Cooper one of few Democrats to vote against stimulus plan

By Bill Theobald, Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON - Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper of Nashville voted against an $819 billion economic stimulus plan that passed the House on Wednesday, one of only 11 Democrats to vote no.

Other middle Tennessee Democratic House members, Reps. Lincoln Davis of Pall Mall, John Tanner of Union City and Bart Gordon of Murfreesboro, voted for the legislation, which passed 244-188.

Republican Reps. Marsha Blackburn of Brentwood and Zach Wamp of Chattanooga, a candidate for governor, voted against the bill. No Republicans voted for it.

"This bill had too many congressional pet projects and too few of President Obama's plans for jump-starting the economy,'' Cooper said. "I hope the next version of the bill stays closer to its purpose: helping America recover from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.''

By one estimate, Tennessee would receive about $3.8 billion in 2009 and 2010 from the bill for highway and school construction, aid to schools and Medicaid health services for the poor. In addition, most Tennesseans would qualify for a tax credit in the bill of $500 for individuals and $1,000 for couples.

Gordon supported the stimulus plan because he believes "we are at the defining moment in this economic crisis,'' said his spokesman Kinsey Kiriakos.

The legislation would create or save an estimated 63,000 jobs in Tennessee, Kiriakos said.

Davis called the vote "the first step toward making an economic recovery package law.''

"There will certainly be changes before this bill reaches the president's desk,'' Davis said.

Tanner cited the job creation, income tax cuts, and tax cuts for businesses as among the benefits for Tennessee that caused him to support the legislation.

He also pointed out that several provisions were removed at the request of members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog coalition of Democrats, of which Tanner, Cooper, Davis and Gordon are all members. One section that was removed would have provided $200 million for improvements to the National Mall.

Blackburn criticized Democrats for the huge cost of the bill, which she said would cost each resident of her district $2,700.

"If the choice today was between reckless spending or economic doom I might agree, but it isn't,'' Blackburn said.

Said Wamp: "We're in a real mess right now with too much government, but no one is talking about streamlining it, they're just spending more money.''