They need to just change the name of the party to the Reverse-Cassandra party. It would be unfair to label only Eric Cantor as THE Reverse-Cassandra when there are so many others worthy of the title - Bill Kristol, etc.

This is not a recovery, what happens when the gov. stops sending all this money? You all know the answer.

the obama administration is tentative enough (and filled with enough stepford-economists) and the Repugnants are just insanely sociopathological enough to drag out this miserable economy and continue to blood-suck working people (and wishin'-tuh-work people) like leeches and ticks, and peace and prosperity will hardly be a memory before anything substantial is done.

we need, god damn the whole fookin' Village,
• another stimulus bill,
• a guaranteed employment law, and
• a save-our-mortgages program...

if i sound bitter... it's because i am.

Interesting how the WSJ is attempting an orchestrated fallback here. A month ago the party line was that the stimulus would fail and no growth would occur: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121798022246515105.html?mod=todays_us_opinion

Now the party line is that growth is occurring, but it isn't because of the stimulus. Gotta love the "Some economists argue..." paragraph - it emphasizes a viewpoint that receives little support elsewhere in the article. I imagine an editor inserted that at the last moment in the interests of "balance".

In the interest of being completely accurate, please delete the last three words of that last sentence.

Carry on.

By that I mean, of course, "on economic policy".

Yo Rick,

The really good stuff (targeted spending on infrastructure and new growth technologies) is just starting to come into play. These investments should result in new jobs and long-term employment.

The GOP complains that the stimulus didn't turn the economy around in 60 days and then wants to stop it just when it starts gaining some real momentum. They do that because they're either too stupid (Cantor/Kyl) or are congenital liars.

I hope you're not one of them.

Everyone is confused. According to Paul Krugman, for example, the US has not yet borrowed nearly enough money to reverse the economic decline.

Mr. Benen, you are so cute with your thinking that "evidence" has some relevance here. Remember, you're talking about Amurka and the faith-based worldview. Holding to two diametrically-opposed ideas is the norm. "I believe it" is all the "evidence" they need.

Uh oh! The stimulus is working! Gotta stop this pronto, guys, or the people will foolishly vote for the Democrats who improved the economy and gave them affordable health care. Crisis alert, crisis alert!

This morning, Rep. Eric Cantor (R) of Virginia, the #2 Republican in the House, said the same thing, calling the cancelling of the stimulus "the responsible thing" to do.

Yes, let's show how responsible the government is by after first promising states recovery money for budgets and infrastructure projects to then say just joking we're taking it back. This coming from the party that was aghast at the thought of how irresponsible it would be to pull out of Iraq, staying a hundred years if necessary.

T-Rex nails it.

A soft landing rather than a hard thud resulting from the stimulus for the economy, and true health care reform (if it happens), will represent two nails in the proverbial coffin for Republicans.

They know that any positives equals negatives for them in elections upcoming.

So much for that 'America First' BS.

The Republican thinking is easy to understand:

Obama success = GOP failure.
America? Fuck America, they didn't vote for us, anyway.

Consider it the opening salvo to the notion that a second stimulus is needed. Now it's "left wing crazy" to ask that the stimulus continue, let alone another one.

Here's what they'll be saying in a week or two:

"The stimulus is kickin' in, folks, so we don't need to spend any more money on stimulus -- let's save the cost to the federal deficit. The Democrats want to spend, spend, spend and they don't care about the federal deficit. We're calling for restraint. See? We're the fiscally-responsible party. Vote Republican!"

Then they'll roll out their teabaggers again and contact FOX.

"Yes, this is the same Eric Cantor who's bragged about the benefits of the recovery efforts in his district."

Shorter version: I got mine - screw everyone else.

And if you live in the 7th District in Virginia, please fergawdsake don't vote for him.

To bdop4, targeted spending on infrastructure and new growth technologies. What happens when the money runs out? You didn't seem to answer that, or name one new growth technology (there isn't one)that's going to employ the millions of people out of work. Just because Cantor is a idiot doesn't mean this recession is close to being over.

We should work to bring the word nihilism to the mainstream, as in, "Those Republicans are such nihilists."

Make them look it up and defend against the charge. It would keep their base busy, is quite educational, and much more palatible than their current preference for an N-word.

Why not point out a little more prominently that the article was in the WSJ?

2-3% contribution to growth is huge! Can anyone calculate how many jobs were not lost because of this amount of stimulus?

Good for the WSJ. At least some reporters are not fully under the Murdoch spell.

2-3% of GDP is a pretty outstanding multiplier effect. VP Biden, please make sure your speech tomorrow kicks some GOP a$$.

The Repubs are so dead-set against anything Obama does, they're willing to cancel hundreds of billions in tax cuts. Why are the Dems not hammering that point?

"You didn't seem to answer that, or name one new growth technology (there isn't one)that's going to employ the millions of people out of work. Just because Cantor is a idiot doesn't mean this recession is close to being over."

What's with you people that want everything fixed today, and anything less is failure ?

You've got to stop the bleeding before you can fix the actual problem with the patient.

Let me get this straight...

THESE are the people Obama wants to work with ?
In the spirit of Bi-Partisanship ?

Grassley and Enzi are going to agree to HCR ??

My hopes are sinking

Rick: You didn't seem to answer that, or name one new growth technology (there isn't one)that's going to employ the millions of people out of work.

Biofuel(Diesel and gasoline) from algae is a fast-growing new industry, mostly privately financed (petroleum companies collectively have committed more than a billion dollars in the last half year). It probably won't employ millions, but it will employ many. Collectively (again) the investments in new energy (biofuel, wind, PV and concentrated solar, nuclear power) could make a considerable contribution to economic recovery.

Mostly "non-stimulus" money is involved, but some of the new investment is from "stimulus" money.

Rick: You didn't seem to answer that, or name one new growth technology (there isn't one)that's going to employ the millions of people out of work.

Many new technologies will employ millions now out of work, not just 1 or a few.

The economy won't recover until the crooks that are still robbing us blind on Wall Street are thrown in jail.