The AP reports:
The fate of $600-$1,200 rebate checks for more than 100 million Americans is in limbo after Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Democrats to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses to the House-passed economic aid package. [...]
The tally was 58-41 to end debate on the Senate measure, just short of the 60 votes Democrats would have needed to scale procedural hurdles and move the bill to a final vote. In a suspenseful showdown vote that capped days of partisan infighting and procedural jockeying, eight Republicans – four of them up for re-election this year – joined Democrats to back the plan, bucking GOP leaders and President Bush, who objected to the costly add-ons.
Compassionate conservatism in action.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:54 pmBetter to give their rich cronies tax breaks while the little people suffer.
Go to hell, repugnicans.
hahaha! just more repuke obstructionism….. hilarious… the stimulus plan is bogus from the get go….. borrow money from china to buy more crap at walmart… MADE IN CHINA…
genius!
impeach these goddamn motherfuc*ers already. bushco is the reason we are in a recession.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:59 pmUSA_Patriot’s knuckle dragging aside . . . Republicans aren’t human. They’ll GLADLY spend money to kill human beings, but won’t spend a little bit to save them. Guess that explains why Dem turnout in every state so far in the primaries FAR exceeds the Repugs. The days of conservatism are over. And what’s that sound? It’s the screams as the country throws the conservatives and their failed religion off a cliff.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:06 pmYep, saw this, and laughed. Now all the Democrats need to do is to scream that the Republicans are the ones blocking this…
…loudly….
…frequently…
…relentlessly…
…and don’t stop until President Elect Clinton or President Elect Obama is confirmed or the Republicans cave.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:06 pmUSA_Pat: This is not the normal slowing of the business cycle, whatever that means, other than freemarket capitalist freebootery mandates booms that benefit the rich and busts that hurt the poor. This is the economy sliding into a recession caused by rampant conservative/libertoonian de-regulation of the mortgage industry.
You have it all wrong. The money isn’t being taken from rich trustafarian Americans and given to poor working slobs, as a result of Bush’s tax cuts the money’s just going from the hands of working stiffs, right back to their hands. If this is income re-distribution it’s purely lateral redistribution.
What’s more unAmerican: to give individuals $500, or it is more unAmerican to give Halliburton and Parsons boondoggle contracts where they earn their money by fraud, if they earn it at all? What’s more unAmerican: to give individuals $500, or for Sen. Stevens, et al to give millions of dollars to their cronies to build bridges to nowhere?
Except as one who inhabits the last refuge of a scoundrel, you are no patriot, sir.
Prof.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:11 pmUSA Patriot-
I think you read this wrong. The republicans are blocking this, not because they do not want to give away money… but because they want to ADD $44 billion to give away to businesses.
Don’t blame the Democrats.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:12 pmAt least that is how it is being reported. Usually they’d imply that the Dems failed. Instead, the stories I’ve seen make clear the Repugs blocked the funds.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:12 pmRepublicans are spending money to save millions of innocent Iraqis and Afghans, while Democrats push for surrender to al Qaeda.
Comment by USA_Patriot — February 6, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
lol, you knuckle-dragging liar.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:17 pmWe can’t afford it. It’s paper money. What’s the difference between 160 Billion and 200 Billion? We don’t have it to start. And how is this really going to help. How long will the 600-1200 going to last? And what happens when others put the money away in savings? What happens when you don’t see a return on your investment? That is what this is isn’t it? We are investing in the American people. Again most of that money will go to products made by China or the Oil companies. Maybe food or clothing. It could go for a dentist appointment or a doctor’s appointment that couldn’t be afforded before. Maybe you can pay one more month of rent or your mortgage. Then what? Another package?
It’s all BS and posturing anyway.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:18 pmOh yes, and both AP and Reuters both delivered hard hitting articles, stating clearly that the republicans are the ones stalling this. More of this!
February 6th, 2008 at 8:18 pmusa patriot is a troll…..best not to even acknowledg his existance……
for the troll……remember this? This is you. You are not here for any other reason than to disrupt the thread…you possibly even get paid for it…..god what an embarrasing way to make a living….oh well I digress….
I can only speak for myself but this was posted by another sensible person in the forums and I agree.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Our infrastructure & economy does need help…but pretty sure these rebates won’t do a thing. Something more comprehensive is needed: Bring back our jobs, get the corporations out of our government and legilators, tax companies that outsource to get money back home to the USA, rescind NAFTA and stop giving the tax breaks to Exxonmobile & the wealthiest 10%. They don’t need it and trickle down doesn’t happen. Create jobs, help people, invest in infrastructure…in other words build the foundation first and the walls & roof can follow.
Bring home our soldiers, stop this horrible descecration of Iraqi homes and people for Exxonmobil & Haliburton ( black gold). I am ashamed of of this immoral admin and backers: lies, spies & torture are not the real American way.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:20 pmREPEAT:
Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Democrats to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses
Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Democrats to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses
Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Democrats to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses
jeeezuuuz …
February 6th, 2008 at 8:20 pmRepublicans are spending money to save millions of innocent Iraqis and Afghans, while Democrats push for surrender to al Qaeda.
Comment by USA_Patriot — February 6, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
How could you care more about people that want you dead more than your own? You people(Republican Lemmings)are the bottom feeders of the world. $30 Billion a moth on death. Not a penny for life.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:22 pmComment by JustPlainTired
he gets paid for every response…..just sayin..
February 6th, 2008 at 8:25 pmAh, I recognize that stench. O.Bigfoot has returned, his new moniker is USA_Patriot. :) Let’s get flagging, people…
February 6th, 2008 at 8:25 pmfrom CNNMoney
“GOP leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he wants to amend the measure to add rebates for disabled veterans and their widows and the elderly, and language – also included in the Democrats’ package – making clear that illegal immigrants can’t get rebate checks.
Reid rejected the offer – at least for the time being – but Republicans seemed confident he would eventually agree to comparable changes since the alternative would be to approve the House bill and leave retirees living on Social Security and disabled veterans without rebate checks.”
February 6th, 2008 at 8:26 pmMan, the trolls are especially pathetic today.
For some reason, a troll sees a story about Senate Republicans blocking a stimulus package proposed by Chimpy, and decides that Democrats are the ones who want to give away money.
…oh, wait — that’s right, Chimpy is no longer a Republican. Isn’t that the latest right-wing delusion?
February 6th, 2008 at 8:26 pmI would request that when TP makes a post like this that the names of the Democrats that voted with the Repukicans be listed so that they may be contacted for public comment.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:27 pmComment by JustPlainTired
boy you hit the nail on the head…..I agree with everything you say….I don’t really see how these rebates are going to help individuals much….guess they really aren’t designed to but then what would be the point?? They won’t even make a house payment for most folks.
I think the big deal in the tite of the thread is that the republicans blocked some stuff that would have really helped certain groups……too bad they are so greedy. and mean.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:29 pmRepublicans are spending money to save millions of innocent Iraqis and Afghans, while Democrats push for surrender to al Qaeda.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHA
Uh, yeah. I guess we don’t count the ones we have blown the shit out of. And as for anyone surrendering to Al Qaeda, there’s not a soul that is interested in doing that. The mouth-breathers have enabled Al Qaeda. It is you that are the enablers. Every single bit of this is your sub-human fault.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:30 pmUS troops are working to protect innocent Iraqi and Afghan lives. You want to leave them to die and leave their countries to al Qaeda.
Comment by USA_Patriot — February 6, 2008 @ 8:23 pm
Yes! Just like we have left our own troops to die in the cold out on the streets. Yes, if it will put food on the table for the working poor here. Yes, if it helps just ONE family here.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:30 pmIf you think it better to deny people here just the bare minimum to survive so that others get rich, you are the traitor. You are the terrorist. You are Anti-American,Anti-Troop and are emboldening the enemy.
Does that answer your question?
Comment by ralph the wonder llama
art is yours……
February 6th, 2008 at 8:32 pm…oh, wait — that’s right, Chimpy is no longer a Republican. Isn’t that the latest right-wing delusion?
Comment by ralph the wonder llama — February 6, 2008 @ 8:26 pm
Ralph, c’mon. You’re not seriously expecting logic in a troll’s post, are you? It’s just another one of our juveniles seeking attention.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:32 pmComment by Fred
Yes I understand. These guys really tick me off, I had to vent. Sorry
February 6th, 2008 at 8:33 pmEvery single bit of this is your sub-human fault.
Comment by scytherius
29 nice use of sub-human……spot on…
February 6th, 2008 at 8:34 pmReality check – the bill was blocked because of the $44B of pork. Period. If the left had a shred of fiscal responsbility they would’ve killed the bill entirely, not drafted it. We’re just going to borrow the money from China or some other willing “investor” stupid enough to give it to us. Great idea – more debt. For what? So Billy Bob and Bobbie Sue can go get that new HD instead of making the trailer payment?
It’s an election year and this is nothing more than a bill to send voters a check that their representatives supported. BS – ignorant Americans.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:34 pmi had a parrot once…
drove me crazy… SQUAAAWCK SQUAWCK SQUAAAWCK!
all the time, until i paid it some attention…
poor thing… i had to give it to someone who appreciated PARROTs…
all they do is SQUAWCK and poop and repeat… SQUAWCK!
February 6th, 2008 at 8:36 pmComment by Fred
Yes I understand. These guys really tick me off, I had to vent. Sorry
Comment by JustPlainTired
been there and done that….no apology necessary……some even enjoy baiting them…..I am over that. What I post is my opinion only….peace.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:36 pmpussyfoot doesn’t know the definition of pithy…
it likes to bloviate…
parrots just SQUAAAWCK…
February 6th, 2008 at 8:38 pmDid you guys hear something? Sounded like a pissed soaked rat hiding in the corner thinking he’s a patriot. It talks about our troops fighting some unnecesary war while it refuses to join. Sad really.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:39 pmReality check – the bill was blocked because of the $44B of pork. Period. If the left had a shred of fiscal responsbility they would’ve killed the bill entirely, not drafted it.
Comment by mayerexpress — February 6, 2008 @ 8:34 pm
Ask yourself. Who brought up the stimulus package? And the $44B is not pork. Are you really that stupid. Pork is a bridge to nowhere. You guys swallow any and everything they feed you.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:39 pmWho told you it was the Dems idea for the package?
Comment by mayerexpress — February 6, 2008 @ 8:34 pm
Exactly!
And the money will be spent on products from the lender!!!!!
China is the new Company Store 2.0!!! Botch is the useless Landlord!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 8:40 pmDid you guys hear something? Sounded like a pissed soaked rat hiding in the corner thinking he’s a patriot. It talks about our troops fighting some unnecesary war while it refuses to join. Sad really.
Comment by specialist f
USA
February 6th, 2008 at 8:43 pmUSA
USA
Patiot…….yay.
our new grunt.
Not even close to being an argument: “lol, you knuckle-dragging liar.â€
Comment by USA_Patriot — February 6, 2008 @ 8:19 pm
whose arguing? i just said you were a knuckle-dragging liar….
February 6th, 2008 at 8:46 pmHow dare those old folks and wounded vets try and get some of the Halliburton and Oil company money? We need that money to send more Americans to die in a foriegn land while occupying a hostile country.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:46 pm#42 And the money will be spent on products from the lender!!!!!
Unlikely. It will mostly be used to pay down consumer debt, which will cause the stimulus package to fizzle.
But you’re right in one area. If you’re going to stimulate the economy, you’ve got to put hands in the money of the mass of consumers, sure. But when those consumers are in debt, that stimulus evaporates. When those consumers aren’t making the things that get bought, that stimulus evaporates. And when the stimulus is laden down with supply-side crap on top of it all, it evaporates.
I don’t see any short-term way out of this. We’ve got to bring manufacturing back through tarriffs, put an end to downward wage pressure by throwing people who hire illegal immigrants in jail, put more money in the hands of consumers by dramatically increasing taxes on the rich to make up for lowering FICA to pay-as-you go levels for people who actually work for a living, and get corporate money out of government so it can’t undo the good work of the New Deal again.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:48 pmSO the stimulus package includes a $600 check to the citizens and a tax break for companies…..hmmm….guess which one I would rather have? The one time shot that will not put a dent in any debt or a gift that would keep on giving?
February 6th, 2008 at 8:49 pmUSA_Patriot, as liberal as I am, I can still see your point as I’m not a big fan of this “$600 in every pot” nonsense myself. It could be better spent to resolve some of the problems your party created. However, you appear more interested in Dem bashing and trolling instead of making a rational debate. You inject “Democrats push for surrender to al Qaeda” as if it’s relevant. That disqualifies you for consideration for any reasonable discussion.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:50 pmI don’t see any short-term way out of this. We’ve got to bring manufacturing back through tarriffs, put an end to downward wage pressure by throwing people who hire illegal immigrants in jail, put more money in the hands of consumers by dramatically increasing taxes on the rich to make up for lowering FICA to pay-as-you go levels for people who actually work for a living, and get corporate money out of government so it can’t undo the good work of the New Deal again.
Comment by PeterW
Man, I want you on my ticket when I go to vote……..
February 6th, 2008 at 8:51 pm#50,
February 6th, 2008 at 8:55 pmUm…the national debt.
#50, considering that the generals you worship themselves admit that Al Queda make up around 5% of the belligerents in Iraq, are you really stupid enough to think they’d take over if we left?
Or would the other 95%, no longer finding them useful, squash them like bugs?
February 6th, 2008 at 8:57 pm#51, history proves you wrong. The longest sustained periods of economic growth in this country were when the top marginal tax rate was between 71% and 91%. Ask the Republican Eisenhower, even he approved.
Why? Because incomes above a couple million in today’s dollars don’t get spent on goods that employ people. Incomes below that get spent mostly on goods that employ people.
Supply-side economics has been a dismal failure, propped up by the illusion of prosperity created by ridiculous amounts of public debt run up by Reagan and the two Bushes.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:59 pmAnd the Democrats want to surrender in Iraq, leaving it to al Qaeda. that is a fact.
Comment by USA_Patriot — February 6, 2008 @ 8:52 pm
No it isn’t. Please show us the unbiased reliable source you are using on this. I believe neither of the two major dem candidates have advocated immediate withdraw
February 6th, 2008 at 9:00 pmAndy, try to be rational. What problems did my party create?
And the Democrats want to surrender in Iraq, leaving it to al Qaeda. that is a fact.
Comment by USA_Patriot — February 6, 2008 @ 8:52 pm
over a thousand lies, breaking over 750 laws that we know of so far….. i love the fact you repeat talking points 5 years old and have been debunked since day 1.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:01 pmMan, that troll is like a chihuahua dog on meth…
YapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyapyap
YapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyap…
Talk about desperate for attention…
YapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyapyap
YapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyapyapYapyapyap…
Some of those posts read suspiciously like Mr P… is that you, P?
For those of you who weren’t here at the time, Mr P was a troll who tried to claim, ahem, “the Saudis aren’t Muslims” and got laughed off the N American continent for his efforts…
February 6th, 2008 at 9:04 pm#51, furthermore, the rich don’t generate jobs, out of some aristocratic largesse.
Demand for goods generates jobs.
And most jobs come from small and medium-sized businesses, whose owners are not that rich.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:04 pmOnly ONE senator did not bother to vote on this measure — John McCain. It would appear that he has “other priorities”, to borrow a tired line from Deadeye Dick. Yes, the former POW should be listed as MIA. But then, no one can accuse him of taking sides on this matter, right?
Had McCain bothered himself to vote to break the filibuster, Reid would have surely done so as well ensuring that necessary 60 votes, that is, UNLESS one of the eight Republicans, polishing their moderate credentials prior to elections later this year, would have then felt obligated to vote otherwise.
Should McCain win the nomination, what are the odds that his Democratic opponent will raise this issue during the debates? Probably about the same as Faux Noose headlining the impact of McCain’s non-vote.
What ever happened to the refrain about wanting an “up or down” vote?
February 6th, 2008 at 9:04 pmwell….usa patriot has his own thread…….and no one is talking about the stimulus package…..
February 6th, 2008 at 9:08 pmFor those of you who weren’t here at the time, Mr P was a troll who tried to claim, ahem, “the Saudis aren’t Muslims†and got laughed off the N American continent for his efforts…
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — February 6, 2008 @ 9:04 pm
What he said. Don’t get trapped in a “discussion” with this mutt; just flag it and pretend all the yappity-yappity is white noise. Otherwise, all you’ll do is waste time better spent cutting your toenails or staring at a blank wall.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:09 pmUSA_pee – I think I like it, TRoS.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:10 pmfor anyone just getting in on this thread….usa patriot is a troll….to see what I think of him please scroll up and read post #16
February 6th, 2008 at 9:12 pmFebruary 6th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
USA_Patriot, the U.S. debt is best looked at in terms of a % of GDP since the actual $ amount isn’t comparable President to President because of inflation & because of economic strength of the country. Since WWII every President has reduced the Debt/GDP % except for Reagan, Bush I and Bush II. They have caused it to increase in every term they served. The combined effort of all other Presidents since WWII has been to reduce the %. The Republicans own your debt. They created it. But in terms of actual $ Bush has increased the debt by 50% since taking office. It’s up from about $6 trillion to $9 trillion. Mission Accomplished.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:17 pmThe tally was 58-41 to end debate on the Senate measure, just short of the 60 votes Democrats would have needed to scale procedural hurdles and move the bill to a final vote.
Once again the corporate media neglects to call this a filibuster. So fricking annoying. That’s what the 60 votes is all about. The Republicans threaten to filibuster EVERY TIME.
A$$holes.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:27 pmIf the Cheerleader Prince and his mafioso party hadn’t already run the economy into the ditch for the sake of lining their slimy pockets with tax$ there’d be no need for a stimulus package.
Republicans invariably return the nation to the sorry state it now occupies – dispirited, deeply indebted, over-obligated, involved in militaristic meddling overseas for profit, and with every leading indicator of anything pointed steeply downward. It’s historical fact.
That anyone still votes R is just bizarre – they don’t even benefit their own in-group much, let alone ordinary citizens. I can only expect it is some congenital contrarianism that humans have – it’s certainly not for “good reasons”.
I for one wouldn’t mind a bit if old McCain had to become the next Pres., so he could stand there holding the bag of sh*t the R’s have amassed for us all while he is pelted with rotten tomatoes day in and day out for for years. You can bet that the day a D Pres. is sworn in Mr. Ratriot here and the rest of his squeaky-wheeled ilk will be here p*ssing and moaning about how the Pres. hasn’t done anything to bail us out of our crackheaded level of debt or insane, unwinnable military commitments. Craven b*tches, every last one of’em
February 6th, 2008 at 9:31 pmDON’T FEED THE TROLLS!
February 6th, 2008 at 9:36 pmThey have got to pass this!!!
The new Amendment contains an extension of the Renewable Energy Tax Credits that will otherwise expire this year, and the failure to address this in the Energy Bill has totally disrupted American Development and Investment in Renewables. This is the best kind of Stimulus we could get. There’s a reason that FDR put a bunch of people to work building Dams like Hoover and Grand Coulee. Energy is the root source of economic capacity.
Here’s a letter to the editor that I wrote a couple days ago on this:
http://americansolareconomy.blogspot.com/2008/01/letter-to-editor-congressperson.html
Copy and paste if you want. Let your Senator know that they must pass this, particularly if you have a Republican Senator.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:39 pmUSA patriot thinks about his mother’s soft breasts when he masturbates.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:46 pmRepublicans can’t run a war, an economy, or a government successfully. Their only expertise is stealing elections and committing mass murder. The proof is right in front of us: Bushco has lost the wars they started, tanked the economy, and turned the geovernment into a criminal enterprise. Anybody defending them is a traitor.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:48 pm#1 – Democrats just love to hand out other people’s money.
Comment by USA_Patriot — February 6, 2008 @ 7:54 pm
And that’s different than Bush handing out money that isn’t there?
I’ll give the Dems some credit for trying to get a bit of the pie into the hands of those who will actually spend it – after all this is supposedly to boost the economy (which I doubt it will anyway).
Let’s face it, the idea of this money as a one-time boost to get the economy going is like putting a pint of gasoline in your car and then being surprised you can’t make it across the country. We’ve got bigger problems than those that will be fixed with $600 checks.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:50 pmThe proof is right in front of us: Bushco has lost the wars they started, tanked the economy, and turned the geovernment into a criminal enterprise. Anybody defending them is a traitor.
Comment by Lefty Patriot
I’ve been thinking about this lately…..the proof part…..you know one of these days we may look back and say……damn, all the signs were there….why didn’t we see it coming?
I hope we can make things work out diffenrently than they read right now…..
February 6th, 2008 at 9:51 pm#1 – Democrats just love to hand out other people’s money.
Comment by USA_Patriot — February 6, 2008 @ 7:54 pm
this clown wants to ignore the $9 billion missing in Iraq, handed out by Republicans to arm Al Qaeda. At least Democrats hand it out to Americans.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:53 pmComment by Tired of being lied to
you may already know this but fyi see post #16
February 6th, 2008 at 9:53 pmI was watching CSPAN today when Mitch McConnell wanted an ammendment because the bill didn’t cover widows of servicemen killed. Harry Reid said no problem, we’ll add it right now, but the repugs objected to that simple solution.
Let’s not tax earned income and tax the hell out of unearned income, begining at 100K per year and up.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:09 pm…a bid by Democrats to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses
What the hell is wrong with including this in the stimulus package?!
republicans are GODDAMNED SCUMBAGS.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:12 pmHas anyone noticed that USA_Patriot has vanished. Do not respond to the troll, report it!
February 6th, 2008 at 10:15 pmI agree with a previous poster. USA_Patriot reeks with the brownshirt stench of O. Bigfoot.
Cockroaches try to get into the house any way they can!
February 6th, 2008 at 10:21 pmUm, the Republicans didn’t create the national debt, that’s absurd.
Comment by USA_Patriot — February 6, 2008 @ 9:11 pm
I know there’s no point in arguing w/ this idiot, but the above comment needs to be rebutted, and is so quite easily.
http://dkosopedia.com/wiki/Data_on_National_Debt_by_President
Notice that fifty years ago, the debt was huge: that’s because WWII was very expensive. Afterward, both parties wisely cooperated to pay down the huge war debt. Ford was the first president to break with that tradition. From that point forward, every Republican worked hard to push us deeper into debt, every Democrat worked hard to get us out of debt.
http://www.cedarcomm.com/~stevelm1/usdebt.htm
The increase in total debt during Reagan’s two terms was larger than all the debt accumulated by all the presidents before him combined. From 1983 through 1985, with a Republican Senate, the debt was increasing at over 17% per year. While Mr. Reagan was in office this nation’s debt went from just under 1 trillion dollars to over 2.6 trillion dollars, a 200% increase.
George Bush Sr. meekly followed in Reagan’s shadow after his election in 1988, by increasing the debt on average a mere 11.8% a year during his four years as President.
The first year Mr. Bush II was in office he had to borrow 133 billion[8]. The first tax cut Bush pushed through a willing Republican Congress caused an upswing in government borrowing that was supposed to stimulate the economy, but two years later Bush had to push through yet another tax cut. The second tax cut was needed because it was clear that the first one did not work. Economic history tells us the second did not work either. As a result of all his tax cutting with no cutting in spending, in 2003 President Bush set a record for the biggest single yearly dollar increase in debt in the nation’s history. He did it again in 2004, increasing the debt more than half a trillion dollars. Since 2003 total borrowing has exceeded $500,000,000,000 per year. Even Mr. Reagan never increased the debt that much in a single year; Mr. Reagan’s biggest increase was only 282 billion, half of GWB’s outrageous spending. As a result of the fact that the debt was already pretty high when Bush II entered office, his annual rate of increase is only averaging 7% per year so far. In 2006 he was holding press conferences bragging that the debt was increasing at the rate of only 300 billion dollars a year, yet in reality it was twice that. Again the facts do not match Neo-Con rhetoric.
Of course 7% growth is a misleading figure as it does not make clear that by so drastically increasing the total debt, the amount of the annual US budget dedicated to service the debt has grown to over 20%. Thanks to misguided Neo-Con ideological thinking, over a fifth of our budget does nothing to contribute to the growth or health of the nation.
Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II ALONE have cumulatively increased the national debt by over 6 TRILLION DOLLARS.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:25 pmGoodness triumphs again. USA_Patriot got himself banned on the first day. Good going, TP, keep ‘em dropping. ;)
(Flagging myself to send the compliment)
February 6th, 2008 at 10:29 pmyou know it’s so fun to play with these trolls. I know it doesn’t serve any good and it just eggs them on, but what else can you do with people who need Rush’s permission to pee or to eat or to even breathe?
yes, I know, ignore them, it’s easier said than done…
February 6th, 2008 at 10:41 pmIf the Cheerleader Prince and his mafioso party hadn’t already run the economy into the ditch for the sake of lining their slimy pockets with tax$ there’d be no need for a stimulus package.
Comment by tombaker — February 6, 2008 @ 9:31 pm
Why don’t people understand this? 3 short months ago there was talk of the great economy. 2 short months ago there was talk of a great economy. So what happened? What changed in the last couple months?
February 6th, 2008 at 10:52 pmI hope my $600 comes in time to send it to Obama.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:52 pmthis clown wants to ignore the $9 billion missing in Iraq, handed out by Republicans to arm Al Qaeda.
Comment by Lefty Patriot — February 6, 2008 @ 9:53 pm
This is part of the reason we need a stimulus package.
$9,000,000,000 just dissapears and no one asked what happened? 200,000 pieces of equiptment, gone. I’m amazed at the level of incompetance. I’m also amazed that they are getting away with it.
I’ll teach them. When we get our $1200, I’m putting it in my mattress.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:59 pmyou know it’s so fun to play with these trolls. I know it doesn’t serve any good and it just eggs them on, but what else can you do with people who need Rush’s permission to pee or to eat or to even breathe?
Comment by ucsbclassics53 — February 6, 2008 @ 10:41 pm
There has got to be a class or a handbook. You can go to any blog message board and see the same things word for word. It reminds me of when the President used the word embolden. I saw people that had a hard time putting a good thought together, use it in a sentence. From his mouth to their ears.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:03 pmYou can go to any blog message board and see the same things word for word.
Comment by JustPlainTired — February 6, 2008 @ 11:03 pm
I’m pretty sure I actually caught 2 different trolls working off of scripts here last fall.
One of the resident trolls used the line “The Dems are playing w/ you the way we play w/ our religious nuts…” one day. That is an EXACT quote. (I have an unusually good memory for word combinations…)
Then, about 6 weeks later, ANOTHER troll uses the SAME, EXACT line…
So, tell me, what are the odds of 2 different trolls using the EXTACT same line, 6 weeks apart? Mere coincidence?
Kinda creepy, when you think about it.
The Righties know they’re getting their a**e* handed to them online. I guess they’re fighting back however they can… if USA_Pat is one of theirs, they’re in worse trouble than they realize.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:23 pmI was wondering where I could get the Troll handbook? You think it’s at Amazon.com?
February 6th, 2008 at 11:35 pmThe amazing thing is that these congresscritters think that giving money to businesses will generate more jobs. This is stupid. There is only one thing that will generate more jobs: more customers. If there are more customers wanting to buy things, the businesses will hire the people to make the goods. No new customers = no new jobs. So give the ‘economic stimulus’ to the people who will spend it … including the elderly, disabled, and working folk.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:27 amI hope my $600 comes in time to send it to Obama.
Comment by jb — February 6, 2008 @ 10:52 pm
i love it.
even better than saving it, uncashed, and sending it back next april…
February 7th, 2008 at 1:06 amMake em fillibuster their red asses off on national tv for a month.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:46 amHalliburton needs this money in Iraq, not the American people.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:51 amjwrjr- you hit the nail on the ,mr paulson said the elderly ,working peopleand the disabled have come to the trough to feed.As a very patriotic AMERICAN mr paulson can kiss our PATRIOTIC BUTTS.DEMS will win the white so can we flush these NEOCON`s out of WASHINGTON.Typical neocon foot in mouth slam against the middle class people of this country that this countries neocon gov`t has cocsistently beat down,et al tax cuts for the rich elists that havie it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 7th, 2008 at 9:32 amPlease remember this come NOVEMBER!!!!!!!!!
Presnit Bushed, “You see, we need to spend the money over there so we won’t have to spend it here.”
February 7th, 2008 at 9:38 amUSA PAT, As i understand our fine soldiers are fighting the very people BUSHCO inc sent them to occupy.We are not fighting AL-QUEDA as far as in i know, the insurgents are the Iraqi people
February 7th, 2008 at 9:51 amwho want BUSHCO the HELL out of their country.As an informed person of this country I do not use main stream media that paints this administration all ROSY and fine.Believing that BUSHCO inc says our fine SOLDIERS are fighting AL-QUEDA is like believing SADDAAM had WMD`s.GOD BLESS OUR SOLDIERS may they come home soon.
Senate breaks stimulus stalemate By ANDREW TAYLOR and JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS, Associated Press Writers
WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans and Democrats agreed Thursday to add rebates for 20 million seniors and 250,000 disabled veterans to a House-passed economic aid package, ending a partisan stalemate over the plan.
The key breakthrough came when Democrats, under pressure from party colleagues in the House, agreed to drop their insistence on adding jobless benefits, heating aid for the poor and business subsidies, and said they would allow a vote on a plan that merely extends the tax rebates to Social Security retirees and disabled veterans.
The turnaround came after Democrats on Wednesday fell just one vote short of pressing their larger, $205 billion plan past a GOP filibuster.
Democrats huddled Thursday and opted not to continue the battle and instead speed the bipartisan measure to President Bush.
The retreat came after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi split with Reid to side with Republicans, including McConnell, and called on the Senate to stop its infighting and pass the bill.
February 7th, 2008 at 4:23 pm