Why is it taking Washington so long to come up with a bipartisan economic stimulus package?
This is just a small, Southern city, this is normal slow Southern pace [smiling]…. Madison designed [the system] that way. Let’s talk about the pace of the package. The [$75 billion] package the President has suggested is one that both parties can live with. It wasn’t anyone’s first choice but fell within everyone’s range of the acceptable. Something very similar to that is going to emerge. As for timing, the first tax bill got passed in four months. That was record time, and we’re talking about something on the order of four to six weeks for this tax bill. This is lightning speed by Washington standards. Q: So when will lightning finally strike? A: The House Ways & Means Committee is marking up a bill. When that passes the House, it will move on to the Senate. The process is moving forward. Q: Did the House GOP’s decision to go it alone with their own, bigger — and more controversial — bill really speed the process? Their bill is $100 billion, at least. A: One of major reasons for
