Patterico's Pontifications

The time for talk is over according to Obama. Let’s just simplify the bill and go with $400 billion for foodstamps and $400 billion for STD prevention, both stimulus measures according to the Democrats.

daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:10 pm

I don’t think the Democrats are doing a very good job from what I’ve seen so far this year. Especially about the economy. And I include Baracky in that. This is very disappointing.

happyfeet (71f55e) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:10 pm

Happyfeet, I have a theory. I don’t think that Barack Obama intended to be President. Given his background, I think he intended to be VP under HRC. After eight years, he would be in place for another eight years. I honestly think that was the original plan.

When HRC’s campaign collapsed, he had to take on the job. The press fell in love with the idea of the fellow, rather than his own lack of experience and now pretty evident arrogance (a bad combination). That is what is going on now—the MSM is having to explain that the man has feet of humus, let alone clay.

Look at the appointments: tax dodgers, lobbyists, or Clinton retreads (sometimes all three at once). Consistent breaking of campaign promises. The utterly bizarre Biden nomination for VP. Even threatening people in a time of uncertainly (we had better pass the porkulus package or the damage will be “irreversible”).

Let’s hope (pray if that is your thing) that President Obama is a fast learner.

Eric Blair (1aa50b) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:17 pm

Sorta, Eric but I’d go a step further I think. You just don’t go from no-account organizey boy to president without some wind at your back and one of those big icebreaker boat thingers in front. George Soros. I really do think so. I think Soros was playing for all the marbles is what I think and he seized the moment. He covered his bases by helping position Hillary and McCain but Baracky he could own. Hillary he would have always had to collaborate with. McCain is doddering and unreliable at best. At best. Our dirty socialist press isn’t just biased, you know. It’s synchronized. They turned on a dime for this worthless unaccomplished neophyte. Why?

Especially NPR I would just have to add.

happyfeet (71f55e) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:27 pm

That guy psycho who is brilliant and never comments anymore, he said it was Obama/Biden cause of the delicious suggestiveness of “Osama bin Laden” that would be so appealing to the Democrat base. It’s always a little perilous to try and paraphrase psycho but that’s what I remember him saying.

happyfeet (71f55e) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:32 pm

As I have always said, now where have i heard that before, Obambi will experience the shortest honeymoon period ever. His arrogance, coupled with his lack of experience in anything, plus his short fuse {do not question The One],will be his downfall. It’s gonna be interesting.

Gazzer (271d32) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:33 pm

BTW, I totally agree with both Eric and happyfeet above

Gazzer (271d32) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:34 pm

I agree with Eric and have thought all along that Barack had no idea that Hillary would blow it. She expected to win on Super Tuesday and had no plan and, what is worse, no money for the Texas primary and beyond. I have to give credit to the Obama team for running an amazing campaign. They were selling an empty suit but nobody could have done it better.

I don’t know that I agree with happyfeet about who is behind Obama. I still wonder about his college career and the Harvard Law School. I can see how someone can luck out. I started medical school with enough money for the first semester tuition and had no idea where the rest would come from. That was early 1960s when student loans were very new. As it happened, I was offered a scholarship at the end of the first semester. I didn’t know who was behind it (it turned out to be a charity group that funds science scholarships) and I was just bull lucky to be found.

Maybe that happened with Obama. But my experience was 1962 when the world was a far simpler place. I keep wondering who wrote the letters for him, what his Columbia grades were and so on. Of course, some of it was affirmative action but there had to be more and we still don’t know.

Mike K (2cf494) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:37 pm

Feet, I’m thinking the same thing. The weird things about McCain’s campaign were almost like gifts to the Dems. The Couric and Gibson interviews for one… and Palin blocked from Fox, for another. The media loved Johnny and then they turned on him when the magic socialist was in place.

Soros-Anyone. Soros-Obama. Soros and money.

Vermont Neighbor (ab0837) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:40 pm

Don’t worry, Dr. K.

First, we will hear that grades don’t mean very much.

Then we will get those transcripts.

And we will see those transcripts…from his high school on Oahu, from Occidental College, from Columbia, and from Harvard.

But Chris Mathews and his friends will get out in front of that story, never fear.

Eric Blair (1aa50b) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:44 pm

give credit to the Obama team for running an amazing campaign.

Weird, cause I thought he stumbled all over. The reaction of total fear to newcomer Palin was pretty odd.

He definitely had the street teams out, especially in the South… took the Howard Dean grassroots concept, for sure. But had this guy been WHITE, the media would’ve exposed him over and over again. I think his campaign would’ve crashed had he not been shown obscene levels of bias.

Vermont Neighbor (ab0837) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:50 pm

This is the genius who stated that the banking industry was idiotic for paying themseleves billions in bonuses.

They got money with no strings attached with the full endorsement of the Senate.

Who are the idiots?

Tommer (da8c17) — 2/8/2009 @ 12:58 pm

VN – Obscene levels of bias yes, but don’t forget the Chicago crooks behind him who know how to rig elections. The voter fraud, rigged caucuses, campaign finance fraud and suppressed media stories all played a helping hand.

His approval rating this morning is down to 59%. Our gay media operatives, as feets might say, are starting to see some chinks in the armor of the dirty socialist dorkwad they cheered into thew White House without investigating.

daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:00 pm

Barney Frank on the clip apparently sees no irony in dumping all over Bush for not exercising fiscal restraint, ignoring the fact that Democrats approved his budgets and would have liked them even bigger, and now wants to completely excise the word restraint from our lexicon with the ginormous unfocused stimulus bill.

daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:04 pm

His approval rating this morning is down to 59%.

Can you believe he wants to preempt primetime and take 100% mine all mine ownership of this dirty socialist spending orgy? Axelrod is no Karl Rove and Baracky is no FDR I tell you that right now.

happyfeet (71f55e) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:08 pm

D’rocks – I’m still getting used to the Chicago way. Total corruption and a tough 4 years ahead. (And that damn Acorn money is already a monster war-chest for Chosen.)

Vermont Neighbor (ab0837) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:19 pm

If you care, at least call Collins, Snowe and Specter via email or telephone and let them know you oppose the current stimulus.

Joe (17aeff) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:20 pm

^ I have and will again.

Vermont Neighbor (ab0837) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:21 pm

Olympia Snowe contact info: Phone: (202) 224-5344
Toll Free: (800) 432-1599
Fax: (202) 224-1946

Susan Collins contact info: DC Office Information
413 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2523
Fax: (202) 224-2693

Arlen Specter contact information: DC Address: The Honorable Arlen Specter
United States Senate
711 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-3802
DC Phone: 202-224-4254
DC Fax: 202-228-1229

Remember be respectful. Be polite. Be firm. VOTE NO ON THIS STIMULUS!

Joe (17aeff) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:22 pm

Susan Collins needs to be made to eat the they just plan to spend all the money later anyway idea. Honestly. Forget McCaskill. What does that daft woman in godforsaken Maine have to say about this is what I want to know.

happyfeet (71f55e) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:29 pm

This stimulus package faces the same bogus argument for raising the minimum wage, only WRIT LARGE, VERY LARGE.

First, raising the minimum wage defies the market economy, Capitalism, and starts down the slippery slope of Socialism. When government starts the tinkering, it never stops. Re they agreed to cut $100 Billion, but “… as Sen. Claire McCaskill admitted this morning, they just plan to spend all the money later anyway.”

Second, if raising the minimum wage works for raising it from say $7.25/hr to say $10.25/hr, why stop there? Why not raise it to $15.00/hr, $20.00/hr, $25.00/hr, and so on. The reason that should not be done is because it is arbitrary; and moreover, thereafter every more skilled person above the low-skilled minimum wage guy wants and will demand at least a comensurate bump, and then all those bump$ have to be added into the cost of your product/service, whereas the the market is based on the invisible hand of the market forces that will determine and should set what those skills are worth.

So if the “stimulus package” (spending) is supposed to work, why not DOUBLE it? TRIPLE it? Maybe times 8 it with the birth of the Sulimen Octuplets here in So.Cal.?

At this weekend Dem retreat, Barack Obama told his fellow Dems, “Well what is a stimulus package, if it is not spending?” Recall though, his economic chief Larry Summers said stimulus package will scub every expenditure to ensure that each is “targeted, temporary and timely.” It matters where, how, and how much money is spent. (Not to mention if, how and who will repay that money.) Then Nancy Pelosi got to write it. Never mind.

But also remember, G.W. Bush failed to veto any spending bill and paved the way for this economic crisis and this gargantuan and what will be never ending Dem spending spree.

Gary L. Zerman (43725e) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:39 pm

This is not Bush’s fault. That’s just whack. You take that back, mister.

happyfeet (71f55e) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:42 pm

“As I have always said, now where have i heard that before, Obambi will experience the shortest honeymoon period ever. ”

It looks like he’s getting to work instead of honeymooning.

imdw (126aa9) — 2/8/2009 @ 1:56 pm

As I have always said, now where have i heard that before, Obambi will experience the shortest honeymoon period ever. (Gazzer)

It looks like he’s getting to work instead of honeymooning. (imdw)

imdw: “Instead of”? You think that was a short honeymoon by choice? Cite that “work” evidence, too, o.k.?

m (252a62) — 2/8/2009 @ 2:06 pm

Oh, I agree. Apparently it is tough work to find cabinet appointees who aren’t lawbreakers. Which I wouldn’t mind, except people like yourself were so vocal about how honest and upright and perfect the New Regime would be.

Eric Blair (1aa50b) — 2/8/2009 @ 2:07 pm

Axelrod is no Karl Rove and Baracky is no FDR I tell you that right now.

Obama being “no FDR” is both a good and bad thing.

Good, because in the area of economics Roosevelt apparently was a mediocrity when it came to upending the Great Depression. But bad because in terms of foreign affairs, Obama, were he facing a Nazi Germany today, probably would want to give Neville Chamberlain as much time as possible to negotiate with Hitler.

The current guy in the Oval Office not being an FDR also is good because Roosevelt received far more benefit of the doubt from the American public than he deserved. Some of that may have been understandable or even appropriate due to the special circumstances of World War II (and Pearl Harbor in particular). But a lot of that was the electorate falling for a smooth-talking politician, a person with so-called charisma (which FDR apparently had). A person with just enough do-gooder spin in his demeanor and publicity mill to make willing suckers out of a majority of voters.

The idea of Obama hoodwinking a lot of Americans in a similar fashion over 60 years later with his reportedly alluring personality (and winning smile) — and offering enough do-gooder propaganda for the simpleminded and gullible — should make any sensible person gag.

It took the election of 11-4-08 and the current economic swamp — and this forum — to goad me into looking up some more information on Roosevelt and his New Deal.

I’ve long known about Roosevelt’s attempt to pack the Supreme Court — which when you come right down to it, was a pretty damn leftist-radical maneuver on his part — and his initiatives like the WPA. And I’ve known about the many Americans — certainly those of the left, and those of earlier generations — who’ve long held him in high regard.

But in spite (or because) of all this, I admit to finding myself through the years filtering “FDR” through rather rose-colored glasses, falling for the vague sense that FDR got a lot of kudos from many Americans for justifiable reasons. But I should have known all along that when you look more closely at the records of — the history of — people and things associated with the left end of the political spectrum, it often comes up short. Even very, very short.

Mark (411533) — 2/8/2009 @ 2:15 pm

Transparency ™

Vermont Neighbor (ab0837) — 2/8/2009 @ 2:16 pm

I don’t think that Barack Obama intended to be President.

I’ve discussed this with my friends (who are mostly left of Mao), and even they agree with your suggestion – the accidental President, you could say.

Dmac (49b16c) — 2/8/2009 @ 2:24 pm

I think FDR is just a very vivid example of that the past isn’t dead; it’s not even past thing. That vague sense of justifiable kudos is probably not much more than a flickering shadow cast by an apprehension of just how sclerotic and unevolving is the left, born of a wistful fancy that there was a time when they and their fellow-travelers were somewhat less self-loathing I think.

happyfeet (71f55e) — 2/8/2009 @ 2:26 pm

Thank God Mao is dead.

I remember those old posters the hippies used to buy for their squats that looked like the Obama “Hope” ones we see now.
Bill Ayers probably has them framed side by side

SteveG (a87dae) — 2/8/2009 @ 3:07 pm

Actually, I disagree with the accidental President as Baracky was already strong arming the preliminaries. Popular votes he could not (always) get; but states voting via caucus found Hillary’s delegates locked out of meeting rooms, told the votes had already happened, refused to be seated, etc. This takes planning.

Adriane (6cae82) — 2/8/2009 @ 5:52 pm

Well,

People over here are scared and impressed that America – who everyone thought was dead – can actually spend trillions and the dollar actually gains in strength

Of course they think its wrong too, which is strange its not being parrotted by the mainstream press

EricPWJohnson (8e86b5) — 2/8/2009 @ 7:28 pm

Holy crap. Here’s a headline from Michelle Malkin. It makes you wonder why people bitch about Republicans.

” Reid blocks bipartisan amendment requiring citizenship verification for stimulus recipients“

Vermont Neighbor (ab0837) — 2/8/2009 @ 10:25 pm

In other words, buying votes by the truckload.

Vermont Neighbor (ab0837) — 2/8/2009 @ 10:26 pm

President Obama and his economic team, and even the entire political class in this country, are suffering from collective myopic vision in viewing and tackling the current economic downturn. 2009 is not 1932 but they are trying to apply 1930’s prescription to tackle the 2009 problems when the country had undergone a sea-change in its economic activities during the intervening seven decades. During the earlier era, almost everything this country’s population needed – even articles like bedspreads, towels, pillowcases, children’s clothes and toys, etc. – were manufactured within the country. Today nearly 90 per cent of the items sold in WalMart and Target stores come from China and elsewhere. Add to them all the consumer electronics, computer hardware, home furniture, etc. Any money which will be put in the hands of the general population by way of tax cuts and rebates will straightaway go into purchase of goods manufactured in other countries and will, possibly, ameliorate the economic situation in China, Mexico and other countries and certainly not here. The manufacturing jobs that had gone overseas are gone for good; they will never come back, let us have no illusions about it. No amount of exhortations, like King Canute commanding the tide to stop from coming in, will bring them back. This country, at the prevailing per hour labor costs, cannot afford to manufacture most of the everyday items and even other more expensive durable goods within its borders any more. This applies also equally to the services sector like software development and maintenance and other IT enabled services. The American worker is, of course, more productive than his counterpart in China or India but the advantage from higher productivity certainly does not offset fully the 4 – 5 times increase in labor cost. The corporations in this country outsource their products and services from China and India not out of any particular love and affection for the Chinese and the Indians but because that is the only way they can compete and survive in the global trade and commerce.

Economists who draw parallels between the 1930’s Depression with today’s recession are rather loath to acknowledge the most vital difference between the two era. It is an unpleasant fact – but it is still a fact – that, despite the saintly FDR’s valiant efforts to revive the economy, the Depression would have prolonged its ugly reign well into the 1940’s and beyond but for the sudden, simulataneous appearance of three other not-so-saintly actors on the world stage. It was the evil trio of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and General Tojo who, by plunging headlong into a world war, brought a sudden end to the depression in a weird, cataclysmic way. The Allied war effort which created a demand for enormous numbers and quantities of weapons, ships, aircraft and munitions and other war supplies, together with the compulsory military service call-ups of eligible adults, opened up employment opportunities for men and women, which did not exist before. But, today, we are not in such (bad) luck. Even the Russian bear has gone into hibernation and the Chinese dragon has also stopped spitting fire towards Taiwan and is content with making and exporting Barbie dolls and baby diapers to the US and elsewhere. Thus, there are no likely contenders for starting a global conflagration in the near or distant future. All other miscreants like Iran or North Korea are no more than just miscreants and are capable of causing only some easily stoppable nuisance . Hence, the active and vital ingredient that played a major role in stopping the Great Depression in its track is not in the medicine to treat today’s economic malaise.

Aping simply FDR’s 70-year old initiatives won’t do in the very different world of today. There should, therefore, be a completely revolutionary change in the mindset of the “experts” who are now entrusted with the task of lifting the country out of the economic morass into which it has fallen. Otherwise, You may throw trillions of dollars into the stimulus plan but all that money will inevitably go down the drain.

Rajan (405214) — 2/9/2009 @ 4:39 am

This Pork for Life bill will not work. It is just like the scheme that took Orange County into bankruptcy. I told the Chairman of the Orange County Supervisors before the scheme took effect that it was wrong.

I’m saying this bill agreed to by 3 weak kneed RINOs is just as bad and will not work.

The Stimulus bill is a fraud and a sham. http://theloosecannonontheright.blogspot.com/2009/02/stimulus-bill-will-fail.html

PCD (7fe637) — 2/9/2009 @ 6:25 am

Afer 8 years of supporting the disaster administration that caused all these problems, you people here really sound like complete lunatics. Did the GOP really just discover the national debt? WHy is is ok to double our debt spending money in Iraq but not ok to spend our money on America. How long has is been since the GOP did anything good for our country?

drumbum (1a1ad1) — 2/9/2009 @ 9:01 am

drumbum, the lunatic would be the person who thinks that the Bush administration caused “all these problems” when its factually false.

Uh, that would be you, by the way.

The credit crisis that precipitated this recession was caused by a combination of long-standing structural problems in the financial markets combined with an end to the housing bubble. None of which had anything to do with the Bush administration.

SPQR (72771e) — 2/9/2009 @ 9:08 am

2/8/2009

Well, At Least They Agreed to Cut Out $100 Billion from the Stimulus, Right?

38 Responses to “Well, At Least They Agreed to Cut Out $100 Billion from the Stimulus, Right?”

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