Opposing the Stimulus - It's About the Next Election

You wondering why Republicans are so against the proposed stimulus package to get our economy back on track?

You think it's some philosophical disagreement on the size of government? Perhaps "fiscal responsibility?" No. Those pretexts are just too non-credible to the point of laughing out loud coming from today's Republican party. They're the main culprits on those issues.

My growing opinion is that it's something much more shallow, much more self-centered and much more insidious. Simply put, I'm beginning to think the leadership of the opposition being put up by key leaders in the Republican party is significantly about the next election cycle (2010), how the economy will be doing by then and how that may favor or not favor them in those elections. If they can draw down the stimulus, perhaps it's not as effective. Perhaps the economy continues to flounder with high unemployment, job losses, etc. into 2010. And perhaps all that helps their cause because they could then say, "see, stimulus by Democrats didn't work...vote for us for an alternative."

Now that is more in-line with what we expect out of Republicans in the era of George W. Bush, Carl Rove, Michael Steele, John McCain, Limbaugh, and their ilk.

Former Secretary of Labor and current professor at Cal Berkley Robert Reich has an explanation on his blog here that outlines this situation clearly.

Food for thought.