It’s not a stimulus package. Then what is it? A fraud on the taxpayer? Yes. A massive transfer payment to various Democratic special interests? Yes. Another notch in the ratchet that is pushing the United States in the direction of top-down bureaucratic socialism à la Sweden? You betcha. Mark Steyn produced what is perhaps the most vivid analogy. You know that unemployed mother of six who, thanks to the miracle of modern medicine, just gave birth to another 8 babies? She’s been all over the news and has been the object of lots of finger waving. But why criticize her for irresponsibility when your government (forgive that anachronistic “your”) is doing the same thing, but on a much, much bigger scale. As Steyn explains,
last week, I got a little muddled over two adjoining newspaper clippings – one on the stimulus, the other on those octuplets in California – and for a brief moment the two stories converged. Everyone’s hammering that mom – she’s divorced, unemployed, living in a small house with parents who have a million bucks’ worth of debt, and she’s already got six kids. So she has in vitro fertilization to have eight more. But isn’t that exactly what the Feds have done? Last fall, they gave birth to $850 billion of bailout they couldn’t afford and didn’t have enough time to keep an eye on, and now, four months later, they’re going to do it all over again, but this time they want trillionuplets. Barney and Nancy represent the in vitro fertilization of the federal budget. And it’s the taxpayers who’ll get stuck with the diapers.
And diapers, of course, are only the beginning of the unpleasant byproducts this orgy of spending will create. Even the Congressional Budget Office estimates that only 7 percent of the zillions of dollars Congress is about to extract from your pocket would “be injected into the economy by the end of fiscal year 2009. More than $200 billion of ‘stimulus’ funds will be spent between fiscal year 2010 and fiscal year 2019 — long after the recession is projected to be over.” Former scourge of feminists, now White House economic advisor, Larry Summers said that any stimulus must be “targeted, timely and temporary.” Good luck, Larry! Karl Rove is right: “This bill does the opposite. Mr. Obama pledged to ‘scour our federal budget, line by line, and make meaningful cuts.’ His cuts are unspecific and fanciful, while Congress’s spending will be real and record-setting. Discretionary domestic spending will have nearly doubled by the time Mr. Obama stops dithering and starts scouring.”
Everybody noted how Obama stopped talking “hope and change” and started warning about “catastrophe” as soon as serious opposition to his profligate spending plan showed itself. He wants the money, he wants it now, and he wants it to “spread the wealth around,” pay back his constituents, and acclimate more people to government handouts. “I won,” Obama said when Republicans in the Senate had the temerity to question the wisdom of his spending blowout. Yes, he won alright. But how about the rest of us?
This bill is designed to protect one job and one job only- ubamas. Through a Chicago style patron payoff scheme to buy votes for the next election. We’re paying for ubamas job security and all the other cronies down his line of sight with our tax dollars; taxes that will only be raised to pay this doubling of the deficit by this one federal bribery/kick-back “stimulus” formula used to keep John Stroger in office as mayor, even after he had died. Strogers method was a more provencial scheme that makes up the Chicago machine politics there, but now its going national.
“Some call it pork, I call it steak” -Emil Jones
-”And it should not shock Americans that Democratic appropriators would funnel tax dollars to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, unions and other liberal special interests.”
And lets not forget A-C-O-R-N, who are slated (in this bill) to get a few hundred million in thank you (federal reserve) notes for services rendered.
The Evil Plot: Chicago-Style Democratic Patronage??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGafMHsV4Ug&eurl=
I believe it. Listen particularly to the last line the guy says.
The bad news is that your life savings is going to be wiped out by the massive inflation that this bill will ultimately cause, and by the rising taxes that we will need to pay off this stimulus and these bailouts.
But hey, the good news is that Barack is going to send everyone a check for $500.
Hooray for voter stupidity.
Japan’s national debt is 180% of GDP; America’s, 50-60% pre-stimulus. The sky hasn’t fallen yet in Japan, but it’s come lower. Some politician has already mooted inflation to “solve” problems here. The “scamulus” is an outrage, an Obamanation, but the US will survive it. However, it will certainly push the US closer to the wall. Lots of elderly in rural areas (where their votes are disproportionately valued) probably help keep inflation in check in childless Japan. In the US where immigration and birthrates are replacement or better, there’s probably much less resistance to inflation and Americans’ memories are, apparently, short. Paul Krugman making Reagan President during Carter to blame Reagan for “national malaise” certainly doesn’t help: lots of Krugman zombies out there.
It does seem like their goal is to tank the economy and keep it down.
The next assault on our economy will be choking off our energy supplies. In fact, it’s already started.
The President lied….and capitalism died
““Placebo,” “something lacking intrinsic remedial value and that is done or given to humor another.””
You’re being WAY TOO GENEROUS. It’s more like Pelosi Peril.
There needs to be a fundamental change in perspective to stop this kind of pelosi. ‘We the People’ are the government but we seem to forget fairly often. Where does it say in the Constitution that the feds can fund organizations like ACORN in our states. Do we need a constitutional amendment that says federal money goes to taxing entities only? Attach strings if they desire but quit infiltrating federally funded boobs into our district without our vote of approval.
Obama himself says it’s a spending bill. “Spending is stimulus.” Therefore, there’s no difference between a stimulus bill and a spending bill.
Therefore, there’s no need to rush the process and circumvent the procedures.
Nacny Pelosi is one of those hypocrits who fails to live by her own preaching. She truly makes me recoil. I’m not a psychologist, but I do know human nature. All you have to do is watch her speak, and from the tone of her voice, her facial expressions, motor behavior, all indicate a pathological narcisist. Oh, and of course the fact that she never lives by her own “convictions.” She’s one of those trust fund brats who is seeking redemption by thinking tossing me the crumbs from her banquet table makes her a saint. But she has no intention of giving up her lavish spread–it’s mine she wants!
Reid-Pelosi want the money, they want it now, they want it to hand over to their ward heelers, political flunkies, they want it to build a Chicago style machine where there is no meaningful opposition. REPEL Government is basically an in your face style of Boss’ism and CLOUT.
How is this exhibiting the bipartisanship we were promised?
It’s not.
But didn’t you say that we were going to get no lobbyists, honest government, a government of the people?
Yeah, so what?
What makes you believe that you can get away with doing the exact opposite of what you promised?
We won.
You are essentially stealing millions of dollars in a Skimulus package for the purpose of building a Chicago style machine and making those who didn’t vote for you, pay for expanding red tape and inefficient bureaucracy, giving money, favors and jobs to buy votes. Now you have hung mistletoe off the bottom of your suit jacket, why are you doing this?
First, kiss me under my mistletoe. Second, does anyone here have any PERTINENT questions?
“Income, production, jobs… what do those things have to do with the Great Depression? Not much, if you’re Republican. If anyone on the right had bothered to check any of these numbers, what would they find?
Where was the stimulus? From the moment FDR began to enact the programs of the New Deal, the economy began its recovery. After four years of steady declines, Roosevelt’s programs brought on an immediate improvement in the national fortune. Within three years, the national GDP exceeded the level in 1929. By the time the bombs fell at Pearl Harbor, the GDP had been up every year but one since 1933, and that one downward tick in 1937 marks the exact point at which budget hawks forced cuts”
DEMOCRAT POLS ONLY SERVE THEIR SPECIAL INTERESTS
Democrat majorities are all about their own power, not the power the country needs.
http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/02/congress-lost-confused.html
Pelosi calls it her “botox philosophy”.
California is a poster child for economic mismanagement and it, too, is lead by Democrats who believe in one thing and one thing only – power. How do they get it and hold on to it? Promise and deliver entitlement programs to those who would prefer to be wards of the state. If we think the Dems are out of control now, just wait until they pass a comprehensive immigration bill that passes existing entitlements to every illegal alien. Who do you think those folks are going to vote for? A candidate who believes in restraint, or one who believes in distributing but not paying taxes.
The “Campaigner in Chief” is working on 2012. He has no desire to do anything constructive. He’s doing the ONLY thing he knows. Buying Democrat support with the help of the U.S. Treasury.
@14. Right Far Right: - If anyone on the right had bothered to check any of these numbers, what would they find?
Apparently you missed it. What they found, years ago, was that FDR’s programs – the ones that were NOT judged unconstitutional by the SCOTUS – prolonged the Depression by almost a decade.
Using post hoc fallacy to lie about the effects of FDR’s largely unconstitutional New Deal is probably not the best way to counter conservative criticism of BHO’s attempt to repeat the same mistakes.
Roger, when do you think someone is going to start pointing out the very clear parallels between BHO’s non-stimulus package (and its attendant rhetoric) and the unconstitutional National Industrial Recovery Act that was overturned in 1935? Or have we passed the tipping point where the public is simply too ignorant and too apathetic to understand or care?
goy – try checking GDP number for the depression before you make a fool of yourself with incorrect statements. The point is the the speding programs work in a depression. They have a far greater muliplier effect on the economy than tax cuts. The problem is different than the usual downturn that might be reponsive to otther measures
@20. Right Far Right: The point is the the [sic] speding [sic] programs work in a depression.
I see you’re not familiar with the concept of post hoc fallacy.
Put in terms you might understand, simply because A occurs after B, that doesn’t mean A occurred because of B. You have to show a causal relationship, not just a timeline.
Now go read the articles I linked and you’ll start to understand why FDR’s largely unconstitutional New Deal policies stretched the Depression out much longer than if he’d just kept his fat, pompous trap shut.
Your phrase is quite good but it’s no solution, it’s Pelosi Poison.
Roger, you are Tiger now!
Seriously, the Pelosi PILL being perpetrated on the good, hard working, tax PAYING citizens of the USA is borderline criminal.
This spend-a-gasm porkulus bill shoved in the face of real people losing work, money that was meant for retirement and struggling to just survive is a BLATANT bitch-slap and it makes me want to puke.
I’ll have NONE of it. NONE OF IT!
One party system here we come. Socialism here we come. Power grabs here we come…watch your @sses, Americans.
Meanwhile, the slobbering MSM love-affair continues on as blind, deaf and dumb as ever.
Yippeeeeeeeeee!
Everyone bend over and grab your ankles. The Dems are in control now.
Goy – they don’t want to read anything that interferes with their preconceived (Obama-ordered) notions.
I do remember in school many years ago, the textbooks claiming that “FDR’s New Deal led the country out of the Great Depression’.
Evidently libs never read any farther than that. Too bad, education is always a good thing, even when it bursts the bubble you want to stay in.
Can we anasthetize Pelosi for a few years?
Guido,
I’m not a psychologist… either. And I do agree with you. Really.
“…seeking redemption by thinking tossing me the crumbs from her banquet table makes her a saint. But she has no intention of giving up her lavish spread–it’s mine she wants!”
Heaven forbid if THAT WOMAN violates you in this way. Her forced “stimulus” is bad enough. Don’t let it get to your head. Just in case, make sure you keep the stained blue jeans as evidence. Seriously though, how succinct.
Nancy Pelosi is the leader of the majority party in the House. Harry Reid is the leader of the majority party in the Senate. Both majorities are Democrats. The majority of voters picked Obama. The majority of Americans support his Economic Recovery Plan. It’s your right to voice your dissent. It’s our right to not give shit. God bless America.
This is your economy on drugs?
@27. mister man: - It’s our right to not give shit.
Wise move. You know… having your head up your @ss and all.
@24. InOhio: - I do remember in school many years ago, …
I remember the same. Funny how they airbrushed out the details about how much of his program was found unconstitutional, how monopolies and unions were allowed to hold back the economy thanks to his errors in judgment and how he tried to stack the Supreme Court with sympathetic justices to have things his own way. The more things CHANGE, the more they stay the same.
Really, in all honesty. I kid a lot but I’m not kidding when I say, we just don’t care what you think. We lived too long in the wasteland of irrelevance – no role in making decisions, no power in the legislature, no say in judges, nothing. Now we’re in, all the way in, and frankly, we really don’t care whether you agree with what we do or not. In fact, I really enjoy seeing the angst rise in your eyes. Is that selfish and immature? I don’t care. All I know is this: things are different now. Will they be better or worse in the long run? That’s like asking “What’s heaven like?” Nobody can tell you. But it sure it different. And I like that.
Hm, last several national polls I’ve seen show 60% of voters against this bill.
Also it has been good to see that the Republicans were much more bipartisan than the Democarts no matter the campaign drivel.
Also the idea that change will be better no matter what it is. Just page though a few history books. They will show that change can be horribly mind numbingly worse. I hope it isn’t. I hope the damage will be repairable in my life time.
As long as the constitution is upheld I have hope.
As long as the Census Bureau isn’t used for partisan politics.
As long as elections aren’t “postponed” do to a “national emergency”.
If these are subverted then the world will tremble as it sees that a second American Civil War could be monsterous indeed.
@31. mister man: - … things are different now.
Things are only different in your imagination. Out here in the real world things are still exactly the same. They’ll soon be getting much, much worse though.
If you didn’t really care what “we” (?) think, you wouldn’t be here reading and commenting on what we think. So all you’ve really accomplished is to demonstrate the adolescent attitude that defines the left. Like a child railing against its parents: “I don’t care what you think! I don’t care what you think! I’m going to do what I want! I don’t care what happens!!! Waaaaaaaaah!!!!”
Hope that clears things up for you.
Goy:
You have now accepted that the economy improved under FDR after he instituted spending programs. You are the one who has to prove it was due to other causes since the effect on the economy was there and measurable. Tax cuts are a poorer multiplier than getting fund into the hands of people who will spend and the poorer they are the more likely it is they will spend it. Give the tax cuts to me and it is much less likely I will spend it. That is the cnetral problem the Republican have. Politically they are betting that the stimulus will not work and they want to be able to say I told you so. I see the Gov Crispt realizes that spending is the better way and that is why he is appearing with Obama today. Anyway, Obama is going to get his way. Many economist would prefer an even great infusion. Many here would prefer the government ot do nothing and have the situation to get worse.
@35. Right Far Right:
Please go peddle your fantasies elsewhere, troll… no one cares what you, personally claim you would do with a tax cut. It’s irrelevant. And learn what a post hoc fallacy is. You keep using it and you keep digging yourself deeper.
FDR’s policies were largely unconstitutional and prolonged the Depression by almost a decade. The latter is documented at the links above, which you insist on ignoring. His response to having his programs judged unconstitutional by the courts was to try to pack the court with justices sympathetic to his B.S. This is not much different from BHO usurping the authority of the Department of Commerce in order to control the Census.
- Obama is going to get his way…
Though the heavens fall. Yeah, we’ve been hearing a lot of that the past three weeks. Just remember you said it.
some trio of pathological liars say no pork.
“House Republicans are challenging Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s claim that the massive stimulus spending bill contains no pet projects after uncovering in the bill more than $30 million for wetlands conservation in her San Francisco Bay area district, including work she previously championed to protect the salt marsh harvest mouse.”
..It is NOT Pork. Mouse is the other white meet.
I suspect it is not a pet mouse. she is more of a pet rat type girl.