ThinkFast: February 25, 2009
ThinkFast: February 25, 2009
Today, Republicans in Congress “are expected to deliver a daylong rant…against Democratic spending legislation.” However, “the bill is loaded with thousands of pet projects that Republican lawmakers inserted,” such as $142,500 for emergency repairs for a museum in Austin and $1.425 million for Nevada “statewide bus facilities.” The top two Republicans appropriators “also inserted local projects.”
A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted last night found that 68 percent of those who watched President Obama’s speech to Congress “had a very positive reaction, with 24 percent indicating that they had a somewhat positive response and 8 percent indicating that they had a negative reaction.”
Despite the fact that the Employee Free Choice Act has not been introduced yet, labor groups are still confident they can pass the measure. The Chamber of Commerce, however, believes its efforts to block or slow the legislation are paying off. A spokesperson for the group said yesterday the delay “definitely represents a major loss of momentum in this legislation.”
Right-wing activists are launching a “preemptive campaign” against Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS) for HHS Secretary. The group, named Operation Rescue, says that Sebelius, a Roman Catholic, is “the most rabidly pro-abortion governor” in the country.
Yesterday, Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, told a House subcommittee that the taxpayer bailout “is vulnerable to fraud that could potentially cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars. … He also said fewer than 5% of banks receiving government aid have responded to a request about what they have done with their bailout money.”
Captain Chesley Sullenberger, the “hero of the Hudson,” told Congress yesterday, “My pay has been cut 40%, my pension, like most airline pensions, has been terminated.” “I am worried that the airline piloting profession will not be able to continue to attract the best and the brightest,” he said.
“The housing crisis is hitting military families particularly hard, according to real estate agents and service member advocacy groups.” Soldiers who bought homes during the boom, but must relocate because of new orders are “faced with selling their homes at a big loss,” which is “leaving some families facing options including renting at a loss, separation from their loved ones or, in some cases, foreclosure.”
“More than 770 companies and interest groups hired an estimated 2,340 lobbyists to influence federal policy on climate change in the past year,” according to an analysis of Senate lobbying forms by the Center for Public Integrity. That number represents a 300 percent increase in the number of global warming lobbyists since 2003.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court “affirmed federal efforts to bar those convicted of crimes involving domestic violence from owning guns.” In a 7 to 2 decision, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg explained that “Congress might have been inartful in drafting the 1996 law, but its intentions and underlying concerns were clear: ‘Firearms and domestic strife are a potentially deadly combination nationwide.’”
And finally: Lawmakers were a-Twitter last night during President Obama’s address to the Joint Session of Congress. One of the most curious came from Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX). Dana Milbank notes that “at about the time the president spoke of the need to pull the country together,” Barton wrote, “Aggie basketball game is about to start on espn2 for those of you that aren’t going to bother watching pelosi smirk for the next hour.” A few minutes later, however, another message went out: “Disregard that last Tweet from a staffer.”
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The military moves people too frequently at great expense and inordinate disruption to lives. In this time of exaggerated impact, you’d think they’d work to save money and lower stress, or would you?
February 25th, 2009 at 9:07 amHey Bert I was meaning to ask you, do you work in the oilfields there in Wyoming, or are you into sheep?
February 25th, 2009 at 9:07 amNevar,
Wasn’t Bert once a below average game show host?
I believe so.
He’s from the era of ‘back when men were men & sheep were nervous’…
February 25th, 2009 at 9:10 amToday, Republicans in Congress “are expected to deliver a daylong rant…against Democratic spending legislation.”
They gonna bring up that bogus train from Vegas to SoCal again like Jindull trotted out last night? How many times can they keep going to that card when it’s already been exposed as BS?
“Who ya gonna believe, me or your lyin eyes?”
February 25th, 2009 at 9:12 amCongratulations, President Obama, on an encouraging and straightforward speech to the joint houses of Congress & the American public.
Bobby Jingo could certainly take some pointers from you on how to address the Nation.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:12 amHe sounded like a scared kid, afraid to be out on the playground with the big kids.
If it is true that abuses have gone up since Obama’s election, BHO needs to get supervisors down there that will stop the nonsense. Last night he said that the US does not torture, so he needs to back it up. We need to hold his feet to the fire on all of his promises.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:13 amRussia to upgrade its nuclear arsenal: deputy PM
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/World/2009/02/25/8526151.html
February 25th, 2009 at 9:14 amCaptain Chesley Sullenberger, welcome to America’s abysmal leadership. The race is on to the lowest global common denominator on taxes and worker pay/benefits.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:15 am“Certainly in my experience there have been many, many more reported incidents of abuse since the inauguration,…”
Under Bush they were too afraid to report the abuse.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:17 amYesterday, the Supreme Court “affirmed federal efforts to bar those convicted of crimes involving domestic violence from owning guns.” In a 7 to 2 decision, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg explained that “[c]ongress might have been inartful in drafting the 1996 law, but its intentions and underlying concerns were clear: ‘Firearms and domestic strife are a potentially deadly combination nationwide.’”
Two points about this. The dissenters in this case were Roberts and Scalia. These alleged strict constructionists and opponents of judicial activism based their dissent on ignoring the clear intent of the lawmakers who passed the relevant law.
And second, big props to Judge Ginsburg, still out there calling it true.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:19 amHere’s another little tidbit from Joe Barton R-TX…
February 25th, 2009 at 9:21 amhttp://www.culturekitchen.com/liza/blog/congressman_joe_barton_r_cd6_uses_schip_to_auditio
Hey Bert, first paragraph in the article you linked:
“prison guards “get their kicks in” before the camp is closed”
So yeah, this is still on Bush. 100%.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:21 amMr. Bernanke told the Senate banking committee that the Federal Reserve was doing everything it could to unlock credit markets and encourage lending and borrowing. Still, a full recovery is potentially at least a year away, he said, and that is if all goes according to plan.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/business/economy/25econ.html?_r=1
February 25th, 2009 at 9:31 amHey Bert, as hard as you try, Gitmo will always be on bushes hands. No matter how hard wingnuts try to wash the blood off bushes hands, it will always remain. We now have a President who is going to close this nightmare, but the blood will still remain on your fearless leader.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:34 amEverybody knows it was Bill Clinton’s fault.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:35 amThe head of America’s tick on the groin of the federal government weighed in”
The Carlyle Group’s David Rubenstein, in a recent interview with CFR.org, said the U.S. government’s strategy is best understood as a “kitchen-sink approach.” Washington doesn’t “really know what will be necessary to make it work,” Rubenstein said, “but they’re willing to try almost anything.”
http://www.cfr.org/publication/18610/obama_template.html?breadcrumb=%2F
This is one PEU, private equity underwriter. They will save banks via Geithner’s public-private partnerships.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:36 amWow, there’s a lot to comment on on this thread.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:36 amAnd I believe I’ve gathered how off topic comments aren’t good etiquette. So, I humbly apologize up front for:
I can’t wait to see the thread on how the Senate is going to announce investigation of torture under bush.
It was a great speech by our president. If Jindal is the best the Republicans can do they are in trouble. He was boring and just repeated the same old talking points from the Republican playbook that did not work. He was really boring.
The governor of Kansas is a class act. She would make a great Secretary of HHS.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:38 amRepugs would have been better off last night, if they had just put up a big cardboard sign saying NO.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:45 amZimzone Says:
He’s from the era of ‘back when men were men & sheep were nervous’…
_____________
And there was no such thing as virgin wool…
February 25th, 2009 at 9:47 amThe Republicans are playing a very dangerous game right now. They are banking on Obama failing so that they can reap the rewards of being the ‘opposition’ party, no matter what the cost is to the country.
If Obama’s plans work… the Republican Party, as we know it, is dead and gone.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:50 amjacambece @ 20
If that’s your idea of comedy, you are a sick mofo.
I don’t care a jot about Jindal’s background, ethnicity, religion or middle name. The fact he recites tired “teh gubmint is teh problem” nonsense is what counts. That he recited it like he was the fcuking playground assistant supervisor was what made it hilarious.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:52 amjacambece (#20) flagged for racist remark. I’m no Jindal fan, but prejudice is an ugly thing.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:52 amBERT CONVY Says:
Hey loons… haw are you going to blame this on Bush?
Gitmo failures are all Obama’s fault.
Abu G abuses are Obama’s fault.
The economic crisis is Obama’s fault.
Extraordinary renditions for torture are Obama’s fault.
Deregulation and outsourcing are Obama’s fault.
Iraq private contractor fraud is Obama’s fault.
350 billion unaccounted TARP funds is Obama’s fault.
Joethenotplumber’s lack of a license is Obama’s fault.
Katrina is Obama’s fault.
Enron is Obama’s fault.
Oil company’s war profiteering is Obama’s fault.
Illinois corruption is Obama’s fault.
Toe-tapping politicians are Obama’s fault.
Government size increased to historic levels is Obama’s fault.
The attacks on 9/11 are Obama’s fault.
Plame’s outing is Obama’s fault.
Wiretapping is Obama’s fault.
My bad knee is Obama’s fault.
The increasing irrelevancy of the republican party is Obama’s fault (oh… wait… scratch that… sounds like it may be a case of “too much fu(king perspective”).
February 25th, 2009 at 9:55 amRight-wing activists are launching a “preemptive campaign” against Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS) for HHS Secretary. The group, named Operation Rescue, says that Sebelius, a Roman Catholic, is “the most rabidly pro-abortion governor” in the country.
A$$holes.
No one is “pro-abortion”.
No one wants MORE abortions as a matter of policy. It’s dishonest and a distortion to claim that anyone in public life is “pro-abortion”.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:55 amby the way, Keith H. off-topic posts are generally considered cool in a “ThinkFast” thread like this one. So speculate away, dude.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:57 amJacombece, You are way out of line! I am no fan of Jindal but to use a racial slur to discribe him is wrong, and I would appreciate it if you do not stoop to the level of attacking people because of their race or ethnicity. There is no place for that here.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:01 amHey Cagey, you got it all wrong bro. It’s not Obama’s fault, it’s Clinton’s.
Jeez, get your facts straight.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:01 amralph, these are the same people who think dinosaurs walked with humans and intelligent design is a science.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:02 amAnd what the hell is this “request” to the banks receiving TARP? There should not be any “requests” — it should be “required”. So, the criminals greatly (if not solely) responsible for the country’s economic woes, and who received welfare from the taxpayers, are allowed to shrug off any oversight? You know, to get welfare or food stamps, etc. the common person has to jump through an awful lot of hoops, and there are conditions set on the funds received — even those few who do cheat the system have to work at making the appearance of jumping through the hoops. When the welfare reaches a certain amount of money (say, in the millions?) I suppose the rules become more lax “to simplify the process”?
WTF?!??!!!??!
??
February 25th, 2009 at 10:02 am!
?!?!!
!?!
ralph the wonder llama Says:
No one wants MORE abortions as a matter of policy. It’s dishonest and a distortion to claim that anyone in public life is “pro-abortion”.
______________
It’s just the way the GOOPers set someone up… I mean set up an issue, ralph.
It’s called “a frame job”… oops, I mean “framing”.
You get the idea…
February 25th, 2009 at 10:03 am“More than 770 companies and interest groups hired an estimated 2,340 lobbyists to influence federal policy on climate change in the past year,” according to an analysis of Senate lobbying forms by the Center for Public Integrity. That number represents a 300 percent increase in the number of global warming lobbyists since 2003.
Let me take a WAG at who hired the lobbyists.
Greenpeace? Sierra Club? Prolly not.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:04 amSo is Governor Jindal rabidly Catholic?
February 25th, 2009 at 10:04 amcitizen_pain Says:
Hey Cagey, you got it all wrong bro. It’s not Obama’s fault, it’s Clinton’s.
Jeez, get your facts straight.
(Hanging head in shame) I deeply apologize to you, and your family, and your ancestors, for any harm my statements have caused, or may cause in the future. They were in no way fair comment, and I retract them unreservedly, and beg that you can see fit to forgive my heinous transgression. ;)
…. i was just tyring to be current ….I will go bang my head on the pavement for an hour or so in order to “get my conservative on” before posting in fascist mode again.
Clinton… its all Clinton’s fault……
February 25th, 2009 at 10:07 amCageyCretin Says:
…. i was just tyring to be current ….I will go bang my head on the pavement for an hour or so in order to “get my conservative on” before posting in fascist mode again.
Clinton… its all Clinton’s fault……
____________
By golly… w/ an attitude like this, and such a highly developed tolerance for self-inflicted pain, I think he’s ready to join the GOOP!
Hey, Steele! We gotta a live one fer ya!
February 25th, 2009 at 10:11 amJeez, CageyCretin, you couldn’t even git yer apology right.
Yer s’posed to say “I apologize IF anyone was offended” or some such.
That way, if no one was offended, ya didn’t apologize, so yer not a lily-livered librul. An’ if anyone WAS offended, it’s their own damn fault fer bein’ so thin-skinned.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:14 amI wonder if Rep. Barton’s “aide” will be trying to convince his/her former employer this morning to have his district in Texas take some of the stimulus money to support his/her impending unemployment claim…
Ain’t that just like a repuke — send out a snarky twitter, and then blame it on the little people in yer office…
February 25th, 2009 at 10:15 amTRos, Ralph, cit_p… et. al. ……
YER ALL FILTHY LIBRULS!!!! Yur messiah will bring socalesm and communism like in third world places and we will be jest like them becuz of yoo scerty cat libruls. THE RIGHTEOUS GOP CANCERVATIVE MILITIA WILL ARISE FROM THE HOLY BIBLE LIKE IT WERE SAID AN ROUND UP ALL YOU LIBRULS INTO CAMPS AND be SHOT and gitmo will be paradise for you all weaklings….
(howzzat?)
February 25th, 2009 at 10:27 amNow yer talkin’ Cagey.
… Now yer talkin’.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:30 amJapanes exports fell off a cliff in January:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7909248.stm
February 25th, 2009 at 10:33 amSay, could you youngster’s tone down the humor until I am done with my morning coffee Please…LOL.There should be a law, no excessive humor until after 10 A.M. west coast time..My key board and moniter thank you for the consideration….Carry on…..P.B. & J
February 25th, 2009 at 10:37 am“The group, named Operation Rescue, says that Sebelius, a Roman Catholic, is “the most rabidly pro-abortion governor””
Wow, just how many abortions has Ms. Sebelius had to gain that reich wing title?
February 25th, 2009 at 10:41 amBert Convoy is back? That cowardly troll disappeared during the election season because he was afraid to get his ass handed to him and now he skulks back to blame Gitmo on President Obama. I guess this means next week when President Obama unveils his budget, with the cost of bush’s occupation included, berty will howl about how our President is increasing the deficet at a much larger rate than bush did.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:41 amZimzone Says:
Nevar,
Wasn’t Bert once a below average game show host?
I believe so.
He’s from the era of ‘back when men were men & sheep were nervous’…
Missing a key part: Back when men were men, women were scarce, and the sheep were nervous.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:44 amIn operation rescues mind Being a Democrat is an abortion, so Ms. Sebelius gains the title by default.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:47 amoh jeez… i was hoping for a jindal thread this morning… i was off last night when that one was posted… and now, with over 400 comments, i don’t dare wade in…
i slept too late this morning to see what the TODAY SHOW had to say about his “speech”, what a great job he did…
listening to stephanie miller now, and they are having great fun with that unfortunate (for repugs) display of delusion…
they have decided that michele bachman should run with him and have dubbed the campaign “Bachman/Jindal Overdrive”… ha!
one caller (and there are many with great jokes) opined that he was like M.Night Shamilan impersonating Mr. Rogers… ha!
it was quite a joke, for sure…
February 25th, 2009 at 10:49 amBarton wrote, “Aggie basketball game is about to start on espn2 for those of you that aren’t going to bother watching pelosi smirk for the next hour.” A few minutes later, however, another message went out: “Disregard that last Tweet from a staffer.”
_________
Nice… clearly some are still learning the consequences of making stupid comments on internet-connected media… welcome to the 21th century, Joe…
February 25th, 2009 at 10:53 amhere katy, from Huffington Post…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/24/msnbc-cuts-to-jindal-with_n_169697.html
Someone clearly says “Oh gawd” as Jindal appears, followed by someone else laughing in the background…
February 25th, 2009 at 10:57 amCageyCretin Says:
TRos, Ralph, cit_p… et. al. ……
YER ALL FILTHY LIBRULS!!!!
______________
Geez, Cagey… way to git yer Inner Troll on! Where were you last Saturday when we held The Think Progress First Annual Troll Impression Contest*
Hey, ralph… next time we need a stand-in troll…
Jes make sure you don’t git confused about which bat is the wiffle ball bat and which is the REAL bat…
(TRoS gives Ralph a dirty look…)
*shameless, self-serving plug…
February 25th, 2009 at 10:58 amBERT CONVY Says:
Hey loons… haw are you going to blame this on Bush?
Guantanamo abuse has worsened since Obama
February 25th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Did you read the article, or just the headline?
It’s certainly not Obama’s fault that Bush created Guantanamo and legitimized torture. It’s not Obama’s fault that the military and intelligence apparatus Bush was in charge of hired and deployed a bunch of sadistic people to Guantanamo who are now behaving so disgustingly.
However, now that Obama has inherited Bush’s monster, it IS his fault if he does nothing about it, and refuses to investigate and prosecute the people who created the system. If Obama chooses inaction in the name of “looking forward,” he becomes just as guilty as Bush for these sins.
February 25th, 2009 at 11:00 amTRoS:
Saw that troll-a-thon. Still think the chewing gum on Ralphie’s chair was underhanded. You know, he has to SHAVE wherever that gum gets stuck…..
February 25th, 2009 at 11:05 amCageyCretin Says:
TRoS
Saw that troll-a-thon. Still think the chewing gum on Ralphie’s chair was underhanded. You know, he has to SHAVE wherever that gum gets stuck…..
_________
True… but he didn’t sit on that chair… he offered it to Wayne, who apparently never realized he sat on gum…
Word to the wise, Cagey… if ralphie ever wants to “play some wiffle ball”…
Be vewwy, vewwy careful…
February 25th, 2009 at 11:14 amHm. A pair of Democrat bigwigs not making for a pleasant Wednesday morning for our President.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/19303.html
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090225/NEWS02/902250416
Wasn’t it Will Rogers who said “I don’t belong to an organized party, I am a Democrat” ? As funny as it was profound.
Really sorry I missed the troll-a-thon…
February 25th, 2009 at 11:29 amKeltoi Says:
Hm. A pair of Democrat bigwigs not making for a pleasant Wednesday morning for our President.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/19303.html
February 25th, 2009 at 11:29 am
__________
Good for Byrd – I completely agree with him. We don’t need more czars making policy recommendations. We need cabinet-level people accountable to Congress, or at least bipartisan commissions and councils with transparent procedures. Czars are a bit too “fourth branch” for me.
February 25th, 2009 at 11:40 amNevar Says:
here katy, from Huffington Post…
Someone clearly says “Oh gawd” as Jindal appears, followed by someone else laughing in the background…
thanks nevar… i heard that too… that was funny…
February 25th, 2009 at 11:52 amheard on stephanie that it was chris matthews…
hussein toasterhead Says:
——————————————————————————–
Keltoi Says:
Hm. A pair of Democrat bigwigs not making for a pleasant Wednesday morning for our President.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/19303.html
February 25th, 2009 at 11:29 am
__________
Good for Byrd – I completely agree with him. We don’t need more czars making policy recommendations. We need cabinet-level people accountable to Congress, or at least bipartisan commissions and councils with transparent procedures. Czars are a bit too “fourth branch” for me.
Something we can agree on. Though I think Byrd just might want to consider retirement, his championing the Senate has always earned him props from me, though on many other issues I disagree with him.
Who was the first “czar” anyway – was it Drug Czar? That sure turned out great. Powerful presidents throughout history have had their “kitchen cabinets” that sought to bypass Congress (Jackson, Wilson and FDR notable among them) but institutionalizing such things is bad for checks and balances. I’d say the Legislative branch is plenty neutered since WWII already.
February 25th, 2009 at 11:55 amCBS News poll conducted Tuesday evening found broad increases of support in almost all areas surrounding President Barack Obama’s approval of the economy.
In fact, Obama’s approval rating for handling the economic crisis leapt 17 percent after the speech among those who watched it, from 63 to 80 percent.
51 percent of viewers felt that Obama’s economic plans would help them personally, with 36 percent before the speech — and increase of 15 percent.
February 25th, 2009 at 12:04 pmNevar Says:
Someone clearly says “Oh gawd” as Jindal appears, followed by someone else laughing in the background…
It sure sounded like Tweety.
February 25th, 2009 at 12:04 pm#62,
February 25th, 2009 at 12:05 pmIt sounded like Tweety to me too, and I just read that a source has confirmed that.
The Senate is quietly preparing plans to investigate allegations of torture under President George W. Bush, according to comments published Wednesday by Senate Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy (D-VT) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
The Senate Judiciary Committee could announce a hearing to consider various plans to probe allegations of torture as early as today.
February 25th, 2009 at 12:10 pmThis is adult behavior??
February 25th, 2009 at 12:24 pmHappy birthday, katy!
February 25th, 2009 at 12:52 pmthank you, zooey. :-)
(i knew you would do that… ha!)
…
to wannabekool -
is it over your head? stick around, keep quiet, you’ll catch on…
February 25th, 2009 at 12:55 pmand get smart too!
not my favorite song, but from my favorite group,
and dedicated to my favorite Beatle, George Harrison… R.I.P.
it’s his bithday too, yeah…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHTN0sSXDEQ&feature=related
…
February 25th, 2009 at 1:41 pmoff to lunch with my mom…
take care all…
He also said fewer than 5% of banks receiving government aid have responded to a request about what they have done with their bailout money.”
Republicans love to give taxpayer money to rich people without oversight, but rebuilding the economy through increases in Government programs which contribute to a stronger overall country, not so much.
FASCIST PIGS.
February 25th, 2009 at 3:32 pmPentagon Officials Must Sign Secrecy Pledge
Department of Defense officials who are involved in preparation of the Fiscal Year 2010 budget request are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement pledging not to divulge budget-related information to unauthorized persons.
A copy of the non-disclosure agreement, which was obtained by Defense News, is available here (pdf).
In President Obama’s January 20, 2009 inaugural address, he promised a new degree of transparency specifically on budget matters: “And those of use who manage the public’s dollars will held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.”
http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2009/02/budget_secrecy.html
February 25th, 2009 at 4:00 pmBert Convy is no Ted Nugent.
If he was, he’d be able to recite the GOD-AWFUL lyrics I found of the Nuge’s in a recording studio he had been cutting demos in around 1993.
Something like:
“Wild dogs
run in the night
Wild dogs
fight, fight, fight”
Keep in mind this was AFTER he already penned the witty number:
“Dog-eat-dog”.
Can you say “washed-up-has-been?”
No wonder he has to hunt for food – he couldn’t possibly still be receiving “residuals” for his previous, “ahem”, work.
I thought you could.
February 25th, 2009 at 4:21 pmTARP is just another right-wing Republican debacle like the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Baghdad, similarly created by culture of corruption and greed Republicans with very little oversight or accountability and costing American taxpayers tens of billions of dollars in wasted money.
But you must understand, to a patriotic American citizen who views our nation as a whole this no oversight, no accountability funding is viewed as waste, but to the Republicans, who view partisanship as the only important value, and throwing taxpayer money (collected from all Americans) at only Republican or Republican-leaning individuals and organizations, then what the Republicans have done over the past eight years (and continue to do) makes perfect (though insane) sense.
Apparently there is no limit to Republican selfishness (and insane ego blindness), no matter how much harm they do to our country and the future of our nation’s children.
TARP was meant to only help top-tier Republican individuals and corporations (often heavy Republican campaign donors), and to hell with stopping the job losses that are having such a disastrous effect on our nation and the lives of so many American citizens, including children. In fact, TARP actually made things worse, leading to more U.S. citizens losing their jobs as Fortune 500 companies merged and laid off a whole lot of “unnecessary and duplicative” workers…while Fortune 500 CEOs gave themselves bonuses and threw lavish parties. Tens of billions of taxpayer dollars have gone missing.
The CPA over in Baghdad was created only as a cash cow for all the Republicans who signed on to work at the CPA and all the Republican-owned private contractors hired through no-bid contracts to “fix” post-war Iraq. Tens of billions of American taxpayer dollars have gone missing. And there never were enough “boots on the ground” to establish security for Iraqi citizens and stop ethnic/sectarian cleansing, causing a massive refugee problem and the loss of life and injuring of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens, including many children and women.
Apparently, though, as long as the Republicans running things (through TARP or even at the former CPA) get (got) their paycheck on time, then they don’t (didn’t) care at all about all the people killed or the missing money, or how many unemployed occur because of their outrageous greed (Republican only) policies. I just wonder if any of these Republicans realize that their crazy antics have cost all of them any chance of ever making it to heaven, no matter what their evangelical, religious fundamentalist terrorist wing says. Too much lying. Too much stealing. Too much greed. Too much ego-driven selfishness and insanity. And they aren’t done yet, digging our nation even deeper into their conservative hell-hole.
February 25th, 2009 at 8:35 pm