INSIDE WASHINGTON

Congressional Insiders Poll

NJ insiders rate stimulus plans and weigh in on Israel's use of force in Gaza.

by Richard E. Cohen and Peter Bell

Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009


Q: On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being most effective), rate the effectiveness of each of these ways to stimulate the economy.

Democrats (31 votes)

                      Average score
Aid to states             3.7
Infrastructure spending   3.9
Safety-net spending       3.4
Tax cuts for individuals  2.9
Tax cuts for business     2.8

Aid to states

"States and cities are drowning because of unfunded federal mandates."

"States are closer to the people than the federal government, but strings should be attached."

Infrastructure spending

"Everything else is secondary by a significant margin."

"This is a win-win. Projects are needed to improve our communities, and locals get to build them."

Safety-net spending

"This isn't actually a stimulus, but it's essential."

Tax cuts for individuals

"This is never an effective strategy when our schools are broke!"

Tax cuts for business

"This does nothing to stimulate employment."

Other remarks

"Even more important [than any of these options] is to interrupt the collapse of the housing market and the foreclosure crisis."

Q: On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being most effective), rate the effectiveness of each of these ways to stimulate the economy.

Republicans (36 votes)

                      Average score
Aid to states             1.7
Infrastructure spending   3.0
Safety-net spending       1.6
Tax cuts for individuals  3.9
Tax cuts for business     4.6

Aid to states

"We haven't seen the final proposal, but if money is going to be spent on infrastructure or state projects, those funds should go directly to the states for allocation. A bureaucratic wish list won't stimulate the economy, and will only delay action."

"A government-to-government transfer of money has never stimulated the real economy."

"The Obama approach is nothing more than Chicago machine politics. It's political largesse paid to irresponsible blue states that won't make tough decisions at the expense of red states that will."

Tax cuts for individuals

"Eliminate capital-gains taxes."

"Tax cuts should only be for people who actually pay taxes."

Tax cuts for business

"It's encouraging to see Democrats include tax relief in the stimulus, but even [Ways and Means Committee Chairman] Charlie Rangel says we need to cut the corporate tax cut. That would be a real and lasting stimulus."

Q: How would you characterize Israel's use of force in Gaza?

Democrats (32 votes)

Too much                       39 percent
Too little                      3 percent
About right                    55 percent
Appalling, but understandable 
 (volunteered)                  3 percent

Too much

"The response has been disproportionate."

"The use of force is massive and devastating. But the basic problem is the failure of Israel, the U.S., and moderate Arab states to devise an alternative way of dealing with Hamas and its provocations."

"Way too many civilian casualties."

About right

"Israel has the absolute right to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks by destroying Hamas missile and arms sites."

"I suspect that we would be inclined to level Vancouver if terrorists were receiving safe harbor there while shooting missiles at Seattle. Why should we expect anything different of Israel?"

"Nobody is happy about this situation, but nobody can be surprised by this situation either."

Other remarks

"Appalling, but understandable. [Israel] can't just continue to receive incoming Hamas rockets, but the invasion just falls into the trap Hamas has set. No good answers."

Q: How would you characterize Israel's use of force in Gaza?

Republicans (36 votes)

Too much                    12 percent 
Too little                   3 percent
About right                 82 percent
Wrong question (volunteered) 3 percent

About right

"The terrorist violence was uncalled for, and the response necessary. The conflict was entirely provoked by the leaders of Hamas with months of rocket attacks on Israeli towns and cities. Peace is only possible if Hamas promises to cease their continued attacks on Israeli civilians."

"Israel's use of force was justified by Hamas rocket attacks against Israeli civilians."

"6,464 rocket attacks from Hamas in Gaza must be stopped."

Other remarks

"You are asking the wrong question: What about Hamas's use of force in Israel? Is that too much, too little, or just right?"

National Journal Insiders
Democratic Congressional Insiders Sens. Sherrod Brown, Ben Cardin, Thomas Carper, Christopher Dodd, Edward Kennedy, Frank Lautenberg, Barbara Mikulski, Mark Pryor, Ken Salazar, Jon Tester; Reps. Robert Andrews, Michael Arcuri, Tammy Baldwin, Melissa Bean, Xavier Becerra, Howard Berman, Marion Berry, Rick Boucher, Michael Capuano, Dennis Cardoza, Chris Carney, James Clyburn, Jim Cooper, Joseph Crowley, Elijah Cummings, Artur Davis, Diana DeGette, Rosa DeLauro, Eliot Engel, Anna Eshoo, Sam Farr, Chaka Fattah, Bob Filner, Alcee Hastings, Mike Honda, Steve Israel, Frank Kratovil, Jim Langevin, John Lewis, Zoe Lofgren, Nita Lowey, Carolyn Maloney, Ed Markey, Jim McDermott, Jim McGovern, Kendrick Meek, Jim Moran, David Price, Silvestre Reyes, Jan Schakowsky, Jose Serrano, Adam Smith, John Spratt, Pete Stark, John Tanner, Ellen Tauscher, Bennie Thompson, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Henry Waxman, and Peter Welch.

GOP Congressional Insiders Sens. Lamar Alexander, Jim Bunning, John Cornyn, Jim DeMint, Lindsey Graham, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Johnny Isakson, Richard Lugar, Mel Martinez, Lisa Murkowski, Olympia Snowe, John Thune, David Vitter; Reps. Michele Bachmann, Brian Bilbray, Marsha Blackburn, Roy Blunt, John Boehner, Charles Boustany, Kevin Brady, John Campbell, Eric Cantor, Michael Castle, Tom Cole, Mike Conaway, David Dreier, Jeff Flake, Scott Garrett, Bob Goodlatte, Kay Granger, Doc Hastings, Pete Hoekstra, Bob Inglis, Peter King, Jack Kingston, Mark Kirk, John Kline, Christopher Lee, Dan Lungren, Kenny Marchant, Kevin McCarthy, Patrick McHenry, John Mica, Candice Miller, Sue Myrick, Devin Nunes, Mike Pence, Tom Price, Adam Putnam, Dave Reichert, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Mike Rogers of Michigan, Paul Ryan, Pete Sessions, John Shadegg, Adrian Smith, Mark Souder, Pat Tiberi, Fred Upton, and Joe Wilson.

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