilding the economy from the ground up,” he said in a statement.

In visiting Congress and meeting with Republicans on Tuesday, President Obama is trying to pave the way to smoother relations between Democrats and Republicans in a new Washington.

But Republican Rep. Paul Broun suggested that Obama and the Democratic leadership — not congressional Republicans — are already engaging in politics as usual.

“They talk about wanting to hear our ideas and about wanting to cooperate, but they’ve totally cut us out of the process,” Broun said.

The congressman from Athens introduced an amendment to the economic stimulus bill that would tear up the proposal and instead take the $825 billion and divvy it up equally between every taxpayer — resulting in what he said would be a $9,000 bonus check for all taxpaying Americans.

The idea died in a House committee.