US Economy To The Democrats: "Don't Taze Me Bro!"
OR: "Please Mr. Custer...I don't wanna go"
By haystack Posted in Democrats | Earmarks | Hand-Outs for the undeserving | Policy | pork | Shameless Pandering Democrats — Comments (11) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
[h/t FBI]
Disclaimer...I am NOT a professional fisherman... but I know the smell of rotten fish, and THIS reeks of Boston Harbor at sunset in August ladies and gentlemen:
I am pleased the Speaker and the House Minority Leader, working with Secretary Paulson, have reached an agreement to send stimulus checks for individuals and provide tax relief to businesses. And I am proud that Democratic negotiators were able to secure tax relief for millions of Americans who would have been completely left out of the President’s proposal.
In an effort to get the bipartisan process moving in the Senate, Finance Committee Chairman Baucus and Ranking Member Grassley will conduct a markup of stimulus proposals next week. I expect that the Committee and other Senators will work to improve the House package by adding funds for other initiatives that can boost the economy immediately, such as unemployment benefits, nutrition assistance, state relief and infrastructure investment. I look forward to this proposal’s quick passage in the House so that the Senate can debate these provisions soon and meet my goal of sending the President a package by the President’s Day recess.
My head is exploding. Harry Reid credits Democrats for helping folks President Bush would have ignored (false), and he means to mark this thing up and ADD initiatives. Can you spell earmarks? Yeah, I thought you could. I personally believe this so-called stimulus package is a bad idea, but it's pretty clear that Harry and Nance mean to spend our grandchildren into the poorhouse. Gotta love this do-nothing Congress...if a pig can be made to fly, these cats have all the pork we need to get 'em off the ground.
Note to Reid:
Dear Harry...You might have spent a little more time with your stick buddy over there running "my house" passing spending bills we DESPERATELY needed last year, and a little LESS time whining and complaining about a war you still can't seem to find a way to force us to lose.
Instead, we find ourselves faced with a crisis you two are personally complicit in having helped create, and you're STILL going to make us pay for it by redistributing our collective wealth to people that haven't even paid IN to the system...and for what?!?!? so they might go throw a little of it down at the local Wal Mart...?
This whole thing is a disaster...
The Republicans have tried, and ARE trying, to elicit a little restraint from the Democrat spendaholics, but only time will tell if they can succeed. Blunt said as much in a presser today so there's room for hope at least...
Blunt, and what the Dems are trying to pull off here, below the fold...
According to Blunt's presser:
"I want to applaud John’s efforts to ensure this package was not used as a vehicle to push through higher taxes or egregious new spending. The Democratic leadership also deserves credit for inviting us to the table and agreeing to take some of the massive spending increases, like food stamps and unemployment insurance, off the table. This spending might have achieved a short-term political end, but it would’ve done nothing to stimulate the economy either in the short or long term.
"It was our goal to provide relief to working, over-taxed families and give businesses the confidence and incentives they need to grow. We were able to achieve both these goals by working together in good faith.
"As with any compromise, not everything we wanted ended up being included in this compromise package. But, that does not mean we will relent in our push to see our pro-growth principles become law.
"The plan unveiled today is intended to be a shot in the arm for our economy. It will have an important short-term effect. But only the plans outlined by members of the Republican conference this past week will provide the staying power our economy needs to create jobs and remain strong.”
Now, from what I can gather so far, the Dems are looking for juicy little tidbits such as Tax hikes, expanded food stamp and unemployment benefits, $2 billion (yes, BILLION) for temp. summer jobs, "green jobs" (whatever the bloody hell THAT will actually do to stimulate the economy), higher Medicaid spending, heating oil subsidies and infrastructure, and broadband, bridges, and energy technology. Pork? What pork?
Saddest of all is the idea that ALL of these things could have been addressed throughout last year were the Democrats more interested in governing as a Majority rather than bloviating and grandstanding for their kook fringes looking for votes and campaign dollars.
I'm no economist either, but I'm fairly certain that THIS is the worst kind of election season political pandering we've seen in a very long time, and will do nothing to stimulate the economy...taze it into paralysis perhaps, but "stimulate?":
House leaders and the White House on Thursday announced a tentative agreement on an economic stimulus package of roughly $150 billion that would pay stipends of $300 to $1,200 per family, and more for families with children, plus provide tax incentives for businesses to encourage spending.
Ugh..."it's for the CHILREN!!!!" Did I mention that my head is exploding?
Let's take a skim through the Baucus remarks, given he is now in charge of finding new homes for Harry's lard in this stimulus plan...long, but worth a look-see:
"The Finance Committee will mark up its own stimulus bill next week, a different bill than the House will reportedly consider. The reported agreement between House leaders and the Administration seems to have some very good elements, particularly tax rebate for low-income wage earners. For my part, I want to make sure that every American who looks at his or her paycheck and sees Medicare taxes taken out, Social Security taxes taken out, gets the same rebate as every other taxpaying American.
I believe, and I think many Senators agree, that we can do even more to stimulate America’s economy. Extending unemployment insurance can get money out fast to people who need it and will spend it. Increasing food stamps could do the same. Additional business incentives may more directly help hurting businesses that need quick cash to spend.
I believe the Committee can complete its work by the time the House sends a bill to the Senate. I intend for the Committee to work fast, and to work together. I only announced this markup after speaking with Ranking Member Grassley. He and I will continue the tradition of Finance Committee bipartisanship, and we will work with the Treasury Secretary, with House leaders, and with the White House to agree on any new provisions.
Americans want Congress to pass economic stimulus fast, but they also want us to get it right. I am confident that Finance Committee action can help Congress consider an agreement than can quickly pass both chambers and be signed by the President. The Finance Committee will bring forward a package that is timely, targeted, and temporary, with smart solutions to help the American economy and all our citizens.”
As the world of economics goes, I'm pretty dumb. In fact, whenever I hear things such as "accelerated depreciation", "higher expensing limits", "below sub-prime" and the like, my eyes cross and glaze over. But I DO know about my economics in daily life, my employer's business activities, and the state of consumer confidence when I stand in line at the grocery store, Home Depot (my Graceland), and the ever-popular Wal Mart.
Seems to me it was only 3 months ago we kept hearing the Media (reluctantly) tell us the economy was humming right along, unemployment was about as low as it could statistically go, and save for oil being 100.00 a barrel (not that any of us actually BUY it by the barrel, mind you) life was pretty darned good. So, what happened?
We go through Christmas (excuse me-festivus) spending more money than we have, enduring a weather pattern (the non-tree-huggers among us call that one "winter") that seriously impedes housing and construction starts in many regions of the country (except Al Gore's-where it's hades year-round) and we see simultaneous up-ticks and down-ticks in seasonal employment (based on the category of occupation). Oh, and EVERY freaking crazy, lunatic, maniacal Darwin award runner-up out on the highways and byways burning up enough fuel (that they can't afford to buy anymore)...melting the polar ice caps in their humvees.
Are we SURE this is real and not contrived...or at least made to sound worse than it really IS?
Nah...stop being so cynical...this has NOTHING to do with primary season, NOR is it in ANY way connected to having our Political heroes in need of a few scraps to take home to their constituents...they would NEVER do that to us...
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US Economy To The Democrats: "Don't Taze Me Bro!" 11 Comments (0 topical, 11 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
but it is BAD for the economy. Are we then supposed to be happy that it could be worse?
I'm not sure how this really differs from a Democrat plan. In fact, I'd be hard pressed to see the Republican influence here. It certainly isn't going to keep us out of a recession, if that's where we are headed.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
Why not pass out the checks at polling places this November? Provided you are voting for the right woman for President, anyway.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
The stimulus just borrows money from people who would have otherwise invested their money in something else and hands it out to everyone. If the Democrats got their way it would not only just be shuffling money around, but would hurt the economy because the money would go to things that do nothing or are a disincentive to productivity such as more unemployment benefits and spending programs.
It has no long term benefits, but I concede that it may have two short term benefits. First, it could have a psychological benefit and make people more confident. Of course the effect of constantly negative reporting during any Republican administration must be at least 10 times what this effect could ever be (an unscientific estimate, I admit). Second, when we borrow money from foriegn countries we are improving our economy today at the expense of our economy in the future. So that will actually help the economy in the short run. The problem is that we will be paying interest on it forever.
The stimulus just borrows money from people who would have otherwise invested their money in something else and hands it out to everyone.
The way this is being structured it's just a one-year EITC add-on. Redistribution in its purest form.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
The intent of the polticos is to buy votes. Mainly the votes of those who have not and are not paying taxes to start with money from those of us who are paying.
To help the US economy:
Eliminate the Dept of Educaton and pay down debt with that money.
Cut State Dept Budget by 20 % and then 5% per year there after until you get down to 50 % of current and pay down debt.
Cut non defense spending by 5% / year until a 25% reduction is made. Pay down debt.
Elimnate Capital gains taxes
Abolish the death tax .
Cut the US Corporate rate tax rate to 15% as to attract and retain business in the US.
Defang the EPA so that they Eco-socialists can not kill job growth and energy production by "protecting" weasels, ground hogs and earth worms.....
fewer bloated bodies in the streets, milk for kiddies, beer for Dad, get the cows mooing again, and really pump up the economy. Capital markets will rebound, housing situation solved, and everybody will add 20- 30 lbs of muscle.
Harry, you make Adam Smith look like the class fool.
"a man's admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him". Tocqueville
...thing certain from the Democrats. Tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax again.
And more programs similar to the ones that took the out of wedlock pregancy rate of one ethnic group from twenty two per cent at the beginning of LBJ to today's sixty seven per cent.
Welcome to the new Soddom and Gommorha as envisioned by the Democratic party. Lamar Alexander certainly doesn't appear as if he's going to stand in their way.
Haystack..
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"Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm." -- James Madison
about stimulating the economy, FedGov has a perfect opportunity to do so right now. All they need to do is raise the standard deduction threshold, below which is earnings not taxed, to a level where more people would not pay any income taxes, and make it retroactive to 2007. This will put money directly into the pockets of taxpayers now by simply having them not send their money into the IRS.
just outside of Nashville - though I'm not sure if the brimstone is keeping Gore's section warm... (Just kidding)
This stimulus package is far from perfect. I do have to say, though, that it's much better than what we would have gotten from a democrat president & congress. I don't see this current crop of democrats willingly giving one who actually pays taxes back anything, or helping businesses that actually employ people to produce. Capping the tax rebates for those who earn more is not good. However, some real taxpayers are getting some of their own money back. Again, not perfect but significantly better than what the dems would have extruded on their own...