The Stimulus debate is politically overrated

I keep hearing from some on the right and left that this stimulus bill is going to have an impact on 2010 or 2012. I don't see it that way. If the economy recovers soon, no one will care that a congressman voted against the bill because the country will already have moved on to other issues. Its like the surge: even though all the Democrats were completely wrong, they paid no political price because the country was focusing on the economy instead. CW suggested that Republicans were hurt by impeaching Clinton in 1998-9 but by 2000 nobody really cared about it anymore.

If the economy doesn't recover, Republicans might be able to run on the fact that Barry threw a trillion dollars down the hole, but polling suggest voters really don't care about the deficit. So the mantra will be that Obama policies failed, but the stimulus itself will be background material. Meanwhile, Obama will just demand more money be spent.

I don't really see the Republicans gaining or losing any political points in the battle, however they did successfully deny Obama bipartisan cover to launch another spending spree in the future.