The Note, 02/10/09: No Shortcuts — Obama can control a message — but now things get more complicated
EmailBy RICK KLEIN So the campaign continues — a president who ran against Washington gets to Washington to keep running against Washington even as he needs Washington to come through for him. Change didn’t get there with him — not immediately, anyway. President Obama can still dictate a message — as Monday’s hour-long primetime news conference (just 13 questions, with answers as mini-lectures) clearly showed. But he has a long way to go before Washington will be his — as the narrow Senate vote, and the tenuous compromise that’s emerging out of Congress, show equally well. As for what he needs Washington to come through on — that gets even more complicated Tuesday. Now the president needs the nation to swallow not just an $800 billion stimulus package, but more help for banks (rivals of Congress in the race for low approval ratings these days). With an 11 am ET speech, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is poised to outline new bank bailout rules — including a lending initiative, a public-private partnership to rid banks of bad investments, a new program to keep people in their homes, and strict conditions on banks getting assistance, to ensure that tax money supports lending. “Instead of catalyzing recovery, the financial system is working against recovery, and that’s the dangerous dynamic we need to change,” Geithner plans to say, according to excerpts provided to The Note. “I want to be candid: this comprehensive strategy will cost money, involve risk, and take time,” he will add. “We will have to adapt it as conditions change. We will have to try things we’ve never tried before. We will make mistakes. We will go through periods in which things get worse and progress is uneven or interrupted.” No pricetags Tuesday — but these are bills that can’t be put off for long: “The gravity of the financial crisis confronting the Obama administration will come into stark focus today when officials unveil a three-pronged rescue program that may commit up to $1.5 trillion in public and private funds, and possibly more, lawmakers and other officials said,” David Cho and Lori Montgomery report in The Washington Post. “The expanded effort could see as much as $2 trillion in financing flowing through the system, according to Congressional officials briefed Monday night. The expanded Fed facility and the ‘bad bank’ could each reach $1 trillion in size, both of which would be seeded with bailout funds,” The Wall Street Journal’s Deborah Solomon and Damian Paletta report. Now the president needs public buy-in more than ever. Spending more and cutting taxes was supposed to be the easy part. “By Monday, he sounded like a candidate back on the trail, railing against the status quo and dismissing critics as apostles of a failed philosophy,” Peter Baker writes in The New York Times. “Authoritative and unsmiling, gloomy rather than inspirational, Mr. Obama cast the nation’s economy in dire light and offered a barbed point-by-point critique of the Republican argument that his plan would just create more government jobs and authorize a raft of new wasteful spending.” Frustration: “By all external measures, the Washington political universe that President Obama now oversees still looks and acts very much like the city he ran against for two years on the campaign trail,” Time’s Michael Scherer writes. “But Obama’s performance at the podium is something else entirely, a study in relative candor and nuance. . . . The power of the presidential pulpit has rarely been so well used. The only question is how far it can take us.” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos gives Obama an A on the sale, a B on reaching out, and an “incomplete” overall grade: “The president has been able to make his case in his first four weeks. But he’s also had the kind of stumbles that most presidents have in their early days,” Stephanopoulos reports. “The president even acknowledged that he can’t even say yet whether he’s going to have to come back and ask the country for more money, or whether this is going to work.” “The president took only 13 questions; he was loose, conversational,” ABC’s Jake Tapper reported on “Good Morning America, ” . . . loquaciously professorial. His longest answer — almost eight minutes — for a question on bipartisanship.” “No drama with Obama. No joking with Obama,” AP’s Ron Fournier writes. “In his first prime-time news conference, Americans saw a determined, deadly serious President Barack Obama make his case for a historically huge economic recovery plan — pledging to push it through Congress in record time, even if he and fellow Democrats must steamroll Republicans to do it.” “Barack Obama has a tough act to pull off. He must simultaneously petrify people and also restore their confidence. He must scare us to death and calm our fears,” Politico’s Roger Simon writes. “So where is the guy who once symbolized hope? Well, he is still there. Roughed up a little already, but still there.”
(Kids, take note: “There are no shortcuts,” the president said.) The sale continues Tuesday in Ft. Myers, Fla., with a noon ET event featuring special guest Gov. Charlie Crist, R-Fla., who will introduce the president. Obama sits down with ABC’s Terry Moran in Florida, in an interview to air on “Nightline” Tuesday. Look for excerpts before then on “World News” and ABCNews.com. The president closes down his evening with a meeting with Blue Dog Democrats, at the White House. The Senate chugs toward final passage of the stimulus bill Tuesday — but this is only a start. Three Republican senators hold the keys to the entire package; lose any of them, and Obama not only loses bipartisanship, he might lose the vote. “Obama is finding that old politics die hard in the building where he served just four years — with much of the last two spent on the campaign trail,” The Boston Globe’s Susan Milligan writes. Bowing to realities: “The president’s tones alternated between bipartisan outreach and tough words for Republicans who, he said, backed failed policies that helped drive the country into economic distress. Mr. Obama set benchmarks for his economic recovery plan, saying its success should be judged by whether it creates or saves four million jobs, stabilizes the housing market and gets credit markets operating again,” Laura Meckler and Jonathan Weisman write in The Wall Street Journal. Getting tough: “Urgency was the obvious message Obama was trying to convey to millions of Americans in the hour-long session,” Politico’s Jonathan Martin writes. “But to a smaller Washington audience — to both Republicans and skeptics in his own party –there seemed to be an equally unmistakable subtext: He is not a patsy or a pushover.” A return: “Tacitly acknowledging that he had little to show for hosting bipartisan talks, appealing for bipartisan compromise and even hosting a bipartisan White House cocktail party for members of Congress, Obama returned to tactics that worked for him in last year’s campaign,” The Los Angeles Times’ Christi Parsons and Peter Nicholas report. “He appealed directly to the public for support against what he portrayed as partisan paralysis in Washington.” But what of paralysis inside the Democratic Party? The New York Times editorializes: “[Obama] is absolutely right that Congress needs to quickly pass a stimulus bill. But a bill that is merely better than nothing won’t be nearly good enough. The economy is too fragile. And the numbers are too huge. When members of the House and Senate sit down this week to craft a final version of their differing bills, they must include the most-effective provisions — those that provide powerful stimulus and help those Americans who are most in need.” Mark the day: “The Senate’s vote on — and the likely approval of — an $838 billion economic-stimulus plan Tuesday will signal a decisive new expansion of the government’s role in the economy,” McClatchy’s David Lightman reports. “The negotiations promise to be tense but probably not hopeless, because the Democratic majorities in both houses will have voted to expand the government’s role in a wide variety of social and educational programs. Compromise should be on Democratic terms, because Republicans don’t have enough votes to impose their preference for less spending and bigger tax cuts.” ABC’s Jonathan Karl points out that Obama seemed to weigh in on the side of House leaders at his press conference — voicing support for school construction and energy efficiency in federal buildings and public housing, which were items removed in the Senate compromise. “The conference committee will be a small one, likely to include only the leadership and the chairman of the key committees. For Democrats it will include Sen. Max Baucus, Sen. Daniel Inouye, Rep. Barney Frank and Rep. David Obey,” Karl reports. “The Republican troika that crafted the compromise – Sens. Susan Collins, Arlen Specter and Olympia Snowe — won’t be there, but their presence will be felt. If the bill changes much, Democrats will lose their support and, therefore, will not be able to pass it in the Senate.” “Staff from both chambers have begun discussing the differences between the two bills, but the principals have not been in the same room since the most dramatic changes were made,” Paul Kane writes in The Washington Post. “Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) spoke by phone with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Saturday while Pelosi was leading a three-day retreat for her caucus in Williamsburg. Aides declined to detail the conversation, but it came a day after Pelosi suggested that the Senate cuts in spending, which Reid endorsed, would do "violence" to struggling families. Pelosi and her leadership team have signaled their inclination to fight to restore some spending that the Senate stripped out.” Growing restless: “Bipartisanship is safe and effective, when used as directed. In the present circumstance, however — dire economic crisis, hardheaded Republicans, time running out — bipartisanship is doing more harm than good. President Obama and the Democratic majorities in Congress can no longer afford to let comity defeat common sense,” Eugene Robinson writes in his column. Watch for Republicans to echo: “What is puzzling is that with Congressional Democrats arguing amongst themselves, the President could have accomplished more last night by calling Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid and leaning on them to craft a bipartisan bill that has no waste and actually creates jobs,” said Brad Dayspring, a spokesman for House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va. On the TARP money — a win for Geithner? “In the end, Mr. Geithner largely prevailed in opposing tougher conditions on financial institutions that were sought by presidential aides, including David Axelrod, a senior adviser to the president, according to administration and Congressional officials,” The New York Times’ Stephen Labaton and Edmund Andrews report. “Mr. Geithner, who will announce the broad outlines of the plan on Tuesday, successfully fought against more severe limits on executive pay for companies receiving government aid.” Early raves from David Brooks: “Geithner’s plan is huge but also disciplined. It’s designed by someone aware of government’s limitations,” Brooks writes in his New york Times column. “The whole policy is still unfolding. But one gets the sense that it is being designed to fit the crisis, not a prefab agenda. Geithner is proposing a huge intervention, but at least he seems to be running against his natural instincts. If we’re going to have a finance czar, he should at least dislike the role.” It’s all connected: “The unprecedented stimulus package that President Barack Obama is trying to wrestle through Congress may end up being wasted unless the administration can find a way to restart stalled credit markets,” writes Bloomberg’s Scott Lanman and Craig Torres. Mr. President, welcome to Florida: “President Barack Obama could be pitching his economic recovery plan in Michigan or Rhode Island, which reported the highest unemployment rates last month, or in South Carolina, which suffered the worst dip from the previous month,” Beth Reinhard writes in The Miami Herald. “But he chose Florida, where the free-falling real estate market received front-page treatment Sunday from The New York Times and was the subject of a major New Yorker article darkly titled, ‘The Ponzi State.’ Fort Myers, meet the national press corps.” “When President Obama arrives today in Republican-heavy Lee County to push his economic stimulus plan, he’ll be at the epicenter of Florida’s broken economy,” Evan S. Benn writes in the St. Petersburg Times. “The president is scheduled to speak to 1,500 people at noon in a town-hall setting at Fort Myers’ downtown convention center and will be introduced by Gov. Charlie Crist. The popular Republican governor could help buoy support for the stimulus package that the Senate is expected to vote on today.” Careful on the left: “The Obama Administration today announced that it would keep the same position as the Bush Administration in the lawsuit Mohamed et al v Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc. The case involves five men who claim to have been victims of extraordinary rendition — including current Guantanamo detainee Binyam Mohamed, another plaintiff in jail in Egypt, one in jail in Morocco, and two now free,” per ABC’s Jake Tapper and Ariane de Vogue. Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU, said of the decision: “Eric Holder’s Justice Department stood up in court today and said that it would continue the Bush policy of invoking state secrets to hide the reprehensible history of torture, rendition and the most grievous human rights violations committed by the American government. This is not change. This is definitely more of the same.” Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., wants a “truth commission” to probe Bush administration wrongdoing — building pressure on the president to accept something. The president’s non-committal response (to Huffington Post’s Sam Stein): “I will take a look at Sen. Leahy’s proposal, but my general orientation is to say, let’s get it right moving forward.” The Kicker: “Let me get this straight — this is coming from a guy who threw more than twice as many interceptions than touchdowns?” — Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, slapping down Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C.
“I don’t remember exactly what Joe was referring to. Not surprisingly.” — President Obama, starting the tally of times the president slaps down the vice president in public. Bookmark the link below to get The Note’s daily morning analysis:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/the_note/index.html For up-to-the-minute political updates check out The Note’s blog . . . all day every day:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/ Follow The Note blog on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thenote
Mitt Romney's Full Speech at CPAC 2012 
Romney Makes His Case to Conservatives at CPAC
If we want our country to recover, we will need to “bite the bullet” and fix it, regardless of cost. It will cost so much more to do nothing, and we all have everything to lose by doing nothing. We elected President Obama because we have faith in him to do this repair. If we can keep the Republicants from blathering their usual lies, after all they are the ones who put us in this position in the first place and I am appalled every time the news media puts these Party first, people never, Losers on their TV shows. They are idiots, or our situation would not be so dire. We don’t want to listen to these losers spewing their garbage any more, we’ve already had too much of that and look at what it got us. Can the news media be that desperate that they can’t put winners on their shows? We need our spirits lifted, not the blatherings of self-centered Republicants who proved to us already that they don’t know how to govern, and are so busy lining their pockets courtesy of lobbyists; they haven’t a clue as to how many people are already suffering, and the many more to come. Look around you, how many of you have family members who have lost their jobs, insurance, homes, and everything else they’ve worked their lives for? That doesn’t happen from GOOD government. I’ve watched the Senate daily for several years now, so I can see for myself what is happening there. The Rs are so hellbent on making this Presidency fail that they will flush the entire country and all of the American People right on down the toilet. They don’t give a whip as to what is happening out here. If they don’t want to do their jobs, and get us rescued from the mess they put us in, they should just pick up their toys and go home.
Posted by: Barbara | February 10, 2009, 9:10 am 9:10 am
it is puzzling that it is claimed government was the one who got us into this mess, now they claim they can fix it. if the government is going to fix the problem caused by people who over extended themselves on credit, how can the government expect to do better when it is doing the exact same thing… over extending itself by using credit to allegedly pumping money into the economy.
One former government official in the Clinton administration has claimed that if we do nothing, the economy will right itself in about 6 months.
The government is risking bankrupting themselves, then where will we be?
Posted by: Fran | February 10, 2009, 9:20 am 9:20 am
“it is puzzling that it is claimed government was the one who got us into this mess, now they claim they can fix it.”
Who says that? The man said last night that the bulk of the blame goes to the banks taking on too much risk.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 9:28 am 9:28 am
“One former government official in the Clinton administration has claimed that if we do nothing, the economy will right itself in about 6 months.”
Oh, yeah? There’s a guy who hangs out in front of the Circle K who says he saw a ghost in the bathroom a couple weeks ago.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 9:30 am 9:30 am
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Rough draft abstract
By Dwight Baker
10/2/2008
WE THE PEOPLE of the United States of America to form a more perfect Communed Union—– Petition Congress to enact the law of the joint collection of the existing but more improved Social Security laws in contributions with those of our present needs found in appropriately funding our Homeland Security needs to protect our SOLVENCY and SOVEREIGNTY within the States and abroad with our past concerns and matters now existing that demand strict attention.
Causes of Actions
I.
Recent invasions by pirates and illicit traders inside our financial institutions allowed by our Federal Government have become a scar on our worldwide integrity of a Communed Union of law-abiding people.
II.
The proposed CONGRESSIONAL fix for these problems has been forced to be upon all of WE THE PEOPLE. By forcing the need to create debt abroad to sponsor the BAILOUT funding.
III.
The open and seen festering world wide wound in our allowance of these tragic deeds to occur during our generation has been an un-equal parity in equity and to that end many other nations have seen us as not having the RULE OF LAW present in our daily CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT to protect our communed and private SOLVENCY and SOVEREIGNTY.
IV.
The lacks found in the enforcement in the RULE OF LAW being present has been stated that WE THE PEOPLE had not the Transparency and/or the Oversight to control the failing financial institutions while they were being run amuck.
V.
CONGRESSIONAL debate has proved that the many laws of control in Transparency and Oversight over these failed financial institutions had overtime been revised, amended or were not properly funded to be enforced judicially because of ruling Administrations, Congress and Lobbying efforts to re-write the laws on the books for the acceleration of the way the free markets of trade, commerce and business would best was suited to exist in our Capitalist society.
VI.
Therefore the duration of time from one elected Administration and Congress to other elected ruling parties can and has failed to bring forth parity in equity for WE THE PEOPLE.
PETITION
I.
Thus WE THE PEOPLE petition and propose that a flat Social and Homeland Security levy law be imposed on all of WE THE PEOPLE throughout all wages, bonus, stock options etc. paid here and/or abroad to all executives, employees or stockholders and owners taking or being paid draws from the treasury of any company or corporation regardless of the origin.
II.
To implement the needed funds for the BAILOUT needed now —– it is proposed that the flat Social and Homeland Security Levy Law be imposed and collected on all WE THE PEOPLE reverting back to the year of 1998 and collected from there to the Present 2008.
III.
The proposed rate of the flat Social and Homeland Security levy would be fixed in perpetuity at 13% and remain as a Federal mandate LAW.
IV.
WE THE PEOPLE propose that all who owe —- should with without- haste submit their payments for the last 10 years ——all who owe but do not submit payment within ______?______and/or those who refuse to pay will be invoiced and allowed 60 days to pay if not paid the amount due will be doubled and the collection of those payments will be referred to the Attorney General for prompt collection though the Federal Courts.
V.
WE THE PEOPLE propose that all who owe but refuse to pay be subject of being banished from the United States of America by the order of the Federal Court to which they are being prosecuted for their willful and wanton need to try to obtain a free ride against the sovereign will of the communed American People in our efforts to shore up our SOLVENCY and SOVEREIGNTY as a Nation of men and women who have proved the will to govern themselves against the forces that has recently beset us.
DWIGHT BAKER
PO BOX 7065
EAGLE PASS, TX 78853
Tel/fax 830-773-1077
Email dbaker007@stx.rr.com
Posted by: DWIGHTBAKER | February 10, 2009, 9:37 am 9:37 am
As a true conservative who is now dead and gone, I call tell you the more Laura Ingraham opens her vulgar mouth more people turn away from Republicans. The more Rush Limbaugh opens his dumb southern mouth more Republican candidate loses their elections. The more Bill O’Rielly rants and raves more we loose our support! And there’s more. Karl Rove, Shaun Hanitty, or my dear Lord the list goes on. Why can’t Laura Ingraham go home and get pregnant over and over ten times like true Republican girl, and be subservient to her husband and be a true conservative stay home mom! I think that would be the best way for Ms. Laura to help our Republican/Conservative cause.
Posted by: William F. Buckley' Jr's Ghost | February 10, 2009, 9:38 am 9:38 am
Sure George S. gave him an A on his delivery….probably helped write it. Just another pile of non-commital feel goods/scare tactics. Never ever trust a salesman with a message of urgency. The press is so suspect these days. exactly what are they trying to accomplish? Our leaders don’t have a clue how to fix the economy and therefore shouldn’t be trying. All they know is the only things they know how to do is legislate and spend our money. Through the last eleven presidencies I’ve never seen anyone so anxious to spend. Couldn’t wait to get his hands on the combination to the safe so he could start redistributing wealth. The business community sees that as a threat, sir, and that has a lot to do with why cash isn’t flowing.
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 10, 2009, 9:39 am 9:39 am
I TRUST OUR PRESIDENT —- HE IS JUST MAN
BUT HE CAN NOT DO THIS BIG JOB ALONE WITHOUT US
WAKE UP MY FELLOW AMERICANS
By Dwight Baker
317 words
The use of the Internet is not going to save our nation. Just because we can air our wishes and desires to bring coalitions together to discuss between ourselves the needs of others and us is far from a FIX for our GOVERNMENT.
The Internet is not the fix it is just one step along the way to bring saneness back as a core of thought between us.
But WAKE UP WE HAVE NO POWER for our thoughts and desires to be pushed along inside of our corrupt affairs of our GOVERNMENT.
Petitions and Pleas and all our blogging trying to tell each of our stories best as we can will never bring the kind of POWER to bring about the needed changes.
The economic stimulus bill being discussed has had the LOBBYIST in Washington DC in a feeding frenzy adding the things that their clients WANT ADDED to the bill and some call that PORK.
I call it GREED. The give and take and chit chat and back slaps and ballyhoo are just a repulsion to me how about you?
We have the number of folks to start our own LOBBY in Washington DC. When done we would have power to affect the changes needed to bring a halt to our run a way GOVERNMENT for a time.
Our LOBBY would represent us. They would snoop too —- to give all of us the day by day LOW DOWN what and who were pushing for what to be added to a bill to get a FREE RIDE in our DEMOCRACY.
Our LOBBY would be seen on CSPAN each night for the nightly NEWS not VIEWS from the elites and EAST COAST BLUE BLOODS needs to have their agendas pushed down our throats.
WAKE UP MY FELLOW AMERICANS
Contact dbaker007@stx.rr.com on how you can help push the concept of
WE THE PEOPLES LOBBY along.
Posted by: DWIGHTBAKER | February 10, 2009, 9:40 am 9:40 am
Well, I don’t care what someone on the Circle K says. It is plain and simple.
You owe $100,000 and can’t make your payments each month, borrowing more will not help you. It is only a quick fix to help you make the payments for a few months and THEN, you are back in the same boat, BUT your payments are now higher each month and you owe more.
Now, granted, if in borrowing this extra money, it helps you to bring up your income or it helps to bring down your payments, in the long term in should help.
That is where I have my problem. I have read a lot from the Democrat side, the Republican side, and also from these “SO CALL” Bipartisan (if such a thing) think tanks, and people… NO ONE KNOWS for sure what will happen. Some say it will help, some say only in the short term, some say it will hurt us worse. Some say to leave it alone.
I am for, tighten up your belts and let’s ride it out.
Here is my question, though. Let’s say the Government makes ALL this money and put’s it in the system and IT DON’T WORK? Then the Government goes bankrupt? What kind of mess are we in then?
Posted by: ajax | February 10, 2009, 9:48 am 9:48 am
Barbara,
Nice to know all EVIL in the universe is Republican & All GOOD is Democrat. …LOL….
Lets see, when did Barney Frank become a Republican? When did Nancy Pelosi become a Republican?
Which republican placed 200 million in spending for birth control into the original house bill?
which republican wanted to spend 200 million on the National Mall ?
Which republican wanted to spend over 88 million dollars building new public schools in Milwaukee, a city that currently has 15 vacant public school buildings, a declining enrollment, and ZERO plans to build new schools?
Instead of drinking and bathing in the kool-aid, WAKE-UP!!
No republican added PORK to this bill! You can whine & complain all you want, most of America wants a stimulus bill that ACTUALLY creates jobs & moves to economy, not one that has dozens & dozens of BS programs like these I mentioned!
I realize you may just simply accept that the bill will magically create/save 4 million jobs as Obama says it will.
Do you have any idea how to measure “saved jobs” ?
Do you know HOW any person looked at this bill and “poof”….they state it will create/save 4,000,000 jobs?
I for one would like to have an estimate for each of the appropriations in the bill for the numbe rof jobs it will create & the number is will save!!!
Show me that, THEN we have something to use to tell us which components of the bill are working and which are not.
Now I understand to most of the Obama-blinded liberals, asking for this is considered mean-spirited, vile, and all other kinds of fun terms, but here in the real world, we call it accountability – For BOTH PARTIES!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 9:49 am 9:49 am
President Obama; You bonehead! You insulted the executives on Wall Street, telling them they are overpaid. You threaten to regulate the private sector. You inform the nation it’s time to redistribute the wealth accumulated by families whose investments drive our economy. You insult your Republican constituents by labeling them partisan when they don’t agree with your policies. You insult the Republican party by accusing them of being solely responsible for the economic crisis. You insult the people of America by telling us the only route to recovery is government expansion and deficit spending. You sell the American workforce short. Put the money in our hands. Stop collecting payroll taxes, work on downsizing our central government, restore power to the states and watch an instant economic recovery.
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 10, 2009, 9:56 am 9:56 am
“The business community sees that as a threat, sir, and that has a lot to do with why cash isn’t flowing.”
That has little to nothing to do with why cash isn’t flowing. And little to nothing to do with why credit isn’t flowing.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 10:04 am 10:04 am
OK, I said I was never coming back to comment ABC’s Note again, but I just had to see how Rick Klein would put his rightwing spin on Obama’s press conference.
Klein disparages Obama’s attempt to give complete answers as “mini-lectures.” He describes Obama as “running against Washigton,” in a week when not a single Republican House representative would vote for the stimulus, and no Republican Senator except for three backed it, and the airwaves have been afire with nonstop Republican attacks on him and this plan.
Klein never holds Republicans accountable for using the recession crisis as a means to rebuild their brand. The Note wants to be the mainstream FOX News, trying to carve its niche in the news market by identifying with the rightwing. Couldn’t you just work on delivering unbiased news and commentary? No? Too hard.
I watched the townhall meeting in Elkhart and I have never been so grateful we elected President Obama to lead us. I stand with the people of Elkhart, I stand with the Democratic Party, I stand with President Obama, and I stand against ABC News and Rick Klein.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 10:15 am 10:15 am
Most of my collegues in public schools are wondering what President Obama will do with Bush’e “No Child Left Behind.”
Posted by: Valerie Williams | February 10, 2009, 10:18 am 10:18 am
Silky; I dare say having been infused with 350 billion dollars the lending institutions are waiting for their next windfall profit while anticipating sweeping regulation of their industry. The entire financial markets sector is determined to cover their butts. For sure they’re not going to make any more bad loans since the congress that caused our problems has pointed their collective fingers at Wall Street. Congress has prohibited the harvesting of our own resources to be fuel self sufficient, endangering our national security and overstressing consumers with high fuel costs. Congress has approved free trade agreements that allowed our jobs to leave the US. Congress has required lending institutions to extend risky credit. Congress has failed to oversee the activities of lending institutions. Congress is squarely to blame and now congress thinks they can spend their way out of the problem they’ve created. The actions/inactions of congress have stripped America of her prosperity and security.
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 10, 2009, 10:24 am 10:24 am
bi⋅par⋅ti⋅san /baɪˈpɑrtəzən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [bahy-pahr-tuh-zuhn] Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective representing, characterized by, or including members from two parties or factions: Government leaders hope to achieve a bipartisan foreign policy.
- supported by both sides; “a two-way treaty”
I would read this to mean that a bipartisan stimulus would be a stimulus representing or including members from the Democrats or Republicans. The Democrats certainly want to include members from both parties in the passage of this bill. That seems to be the only part of the definition they are currently interested in. Where they are lacking is where the plan is REPRESENTING both parties.
http://federalistblogs.wordpress.com
Posted by: FederalistBlogs | February 10, 2009, 10:28 am 10:28 am
Amy; Do you suppose you could get the two senators from your state to reconsider their misdirected votes?
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 10, 2009, 10:30 am 10:30 am
Has anyone thought about which country is lending us that kind of money???????
China, Saudi Arabia,Russia,Iran???????
Which part of the country are we putting up for collateral???? New York City, California or maybe the Mid-West?????????
Posted by: Lizzie | February 10, 2009, 10:32 am 10:32 am
Lizzie; I’m pretty sure other countries have already cut off our line of credit. that in itself should tell us something. We’re in way over our heads. Now we must print more money if we want more. Actually a lot of it is virtual money, play money so to speak, backed only by consumer confidence. The dollar is a unit of trust. Therefore it’s losing value daily as we continue to recklessly spend that which we don’t have.
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 10, 2009, 10:39 am 10:39 am
To Silky… I have heard Obama blame the Bush administration many times as well as the media for the economic mess. They have claimed lack of government oversight and lax government regulations was the major reason.
I have always contended though that it was a combination of a lot of factors. During Obama’s campaign he readily blamed Bush for the mess he inherited. He has said the same thing since up until last night.
Posted by: Fran | February 10, 2009, 10:44 am 10:44 am
Your telling me that my money in the bank, that I saved for a rainy day, will be worth nothing, because of inflation????
Posted by: Lizzie | February 10, 2009, 10:45 am 10:45 am
We the dittoheads think we are constitutional law and economic experts…
Posted by: Denise | February 10, 2009, 10:47 am 10:47 am
“New York City, California or maybe the Mid-West?????????”
I would like to propose selling Texas to Mexico for whatever they can afford. A few hundred cases of Tecate and some blow will suffice.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 10:47 am 10:47 am
“I have always contended though that it was a combination of a lot of factors. During Obama’s campaign he readily blamed Bush for the mess he inherited. He has said the same thing since up until last night.”
Well, doesn’t the buck stop at the Oval Office, ultimately? Particularly, when that President’s party controls Congress for the bulk of his term?
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 10:49 am 10:49 am
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | Feb 10, 2009 9:56:28 AM;
Monroe, you do not fail. I begin at the top and review the sequence of comments. Pro’s and con’s prevail and fortunately they’re “sane & civil.” And then comes Monroe……..
You said; … “Put the money in our hands. Stop collecting payroll taxes, work on downsizing our central government, restore power to the states and watch an instant economic recovery.” …..
I say; “You must be the GENIUS who absolutely has the answer to this ‘massive, critical and most complex problem’ facing the U.S. Economic engine. We’re talking about the Economic engine that impacts ALL THE economies on the face of the Earth!” You delude yourself, sir. And you persist in embarrassing yourself, with your UNNECESSARY slurs, when referencing Our President.
Posted by: bobj72 | February 10, 2009, 10:54 am 10:54 am
Valerie Williams
Did you notice the wild applause in Elkhart when President Obama mentioned changing No Child Left Behind? Apparently, this law is deeply unpopular in the heart land.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 10:55 am 10:55 am
Lizzie; Bingo. You don’t have to invest it to lose it. Money sitting still depreciates. In fact, any guaranteed return investment is a guaranteed loss investment because of inflation and taxes to be paid on your earnings. Even so, money buried in an old mayonnaise jar is still better than money spent.
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 10, 2009, 10:57 am 10:57 am
Mexicans are moving north, they are buying New York Newspapers!!!!They don’t have to buy Texas they already own it.
Posted by: Lizzie | February 10, 2009, 10:57 am 10:57 am
Banks are in this mess due to having to lend money to those that cannot afford to pay it back, you can thank BILL CLINTON for that, he loosened the rules enacted by JIMMY CARTER. The democratic majority was warned 2 years ago but did not care, they were in control and that was all that mattered to them.
Obama needs to stay in the White House rather than flying all over the US “campaigning” for a pork filled stimulas package. Who is paying for that?? You and I. His time is best spent starting all over from scratch.
If the stimulus bill was good there would be no need to try to scare America into backing it in a prime time news conference, what a joke. ZERO EXPERIENCE AND IT SHOWS.
Posted by: HH | February 10, 2009, 10:59 am 10:59 am
“They don’t have to buy Texas they already own it.”
As long as Texans vote and can put a man in the White House, they are part of our union. NECESITAMOS VENDER TEJAS!
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 11:03 am 11:03 am
“Banks are in this mess due to having to lend money to those that cannot afford to pay it back”
Wrong. Banks are in this mess for not hedging risk.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 11:04 am 11:04 am
Bobj; It is our economic irresponsibility that has caused the global economic crisis. When we show responsibility instead of panic, there will be hope for worldwide recovery, unless of course we spend our way into oblivion instead of relying on good old American ingenuity and pursuit of the American Dream. Notice I didn’t say American promise. There is no promise, only opportunity. Yes I’m angry and so are a lot of other people. We see the dream being jerked away.
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 10, 2009, 11:04 am 11:04 am
“unless of course we spend our way into oblivion instead of relying on good old American ingenuity and pursuit of the American Dream.”
Got any ideas, Mr. Gates?
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 11:05 am 11:05 am
mmonroeliveson
Snowe and Collins, in fact, are what the Republican Party used to be: pragmatic, reasonable, competent, and SANE. That’s all in the past, though, now that the Republican Party is dominated by right wing. My Dad, in fact, was an early supporter of Susan Collins. A better man never lived. The Republican Party doesn’t reflect the values he lived by anymore, which is a shame.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 11:15 am 11:15 am
We the people, bay the people, for the people, to the people .
Posted by: jesuino leduino rosa | February 10, 2009, 11:18 am 11:18 am
We the people, bay the people, for the people, to the people .
Posted by: jesuino leduino rosa | February 10, 2009, 11:18 am 11:18 am
Amy,
Will you feel that way if they do not vote for the bill after the resolution of the House & Senate versions?
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 11:23 am 11:23 am
Silky; Yes. Get a deep seat in the saddle and let our grossly inflated economy find it’s true level of performance rather than going deeper into debt to prop up an economy that will repeatedly collapse no matter how many times we prop it up. Painful but realistic solution.
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 10, 2009, 11:24 am 11:24 am
I do not want to fix the corrupt private banks or Wall Street – let them fail and rot for all I care. I do believe taxpayer money should be used to create jobs and I am for that. If we would just nationalize the FED (permanently) and those banks that used our bailout money too, then we could control the used of the money and loans and get the interest earned from it to go back into supporting our government. I also think we need to take control of the Credit card industry whose evil usury is way out of hand. I don’t want another penny wasted on propping up private money in banking or Wall street. Taxpayer money should not have to prop up private money!!!
Posted by: eyeon | February 10, 2009, 11:25 am 11:25 am
“Painful but realistic solution.”
An even more dangerous solution according to most economists.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 11:31 am 11:31 am
the united states are the people who make the money why dont they just make some more so every one can stop fighting over it .what obout all the millions of old currency lets put all that back into circulation just think in the past year how much money was destroyed. all of that money could have saved many homes , or could of helped schools who did not have the money to operate.iam an indian,and money dont really matter to me i will turn to the old way and watch money devour our people.the united states makes money why dont they just make some more ?
Posted by: reynolds allen | February 10, 2009, 11:45 am 11:45 am
Silky; Like spending wildly isn’t risky and probably terminal. If the government only spends what it takes in the economy will become stable again. Problem is…what would our politicians be doing if they couldn’t spend? My solution is for them to downsize government to a level the taxpayers can afford and match their spending to income.
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 10, 2009, 11:45 am 11:45 am
Amy; Snowe and Collins didn’t propose more spending for their compromise. They insisted on less spending and more tax cuts for their votes. they also reserved the right to back out on their commitment should the House pork up the bill when it went back to committee. The house restored the removed pork. Now what? By the way, I agree the Democrats and Republicans did switch roles back in the ’60′s. Before the Viet Nam conflict, the Republicans were the liberal party. Then the Democrats went so far liberal that the Republicans suddenly found themselves to be the more conservative of the two parties.
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 10, 2009, 11:56 am 11:56 am
obama not to be beat says bush doubled our debt in 8 years says i can do that in my first 100 days
Posted by: david reyes | February 10, 2009, 12:02 pm 12:02 pm
Silky is a paid obamabot blogger.
Silky is a paid obamabot blogger.
Silky is a paid obamabot blogger.
Silky is a paid obamabot blogger.
Posted by: BOstinks | February 10, 2009, 12:07 pm 12:07 pm
“If the government only spends what it takes in the economy will become stable again.”
Says who?
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
Oh, goodie…the short bus is here.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
Mike_C
I have always respected those who dissent for logical reasons, but I do not respect the Republicans who have opposed the stimulus as a means to rebuild their brand.
Snowe and Collins had issues with the stimulus, so they got in there and tried to shape it. Some Democrats object to the changes they made. If Collins and Snowe don’t support the bill now, they will have alot of explaining to do. I can’t speculate on their motives. I have listened to all the politicans now, and its President Obama who makes the most sense. I support the President and I hope my senators do too.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 12:10 pm 12:10 pm
“obama not to be beat says bush doubled our debt in 8 years says i can do that in my first 100 days”
Yeah…but Bush was lucky enough to not have to clean up his own mess. Your comment is so off that wall, as to border on lunacy. It’s BUSH’S DISASTER THAT IS REQUIRING THIS! And he’s not doubling the debt.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm
Amy,
So the republicans have “lost their way” huh?
Yet some how you think BO is a good representation of yesterday’s democrat? That is laughable.
“Ask not what your country can do for you, but rather what can you do for your country”—JFK
has turned into
“I just wanna spread it around a bit”-BO to joe el plumber
“In the 60′s, it was a tragedy the courts didn’t get involved in wealth redistribution”-BO on a chicago radio interview 2001.
“In college I sought out the marxist professors”–BO in dreams from my father
The democrats have turned into the party of entitlements/handouts. They are directly responsible for the housing crisis under the socialist leadership of harry reid, barney frank, chuck schumer, chris dodd, pelosi, maxine waters, jimmy carter (community reinvestment act).
The republican party’s main problem is that it is full of democrats.
Posted by: BOstinks | February 10, 2009, 12:15 pm 12:15 pm
it seems to me that the white man doesnt want to be told by a blackman what to do now they are trying everything they can to not let this president succeed.poor obama he is trying to do everything right for the people now the dirty repubs just keep trying to bring him down.its hard for us to sit and watch as this mans trying to help and better our lives in the meantime the old cavalry is takin shots at him.its kinda wierd when you see on tv repubs talking obama down,then he sees them in person and they say ‘Hey How you doing ? good to see you !those guys should come so we can smoke on it, then take a hot sweat (back burner)
Posted by: reynolds allen | February 10, 2009, 12:16 pm 12:16 pm
“If Collins and Snowe don’t support the bill now, they will have alot of explaining to do. I can’t speculate on their motives.”
—————————-
Amy,
You do understand that the bill they support is not going to be the bill that comes out of resolving the differences between the house bill & the Senate Bill.
It is indeed possible that the changes that take place are unacceptable to Collins & Snowe.
My question for you was a simple one, you praised them for supporting what you want. you called them “pragmatic, reasonable, competent, and SANE”, so will you have the same opinion if they oppose the bill in its final form?
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm
reynolds allen
That’s the spirit! Just keep bringing out the race card! Never mind that BO himself sat in a racist, anti-American church for 20 years. He is black(errrr.. half 1/2 black) which ALWAYS means he is the victim, right?
Also, tell me again which party freed the slaves and which party tried to keep slavery going? And which party george wallace, senator byrd belonged too?
When will you liberals learn that democrats ONLY picked up on civil rights once they realized that entitlements=votes. The democrats devised a new form of slavery= welfare.
Posted by: BOstinks | February 10, 2009, 12:34 pm 12:34 pm
reynolds allen,
LOL….page 2 of the liberal handbook….if nothing on page 1 works, ALWAYS throw in the race card!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 12:35 pm 12:35 pm
“The republican party’s main problem is that it is full of democrats.”
And morons. Don’t forget the morons.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 12:37 pm 12:37 pm
“They are directly responsible for the housing crisis under the socialist leadership of harry reid…”
How do you expect to convince anyone when you base your argument on a false premise? No matter how many times you say it, it is not true that the crisis was caused by banks loaning money to minorities. The mortgage problem was way more complicated than that, and it does not just involve loans to poor people. Furthermore, the government never forced banks to loan to risky people, and where there was government oversight, the banks made fewer bad loans. If you got your news from reputable sources, you’d know that.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
It’s time to stop pretending that this “stimulus” package is really a stimulus package – it is a spending plan designed to ease the transition to a public health care system. Read the bill. ABC, do some real stories about what is in this bill before the senate passes it!
Posted by: Happy One | February 10, 2009, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
Republicans can talk about tax cuts and Democrats can talk about stimulus but ultimately it is WE THE PEOPLE that will pull us out of this mess. For Republicans – Get over it, the package will be passed. For Democrats – Wake up, this package is not the be all and end all. After it’s passed we must do two proactive things:
1) Insure there is RIGOROUS INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT of said package – better than what happened during the New Deal.
2) QUIT WHINING and really work on our own lifestyles so we become more responsible and efficient in the use and allocation of resources and money. We can be this way as individuals, as families, and as communities. Then we will eventually pay back the stimulus and not need something like it again!
WE MUST BECOME A RESILIENT PEOPLE AND NOT A WHINING SHEEPLE!
Posted by: prohb | February 10, 2009, 12:45 pm 12:45 pm
Amy
Did I say it was the minority home loans that caused the crisis? No.
What I said was that this whole idea of entitlements was introduced by the democrats. THEY ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING FOR NOTHING. They are modern day robin hoods, except quite a few of them are much more wealthy then robin hood ever was. (27/50 WEALTHIEST members of congress are democrats).
The idea of entitlements and people deserving homes, regardless of their abililty to pay, lead to the crisis. Carter introduced the community reinvestement act, and little by little the gov’t FORCED lenders/banks to make risky loans under the slogan of “affordable housing”, whatever the heck that is.
This obviously lead to massive amounts of investors, indinviduals, whites, minorities, ect being able to acquire loans that they could NEVER PAY BACK.
Thank you robin hood liberals!
Posted by: BOstinks | February 10, 2009, 12:48 pm 12:48 pm
China has already put 1/4 of there GDP to keep the credit market from running down … end result there market is better off then any other nation effected by Recession … then why so much of Fuss… our GDP is almost 14 trillion ….. we should be putting at least 2 trillion not just 835 million … in the market……
Posted by: tahir | February 10, 2009, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm
Mike_C
I am not one of those people who has to demonize those I disagree with. I voted for Olympia Snowe when I was younger, but not since it became dangerous to give Republicans a vote in the Senate.
I have always believed Snowe and Collins are pragmatic, reasonable, competent, and sane. They proved that by working on the bill, instead of distorting it on the Sunday talk shows to fire up the Republican base.
I was not convinced the stimulus plan was right until I listened to President Obama. If my senators vote against the plan they will not be representing the wishes of the majority of people in Maine. I will still respect our senators, although I will disagree with them, but I will never respect the Republican leadership who used this moment of crisis to assert their “brand.”
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 12:54 pm 12:54 pm
Amy,
Your the perfect example of how dangerous a person cna be with just a little knowledge!
Try looking at the history of Freddie/Fannie under Raines and with with congressional assistance of one Barney Frank!
Go back to Jimmy Carter and look at the creation of the community Reinvestment Act. Look at Clinton near the end of his adminsration and one Larry Summers as Treasury Sec. when they were 100% behind the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (YES…a Republican Bill) and how that added to the problem.
Then look at the multiple attempts from 2003 on where Barney Frank & the Democrats blocked Republican attepts to add regulations!
There is blame on both sides for all this! Try getting it Right!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
Amy,
intead of using MSNBC talking points, exactly what do you mean by assert their “brand.” Do you beleive that was what Democrats were doing every time they blocked Republican legislation that they disagreed with?
If not for Republican opposition and some media outlets reporting on this PORK PIE, we would already have this bill passed with noone knowing what was really in it!
You & Silky don’t seem to want ot see that. Didn’t TARP teach you two anything!!!
Bush/Paulson were WRONG!!!! Rushing into it throwing money at it for the simple sake of doing something DID NOT WORK!
WHY then just because we have a new President, would we want to do the same foolish, stupid mistake again?????
He promised TRANSPARENCY! Time to DELIVER on it or SHUT UP about it!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 1:12 pm 1:12 pm
Does everynone know that the Stimulus Package sets up the Government to tell Doctors what is economical in treatment of Patients. Hospitals that over spend to save a Patient will lose funding. Is this what you want? The elderly and critical patients will die faster. Check it out on Bloomberg New.
Posted by: 23deb | February 10, 2009, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm
There are approximately 350 million americans why not give each american a million dollars and have them pay off there mortgages and spend some to boost the economy. It is way cheaper than the 850 billion dollar stimulas package. Think about it 350 million or 850 billion I’m only guessing how many people live in the states but that sure sounds like a plan to fix the economy and the bank problems. Anybody have a better idea. RJ
Posted by: RJ | February 10, 2009, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm
RJ,
How old are you?
350,000,000 x 1,000,000 = 350,000,000,000,000
That is 350 TRILLION DOLLARS !!!!!
Seems to me we went thru this yesterday!!!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
It was the government who got us into this and to think anything different is just stupidity. Who were the ones that signed bills requiring the banks to lower there qualifications on who could get loans? That was congress and the last two presidents that we had, thats right it wasnt just bush for those of you who want to blame him for everything it was Clinton too. The government has to stay out of this and why do we have to help those people who went past what they could pay, that is there stupidity. And the only reason that congress is pushing this plan is because they wont have to pay for it because they dont pay taxes. The government is corrupt and we just keep handing them more power!
Posted by: Michael Bowman | February 10, 2009, 1:25 pm 1:25 pm
Senate passes the now 838 Billion dollar stimulus bill by a vote of 61-37.
Tim Geithner explains the next phase of TARP today
Stock market takes a dive down over 360 pts at 1:26 PM!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 1:27 pm 1:27 pm
Does anyone think we have a voice just because we are on the blogs. NOT.
The Senate and House could care less of what we think. They do as the please.
End of story.
Posted by: lizzie | February 10, 2009, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
Mike_C-this is the WORST POST ELECTION SELL OFF of the stock market in history. Apparently, the DOW can smell socialism far better then the obamabots can.
Posted by: dave | February 10, 2009, 1:59 pm 1:59 pm
Mike_C
Exactly what Republican legislation did Democrats succeed in blocking? Oh, maybe the effort to privatize social security. Think where we would be if our retirement funds were in the stock market.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 2:01 pm 2:01 pm
My bad…Geithner annouced a whole NEW program ot the tune of 2 TRILLION DOLLARS!!!!
So, today we have decided to SPEND 2,838,000,000,000 DOLLARS!
That is the same as spending one million dollars every single day for over 7,700 years!!!!!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 2:04 pm 2:04 pm
Mike_C
Exactly what Republican legislation did Democrats succeed in blocking? Oh, maybe the effort to privatize social security. Think where we would be if our retirement funds were in the stock market now.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 2:06 pm 2:06 pm
Amy,
You really are this dumb aren’t you!
You must a wonderful product of our lovely department of Education! You have no clue how to do research on your own!
well, here is just a little to start you off…
First from the New York Times: Note the date!
September 11, 2003– The Bush Administration today recommended the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago.
Under the plan, disclosed at a Congressional hearing today, a new agency would be created within the Treasury Department to assume supervision of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored companies that are the two largest players in the mortgage lending industry,
The new agency would have the authority, which now rests with Congress, to set one of the two capital-reserve requirements for the companies. It would exercise authority over any new lines of business. And it would determine whether the two are adequately managing the risks of their ballooning portfolios.
The plan is an acknowledgment by the administration that oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — which together have issued more than $1.5 trillion in outstanding debt — is broken. A report by outside investigators in July concluded that Freddie Mac manipulated its accounting to mislead investors, and critics have said Fannie Mae does not adequately hedge against rising interest rates.
Among the groups denouncing the proposal today were the National Association of Home Builders and Congressional Democrats who fear that tighter regulation of the companies could sharply reduce their commitment to financing low-income and affordable housing.
From the Congressional Record: Again, Note the Date!
FEDERAL HOUSING ENTERPRISE REGULATOR REFORM ACT OF 2005
The United States Senate, May 25, 2006
Sen. John McCain [R-AZ]: Mr. President, this week Fannie Mae’s regulator reported that the company’s quarterly reports of profit growth over the past few years were “illusions deliberately and systematically created” by the company’s senior management, which resulted in a $10.6 billion accounting scandal.
The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight Oversight’s report goes on to say that Fannie Mae employees deliberately and intentionally manipulated financial reports to hit earnings targets in order to trigger bonuses for senior executives. In the case of Franklin Raines, Fannie Mae’s former chief executive officer, OFHEO’s report shows that over half of Mr. Raines’ compensation for the 6 years through 2003 was directly tied to meeting earnings targets. The report of financial misconduct at Fannie Mae echoes the deeply troubling $5 billion profit restatement at Freddie Mac. …
For Years I have been concerned about the regulatory structure that governs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — known as Government-sponsored entities or GSEs— and the sheer magnitude of these companies and the role they play in the housing market. OFHEO’s report this week does nothing to ease these concerns. In fact, the report does quite the contrary. OFHEO’s report solidifies my view that the GSEs need to be reformed without delay.
Democrats blocked both attempts to reform Fannie Mae.
Thanks to Sweetness &Light which has printed these two articles in full.
Barack Obama is out trying to blame this all on the Bush Administration, as usual, and scare people as much as he can, — so that he can promise to “rescue” them. But his solutions are the worst possible, and his speeches are irresponsible.
First Trust economists note that:
The most important thing to remember is that the emphasis belongs on the word financial. These financial market problems are not a result of general market weakness, otherwise known as a recession. In fact, real GDP has grown 2.2% in the past year and accelerated to a 3.3% annualized growth rate in the second quarter.
The economy is not taking down investment banks; lousy lending standards and the excessive use of leverage are taking down investment banks.
This whole thing had its’ beginnings in a well-intentioned law during the Carter Administration, The Community Redevelopment Act, which was designed to encourage minority homeownership. President Clinton, influenced by multiculturalism, encouraged it further by dictating where mortgage lenders could lend. Tough new regulations required that lenders increase their lending in high-risk areas where they had no choice but to lower lending standards to make loans that sound business practices had previously rejected. Clinton cronies Franklin Raines and Jamie Gorelick became multimillionaires through their supervision of the quasi-governmental agencies that came to manage the real estate market in America.
Low interest rates in the marketplace persuaded Investment banks to purchase packages of sub-prime loans, and risky decisions and a little greed, of course, let them use too much leverage.
This is not the first time that Investment Banks have failed and disappeared. E.F. Hutton, Goodbody & Company, and Kidder Peabody are three of the vanished. Today’s Investment Banks did not do anything against the law, they just exercised bad business judgment.
Unemployment in the economy is largely confined to the housing crisis with home builders and related trades suffering, as well as the auto industry and related trades and now there will be some investment bankers on the unemployment line.
They are in trouble because they are affected by unfortunate laws made by a Congress that does not always understand what they do. Remember that most congressmen never read the bills that they sign. Congress has long been inclined to well-intentioned regulation to help the poor and save the planet. They fall in love with the goals, and never consider or learn about the consequences of what they do.
It seems kind to help a poor family get into a house larger than they can really afford, with less of a down payment, but it isn’t really kind. Kindness would be helping them to learn how to work hard and save their money, and how to move up to better jobs. Government can make it easier for private industry to build smaller, more affordable houses, without telling them what kind of houses to build, where to build them and under what qualifications to sell them.
The great problem with Socialism is their pursuit of “social justice”. They believe that they can make the poor — not poor — by taking money from the well-to-do and giving it to the poor. Never works. Though there is extraordinary mobility in our society, those who are induced into dependency on government are inclined to lose that mobility.
Barack Obama, in all his economic plans, is extraordinarily invested in the pursuit of “social justice”. That should be a serious warning.
Take your time and absorb the truth!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm
Question? Does anyone know if Obama has actually read the stimulus bill. I suspect that he has not and has been dependent upon others to brief him.
If Obama has not read the massive, complicated bill then he would not be completely aware of things that are scary and dangerous slipped in by “extreme” liberal.
I suspect that he has read the bill and is using fear to prevent the public from learning about the contents of this complex “stimulus bill”
Posted by: Phyllis/ PA | February 10, 2009, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
Mike_C
Excellent post! I have been arguing with silk and amy about this for quite a while. Your post says it all right there. The democrats caused the housing collapse and bush took the fall. There is no other way to explain how a socialist like barry could have ever been elected. The media crucified bush and sheltered the real culprits.
Posted by: dave | February 10, 2009, 2:53 pm 2:53 pm
After seeing BO s’ press conference I now know I have to pull all my money out of my mutual funds, 401ks, market bonds etc.. . This is going down guys. BO did inherit a mess but he is making it worse and it is reaching a point of no return. This country needs leadership not someone who talks about how bad it’s going to get.
Posted by: chaos | February 10, 2009, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
Phyllis/ PA – and what do you base your unfounded suspicions on?
For that matter, what do you base your opinions of what’s “scary” and “dangerous” on?
What, in your mind, is an “extreme liberal”?
Your post is full of alot of unfounded allegations and fact-free opinions.
Frankly, this is not what we need in our public discourse right now.
Posted by: Frank Campbell | February 10, 2009, 2:58 pm 2:58 pm
Okay…you guys go ahead and stock up on canned goods. I’m going skiing.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
dave – sorry, but you’re rewriting history. The facts of the matter are well-known and you can’t put all the blame on Democrats, when Republican deregulation – especially the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act – is what’s so obviously to blame here.
You Republicans need to stop trying to dodge responsibility for your failures and stop trying to blame everybody else. I am not a Democrat or a Liberal, but I am sick to death of you partisan rightwingers screwing everything up in this country and then saying it was someone else’s fault. Take responsiblity for your failures! Until you do, you will continue to lose elections.
Posted by: Salt Peanuts | February 10, 2009, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
Mike C
Factcheck.org is a nonpartisan organization that examines the claims made by politicians.
Regarding the legislation to increase oversight of Fannnie and Feddie, Factcheck says:
“The bill made it out of committee in the Senate but was never brought up for consideration. At that time, Republicans had a majority in the Senate and controlled the agenda. Democrats never got the chance to vote against it or to mount a filibuster to block it.”
In other words, the talking point you guys are spreading all over the internet, that Democrats are to blame for the crisis by not regulating Fannie and Freddie, is bogus. More to the point, the causes of the crisis are much more complex than the failures of Fannie and Freddie. This is what makes me crazy about Republicans – they twist, spin and outright lie to make their points. Uneducated people hear the partial truths you tell and think “oh! Barney Frank opposed oversight, the failures of Freddie and Fannie brought down the mortgage industry, so Barney Frank is to blame for the credit crisis.” Never mind the fact that Senate Republicans did not care enough to bring the oversight bill up for a vote. Never mind the fact that Greenspan, by lowering the interest rate, contributed more to the eventual boom and bust, than Fannie, or that unscrupulus bankers bundled bad loans with good to maximize their profit…no, its so much easier to blame the Democrats. Simpler too.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 3:04 pm 3:04 pm
“Your post is full of alot of unfounded allegations and fact-free opinions.”
Welcome to the fallout from one too many field trips to ABCNews.com sponsored by Matt Drudge.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 3:04 pm 3:04 pm
amy were you at the town meeting asking for a kitchen?
Posted by: chaos | February 10, 2009, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm
I was kind of dubious about this stimulus package at first, but after seeing Obama’s press conference last night I am convinced that The President knows what he’s doing and this is the right course of action.
I am very glad to see that the Republicans in the Senate thought so, too.
I sincerely hope that Mr. Obama can continue to persuade Republicans to work with him for the good of the nation. I am sick of partisanship and gridlock in Washington and want to see real progress – not the same old bickering and inaction and partisanship brings.
Hooray for Mr. Obama for reaching out across the aisle! Hooray for the Republicans in the Seanate for doing the right thing! I just hope that the Congressional Republicans will stop being so stubborn.
Posted by: Anne Childers | February 10, 2009, 3:07 pm 3:07 pm
siky: I’m not stocking on canned goods, I’m trying to save my savings along with many others and that is why there will be sell offs every day. good luck with your 401k.
Posted by: chaos | February 10, 2009, 3:10 pm 3:10 pm
Amy – well done! I am sick and tired of seeing partisan nonsense repeated as gospel truth on these sites – by Republicans AND Democrats.
Our country is in big trouble and we need to get over the namecalling and obstructionism and do what’s right!
Posted by: Ramblin Rose | February 10, 2009, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/who_caused_the_economic_crisis.html
ABC doesn’t post my comments when I cut and paste paragraphs, apparently, so here is the link explaining the the Republican lead Congress never brought the oversight legislation over Fannie and Freddie up for a vote. It wasn’t killed by Democrats; they did not have the power to even filibuster Republican legislation at the time.
Why do Republicans depend on smears, half truths and spin to put forth their arguments? “The failure of Freddie and Fannie is to blame for the crisis” is a lie being spread all over the internet coupled with “Democrats refused to regulate Fannie and Freddie, therefore Democrats are to blame for the crisis.”
If you go to factcheck.org you will learn the real causes of our financial crisis, and hopefully, you will stop lying.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
“Our country is in big trouble and we need to get over the namecalling and obstructionism and do what’s right!”
Well, at least the obstructionism, anyway. May the four winds blow you safely home, Rose. ;)
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm
I would like to encourage Congress to increase funding for fighting global poverty. The Borgen Project (www.borgenproject.org) has some great facts and ideas to help global poverty.
$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.
$540 billion: Annual U.S. Defense Budget.
$170 billion: Annual U.S. War Spending.
There are 800 million people that go to sleep hungry every day, 300 million are children.
Posted by: cougar_gal06 | February 10, 2009, 3:18 pm 3:18 pm
chaos – good for you. If only the obstructionist Republicans in Congress were as interesting in salvaging our financial system as you are. Unfortunately they seem more interested in playing partisan politics and letting their spite get the better of them than getting any real work done on behalf of the American people.
Why do Republicans always put their spiteful rage and partisan hatred above the good of the nation? It seems that derranged Republican extremists would rather destroy our economy that let a Democratic President fix their mess.
So sad.
Posted by: kokblokker | February 10, 2009, 3:18 pm 3:18 pm
Silky,
I see your going to be the perfect little liberal and run fo rhills.
enjoy the skiing, after all according to Gore there wont be much skiing in the near future…LOL
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 3:21 pm 3:21 pm
It would be alot easier for most Americans to take the GOP more seriously now if they hadn’t wasted trillions of dollars on an unecessary war when they were in power.
Also, maybe if Republican fiscal mismanagment hadn’t tanked the economy in the first place, we wouldn’t be in this mess right now.
I mean seriously, give me ONE good reason we should listen to what the GOP says about anything?
It seems to me that the best bet is do whatever the OPPOSITE is of what the GOP believes, since they’ve been so consistently WRONG about SO MUCH for SO LONG!
Posted by: Common Sense | February 10, 2009, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
no, its so much easier to blame the Democrats. Simpler too.
NO, I have stated here many times the fault is BOTH sides! I am sick of liberals portraying this as a Republican only mess!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
kokblokker; why are you worried about republicans, the dems have control let them do what you want. How can repubs stop them? Saying repubs hate the countyr is a ridulous statement. That would be like me saying that dems hate the country . I don’t think they hate it but they want to changge the core of the constitiution. This is the end of a free country when the goverment handles our medical records. how do you feel about what BO said about the medical records?
Posted by: chaos | February 10, 2009, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm
“I see your going to be the perfect little liberal and run fo rhills.”
Mike, you’re a walking disaster with horrible rationale for your position. Amy has exposed you, as dave has been exposed, as somebody with bogus information, who cannot be trusted on any point. Not unlike Bush and Cheney. I’m seeing a trend here.
As for skiing…I realize getting out and doing things is liberal and all, but I figure putting money back into the economy is a good idea right now.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 3:25 pm 3:25 pm
silky; you better call ahead and see if that ski resort is open. I’m sure their happy about whats going to happen to their taxes.
Posted by: chaos | February 10, 2009, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
Wow Mike_C – do you really let your political affiliations define your life and worldview so completely? That seems kinda pathetic, dude… Here’s a newsflash: in the real world, it’s not actually an insult to call somebody a “liberal”.
Dork.
Posted by: Relentless Rick | February 10, 2009, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm
“I’m sure their happy about whats going to happen to their taxes.”
I swear…everything out of your mouths is a head-scratcher. Now the ski resorts are shutting down?
And you know that he’s been talking about *cutting* taxes for business, right?
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm
silky – that’s typical of alot of wingnut bloggers: they rant and rave based on bogus info and outright lies and then resort to childish namecalling when exposed.
This is one more reason that the GOP will continue to lose elections.
Posted by: Francis Kemp | February 10, 2009, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
Seriously, after seeing what I have in the last few weeks on this website it’s no wonder the Republican party is a shambles.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
Republicans = wrong about everything. Again.
I hope Obama steamrollers these fools and gets things done!
Posted by: Voice of Hope | February 10, 2009, 3:35 pm 3:35 pm
The GOP cannot continue to base it’s economic policy on falsehoods and vague remonstrations against “socialism” and expect to be taken seriously in today’s climate. Too many years of repeating the lies and propaganda of FOX News and Rush Limbaugh have rendered the average Republican incapable of serious factual debate. They are completely divorced from reality, and completely useless in solving the problems that we now face (and which their failed economic policies caused).
Posted by: Josh in Tampa | February 10, 2009, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
Amy
The term “afforbable housing” was created by the socialist democrats. One of the few cases tried by barry in chicago in the 90′s was to ensure “affordable housing”.
Posted by: dave | February 10, 2009, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
Voice of hope
Republicans stand for citizen self- reliance, small taxes for everyone, large military, and small gov’t. What do the socialist dems stand for again?
I know, they stand for everything opposite of what I just listed.
Bush’s bailout was a total disaster, and it was even liked by dems/repubs. Barry’s bailout on the other hand, is nothing more then a backscratch for his $700 million dollar campaign.
Posted by: dave | February 10, 2009, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
Silky, Amy .etc,
Hmmm..as is the case with you misinformed little liberals, you never tell the whole story!
Once in great while READ the entirity of what you cut & paste from!!!!
From FactCheck
“It’s true that key Democrats opposed the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, which would have established a single, independent regulatory body with jurisdiction over Fannie and Freddie – a move that the Government Accountability Office had recommended in a 2004 report. Current House Banking Committee chairman Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts opposed legislation to reorganize oversight in 2000 (when Clinton was still president), 2003 and 2004, saying of the 2000 legislation that concern about Fannie and Freddie was “overblown.” Just last summer, Senate Banking Committee chairman Chris Dodd called a Bush proposal for an independent agency to regulate the two entities “ill-advised.”
THERE…FACT CHECK STATING… “Current House Banking Committee chairman Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts opposed legislation to reorganize oversight in 2000 (when Clinton was still president), 2003 and 2004, saying of the 2000 legislation that concern about Fannie and Freddie was “overblown.”
NOW…As Far as your claim about the non-vote, THAT WAS ONLY REFERING TO THE 2005 VOTE!!!
By the way, you feeling comfy about Geithner’s 2 TRILLION dollar TARP II proposal. The markets are just brimming with confidence! Down 382 for the day! I guess I’ll wait until 2020 to think about my IRA being worth anything!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
Mike_C
You might want to work on your reading comprehension skills, or your reasoning skills, or something.
“But saying that Democrats killed the 2005 bill “while Mr. Obama was notably silent” oversimplifies things considerably. The bill made it out of committee in the Senate but was never brought up for consideration. At that time, Republicans had a majority in the Senate and controlled the agenda. Democrats never got the chance to vote against it or to mount a filibuster to block it.
By the time McCain signed on to the legislation, it was too late to prevent the crisis anyway. McCain added his name on May 25, 2006, when the housing bubble had already nearly peaked. Standard & Poor’s Case-Schiller Home Price Index, which measures residential housing prices in 20 metropolitan regions and then constructs a composite index for the entire United States, shows that housing prices began falling in July 2006, barely two months later.”
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 4:27 pm 4:27 pm
“THERE…FACT CHECK STATING… “Current House Banking Committee chairman Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts opposed legislation to reorganize oversight in 2000 (when Clinton was still president), 2003 and 2004, saying of the 2000 legislation that concern about Fannie and Freddie was “overblown.”"
And exactly what point of your’s does this serve again? How does it disprove Amy’s point that the Republican’s controlled both chambers and still didn’t put it to a vote?
Yeah…*we’re* the misinformed “little” ones. Let’s not forget, your’s is the party of truncated phalli.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
I suppose your point is that Barney Frank opposed regulation in previous years, therefore Barney Frank is responsible for the banking crisis.
That would require believing the failures of Fannie and Freddie are what
caused the crisis. That would only be true in the World of Republican Talking Points.
Futhermore, Freddie and Fannie ran into trouble when they bought bad loans made by other institutions. I know its complicated, but you need to do a little research to understand exactly what hurt Fannie and Freddie, and it wasn’t making bad loans to poor people.
I will search for a helpful link for you, but I am at work right now, so I have other tasks.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm
“I will search for a helpful link for you, but I am at work right now, so I have other tasks.”
Such as totally ruling.
Posted by: silky | February 10, 2009, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
“The markets are just brimming with confidence! Down 382 for the day!”
The stockmarket plunges on things like the news Steve Jobs is sick, these guys are hysterics.
The markets were up last week, in expectation of a government bail out, down today in the face of the fact Obama can’t fix everthing overnight. Personally, I think this is a great time buy stock.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 4:47 pm 4:47 pm
“Such as totally ruling.”
No! You rule. I laughed out loud to truncated phalli.
Posted by: Amy | February 10, 2009, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm
The point for you all you liberal simpletons is the democrats had a big peice of the blame pie.
It is a fact that Frank fought to leave Freddie/Fannie alone.
The fact you can’t comprehend this is truly astounding, but then liberals live & DIE by page one, paragraph one, line one of the handbook…
“DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO!”
Enjoy…
Posted by: Mike_C | February 10, 2009, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
Posted by: Mike_C | Feb 10, 2009 1:06:07 PM;
Mike_C Your said numerous times; …
“Then look at…….” ……regulations!
I ask; “Ever heard the name, Sen. PHIL GRAMM?” You know his history, right?…
… Try getting it Right!
Posted by: bobj72 | February 10, 2009, 5:32 pm 5:32 pm
Posted by: dave | Feb 10, 2009 2:53:44 PM;
AMAZING, TRUELY AMAZING….
You Said; “Mike_C
Excellent post! I have been arguing with silk and amy about this for quite a while. Your post says it all right there. …………
I ask; “Are you guys even AWARE……. Fannie & Freddie DO NOT Make Loans!!!
Back to the books boys (or research sites) to update your arguments. (They won’t pay me to direct any further….)
Posted by: bobj72 | February 10, 2009, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
SAVING OUR NATION
In the saving of our Nation — a people sound sane and grounded in being kind, caring, loving our fellow man here in the USA and around the world are going to be the ones to lead us into a better form of Democracy. So in doing we cannot live in a dream-enhanced state such as some want to do with heads in the clouds waiting for some one to come along and fix the mess are in. We must take ACTION in the use of our words first then our deeds will follow while wanting to be a contributing part of a civil society where all would have the RIGHTS to LIFE regardless of their education, status in life, creeds, customs or color of their skin.
Now coming soon very soon is a GOOD CHANGE with thundering in the clouds that will produce a cool rain that will shower all —– that has a desire to work toward getting all Americans a voice in our Democracy. Thus arriving is WE THE PEOPLES Advocacy or WTPA we will have six regions around the USA to be the hub with a director and staffers to work on local levels assessing the needs, wants and wishes of the people then upstream those matters to Washington DC to our OVERSIGHT COUNSEL and legal staff to work with CONGRESS the SENATE and ADMINISTRAITON to implement.
Until recently that concept was called WE THE PEOPLES LOBBY but after some thought we changed to ADVOCACY.
Dwight Baker
WE THE PEOPLES LOBBY—Advocacy
To JOIN IN contact dbaker007@stx.rr.com
Posted by: DWIGHTBAKER | March 21, 2009, 9:57 pm 9:57 pm
BERNIE is just one of the thousands more BANKERS or the likes that are crooks felons and need to be in jail too. Maybe whistleblowers are needed or maybe bounty hunters? WHO KNOWS? MY TAKE
March 22, 2009
To the Honorable President Barack Obama
Of the Untied States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
info@barackobama.com
OPEN LETTER — To whom it might concern
Mr. President,
Thanks for all the good work you are doing, and in keeping with your status as our President. We have prayed that you would not back down or cower to anyone not your equal and that is simply not many.
Many of WE THE PEOPLE is proud to be Americans and we are NOT inane of political science and the actions needed to protect and insure our equity in justice. And because of that we respect your work for those goals to be the centerpiece of your Administration. With you as our solicitous vanguard we do have HOPE once more. IN you taking the lead with your strong and strident voice and will in words and deeds to overcome all the many things, people and matters facing our solvency and sovereignty in our rich and abundant America.
With all the current upheaval in our country can we look back and find some fixes that have worked before in similar situations? MY TAKE is that we can.
WASHINGTON, July 10, 1832.
To the Senate.
The bill ” to modify and continue ” the act entitled “An act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States ” was presented to me on the 4th July instant. Having considered it with that solemn regard to the principles of the Constitution which the day was calculated to inspire, and come to the conclusion that it ought not to become a law, I herewith return it to the Senate, in which it originated, with my objections.
A bank of the United States is in many respects convenient for the Government and useful to the people. Entertaining this opinion, and deeply impressed with the belief that some of the powers and privileges possessed by the existing bank are unauthorized by the Constitution, subversive of the rights of the States, and dangerous to the liberties of the people, I felt it my duty at an early period of my Administration to call the attention of Congress to the practicability of organizing an institution combining all its advantages and obviating these objections. I sincerely regret that in the act before me I can perceive none of those modifications of the bank charter, which are necessary, in my opinion, to make it compatible with justice, with sound policy, or with the Constitution of our country.
The present corporate body, denominated the president, directors, and company of the Bank of the United States, will have existed at the time this act is intended to take effect twenty years. It enjoys an exclusive privilege of banking under the authority of the General Government, a monopoly of its favor and support, and, as a necessary consequence, almost a monopoly of the foreign and domestic exchange. The powers, privileges, and favors bestowed upon it in the original charter, by increasing the value of the stock far above its par value, operated as a gratuity of many millions to the stockholders.
President Andrew Jackson
Continuation #2
BERNIE is just one of the thousands more BANKERS or the likes that are crooks felons and need to be in jail too. Maybe whistleblowers are needed or maybe bounty hunters? WHO KNOWS? MY TAKE
To read all http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/ajveto01.asp
Now when will all this monkey business end? Only when we begin to save of our Nation. And it will be a people sound sane and grounded in being kind, caring, loving our fellow man here in the USA and around the world that gets it done. We the willing must be the ones to lead ALL into a better form of Democracy. So in doing we cannot live in a dream-enhanced state such as some want to do—- with heads in the clouds waiting for some ONE to come along and fix the mess that we are in. We must take ACTION in the use of our words first then our deeds will follow — while wanting and working to become a contributing part of our civil society where all would have the RIGHTS to LIFE regardless of their education, status in life, creeds, customs or color of their skin.
Now coming soon very soon is a GOOD CHANGE with a providential thundering in the clouds that will produce a cool rain that will shower down on all. On the many —– that has a desire to work toward getting —– then giving all Americans a continuous vote and voice in our Democracy. Thus arriving is WE THE PEOPLES Advocacy or WTPA we will have six regions around the USA to be the hub with a director and staffers to work on local levels with those many folks residing there assessing their needs, wants and wishes needed — then up streaming those matters to Washington DC to our OVERSIGHT COUNSEL and legal staff to work with CONGRESS the SENATE and ADMINISTRAITON to implement.
We are with you 100% and you can count on us to watch your back as we have been doing and will continue.
We all count it a blessing to help you and your administration with the challenges that face our nation and our posterity.
Dwight Baker
Co-founder Bondservants of Christ Jesus Ministries
Chairman for Grass Roots Actions WE THE PEOPLES LOBBY WTPL
Contact
PO BOX 7065 Eagle Pass, TX 78853
Tel/fax 1-830-773-1077
E-mail dbaker007@stx.rr.com
Posted by: DWIGHTBAKER | March 22, 2009, 7:22 am 7:22 am
IS IT ABOUT TIME FOR US TO REASON TOGETHER?
____________
Nimrod was the first great hunter of men. And from him came a myriad of matters things and plans of control that he used to manipulate the masses for his self-interest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimrod
_____________
What has changed from that time till now?
_____________
Some in power today that have given us a reason to be skeptical —- of their continued performance —- they have a record of searching for and using controls like those of old —- to manipulate people for their self-interest. So then what are we to do?
_____________
What are the messages from the past held in history —– that we seem to be missing —– in not being able to escape from those that repeat the past grossness committed against mankind intentionally?
____________
Thus, has the creation of mankind and his steps forward unto now —– not laid our a perfect scenario for us to follow —— to NOT follow the tenets of the Nimrod types and allow the repeat of history to bring our Great and Abundant America Down like has been the course in human kind history?
____________
Or has in the scope of normal folks day to day existence that have NOT the plans to control the worlds masses as their slaves —— caused a opaqueness to shroud from their minds the terrible things that are known to have existed in history?
____________
And could that horror of our soon demise be the source that has caused us as American people to be held in dilemma’s in an inordinate manner that has not sanity nor history at its core for reason?
____________
WHO CRIED FOR A KING?
____________
All to often some people want someone to shame then blame when things go wrong not right. Thus is the case for most civilized so-called life today. But could that kind of mindset be civilized. I think not.
____________
Name just one of the many civilizations that have come about—- where a high potentate, king or president — the biggest—big shot— in charge led the people to a civil existence? Still waiting!
____________
And we in America today are still trying to emulate the old forlorn and mostly forsaken Roman Empire. They had a Senate composed of the Big Barons that had the great wealth of the nation bestowed on them [spoils of war] — to watch over the Big Shots political and military men, how can that be done? And likewise we still have the same twisted, convoluted ideas of political rule today. Are —- We Just Dumb or Would We Rather have —- [a someone else]— to shame and blame?
____________
If that is so are we really civil? Civil means communal and that for sure we are not. Are we a tribe that is banded together by the Rule Of Law? I Think Not. Our rule of law in America since our birth has been the crooked and perverse lawyering of the SEE SAW YAW of the LAW.
____________
Bottom line: When a people forsakes the principles in words and deeds done to rule themselves—–the tyrannical will take over and promise they will do that job for them. Then just one more repeat of History comes upon them. That is a pretty dim view [but historically correct] of how civilizations come and go and all are made to suffer in the end by their inactions to rule themselves and thus all turn loose then lose their Rights to Life by their own cowardly inactions.
____________
What can change the format for our time in history in our Democracy?
____________
WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO FORM OUR OWN LOBBY.
JOIN IN the Grass Roots Efforts to form WE THE PEOPLES ADVOCACY
____________
For more info contact
Dbaker007@stx.rr.com
Posted by: DWIGHTBAKER | March 27, 2009, 9:05 am 9:05 am
THE NEED TO APPRAISE AMERICAS COLLECTIVE CONSCIENCE ONCE AGAIN
The first flight of faulted fancy for many comes when their ears are tickled about this and that and they have not a clue what any of it means but it sure sounds good, because they are a WANT TO BE BEAST of mankind, patterning their lives after the one telling the tale. So my take is that those folks many or few need to be enlighten to the real not the fake. When that begins a new day will be on the horizon for US in America and all of mankind alive today. Many millions of We the People have been lulled to sleep that come when depression overrides good common sense and reason. Kind of like in a stupor not knowing what is right or wrong just that all seems to confusing to get right and airtight again. So that normalcy can once again raise the flag of freedom for the rights to life for everyone. And a course for all of us to travel at this time is to try our best to not arrest our thoughts to be captured in fears held in the deep dreads from the past but be outward looking folks who have no give up or give in them and knowing that we the many —– have more power to do right than the fewer in numbers of the BEAST to keep their con going on.
Therefore we must once again like never in the past coalesce in an collective agreement for all to pitch in and help get our folks in the neighborhoods taught the rights that will always persuaded over the wrongs —-then after that —- time to move along to impact change in our Democracy by POWER from the people legally and not by blood in our streets.
We must look at family and social impoverishment of our many Americans from ages 13 to 28 that have had profound negatives impounded on them while young. Scarring of ones goodness found in their innate conscience is a problem that we have as a nation that must be solved. Long arduous tear filled years living with lies upon lies being told to Americans to disguise the robbery from all of US in our people, jobs, benefits and the plundering of our communed treasury has left those mentioned in a state of debate —- not knowing the good for that was robbed from them when young.
So what should we do? —- Those of us 5 million strong and not inane to the political games should JOIN IN and form our own advocate group to lobby for us in Washington DC. To bring a real and long lasting change that will give all HOPE again to right the many wrongs that have laid in wait to destroy our younger generation to govern our nation soon.
So what are we to do? —- A good idea is for us to form our own lobbying efforts. The concept is not new —- the Grange did a similar thing and changed the way our federal Government worked —years ago and they remain today in Washington DC. http://www.nationalgrange.org/
In some foreign countries advocates for the people are doing likewise, in America today many advocates to help those with disabilities are do the same.
Now FOLKS we are 5 million strong, simply saying that we must mount a front to confront the ones who use money thrown at lobbyist to get what they want that most times is against the populous NEEDS, WANTS and WISHES.
We the People in Unity
Declare
We believe that our United States of America has grown in population such that our voices in representation in our federal government has diminished to a degree that we must in solidarity form our own We the People Advocacy to lobby in Washington DC. To make our voices heard once again.
When we were a young nation of less that five million the size of our Congress and Senate had an ear to the grass roots needs of our people. Our population now is over three hundred million and the size of our Congress and Senate has not keep up with our growth. Therefore We the People in Unity declare that our city, counties states and Federal Governments have grown too centralized, too intrusive, too exclusive and too expensive.
We believe in Constitutional oversight by the people, smaller governments, Rights to Life for everyone in civil liberties, federalism, and taxes that span the great gulf of all our contributing members and resources and be assessed with equity for all.
We the People in Unity want to make a stern call to all elected and charged to govern us to end laws and programs that don’t work, eradicate the laws, programs and agencies that cause harm, and cause a call from our Department of Justice to summons those that have clearly violated the basic tenets of our Laws in our Constitution to be held to account.
We the People in Unity want the power to restore the full force of ALL the amendments, in our Constitution which will bring back the power to us to govern ourselves in all needed sane sanguine and society social functions and end NOW our needless and warrant less wars —- and in the future —-deny the use of all preemptive aggressive wars that have robbed from us our people and our communed treasury.
WE NEED YOU
TO JOIN IN TODAY to have your VOICE heard once again We the People Advocacy WTPA
Contact dbaker007@stx.rr.com
Posted by: DWIGHTBAKER | March 28, 2009, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
LESTER LEON WAS HOME ALL ALONE
Phone rang, Hello yes it is me, you mean, couldn’t be, we just paid $1500 to get that fixed, no way that too, last year we paid John Deere $3,500 just for the parts, are you sure, that too, me oh my what is a guy to do trying to fix something that was broke when I bought the damn thing.
Well Folks here we are — supposed to be in a Democracy, and for many of us we are like LESTER LEON. What could go wrong now? And that tune has been sung form many of us from the east west north and south. Just what else could be broke down and out of service in our Democracy?
So back to LESTER trying to get back to farming — he thought maybe he should look around at another brand and maybe an upgrade or two would help settle his seemed many problems in the planting season where no good common sense or reason had worked thus far.
Drove off to Lubbock to take a look see, hell all the new farming things were priced way out of his league. So setting in the Lone Star U_PUMP and- DUMP truck stop — come walking in was an ole Bud of his he hadn’t seen in 25 to 30 years.
“Well I be damned,” said Slim, “How you doing Lester?”
Kinda OK —- how you been, Slim?
Just OK — around these parts, all I can say — me and mine are still making it OK.
You look down in the dumps Lester.
Yep that is sure enough right as rain in the hot summer time.
Is that thar your welding rig out thar Slim?
Sure is Bud, been making my living saving farmers ass’s for years.
I got a big damned problem that you may be the man to get solving.
Got any clues as to what might be the biggest problems? Asked Slim
Lester began telling Slim all the problems and he went on and on and on, head drooping jaws a flopping finally Slim said.
Hey, Bud I am your man to get to fixing, been there done that before.
A deal was struck — Lester was damn near broke — but he believed Slim could get him out of the jam he was in. The next day Slim showed up looked around told Lester, “You better get over to one of your good neighbors and get to borrowing the things you need — there aint no way this is going to be fixed during this planting season”
Lester got in his crops in and made good on them too. Slim worked around the clock to save money on motel bills and the rest. He did take a day off now and then — but in the end the machine was better than when new. The bill to Lester was about 1/3 of what Lester had spent in just one of the big last seemed BIG SURE fixes.
Next planting season Lester machine out performed all the others around. His neighbors come a running wanting to borrow that machine. He lent it out freely for he figured WHY NOT.
Now that story started in 1962 and Lester is still using that same machine today—no breakdowns just simple not expensive needed repairs and regular service.
So what can we all do about our Democracy? Maybe try to call Slim and get his ideas? Hey there are 5Million Slims out and about in America if given the will too and the chance could get this Democracy turned around and in good shape for a long time.
Lets just give ALL them Slims a chance.
JOIN IN the Grass Roots Efforts to form our own lobby We the Peoples Advocacy
A truth filled lobby for the Voices of the American People in Washington DC and in six districts across the USA.
Dwight Baker for more info dbaker007@stx.rr.com
Posted by: DWIGHTBAKER | March 29, 2009, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
REAL NEWS FLASH WE MUST STAY UP
April 4, 2009
To the Honorable President Barack Obama
Of the Untied States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
info@barackobama.com
OPEN LETTER — To whom it MUST concern
Mr. President,
First and foremost our strong voices are raised for your truly good efforts taken for us in the G-20 SUMMIT. All have spoken up for the way you stood out and up for the good and told all that the bad would be held to account.
I am but one voice in America today that has your interest at heart. My words are fashioned best as I can. So what I propose or say is never meant to bring any one or any thing into being called intent to deride or chide.
Thanks for all the good work you are doing, and in keeping with your status as our President. We have prayed that you would not back down or cower to anyone.
Many of WE THE PEOPLE are proud to be Americans and we are NOT inane of political science and the actions needed to protect and insure our equity in justice. And because of that we respect your work and for those high and lofty goals to be the centerpiece of your Administration. With you as our solicitous vanguard we do have HOPE once more. In you taking the lead with your strong and strident voice and will in words and deeds to overcome all the many things, people and matters facing our solvency and sovereignty in our rich and abundant America.
In keeping with our Pledge to work the work of helping you CHANGE THINGS we offer this next bill for your assessment.
HR 875 Is Not About Food safety, It’s About Genocide of Agricultural Biodiversity
One of the most potentially dangerous bills we’ve ever heard of is trying to sneak its way through Congress right now, in the sheep’s clothing of so-called “modernization” of food safety. HR 875 (text of bill) is a bill put up by Monsanto and other monolithic corporations
trying to seize totalitarian control over all agriculture. It was introduced by Rosa DeLauro, whose husband WORKS for Monsanto, and is ultimately about one thing, defining ONLY their own GMO products as” safe”.
What makes the bill so dangerous is that it is heavy on penalties including prison time, while at the same time being incredibly vague about what would actually trigger those sanctions. HR 875 is nothing but a Trojan horse, with an invading army to be designated later, in the form of an bureaucratic administrator (most likely a corporate lobbyist shill) with draconian LAW MAKING POWER to make up their own definitions so that all competitors are either driven into bankruptcy or locked up. There are problems with food safety we can talk about, but HR 875 is not going to make us safer, any more than invading Iraq made us safer. It MUST be stopped.
Stop HR 875 Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum959.php So in the midst of this attempted Panzer action by Monsanto, are we hearing about any of this in our propaganda based mainstream media? No, they distract our attention talking about Michelle Obama’s adorable organic garden at the White House, as if she is making agricultural policy.
But will that little White House garden end up as something like a diorama, a quaint reenactment of what farming used too be like when it was healthy, they way they would reenact Betsy Ross sewing the first American flag? Will they lull us into complacency while down
the street Congress at the same time paves the way for breaking the back of every small farmer in the country, turning our entire agricultural system into a chemically over-treated, Genetically Mutated Organism (GMO) nightmare?
One thing for sure all of us agree you have guts to want the job of being our President to lead us out of the espionage and sabotage done by some corrupting our Nation that has been going on for a long time. And one thing you can count on us for doing —-is watching your back day and night, best as we can.
What ever you need us to do just tell us. Give us BIG JOBS to do —-there is a lot of folks that will work for free to help us get back on our feet—-WHY — They like me love this our home America —– think about holding a SUMMIT with the many others that have a good heartbeat from the grass roots of the American folks right now.
As in all good things —- change comes little by little and we should not rush any longer to put out fires that might be needed to burn down the old failed ways of doing business as usual —– that has us in the fix we are in.
Best regards
Dwight Baker
Co –Founder of the Bondservants of Christ Jesus Ministries
Chairman of the Voices of We the Peoples Lobby now [Advocacy or WTPA] grass roots actions
Dbaker007@stx.rr.com
Posted by: DWIGHTBAKER | April 4, 2009, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm
Meridia reviews.
Ptsd and meridia. Meridia. Meridia coupon. Discount meridia. Buy meridia. Meridia no prescription.
Posted by: Meridia diet pill. | September 1, 2009, 6:07 am 6:07 am
Buy xanax online.
Generic xanax. Xanax online. Xanax. No prescription xanax generic. Xanax during pregnancy. Xanax with 5-htp.
Posted by: Xanax. | September 1, 2009, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm