Deputy Whip to Obama: ‘we’ve heard this before’

Republican Deputy Whip and Tea Partier Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., took a shot at President Obama while also signalling his willingness – and perhaps by extension, that of the Tea Party congressionals as well – to work with Obama to pass a jobs bill.

Following President Obama’s speech, Stutzman had this response:

“Tonight, I was pleased to hear that the President is bringing a plan to the table. Now the real work of leadership can begin, as we look at the details and hammer out solutions for Americans that face an economy that has languished under burdensome regulations and uncertainty. We’ve heard speeches like this before. I would have liked to see a more bold and immediate plan to freeze the bureaucratic machine that issued over 3,000 final rules last year and has put a burden of $1.75 trillion on the economy. Now, we can dive into the details of the American Jobs Act. I heard some of the right buzzwords. It’s time to get to work.”

Stutzman’s statement reiterates more subtly a common Republican dig at Obama for giving another speech, but the praise for Obama “bringing a plan to the table” might indicate that Republicans fear to look reflexively intransigent, amid speculation that Obama has unveiled a plan “designed so that Republicans will reject it and Obama will then have a foil to run against next year in November,” as Charles Krauthammer suggested.

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