Home > The Barr Code > Archives > 2008 > February > 08 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USStimulus package vote reveals few true fiscal conservatives
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you want to learn who the true economic conservatives in the Congress are, take a look at the final votes in the House and the Senate on the so-called economic stimulus package. Of 435 House Members, only 34 voted “No” to this income redistribution plan, including all seven Georgia House Republicans and six Democrats.
In the Senate, no Democrats could bring themselves to vote against the popular but economically flawed legislation; both of Georgia’s Republican Senators supported it. Obviously, President George W. Bush, who encouraged the Congress to send him the measure, does not fall into the category of a “fiscal conservative”; but that’s hardly news.
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Jeff
February 8, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this
Dr. Paul is the only Presidential candidate currently in Congress that went on record as opposing this horrible legislation. (McCain voted for it, both Clinton and Obama are in the rolls as ‘Not Voting’.)
By Steve
February 8, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this
So let me get this straight…$1-3 trillion dollar FAILED wars that have allowed Al Qaeda to train and recruit is better spent tax money then this relatively inexpensive funding expense which actually puts money in peoples’ hands to pay their $500 gas bills during a time of economic recession??
By Jeff
February 8, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
Steve:
Actually, these wars would have been unncessary with sound policies (fiscal, domestic, AND foreign).
Check out Dr. Paul’s speech to CPAC yesterday. Interesting indeed.
By Andy
February 8, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this
The tax rebate will do nothing to fix the underlying causes of why consumers are strapped: high fuel costs, high health insurance costs, credit card balances at their limit, income stagnant, high food costs, etc
If congress really wanted to help the consumer, it should adopt a simple principle: will whatever they are doing push the average consumer away from or towards insolvency. If it is away from insolvency then perhaps do it; if towards insolvency, the repeal it or don’t pass it. The same logic should apply to government expenditures. And if corporations engage in practices that push the consumer towards insolvency, then the practice should be prohibited. Otherwise we will continue to have these bubbles, the only difference is the actors will change.
By The Professor
February 8, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this
Too few fiscal conservatives???? Are you sure, Mr. Barr, that it is not a case of simply too few conservatives? Like the late Sen Barry Goldwater said about amending the Constitution- “Everytime we’ve amended the document’ something has been done to destroy it.”- Every time we add the fiscal, social, religious, etc. adjective to the word- WE DO Something to destroy the meaning of being a conservative. Wm. F. Buckley says it best- “I may not be able to define it- but I know a conservative when I see one.”
By spiritraveller
February 8, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this
Sadly, politicians in a democracy are rarely rewarded for fiscal conservatism.
More commonly, they are rewarded for either spending huge amounts of money or cutting taxes and borrowing money to replace it… or in the case of the Bush administration, both at the same time.
By Political Mongrel
February 8, 2008 1:02 PM | Link to this
Way to go, GW! The best thing for someone who’s in financial trouble is to lower their income while increasing their debts, right?
No? Well, that’s the way you’ve been running the US for seven years?
That’s also the way Bush worked as a businessman and the way he operated in Texas as governor. Spend tons, run up enormous debts, cut taxes (government income), and leave someone else holding the bag when he’s done and gone. Like what will happen to the nation in a year.
The United States has never had a more fiscally irresponsible president or more people willing to follow him blindly off a cliff.
By Marc
February 8, 2008 2:21 PM | Link to this
Not being a financial guru, how do we as a country, fix our financial issues? Personally, if I had gotten way into debt by living beyond my means or whatever, I would : - Stop any unnecessary spending. - Stop borrowing money. - Get my expenses in line w/ my income. - Pay down my debt any legal way I could. - Save as much as I could for times when I really need to spend; like when the roof needs replacing or the car breaks down, etc….
Why can’t our government do any of these types of things?
By Ron
February 8, 2008 5:00 PM | Link to this
The economy is going to go through a correction period where houses and stocks and the the like are going to go closer to the level they belong at.It is going to be a painful process for a lot of people who didn't understand that the home they paid $600,000 for was actually only worth about $120,000.They ran up their credit cards and borrowed against the equity of that $600,000 dollar home.Now the chickens are coming home to roost.It isn't going to be pretty.By jay t
February 11, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this
Frankly, it’s sickening that the 50% of wage earners who pay 97% of taxes are least likely to get this unsolicited handout. But if you’re a citizen who didn’t bother to educate yourself when you had the chance, wound up in a low-paying dead end job, had kids you couldn’t afford, ran up a bunch of credit cards, and/or didn’t save for retirement - then here comes your reward! “From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.” - Karl Marx