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Obama Advances U.S. Stimulus Plan; Republicans Balk

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The Associated Press

Published: January 24, 2009

President Barack Obama sought to dampen Republicans' complaints about the Democrats' massive economic revival package Friday with an offer to listen carefully to their ideas, too.

But he gave no guarantees he'd accept any - and made a point of reminding them who won the election in November.

Obama promised to meet with congressional Republicans on their turf early next week after they and Democratic leaders thrashed out emergency tax-and-spending plans to revive the failing economy in a get-together at the White House on Friday.

The House could vote on the $825 billion proposal the Democrats have worked out with Obama soon after the meeting at the Capitol.

With Democrats controlling the House, Senate and White House - and some economists calling for even more spending to stimulate the economy - it was far from certain the Republicans would be able to achieve any of their goals, which center on less spending and more tax cuts.

Obama said Congress appears on target to have a bill at his desk by mid-February, and no Republican leaders disagreed.

At one point in Friday's meeting in the White House's Roosevelt Room, GOP Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona objected to a proposal to increase benefits for low-income workers who do not owe federal income taxes.

Obama replied in a friendly but firm way that an election had been held in November, "and I won. I will trump you on that," according to several people briefed by participants who took notes.

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