Conservative Divide: Childers-Thompson / Harper-Taylor

In the first defining vote of the year, Bennie Thompson (D) and Travis Childers (D) voted for the trillion dollar deficit stimulus package; Gene Taylor (D) and Gregg Harper (R) voted against it. Zero Republicans in the House of Representatives voted for H.R. 1, and 11 conservative Democrats joined the GOP in voting against it.

Taylor had some choice words on Obama's trillion dollar deficit, "President Obama ran on change. This isn't change. George Bush during the height of the war cut taxes, increased spending, doubled the national debt on his watch. And this is just more of the same, in my opinion...This is nuts."

Childers said he "teetered" with his vote, "Here's what just pushed me I guess, and I don't mind telling you, I really kind of teetered for the last couple of days on this. But this is what just finally made me vote for it. Number one, it's not a finished product. It goes over to the Senate. I hope they can take the bill and perfect it. I hope they can make it better at least."

Harper was more direct, "I wish Congress would open their eyes to the wasteful government spending that is contained in this bill and that will drive the country further into debt. The American people know we cannot borrow and spend our way back to prosperity."