links for 2009-01-05

But McConnell said Republicans would press Democrats on the scope of the program. He took issue, for example, with Obama’s stated intent to use the public sector for 20 percent of the 3 million new jobs the plan would presumably create.

“That would be 600,000 new government jobs. That’s about the size of the post office workforce. Is that a good idea?” he said. “That’s something that strikes us that we ought to take a look at… I think, at least, hearings, and some kind of bipartisan considerations would be helpful.”

The Republican leader said potential areas for quick, bipartisan agreement include tax cuts — he suggested lowering the 25 percent middle-class tax rate to 15 percent — and nine appropriations bills left unpassed last year that total $400 billion.

“They’re ready to go. They’ve already been vetted by both sides, would pass on an overwhelming, bipartisan basis, and much of that spending, would be on things similar to what the president may be asking for in that package