This Stimulus Bill is Even Worse Than You Think

Think the the stimulus bill is bad?  Think again.  The Stimulus Bill is Even Worse Than You Think.  Sobering information from NRO:

The health provisions in the House stimulus bill would expand dependence on the already-unsound Medicaid entitlement program, distort health care choices for unemployed workers, and set up a federal infrastructure that could be used as a tool for government rationing of medical treatments, procedures, and services. [snip]

For the first time, the federal government will give significant cash to able-bodied adults without dependent children.  ...Since most of these individuals have little apparent need for assistance, the new credit represents "spreading the wealth" for its own sake.  [snip]

Buried in the economic stimulus legislation is a provision that undercuts parental authority and expands control of taxpayer dollars by family planning clinics.  Because the income of parents or even a spouse may not be counted in determining eligibility, states would have the option to "consider only the income of the applicant or recipient." In other words, a child in a family at any income level may be eligible for free family-planning services. A child would be able to receive benefits through a "presumptive eligibility period" and beyond without parental knowledge that he or she applied for Medicaid.  [snip]

For the first time since 1996, the federal government would begin paying bonuses to states that increase their welfare caseloads. Under the stimulus bills, the federal government will pay 80 percent of cost for each new family that a state enrolls in welfare; this matching rate is far higher than it was under the old AFDC program. 

Obama has repeatedly told us in recent days that he is abandoning the old, failed, tired ideas of the past.  He isn't.

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House passes stimulus bill with no GOP support

It was clear that the measure was the result of old-fashioned sausage-making. Pet provisions were coming to light that had not been included in the original bills that passed the House or Senate—or that differed markedly from earlier versions. Some appeared to brush up against claims of the bill's supporters that no pet projects known as "earmarks" were included.

Gregg Withdrawal Embarrasses White House

White House sources tell me that another nominee for commerce secretary could be announced quite soon, maybe in the next few days.  But that candidate will be President Obama's fourth choice for commerce secretary.

Why not make the "stimulus bill" a kazillion dollars?

For half a century, the welfare establishment had the bright idea to pay women to have children out of wedlock. Following the iron laws of economics—subsidize something, you get more of it; tax it, you get less of it—the number of children being born out of wedlock skyrocketed.

Anti-Islam Dutch Lawmaker Sent Back to Netherlands Amid U.K. Ban

The right-wing lawmaker had been invited by a member of Parliament to show his anti-Islam movie "Fitna," which calls the Koran a "fascist" book and accuses Islam of being a violent religion.

Senators Grill Geithner Again on New Financial Plan: Republican Tells Him, 'You Have No Clue'

Jindal to give high-profile GOP response to Obama.

The only thing that can cure poverty is wealth.

U.S. judges admit to jailing children for money.

Two judges pleaded guilty on Thursday to accepting more than $2.6 million from a private youth detention centre in Pennsylvania in return for giving hundreds of youths and teenagers long sentences.

Woman's record-length fingernails broken in crash.

According to the Guinness Web site, her nails measured a total of more than 28 feet long in 2008, with the longest nail on her right thumb at 2 feet, 11 inches.

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Obama Is Not Doing His Job

When abroad, Obama criticizes his own country, praises the antithetical world view of another, and tells us that his job is to focus on the well-being of International Muslims.  At home, Obama has told us that we should live our lives in accordance with the wishes of "other countries."  In the court of international opinion, Obama wants to represent all sides.

What if you hired a lawyer, and instead of representing YOU, he decided he should be "fair" and represent "all sides." What if you couldn't afford a lawyer and your public defender insisted on playing the prosecutorial role? 

Yes, your lawyer must listen to the other side, but he isn't going to express their concerns, or recognize the validity of their points unless it serves your interests in some way. Everything your attorney says and does should serve your interests.  That's what it means to have representation.

As the current occupant of the office of the President of the United States of America, it is not Obama's job to represent the interests or express the concerns of other nations. His delusional "President of the World" schtick is even more absurd and egotistical than his "Office of the President-Elect" charade was.  As long as Obama insists on being the self-appointed President of the International Community, there is no one representing the citizens of the United States of America.

If the Jimmy Carters, the Susan Sarandons, and the Code Pinks among us want to abuse their freedom to express the concerns of other nations and represent their interests, they're free to do so. Barack Obama is NOT.

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Meltdown 101: Highlights of economic stimulus plan

So, how much of a tax cut is he delivering to 95% of the American people with that $790 billion? A whopping $13 per paycheck that later gets reduced to $8 per paycheck. 

Democrat Leaders Hold Midnight Meeting, Freeze GOP out of “Stimulus” Negotiations

It is the prerogative of congressional Democrats as to whether the hearing will be an honest and open forum or instead a dog and pony show while real negotiations take place in a smoke-filled backroom.

More Appointment Chaos: Gregg Withdraws After Policies Too Much to Stomach

"It has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me. Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns."

Tyranny in America

Taxation without representation is tyranny.

Q: The average American worked 113 days to pay their federal, state and local taxes in 2008.  Is that not excessive? 

A: Well, uh, maybe.  But it's not tyranny.  You have elected representation.  Local officials, state officials, a representative and two senators in Washington, and a president in the White House.

Q: Yes...but who do these people really represent?  Do they represent you and me, or do they represent special interest groups?

A: Well, of course special interest groups have some influence, and that is sanctioned by the constitution, but your elected officials represent you, and you have the power to hold them accountable at the polls.

Q: Right now we have a huge spending bill winding its way through Congress.  When we are done paying interest charges, the total cost could easily exceed $1 trillion.  Understandably, this bill is NOT supported by most voters.  Congressional leaders are ignoring the will of the people, are they not?

A: Sometimes our elected officials are forced to take action that is very unpopular.  That's how our system works—this is a democratic republic, not a democracy.  In a democratic republic, the elected officials help to moderate the shifting whims of public opinion.

Q: But what if Congress looses touch with the voters?  What if our elected officials develop a herd mentality and begin making irrational decisions?  What if they begin making unpopular decisions that are, in fact, not in the best interests of their constituents?

A: That's where the Constitution comes into play.  The Constitution (particularly the Tenth Amendment) places limits on what the government can legally do.  The constitution is the supreme law of the land and protects citizens from abuses from the government.

Q: You think the constitution places limits on the government?  

A: Yes, the Tenth Amendment says that the Federal Government does not have powers that are not explicitly delegated by the constitution.

Q: Does the Constitution explicitly grant the Federal Government the power to spend billions of dollars on university building projects?  To spend tens of millions of dollars on the arts?  To spend tens of billions of dollars to feed fat people?  To spend hundreds of millions of dollars on train systems?  To spend hundreds of millions of dollars on hybrid cars?

A: Well, those are all very important things.  If we don't make those investments, it will cost our society much more in the long run.  (By the way, not everyone who receives food stamps is fat.)

Q: You're getting us off track.  Does the Constitution grant the Federal Government the authority to spend money on art, food, cars, trains and university buildings?

A: Well, not exactly.  But this spending is for the greater good.

Q: So the Constitution, the one thing that stands between us and the insidious abuses of a derelict government, isn't working very well for us, is it?

A: Well...

Q: Next question.  When Congress ignores the Constitution and ignores the voters; when you have a President who has lamented the fact that the Supreme Court did not "break free from the essential constraints placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution"; when your Commander In Chief spends an inordinate amount of time voicing the concerns of the nation's critics, rivals and enemies, what kind of government do you have?

A: [blank stare]

This bears repeating: taxation without representation is tyranny.

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The change you can believe in is the change missing from your pocket.

Why is it that Obama, his economic advisers, and the liberal Congressmen strong-arming the legislature into passing the “stimulus” package, all ignore the lessons of history?  Here is the answer: not one of those individuals, entrusted with the welfare of America, cares about the lessons of history, the economy, or the country. They care about power.

Britain to America: 'What have you done?'

Given Obama's radical roots in the neo-Marxist, nihilist politics of Saul Alinsky, it is the undermining of America's fundamental values that is likely to be this President's most strategically important goal. 

Murphy's Law, the Peter Principle and Barack Obama

The perfect collision of Murphy's Law with the Peter Principle has arrived to explode in our faces.

Sometimes a President Is Just a President

If one wants a hawks-eye view into the minds of Obama voters, all one need do is read this piece published by the New York Times last week, detailing the fantasies, dreams and drooling-envy delusions of his followers.  Their celebrity is now their President. h/t, American Thinker

62% Want Stimulus Plan to Have More Tax Cuts, Less Spending

Audio: Hannity grills Specter on his support for the spendulus package.

The Sordid Story of The Stimulus

Arlen $pecter has written an article for the Washington Post, trying to convince us that he is acting responsibly in supporting the $timulus Package.  Here are some of his asinine points:

• I am supporting the economic stimulus package for one simple reason: The country cannot afford not to take action.

• Failure to act would be devastating not just for Wall Street and Main Street but for much of the rest of the world, which is looking to our country for leadership in this crisis.

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the proposed cuts "do violence to what we are trying to do for the future," especially on education. 

• This proverbial half a loaf beats no loaf by a mile.
  

My response:

Dearest Arlen,

Your argument for the "stimulus" is incoherent.  Let me help.  This bill is 88% pork and 12% stimulus. If you were being perfectly honest you would tell us that you simply do not know what impact this bill will have—no one does. If you were being perfectly reasonable, you would admit that a trillion dollar spending spree will likely do more harm than good. 

Because of the tremendous impact their decisions have, physicians take the following oath: "...first do no harm." I know that Senators aren't held to the same high standard, but maybe you should think about these words as you go forward.  You say we "cannot afford not to take action."  Fine.  But here's my question...can we afford to make things even worse?

Perhaps your thinking is being shaped by considerations regarding your chances of being re-elected next year. You don't want to be labeled as a "do nothing", do you?  I can sympathize, but please put your concern for the future of this country ahead of your political ambitions.

I think you're digging your own grave.  Conservatives in your state are going to be sorely disappointed with you. Liberals will know that they can get more of what they want from a real Democrat.  Let's frame the discussion this way: why should Pennsylvanians vote for you when they could have someone who is more honest about his political and ideological affiliations?

Audio Update: Hannity interviews Republican Arlen Specter on his support for the spendulus package.  h/t: M

Other Thoughts

• Pork = stimulus?  Obama is having a hard time selling his stimulus package, not for lack of communication skills, but because his stimulus package is a lie.  Sweet little lies are easy to sell.  This lie is neither sweet nor little.  

• Obama espouses all of the worst political ideas of the last 100 years.  How could he not fail?  If he is re-elected in 2012, it will be because he will have been successful in one single thing: shifting the blame.
  

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We have nothing to hope for but hope itself.

Jesus took a handful of loaves and two fish and fed 5,000 people. Barack wants to take a trillion pieces of pork and feed it to a handful of Democratic Party interest groups. 

The New Great Communicator … Isn't

Somehow this week, unbelievably, Obama and the Democrats seem to be losing the spin war. There are the worrying poll numbers.

50 De-Stimulating Facts

The great French economist Frédéric Bastiat called politics “the great fiction through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.” But who pays for the state bailout? Savers will pay to bail out spenders, and future generations will pay to bail out the undisciplined present.

Ruin Your Health With the Obama Stimulus Plan

Health-care reform “will not be pain free.” Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them. That means the elderly will bear the brunt.

Obama's Remarks at Press Conference

"The strongest democracies flourish from frequent and lively debate, but they endure when people of every background and belief find a way to set aside smaller differences in service of a greater purpose."  Translation: Sign the bill or I will trump you.

10 questions for Obama

Mark Sanford clearly explains why the stimulus is a very bad idea: 

h/t: American Thinker

The Collaborators

Senators have reached a tentative deal on a version of President Obama's economic stimulus plan, including about $811 billion in spending and tax cuts, that will win enough Republican votes to move forward. Sens. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Susan Collins of Maine appeared to be the critical Republicans to sign onto the bill, giving Democrats the 60 votes needed to advance to a final vote. Democrats also voiced confidence that Republican Sen. Olympia Snow of Maine also would vote for the plan.

"It represents an effective, targeted approach to the economic crisis facing our country," Collins said Friday.  "And even more important, it demonstrates to the American people that at a time of crisis we can work together" [to make things worse].

Don't be discouraged, conservatives. Keep pounding away. This one should be a no-brainer for every Republican—liberal, moderate or conservative. The spendulus bill is neither popular nor prudent. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that only 37% of voters favor the legislation; and the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has determined that the "stimulus" package will actually lead to a lower Gross Domestic Product over the next 10 years.


FYI:

Collins (202) 224-2523; ME office (207) 622-8414
Snowe (202) 224-5344; ME office (207) 622-8292
Specter (202) 224-4254; PA office (717) 782-3951


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You must read this! This is a spectacular article about the economy.

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CBO: Obama stimulus harmful over long haul

Support for the Porkulus Bill has droped to 37%