Nice as that would be, I just don't see it happening. Republicans simply don't play well with others, and when it comes down to it, I think they will find themselves rejecting the bill near universally.

If they continue trying to obstruct the process and spend the rest of their current terms interfering with the Obama administration, I think the voters will show them their displeasure shortly. People want things to get done, they're tired of constant gridlock. If the GOP doesn't change it's tactics, the people are going to send them a message -- again.

Works for me.

It's HEALTHY to have critics evaluating, testing and fighting your proposals.
It makes you better, tougher and stronger, and in fact forces you to refine and improve your proposals and more clearly articulate your beliefs.
Every dictatorship eventually falls, while democracies survive and prevail.

No, not if they want to survive a GOP primary in 2010 against the CFG.

Cao has said he is going to vote for it.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a few Republican defections from the hardest-hit areas, like Michigan and Indiana.

When you have been marginalized and found wanting in original ideas. When you inherently distrust that to which you have been elected to serve you are left with few choices. You can either dig in your heels and lash out incoherently fighting to the last or admit you were wrong and become a loyal opposition offering valid and well thought out alternatives. The former is easy and the latter is hard. A party that builds it's future on "NO" has no future.

I think we'll see some defectors... both from the hardest-hit areas, like someone else said above, and from moderate or Democratic-leaning districts where they're more concerned about keeping their seat in the general than in the primary.

This stimulus vote puts the Republicans in yet another bind and between a rock and a hard place.

The GOP has suffered tremendously in public opinion over the last 10 days to the point where approval vs. disapproval numbers are showing lows for the party not seen in 40+ years.  If they come out again and vote in unison against the bill then we will see a cemented public view of pure obstructionism just to oppose.  We know that at this point obstructionism is not seen as principled opposition but as highly negative. People take it personal because it is THEIR rescue bill, more or less, that is being obstructed. Even if they don't view the bill as perfect, they much prefer action on it to categorical obstructionism.

However, if we see a good number of Republican representatives, not just one or two, peel off their party leadership and vote for the bill it cements in the public's mind that the Republican leadership lost the stimulus battle badly.  Healthy defection numbers in the 20s or 30s also further the impression that has already been gaining a lot of steam that the final bill that was hammered out is a pretty good one, despite what Republican leaders have been preaching.  

I saw a couple pieces this morning that Boehner was bragging he had whittled the defectors down to 8.

It's excellent news for Democrats:  The more GOP critters that climb on that wheezing steamboat named Denial with Cap'ns Boehner and Rove, the more will drown in 2010.  They are venturing out into uncharted currents, in the eye of a gathering storm.

See, now this is the kind of stuff Nate Silver is good at.

Will the Republicans vote for it?  Absolutely not.  There are no upsides for them.  

1. The bill will pass without them, so they aren't actually obstructing,
   
2. They will say it's a failure no matter what happens.

They don't want too strong of a challenge from the right.  The economy probably won't be on solid footing in 2010 and it'll be too easy for some rightwing nutcase in the primary to say we should all be paying each other in gold bullion or that this is divine retribution for refusing to wear flag lapel pins.  

If the current members lose a primary fight, this has the dual effect of bumping off the current members and making the GOP slate even more conservative than it currently is, thus decreasing their electoral chances.

In general, they want it to pass, but they know it will pass without their votes.

so...there is little real incentive for them to vote for it.

They are going to vote against it because they just generally do not believe in spending money on public investment projects.

Kennedy isn't going to vote. Gregg probably is. Where does that put us?

So is this going to get voted on & signed by Obama today?  If so when does it take effect?

1. Specifically, I noticed that the federal gov't will subsidize 60% of COBRA- when will that start & how will that work? This is one of the most important provisions.
   
2. Unemployment compensation will go up - will that be for each state?
   
3. How long are the extensions for in NJ?
   
4. Food Stamps - they are changing the qualifications - if you collect the max amount on unemployment do you qualify?
   

FYI - you can't get answers if you call anywhere, so I thought by asking here, people who are knowledgeable in the stimulus bill provisions might be able to answer. Thx