Democrats in “Open Revolt” Over $450 Billion “Jobs” Bill

Those obstructionists! Those partisan blowhards! Holding up jobs legislation for their own political gain, it’s simply unbelievable.

As if the White House didn’t have enough to do, they’re having to take time out of their schedule to try and convince opponents of the jobs bill to get behind it.

It’s a story we’ve heard before. In fact, it’s a story Democrats like to tell with just about every idea they’ve had over the past two years. Except this time, much to the chagrin of the Obama Administration, the obstructionists are the Democrats.

That’s right…the Democrats don’t even like Obama’s latest “jobs” (read: stimulus) bill.

The Hill reports from the Senate side,

“Senior administration officials met with Senate Democrats for an hour and a half on Thursday to answer their complaints about President Obama’s jobs bill.

Democratic lawmakers voiced objections to several of the president’s proposals to pay for the $447 billion stimulus package, including an elimination of tax breaks for the oil-and-gas industry.”

David Plouffe, a senior adviser to the president, acknowledged after a marathon meeting in the Senate’s Mansfield Room that not all Democrats are sold on the plan.”

But Obama’s troubles aren’t limited to the Senate, where Democrats have a majority, and are thus much more politically careful. No, his bill’s unpopularity extends to the House, where Democrats often use their minority status to truly “speak their mind.”

From Roll Call,

“President Barack Obama’s plans to pay for his jobs legislation are facing a cool reception from some House Democrats who wonder how the proposals – which went nowhere in the 111th Congress, when Democrats held majorities in both chambers – can attract support now.”

I’ve been wondering the same thing as well. Unfortunately, there is little indication the President Obama ever intends to address that.

From the very beginning it has been clear that this is less an attempt at creating good policy than a brazen attempt to score political points. In other words, this isn’t meant as legislation to actually help the millions of Americans who are unemployed, this is a bill to help him stay employed as President of the United States.

Except that plan isn’t working out to well either. Tough to convince Americans to vote for you when you can’t even convince your fellow Democrats in Congress to go along with your plan. In fact, on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, host Joe Scarborough went as far as to say that Democrats “are the ones that are in open revolt.”

And that isn’t hyperbole. Take Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) who, when asked about the President’s plan to pay for the bill said it was, “Terrible.” Sen, Mark Begich (D-AK) called it “frustrating,” that the bill would “singl[e] out certain industries” for tax hikes.” And Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he has “serious questions about the level of spending . . . as well as the afctual effectiveness some of these policies will have.”

That’s not to say that the plan is all bad. Immediately after presenting the jobs bill Republicans, led by Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Speaker John Boehner, (R-OH) signaled openness to portions of the plan. Democrats are now following their lead, suggesting that we “cherry pick” the good parts and nix the bad.

Sadly, White House spokesman David Axelrod already said they not accept an “a la carte menu” approach to the Presidents jobs bill.

With all the negativity swirling around Democrats it’s not much clearer why the President had to beg students at a North Carolina campaign stop, “If you love me, you gotta help me pass this bill.” With his party in revolt he’s gonna need all help he can get.

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