President Barack Obama assured Americans Monday that political differences regarding his $800 billion-plus stimulus package should not derail its passage.

The Senate is taking up its version of the bill Monday after the House passed a smaller bill last week without any Republican support. The president is now promising to create an independent board to watch over the massive spending package.

Obama thinks some GOP lawmakers will end up supporting his plan, but the majority of Republicans say it needs to undergo some changes before they sign on.

?We hope to get a bill passed in a few weeks so we can get America working again and dig ourselves out of this hole we are in,? the president said Monday.

The political arguments extend beyond Washington.

?Now it seems like a Christmas tree thing where the Democrats have put all kinds of extra things on there,? says David Wood, of Hastings.

However, local veteran Joe Cohen says, ?The Republicans are making this a party issue, which is very anti-American as far as I'm concerned.?

If passed, the current plan would help create jobs and send millions to Hudson Valley governments and school districts. Republicans argue the package, as is, needs to better deal with the housing crisis. They also want non-essential spending eliminated.