Bush, Congress nearing accord, as Administration cedes some ground to Democrats House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), and Congressional Republican leadership met with President Bush last night to discuss the broad outlines of an economic stimulus package. Bush came out of the meeting with a "very positive feeling" while Pelosi was "confident" that a bipartisan agreement could be reached. So, here's what the package is shaping up to be so far - these are the boundaries that will most likely contain the package.

• $145 billion
• the majority of which will be tax breaks
• some unemployment insurance extension
• some food stamp expansion

But here's the most remarkable development of late: Paulson said Friday that Bush wants "broad-based tax relief for those who are paying taxes." But Paulson reversed that formulation yesterday, saying in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that "the package must reach a large number of citizens." By saying "citizens" instead of "taxpayers," the secretary opened the door to ideas advanced by Democrats to extend the short-term tax relief to those who pay little to no income taxes. The administration has gone from hinting that extension of 2001-2003 tax cuts should be in a package to saying that even those too poor to pay taxes should see some of the benefit. From the WaPo story referenced above, it also looks like there could be a bill ready for Bush's signature by mid-February.