Mitch McConnell Obstructs Stimulus

The most powerful GOP in DeeCee announced today that there’s no rush on the Obama stimulus to the Bush economy. Lots of hearings, lots of new safeguards — no reason to hurry as the Bush Economic Miracle™ drives Americans off a cliff. At America Blog, Joe Sudbay:

The Senate Republicans have been the most destructive political force in the country. They’re not changing the way they do business. And, for some reason, despite the loss of 25% of the GOP Senate caucus over the past two years, McConnell thinks the same strategy will work now.

McConnell has one word for the Obama plan, and that word is STOP:

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voiced skepticism today about the emerging economic stimulus plan, applying a brake to Democratic plans to quickly pass up to $850 billion in spending and tax cuts soon after President-elect Barack Obama’s Jan. 20 inauguration.

"As of right now, Americans are left with more questions than answers about this unprecedented government spending, and I believe the taxpayers deserve to know a lot more about where it will be spent before we consider passing it," McConnell said in a statement, which will be publicly issued later today.

The Hooverite GOPs are going to stand in the way of America’s rescue; they are going to filibuster and obstruct; they plan to stand athwart history because it is all they know how to do. They want a "cooling off period" as well:

McConnell specifically called for a weeklong cooling off period between when the bill is drafted and when it is voted on, allowing time to dissect it for signs of "fraud and waste."

Because if anyone can sniff out "fraud and waste" it is Mitch McConnell’s GOP Senate caucus, right?

UPDATE: Digby sez it’s high time to call the GOP on its obstruction-for-obstruction’s-sake:

Obstructing on the basis of principle or holding out for a particular point of compromise is a very different animal than obstructing for obstruction’s sake, obstructing because, if a bunch of egghead economists say we need a massive public spending program, then real Murcans have to stand astride history saying "stop". As we hear a lot about bipartisanship and Republicans and Democrats having to come together to solve the nation’s problems, as we hear from a President whose focus is "what works" instead of ideology, someone’s going to have to stand up and mention that the modern Republican Party defines ideology through negation. Someone might want to mention that there’s no compromise with those who reflexively oppose for no reason other than denying your opponent a victory is seen as a higher good than helping someone get a job or health care or a higher wage to support their family. Someone might want to suggest that accommodation is impossible.