The Obama Administration’s ‘Sidam Touch’
According to the Urban Dictionary, a person with “the Sidam Touch” has an ability that is “[t]he opposite of The Midas Touch, which turns everything to gold.” A person with the Sidam Touch “breaks and/or ruins everything.”
To say that President Barack Obama and his administration, especially what’s left of his economic team, have the Sidam Touch is the understatement of the 21st century.
In early February 2009, in the run-up to the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), known to most as “the stimulus,” the newly sworn-in Obama flexed his Sidam Touch muscles, repeatedly telling the nation: “Doing nothing is not an option.” Fittingly, Obama flew Ohio’s Sherrod Brown in on a government plane from the funeral of Brown’s mother so that the Buckeye State senator could cast the deciding vote.
So how has it worked out? In December 2010, James Cogan and John Taylor at the Hoover Institution overestimated the impact of the stimulus plan by saying that it accomplished “zero.” On May 12, Professors Timothy Conley and Bill Dupor released more precise results demonstrating that ARRA really “created/saved 450 thousand government-sector jobs and destroyed/forestalled one million private sector jobs.” For the math-challenged, that’s a net loss of 550,000 jobs. A bit over two years later, it is abundantly clear that doing nothing would have been vastly preferable.
It may be lip service, but the president and his advisers continually tell us that private sector growth is important. On May 10, White House economic adviser Austan Goolsbee said: “You want the private sector to be the source of growth because that’s where the sustainable job creation is.” That’s interesting, because, as seen below, after almost three years, largely thanks to the Sidam Touch employment results just noted, the private sector’s inflation-adjusted size is barely back to where it was before the recession as normal people define it began, while the federal component of gross domestic product (GDP) has grown by 12%:
The situation is much worse than it appears, because personal consumption expenditures, which are part of the private sector total above, include money spent by those who receive their “income” from government transfer payments. Such handouts have exploded, even after the recession’s end in June 2009. From that point until February of this year, the number of food stamp recipients ballooned to over 44 million, an increase of more than 9 million. Shoot, you can have over $80,000 in the bank or win a $2 million lottery prize and still receive food stamp benefits. Overall, government payments as a percentage of all income hit 18.3% in 2010, an all-time high.
“You want the private sector to be the source of growth because they pay govt. expenses.”
And why does a lottery winner get food stamps? Is there something seriously wrong with the system? Yes. Like most entitlement programs they usually end up being massive vote buying schemes.
There once was a presidential candidate who promised: “I’m going to go through the budget line by line and eliminate waste and fraud.”
There will be a day of reckoning for the Democrats and it will be on election day in 2012. Think about it, Obama and his liberal friends spent almost one trillion (that’s TRILLION with a “T”) dollars of YOUR money and it did absolutely nothing to slow down, let alone fix, the recession. All that money is lost and nobody in Washington seems to be concerned about it. So where do we go to complain? Who is responsible for this? What does Obama say about LOSING almost a TRILLION dollars? Oooops, sorry folks, we’ll try better next time? Could you imagine, just imagine, what would happen to someone in private industry if they lost almost a trillion dollars? How much longer do you think that person would be employed by that company? So why should governemnt politicians be held to a lesser standard?
The Republicans should be saying this over, and over, and over again until election day. Don’t let the far-left liberals and socialists in Congress get away with this. Someone MUST be held responsible for wasting this much money and they should at least pay for it with their jobs. Hold them accountable for throwing this much money away and let them know the next time they get a bright idea like this it is their jobs on the line if they lose the money. This is not monopoly money we’re dealing with, it’s YOUR money. If you want to at least start changing what’s going on in Washington, at least throw these bums out of office in 2012. At least it’s a start.
No GOP voice can reach the hoi polloi through media or institutions.
When one does, it blathers insider quarrels, while simple quotes from Rand, Sowell, Tocqueville, Jefferson, Friedman, Hayek, Cicero would do better.
Conservatives play nicely, while Bolshevik goons and thugs hold all the cards.
And you think “There will be a day of reckoning for the Democrats and it will be on election day?”
It’s the Bobbsey Twins vs. Attila — and the Huns are not at the gate, they’re in the palace already.
Superb analogy, pelaut.
I feel your pain. But, a couple things are true:
1. The same people that are wasting the $, enact laws that protect them from any responsibility.
2. The GOP has not demonstrated that they can do any better.(Dems have been far worse)
3. Washington, DC breaks things on purpose to get more$ to fix them. (The old, I have to spend it or it won’t be in my budget next year)
I feel that 2012 will be different but, it will be closer to the same. Unless we get a real leader that can move the American people to change the laws: referendums, or vote out the bums. Who is that?
Absolutely correct.
This was a response to Libertyships. Don’t know why it appeared here but….
As much as this would be awesome, sadly this new United States with its progressive dolts and ego driven liberal morons will bend over in 2012 and deliver the death blow to this once great country. Obozo will figure out a way to once again CON and LIE his way into a 2nd term. Remember, its not this single dim-witted boob Oblahma that’s the biggest problem, its the 100′s of millions of undereducated blunt skulls that can’t think on their own, these are the U.S.A. killers, Obozo is just leading the charge with his troop of usurping puppets.
In chatting with my younger brother yesterday we agreed that most likely the Socialist-Democrats will eventually win the day. It’s simple. When you have an ignorant electorate who lives by the sound bites of Debbie Wasserman, Harry Reid, Barney Frank, etc. and believe them, you have a serious battle on your hands.
Why the GOP can’t explain their legislative agenda is beyond me. They have one, but it needs to be in simple sentences that the below average citizen can understand. They can’t seem to do it and frankly they/we/me are simply to nice. THEY use howitzers, we conservatives are perfecting the sling shot.
The good news is that once we have a European style socialist government I believe we will hit the wall (as we are already) much faster than they. The leftist Marxians want a revolution. They will probably get one, but not the one they wanted. No threat implied, just a matter of history rhyming, but then who reads history books any more. No one that I know.
Calling it “the Sidam touch” implies somewhat that it’s unintended consequences resulting from an incompetent administration, stumbling about like a drunk in a crowded display of fine china. It’s more like a kiss on the cheek from a Sicilian mobster . . .
“fundamentally transform America”
“the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties”
Dear Liar is not merely incompetent, he is outright hostile to this nation’s founding principles. Our only saving grace is that he’s incompetent too.
Regrettably, even dumb luck occasionally favors him when Barry takes a spin on “The Wheel of Misfortune” . . .
@ Snake Plissken
nowadays, that would be a mohammedan mobster.
momo, anyone?
Making an ever increasing percentage of Americans dependent on government for their survival is not a failure to the Left. It is the very definition of success. The final goal is economic collapse. And the expectation is that even more millions in their hopelessness and helplessness will turn to Obama to “Save us! Please save us, Messiah.”
There once was a presidential candidate who promised: “I’m going to go through the budget line by line and
eliminateincrease waste and fraud.”One big problem with this dude is that he never had to worry about a budget – somebody behind the scenes always covered his expenses.
Obama has the Midas touch. Everything he touches turns into a muffler.
*laughing hysterically*
Now that truly is funny!
The Obama Administration is a “MAN CAUSED DISASTER”. His own term for “terrorism” fits his administration’s effect on our economy.
Ha! I’d love to see that on a bumper sticker.
Breaking things is what socialists do-the worst thing the conservative candidates can do is underestimate the Obama machine–it’s all about the match-up-the right candidate will beat him but only by a hair-the wrong candidate will be toast
Thanks for paraphrasing what many bloggers, (many here), have been writing about for over four years.
We knew this was coming, and predicted it.
We had this petulant bum sized up perfectly.
They are not the only ones with the ability to ridicule; The difference is, ridicule of O’Bama and his horde of misfits, criminals, and incompetents, is accurate.
Healthcare, energy, foreign relations, race relations, etc.,etc,EVERYTHING the Mulatto Maharishi touches turns to complete SH!T.
It’s B.O’s magic ‘Fecal Finger Of Hate’
And as if all of that were not enough, Obama promotes the hard-line Muslim agenda every chance he gets.
This administration, by its own expectations, is a full success. Why? Because they are step by step reaching every goal they set for themselves to bring this once great nation down. They have increased entitlement programs to tie the recipients to them (who else would you vote for) and they look at the wrong spots to generate revenue.
Now that these programs have ballooned and changes need to be made to even sustain basic service to the individuals or families truly in need, they have enough ammunition to shoot down every conservative candidate addressing necessary but painful reforms. And by uplifting the unions to influence levels not seen in decades by passing anti-employer (and anti-employee, for that matter) policies they have captured not only votes but also the money (the unions spent over $100 million (!!!) to have Obama elected in 2008).
We need serious changes – a stable currency, reform of healthcare, immigration, taxes, Medicare, Social Security and most of all, we need to find good reasons to have companies create jobs in this country and for people to try to fill these jobs. Michigan’s new tax law seems to be a step in the right direction.
But again, to say the Obama administration is a failure is not correct given their socialist agenda. That they failed America and continue to do so, however, is without question!
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/the-case-for-higher-taxes/
From the NYT — a call for higher taxes, while Bohica Insane O’Bama, live from Deauville, formulates the mechanics of throwing $20 Big-big ones (plus the U.S. taxpayer’s share from the international banks) to bankroll the “arab spring” — ain’t it grand?
They are on the mission of every subversive: they increase poverty to increase class-warfare.
A poorer country will be more dependent from the federal government, and this will keep the subversives in power, or so they think.
And the longer they stay in power the deeper will be the damage to the American economy, because the final goal of the marxists/internationalists is social chaos.
Beat me to it. The destructive nature of this gang of thugs is obvious.
It’s been said, never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by stupidity, but in the case of the Obama administration, there’s just too much stupidity not to attribute some of it to malice.
But… but… Big O is the only tackle between the CEOs and the swarming hoards with the pitchforks. What more nobler a stance than that?
Gangster Government Puts Its Boot On Texas’ Neck May 27, 2011 by Bob Livingston
http://www.personalliberty.com/conservative-politics/government/gangster-government-puts-its-boot-on-texas-neck/?eiid&rmid=2011_05_27_PLA_P11799106&rrid=243781801
Oooooops !
#14 above is mine…
I keep wondering: where are all the economists who understand how a free market is supposed to operate? Why don’t we ever hear from them?
It’s beyond clear that this administration is doing its best to impede the market. We all see it, we all know it, and we all know what the solution is. There can be no doubt that government has far too much power, and the avalanche of new regulations in the past two years are working. Every new law or regulation slows down economic growth, as designed. The federal imposition of more and more regulations, and their attendent costs of compliance are killing the private sector, again, as designed.
Why do we never hear a full explanation of what’s really wrong with our economy? Why don’t we hear just how much a new regulation costs business? Why can’t someone show the relationship between the number of regulations and the economic slowdown? It should be easy to do.
Why the silence?
Read the article “The Marxian Worm,” as your answer lurks there.
I find the Wall Street Journal has a lot of excellent articles of this nature.
Zimbabwe comes to mind.
Reading this was so depressing and scary.
The loons are running the asylum and a certain traitorous percentage of people in this country are actively rooting for them to continue down this destructive path which is incomprehensible to me.
Obama more likely has the mi-a$$ touch: everything he touches turns to cr@p!
The Destructionists, a term coined 90 years ago by Ludwig Von Mises. That’s what it’s all about, that is exactly what these savages desire. It’s the joy of power and causing pain, writ large and practiced before in history.
I keep thinking to myself, why isn’t he in jail? Why is there no one who will oppose him? How could the destruction of this country go well even for well-placed politicians and wealthy business people? It makes no sense. It also makes no sense that Soros is able is flit from country to country, crashing economies and even the insider trading charges never really seem to stick. Who protects these people?
Someone or some group does; you can count on that. It’s all about the power & jousting for it; the “little people” be damned.
If we get an “approved” GOP ticket in 2012 we are doomed, doomed I say. What we need all over the place is a bevy of new Republican candidates who will go in and change the system. Really change it. No more of these Bush-lite RINOs, please. Or Vermont Snowe jobs. Those folks have no shame.
…while the federal component of gross domestic product (GDP) has grown by 12%
Barack went all indignant in a speech recently…words to the effect…
“Hey, don’t diss government workers/federal bureaucrats. They matter, too !”
Yes, sweetie, they matter. But produce nothing. Except rules and regulations, thereby producing headaches for the population at large.
Idiotlogue Cass Sunstein is the most relentless of that tribe. Moron Lisa Jackson at EPA (“just requested another billion”) the most pathetic. Micromanager Julius Genachowski at the FCC, the slickest.
Small thinkers. Hardly any statespeople to be found amongst Barack’s chosen.
Think about it, Obama and his liberal friends spent almost one trillion (that’s TRILLION with a “T”) dollars of YOUR money and it did absolutely nothing to slow down, let alone fix, the recession. All that money is lost and nobody in Washington seems to be concerned about it.
Which is especially galling when you consider all the piddling projects on which stimulus funds were spent, projects on a level like studying the sex lives of snails.
Although Joe Biden was designated as responsible person to tell We the Peeps where our money went, Joe hasn’t really been up to the task. I believe a lot of that money is still reserved for purposes of a slush fund and the community organizer’s preferred style of governance, “punishing our enemies and rewarding our friends”. Much of the 22 billion BP was forced to put up to compensate people in the Gulf hasn’t been dispersed, either.
While FEMA disaster relief funds for the mayhem in the middle west are practically gone.
When Barack first pushed the “stimulus”, he yakked and yakked about shovel ready jobs.
About 6 months ago, he seemed surprised to learn (in his own words)…”There is no such thing as a shovel ready job.”
Wow, there’s a revelation. Another trillion down the drain.
Whoever allowed this messiah in office is as likely to be behind the next Republican establishment candidate as they are covertly behind Obama. Notice how they are thrown into spasms of revulsion whenever someone suggests a true representative of the people, like Sarah Palin. That should tell you volumes.
They are currently rolling out every popular old RINO from Ruddy Guliani,Newt Gingrich, to a yet another run from Donald Trump to try and flood the zone if Sarah Palin does run to make the field so fragmented that they can force it into a convention decision where they can steal the nomination. Remember they are on BOTH sides and if they Republicans have to take one for the team, what do they care.
is sidam supposed to be midas spelled backward? If so, shouldn’t it be sadim ?
“If you touch it they will come.”
That’s the secret.