Because it was only a matter of time:
House Democrats are looking at yet another economic stimulus bill beyond the $787 billion one just enacted as investors and consumers continue to show little faith in the economy.
At a special meeting of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on Tuesday morning, Democrats heard again from their trusted band of economists and came away reinforced that Congress would need to spend billions of additional taxpayer dollars in the coming months to help pull the economy out its severe recession.
One proposal being considered is an additional economic stimulus bill. Just last month, President Obama signed a $787 billion stimulus measure that Democrats contended was needed to save or create 3.5 million jobs and that Republicans derided as nothing more than debt-spending on wasteful federal projects.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/house-dems-eyeing-another-stimulus-bill-2009-03-10.htmlThis was a forgone conclusion the day Obama signed Stimulus I. Krugs, Roubs, et al were all calling for more. Now, obviously, getting a second stimulus would be much more difficult as the odds of siphoning off 3 more REPs in the Senate would be next to impossible. But, if they waited until Franken was seated they would only need two. Throw in a special Kennedy vote and they only need one. So, I suppose it would depend on the situation at the time its introduced.
It brings up an interesting dilemna for the White House though. Obama used a lot of well earned political capital getting Stimulus I implemented. We've seen him touting its supposed benefits at construction sites, at factories, and other various places. Friday he even attended the graduation of 25 new police officers who's jobs were saved because of the plan. He has promised it will create or save 3.5 million jobs...90% of which will be in the private sector (which makes his chest thumping at the police graduation all the more interesting - but that's a different argument).
So, what happens when the Democrats introduce Stimulus II? Doing so basically admits Stimulus I was not enough. That all the supposed benefits were trumped up. That it failed to do what we were all promised it would do. It would leave Obama in a very difficult place and significantly weaken his credibility.