President Barack Obama is running into resistance from congressional Democrats over several key economic proposals — blunting the party’s ability to send a clear message to middle-class voters that Democrats feel their pain.
Obama has run into friction from fellow Democrats over plans to freeze some federal spending, to use bailout funds for small-business lending and to limit the reach of big banks.
And Obama’s call for a jobs bill left Senate leaders pledging a vote as early as Monday — but offering no details of what a measure might include or how much it would cost.
All of this paints a picture of a governing party that faces uncertainty about the way forward on the economy, especially in the wake of a shattering defeat in the Massachusetts Senate race last month.
White House aides insist that the Democratic pushback on Obama’s ideas is just a normal part of legislating and that Obama is likely to get much of what he wants in the end because of the Democrats’ sizable congressional majorities. That was Obama’s message to Senate Democrats this week, when he implored them to use their legislative might to lead the way on the economy.
But in the early going — at a moment when Democrats believe it’s critical for Obama to demonstrate that he understands voters’ worries about the economy — there has been infighting and frustration on Capitol Hill, where Democrats have proved to be a difficult group for Obama to lead. - Politico Story
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