It has been reported by many outlets that a bi-partisan group of senate members have been working the last few days on concessions from both parties to get a a bi-partisan stimulus bill passed in the Senate.  So far nothing.  A stimulus plan that exceeds 900 Billion dollars.  A plan that both sides agree has no guarantee that passage will fix anything.  The plan comes at at a time when both parties agree, immediate action is required.  We have these quotes from our new president:

"time for talk is over"

  "Everyone's going to have to give a little and understand this is a process and we have to move this ball down the court"

  "We're not moving quickly because we're trying to jam something down people's throats," he said. "We're moving quickly because if we don't, the economy's going to keep getting worse."

  But the quote that had the most impact on me was this:   "They did not send us here to get bogged down with the same old delay, the same old distractions, the same talking points, the same cable chatter," he said. "They did not vote for the false theories of the past, and they didn't vote for phony arguments and petty politics, and they did not vote for the status quo."      

Wow.  I couldn't agree with him more on this one.  The nation spoke.  I heard it.  You heard it.  So here is what I'm getting at.  Democrats and the president are dealing from a position of strength.  And what have I seen?  2 parties that wont give when there is much to concede.  The republicans had NO input on what went into the stimulus.  They did, however, get to add 2 things (cars and housing amendments).  They want to knock down the total cost by an 1/8th (100 Billion).  An 1/8th for a bipartisanship vote.  Yet that looks like it won't happen.  So who can fix this?

  President Obama.  He can reach across the aisle with his pen and the power of line-item veto.  If his party's leadership in the senate refuses to budge why not show us what change is all about and let the minority leadership know that he will line-item to get the bipartisan support.  End the "phony arguments and petty politics" and power plays and unite this country.

That would be change I'm interested in.