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As it considers President Barack Obama's $447 billion jobs plan, many members of a divided Congress appeared Friday to be in a compromising mood, seemingly eager to placate voters sick of infighting and inaction when it comes to jump-starting the economy.

Top House Republicans -- who have butted heads with Obama and his fellow Democrats on most every major policy effort since taking over the chamber early this year -- went into the speech reserving judgment, and struck a collaborative tone after listening to the president's laundry list of proposals.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who served as one of Obama's chief foils during this summer's debt debate, was among those signaling an intent to cooperate.

"I heard plenty in the president's speech last night where I think that there is a lot of room for commonality, and we can get something done quickly," Cantor told CNN on Friday.
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But the pivot by House Republicans -- who, unlike most Senate Republicans, face re-election races in 2012 -- may stem from blunt messages they heard from constituents over the summer recess, as well as paltry public support according to recent polls.

"The American public is fed up with Washington -- understandably," said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho.

But the veteran Republican also pointed out the reality that voters helped shape the political dynamic by voting in a divided government.

"It's not that we are opposing the president on any given thing, or the Democrats on any given thing because they're Democrats," said Simpson. "It's because we have a different philosophy of how to get the economy going and what needs to be done than they do."
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"I like the fact that he defended the role of government in people's lives. And I loved that he's engaged in the fight," he said.

Grijalva, one of a host of liberal Democrats who were pushing for a large-scale, stimulus-style plan, called the president's speech a "good first step."

"It needs to be strengthened," he added.

Working out such alterations is sometimes the most contentious part of the lawmaking process. {There lies my fear that they'll gut the good and keep what they like}
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There was also some dissent, in Republican circles, on the president's push to rebuild roads, railways and airports. Some in the party said it is an approach, depending on how it is paid for, that they could support.
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There's also pushback from Republicans on the proposal to use federal money to help rebuild schools, a responsibility they believe lies with state and local governments.

"All of the sudden the federal government takes over building schools? I don't know if that's a challenge we want to take on," said Simpson, the Idaho Republican.

Whether such distinct proposals are packaged into a single bill, or several smaller ones, is another matter of contention.

On Friday, Boehner and other House Republican leaders sent the president a letter saying they don't see the proposal as a single, unified package.

"As we are certain your advisers have told you, not all your ideas should be packaged in a single legislative vehicle," the letter stated. {There it is again; put all the tax cuts in one bill, we'll pass it (maybe); put infrastructure in another bill, and we'll kill it.}
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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who will need to win over at least seven Republicans to get the 60 votes needed to pass the president's plan in the Senate, said Friday the chamber will "begin debate on this proposal as soon as possible.

"I urge reasonable Republicans to resist the voices of those who would oppose this legislation -- and root for our economy to fail -- for political reasons," the Nevada Democrat said. {I'm actually getting to respect Reid; he understands politics, and if it weren't for the recalcitrant Tea Partiers and hard liners, I think he'd have helped get some stuff done already}

One of the Republicans Reid will need to attract is Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, a key moderate, who said Thursday he will consider voting for the plan.

"I've always kept an open mind on every piece of legislation," Brown said. "I'll read the bill, and I'll understand it. Then if it's good for Massachusetts, creates jobs, is good for the country, handles the debt and deficit the way he said he was, then I look forward to working with him."

But other Republicans in the chamber didn't appear so open to the president's speech. Freshman Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, said he wanted to work with the president on some of the items. More at http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/09/09/obama.plan.congress/index.html?
hpt=hp_bn2

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Really, people - Rappy is a friggin moron. Why do you bother??

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