Sparks fly over a plan to boost the economy

The Democrats’ $825 billion stimulus bill began moving through Congress, after President Barack Obama warned skeptical Republicans that the economy was at “a perilous moment” and required a massive and immediate b

What happened

The Democrats’ $825 billion stimulus bill began moving through Congress this week, after President Barack Obama warned skeptical Republicans that the economy was at “a perilous moment” and required a massive and immediate boost. Obama struck a conciliatory tone on Capitol Hill and persuaded House Democrats to remove from the bill several provisions that were opposed by the GOP, including $200 million to fund purchases of contraceptives through Medicaid. But the president declined to reduce the bill’s spending, or to increase tax cuts, as Republicans had wanted. “I won,” he reminded them. Roughly two-thirds of the bill is devoted to spending and one-third to tax cuts.

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