Patterico's Pontifications

2/3/2010

Political Priorities

Filed under: Obama,Politics — DRJ @ 10:13 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

The Instapundit links an odd statement by President Obama:

“We’ve got to make sure that our party understands that, like it or not, we have to have a financial system that is healthy and functioning, so we can’t be demonizing every bank out there.”

Prof. Reynolds takes note of the bolded portion and asks: “Who wouldn’t like a ‘healthy and functioning’ financial system?” It’s a good question, and he answers it at the link.

I think the answer is politicians who have other priorities:

  • Like politicians who believe “when you spread the wealth around it’s good for everyone.”
  • Politicians who think Tea Party protesters are fair game to mock and ridicule.
  • Politicians who support universal voter registration despite its susceptibility to fraud and abuse.
  • Politicians who, despite warnings that they and their Party will be “screwed” if they don’t do more about jobs and the economy, have another agenda.
  • And politicians who offer health care reform with promises we can keep our doctors if we want to, only to admit later that some of the reform provisions violated that pledge.
  • Feel free to add other priorities in the comments.

    — DRJ

    25 Responses to “Political Priorities”

    1. politicians that take national debt and budget deficits to unheard of levels, and then talk about controlling spending?

      redc1c4 (fb8750)

    2. And…” the answer is “…

      A$$HATS from Chicago/Honolulu/Jakarta!

      AD - RtR/OS! (b1d1f9)

    3. politicians who want to create more jobs, but refuse to ease prevailing wage laws (think unions).

      Ed from SFV (f6a87d)

    4. Like politicians who seriously believe the only reason people don’t support their health care reform plans is that they have not explained two different 2,ooo page bills clearly enough, not because people don’t like the reform plans or believe or trust the politicians.

      daleyrocks (718861)

    5. Like politicians who don’t want to run a car company, then confiscate a car company.

      Patricia (e1047e)

    6. Politicians who want to end our constitutional republic and create a tyranny here in America?

      ChicagoJedi (884039)

    7. Excellent examples. I think you guys have noticed these politicians, too.

      DRJ (84a0c3)

    8. red’s deficit example is the most glaring and disturbing one, but I find it pretty hilarious how Obama famously insulted the Court to jeers of hundreds of democrats in congress, over largely his claimed fears about foreign donations. when his campaign made obvious efforts to permit such donations in 2008.

      Anyway, whoever wrote this speech let the mask slip. They probably are part of the Mao admirers clique up there. And I’m sure no one blinks when this kind of thought is expressed. “like it or not, America probably shouldn’t be in a depression” is not really all that far from “Don’t let a good crisis go to waste” or “chickens coming home to roost on 9/11” or “God Damn America”. And it may be boorish to repeat this, but that’s what Obama wanted his own kids to hear every Sunday.

      He’s not exactly Paul Revere or John Adams.

      Dustin (b54cdc)

    9. naw, but he’s the last part of what Paul Revere rode. %-)

      redc1c4 (fb8750)

    10. Here’s another couple of jewels from the executive (out of their) minds:

      $13.5 Trillion of New Debt: The president’s budget proposes to increase the national debt from today’s level of $12.3 trillion to $25.8 trillion in FY 2020 – an increase of $13.5 trillion or 109.8%. The amount of new debt proposed by this budget is larger than the total amount of debt accumulated by the federal government from 1789 to today (even including the $3.6 trillion of new debt over the last three years).

      In today’s Whiskey and Gunpowder newsletter:

      The President, in his acknowledgement that government should do something to help “create jobs”, also stated that 70% of all jobs in the US are created by the private sector. To that end, the Admin introduced a tax break for small businesses who hire people this year…$3,000.00. Whoa! “Hey there, Big Spender!”

      What kind of economic sense does that make? How in the world is a business going to benefit from a $3,000 tax break, when his cost of hiring a worker is likely in excess of $25,000? It is true, if his business is expanding and he needs to hire workers, this benefit will help him. But no business is just going to go out and hire workers at a $22,000 per annum loss. In short for this to work, we need businesses that are e-x-p-a-n-d-i-n-g. Unfortunately, should Obama be lucky enough to preside over an expanding economy, he won’t be looking to tax cuts, but tax increases. Does the term bass ackwards ring a bell around here?

      political agnostic (1965ca)

    11. we can’t be demonizing every bank out there

      Of course not–just the ones run by non-Democrats. There are only so many IRS audits and bank regulators to go around, you know.

      M. Scott Eiland (c552ec)

    12. Dear Leader on hearing the Chinese adept following Copenhagen, “There is not enough money in the world to pay for America’s spending”:

      The detached yet distracted even strained look on the face of the leader of the ‘Free World’ broke into a beaming grin of delight.

      “Damn, am I good or what?”

      gary gulrud (75a696)

    13. Like someone who complains about people spending their hard – earned money on trips to Vegas, then blows our money on trips to Hawaii, cap and trade boondoggles, flying over to Europe just to pimp his own hometown in a hopelessly losing cause, again flying over to Europe to pick up a fatuous peace prize, and….

      Dmac (539341)

    14. “What kind of economic sense does that make? How in the world is a business going to benefit from a $3,000 tax break, when his cost of hiring a worker is likely in excess of $25,000? It is true, if his business is expanding and he needs to hire workers, this benefit will help him. But no business is just going to go out and hire workers at a $22,000 per annum loss.”

      Maybe businesses actually make decisions at the margin where a 3K difference might matter? No that can’t be it.

      imdw (de7003)

    15. 15, no, imd-dummy, that can’t be it.

      When you lying Democrats stop your insane social meddling and your head long dive over the cliff of socialism is when this country will go back to full employment and prosperity.

      PCD (1d8b6d)

    16. The 3K can and will help businesses that are at that bubble point. But, honestly, imdw, read the point of this blog:
      “… like it or not, we have to have a financial system that is healthy and functioning…”
      The Feds have increased spending greatly over the past many years. Last year’s budget and this year’s proposed budget goes much further.

      The President’s words and his actions are in direct contrast.

      Corwin (ea9428)

    17. This man really thinks that everyone who hears his words are morons who have no memory of anything he’s ever said before. He views the audience as a blank slate, ignorant of history, ignorant of everything before the moment, who are only waiting to be imprinted with his rhetoric.

      Unbelievable. This guy is really much worse than I thought he’d be as President.

      SPQR (26be8b)

    18. “When you lying Democrats stop your insane social meddling and your head long dive over the cliff of socialism is when this country will go back to full employment and prosperity.”

      Maybe we could have another decade of zero job growth?

      [note: fished from spam filter. –Stashiu]

      imdw (db3ac7)

    19. “We’ve got to make sure that our party understands that, like it or not, we have to have a financial system that is healthy and functioning, so we can’t be demonizing every bank out there.”

      Obama must be taking grammar lessons from Amanda Marcotte.

      Another Chris (2d8013)

    20. He views the audience as a blank slate

      Not surprising, considering the people that voted for him did so for the same reason.

      Another Chris (2d8013)

    21. #20, that is deep… and so very true.

      Honestly, he was/is nearly revered by many (and especially himself). I thought the elections in Massachusetts would be a wake-up call for him. It was not. When it does come for him, we could be in for a very scary time. Hopefully, it will be gradually enough for others and him so that the pendulum does not swing so far and so fast as to be catastrophic to a different extreme.

      Corwin (ea9428)

    22. Comment by redc1c4 — 2/3/2010 @ 11:23 pm

      No! He came from the last part of what PR rode.

      AD - RtR/OS! (0a4b14)

    23. “universal voter registration”???

      Dear GOD! What a disgusting concept in a representative republic!!!

      JEA (1eb0e1)

    24. I think “universal voter registration” is dead with the MA election. But it would have been nice if Barney Frank had actually attempted an explanation of what he the D’s intended to do in this area instead of hysterically attacking John Fund. But, then I’ve never seen Frank NOT being hysterical.

      icr (e5ff68)


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