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Diverse groups line up for Obama plan

President-elect Barack Obama will meet with congressional leaders next week to discuss a $700 billion stimulus plan, and interested parties lining up range the gamut from zoos to steelmakers. Steve Henn reports.

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Steve Chiotakis: President-elect Barack Obama and congressional leaders are getting together Monday. They’re set to discuss Mr. Obama’s stimulus package worth hundreds of billions of dollars. But some Republican leaders are already hesitant to come on board. Here’s Marketplace’s Steve Henn.


Steve Henn: Republicans are worried the Democrats could try to increase the size of the stimulus plan to close to a trillion dollars. And Republican Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell has warned that his party won’t simply roll over or offer a rubber stamp.

The Obama plan will likely include massive infrastructure spending, an extension on unemployment benefits as well as aid to states facing increased costs for services like Medicaid. But interests as diverse as zoos, aquariums and U.S. steelmakers are lining up for a piece of stimulus pie.

Ryan Alexander: They’re looking for the opportunity.

Ryan Alexander is president of Taxpayers for Common Sense:

Alexander: That’s, you know, that’s their job — they’re trying to protect or advance their industries.

American steel executives told the New York Times they’d like the bill to include a buy American clause. And the U.S. Conference of mayors put forward a plan that includes $1.5 million for a waterslide in Miami.

In Washington, I’m Steve Henn for Marketplace.

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