By Caitlin Taylor

Feb 3, 2009 8:13am

The Note, 2/3/09: Soft Middle — Obama seeks to reset debate, but centrists control stimulus’ fate

By RICK KLEIN What two weeks of the Obama era have taught us: 1. The national debt would be smaller if President Obama’s Cabinet were larger. 2. Republican Party unity costs more or less $819 billion. 3. Barack Obama was serious about a diverse Cabinet. 4. Lobbyists aren’t welcome in the Obama administration — except when they are. 5. You can pretty much learn where the Senate is swaying by watching the middle — yes, still. Maybe this is post-partisanship at work — but somehow we feel like we’ve seen this play out before: Sixty is the new 80. The stimulus package — combined with Cabinet woes, and a few flexible pledges — have brought a presidency that seeks to soar down to solid ground. As Obama fans out to the networks — including a sit-down with ABC’s Charles Gibson, to air on “World News” Tuesday — he needs to re-set the terms of the stimulus debate. Team Obama lost the early battle to define the bill — which has become a pork-stuffed monstrosity, instead of economic salvation wrapped in legislation. That’s where Senate centrists come in. The loose coalition of lawmakers that are scrubbing the measure with an eye on offering joint amendments — being led by Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine — are quickly becoming the group to watch. They have the votes to exert their will, and that means sorting out spin from reality (or at least their take on it) on a measure that’s easy to hate for its scope, and maybe easier to mock for its specifics. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos: “President Obama isn’t going to get the 80 votes in the Senate that he originally wanted on the stimulus bill. The president is starting to agree to changes in the bill, taking out some of the more unpopular spending and increasing some tax credits.” “There’s a group of centrist Democrats and Republicans in the Senate who are working now on amendments that might increase infrastructure spending, do more for housing, and, perhaps, bring down the overall cost to the bill,” he adds. “The fix is in,” write Roll Call’s Emily Pierce and Keith Koffler. “Stung by GOP — and even some Democratic — criticism of their so-called economic recovery behemoth, Senate Democrats and the White House are scrambling to repair the package so that it might appeal to Republicans and actually stimulate the economy before October 2010. But before it gets better, it’s likely to look a whole lot worse, as the Senate appears set to add tens of billions of dollars more to the already $888 billion measure this week.” Out of necessity, taking on his own party: “Two Democratic sources with knowledge of the meeting [at the White House] said the president took a blunt tone with the lawmakers, urging them to drop whatever needs to be cut from the bill to gain bipartisan support and to pass Congress soon,” Michael D. Shear and Shailagh Murray report in The Washington Post. “One source said Obama appeared to be frustrated by the public perception that the recovery bill was becoming laden with partisan pet projects.” “Among [the changes] that the White House is willing to accept include doubling the homeowners tax credit, and adding more spending for infrastructure,” ABC’s Jake Tapper reported on “Good Morning America” Tuesday. It’s going to be a messy week: “Democrats and Republicans are seeking changes worth tens of billions of dollars to President Barack Obama’s economic-stimulus package as the U.S. Senate began debate yesterday on the plan,” Bloomberg’s Brian Faler writes. “Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, a North Dakota Democrat, said lawmakers from both parties are developing plans to redirect at least $50 billion to aid the ailing housing industry. Another Democrat, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, said he and other senators are preparing an amendment to cut ‘tens of billions’ of dollars in spending in the plan, saying they doubt it would do much to help the economy.” “Republican support will be needed to get the 60 votes needed to waive budget points of order, and this will almost certainly require some give on tax cuts and dedicating a greater share of the money to traditional highway, transit and clean water projects,” Politico’s David Rogers writes. “In its haste to move a bill, the administration never made public its precise spending plan; this contributes to the uncertainty now.” One battle that’s being lost: “A strong majority of Americans (75%) want Congress to pass some version of President Obama’s economic stimulus plan, but this group is split down the middle on whether it should be passed as is or with major changes,” per the Gallup Poll write-up. Support for the plan as proposed is 38 percent — 28 points below Obama’s approval rating. And more than half of respondents either want major changes or an outright rejection of the plan. Why Obama’s interviews Tuesday will be interesting: “Obama and the Democrats are losing the Washington-based word war about the economic stimulus package,” Andrew Malcolm writes at his Los Angeles Times blog. “So tonight through the network interviews, which will be replayed Wednesday morning, Obama will seek to re-set the focus on economic stimulus. Get the talk back on home turf. Stop playing D. The suggested talking points will arrive on his Oval Office desk this morning for presidential digestion.” Part of the president’s play: “A divided and discontented Senate on Monday began debating a nearly $900 billion economic stimulus plan, while President Barack Obama launched a new grassroots campaign asking Americans to prod their lawmakers to act on it,” McClatchy’s David Lightman and Margaret Talev write. “The grassroots tactic resembles Obama’s presidential campaign efforts to keep supporters across America involved and energized, and is a novel extension of computer-based campaign tactics into governance.” Good luck defending these (and is it possible to eliminate every talking point?): “Items Republicans want stripped from the measure include $25 million for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trails, $20 million to remove fish passage barriers, $400 million for preventing sexually transmitted diseases, $34 million for remodeling the Commerce Department and $150 million for honey bee insurance,” the New York Daily News’ Michael McAuliff reports. Already gone: “Senate Democrats have agreed to remove extra funding for anti-smoking programs as part of the stimulus bill that’s being debated this week, ceding to critics of the bill who argued that the money had nothing to do with job creation,” per ABC News. Watch the bottom line: “Florida citrus growers, California wine growers and a range of agricultural interests are pushing a tiny change that would allow farmers to more quickly depreciate new fields. High-tech and pharmaceutical companies want to save billions in taxes by including a plan that would allow them to bring overseas profits back home at lower tax rates. Labor unions are pressing Congress to make sure that new government funding for green technology results in jobs with good pay and benefits for workers,” Brody Mullins and Elizabeth Williamson write in The Wall Street Journal. “Together, the competing lobbying efforts are likely to drive up the overall cost of the stimulus package that President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats hope to enact by the end of next week. The Senate version of the legislation, which Senate leaders hope to approve by week’s end, has already swelled to $885 billion, according to a new estimate released Monday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office,” they write. Watch this (smart) game: “Seeking to drive a wedge between Democrats at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue, [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell called on Obama to pressure his party into accepting Republican proposals on the Senate floor,” The Hill’s Alexander Bolton writes. Democrats want you to see: “While the proposed economic stimulus package has become the target of partisan inside-the-Beltway bickering, freshman Democrats in the House are finding that the topic is getting a warm reception back home,” per National Journal’s Erin McPike. Why there’s a clock: “The possibility that at least two of the nation’s biggest banks may be in danger of collapse could force the administration to ask Congress for another eye-popping bailout — running to at least hundreds of billions of dollars,” The Los Angeles Times’ Janet Hook and Maura Reynolds report. “Tactically, the White House wants to have the stimulus plan approved and out of the way before any such proposal is made. Given the widespread anger over Wall Street bonuses and what are seen as other excesses, proposing to shell out more tax dollars could trigger extreme sticker shock in both parties.” Key to understanding the dynamics: Somewhere along the line, Obama lost some high ground. The Boston Globe’s Peter Canellos notices that the president’s calls for “responsibility” got quiet when it came to tax lapses by his nominee for Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle. “The cost to Obama could be considerable,” Canellos writes. “Already, the tax avoidance of his nominees is giving fuel to the late-night comedians who have struggled to develop a take on the new administration. And Obama, whose high-mindedness at times verges on aloofness, will inevitably be attacked for putting his own team’s sense of superiority — the belief that [Tim] Geithner and Daschle are so talented that they’re irreplaceable — ahead of the normal sense of accountability that would apply to people who fail to pay their taxes on time.” “We have one Cabinet nominee who did not pay all of his taxes and another Cabinet pick already confirmed who did something similar — and a stimulus package that offers mountains of cash but only molehills of reform. Can we go back a bit?” Richard Cohen writes in his Washington Post column. “Barack Obama promised a ‘clean break from business as usual’ in Washington. It hasn’t quite worked out that way,” the AP’s Charles Babington writes. “From the start, he made exceptions to his no-lobbyist rule. And now, embarrassing details about Cabinet-nominee Tom Daschle’s tax problems and big paychecks from special interest groups are raising new questions about the reach and sweep of the new president’s promised reforms.” “The episode has already shown how, when faced with the perennial clash between campaign rhetoric and Washington reality, Mr. Obama has proved willing to compromise,” Peter Baker writes in The New York Times. “Every four or eight years a new president arrives in town, declares his determination to cleanse a dirty process and invariably winds up trying to reconcile the clear ideals of electioneering with the muddy business of governing. Mr. Obama on his first day in office imposed perhaps the toughest ethics rules of any president in modern times, and since then he and his advisers have been trying to explain why they do not cover this case or that case.” Said Daschle: “I would hope that my mistake could be viewed in the context of 30 years of public service.” “The failure by the former Senate majority leader to pay taxes on the free use of a car and driver for several years, first reported Friday by ABC News, complicates Daschle’s nomination and erodes the chances that it will sail through the Senate,” per ABC’s Karen Travers, Jonathan Karl, and Jake Tapper. “The committee’s Democrats emerged from the meeting to give Mr. Daschle their effusive backing, providing his strongest boost since news of his tax problems emerged Friday,” The Wall Street Journal’s Naftali Bendavid, Laura Meckler and Glenn R. Simpson report. “The Republicans’ position is less clear, and none made definitive statements of support or opposition. Still, the Democrats, with 58 votes in the Senate, are tentatively optimistic, while the Republicans now have a week until Mr. Daschle’s hearing to decide what stand to take.” “Republican aides said Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the senior Republican on the committee, continued to have questions that went beyond the taxes. In particular, they said Mr. Grassley was concerned about potential conflicts of interest, given the large amount of income Mr. Daschle received for speaking to health care companies and advising them,” The New York Times’ Carl Hulse and Robert Pear report. And: “In another boost to Mr. Daschle, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the ailing Massachusetts Democrat who is highly influential on health care policy, was making phone calls on Mr. Daschle’s behalf, officials said.” But: “Tom Daschle backed the patron who paid him a million-dollar salary and supplied him with a free car and driver for a job inside the Obama administration, two Democrats said Monday,” Politico’s Ben Smith and Eamon Javers report. “Leo Hindery, whose InterMedia Partners employed the former Senate Majority Leader, had been mentioned as a possible Secretary of Commerce or U.S. Trade Representative.” The New York Times editorializes: “We believe that Mr. Daschle ought to step aside and let the president choose a less-blemished successor. Mr. Daschle’s tax shortfall is particularly troubling because it comes on the heels of another nominee’s failure to pay taxes due. We were not pleased when the president’s Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, admitted that he had failed to pay tens of thousands of dollars in federal self-employment taxes while working for the International Monetary Fund despite having signed paperwork acknowledging the obligation. Now we are confronted with an even larger lapse by Mr. Daschle.” Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., gets the Commerce nod on Tuesday, with an 11 am ET announcement. (And make sure he paid taxes on that winning scratch-off ticket!) “Sources tell ABC News that late Tuesday morning in the White House’s Grand Foyer, President Obama will announce that he has tapped Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., to be his Secretary of Commerce,” per ABC’s Jake Tapper. “Senate Democrats expect that Democratic Gov. John Lynch of New Hampshire will appoint a Republican to serve out the remainder of Sen. Gregg’s term, until 2010, and that Republican will almost certainly be J. Bonnie Newman.” First questions for the new secretary-designate: “President Obama’s new candidate to run the Commerce Department voted in favor of abolishing the agency as a member of the Budget Committee and on the Senate floor in 1995,” CQ’s Jonathan Allen reports. “Sen. Judd Gregg , R-N.H., whose nomination was expected to be announced Tuesday, also worked in the Senate to trim the department’s budget as head of the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee.” “Yesterday, Gregg and Gov. John Lynch commented publicly for the first time on the dramatic turn of events, making it clear that Democrat Lynch, with the blessing of the Obama administration and U.S. Senate Democratic and GOP leaders, is on board to name a Republican rather than a member of his own party when Gregg moves to the cabinet post,” John DiStaso writes in the New Hampshire Union-Leader. “Fergus Cullen, former chairman of the state Republican Party, said he found the politics of the move bewildering, pointing out that the president and Gregg have very different political philosophies; that Obama could find plenty of other qualified people for the commerce job; and that Gregg could retire in two years if he is tired of his job. And, Cullen said, appointing a Republican could result in Lynch facing a primary challenge from a liberal Democrat in 2010,” Lisa Wangsness reports in The Boston Globe. Maneuverings: “The Obama administration has tapped Ambassador Chris Hill, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, to be Ambassador to Iraq,” ABC’s Martha Raddatz reports. You didn’t think he’d miss a Lincoln event, did you? “Two years ago this month, on Feb. 10, 2007, then-Sen. Barack Obama announced his candidacy for president in Springfield, Ill., — not far from the Abraham Lincoln museum. Next week, on Feb 12., President Obama will return to Springfield to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth,” Mark Silva reports in the Chicago Tribune. “The White House says the president will travel at the invitation of Sen. Dick Durbin, the senior senator from Illinois who helped convince Obama to run for president.” The Kicker: “I am so grateful to him for a lifetime of all kinds of experiences.” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, thanking her husband. 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

User Comments

It seems that the media is finally bringing Obama down to reality (a little late though). The lack of experience is definately starting to show and is only going to get worse for Obama. The most experience Obama has is as a community organizer, what did you expect?

Posted by: billy bob | February 3, 2009, 8:55 am 8:55 am

Obama recession….

Posted by: henry | February 3, 2009, 9:09 am 9:09 am

Plus Obama’s ratings are falling…perhaps this is also getting his attention.

Posted by: Fran | February 3, 2009, 9:12 am 9:12 am

Plus Obama’s ratings are falling…perhaps this is also getting his attention.

Posted by: Fran | February 3, 2009, 9:12 am 9:12 am

Lack of experience is correct!!! How could we allow a non-experienced Jr. Senator become our president when the country and world is in such disrepair???

Posted by: jill | February 3, 2009, 9:15 am 9:15 am

I did not vote for Obama, but I am happy to see that he is telling the Dem-wits to work with the Republicans (WOW, bipartisanship a novel idea) and he is listening to what Americans are telling him.
If he keeps giving the Congress Dem-wits hell and forcing them to work with the republicans, then I will be happy with him.

Posted by: ajax | February 3, 2009, 9:17 am 9:17 am

“Another Democrat, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, said he and other senators are preparing an amendment to cut ‘tens of billions’ of dollars in spending in the plan, saying they doubt it would do much to help the economy.”
YOU THINK! I think a lot of us been telling you that for a week now! Glad a democrat finally admits it!

Posted by: ajax | February 3, 2009, 9:18 am 9:18 am

Salesman in chief? Obama is more like con man in chief.

Posted by: CW | February 3, 2009, 9:20 am 9:20 am

Everybody keeps talking about “The lack of experience”
Where were you people when GWB & the Republican Party was running things. That man and his party ruined this country and left it worse off then ever. Now you want to be the party of change and Billy Bob just so you understand GWD had no Exp running a Baseball team (Almost had to sale it), No exp being Gov of TX(Worst budget management in TX history as Gov) Only thing he can put his name on is the failed IRAQ WAR. Waits he and the Republican Party can also claim that one.
1) Highest Employment in History over an 8 year span
2) Foreign relations the worst ever in the history of this country over an 8 year span.
3) Bank Failure over 10 banks more to come.
4) Airline Company folding over 10 since he’s been in office.
5) Highest Fuel cost ever in the history of this country. Since his been in office
6) Highest rate of Jobs being shipped over seas or lost due to the Global economy.
We could go on and on. So I ask you Billy Bob where was the experience in that. Eight years of stupidity followed up with the Dummying down of America. What do I mean by that? If you get the people to think on the same lines or level as the President then he becomes more understandable so in order for GWB to communicate to the American people more effectively the had to make us stupid. Which they did by feeding news agency (FOXNEWS) with their talking points and telling you what they wanted you to hear and not what you need to know.
So don’t worry if we can survive 8 years of GWB learning on the Job we can handle this as well.

Posted by: EagleNation | February 3, 2009, 9:21 am 9:21 am

CULTURE OF CORRUPTION–sweeping trough this new White House-tax cheats every where you look. Oh! That’s right it is just good old Chicago politics Obama is practicing. Obama is making the Bush dopes seem like choir boys with all these thugs Obama now has on his team. America!!!!! You got what you wished for—total dishonesty in our Land. God save this land from all the corruption-please. “CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN” if you happen to be a mafia member.

Posted by: rockychance | February 3, 2009, 9:23 am 9:23 am

This IOU bill (Dem donors and special interest groups) needs to be completely re-done.
It needs to be cut in half to around $500billion and it needs to be really a “stimulus” bill.
Americans are currently getting a $400billion stimulus that costs the Feds zero dollars. It”s called going from $4.10 gallon gas to $1.75 gallon.
EVERYDAY…………more and more Americans are against this Dem IOU bill…………
We The People must continue our efforts to get this IOU bill changed to a real stimulus bill……

Posted by: allen ridge | February 3, 2009, 9:25 am 9:25 am

How many people here would agree to bribe, Nancy Pelosi, Chris Dodd, and Barney Frank, for 1 Billion dollars of the stimulus package, to have them resign and let people with actual intelligence run congress?

Posted by: Angelo | February 3, 2009, 9:31 am 9:31 am

Posted by: allen ridge | February 3, 2009, 9:32 am 9:32 am

Obama’s stimulus bill includes
• A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.
$600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.
• $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD’s.
• $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.
Don’t Miss
* GOP senators draft stimulus alternative
• $125 million for the Washington sewer system.
• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.
• $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.

Posted by: CW | February 3, 2009, 9:33 am 9:33 am

This is how democracy works – no more “I’m the Decider” crap. We now have a President and a Congress who are hashing out a solution to the mess Bush left us. I’m pleased with the debate, I’m pleased to see ordinary Americans paying attention to policy for a change, and I LOVE seeing the Senator from Maine, whom conservatives have bashed for eight years as a RINO, have her moment in the sun. Maine voted for Obama, we sent Snowe and Collins back to the Senate, we are a Purple state, let Maine lead the way!

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 9:33 am 9:33 am

Here’s the next bubble to burst: The Obama bubble — an irrational bubble of expectations, promises, hope and approval ratings. In a manner consistent with all the other bubbles, this one too was based on pretty words and visions (or shall we say hallucinations?) of a “better tomorrow”, temporarily masking what is otherwise the inescapable reality of utter inexperience, empty self-indulgence and naivete. And much like all the other bubbles of late, this too will end with a dramatic crash. As they say, the higher you go, the harder you fall…

Posted by: Marty Jaworski | February 3, 2009, 9:34 am 9:34 am

@EagleNation.
Get over it, GW is not in town anymore.
It is sooo damned funny that you all are sooo upset with “W” and the things you claim he did all single-handed. BUT YET, You don’t want to make sure that Obama doesn’t travel the same road. You raise hell that Bush spent s lot of money, but you don’t care if Obama slings it around. I for one want the “Change I can Believe in” to be CHANGE that WORKS. I DID NOT SUPPORT the first BAILOUT (whom, mostly DEMS PASSED), and unless this one gets rid of a lot of the bullcrap (millions to ACORN) that will not help us at all, I WILL KEEP CALLing MY Reps and saying HELL NO!

Posted by: ajax | February 3, 2009, 9:34 am 9:34 am

Obama’s stimulus bill includes:
• A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.
$600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.
• $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD’s.
• $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.
• $125 million for the Washington sewer system.
• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.
• $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.

Posted by: CW | February 3, 2009, 9:35 am 9:35 am

Here is more of the stimulus spendin :
• $5.5 million for “energy efficiency initiatives” at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.
• $850 million for Amtrak.
• $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.
• $75 million to construct a “security training” facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.
• $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.
• $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.

Posted by: CW | February 3, 2009, 9:40 am 9:40 am

@Amy, Don’t agree with all you said, but I do agree that “IT IS ABOUT TIME” that Americans get involved in this process. We have gone SO long in this Country allowing the WH and Congress to decide our fate while watching reruns of “Andy and Barney”.

Posted by: ajax | February 3, 2009, 9:45 am 9:45 am

Does anyone know if we can actually see the stimulus document and what is exactly in it?? I hate getting information from media and party reps. I want to read it for myself!!! Then I will decide. Obama – get these proposals online so we can see the pork and start pushing for what is right about it!!!

Posted by: Scott | February 3, 2009, 9:47 am 9:47 am

CNN has an article about what the stimulus
package contains. It is their top story.

Posted by: CW | February 3, 2009, 9:51 am 9:51 am

“How many people here would agree to bribe, Nancy Pelosi, Chris Dodd, and Barney Frank, for 1 Billion dollars of the stimulus package, to have them resign and let people with actual intelligence run congress?”
There are cheaper ways to get rid of them Angelo, but yours could be the quickest and the most civilised – why dont you add a rider that they have to retire to Tibet?

Posted by: Gerry Sinclair | February 3, 2009, 9:54 am 9:54 am

I don’t want it from CNN. I want a copy of the actual stimulus document online!! The one congress looks at and votes on. Then they can update it daily with certain amendments. That will clearly inform everyone what is really going on.

Posted by: Sott | February 3, 2009, 9:55 am 9:55 am

How about more YES WE CAN speeches in the Congress and Senate?

Posted by: Julie | February 3, 2009, 9:58 am 9:58 am

I like the: “Will you testafy for Meeeeeee”. “Will you be a Witness for Meeeeeee” speech myself.

Posted by: ajax | February 3, 2009, 10:02 am 10:02 am

EagleNation–Did your rant mean to compliment GWB in the first bullet point you noted? Heaven forbid.

Posted by: NewCongress2010 | February 3, 2009, 10:02 am 10:02 am

Marty Jaworski
I love Obama. I just wish journalists would stop asking him fluff questions like “how do you like having your mother-in-law living with you? Hardy har har.” Obama isn’t a soap bubble, he wasn’t handed the Democratic nomination or the Presidency, he earned it. Obama is no Bush, who was dumb as a brick and relied on bullying opponents to get what he wanted. Obama is a listener, a negotiator, a communicator, and I feel he is knitting the country back together through respectful debate, and serious thought.

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 10:05 am 10:05 am

EagleNation All I can say to you is that you need to listen to all sources of information about what is going on in this country and make an informed decision. Yes you even need to listen to Fox news as well as CNN, NBC, CBS, ect. Your pre determined notion that Fox is bad shows your obvious bias and your sheep like mentality. All of your point of why Bush was bad are typical liberal talking points and show lack of knowledge of the facts. Get educated.

Posted by: billy bob | February 3, 2009, 10:11 am 10:11 am

It continues to be sad we support a president who is selling our country off so quickly. He acts like he is giving both sides a good look, while he is spending away money in the White House just like other democrats. I am sure if we dug into his background, we would find he doesn’t pay his taxes as well.

Posted by: Bud in Georgia | February 3, 2009, 10:13 am 10:13 am

Daschle himself in so many words said that tax cheats should face the full extent of the law. If you would listen to other news agencies you will here the taped speach he gave on tax cheats. And now he himself a tax cheat is going to be in charge of health!!! You knoe the Dems will vote him in. There is no doubt about it.

Posted by: Jim Rod | February 3, 2009, 10:14 am 10:14 am

Daschle should have to live his words. A few Congress people having to live out the results of their actions would clean up Washington faster than any Tax stimulant would help.

Posted by: Bud in Georgia | February 3, 2009, 10:16 am 10:16 am

“It continues to be sad we support a president who is selling our country off so quickly. He acts like he is giving both sides a good look, while he is spending away money in the White House just like other democrats. I am sure if we dug into his background, we would find he doesn’t pay his taxes as well.”
What in God’s name are you blabbering about?

Posted by: Silky_Johnson | February 3, 2009, 10:19 am 10:19 am

“And now he himself a tax cheat is going to be in charge of health!!!”
What does one have to do with the other?

Posted by: Silky_Johnson | February 3, 2009, 10:20 am 10:20 am

Until Obama gets rid of Pelosi and those jerks nothing will change. What a joke Washington is. People are losing everything and no one cares. Even the reporters don’t get it. There are so many people that are out of touch with what is happening. This country has lost its way and I think the good old days are really gone now.

Posted by: B | February 3, 2009, 10:23 am 10:23 am

“People are losing everything and no one cares.”
What do you mean? I see front page stories relating to the economy daily. There is currently an $800+ BILLION dollar stimulus package up for review in the Senate. What exactly are you looking for…somebody come sit with you and hold your hand while you cry? Send your representatives email with your thoughts, work hard, and try not to let things get to you too much.

Posted by: Silky_Johnson | February 3, 2009, 10:27 am 10:27 am

The petals are falling off the rose, the cracks are appearing under stress. This is fun to watch. It would not be so fun if the idiot Dems and libs had handled themselves with some class and grace the past 8 years. This is what hero worship will get you. We on the right are far from perfect, don’t have all the answers and disagreed completely with many policies of GWB and may even have an affinity/respect for Reagan, but we never have the stupid, sloppy, sickening hero worship that the left seems to have. Your messiah is breaking campaign promises faster that GWB broke grammatical rules and it is only going to get worse. FUN!

Posted by: RJ | February 3, 2009, 10:34 am 10:34 am

“It would not be so fun if the idiot Dems and libs had handled themselves with some class and grace the past 8 years.”
Ha! That is rich.
The gist of the product that Obama was selling during the campaign is still completely in tact. In fact, it is even better than billed. What he was selling was the reintroduction to logic, reason, and an open dialogue.

Posted by: Silky_Johnson | February 3, 2009, 10:41 am 10:41 am

@RJ-
you just save you hero-worship for Reagan and his ideas.
Reality check- Trickle ANYTHING doesn’t work. The economy is driven not just by investments or consumption, it’s by both and more. We need to realize that favoritism of any part of the economic cycle will just unbalance it and throw things off.
Let’s try to use reason and not just listen to slogans and catch-phrases and analyze our problems to try and find a solution.

Posted by: Calis | February 3, 2009, 10:45 am 10:45 am

The Rep rehensibles are at it again. We’ve lived through 8 years of the rich getting richer and now they want more of the same. We have a president who is trying to work with them, to erase the venom they have spewed starting with Gingrich and fermenting with Limbaugh. The election is over. We won. Suck it up.

Posted by: Yelfpmets | February 3, 2009, 10:51 am 10:51 am

“It would not be so fun if the idiot Dems and libs had handled themselves with some class and grace the past 8 years.”
Watching the country take a nose dive and not being able to stop it does makes one testy. Pardon us for not laughing along while journalists hip hopped with Karl Rove. We elect Obama and what does he do? Reach out to the Repugnant ones and you slap him down. Niiiice.

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 11:04 am 11:04 am

The next republican ticket will take care of everything, Lindbaugh and Palin, they will outdo Bushed and Cheney

Posted by: BSKI | February 3, 2009, 11:11 am 11:11 am

Daschle: “I would hope that my mistake could be viewed within the context of thirty years of public service.” Whoa big boy. Rangel already used that one and apparently got away with it. Weak defense for stealing from the government. Does thirty years of service give you special pivileges or ownership rights? What happened to the service part?

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 11:23 am 11:23 am

Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist
Barry is a socialist

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 11:23 am 11:23 am

yelfpmets; The part of your dissertation that states “We won. Suck it up.” defines the problem Obama faces. He was elected to govern the whole nation. Not just you.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 11:30 am 11:30 am

I am so glad that the same band of idiots who have been chipping away at our capitalist economy for years now have total control over it. Thank you mainstream media! You have really reached a new low this year!
The socialist dems caused the financial crisis that we are currently in, going all the way back to the worst president in US history- jimmy carter. He introduced the community reinvestment act, which opened the flood gates to democrats in washington DICTATING lending standards to lenders.
Bush’s main problem is that he didn’t do enough to combat all of the robin democrats during his 8 years in office.
He did, however, call for more regulation of fannie/freddie in 2003, and i believe it was barney frank who shouted, along with every other top ranking democrat,”ANY REGULATION OF FANNIE/FREDDIE WILL ONLY DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING”.
Nice going barney and the rest of you socialist democrats, “affordable housing” has been a great injection to our economy.

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 11:38 am 11:38 am

Silky_Johnson; When did you grow the Johnson? I have no reason to doubt Obama is interested in logic, reason and open dialogue between the parties. As I have previously stated, he is under fire from the right because of the legislation introduced by Pelosi’s House of Representatives. Turns out the first piece of major legislation introduced for consideration is Nancy Pelosi’s career wish list coupled with some good ideas. It’s the bundling of the bad with the good that has presented itself to be a problem. I have no doubt the Republicans are equally as willing than the left to meet somewhere in the middle. Even as we speak, centrists from both parties are forming a coalition. Keep your eye on the ball. This package is for economic recovery. Her pet projects, if removed now, can be readdressed as separate pieces of legislation down the road. Those stumbling blocks she threw in are just delaying the process of addressing our growing joblessness, general economic stagnation, and relief for those who have already lost their means of income.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 11:44 am 11:44 am

If these socialist democrats were republicans they would all be dead in the water given their “honest” histories. However, with the protection of the mainstream media, anything is possible.

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 11:46 am 11:46 am

I’m with you on that monroe.
“When did you grow the Johnson?”
They teased me with a ban yesterday, so I switched in case it wasn’t an IP thing. It’s my ESPN login.

Posted by: Silky_Johnson | February 3, 2009, 11:51 am 11:51 am

” The socialist dems caused the financial crisis that we are currently in, going all the way back to the worst president in US history- jimmy carter. ”
This isn’t even close to the truth. 2/3 of the recently foreclosed homes were with agencies other than Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Feds under Bush encouraged borrowing by lowering interest rates in order to stimulate the economy. They stimulated it all right, folks bought dumpy ranch houses for $300,000 in the belief that housing prices would continue to climb. Adjustable rate morgages made it seem like people could afford to buy homes with little money down as long as homes held their value. They didn’t. Investment bankers turned profits by bundling bad loans with good, selling them to investers, and poisoning the banking system. This is what I object to in the rightwing: you start every debate with smears, lies and spin. Why can’t you debate policy on the facts? Why do you have to paint Carter or Clinton as the villian in every scenerio and give Bush and the Republican Congress a pass after all they have done?

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm

Will he never learn? Barney Franks is already calling for a renewed loosening of the currently tighter qualifications and interest rates for mortgage loans.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm

And yet another tax evader appointment. Looks like she is going to do the honorable thing, step down.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 12:05 pm 12:05 pm

Amy
You are delusional or lying to your self, either way you are WRONG. The melting away of lending standards was the democrats’ doing. They did this to ensure “affordable housing” for all.
Home loan lenders used to require the applicants to have a good credit history, savings account, job, down payment,ect. The robin hood democrats wiped all of that away. Lenders who refused to write loans to risky people were often sued for discrimination and faced huge federal penalties (check several of barry’s court cases in the 90′s). He and ACORN got lots of “affordable housing” for the poor in chicago.
Thank you barry and the rest of the socialist dems!

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm

so nice to have a president that is willing to give and take,unlike the shrub we had in there for 8 years it was his way or no way nad look at the mess it caused…this is a democracy we the people not we the far right crazy kook christains.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm

“They teased me with a ban yesterday”
I got banned one day. I think it picked up the fact I had cut and pasted a paragraph I wanted to quote from another site. Made it look like Spam. At least, I think that was the problem, I tried not to take it personally. I retyped the post and it went up.

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 12:19 pm 12:19 pm

“He and ACORN got lots of “affordable housing” for the poor in chicago.”
I don’t know if he did or didn’t, but in any case, affordable housing hasn’t caused our current financial crisis.
That’s the point. Its called logic. Can’t base your argument on a lie and expect to win people over.

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 12:24 pm 12:24 pm

mmonroeliveson
Barney frank should be run out of washington for all the mess he has helped create, along with harry reid, chuck schumer, chris dodd, maxine waters, ect. Yet somewhow the media refused to report on their HUGE part in the financial crisis, they were too busy investigating the “Palin Not the Real Mother of Trigg” story.

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm

Monroe, you aren’t going to invite Silky to a pi$$ing contest, are you?
I love to read you two’s ongoing debates. Monroe, you have found your match. I think you like Silky a lot more than you will ever let on! LOL

Posted by: YOUBETCHA | February 3, 2009, 12:27 pm 12:27 pm

Amy
The robin hood dems wiped away lending standards, which not only allowed poor people to acquire loans that they COULD NEVER PAY BACK, but they also allowed investors to aquire loans that they could never pay back.

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 12:29 pm 12:29 pm

“Barney frank should be run out of washington for all the mess he has helped create, along with harry reid, chuck schumer, chris dodd, maxine waters, ect.”
Nice try spreading Republican talking points. This article refutes your premise.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200810100022

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 12:30 pm 12:30 pm

A coalition of liberal-leaning groups and unions are expanding their effort to pressure Republican senators into supporting President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package with new television and radio ads in five states.
The ads, paid for by Americans United for Change, MoveOn, the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, will go on the air in Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky and Florida this week.
They are the latest volley from the groups, which started running commercials in Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, Alaska and Washington D.C. last week.
Separately, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is pouring its resources into the debate over the stimulus plan, sponsoring drive-time radio ads in 28 Republican districts around the country. They are tailored to a group of G.O.P. Congressmen who voted against the stimulus in the House last week.

Posted by: Lizzie | February 3, 2009, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm

yes bostinks and the gop deregulated teh banks so far they could do whatever they wanted…thsi is 50/50 gop,dem…lets vote independant or green party or etc.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 12:45 pm 12:45 pm

“They are tailored to a group of G.O.P. Congressmen who voted against the stimulus in the House last week.”
Yay! Republican politicians being held accountable for their votes. That’s democracy!

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 12:51 pm 12:51 pm

Amy
Do you really want to start trading articles? You calling on a media matters article to make a point is about as unbiased as me posting a refuting link leading to rush limbaugh’s homepage.
How about you just go to the neutral you tube and type in “barney frank denies”.
There are volumes of live footage of powerful socialist democrats fighting tooth and nail against ANY REGULATION OF FANNIE/FREDDIE, and at the same time they are calling on MORE GOV’T REGULATION TO FORCE “AFFORDABLE HOUSING”.

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 1:01 pm 1:01 pm

bostinks–this is 50% dems fault 50% gop,s fault….lets sh** can them both…

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm

Amy said: I don’t know if he did or didn’t, but in any case, affordable housing hasn’t caused our current financial crisis.
That’s the point. Its called logic. Can’t base your argument on a lie and expect to win people over.
ARE YOU FOR REAL ? HOUSING MARKET CRASH WAS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF THIS ECONOMIC CRISIS. DEMS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR EVERYBODY TO GET A MORTGAGE, WHICH SOUNDS NICE, BUT MOST COULDNT AFFORD THE REPAYMENTS. EVER HEARD OF NINJA MORTAGES – NO INCOME NO JOB…AWESOME, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY SENSIBLE THING TO DO.

Posted by: Louis | February 3, 2009, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm

When the junior senator from Illinois promised to clean up Washington, did he have any idea how deep into his own party the corruption would extend? Should have. He’d seen it back at the state level. Just didn’t want to upset the proverbial applecart because he needed support for the big prize. The more the power the more the corruption is the general rule of thumb in politics and business. Maybe he should have shown up for congressional gatherings more and campaigned less, then he would have seen all this coming.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 1:22 pm 1:22 pm

“How about you just go” to the article I referenced and READ it.

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm

louis —thet is right the dems have that as there blame the gop has 5 trillion in war in iraq deregulation of the banks and makeing it harder for the common person to file bankruptcie but easier for a business to file. this is 50/50 both dems and gopare to blame equally.now we should all work together and fix this.united we stand divided we fall.and this nation is divided teh left and right.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 1:25 pm 1:25 pm

I bet barry will clean up Washington about as much as cleaned up chicago. I can almost hear barry a year or two from now when the really BIG scandal hits (not just tax evasion)…..
“that uuhhhuuhh is not uuuhhhh the person I uuhh knew”.

Posted by: dave | February 3, 2009, 1:37 pm 1:37 pm

Amy; Isn’t it a shame so many posters here are unable to admit that the blame is shared by both parties? Blame is a matter of history and perceived in different ways by different beholders. We need to look forward toward solutions now. We have some real and imminent dangers to circumnavigate. Fuel shortages, antiquated technology, crumbling infrastructure, collapsing economy, unemployment, starving people without incomes, budget deficits at all levels of government, substandard education, widespread executive privilege being taken, national security threats. We just need to get the big picture. The Obama administration has been called on to guide us through these times. Like it or not they’re our only hope. We’d best support them. Which is not to say we shouldn’t slap their wrists when they are out of line.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 1:39 pm 1:39 pm

Amy
I don’t read media matters crap just as I am sure you don’t read articles off of the drudge report.

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 1:40 pm 1:40 pm

Tom Daschle just withdrew. Two down, one to go. Now only Tim Geithner feels he’s above the law. Step up Tim, you can do it. Be a man. Just say it…I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 1:47 pm 1:47 pm

mmonroeliveson—yes true both parties are equally to blame. united we stand divided we fall.lets vote out all republicans and democrats. and vote in third and forth party people…i say jesse vetura for president—he was the best gov.we have ever had here in minnesota.he would knock heads and work for all people.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 1:48 pm 1:48 pm

mmonroeliveson
Get real. The housing crisis belongs to the democrats. Just because the media refused to report on that doesn’t mean it isn’t so. The Bush administration made some mistakes, but causing the stock market to crash 8,000 points was not bush’s fault.
Can you imagine if a republican was the head of the senate housing comittee and had a gay affair with the head of fannie mae, while at the same time condemning any oversight of the lending industry? I am not making this up.
The media not only ignored BO’s own part in the collapse, they covered for him.

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm

bostinks—why cant you republicans take your blame bush spent 4 trillion on war in iraq,i say he had something to do with the current state of affairs.the gop deregulated banks so they coulddo what they wanted and they did.the gop has been selling trickl down economics that never work since ronnie ray gun..both parties are equally to blame 50/50…

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 1:55 pm 1:55 pm

well bostinks???

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 2:14 pm 2:14 pm

T – if only life was that simple. all the Liberals do is bash and bash anything republican (did you see the disgusting behaviour when we elected Michael Steele to be the new head of the GOP?). I would love to just have a nice debate about whose done what wrong but it just doenst work like that with a liberal – they are never wrong, in case you didnt know that. I know Bush did some wrong things, and his time was well up when he left office, but for libs to continue to only blame bush for the past 8 years (and usually blaming him with lies that the left give out) and never once blame the dems for the downfall of the past 2 years since they controlled congress, and the downfalls of barney franks refusing to regulate fannie/freddie – hence them losing 90% of their share value in 1 year and causing the housing market to crash. its a 2 way street in blame and until people realise this and start being intelligent on these blogs, its always going to be like this

Posted by: Louis | February 3, 2009, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm

louis just by what you said you are still blameing it all on dems….since obama won it has been smash and trash obama when clinton was pres it was smash and trash him…enough is enough grow up. like i said its 50/50 dems and gop,they both did this together equally in there own way.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm

Prosecute Bush Admin War Crimes

Posted by: 33Greeper | February 3, 2009, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm

OK T – you arent making any sense now. i just said blame was on both houses. I dont trust Obama and this stimulus package is just proof that something isnt right with the dems at the moment. 400bn going on democratic pet projects under the umbrella of an economic stimulus is just disgusting. If this bill was by the GOP i would still say it was disgusting. its just not what we need right now.

Posted by: Louis | February 3, 2009, 2:25 pm 2:25 pm

Louis
Go to http://mediamatters.org/items/200810100022
The Senate also held hearings on whether Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac caused the mortgage crisis, and it came to the conclusion they did not. But that information is not as widely disseminated as the lies told by Republican apologists trying to make Democrats the cause of the problem. I could respect the conservative viewpoint if it didn’t come wrapped in lies, illogic and smears. They are spreading this “bad loans to poor people caused the mortgage collapse” lie all over the Internet and talk radio, and the mainstream media doesn’t counters it with facts, they are too busy talking about inconsequential things.

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm

louis ok now you make some sense…but what about bushes huge bail out he championed. they all suck. jesse ventura 2012..best gov. minnesota ever had.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 2:28 pm 2:28 pm

T – i dont beleive in bailouts, so didnt like bush’s one either. It was proven that they have never worked in the past and so far the last stim package hasnt worked here.

Posted by: Louis | February 3, 2009, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm

loius me either— want to help economy take the money and divide it up between the people that make 30,000 and 200,000 a year that will get us right out of bad economy.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 2:37 pm 2:37 pm

T
Bush’s going to war where 4,000 brave American’s lost their lives does not mean the republican party as a whole and its ideology are flawed. Remember the 50,000 lives lost in Vietnam led by Kennedy and Johnson?
The democratic party, however, won the white house despite their failed idealogy. Instead of the media labeling them as the robin hood socialists that got us into this mess, the media was able to pin the collapse on Bush.
BO with his ACORN ties and lawsuits against “mean” mortgage lenders, barney franks, harry reid, chuck schumer, chris dodd, all needed to be given the boot by voters, and thanks to the liberal media they all got a pass.

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm

bostinks—-just cant do it can you.i admit teh democrats are 50% to blame but you just keep slameing you and people like you on both sides of teh aisle will be the down fall of america remember united we stand divided we fall.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm

“Bush’s going to war where 4,000 brave Americans lost their lives does not mean the republican party as a whole and its ideology are flawed.”
Oh please. Setting aside the actual decision to go to war with Iraq and how it would be paid for, please hold your party accountable for the 13 billion dollars lost to fraud made possible by the philosophy that privatizing military contracts was the right way to go. How about holding the Republican Party accountable for its attempt to put social security funds in the stock market…which promptly tanked? Thank God the AARP and Democrats torpedoed that one, can you imagine where we be today if they hadn’t?

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm

BOStinks; But the Dems investigated themselves and found no wrong doing. sic. I’m not saying Bush had anything to do with causing our current financial crisis. Although he tried to stiffen lending regulations back in ’03, he was the president at the time the crisis occurred so he is responsible. The boss is always responsible for anything that happens. He can delegate authority and assign duty and fire the perpetrators but he can’t shake responsibility. Personally, I see Barney Frank up to his ears in liability as well as ACORN and their legal staff. But whoever thought up and found it appropriate to issue credit default swaps should be shot with no questions asked. The legislature is responsible for oversight. They should all be lined up with the dude that thought up credit default swaps. While we’re at it why not burn the treehuggers that prevented us from harvesting our own oil? The fuel crisis started the ball rolling that exposed the bad lending practices that caused people to lose mortgages that exposed the bad “Wall” paper that took a bad situation and made it unbearable.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm

Amy
Social security is another failed liberal policy that is bankrupt, just like the Great Society, New Deal, ect. As for the private military contracts, sounds like far-left media matters propaganda to me.
T
I would admit it was more like 90% to 10%, with 90% being the democrat’s fault. You show me some instances (names, dates, ect) of some top republicans pushing for NO regulation of fannie/freddie and I will admit I am wrong.
Until then, barney frank, chris dodd, chuck schumer, ACORN, BO, maxine waters and dozens of other powerful democrats are the ONLY ones that I have seen that called for NO regulation of fannie/freddie in the name of “affordable housing”. And as mentioned earlier, the worst president of all who also was playing robin hood, jimmy carter, instituted the comminity reinvestment act. great idea jimmy.

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 3:21 pm 3:21 pm

bostinks—like i said you are just in denile…it is 50/50…keep up your divisive ideals and thsi nation will crumble..we must be united and kick all dems and all gop out taht dont want to work tegether and move forward…you are a rush limburger fool keep drinking teh tainted kool-aid.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm

bostinks—trickle down republican ideal bad idea…deregulation of banks and wall street george bush did bad idea. war in iraq 4 trllion spent bad idea. makeing it harder for common person to file bank ruptcie but eaiers for businesses bad idea. taxcuts for big businesses taht shipped jobs over seas bad idea…forceing clinto to sign nafta bad idea. should i keep goin.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm

“As for the private military contracts, sounds like far-left media matters propaganda to me.”
Republican apologists need to quite smearing former Democratic Presidents and take responsibility for what their Party did.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/01/iraq/main4767378.shtml

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm

BOStinks; That was 54,000 baby boomers lost in Viet Nam. Less than anticipated. Now only 4,000 baby boomer babies in the Iraq War. Way less than anticipated. The government isn’t as good at killing off the workforce as they once were back in the good old days. There was a time when we could get rid of a couple of million workers in a good war. Now look at those unemployment scrolls grow. Gotta keep God out of government. More abortion is the only solution.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm

T; Sorry, I’m not a pro wrestling fan. Neither am I a Rush fan. Both do have about the same level of credibility. Cartoons for challenged adults.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | February 3, 2009, 3:36 pm 3:36 pm

mmonroeliveson
Its a little early to be drinking isn’t it?

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm

well jesse ventura was a great gov.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm

T
I really can’t keep having this conversation any more. Perhaps it will be easier if I just look into the light and say change! change! change!
The housing crisis did not fail because of deregulation. The housing market failed because the banks were REGULATED and forced to make bad loans to people who never pay them back. Now who do you think led that charge??? The socialist democrats.
Have you read about the lawsuits BO brought against “mean” lenders out of chicago who didn’t want to loan to risky people? Of course you haven’t, because 99% of the media ignored his hand in the crisis.
Liberals are socialists and pelosi/frank coming out of the most liberal city in America, san francisco, was a good indication of where they would take this country.
Trickle down is a bad idea? hmmm. give a man a fish he eats for a day (gov’t handout) or give a man a job. I think I would take the job.
You are a socialist and I obviously will never get anywhere arguing with you.
Tell me though, have you had the pleasure of living in a socialist country with “free” healthcare, where the people are taxed at 50% to pay for? I have. Doctors are no where to be found and hospitals are disgusting.
Have you noticed how the cubans would rather die in a raft trying to come to this great country rather than spend another minute in cuba’s free healthcare paradise?

Posted by: BOstinks | February 3, 2009, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm

bostinks—i am not a socialist i am a independant… i hate socialism and i hate far rightism also..you just dont get it… i am right in middle i am not defending the democrats i am blameing them and blameing the gop…catch up dude. but you are just saying its all the dems. an dits not thr gop has there 50% odf blame. i dont want obamas helath care deal i dont want the bail outs i dont want anybody on welfare.. i just want jobs and when the economy is thsi bad the only way to fix it is to make sure the middle class is proped up.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm

bostinks—you are so blinded you and yoru kind is what is destroying america…it is you(republican) against them (democrat) these two parties will tear apart america and start a cival war why us sane people in the middle scream stop it lets be teh united states of america…but you on yoru side and the liberals on there side are determined to tear america aprt.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm

“The housing market failed because the banks were REGULATED and forced to make bad loans to people who never pay them back.”
This is a lie. No matter how many times you repeat it, its still a lie. How do you expect to be repected if you promote your beliefs by spreading lies?

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm

the banks werent forced to give those loans,but they got federal funding if they did.the smart banks didnt do it an dtehy are secure,the greedy banks did it and they are collapsing.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm

Thank you T. You are the voice of the sensible middle.

Posted by: Amy | February 3, 2009, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm

there is a few of us sane people left in america,we are sick of both dems and gop.

Posted by: T | February 3, 2009, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm

We know this is very drastic…But under the circumstances that Republicans left behind, we have no other choice. What we need right now is just like President Obama has proposed more spending! The more we can spend is better and we should fast as much as possible, and only US Government can do that. And that’s the only way we can revitalize America. Pork or no pork, focused or unfocused, what we urgently need is more and huge amounts of government spending. All of that is needed to save our America from collapse after all the years of poor judgment and damage done to our country by the Republicans. Republicans are mouthing the same dogmatic stuff and trying to sound like fiscal conservatives, safeguarding interests of the people! Oh, my Lord, look who’s talking? All the damage done to our country over the past years, the same people are asking for same old stuff like tax cuts? I don’t understand what Republicans are all about. They are stuck in the same old worn out rut! All I know is their policies and ideas have ruined our country. After all the devastation done to America by the Republicans by their policies and their actions they are still mouthing the same spectacularly failed ideas! Boehner is saying the same stupid stuff like a trained Myna bird. We have tried all those Republican stuff and our country is not a Socialist state for all practical purposes. We know Republicans have ruined America. But Republican leaders like Kantor, Boehner, McCain can’t help but to try selling the same snake oil to us Americans! We need government spending pork or no pork in huge amounts, to save our country from collapse!!!

Posted by: Miguel De Savedra | February 3, 2009, 9:35 pm 9:35 pm

Miguel de Savedra. Are you sincere? Is what you wrote sarcasim or are you really this stupid? I believe the latter. Get the hell out of my country.

Posted by: what the f Miguel | February 3, 2009, 10:50 pm 10:50 pm

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