What the President has Been Shoveling…
[Guest post by Aaron Worthing]
A lot of people noticed recently when the President admitted that “there’s no such thing as shovel-ready projects.” Professor Jacobson over at Legal Insurrection had fun chiding the president and more than a few people thought, “wow, it took him how many billion dollars to figure that out?”
Well, it turns out, it didn’t take as many billions as we thought. David Brooks reveals that the President confided in him over a year ago that he knew there were no “shovel-ready” projects. So the President has been lying to us on this point for at least a year. This is one of many examples.
So he sold all of us on crippling debt based on lies. He lied to sell us this (and this is a chart of the deficit, not the debt):
There is no spin possible here. This is an outrage.
Meanwhile, at the video link above, keep watching and witness David Brooks’ cognitive dissonance. At about the 42 second mark, he tells us for instance that “the thing that you like about this administration they can have debates and they can be honest about what the shortcomings they face.” No, Mr. Brooks, you have just told us they are not being honest about what the shortcomings are to their policies.
(Hat tips to Michelle Malkin and Hot Air)
[Posted and authored by Aaron Worthing.]
I know why Obama didn’t tell us this last year. What’s Brooks’ excuse?
DRJ (d43dcd) — 10/16/2010 @ 7:09 pmdavid brooks has lost
ColonelHaiku (1606f6) — 10/16/2010 @ 7:13 pmperspective he had before
his lobotomy
We would have been better off if everyone in America had done each other’s laundry for ten bucks per person.
The Sanity Inspector (3aa0a8) — 10/16/2010 @ 7:47 pmDRJ
Well, brooks says it was “off the record.”
Which doesn’t mean much to me, either.
Aaron Worthing (f97997) — 10/16/2010 @ 7:50 pmAaron,
I think Brooks has been wearing his magic green jacket a lot in the past year.
DRJ (d43dcd) — 10/16/2010 @ 7:59 pmI suspect Mr. Brooks will soon get a pat on the head and become the latest right-thinking conservative on CNN or MSNBC very soon.
Seriously, on Monday when you go to work, ask anybody if they’ve ever heard of David Brooks.
I think I know the answer if you live outside of the beltway.
Ag80 (743fd1) — 10/16/2010 @ 8:27 pmIt’s the spending stupid.
Plus the Obama Administration and Democrats don’t make bad policy, when their policies turn out to be unpopular, it’s just because they have done a bad job educating the public about them.
At least that’s the current howler, because you’re too stupid to know what’s good for you. After all, they’re the elite and you’re not!
daleyrocks (940075) — 10/16/2010 @ 8:30 pmDaley
I think you had a dyslexic moment.
You wrote: “Its the spending stupid.”
Didn’t you mean: “Its the stupid spending”?
🙂
Aaron Worthing (f97997) — 10/16/2010 @ 8:32 pmObama didn’t build Hoover Dam?
Patricia (9b018a) — 10/16/2010 @ 8:37 pmEd Morrissey has that covered.
I would like to add my own little bit to what Ed sed.
1. TEA Party activism is grass-roots and anti-elitist.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 10/16/2010 @ 8:37 pm2. Many Republicans in office are elitists.
3. The TEA Party has vanquished many Republican elitists.
4. The majority of Democrats in office are elitists, including all of the Democrat leadership.
5. The TEA Party will be vanquishing a large number of Democrat elitists, including a few in leadership positions.
“TEA Party activism is grass-roots and anti-elitist.”
John Hitchcock – I understand what you’re saying, but I’m not sure I can agree with the last part given how totalitarian and inflexible some of the Tea Party’s loudest supporters act, which creates it’s own impression of an elite. The Yea Party rallies I have attended certainly did not give that impression, however.
daleyrocks (940075) — 10/16/2010 @ 8:45 pmHaving spent nearly a quarter century in the newspaper biz, I understand that Brooks could not reveal something he learned “off the record.” If he did, no source would ever trust him again. That’s not the problem.
The problem is agreeing to go “off the record” for minor crap just because Obama doesn’t want the public to find out. This isn’t sensitive national security stuff, it’s just political. Very poor judgment to agree to “off the record” for such stuff – perhaps “deep background” where he could report what was said but not identify any of the sources, even as close to the President.
But then, this is the guy who said he likes “the crease of [Obama’s] slacks,” so he wasn’t going to turn down an audience no matter what conditions were set.
Adjoran (ec6a4b) — 10/16/2010 @ 10:17 pmJohn,
Most if not all of those “Elitist Republicans” voted for
Tax cuts for everyone
Defense of the Country
Civil Rights
Curbs on the Judiciary
Against job crushing Global Warming Treaties
Expansion of the Government
Just sayin…
EricPWJohnson (33566e) — 10/16/2010 @ 10:30 pmDaley
Yeah the leaders of the Tea Party are starting to make squishys like Castle look almost okay
And thats like what Republicans are – we in Texas are not Kay Baily – stuck up greenies from Dallas Society – but thats how we are portrayed by Tea Party Leaders
They give communists like White a total and complete Pass – never ever mention Pelosi
go figure
EricPWJohnson (33566e) — 10/16/2010 @ 10:33 pmEven in Texas, the necessity to conform seems to run deep, that explains how Sessions and Cornyn
ian cormac (6709ab) — 10/17/2010 @ 4:54 amhave missed the temper of the times, on the Democratic side, it’s much worse, Kirk being possibly the best,
And they called BUSH a liar??
bobby (9e537c) — 10/17/2010 @ 6:32 amHold on, it looks to me like David Brooks is telling a tall tale, Obama wouldn’t confide in that ninny, no way.
But, Brooks would volunteer to run interference for Obama’s failed agenda. For Brooks, making up a few whoppers to help take the heat off Mr Shifty during an election which isn’t going at all well isn’t actually lying to the American public for political gain, it’s his patriotic duty.
It’s like being a soldier in the propaganda corps of the self-appointed Secretive Servicing Agency, Brooks is taking a bullet for the boss.
ropelight (bc9525) — 10/17/2010 @ 6:46 amI wonder if Brooks got Obama’s permission to terminate the ‘off the record’ agreement.
Hah.
Brooks is an oath breaker, or he’s lying about Obama – probably both. A nasty little man.
Fred Z (c1782b) — 10/17/2010 @ 6:53 amBarcky has a general contempt for the voters. Just see his comments about how the ’10 elections are about the voters fears, and not his destructive utterly failed policies.
JD (80b34b) — 10/17/2010 @ 7:13 amAs pretty as that graph is, I have stopped using it on my site because it is really way off. The FY2009 projected deficit on the chart was $1.75 to $1.85 trillion, but the FY2009 actual deficit was only (!!!) $1.42 trillion. The FY2010 deficit is projected on the chart as (roughly) $1.18 trillion (White House) to $1.36 trillion (CBO); the actual number was $1.294 trillion. (Source)
The numbers-crunching Dana (bd7e62) — 10/17/2010 @ 7:28 amJaw-dropping Brooks quote from the interview:
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (fb9e90) — 10/17/2010 @ 7:58 am“The thing you like about this administration is they can have debates and they can be honest about the shortcomings they face.”
From his recent speeches and interviews, it seems apparent that the shortcoming they have, in their minds, is messaging. Everything else is the result of the fears and ignorance of the bitter clingers reacting irrationally to his most excellent policies.
JD (f89659) — 10/17/2010 @ 8:16 amThere was a time (not that long ago), when I actually respected Brook’s output, even when I disagreed with him. Then he joined the Op – Ed page of the NYT, and he’s gone downhill ever since. Quel surprise.
Dmac (84da91) — 10/17/2010 @ 8:18 amropelight, good take.
Somehow, and through all this, he holds onto supporters. From his own purple lips come such lies. Friend in florida is still blaming bush, says unions are there to protect workers and that the 2 wars are the cause of the deficit. I’m pretty certain she’ll vote for totus again. She’s a senior and hurting financially, but refuses to pin anything on Obama.
Vermont Neighbor (03cce9) — 10/17/2010 @ 8:20 amComment by ian cormac — 10/17/2010 @ 4:54 am…
Jeff Sessions is a Senator from Alabama!
If David Brooks is a Conservative, Bill Safire is spinning in his grave from the abuse of language involved in that labeling.
Comment by The numbers-crunching Dana — 10/17/2010 @ 7:28 am…
AD-RtR/OS! (7bc302) — 10/17/2010 @ 8:48 amYes, a two-years deficit of “only” $2.7-Trillion is great progress!
All these excuses from Obama are just BS indeed.
The reality is that in January of ’09, the President thought that the recession was already over. He and his pals in Congress wanted to dump a lot of money on their buddies.
They thought that the economy was going to soon start a recovery on its own that their huge spending dump would allow them to take credit for.
They make a risky bet and it blew up on them. It showed the entire nation that all the Democrats rhetoric about being such economic geniuses was horse manure.
SPQR (26be8b) — 10/17/2010 @ 8:51 amNot just the rhetoric, but their brains as well.
AD-RtR/OS! (7bc302) — 10/17/2010 @ 8:53 amHaving spent nearly a quarter century in the newspaper biz, I understand that Brooks could not reveal something he learned “off the record.” If he did, no source would ever trust him again. That’s not the problem.
I’m also a newspaper veteran, and agree. Something else is going on.
Hold on, it looks to me like David Brooks is telling a tall tale, Obama wouldn’t confide in that ninny, no way.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (fb9e90) — 10/17/2010 @ 8:56 amObama might pretend to confide something he wants to get out, but can’t admit openly. And Brooks is vain enough to think he charmed his fellow narcissist into a revelation.
“…charmed his fellow narcissist…”
…Not Nice, but accurate.
AD-RtR/OS! (7bc302) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:16 amIf your target was sentient, that would leave a mark.
Colonel now selling
ColonelHaiku (1606f6) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:21 amtickets to MoDowd Meltdown
on Halloween night
hard wood stoked fire
ColonelHaiku (1606f6) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:27 amMadison Square Garden live
center ring, one round
tickets are hundred
ColonelHaiku (1606f6) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:31 amdollars ringside advance; two
hundred at the door
Pete Session the head of the NRCC, also from Texas, which has had a 1/11 record this season
ian cormac (6709ab) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:33 amopening act is
ColonelHaiku (1606f6) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:35 amFrank Rich and the BedBugs just
back from Fire Island
Did you know people are hard wired to not be rational when they are scared, and that explains why the Dems are so unpopular? Irrational people of fear, you are. Bitter clingers too. F¤ck you, Barcky. His contempt for the lesser mortals is quite evident.
JD (b49131) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:35 amI thought we were “hard-wired” to respond to fear with the “flee or fight” response?
AD-RtR/OS! (7bc302) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:46 am_________________________________________
keep watching and witness David Brooks’ cognitive dissonance.
Brooks is a perfect example of a closeted liberal. I describe him that way because if he were merely a squish (or so-called “centrist”), he’d have distanced himself from Obama by now. Moreover, if Brooks continues to remain so oddly enamored of Obama, than Brooks may be closeted in other ways too [sarcasm].
Mark (411533) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:48 amian…sorry, when you mentioned “Sessions and Cornyn” in the same breathe, I assumed you were talking about two Senators. Pete Sessions just doesn’t happen to be on my radar, since I cut myself off from the National Republican apparat.
AD-RtR/OS! (7bc302) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:50 amI’m not either, in part because of their pathetic instincts, the problem really lies in the communication and strategy wing of the organization, not in Sessions or Cornyn alone, but the latter often gives voice to them
ian cormac (6709ab) — 10/17/2010 @ 9:54 am“He lied to sell us this (and this is a chart of the deficit, not the debt)… There is no spin possible here. This is an outrage.” Indeed:
Cheney to Treasury: “Deficits don’t matter”
Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill was told “deficits don’t matter” when he warned of a looming fiscal crisis.
O’Neill, fired in a shakeup of Bush’s economic team in December 2002, raised objections to a new round of tax cuts and said the president balked at his more aggressive plan to combat corporate crime after a string of accounting scandals because of opposition from “the corporate crowd,” a key constituency.
O’Neill said he tried to warn Vice President Dick Cheney that growing budget deficits-expected to top $500 billion this fiscal year alone-posed a threat to the economy. Cheney cut him off. “You know, Paul, Reagan proved deficits don’t matter,” he said, according to excerpts. Cheney continued: “We won the midterms (congressional elections). This is our due.” A month later, Cheney told the Treasury secretary he was fired.”
Rich Iott (9d1bb3) — 10/18/2010 @ 2:36 pmSource: Reuters, 1/11/2004