But Dems in Congress don't think he's really serious about the request:
According to multiple aides briefed on the meeting, top lawmakers expressed doubts that there was an appetite for additional spending, noting the difficulties that the chamber already has had in passing provisions designed to extend emergency benefits for jobless workers and avert layoffs of public school teachers. The letter sent by Obama pleading with Congress to help avoid "massive layoffs of teachers, police and firefighters," was viewed more as a publicity generator -- timed appropriately for discussion on the Sunday show circuit -- than legislative lobbying.
"They all were caught off-guard," said one Democratic leadership aide. "It is great to finally have a request from the White House but what was the intent?"
"I think I would describe it as unhappy," added another aide with direct knowledge of the discussion. "It seems it was done for the Sunday shows rather than for serious dialogue with us... and to not offer us any guidance about how to pay for it in this environment after talking about the deficit commission was striking."
A cynical request for federal funding to avert massive public layoffs that the president issues not because he thinks the Congress will pass his request (indeed - the president himself has been wagging a finger at the deficit and warning of spending and entitlement cuts to come, thus ensuring it won't) but simply to make news for the Sunday morning political shows and SOUND like he's doing something.
How's that for more change you can believe in from President Hopey/Changey?
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