While fiscal conservatives grow more angry at the GOP for aiding and abetting spending with the now called “Stimulus II” Bush tax framework agreement, our FA Founding Father, Curt, wisely pointed out there is a lot of faux rage and posturing going on within the Democrats over the agreement in his Dec 9th post.
I don’t buy the public bruhaha either.
Granted, there’s bound to be well deserved embarrassment because – after years of raging about tax cuts in general – the Dems piled on tax cuts and credits onto the Bush tax policy extension as a condition for their support. Then, of course, the GOP fell into the trap of doing a Christmas repeat with UI benefits, that will expire a year from now. A political potential at a “Scrooge redux”, so to speak.
This reversal of tax cutting economic policy, in itself, is another indicator that Obama and the Dem Congress might be catching on that not only did their stimulus fall flat, but that the step up in rising mortgage rates indicate Bernanke’s Fed Reserve Policy is backfiring.
Were that not enough to sense new rumblings in the air, even the POTUS himself had a freudian slip of ideology when he proposed an overhaul of the IRS tax code “…to lower rates and raise revenues…” as a method of tackling the nation’s unsustainable debt. An effort I could get behind, mind you… possibly one of the very few since Obama has taken office.
What has become obvious is Obama is astutely aware that he’s in a rock and a hard place. He’s so riled his progressive base that they’re actively seeking a 2012 challenger. The nation has made sure he’s lost his power structure in Pelosi’s House, and Reid’s supermajority is to become but a nation’s nightmare of yesterday.
But those in Congress, who have been addicted to absconding from taxpayers’ wallets for years, do not go down quietly. So one has to wonder if all their posturing is not only to hide their overt change of heart over tax cuts and business credits, but also to serve as the main attraction while more serious spending passes quietly in the pre Christmas nights.
One of those is the ever ongoing funding of Congress… the latest incarnation of the Continuing Resolution being HR 3082, which passed the house late Wed eve, Dec 8th, by a 212-206 vote. 35 Dems defected on the CR, siding with 171 GOPers. While reasons may vary, for many it had to do with the stealth funding for O’healthcare buried in the text. Specifically the funding is for Sections 4001, 4004, 4201 and 4301 of HR 3590, aka the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (if that ain’t a hoot of an oxymoron in retrospect…).
But word is, the piling on isn’t done with the Continuing Resolution even yet. According to Phil Kerpin’s report on Fox News, the Senate is rumoured to tag on “…a full-blown omnibus appropriations bill packed with pork-barrel earmarks, spending increases, and even more funding for every top Obama administration priority.
In short, while the media covers the Dems vaudeville in-fighting act with relish, the usually quiet business of keeping the government running is slated to be a last hurrah of spending by the lame duck Supermajority. But wait… it gets worse. If they didn’t already have the numbers in the Senate, there’s a few sour grapes GOPers willing to defect in order to bring home the pork in time for Christmas dinner.
The most likely to play ball are three retiring appropriators: Kit Bond of Missouri, George Voinovich of Ohio, and Robert Bennett of Utah who will never face voters again. Plus, there’s also the highest-ranking Republican appropriator: Thad Cochran of Mississippi.
We don’t know which earmarks made it into the omnibus yet but we do know that Kit Bond requested 142 earmarks this year totaling over $600 million. George Voinovich requested 172 earmarks totaling over $460 million, Robert Bennett requested 321 earmarks topping $1.3 billion, and Thad Cochran requested a whopping 712 earmarks totaling over $2.4 billion.
Other Republican senators worth worrying about identified themselves last week when they voted against the Coburn-McCaskill amendment to ban earmarks: Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Dick Lugar (R-Ind..), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.).
Needless to say, pressure needs to remain in order to make sure that the new faces, and incumbent Congress, clearly heard the “Thou shalt not spend” commandment, delivered to them just a little over a month ago. Because, apparently, all too many seem to have forgotten, or simply don’t care.
For more information, and ways to speak up via petitions, Americans for Prosperity – that evil organization singled out by Obama as a “foreign influenced” threat – set up a project website called November Speaks…. including a virtual march on Washington. Yes, folks… in this new age, “pajama clad” bloggers can still march on Washington from the comfort of their keyboards. Make your voices continued to be heard.. and then start reminding them of the 2nd commandment…. “Thou shalt cut expenses, just like the American families have to do!”
It has become abundantly obvious in all too short of a time that none of us can afford – literally – to turn our backs on the beltway, and that memories of those holding seats still are very short term. If we are to return some stability to the American economy, and slowly but surely tackle the debt, some big “changes” need to be done. And none of them resemble what “change” we’ve seen for the past two years. The spending must stop, and the hard task of incremental cutting and slicing away is overdue to begin.
Vietnam era Navy wife, indy/conservative, and an official California escapee now residing as a red speck in the sea of Oregon blue.
“What kind of dog did you say that was mister?”
“Before I cut off his tail and painted him yellow, he was an alligator.”
Some people are fooled more easily than others; others offer nothing, yet they tie up the commentary with witless and provocative remarks that serve only to destroy the opportunity to engage and discuss issues in an intelligent forum.
I have no proof, but I think our old National Socialist collaborator pays these people by the column inch to destroy meaningful dialog. If we spend our time engaging this harpie from the Socialist sewers, our time and commentary will become as insipid, boring, and meaningless as the liberal commentary and that my dear friends is the purpose of our latest manure slinger.
Have at it, if you want to play their game, but you will find that others are losing interest.
Smorg… “As I have mentioned before, I went through school with the sole goal of getting out. At the age of 18 I accomplished my main goal in life.”
The “Old Trooper”… “my 30 Years in the US Military dealing with US Forces and Allies.”
Magnificently educated AND a lifetime of training in following orders and not thinking for them self.
I must have been crazy to disagree with such a “think tank”.
Keep up the good work boys
Mrs. N
@Mrs. Neutron:
Good morning…glad you stopped by again today because I have a question.
When did lying, or more specifically, libel become acceptable behavior from a self-professed Conservative?
More dogma from an intellectual dog. Ms. Neutron, you really aren’t very bright. Your primary goal here seems to be to insult those far more intelligent than yourself..which means pretty much everyone.
@Mrs. Neutron:
You didn’t mean perhaps…..”thinking for”…themselves? I would think a “ahem” gracious, educated person such as yourself would appreciate the fact that someone who has, during a large portion of his life, put his life on the line enduring injuries, IOW, shot by the enemy, so many can have the freedom of expressing themselves. Perhaps a person, such as yourself would knock that chip off their shoulder and show a modicum of respect when addressing a true American hero. Not only has he devoted a career of service to our nation, his daughter is following in his footsteps. You are, with every comment, digging a deeper hole and proving to be a POS Behar.
Since you obviously have not bothered to peruse our archives, you are functioning without a clue as to who Old Trooper is, again making a complete fool of yourself.
@ Mrs. Neutron…Thanks for Your Support. We Defend those that Deserve it the Least with no Prejudice. Even Phony Pseudo Intellectuals …Like…You… 😉
NEUTRON THAT IS A SMALL PARTICLE IN THE UNIVERSE IS NT IT,?
AND IT REPRESENT EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE
B_Rob, hi, wait til 2012, and you will see the facts ,yes, those you are talking about,
those facts coming as reality, FROM THE CONSERVATIVES OF THIS NATION to help all AMERICANS, HERE AND ABROAD, I AM SURE YOU WILL BE SURPRISE TO RECOVER THE REAL AMERICA LOVED BY HER PEOPLE.
@Mrs. Neutron: #60
I agree with Skookum in comment #59 and wasn’t going to comment any more, even before he wrote it. Since you commented to me personally, I will. I am applying the wrestling with a pig in the mud rule here.
QUESTION
Why is arguing with a truck driver like wrestling with a pig in the mud.
ANSWER
After a while you finally figure out that the pig likes it.
I used to do like you are doing and found fault with everybody to bring them down to my level. I found out it only turned people against me. I read the book, “How To Win Friends And Influence People” and found out the teachings work. I suggest you read it.
Doesn’t it say somewhere in the Bible, “Judge not, lest ye be judged?”
SMORGASBORD, PLEASE MY FRIEND, I DO’NT WANT A FRIEND LIKE NEUTRON,
I HAVE ALL MY FRIENDS HERE, AND SOME MORE WHO COME SOMETIMES,
WHAT ELSE CAN I ASK FOR, AND WE STILL FIND NEW ONE OTHER THAN THIS NEUTRON.
WHICH HAS NOT PROVE TO BE CONSERVATIVE AT ALL
@ilovebeeswarzone: #68
The worst thing we can do with people like this is to keep talking about them. Let’s try ignoring them and maybe they will go away.
Federal Judge Rules in Favor of Virginia’s Central Challenge to Health Care Law
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/13/federal-judge-rules-favor-virginia-challenge-health-care-law/
OK now. This is EXACTLY what Happens when the American Voters selected the 111th Congress, the MOST Constitutionally and Economically ILLITERATE Congress…EVAH!
PS..Da POTUS, bein a Constitutional Scholar, a Genius & ALL, Shudda known better that to sign off on this POS. NONE of these DULLARDS read the Bill?????
😛
OT2, @ #70,
Thanks for posting the news.
I’ve been painting.
Missed it.
There will no doubt be a challenge all the way to the Supreme Court.
I wonder how that body will rule.
OLD TROOPER 2, you have made many STATES leaders and their AMERICANS very happy just before CHRISTMAS ,BY ANOUNCING this good news, the BUSYNESSES WIL HAVE A SY OF RELEIF THEY MUCH NEED AT THIS TIME,
THANK YOU
For those of you, who struggled with the predatory grading of first year university English classes, I ask you to analyze this prose from the most intelligent man in the world:
Read that two or three times and pretend it makes sense, if you have the patience. This man couldn’t pass freshman English and the Socialists still insist on heralding him as a scholar, this is the reason he doesn’t speak without a teleprompter, because he can’t.
I only have six years of formal education; yet, to me, this reads like the speech of an illiterate. I am probably the last one that would be considered an Elitist intellectual snob within our group, so please don’t throw that at me. We are reading the words of a president who was touted to be an honors’ graduate of an ivy league school: a man who is intellectually beyond the most gifted among us and this is the message he has for us.
This is why his grades and records are sealed from us: he is an intellectual lightweight. We have an empty suit playing at a role, nothing wrong with that if you are in Hollywood, but this is the most powerful position in the world and we have a manufactured persona playing at being president.
Skook,
Thanks for the welcome chuckle before dinner.
And . . . “we have a manufactured persona playing at being president” – rather says it all. Yet, still, the MSM seems void of embarrassment, . . . strange.
Gawd I love it when you step into the manure I leave out, just for you, Billy Bob.
Let me get this straight… Obama has had the Volcker led economic experts, and his own appointees, for almost two years now. When all seems darkest before the dawn, he allows the GOP Congressional leadership to pick six appointees, and the Dem Congressional leadership to pick the other six. Obama puts in six, but it takes agreement between 14 of the 18 before the proposal is put forth.
After some pow wow’ing, they come up with nothing that resembles the Obama/Geithner fiscal plan for recovery… which can be summarized as “spend, spend, and then spend some MORE!”
What’s in common here? Obama didn’t pick any of ’em but perhaps two who could have made a difference… LOL But you want to give him credit?
You are a pathetic little party animal, Billy Bob. If Obama had a salt lick of economic horse sense, he would have been able to have picked a diverse range of economic advisors who weren’t clueless from his PEBO days, and this commission would never have been necessary. As it was, it had to be left to others to get right back to… uh, lowering tax rates.
oops… spoke too soon. Apparently The Moment of Truth didn’t pass the vote muster, as only 11 out of the 18 went for it.
Wow… let’s see… “bipartisan” with 6 GOP appointees, 6 Dim appointees, and 6 progressive appointees by Obama. 12 to 6, and still they couldn’t get that last vote? hummmm
My pleasure JR.
It is not reasonable to expect people to be embarrassed for doing their job. The Media has been bought and paid for, their Socialist dreams should be their just reward; unfortunately, we stand in the way of a Socialist Dystopia and we, the bloggers of the internet, have been much more effective delivering the message, much to the chagrin of the professional journalists of the Obama propaganda machine. If we are to put our faith in political correctness, it is our assigned mission to feel empathy with their failure, incompetence, and stupidity; unfortunately, I can’t find the compassion within me to feel compassion for the outrageous bumbling of the self-anointed fourth estate. If the best they can do is stick their butt over the hog pen to take a dump, why should we worry that they fell back in the slop and the hogs are still hungry?