Many Republicans liked the stimulus bill but feared political repercussions if they voted for it.

The Republicans in the House were unanimous in voting against the stimulus bill, as were all but three Senate Republicans. But that wasn't because they all thought it was wrong or wouldn't work. It was because they feared political repercussions bake n their home states if they voted for it. According to Arlen Spector (via Steve Benen

"When I came back to the cloak room after coming to the agreement a week ago today," said Specter, "one of my colleagues said, 'Arlen, I'm proud of you.' My Republican colleague said, 'Arlen, I'm proud of you.' I said, 'Are you going to vote with me?' And he said, 'No, I might have a primary.' And I said, 'Well, you know very well I'm going to have a primary.'" [...]

"I think there are a lot of people in the Republican caucus who are glad to see this action taken without their fingerprints, without their participation," he said.

Steve Benen added

Asked how many Republican lawmakers we're talking about here, Specter said it's a "sizable number."

I find that encouraging. If the Republicans were either ignorant of the economic conditions that are driving so many Americans to support the unique and massive spending in the stimulus bill, I'd have to consider them all subject to brainwashing by an insane organization. At least they aren't literally insane.

Unfortunately, that still means that the Republican party would, as a whole, rather see America go down the tubes into economic collapse with no effort made by the government to prevent it. They are forcing their representatives in Congress to act for them to damage America.

If what Spector said is true, the powers that run the Republican Party are in the politics business for their own reasons with no interest in the quality of life for most Americans. That frankly is either insane or without conscience, and that means that the ruling powers of the Republican party are anti-American. We have our own home-grown body of extremist domestic terrorists with their representatives being the minority party in Congress.