All aboard the Stimulus Plan Rollercoaster.

When Barack Obama was trying to put this Stimulus plan together he reached out to the Republicans in an effort to include them in this very important legislation.

Up goes the rollercoaster. "Oh look how high we are this is going to be such a smooth fun ride."

But the Republicans slapped his hand away in contempt.

Despite all his efforts at reaching out, and despite making the proposal too small to start with, Obama was rewarded with exactly zero Republican votes for his stimulus package in the House. Our modern-day Marie Antoinettes want to let our economy collapse just so they can score political points against the President. Obama fared a little better in the Senate, getting all of three Republican votes by giving up some of the most important and effective parts of the package: aid to states and cities hard-hit by the economy, as well as cuts in school construction, food stamps and unemployment assistance.

Down goes the rollercoaster. "Oh God it is plunging so fast I cannot hang on, please make it stop!"

But then Barack Obama was able to get the plan passed even without the support of the Republicans.

"Oh thank goodness we are on our way back up again. Oh everything is going to be just fine now. Let's just settle back and enjoy the ride."

But now according to the Republicans the reason that they could not vote for this Stimulus package is because they were not invited to participate:



Down goes the rollercoaster. "Holy crap this thing is careening all over the place, I think I am going to puke!"

But then here comes newly minted Alaskan Senator Mark Begich who points out that the Republicans had ample opportunity to attend the meetings where the Stimulus plan was put together. He also points out that not only DID they attend the meetings, but that it is their input which helped to make the plan so damn expensive.



The rollercoaster coasts gently back toward the starting gate. "Oh wow that was pretty scary, but thankfully we are back safe and sound."

Oh here comes Governor Palin to make a statement about the Stimulus Plan.

“Congressman Young and Senator Murkowski did their best to achieve the right balance in the bill, but in the end the majority allowed the spending to balloon and encompass support for programs that don’t respond to the problem at hand,” the governor said.

But wait! How could Don Young and Lisa Murkowsi have had any say in how the bill was constructed if they were not allowed to participate in the meeting? Doesn't this prove that Begich is correct and the Republicans WERE at the meetings and DID have some input in its construction?

The rollercoaster has jumped the tracks!