Tomorrow, Sen. Barack Obama tries to sell the American people on what he's calling his
"American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan"'
According to the transition office, the plan represnts "a new approach to meeting our challenges that focuses on responsibility, accountability, and transparency so that we can rebuild confidence and trust in our economy and our markets."
Contrary to rumors, the speech won't be held at night, so everyone can still catch the game. Details are TBD.
The political scrum here is a bit messy. Fiscally-conscious Democrats don't expect "pay-go" rules to be in the package, but they want a promise that they'll follow it immediately. Tomorrow, they'll be listening for Obama's idea of a specific mechanism to deal with long-term funding shortfalls for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Obama mentioned the debt yesterday; the Blue Dog Democrats want action to follow the words.
Republicans will be very interested in the details of Obama's tax cut plans, and also want to hear him place limits on the money that'll be directly transferred to states and local governments. There is no consensus within the party about whether to fight specific provisions tooth and nail; there is a worry that Obama will attempt to split the party. Privately, leaders on both sides of the aisle want the package to pass overwhelmingly, with political cover extended in all directions.
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