Sarah Palin Bad-Mouths Stimulus Bill While Holding Her Hand Out For Alaska's Share

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WASHINGTON — A group of conservative Senate Republicans vowed Thursday to vote against an $888 billion economic stimulus package when it comes up for a vote in the Senate.

President Obama lobbied Republican congressional leaders to support the measure, but the version of the stimulus bill approved Wednesday by the House did not receive any Republican votes. The Senate is expected to start debate on Monday and the bill is already facing resistance from some Republicans.

It is hardly surprising that those most opposed to this piece of legislation had their hands out first for a piece of the stimulus package. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin stuck her hand out furthest and fastest like a ninja warrior while similtaniously misrepresenting aspects of the stimulus package which is a trademark tactic of the blogojevichian governor of Alaska.

Obama and Democrats had made it a top priority to get the package of spending increases and tax cuts through the House. They did it in eight days after Obama's inauguration.

The 647-page measure is divided about 2-to-1 between new spending and tax cuts. It includes hundreds of billions of dollars in benefits for those hard hit by the recession, for state and local governments facing layoffs and cuts, and for initiatives designed to create or save 3 million jobs.

The Democratic bill includes tax cuts for about 95% of working Americans — $500 for individuals, $1,000 for couples — and for small businesses.

"I hope that we can continue to strengthen this plan before it gets to my desk," Obama said Wednesday. "But what we can't do is drag our feet or allow the same partisan differences to get in our way."

"This was not a stimulus bill. It was a spending bill," Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., the GOP whip, said Wednesday.

Obama senior adviser David Axelrod said House Republicans "made a decision to vote as a bloc against it. I think the American people want us to work together."