Jay Bookman

By Mike

January 30, 2009 6:44 AM | Link to this

Gee, if the Republican establishment (including Bush himself) had gone after Keith Olbermann or some other hack pundit, it would have been a “chilling stifling of dissent”.

Whatever happened to “dissent is patriotic” or “speaking truth to power”? I guess that is just OK for liberals. Republicans just need to shut up and get in line.

Now that is democracy ;)

By AJC/DNC Management

January 30, 2009 6:46 AM | Link to this

{{{{I think that’s pretty well played. I doubt it will have much impact, but it’s smart politics nonetheless. Casting it as a choice between Obama — with a 65 percent approval rating in the new Fox poll, and only 16 percent disapproval — and the controversial Limbaugh is a nice touch.}}}}

Are we talking about the same thing?

I always thought this was about policy decisions, what type of legislation was up for vote and whether or not it was good for the country.

But here we are, the nation of droolers, morons all, with a popularity contest to decide the future and direction of our country, the 65% approval rating hack from Chicago or the Conservative leader with 30 million listeners on a daily basis.

This isn’t a hard decision, if you listen to Rush you are educated and up to speed on governmental and world affairs but if you are a democrat voter you have no idea who your governor is.

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

hopeandchange.duh

By GodHatesTrash

January 30, 2009 7:00 AM | Link to this

{Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and nine other Republicans spoke with reporters Thursday afternoon following their House colleagues’ unanimous rejection of President Obama’s stimulus package Wednesday evening.

“They can cram down a stimulus package without Republican support,” said Kyl, “but if that happens, then when, as we believe, in six months or so, when the American people say, ‘Wait a minute, we’re not better off. In fact, we’re worse off than we were six months ago. Who is responsible for this and what can be done to fix it?’ Republicans then are going to be in a position to say, ‘We didn’t have the input in this and that’s why it didn’t work.’”

The political telegraph sent by Kyl is the most explicit statement yet of the GOP strategy at play. Even with swift passage of the stimulus package, the rosiest economic forecasts show the economy continuing to deteriorate six months from now.}

Whine, welch, moan, groan, offer nothing new of their own.

The Duh Strategery.

By Mrs. Godzilla

January 30, 2009 7:24 AM | Link to this

The GOP was offered the carrot, but chose the stick.

Let them live with the consequences of their actions.

By Taxpayer

January 30, 2009 7:24 AM | Link to this

Dissent is patriotic. Fighting back is as well. The more significant thing in this move by President Obama is the effort to go to the airwaves in order to try and level the playing field w.r.t. reaching out to the intended audience. Let the games begin and we’ll see where it takes us. Too bad the Republicans have once again chosen to take the low road (this time by letting Rush serve as the party leader and do the pandering) but now the Democrats have a leader that is capable and willing to show them a few new moves. Bring it on.

By Mike

January 30, 2009 7:30 AM | Link to this

Nice to see that mindless partisanship is alive and well…at least on this blog

By Joey

January 30, 2009 7:32 AM | Link to this

Jay; That is only a tough question if you don’t allow the person to answer it or, like you did, answer for them and then don’t allow a response.

“I voted against the bailout because I do not beleive that printing new money is the answer. The evidence is clear that previous spending sprees have not eased the pain of our economic problems. Neither President Obama, nor Representative Pelosi, nor their supporters in the news media has offered a convincing argument that this new money would succeed where previous spending has failed.

Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. Several radio and TV networks employ similar entertainers. I am sure many of them supported this legislation. I hope that none of my Democratic colleges cast their vote in response to a news and entertainment celebrity. I feel sure that you would never ask them a question like this.”

Jay, I continue to be surprised that you are such a strong supporter of printing new money and throwing it into the wind. I think you know that printing money is not a national solution. Please, where are you coming from?

By AJC/DNC Management

January 30, 2009 7:42 AM | Link to this

{{{{The senators denied they were indulging in political games against Obama, insisting that the 819-billion-dollar stimulus bill would prove a colossal waste of money without a greater emphasis on tax cuts and targeted investment.

“This isn’t about playing the game, this is about doing something good for the American people,” Republican Jon Kyl said at a briefing with several of his Senate colleagues, accusing the Democrats of ignoring their objections.-Breitbart}}}

What, he has an explanation other than “Senator Limbaugh told me?”

Why, who would have thunk it?

hopendchange.duh

By Davo

January 30, 2009 7:45 AM | Link to this

So, the dems are taking a page from the Bush administation. Why make a reasonable argument when you can use fear and division instead?

Why anyone, especially liberals who usually side with the public over the private sector, would think this bailout is going to work truly baffles my mind. You don’t spend to get out of debt. This country has no revenue stream…manufacturing is overseas now along with the jobs. Japan’s economy is tanking as well…down as much as 100%. We are at the brink of a global depression and the only answer from our great leaders is ‘please, spend more money.’ How about try this…liquidate the debt, bankrupt Wallstreet, stop taxing the sweat of my brow.

By Joey

January 30, 2009 7:49 AM | Link to this

Regarding President Obama’s 65% approval rating.

If I was asked if I agreed or disagreed with what The President has done in these first 10 days, I would answer that I disagree on almost every decision.

If the follow up question was; Do I approve or disapprove of Obama’s Presidency. I would say: “I approved. Not because I agree, but because he has begun to do mostly what he indicated that he would do during the campaign. Again I don’t agree that it is the answer, but this is mostly what I expected and he has been president for only 10 days. Ask me again in 6 months.”

By Fred

January 30, 2009 7:57 AM | Link to this

“I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration somehow you’re not patriotic,”

Hillary Clinton, 2003

Change.

By Bud Wiser

January 30, 2009 7:59 AM | Link to this

Oblama’s supporters are still waiting for their gas, car and mortgage to be paid for, because “we gots Obama!”

Maybe they think their payoffs are in this ‘stimulus’ package. Can anyone cite what effect the initial TARP funds have done to improve the situation for the average American?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Other than ACORN getting funded for life, in an attempt to assure Democratic control in perpetuity, there’s nothing here for actual Americans, Americans that are seeing their jobs disappear while shiftless bums and their groups get funded, and CEO’s still pay themselves outrageous bonuses for pitiful performances, and corporations order new private jets, all on our tax money!

No jobs.

No guarantees for payback of tax dollars.

Where are the jobs in these programs? Other than rolling sod on the Washington Mall, can anyone recite one, just ONE job that ‘is being created’ by these funds?

Anyone?

Anyone?

I thought not.

And to you fools that supported Oblama, is it making you feel good to see your and your children and their children’s futures being pi$$ed away for pure political gain? How does it make you feel? You should feel like a used condom, because that is how you are being used.

By Redneck Convert

January 30, 2009 8:10 AM | Link to this

Well, this Obama must be as smart as this Norm Coleman’s legal team is stupid. Talking this Sen. Gregg into being the Commerce Secretary gives Obama the chance to get a Democrat senator in to replace him. While Coleman’s legal team marked all over the ballots he’s fighting about and the judge throwed them all out as evidence. It’s sorta like taking a gun that’s evidence of murder and going to target practice with it and breaking it before the trial.

Anyhow, I got a idea for how to fix the economy. You know us godly Republicans love tax cuts and hate taxes. Well, how about just making the whole stimulation plan tax cuts? We can all just fatten up our bank accounts and wait out the recession for the next 10 years or so. Course, it won’t do nothing for the people that’s already out of work, but they made Bad Choices and should pay for it anyway. I keep telling people, get a job that has something to do with beer. You won’t never get laid off that way.

These librul Democrats better lay off of Rush. He’s the only one I listen to every day. Some of the boys down at Billy Bob’s are trying to make him a Ornery Redneck but nobody can get in touch with him to see if he’ll come down for his free PBR. Anyhow, from what I hear he’s in to pills and stuff like that more than booze. I keep telling the boys we could get him if we offer some free Viagra pills and maybe some pictures of nekkid little boys. But they won’t listen to me.

Well, the weekend is coming up so I’m loading up on PBR and some fried pigskins. I guess Jim Earl and Joe Bill will be coming around on Sunday to watch the Super Bowl with me. There ain’t no NASCAR to see, so we might as well watch that. Have a good day everybody.

By Davo

January 30, 2009 8:14 AM | Link to this

A Republican Realignment? Posted by Jack Hunter on January 30, 2009

House Republicans have put up a united front in opposing Obama’s stimulus package. Writes conservative columnist Robert Stacy McCain “Man, if all it took to get Republicans to vote conservative was to elect a Democratic president, this is a change I can believe in.” Indeed. Yesterday’s “we must support the president” big government economics is rightfully seen today as “socialism.” And whether out of principle or partisanship, it’s refreshing to see Republicans standing on conservative principle once again.

http://www.takimag.com/blogs/article/arepublicanrealignment/

Scroll to the bottom for the video; it’s a very worthwhile 5 mins regardless of your political leanings.

By Bud Wiser

January 30, 2009 8:21 AM | Link to this

The Governator in California says his state is about to go broke, and needs federal (our) money now, to cover their wasteful spending, much on illegals.

Don’t believe it? Hell, even AJC provides support for this.

Between Arnold coming at your from the front for your money, and Barney Frank coming at you from the rear, you money, nor you, have a chance.

Change you can believe in?

Yeah, from folding money to the jingling kind is all you will have left.

But hold on, you know that check is coming - the one to take care of your gas, your car payment, and your mortgage, because “we gots Obama!” Any day now, just keep checking your mailbox, it’s on the way…..

By Taxpayer

January 30, 2009 8:26 AM | Link to this

If President Obama has to fight fire with fire, then the Republicans just have themselves to blame — themselves and their leader, Rush.

Too bad the Republican party has kept their constituency in the dark with their lies, deceit and obfuscation all these years. Otherwise, they would not have themselves so well painted into the corner with their current whines about the evils of spending money. Of course, the Republican party successfully played off the ignorance of their constituency while the economy appeared to be growing but once their Wall Street masters dropped the ball and the debt snowball took them all out, they could no longer turn to communist China and others for more money to keep their lies about tax cuts and revenues and spending alive and well.

Now, more and more people are discovering the truth behind the Republican “borrow from everyone else for a hamburger hill today” philosophy that really started in earnest when Reagan popularized the lies about cutting taxes to increase revenues through the trickle-down approach when, in fact, he cut taxes and borrowed the money from future generations to fund his perverted schemes to further bilk we the people and Republicans that have followed in Reagan’s wake have been all too happy to carry on and even vastly expand his traditions.

In summary, the Republican party has taken we the people for a ride with their tax, spend and borrow to pay for it all philosophy for generations and those of us with any measurable level of intellect now know this (thanks to the ease with which information can now reach the voters) and have voted to oust the Republican fraudsters. As for the remnants of the Republican party and their latest panderer for their “cause”, you’re welcome to mend your ways and come along if you wish but we don’t need you — we’re just showing you what decent behavior looks like with the extended hand since you’ve clearly forgotten over the years.

Now, have fun with that, Republicans. Give us a big cup of whine to start off our day. It’s the best part of waking up. Losers.

By AmVet

January 30, 2009 8:38 AM | Link to this

That good old goober Mitch McConnell. Had only they been more conservative! ROFL.

“We’re all concerned about the fact that the very wealthy and the very poor, the most and least educated, and a majority of minority voters, seem to have more or less stopped paying attention to us,” the Kentucky Republican said on the second day of the four-day gathering.

(Least educated??? Yet virtually the only constituency they have left are whites in Dixie - historically near the bottom in any national educational ranking.)

“And we should be concerned that, as a result of all this, the Republican Party seems to be slipping into a position of being more of a regional party than a national one.

“In politics there’s a name for a regional party, it’s called a minority party,” said McConnell.

(Well, he certainly got that part right…)

By RB from Gwinnett

January 30, 2009 8:44 AM | Link to this

Jay, saying this crap is smart politics is about as honest as saying 53% of Americans voted with Fidel Castro in the last election. Its precisely comments like that and people like you, from whom we should be able to expect more from, that are creating the wedge that keeps anything from getting done.

Yet somehow you think this is funny. Sad, Jay. Truly sad.

By Syed Abid

January 30, 2009 8:48 AM | Link to this

Senator kyle says it is a sneaky move.Senator if u happend to remember when a senator greg got caught in bathroom .Senate majority ldr. ask for his resignation ,but at the same time senator from lousiana got caught with hiring prostitute.well he was not asked for resignation because they know if he resign.democratic governer of his state will appt. a person from her party.but in senator greg case if he resn. his governer will appt. a republican senator .Senator are u having memory lapses or u r just stupid to call OBAMA move sneaky.

By Bud Wiser

January 30, 2009 8:54 AM | Link to this

Yeah, you go Taxpayer. Blame Rush, blame the Republicans, blame ANYBODY, but don’t address the problem. Don’t even talk about it. Stick your head in the sand, or your favorite other dark place where the sun don’t shine, and ignore it.

Let Barney and Co. keep drilling you for more. You have plenty.

Have a Coke and teach the world to sing.

Fool.

By JAY BOOKMAN

January 30, 2009 8:55 AM | Link to this

To Joey @ 7:32

Do you remember that Bible story starring your namesake, Joseph? About the seven good years, followed by the seven bad years, and the importance of laying away money in the good years to help you get through the lean years? There’s a lot of wisdom in that.

Well, in the seven years between 2001 and 2008, the U.S. economy was doing OK. Not great, but OK, with no major problems. Yet in those years of largely Republican rule, our national debt essentially doubled. In all the previous years of our national history, we ran up a little more than $5 trillion in debt. In President Bush’s administration alone, we ran up another $5 trillion. Basically, as you put it, we were printing money through all that time. And remember, those were the relatively good years, the years we were supposed to be socking it away.

(The only worst performance in terms of debt, by the way, came under Ronald Reagan. The national debt TRIPLED under Reagan — we were printing money again — from $1 trillion to $3 trillion. Add another $1.4 trillion in debt under the first President Bush, and the national debt QUADRUPLED in those 12 years. But I digress.)

Now we come to bad economic times. Very bad. And most economics experts, including a lot of top conservative economists, agree that we have no choice but to print a lot of money to get us out of this. I don’t like it, but that appears our best option. Some economists disagree with specifics of this stimulus bill — Reagan’s economic guru, Martin Feldstein, made some good points about the House bill in the Washington Post earlier this week that the Senate may want to consider. But the consensus is overwhelming that in bad times such as this, the responsible thing to do is, well, print money.

That makes some people ideologically uncomfortable. I understand that, because I share that discomfort to a degree. But in tough times, I choose practicality and pragmatism over ideology every time.

Others make a different choice.

By Shawny

January 30, 2009 8:56 AM | Link to this

Liberals are a very conflicted sort.

They say they want protections of freedom of speech, then get their panties in a wad when someone is speaking against them. (note: watch the progress of the stealth ‘fairness’ doctrine that they are trying to get into place).

They say they like to stand up for those that can’t stand up for themselves, then allow unborn babies to die, without provocation, without parental consent for minors, and in many cases, very late term.

They talk about helping the poor, but give far less to charities than their conservative counterparts.

They talk about alternative energy sources, but the cleanest sources seem to be off the table (nu-cul-ar, wind farms in TK’s backyard, etc.)

By DB, Gwinnettian

January 30, 2009 9:00 AM | Link to this

There’s a simple solution for Republicans. If they don’t like being told “Rush Limbaugh is your daddy,” stop bowing and scraping before the blowhard.

Oh, and here’s some more bad news for bigots—Prop H8ers can fund, but they can’t hide.

By Taxpayer

January 30, 2009 9:01 AM | Link to this

Bud Wiser. You clearly lack the intellect to engage me so quit trying.

By Taxpayer

January 30, 2009 9:07 AM | Link to this

I still cannot stop laughing about Gingrey and the image he has managed to leave behind after he begged and pleaded with his master, Rush, to please forgive him for he knew not what he was doing. Ahhh yes. How low will a Republican go. I suppose he’s just really, really in need of that government job since he probably cannot make enough money in private practice. Otherwise, why would he so willingly lower himself to such a shameful position. Surely, he does not feel a need to explain his every word to Rush and his nut-case followers. Surely, he understands that he has a job to do in Washington and it does not involve making Rush happy. Then again, the things some people will do for money. I wonder if he does shoe shines as well.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 9:19 AM | Link to this

Now we see how all this is going to play out.

I have always been iffy about throwing money at problems like we saw last fall and we are seeing today. Why? Because the problem is too big, and there isn’t enough money to fix it.

As with any project, there must be goals in order to determine whether or not the project was successful or not. So what are the goals of this stimulus package - what were the ones of the others?

Like “victory in Iraq” - those definitions are different for different people.

Those “government checks” we got last year - did those stimulate the economy? Maybe short term, but obviously not long term. So was it worth it? Well, I certainly enjoyed the money I got, but it did very little to change my life.

I heard Rudy Guiliani on CNN this morning and he was defending the Wall Street CEO bonuses. He said that the tax base of NYC is determined by these bonuses. He argued that these CEOs pay taxes on this money and therefore it goes back into the economy.

I thought, “well, that’s certainly a valid argument.” I don’t think the American people will buy that, but it’s certainly a valid argument.

In my opinion, the administration and Congress need to be perfectly clear what their goals of this stimulus package are. We will NEVER be like we were, nor should we be.

No matter how it plays out, Republicans will say it failed, and Democrats will say it didn’t. Both sides will throw out statistics after statistic after statistic to validate their case of success and failure.

And without determined, concrete definitions of what they consider a success, the b!tching, moaning, whining, finger pointing and arguing will continue.

I guess the real answer to whether or not the people consider it a success or failure, is who will be President in four years.

By Swami Dave

January 30, 2009 9:22 AM | Link to this

Why should we be surprised?

Democrats have been basically running in campaign mode for the past eight years non-stop. Lacking George W Bush for them and their willing accomplices at ABCNNBCBS to attack and rail against, they had to find a scapegoat to blame - insert Limbaugh.

This is simply another exercise of the Michael Moore-ification of the modern Democratic party where you take pieces of quotes, take others completely out of context, and completely fabricate entire events to support a preconcieved thesis. Lacking factual basis or results for their failed theology, supporters can at least celebrate how effectively their leaders perpetuate the scam.

I notice that neither the ad nor any of the liberal blather chuckling about it addressed the premise or claim of the ad. That is telling because it is a complete fraud and lie!

The “stimulus” is not going to create “4 million new American jobs” and that is a simple fact that no reputable reviewer of it can refute with a shred of factual evidence or conjecture. Whether Senator So-and-So votes for it or not is irrelevant to job creation because passage will not accomplish that goal.

So the reality is that we have another bunch of liberal groups lying to voters attempting to manipulate public sentiment for the advancement of their own failed policies and initiatives that have never worked and did more harm to their claimed beneficiaries than Republicans ever could have. The reality is that the “We’ve got Obama - now my mortgage, car, and gas are gonna be paid” crowd having allowed themselves to be complacent in dependency will probably fall for this scam like they do the rest of the liberal ones.

In the end, liars lie. Since the underlying philosophies of liberalism is nothing but sham and lie, this comes as no surprise to me. Shameful yes, surprising no!

-Swami Dave

By ByteMe

January 30, 2009 9:23 AM | Link to this

For the economics-challenged who hate the fact we’re printing money like we own the presses, let me offer some basic information.

GDP = M * V

M = money supply, V is the velocity of money. The velocity of money is how fast it changes hands. Think of it this way: a bank lends money to a builder who uses that money to buy supplies from suppliers who have to pay their employees to create the supplies. How quickly that money changes hands is velocity.

In tough times, GDP shrinks because V shrinks. Banks stop lending, builders stop building, employers lay people off. Money doesn’t change hands all that fast.

So, basic math time, if V shrinks how do you get GDP to increase? Answer: by increasing the money supply.

Now here’s where ideology meets reality: increasing the money supply does not necessarily create hyper-inflation UNLESS you are also in a period of asset inflation. How’s your house value inflating these days? Oh, it’s not? And that’s why we aren’t in for a period of hyper-inflation right now.

And that ends our economics lesson for the morning. Thank you for your attention.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 9:28 AM | Link to this

Paul (and Taxpayer - aren’t you a fan too?),

Should you join in -

Check out this article on Battlestar

12 hours 34 minutes!!!

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 9:32 AM | Link to this

ByteMe,

I think Obama needs to get on television and tell the American folks what this “stimulus package” is going to do and what it isn’t going to do, and be honest and really up front.

I know there are so many variables, but with this much money at stake, I’d like to see a weekly update.

By DB, Gwinnettian

January 30, 2009 9:38 AM | Link to this

Taxpayer @ 9.07, did you see the video? I mean, the “what Gingrey was really thinking” video?

“if you want me in the room, that’d be ok…”

Later, all.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 9:41 AM | Link to this

Swami,

Don’t you think that’s exagerating a little? The policies of tax cuts and trickle down didn’t work either.

This is more of the we have an amputated arm and we are putting a band-aid on it. Neither side is addressing the actual problem of how we got here, they are fighting over whose idea will fix it when neither side will.

I think part of the problem is that we don’t view each other as equals - it’s my side vs. their side, in almost every aspect of our lives.

Americans have this convoluluded notion that life has GOT to be somehow better than what it is - that somehow you are not successful if you don’t have all the right stuff, drive the right car, and live in the intricately designed house.

Part of that is because of our religious beliefs that there is something “better” out there just waiting for us to belief in it and seek it.

Well, what if there isn’t? What if this is it?

We don’t appreciate and consider the simple things in life as what validates success.

By ByteMe

January 30, 2009 9:45 AM | Link to this

Bosch: I think there’s still some more ingredients that are going to be added and removed from this sausage before it’s ready to be put into our spaghetti.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 9:57 AM | Link to this

ByteMe,

I like sausage and spaghetti.

But yeah, I think so too, but I stand by what I said earlier. I think Obama owes it to us to tell us what exactly it is we can expect and what we are just gonna have to suck up and deal with.

And we don’t have to measure it like we are going to get A, and if A doesn’t happen then it’s a failure.

He’s been doing this some, but not enough - things are not gonna get back to they were before, and we don’t need to expect it, and things are probably gonna be worse six months from now.

By Taxpayer

January 30, 2009 10:06 AM | Link to this

ByteMe,

In addition, Bernanke’s rate changes (it’s really too late to even consider what Greenspan did at this point) were likely predicated on a misunderstanding of what was really happening at the level of the rubber hitting the road. Was he reacting in some ways out of fear that inflation was on the verge of spiraling out of control based on the bubbles that had been artifically created in the commodities markets by the likes of the Morgan Stanleys and others. The unregulated and behind-closed-doors swaps markets and the enormous amounts of money being thrown around in search of that 20% profit likely helped drive the Fed to make some really poor timed moves. Then, when they got a closer look at the inner workings at Lehman, AIG and others, I’d bet they most likely soiled their pants as they bleated out in unison, “Oh Crap!” These people don’t literally run around like a gang of headless chickens without first getting the poop scared out of them. They had to have finally realized just how bad things could get under certain circumstances.

By mm

January 30, 2009 10:10 AM | Link to this

Will Sarah the saint make the big bad volcano settle down with the help of her witch doctor?

By Barry

January 30, 2009 10:11 AM | Link to this

The Leftists: Whatever He says, it’s gotta be great!!

The Righties: Whatever it is, I’m against it.

No wonder we’re so fracked.

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 10:13 AM | Link to this

Yes Jay, Isn’t it great when our President goes after private citizens. First it was Joe the plumber and now it’s Rush.

2009: The official Rise of the Democrat NAZI’s.

CHAINS WE CAN BELIEVE IN!

By rightofcenter

January 30, 2009 10:14 AM | Link to this

Well, Jay, your hypocrisy is again priceless. That ad is a nice touch? Even though it blatantly lies about “4 million jobs”? And you admire another blatantly partisan move of taking out a Republican senator for no other reason than to replace him with a Democrat? Rush is right about one thing - bipartisan simply means that the Republicans agree to do things the Democrat way. That defines it, both in Washington and in your writings.

By ByteMe

January 30, 2009 10:17 AM | Link to this

Bosch:

Things are indeed going to be worse over the next 6-9 months. We’ll see another potential mega-bank failure — or Chrysler go bankrupt — and a bunch of smaller ones as well. The mood will not improve, people will hoard their cash (finally!) and houses will not appreciate in value. Unemployment will likely get to 10% as V and GDP continue to contract.

On a brighter note: mortgage rates will continue to fall into the 4’s, so anyone who is doing well will have the pick of the litter with improving their housing situation.

The “stimulus” package is feel-good politics, plain and simple. If there’s enough money for forward-looking improvements to infrastructure, then I’m all for it. Tax cuts won’t do a thing; they’re too small to be used for anything other than debt relief for people/businesses who are living on the edge. They won’t get the banks to lend, won’t allow those living/working on the margins to borrow, so they won’t help the economy as a whole. The infrastructure projects are likely also not going to have much affect on the economy for a couple of years.

The best recipe for improving what ails us is a package of regulatory laws aimed at increasing transparency with regard to financial instruments. In other words, derivatives need to be traded on an open market so anyone can invest in them instead of the select few who are now failing; the securities against which the derivative is written must be clearly defined and explained to anyone looking to buy the derivative. Moving entities “off balance sheet” needs to be eliminated; if you are liable for any of their losses, they stay on your balance sheet. Stuff like that.

Once those are in place, banks will then be able to trust one another better and lending will pick up (as will velocity).

On a culinary note: I’m planning to try to make carnitas fajitas for Sunday dinner. I’m feeling bolder now that I’ve successfully made BBQ pulled pork from scratch.

By getalife

January 30, 2009 10:17 AM | Link to this

More horrible GDP numbers came out today. Depression like numbers but lets give Wall Street more bonuses. Hell, lets give them another 2 trillion.

Got to stop that stimulus package though.

The logic of the right is quite amazing.

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 10:22 AM | Link to this

JAY BOOKMAN, Yes, I know the story that you speak of in the Bible. Yes, we, as a country have lost our way in saving. The difference between you and I is the fact that you solely blame Bush for all of your problems. It’s sort of like blacks blaming whitey and the Palestinians blaming the J-E-W-S. It gets old. Obama is doing nothing more than doubling our debt right now. You are silent. Obama blames Wall Street greed. Yet he gave them the money to do whatever they wish with it. You are silent. I’m counting down the days until the AJC folds.

By Rascal

January 30, 2009 10:23 AM | Link to this

Which socialist/DEMOCRAT President did this? Refused to allow a bill be brought before the congress making it a federal crime to end the barbaric practice of lynching because he did not want to lose the support of DEMOCRAT Senators and Representatives for his big government programs. These programs were the beginning of the end for small federal government. Give up - It was the liberal GOD, FDR, yes indeed, what a great leader he was. Allow a little more lynching so he can ruin America and all it’s grand potential to recast it as another bad version of OLD Europe. Well, now look what we have. Blacks supporting DEMOCRATS 9 to 1, when it was the DEMOCRATS that perpetuated the awful crimes against blacks for years. Now libertarians and Republicans are considered bad for blacks because they push government to stop enslaving blacks with big government programs designed to keep them in their place under the guise of a compassionate act. These same tired old DEMOCRATS are now foisting another NEW DEAL on us under the ridiculous notion that bigger government will fix what over-sized government broke. All they want to do is break the spirit of the American people so they can control every aspect of American life, whether poor or rick, black or white. Well, I am not going to sit quietly by and watch them do this. All Americans need to contact their representatives and tell them that a vote for this “Rescue Bill” is a vote for the end of the American Experiment.

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 10:24 AM | Link to this

Who exactly constitutes the “We’ve got Obama - now my mortgage, car, and gas are gonna be paid crowd”?

I’ve not run into one person who expects any of that. Maybe these mythical people are being portrayed on conservative shows such as Limbaugh’s and O’Reilly’s, but these talking heads never actually demostrate who these shadow people are.

The only ones I’ve seen with this mentality are the wealthy in this country, who expect their tax breaks, exorbitant tax payer funded bonus’s and corporate tax loopholes, which were handed to them on a silver platter by the last administration and a republican controlled congress. These people now seem petrified that the system they became used to is changing and are lashing out.

I earn a good living, have a secure job, and pay an average of 30% of my salary in taxes. What will a tax cut get me? Maybe a couple of bucks in my check at the end of the month, but certainly not enough to encourage me to go spend more.

By Swami Dave

January 30, 2009 10:25 AM | Link to this

Bosch:

You have asked an interesting question. What do you think I am exaggerating?

Democrats have been running an attack campaign since the election of George W Bush and lacking George W Bush to run against now, they have to have another target of blame. As for the assistance that they have been getting - we only need to go as far as “feelings in legs” or crying with joy by allegedly “objective” reporters to see that objectivity was abandoned wholesale in recent years and reporting of fact replaced by outright philosphical support. No exaggeration……

Tax cuts -do- work to stimulate economic activity as can be proven by any objective review of history. From a national economic perspective, they have been problematic only to the extent that they are almost always passed by politicans who combine them in legislation with spending cuts that never materialize. Interestingly enough, most tax increases (for “deficit reduction”) are also combined in legislation with promised spending cuts that never materialize either.

The common thread of the problem appears to be an inability of our elected leaders to control the size of what is constitutionally-charted limited government. Wants are redefined as “needs” upon which a group is “entitled” and a program is formed. The wants (now classified “needs”) continue to expand as the “entitled” demands greater satisfaction for things that someone else provides so the scope of the supposed-to-be limited government permanently expands and the “entitled” represent an active interest group against which most elected leaders will not have the political will to refuse (if they do not actively enable the groups influence as a means to obtain and expand power). No exaggeration there…….

At the base and core is question of ethics and morality of confiscating the resources or time of one group of citizens against their will to fund transfer payments and services to another group without an exchange of value to serve for the acquisition of power. It truly is that simple. It is a government-sponsored form of slavery based on the assumed framework of equity and fairness that is, in itself, an outgrowth of jealousy and greed.

At the point that our leaders abandoned the concepts of limited government as a framework to provide freedom and opportunity for its citizens to be replaced by a managed construct promoting equity of outcomes regardless of investment or effort, this train wreck was set in motion.

Extending the analogy, this “stimulus” just serves to pour more coal to the engine perpetuating and making worse the eventual results. No exaggeration…….

It is truly the basis for the multitude of quotes by cultural philosophers who continue to voice the fact that democracies work until segments of the populations realize that they can use the power of government as a mechanism to simply take from the other group to fund whatever want (“need”) they imagine.

Democracy only works so long as the majority of the electorate recognize that situation for what it is, theft (not “fairness”).

Thanks for the opportunity to clarify. -Swami Dave

By JAY BOOKMAN

January 30, 2009 10:28 AM | Link to this

Poor Commie. You guys are so desperate to feel persecuted that an Obama throwaway line about not letting Limbaugh dictate GOP policy becomes transmuted into evidence of looming Naziism and putting people in chains.

Get a grip, man. Take your meds, it”s gonna be OK.

And then there’s Mike up at the top, trying to pretend that when Democrats dare to publicly fight back, they’re actually trying to silence the opposition. Nobody’s trying to silence Rush. Quite the contrary. If the GOP wants to make him their unofficial party chair, I’m all for it. If Rush is so smart, you guys ought to be joining the Dems in putting him right out there as your top spokesman.

By deegee

January 30, 2009 10:29 AM | Link to this

Rupert Murdoch declared yesterday in Davos that the global economic crisis is worsening and that quick and drastic measures must be taken in order to repair it. Apparently Rupert has noticed a drop in advertising revenue for his Newscorp Corp. Reading between the lines, tax cuts aren’t going to get us out of this. The credit crisis is the thorniest issue. A tax cut can stimulate the economy if consumers and business owners have credit available to them. If you could buy a car for $600.00 with your tax cut/rebate then that would be stimulative. If not, then it doesn’t mean much.

By cranky old man

January 30, 2009 10:30 AM | Link to this

I really don’t understand this conservative knee-jerk opposition to government spending to improve our lives. I suppose it’s related to their cherished myth of the self-made man, who achieves success without government help - indeed, despite government interference. Well, that might have made sense if you were a settler on the westernmost border of the nation in, say, 1823. If you grew all your own food on land you cleared with your own hands, taught your children to read yourself, and defended your home with your own musket.

But times have changed, and no one alive today in the US can accurately claim they owe no part of their success to government spending of the past or present. Roads, schools, libraries, national defense, police, your local fire department – all these things are paid for with tax dollars. Not to mention the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve, which help maintain the value of all these dollars. If you are making enough money right now that you feel compelled to complain about your taxes - relax! You’ve made it. You should be happy.

If, now that you’ve achieved your goals, you want to cut the government spending to the bare bones essentials, it would be much like a homeowner who banded together with his neighbors to help build a road into town, but then stopped helping once the road reached far enough to connect with his own driveway.

Look, I’m certainly not opposed to free enterprise. Computers would probably not exist without government spending. But, if not for the private sector, they would be little more than calculators that each took up half of a city block. The internet would be limited to dial-up modems between a few dozen research institutions plus the DOD and NSA. Then where would we get our porn? There would be no email through which we could receive Viagra adds.

By Taxpayer

January 30, 2009 10:31 AM | Link to this

mm,

Volcanos are serious business — they’re like earthquakes and other such uncontrollable events that we just have to really pray for the best. On the lighter side, volcanic eruptions are nothing more than mother earth passing gas. It builds up pressure over time and eventually relieves itself.

DB,

That was my first time ever going to the airamerica site. Like a virgin, I knew not what to expect but the anticipation…anyway, I initially thought that I was just going to watch a re-run. Wow. Was I surprised.

Bosch,

Yes, I’ve been watching Battlestar. I’ll check out the article. Thanks. I also agree with you in that our leaders have some more work to do regarding the stimulus but I’m reserving judgment until the Senate and House come together and start hammering out a compromise. Right now, I would expect all involved parties to be puffing out their chests and asking for more than they will accept, etc. It’s part of the games. It’s the reality TV stuff. It’s the politics that are needed to give the base that warm and cozy feeling. It’s a shame that the Republicans have not thrown something else into the fray for us to mull over besides more of the same though. I am so tired of hearing “tax cut”. Is that ALL they have to offer? The least they could do is say “Tax cut offset by guaranteed funding, at 5% APY, from our comrades in China”.

By RealityKing

January 30, 2009 10:33 AM | Link to this

Whats in the bill Jay? Where is the 111th congress going to spend $825B tax dollars?

Afraid to talk about that??

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 10:38 AM | Link to this

JAY BOOKMAN, Ever wonder why your newspaper is falling faster than an anvil? You fail to miss the fact that Obama is going after a private citizen. That is dangerous. The Constitution is supposed to protect private citizens from fascist like your messiah.

By ByteMe

January 30, 2009 10:40 AM | Link to this

Taxpayer@10:06: I’ve heard that with the emergency meetings that went on over that weekend that Bear Stearns got bailed out that there was a large dry cleaning bill for the Treasury dept. That was when reality met ideology and ideology was found wanting.

Early in 2008 when commodity prices were tearing a hole in the stratosphere, there were definite concerns that inflation could spiral out of control, but I think the moves they didn’t make were pretty good at the time. But the real mistake of allowing the big investment firms to over-leverage against each other is what’s coming back to haunt us now.

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 10:40 AM | Link to this

JAY BOOKMAN, by the way, I’m a Bible believing Christian. I can take persecution from people like you. It’s no big deal to me. I know where I’m going.

By Rascal

January 30, 2009 10:42 AM | Link to this

Hey Cranky Old Man It is not just government that we are opposed to, it is the Federal government. It is inefficient and so far removed from the people that no one really knows what is going on. If a state government chose to do these things, it would be fine with me, because I can show my support or disapproval by staying a resident or moving. I also have a better chance of effecting the laws with one vote. If Georgia chooses to run a nanny state, fine, the citizen can move to state more to their liking. Our Federal government today is not representative any longer. It is entrenched, power hungry, self centered, money driven bureaucrats exercising control over every aspect of our lives. Not exactly the way it was supposed to be.

By mm

January 30, 2009 10:43 AM | Link to this

Taxpayer,

The volcano that worries me is in Yellowstone. That thing could take out half the country.

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 10:45 AM | Link to this

CommunistAJC,

Limbaugh is a private citizen like Paris Hilton was when the RNC put her in an ad? If you put yourself in the public spotlight, you are no longer a private citizen.

By BDAtlanta

January 30, 2009 10:47 AM | Link to this

Let’s see….what would Rush tell me to write in this comment box?….

To: Cranky Old Man @10:30 AM, Republicans want all those benefits: roads, schools, libraries, etc. They just don’t want to help pay for them.

Republicans have the constant whine of “Cut my taxes, please. Cut my taxes, please. Bwhahahahahahahahaha.”

(I still don’t have any divine inspiration from Rush Almighty…Tell me there really is a Rush! Tell me!)

By mm

January 30, 2009 10:49 AM | Link to this

Since the GOP is going to vote against the stimulus plan, the Dems need to strip out the tax cuts the GOP wanted. Don’t give them anything they can call a success.

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 10:51 AM | Link to this

jewcowboy, The GOP didn’t try to silence Paris Hilton. BIG DIFFERENCE! They didn’t attack her. Make sense, jewcowboy? Can you put your “rope” around that?

By BurgerKing

January 30, 2009 10:51 AM | Link to this

Here is what is in the bill. No one is afraid to talk about it.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/printedition/2009/01/29/stimulusbox0129.html

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 10:52 AM | Link to this

ByteMe,

I made BBQ from scratch earlier in the week. Still have alot left over in the fridge. Good stuff. I started making my own sauce a while back. Throw the pork butt in the crock pot overnight - make a batch of sauce - throw it all together - bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes - beautiful BBQ.

It’s all about the sauce - I always feel like a mad scientist when I make it (maybe I am, who knows).

@ 10:37 - I agree - I’m a little more cynical than you are though. I think we’re all doomed, but maybe that’s because I’m obsessed with Battlestar Galactica.

Swami,

Yeah, maybe I should have clarified.

I was talking about this as an exaggeration - not your whole post earlier:

“So the reality is that we have another bunch of liberal groups lying to voters attempting to manipulate public sentiment for the advancement of their own failed policies and initiatives that have never worked and did more harm to their claimed beneficiaries than Republicans ever could have”

I see your points and don’t have any qualms with them, it’s basically a difference of philosophy.

But part of the problem here is that people are so dead set on my philosophy will work better than yours because your philosophy has never worked - it simply isn’t true.

Each philosophy has worked at certain times in our history. But, I feel, this is not like anything we’ve ever seen before. In my opinion, there isn’t a word WORSE than Depression - which I think is what we are either in already or certainly heading for.

Like I said earlier - Democrats no matter what will call it a success, while Republican will call it a failure.

It’s what we, as a nation, can live with. And, I guess we’ll see in four years who the POTUS is and the make-up of the Congress is to answer that question.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 10:55 AM | Link to this

Taxpayer,

Yeah, unfortunately, Washington along with the media is more like reality TV, than just plain reality.

By JAY BOOKMAN

January 30, 2009 10:57 AM | Link to this

Persecution, Commie?

This is persecution? You poor, sheltered little child.

No. Throwing dissenters in prison is persecution, Commie. Denying them the right to make a living is persecution, Commie. Disagreeing with them is not persecution.

This is debate.

After 9/11, conservatives forced the firing of Bill Maher from his ABC show. MSNBC felt pressured enough to cancel Phil Donohue, the most popular show they had at the time. Those were the days, huh?

And don’t bring up that right-wing persecution fantasy about the Fairness Doctrine. If and when the Dems do anything concrete to resurrect that rule, you should complain loudly and I will join you. Until that day comes, though, it’s just another way for you guys to imagine yourself “persecuted.”

By rcs

January 30, 2009 11:01 AM | Link to this

Good point, Mr. Bookman.

By Dusty

January 30, 2009 11:03 AM | Link to this

Our esteemed liberal associate editor Bookman has given us some morsels to chew over. It sppears to be organic dogfood.

Rush Limbaugh is not any more the leader of Republicans than Katie Couric is leader of the Democrats.

Obama made a unstatesmanlike comment about Rush. Presidents don’t bother to comment on entertainers. Head honchos are supposed to be leading the country, not the People’s Entertainment Empire. This leader should be reading the Stimulus package to see what he is dumping on the American people.

Right now the Stimulus package has all the virtues of a Monopoly Game. Both are played with paper money and the winner is Nancy Pelosi, a political paperdoll. Most Americans do not play Monopoly and most Americans don’t like the paper policies of a superficial stimulus plan of poofery.(You’ve heard of “poo poo”, haven’t you?)

Maybe Bookman can find some real morsels for us to chew. Something with REAL meat in them.

By ByteMe

January 30, 2009 11:04 AM | Link to this

Bosch: When I was in college, I would make my own BBQ sauce. I normally use Bull’s-Eye, just for dipping or BBQing, but for something like this I looked for one that was sweeter and had more smoke flavor and ended up using Jack Daniels sauce and it turned out VERY tasty. I’m stunned that pulled pork was this easy to make. Ended up with about 3 lbs of pulled pork, all in the freezer for reheating as needed.

I don’t think we’re “doomed”, but I do think we’re in for some more rough times ahead. On the other hand, we’re going to take advantage of the down housing market in the next few months, so everything can be an opportunity if you know where to look for it.

By Shawny

January 30, 2009 11:05 AM | Link to this

BBQ and some new Battlestar…now that is sweet.

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 11:08 AM | Link to this

CommunistAJC,

I’m sorry, I’ve missed something. How exactly is Rush Limbuagh being silenced?

By getalife

January 30, 2009 11:09 AM | Link to this

crusty,

Are you saying you are against the President’s main agenda of creating jobs? Jobs, jobs, jobs.

Well, that is not very patriotic.

The VP now has an agenda. Leader of the middle class task force.

Nice.

By AJC/DNC Management

January 30, 2009 11:10 AM | Link to this

{{{{By JAY BOOKMAN January 30, 2009 10:57 AM MSNBC felt pressured enough to cancel Phil Donohue, the most popular show they had at the time.}}}}

Oh, puh leeze.

Donahue chose to be anti war and the American public chose to watch someone else.

His ratings plummeted.

nefarious conservative pentagon plot, eh?

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 11:12 AM | Link to this

JAY BOOKMAN, You want to talk about persecution, Bookman? Fine, lets talk about persecution, you wannabe journalist at a failing newspaper. How about Christian missionaries who have been shot, beheaded and imprisoned in the middle east, China and elsewhere. Some of my own friends are sitting in prison right now in China. For what? For preaching the gospel. Poor, sheltered child? Really Jay, because I have been to MANY different countries including Africa, India, Europe, Israel and South America. I don’t sit in some cubical at the AJC writing up pro-democrat nonsense in Atlanta, GA.

Let’s talk about Bill Maher. Bill Maher said that 911 was an inside job and took the side of the Jihadist. Phil Donohue had terrible ratings. FACT! People didn’t want to hear that innocent people were to blame for 911. Rush Limbaugh disagrees with socialism. That’s the whole point. You, as well as EVERY other journalist left out THE REST OF HIS COMMENTS. HE WANTS SOCIALISM TO FAIL. OBAMA IS A SOCIALIST.

So, you can sit there in your cubicle and rant about the GOP and Rush Limbaugh. I will sit in my high rise office on Michigan Ave and continue to work for a living.

By cranky old man

January 30, 2009 11:15 AM | Link to this

Yes, everyone is against wasteful government spending. But the owner of a car dealership who spent all morning grumbling about the absurd earmark he heard about from Limbaugh will spend all afternoon on the phone to his congressman when he hears about the plan to close the unnecessary military base located down the street from his business.

By jon

January 30, 2009 11:15 AM | Link to this

jewcowboy,

here’s one that believed Obama’s election was going get her free gas and a paid mortgage.

Only one I suppose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36x8rTb3jI

By RealityKing

January 30, 2009 11:15 AM | Link to this

Is Jay telling us to expect 7 years of historical Obama depression because of the 7 years of historical Bush growth..??

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 11:15 AM | Link to this

CommunistAJC,

And exactly how have you been persecuted as a christian? In the past 10 years or so, it seems the christians are more the persecutors.

By Swami Dave

January 30, 2009 11:15 AM | Link to this

If this post repeats, I apologize because it appeared to have failed when I embedded a link.

Cowboy:

“Who exactly constitutes the “We’ve got Obama - now my mortgage, car, and gas are gonna be paid crowd”?”

I usually allow people to do their own research, but in the interest of education and weekend cheer, you can very easily find the source of that reference by searching Google for “Obama car mortgage gas”. The YouTube link to the actual quote is at the top so it is pretty easy to find.

Your mention of “tax breaks” as being “given” to people is incorrect. You cannot “give” to someone that which is already theirs. Actually, taking what someone earns under threat of penalty or injury without an exchange of value is, in fact, theft whether taken as something you plan to keep or something you plan to give to someone else.

I am glad to hear that you are successful and pay your taxes. A tax cut would offer to you exactly what it offers to everyone else - you keeping your money to do with as you choose. If you do not want it and want the government to have it, then, by all means, send it to Washington addressed to the US Treasury. I support your right to make that choice and would hope that you afforded me the same courtsey even if I would not make the same choice.

Assuming we returned to the constitutionally-chartered limited government and our taxes we collected to fund those activities, I would be fine and would use the difference (between what they collect now versus what they would collect under that model) as my morals and ethics dictate. Freedom (with its benefits and responsiblities) - what a wonderful thing.

-Swami Dave

By RealityKing

January 30, 2009 11:16 AM | Link to this

Is Jay telling us to expect 7 years of historical Obama depression because of the 7 years of historical Bush growth..??

By JAY BOOKMAN

January 30, 2009 11:16 AM | Link to this

Wrong, AJC. His ratings were growing slightly and he was the most popular show on MSNBC at the time.

And I never implied or suggested that the Pentagon or government had anything to do with it. I am not responsible for what hatches in that mind of yours.

By tcoach

January 30, 2009 11:16 AM | Link to this

Bosch, Your 9:32,

During the campaign The President said he was going to do more of that and explain things to the American people. But all I have seen is him telling the public how good for us this Bill is going to be. Without ever answering the question why and how, more importantly when will all of this work.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 11:17 AM | Link to this

ByteMe,

Crockpots are amazing machines. I don’t understand the technology and science behind them, because I’ve tried to duplicate it in an oven - doesn’t work. They’re like having your own magic meat machine.

I think we are in for some rough times ahead - hell, many people are already there - and that’s why Obama needs to be getting the word out. I fear that in four years many people are going to turn against Obama because he didn’t FIX things, or at least not to their satisfaction.

Shawny,

@ 11:05 - indeed.

By Mrs. Godzilla

January 30, 2009 11:18 AM | Link to this

Media analyst Rick Ellis, who writes for the excellent www.allyourtv.com website, makes a strong case that Donahue is being elbowed off the air at this point — when his ratings have actually been ticking upward — precisely because it appears that a war is coming

Reading is FUNdamental.

Lies are gauche.

By getalife

January 30, 2009 11:18 AM | Link to this

commie’s head just expolded.

Ew.

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 11:22 AM | Link to this

getalife, Nah. I was just giving Bookman hell for his comments about calling me a poor sheltered kid. That one put me over the edge.

By BDAtlanta

January 30, 2009 11:22 AM | Link to this

BBQers:

The Brinkman electric smoker is less than $60 at lowes. You can put 2 butts on there Saturday at noon and take them off Sunday morning (around 16 hours is good.) To get the smoker chips going you can place a cast iron pan/pot right on the heating element with soaked chips and replace them every 2 hours.

The charcoal smoker isn’t worth the money because you’d have to stay up all night putting on more charcoal.

By the way, if you do buy one, don’t put any sugary liquids like apple juice in the water pan. Once the sugar crystallizes onto the pan it’s really hard to get it off.

By RealityKing

January 30, 2009 11:22 AM | Link to this

“in the seven years between 2001 and 2008, the U.S. economy was doing OK. Not great, but OK, with no major problems.”

Errrr…, 9/11 and the impending economic recession were not major problems?? Hell, even I got laid off.. But it was short lived, and the economy did rebound historically over the next 6 years, some say mostly do to republican leadership, and without a doubt, the deficit spending. But this current slow down started back in 2006, when Jay and his drunk band of merry liberals began talking down an ever stronger economy for their own political gains. Remember the progressive “double dip recession”?? It help democrats win congress. Funny how some only see rosey colors when they have their glasses on.

But I do like your Bible about living within your means and saving for rainy days. One of my favorite is the one about the master who divided his possessions between his three servants before leaving town on business. Upon returning a year later, he asked each what they had done with their portion. The first said that he had seen a great opportunity and risking a portion had made three times the sum. The second said that he had seen a good opportunity and risking a smaller portion had doubled his sum. The third said that he had not wanted to take risks with his masters possessions and had buried his portion, not wanting to lose any of it. The man replied…, take the sum from the third man and give it to the first, for he has done the most with what has been given to him.

And yet.., some still dubiously think Jesus is a liberal.

By JAY BOOKMAN

January 30, 2009 11:24 AM | Link to this

No, Commie — YOU brought up persecution, not me. The record is right here for everyone to see.

And it wasn’t your friends in China who were being persecuted — because they really ARE persecuted. To your mind, It was YOU being persecuted. And your alleged persecutor was ME.

You should be deeply ashamed of putting yourself in the same category as your friends. You, sitting in your office on Michigan Avenue, are not a victim of persecution. You have delusions of grandeur. You cheapen what is happening to REAL victims of persecution, all to make yourself feel like a victim.

You should further be ashamed of lying — a good Christian should not do that. Maher did not say 9/11 was an inside job, and Donohue’s ratings were not falling.

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 11:26 AM | Link to this

Swami Dave,

So you want a tax model that let’s us choose to apply the taxes we pay to the programs we want to fund?

By Mrs. Godzilla

January 30, 2009 11:27 AM | Link to this

OH AND COMMIE

Please show us where you got that nonsense that Maher said 9/11 was an inside job.

That’s a big fat lie.

He has no use for “9/11 Truthers”

But see, that would require that you know what you are talking about.

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 11:28 AM | Link to this

jewcowboy, mostly name called. I’m sure that you, being a Jew, have experienced some sort of persecution. Christians do the persecuting? When? The church is under attack from democrats, hollywood and gay activists who like to break into churches and trash them. In the last ten years, what did Christians do to persecute others?

By DB, Gwinnettian

January 30, 2009 11:30 AM | Link to this

“CommunistAJC.” Anyone whinier? Discuss.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 11:30 AM | Link to this

tcoach,

There is a provision in the bill for transparency and accountability via a website and other things- it was fairly detailed - at least there was yesterday - I just checked the link that ByteMe provided yesterday and it didn’t work, so maybe that means they have a new revision.

Maybe they are changing it because there was a speculation about funds to Illinois and Blago being in office, and now that he’s gone - maybe they had to change it. :-)

But, I don’t think it does anybody any good to blame Obama yet - or think, well he said this and that, let’s get the thing passed and let him be the POTUS more than a couple weeks and then we can make judgements.

By cranky old man

January 30, 2009 11:32 AM | Link to this

CommunistAJC wrote:

“Rush Limbaugh disagrees with socialism. That’s the whole point. You, as well as EVERY other journalist left out THE REST OF HIS COMMENTS. HE WANTS SOCIALISM TO FAIL. OBAMA IS A SOCIALIST.”

Seriously? He would rather have his personal theories be proven right than have the nation prosper?

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 11:33 AM | Link to this

What is all this persecution talk? I thought persecution was like actually killing people and all that.

By Rascal

January 30, 2009 11:36 AM | Link to this

Hey Cranky Old Man It is not just government that we are opposed to, it is the Federal government. It is inefficient and so far removed from the people that no one really knows what is going on. If a state government chose to do these things, it would be fine with me, because I can show my support or disapproval by staying a resident or moving. I also have a better chance of effecting the laws with one vote. If Georgia chooses to run a nanny state, fine, the citizen can move to state more to their liking. Our Federal government today is not representative any longer. It is entrenched, power hungry, self centered, money driven bureaucrats exercising control over every aspect of our lives. Not exactly the way it was supposed to be.

By AJC/DNC Management

January 30, 2009 11:38 AM | Link to this

{{{{I am not responsible for what hatches in that mind of yours.}}}}

Jay:

{{{{After 9/11, —————->conservatives<——————- forced the firing of Bill Maher from his ABC show. MSNBC felt pressured enough to cancel Phil Donohue}}}}

I’m just curious what “conservative” organization or person is ordering the drive by media to fire the hosts of their programs.

“pentagon plot” sounded sinister, so I went with it, you know me, always trying to please.

Perhaps you could elaborate?

By RealityKing

January 30, 2009 11:45 AM | Link to this

“You have delusions of grandeur. You cheapen what is happening to REAL victims of persecution, all to make yourself feel like a victim.”

That’s funny…, because that’s exactly what I think about my fellow Americans who bitterly complain about the freeing of people who live under true tryanny and oppression.

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 11:45 AM | Link to this

JAY BOOKMAN, Persecution: a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate a people because of their religion, race, or beliefs.

Read that last part Jay. You constantly rant and rave against conservatives etc… That is what I was originally talking about.

This is what you wrote. IT WAS YOU WHO BROUGHT UP THE WORD PERSECUTION, NOT ME.

JAY BOOKMAN January 30, 2009 10:28 AM Poor Commie. You guys are so desperate to feel persecuted that an Obama throwaway line about not letting Limbaugh dictate GOP policy becomes transmuted into evidence of looming Naziism and putting people in chains.

So, tell me Jay, did I bring it up? No, you brought up the word. And yes, it is right here for all to see.

Bookman, I SIT IN MY OFFICE ON MICHIGAN AVENUE, WHY? DO YOU KNOW? NO! I SEND LOTS OF MONEY OVER SEAS FOR DEFENSE LAWYERS FOR MY FRIENDS. Now tell me, is that selfish Jay?

This is why Bill Maher was kicked off of ABC: Bill Maher, who was essentially fired by ABC for saying that the September 11 terrorists were not “cowards” (in the President’s word), and boldly continuing the logic by suggesting that surgical strikes at civilians might be more so, concludes his six-year run on that network of “Politically Incorrect” on June 28th.

My bad Jay, he IS on the side of terrorists.

Phil Donohue had the highest rated show on MSNBC at the time. He was fired basically for not competing with Bill O’Reilly. Wow. Imagine that. MSNBC has the worst ratings of any news cable outlet.

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 11:47 AM | Link to this

CommunistAJC,

Why yes, of course. The christian church has done nothing to oppress those who disagree with its views. Nothing but goodness and light comes from the christian church. I forgot myself for a moment, until I realized that everything they do is to “help”.

http://www.oregonherald.com/n/radicalruss/20051209_christian-persecution-complex.html

By DB, Gwinnettian

January 30, 2009 11:48 AM | Link to this

Andy, you do know who actually owns MSNBC, right?

Little company that does a bit of defense contractin’? Ever heard of them?

By Copyleft

January 30, 2009 11:50 AM | Link to this

So, Commie, you admit you were wrong about Bill Maher?

And how is Maher “on the side of the jihadists” by pointing out that suicide-terrorism is not, by definition, cowardly? It’s WRONG, of course, but it’s certainly not cowardly.

By AJC/DNC Management

January 30, 2009 11:52 AM | Link to this

Oh, poor Peggy Noonan, a captive of the perpetual talent contest-

{{{{In the time since his inauguration, Mr. Obama has been on every screen in the country, TV and computer, every day. He is never not on the screen. I know what his people are thinking: Put his image on the age. Imprint the era with his face. But it’s already reaching saturation point. When the office is omnipresent, it is demystified. Constant exposure deflates the presidency, subtly robbing it of power and making it more common. I keep the television on a lot, and somewhere in the 1990s I realized that Bill Clinton was never not in my living room. He was always strolling onto the stage, pointing at things, laughing, talking. This is what the Obama people are doing, having the boss hog the screen.}}}}

Like we didn’t know this was coming?

I’ll bet Jim Jones was on all the TVs at the People’s Temple compound.

North Korea’s “Dear Leader,” anyone?

It was infatuation that got this moonbat Noonan and now she can’t handle it?

What more does she expect?

By Swami Dave

January 30, 2009 11:54 AM | Link to this

Cowboy:

Since you asked and to clarify, I support structure of limited government the operates under its constitutional charter and raises funds in the form of taxation to meet that obligations. A government that provides the framework under which we can exercise of our rights of freedom and opportunity and achieve to our fullest potential.

With the massive remainder of what would be left over when that windfall amount of money would then remain in the hands of the taxpayers who earned it, we could all choose what ideas, programs, charity, or completely greedy, selfish desires that we chose. In the end, we would all be more deeply engaged in the areas that we chose to focus because we are actively supporting and involved as opposed to sending a check and expecting some bureaucrat to do on our behalf what (I think) we should be doing.

Thanks for the opportunity to clarify. -Swami Dave

By Paul

January 30, 2009 11:54 AM | Link to this

test

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 11:56 AM | Link to this

jewcowboy, So I’m supposed to believe an article, written by someone who volunteers for liberal groups and has never set foot in a church or opened a Bible, to be truth? Go sell stupid somewhere else.

Copyleft, Sure, and you owe me an apology for saying that Obama needed the GOP’s help to pass the stimulus bill. Your words. The dems passed it with 11 dems voting against it.

By AJC/DNC Management

January 30, 2009 11:56 AM | Link to this

I just thought of something, remember Tina Fey mocking Hot Sarah’s beauty queen walk, does that not perfectly describe baraKKK on the TV strutting around and posing for the cameras?

karma

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 12:03 PM | Link to this

Ew, look, Paul’s testing something.

By cranky old man

January 30, 2009 12:03 PM | Link to this

Rascal,

I hear you, and what you say seems to make sense. But I was a military brat, so I moved around quite a bit growing up, and it was my perception that local government tended to be more easily corrupted than the federal level. I can’t back that up with any statistics, so I could be wrong. But it seems that state and local officials take advantage of the fact that they are operating on a smaller scale and with correspondingly less media scrutiny, and therefore have a higher likelihood of mischief going unnoticed.

By Copyleft

January 30, 2009 12:03 PM | Link to this

Commie: Sure! Just as soon as you can point out where I said any such thing.

I never claimed they NEEDED the Republicans’ help to pass the bill… I suggested the reason many Congressional Repubs were opposing it.

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 12:04 PM | Link to this

CommunistAJC,

So I’m suppose to believe what was written down 2000 years ago and reinterpreted hundreds of times, as the absolute “truth”? I suggest you go sell stupid somewhere else.

By JAY BOOKMAN

January 30, 2009 12:06 PM | Link to this

Oh, let’s see, Management. We had Jonah Goldberg:

“Dissenters now have an obligation to think twice about saying some of the stupid stuff they say in peace time,” said Jonah Goldberg, online editor for the conservative National Review magazine.

In a recent column, Mr. Goldberg dismissed Americans who say their country’s foreign policy may have provoked the terrorist attack: “It means you’re as absolutist and irrational as Osama bin Laden in your hatred of America, but just don’t have what it takes to blow anything up yourself.”

Critics of the president, however, “need to tone themselves down,” Mr. Goldberg said. “People don’t want to hear that sort of stuff now.”

“I think there’s less tolerance for dissent, and I’m not sure that in and of itself that’s a bad thing,”

Or the WSJ edit board: ” Maher’s comments fully merit First Amendment protection. But the advertisers who yanked support from his show were also within their rights: That A may speak hardly means B must fund A’s speech.”

Or conservative media monitor Brent Bozell defending the cancellation: “It’s not ‘censorship’ if ABC decides that Mr. Maher’s regularly kooky left-wing remarks are too offensive to its audience or advertisers.”

And by the way, the Pentagon says the suicide rate for soldiers is HIGHER than it would be for the same demo group in civilian life, contrary to your earlier post.

By AJC/DNC Management

January 30, 2009 12:07 PM | Link to this

!!!!2nd Off Topic Comment!!!!

uh-oh:

{{{{“I’d like to tell you some of the inside stuff, some of the things they were trying to do, and I’ll talk about that later, if you’re interested,” Blagojevich said.}}}}

{{{{“And as for some of those friends of mine in the state Senate, Dr. King said, that in the end, you remember not the words of your enemies, but the silence of your friends,” Blagojevich said.-Chicago Tribune}}}}

Duh da duh, duh, da ta duh, duh, duh, duh (<———-sinister music)

Bwahahahahahaha.

This is gonna get good.

ew

By ByteMe

January 30, 2009 12:08 PM | Link to this

Bosch: Another link: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1/text

The other link might have been tied to my search query and timed out. This one isn’t a query, so it should work going forward.

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 12:12 PM | Link to this

JAY BOOKMAN, Free speech is one thing, I totally agree with you on that, but defending the 911 terrorists is a bit different. I for one, could care less if Bill Maher is on tv. I like the guy. I don’t agree with him or his views on Christianity but I like him. I saw his Religulous movie and I do wish he had sought out REAL Christian Pastors instead of idiots that he choose to use. He seems to hate Christianity and those type of people are the people I love to talk to. I want to know WHY he hates Christianity. At least he is genuinely seeking answers.

Is this any different than when FDR had Japanese people thrown into concentration camps right here in the US? When a country is attacked, it must do everything to defend itself.

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 12:12 PM | Link to this

Swami Dave,

I would absolutely love a tax system that would allow me to choose where my dollars flow. But isn’t that the purpose of a representative government. Otherwise you have 250 million bosses, and nothing would get done. In an agrarian society of a few million people, that might work. In our society with the interconnectivity we have, i just don’t see how that would be possible.

An ideal yes, but I just don’t see how it would be implemented.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 12:12 PM | Link to this

I like Bill Maher, but didn’t he used to date Ann Coulter?

By Paul

January 30, 2009 12:13 PM | Link to this

Bosch

Yeah, I’d saved a remark to Word - pasted it into Comments and nothing -

Thanks for the earlier link. I just hope the writers weren’t drunk when they wrote the final script.

Hey, do you share BBQ sauce recipes?

Mrs. Godzilla 11:27

[[Please show us where you got that nonsense that Maher said 9/11 was an inside job.]]

That would be Rosie O’Donnell, not Maher.

Speaking of Irish, have you heard the latest?

Link: There’s no one as Irish as Barack O Bama

By AJC/DNC Management

January 30, 2009 12:15 PM | Link to this

{{{{But the advertisers who yanked support from his show were also within their rights:}}}}

I rest my case.

Unless of course, we’re now going to call the advertisers a “neocon cabal,” or some such.

I will research the Pentagon’s claim and report back. Initial thoughts are that they want more money for an anti suicide program, which I am not against.

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 12:15 PM | Link to this

Copyleft, Go back two days to Jays Rush Limbaugh blogs. It’s on there. I’m sure Bookman can help you find your comment.

jewcowboy, Never said that you were to believe what happened 2000 years ago. Your words not mine. I didn’t post Bible versus. You posted an article written by someone who has issues with Christians. Big difference comrade. Anyway jewcowboy, I’m hoping to head over to your homeland this year. Love Israel.

By tcoach

January 30, 2009 12:17 PM | Link to this

Bosch I agree, I am not employed, nor an expert of any type in the field of economics. Personally don’t think it will work, but thought Cardinals would lose to Eagles. Doesn’t mean I still say the Eagles are better. So I will certainly wait to see the results of this bailout.

I think this should all be looked at very closely by all of us. Do not ever forget that each and every one of those politicians work for US. They may forget that some/all of the time but we are most certainly their employers’.

What happened to the weekly web cast thing Obama or one of his staff had talked about during the campaign, is this still going to happen, as it would be a much easier way to get the information out. He could even take 10 min. each week to give a run of how and were every dollar of this goes to and why, and when.

I am not one who wants to blame Obama for anything, until he actually does do something worth blaming him for. I know there will be those who never see him doing any wrong, just as there was and is with Bush, or any other pres. of my lifetime.

However if there is not something of his actual words broadcast soon either on TV or the Internet, then all of this entire package in my opinion does become questionable and even if not true gives the inappropriate impression that something is being hidden, or that he does not have a good answer to give.

either way if we do not hear something soon as in a week or 2 from now, then I and many others will have a right to begin to question President Obama.

He needs to say it as the details on the Internet, I have looked at the entire bill, do not answer questions like why will this work and how do you know or why do you think you know it will work.

By Earl

January 30, 2009 12:17 PM | Link to this

I am very conservative yet I found what Rush said about hoping Obama will fail to be downright stupid and irresponsible. Just as stupid and irresponsible as some of the remarks I heard people say about Bush over the past eight years. If Obama fails we all fail. I don’t wish that on the country I love. No true American should wish any President to fail. This goes for the democrats who wished it on Bush as well as Rush wishing it for Obama. Either way you slice it or dice it, Republican or Democrat, you should never want our President to fail.

By Joe

January 30, 2009 12:20 PM | Link to this

Disagreeing with a policy is one thing. Ditto with pointing out a failure that has occured.

ACTIVELY WISHING FOR YOUR PRESIDENT AND COUNTRY TO FAIL is tantamount to treason.

But some of you don’t even understand that coincidence and causality are two different things, so how would any other simple logic and reason work for you?

By Greg Mendel

January 30, 2009 12:20 PM | Link to this

Good blog today, Jay. You got the wingnuts howling at the moon, stars, planets, and passing cars. All at once.

God, I love the sound of pablum in the morning!

Thank you, BurgerKing for the link to the stimulus bill. I’d already read it, but obviously some folks are able to trash it without reading what’s in it.

BDAtlanta: Thanks for tips on the electric smoker. FWIW, a down-and-dirty rib technique is to put a rack of ribs in aluminum foil, along with some BBQ sauce, seasoning and a little orange juice. Wrap it tightly, and put it a regular oven for 2+ hours on 300 (F). Not as good as the outside ritual, but the meat falls off the bones. (I brown them on my gas grill for a few minutes first.)

I, too, wonder who these people are who expect Obama and the government to buy their gas and pay their bills. One idiot on YouTube — left or right — isn’t a groundswell.

Pop Quiz for Wingnuts: What did George Bush “keep us safe” from? Iraqi WMD or our own peanut butter?

By JAY BOOKMAN

January 30, 2009 12:26 PM | Link to this

You’re right, AJC, what happened to Maher wasn’t censorship. His sponsors pulled out because the public was mad at him, and that’s how it goes. You say something, you deal with the consequences.

The Donohue case was a little different and more troubling.

But my point was that nothing like that is happening with Rush (nor should it). To claim he is being stifled because he is being criticized …. no, not hardly.

By fed up

January 30, 2009 12:27 PM | Link to this

I never really listen to talk radio but have heard the clip when Rush said he wished Obama failed and it was in the context of Obama failing in his socialism ways not fail as a whole.

I have reviewed a lot of the stimulus package and don’t see a lot of stimulus. I see a lot of spending lumped together in a so called stimulus package to get it to pass. There is no need to put a lot of the (#%* in there much less call it stimulus. By the time any of this “hits the streets” we will no doubt be out of or at the end of the recession.

The argument that Bush pushed through the first “stimulus” and we should follow suit with this one is insane.

Washington needs to pass a real stimulus package or let the chips fall where they may.

By tcoach

January 30, 2009 12:31 PM | Link to this

Earl, Great post!

The best way for us to get back on track is to hope for America’s sucess and not the republican party or democratic party’s sucess.

we can disagree, but we are all in this together, each of our lives effect the next.

By Jason

January 30, 2009 12:32 PM | Link to this

Rush Limbaugh: Serving self-important middle managers for over 20 years.

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 12:34 PM | Link to this

CommunistAJC,

But your response indicated that since one has not stepped foot in a church or read the bible, their views were to be regarded as untruthful.

“jewcowboy, So I’m supposed to believe an article, written by someone who volunteers for liberal groups and has never set foot in a church or opened a Bible, to be truth? Go sell stupid somewhere else.”

If you go to Jerusalem try out the American Colony Hotel. It’s quite nice.

By Mrs. Godzilla

January 30, 2009 12:34 PM | Link to this

Paul

Yes, I know it was Rosie not Bill, it was commie who again was mistaken, hence I posted the link.

Yes, I saw the Irish bit. But it’s not true, to be sure my grandad was a whole lot more Irish!

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 12:35 PM | Link to this

ByteMe,

Thanks. Shockingly enough, I didn’t finish reading it yesterday.

Swami,

Yes, I’d like that too, but unfortunately we don’t live in the world of unicorns and fairies with pixy dust.

Paul,

I’ll probably be drunk when I watch the last episode, so it won’t matter if the script writers were - it might make it better.

My BBQ recipe? Well, that’s kind of complicated, you see, because it’s in my head. When I make BBQ sauce, I just dump some things in and keep putting in here and there until it tastes the way I want it.

But, I always start with a couple big cans of tomato puree or crushed tomatoes (not the super industrial sized cans, but the “a little bigger than regular cans”), and an average bottle of ketchup - then I add about 1/3 bag of light brown sugar, about 1/3 to half cup of brown mustard, about a 1/3 - 1/2 bottle of red wine vinegar, about 1/4 cup worchestershire, a lot of garlic and garlic powder, onion powder, salt pepper, and then I mix it up and taste it and smack my lips a bit (that’s really important), then I add whatever I think it neeeds from there, and I keep adding until I smack my lips and think, “Damn that’s good.” Then I simmer it on the stove for about 30-45 minutes.

I should write a cookbook - and part of the recipe would definitely include “and keep adding until you think, ‘damn that’s good.’” Surprisingly, that’s a key factor in a lot of what I cook.

And mind you, I never measure anything - those measurements are just what I think they are, but spatial abilities are my super strength, so they are probably pretty close.

By Curious

January 30, 2009 12:38 PM | Link to this

I would like to know if anyone out there who supports this spending bill actually knows whats in it, and what it represents. If you actually support it and all the programs it stands for, have you ever voluntarily sent the IRS more tax money to help these programs? If not I can only assume you are for these things, just with someone else’s money. I would prefer to have a say in how my money is spent. When you consider how much of each dollar goes to a tax of some sort, when will we as a nation say enough is enough?

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 12:41 PM | Link to this

Curious,

You do have a say in how your money is spent. It’s called the voting booth.

By Paul

January 30, 2009 12:47 PM | Link to this

Jay,

I’ll try typing this again. I often save a post to Word in case of a glitch - but this one just wouldn’t go through. I’ll send it without the Pelosi link.

Regarding the ad - it strikes me as pretty ugly. It was amazing to see how Pres Obama could galvanize so many with his message, yet the Democratic leadership and advocacy groups revert to their prior ways (broken record time: couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that Obama’s change would result in a lost of money and power for these groups, could it?).

The ad: again, it’s a reversion to ‘us’ vs ‘them’ and an ‘all or nothing’ mentality. Many times when a political statement is phrased as an absolute, it’s suspect. [[Every Republican member of the House chose to take Rush Limbaugh’s advice.]]

Realy Every House Republican listened to Limbaugh, considered his arguments and chose to follow him? They’ve got to be kidding.

Then there’s the statements that can be construed as true, even if, on further reflection, they are not.

[[voted… against creating 4 million new American jobs.]]

Did the bill attempt to create 4 mil jobs, as Pres Obama wanted? Yes. Did Reps vote against it? Yes. Does it follow they are against creating 4 mil jobs? No. Following Alice Rivlin’s model (one of Obama’s economic advisors, first CBO Director) the Reps assert their proposals would have created over 6 mil jobs. So is it fair to say Dems enact legislation that prevent an additional 2 mil Americans from getting jobs? No. (Many here are going to stop reading and go to Google find an attack on the Rep numbers. Fact is, any ‘economic model’ is subject to criticism. I think Reps thought this through, though, bu using assumptions put forth by one of Obama’s chief economists).

The ads never address what many Rep Congressmen said: “we want our economy to recover, we want jobs, we agree our economy is in crisis and we agree with many of the objectives put forth by Pres Obama. In fact, we are in greater agreement with his tax cut and stimulus percentages than are the House Democrats. But at least a third of this bill - hundreds of billions of dollars - does not address Pres Obama’s requirements. We can address these issues later, after we’ve passed a stimulus bill, not a special interest payoff bill.”

[[I think that’s pretty well played.]]

Yeah, for 2005. I’d hoped Pres Obama would’ve been stronger, more capable, with his Party leadership. I still have my fingers crossed.

‘Nuther subject - does this meet the definition of a ‘lie’ (an attempt to mislead while knowing better)?

Speaker Pelosi says she’s ‘nonpartisan’

From the NY Times: “When Mrs. Pelosi was asked whether the vote - 244 to 188 without a single Republican’s approval - represented a failure on her part to advance President Obama’s desire for a broad bipartisan bill, she practically snapped:

“I didn’t come here to be partisan. I didn’t come here to be bipartisan. I came here, as did my colleagues, to be nonpartisan, to work for the American people, to do what is in their interest.”

Just how do reporters keep from laughing at such times?

By ByteMe

January 30, 2009 12:47 PM | Link to this

Curious, let us know when you’ve cut your check for the Iraq war, which was paid for not by you or any other citizen of this country but by borrowing money from China.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 12:48 PM | Link to this

tcoach,

I couldn’t agree more. I’m not much for conspiracy theories - although they are the stuff of really cool novels and movies, but I think it’s just human nature (or rather American nature) to start questioning things when politicians appear to be covering things up (like secret energy meetings), and I’ll be the first one to think, “hey wait a minute - that’s not right.”

So, yeah, I’ll be there with you.

But as I told Paul the other day, everytime his Press Secretary says, “no comment” - I don’t think there’s some secret plot to not let us know things.

Some things I don’t want to know about - like if a certain terrorist gets caught and whoops a CIA interrogator’s fist slipped onto his mouth and accidentally broke out a few teeth - sorry dude. I don’t want to know about that. There are lines that we don’t cross - like Guantanamo, but we are smart enough to know the difference. I hope that makes sense.

But I digress.

And I agree with what you said about blaming Obama and blaming Bush - I’ve said this before, I didn’t have a problem with Bush as POTUS until Iraq - then just about everything that went wrong including the economy, at least in my opinion, can be traced back to that and how we handled ourselves in the general dealings with that.

By curious

January 30, 2009 12:49 PM | Link to this

jewcowboy

You are right. And I do. But let me ask you a question no liberal will answer- How much is my fair share of taxes to pay? Is it 50%, 60% ? What is the number? When you are running your budget and you come to the end of the money what do you do? Do you stop spending and control expenses or do you have some creative way like the democrats to create money?

By Copyleft

January 30, 2009 12:49 PM | Link to this

Commie:

“Is this any different than when FDR had Japanese people thrown into concentration camps right here in the US?”

Nope. It was wrong then, and it’s still wrong today. No difference.

“When a country is attacked, it must do everything to defend itself.”

I’m sure you meant to say “within the law,” of course. Right?

By Taxpayer

January 30, 2009 12:52 PM | Link to this

I’d like to offer to make a donation toward the purchase of a miniature violin for Jay to use as needed to quell the dissension and, dare I say, soothe the inner beast of those amongst us who have suffered for so long under the oppressive foot of a tyrannical regime. Then again, Bush is gone now. We’ll be OK. We just need time to heal. In the mean time, perhaps this will suffice.

By Mrs. Godzilla

January 30, 2009 12:53 PM | Link to this

Curious

Tax money is not your money….it’s OUR money.

Remember that 9 billion dollars in cash of OUR money that simply disappeared in Iraq?

I had my say on that little fiasco, along with 67 million others folks, when we voted for Obama.

By RealityKing

January 30, 2009 12:54 PM | Link to this

The only thing that will stifle Rush is congressional action, perhaps some kind of progressive “fairness doctrine”. Ya, that’s the ticket! Ticket to censorship that is..

By Paul

January 30, 2009 12:55 PM | Link to this

Mrs. Godzilla

[[to be sure my grandad was a whole lot more Irish! ]]

OMG - we could be related?!!? Scary!

Bosch

Actually, I thought that was a great recipe! I may be able to get the gist of it - in a smaller quantity, though. Thanks again.

Idea of the Day Award: “I think I’ll be drunk during the final episode.” Yaaaay!

9 hours 6 minutes

By RealityKing

January 30, 2009 12:58 PM | Link to this

Jan.30th DOW -81.96 8,067.05 YTD%Change: -8.09%

Another historical first for Obama. Seven more years Jay!!??

By jewcowboy

January 30, 2009 12:58 PM | Link to this

curious,

The reason you do not get an answer from a liberal or a conservative is there is no universal answer to what is a fair tax. If you are wanting a flat number that everyone agrees to, you’ll be waiting in vain. What you might consider fair, I might consider unfair. What’s that little ditty about death and taxes?

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 12:58 PM | Link to this

Curious,

I know this is going to make some on this board’s head explode, but here goes:

I’d gladly, and willingly with no griping or b*** pay 50% of my income in taxes if the government would take care of my healthcare, my utilities, and my kid’s college education, the military, infrastructure (bridges, roads, etc) K-12 education, police/fire, and ensuring that what I ate and breathed, and drank wasn’t tainted with toxins - that is if EVERYBODY did the same.

And with that - I’m off for a jog.

By GodHatesTrash

January 30, 2009 12:59 PM | Link to this

Bookman, remember the emotional maturity of your average Bookman RightWingnut - a two-year old feels persecuted if you take her blankie away…

By Chaz

January 30, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this

Gee, Obama has the full force of the military and Justice Department (not to mention the IRS) behind him, and Rush Limbaugh has a microphone. Yet somehow, Obama finds Limbaugh intimidating.

This would seem to be a great illustration of why the founding fathers sought to guarantee freedom of speech.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this

Curious,

Oh, forgot one - mass transit.

Paul,

The “damn it’s good” part is essential. :-)

Later.

By Mrs. Godzilla

January 30, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this

Paul,

Go far enough back and we all are!

Top o’ the afternoon to ya’!

By Paul

January 30, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this

Mrs Godzilla

Oh, you said “grandad” - my roots go generations back, about as many as Pres Obama referenced. OMG2 - I could be related to him! Neat!

It’s the only Irish we found in genealogy. Found a story that went the oldest son (my ancestor) was tagged by his dad to become a priest (not unusual in those days) said “forget that” and took off for America. A pedigree of rebels - I like it.

By TW

January 30, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this

The only thing that will stifle Rush…

What stifles Rush is ‘w’s abortion of a presidency.

Nobody likes a loser.

By Jake

January 30, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this

curious - The Republicans ‘created’ most of the money if you mean deficit spending. Reagan and the Bushes were the kings of supply side voodoo economics, running up huge deficits while giving tax breaks mostly to the rich. A flat tax may or may not be a ‘fair’ tax, but when the richest Americans, people like Anne Cox Chambers, pay taxes at a lower rate than a working stiff like me, something is definitely wrong!

By oldmac

January 30, 2009 1:03 PM | Link to this

Show me where it says that because a little more than half the voters (not necessarily half the people) think one way that all the others have to go along with their way of thinking? I will remain a member of the Loyal Opposition.

By Peadawg

January 30, 2009 1:04 PM | Link to this

OMG can we not go 1 day w/out Jay mentioning bipartisanship? geeze find something new to talk about it.

By @@

January 30, 2009 1:07 PM | Link to this

A couple of “morsels” is right, jay! Just who is it the administration is wooing on my dime?

Snowe? On social issues looks very much like a democrat, as does Collins and Specter. All three voted NO on paying down federal debt by rating programs’ effectiveness.

And the Gregg appointment? Very much a conservative, but I see Obama’s willingness to appoint him as more of a trap/fall guy than a show of bipartisanship. Wants to bring him on board “HMS Fiasco”.

What the heck’s he gonna oversee?

Obama’s already in the process of alienating some of our best trading partners. The rest……

The Department of Commerce is the government agency tasked with improving living standards for all Americans by promoting economic development and technological innovation.

Aint’a gonna happen.

And Richardson may have withdrawn his name “voluntarily” from the appointment of Commerce Secretary, but he was hispanic.

What better way to alienate the hispanic voter than to replace Richardson with a white guy.

Obama’s slick……I’ll give him that.

By RealityKing

January 30, 2009 1:09 PM | Link to this

Ever been to France Bosch? They too think they have it good there.., until they visit America and dare to dream.

By ButtHead

January 30, 2009 1:11 PM | Link to this

How stupid are liberals? The answer is quite clear, do they believe in freedom of speech? I guess only when they are talking, this is a non issue, if the liberals don’t like Rush, then don’t listen. When you start to censor people then we would be no better than the communist, free speech means just that. I am also real happy that the liberals did not take the time to read the bill that the dimacrats put forth, only 12% of the nearly 1 Trillion package goes for job creation; the rest is to pay off cronies to make sure that they remain in the power base. When the GOP put forth changes to the bill some stoned grandma, who according to her position, should have been aborted with taxpayer money, she made no changes. So I guess the olive branch that Mrs. Clodzilla is talking about is really just a lie. Bi-partisan means that both side come to an agreement; not take what I am giving and like it.

By Mrs. Godzilla

January 30, 2009 1:12 PM | Link to this

Bosch

I agree with you….I am willing to pay for good governance.

Heard about the mercury levels in high fructose corn syrup? Sweet Tea can be hazardous to your health. Some symptoms of mercury poisoning are: Irritability, Nervousness, Fits of Anger, Memory Loss, Lack of Attention, Depression, Low Self Confidence, Anxiety, Drowsiness, Shyness/timidity, Decline of Intellect, Insomnia, Low Self Control.

It’s a puzzlement, ain’t it.

By Fred

January 30, 2009 1:15 PM | Link to this

After years of obstructionism, righteous indignation and simple contrarian posturing, the Democrats now see themselves as the champions of bipartisanism. And Bookman’s job is to put it out there every day, sometimes several times a day.

I don’t mind the arguments, I do mind the self-serving sanctimony. It’s all just politics, same as it ever was.

By ConsueloMorales

January 30, 2009 1:17 PM | Link to this

You mean the fat slob two semester SE Missouri State dropout, Oxycontin poppin’, doctor shoppin’, Viagra totin, Costa Rican teen booty strokin’ blowhard who managed to carve himself out a niche of mindless angry saps to sell his drivel to???

I think that one’s a no brainer.

By curious

January 30, 2009 1:20 PM | Link to this

Willing to pay 50% tax to live in the equivalent of communist Russia. Wow. The Democrats are great salesmen. With all those provisions by big brother what about their total control of your thoughts too? Oops, they already have it.

By tcoach

January 30, 2009 1:21 PM | Link to this

Bosch, Don’t you think a rush to act was part of the problem with the Iraq situation. As the consequences of non action in Iraq could have been awful as well.

So a rush to such a drastic judgement to solve a problem with such expensive actions could prove to be just a bad. Especially since there are things in the bill that I do not see as growing the economy, in the long term. What is the point of creating jobs if there will not be a job after the project is complete.

It seems that we are trying to push this problem down the road again but this time doing it so that it appears we are not. I have seen figures stating less than half will even be available for the first 2 years. While other parts will not be spent until after Obama’s 1st term.

That is why I would love to hear from the President on this, to clear up any of my own misconceptions about the bill.

He is the one who campaigned on openness. That is all I have asked of the President so far is to be open. Don’t plead and beg for support of the Bill. Explain to the American people what the Bill entails, what are his reasons for believing it will work, and also to discuss possible failures and problems with the Bill.

I have not nor will not ever say anything about the press sec. responding with no comment. He is merely a talking head, that is good with words and able to speak with the media everyday. When President Obama starts using the “no comment” line I will have issues, until then you do not need to tell me to lay off the press sec. I could honestly care less what the press sec has to say. He does not make decisions, so he does not matter.

By Mrs. Godzilla

January 30, 2009 1:23 PM | Link to this

Poster at 1:11

What an elegantly appropriate name you have there!

By Buy Partisan

January 30, 2009 1:25 PM | Link to this

You know, in eight years as president, I don’t believe GWB ever felt compelled to marginalize Air America. Not even when Randy Rhodes called for his assassination on the air. Then again, I guess that’s why they didn’t NEED marginalization.

By Paul

January 30, 2009 1:40 PM | Link to this

Bosch

Sorry to burst your bubble (not really, just being polite) after your run, but your comment about being willing to pay half your income in exchange for the services listed:

Financial columnist Scott Burns did a column on how the tax paid by the ‘average’ person is a bit over 40 percent. That’s all tax - local, state, federal, and - this is something - it’s pretty constant over many income levels.

When I looked for the column I found this:

“The National Bureau of Economic Research has concluded that the combined federal, state, and local government average marginal tax rate for most workers to be about 40% of income.[1][2] The Tax Foundation concluded that government at all levels will collect 30.8% of the nation’s income for 2008.[3]”

So, since you want health care and other stuff not currently provided, you gotta up your contribution to about 75 percent!

Then there’s the attitude many have expressed: they want complete health care, alternate fuels, etc etc etc but they want someone else to pay for it.

Like with this stimulus/pork/social engineering bill: people want their still-unborn grandkids to pay for it…

By Taxpayer

January 30, 2009 1:43 PM | Link to this

Jay, I’d like to offer up my idea of some “feel good” music for your drive home this evening. There’s just something about all the whining that has come from our brethren on the other side of the aisle and their misguided subjects that just has me feeling good this Friday afternoon.

By Just a thought

January 30, 2009 1:43 PM | Link to this

Once the dems believed the republicans were acting in a partisan manner, they started acting in a partisan manner. If the Dems want to show Republicans the way, creating ads that push their adversaries farther away isn’t very imaginative.

And I’d just as soon my president didn’t get into some silly back and forth with political pundits. I don’t listen to Rush, so I don’t know what he said. But the last president didn’t make comments about Olberman or Bill Maher when he tried to get bills through Congress. It’s beneath President Obama amd I was a little disappointed.

Neither party is looking very sharp with these latest tatics, but I’d say the republicans have a slight edge. The dems have to remember that when you’re in power, you can look like bullies very easily. And it doesn’t meke sense to continue calling Republicans bullies when they have no power.

By Tillson

January 30, 2009 1:45 PM | Link to this

Rush is attacked for wanting socialist policies under an Obama presidency to fail but liberal talk show hosts like Malloy are free to talk about their violent fantasies directed towards WH spokeswoman Dana Perino?

He threatens to let members of the administration DROWN just for the h311of it!!!!!!

Fair and balanced? Should I think not or is that asking too much of this communist regime led by Obama and his comrades.

By fearless fosdik

January 30, 2009 1:47 PM | Link to this

After 8 years of a Republican spending orgy and looting of the treasury Republicans are now posing as if they are fiscally conservative by being obstructionists. When the Republicans were in power Vice President Cheney declared, “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter”. Their solution to the current crisis is the same things they did to get us into this financial mess - more tax cuts for the rich. But with even the rich losing close to half of their wealth in the last few months even the rich have turned against the Republicans. There is no longer an excuse for Republicans to show up in Washington and collect paycheck and not be part of the solution to the problems the Republicans created.

By Call it Like it is

January 30, 2009 1:58 PM | Link to this

Ugh, that’s easy: RUSH, RUSH,RUSH,RUSH,RUSH,RUSH,RUSH,RUSH,RUSH,RUSH,RUSH, RUSH,& RUSH!

No comparison.

Enough Said!

By DB, Gwinnettian

January 30, 2009 2:18 PM | Link to this

Tillson, if you want to make this Malloy/Limbaugh comparison even remotely credible, you’re going to have to list all the Democratic pols who’ve kissed Malloy’s butt.

got any?

By vince neil

January 30, 2009 2:19 PM | Link to this

Rush sells a ton of ads and makes money for the stations who broadcast him…all other discussions are just silly….but he thanks you anyway!

By RealityKing

January 30, 2009 2:23 PM | Link to this

Job cuts top 100,000 for the week 2:03pm: U.S. job losses continued to mount, with Pfizer, Caterpillar, Boeing reporting massive reductions. (more)[http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/30/news/economy/joblossroundup/index.htm?postversion=2009013014]

Errr…, forget creating jobs, when does the Obama inspiration kick in to saving jobs??

By Gandalf, the White!

January 30, 2009 2:27 PM | Link to this

4 million jobs? HEHE Even you aren’t jaded enough to believe that Jay! Obama is an horses backend and will foster a era of pork barrel politics the likes of which the world has never seen. Kiss away your freedom of speech. If the other side ever wins Jay are you willing to quit writing your liberal drivel? I think not sir!

By Smell the baloney

January 30, 2009 2:28 PM | Link to this

What’s the difference between Rush Limbaugh and the Hindenberg?

One’s a flaming Nazi gasbag and the other was a dirigible.

By Bosch

January 30, 2009 2:30 PM | Link to this

tcoach,

I hate to keep writing, I agree, because that is certainly boring, but well, I agree.

Except with Iraq - yes, we rushed to judgement (never equated that with this, good point) - but it wasn’t a problem for us. Saddam had a big mouth and a bit of an elevated testosterone problem, but that’s about it.

But with the stimulus package, I’ve heard alot of stuff too, so yes, it would be nice to hear it from the horses mouth.

Paul,

Hello. Generalization knocking. But, I probably spend about 85% of my income on that stuff if you throw in insurance and car expenses and my mortgage (and dog/cat food - those beasts can eat, and Doritos), so there. :-)

By CommunistAJC

January 30, 2009 2:35 PM | Link to this

jewcowboy, you misread what I wrote. Maybe I should have been clearer. My bad. What I mean is the guy who wrote the article is going off on Christians yet he doesn’t really explain “Christian attacks” and instead makes fun of ministers and others. Not only does he NOT know what the Bible is all about, meaning he’s probably never studied one, but he also stereotypes ALL Christians as evil and hypocritical. It’s like me calling every Muslim a terrorist or every black person a welfare child. Or calling all white people klansmen. That was my point.

By Midori

January 30, 2009 2:38 PM | Link to this

Bosch,

have you seen this?

:)

By St. Joan

January 30, 2009 2:54 PM | Link to this

Rush Limbaught? Do people still pay attention to the aging, fat, bald, , impotent, 4 times divorced, addicted to prescription painkillers, arrested for doctor shopping Rush Limbaugh?

By Tillson

January 30, 2009 3:00 PM | Link to this

DBG, promoting the defeat of socialist policies vs. promoting violent acts and death by drowning fellow americans can’t EVEN be compared. I support the defeat of socialist policies. If you promote the latter by saying nothing then you’ll get what you deserve. Not by conservatives’ hands, by this administration’s.

When the Nazis came for the communists,

I remained silent;

I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,

I remained silent;

I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,

I did not speak out;

I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,

I remained silent;

I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,

there was no one left to speak out.

Pastor Martin Niemöller

By Smell the baloney

January 30, 2009 3:01 PM | Link to this

Being caught with all that Viagara that wasn’t his prescription reveals his real name: Rush Limpboff.

By Joe

January 30, 2009 3:11 PM | Link to this

I think the GOP will side with the American people who by the way, side with Limbaugh. The one’s who can actually think for themselves and not let the so called main stream media tell them if it’s good or bad legilation. Look at all the waste in it. Sending someone a check so they can pay off their debt is not going to stimulate the economy. Cutting taxes will though. As Reagon and Bush proved. Remember the economy didn’t head south until the dems took control of Congress in 06’. We were just fine before that. Remember arguing about the war and all. But of course since thats turned for the better dems have created yet another problem to harp on. To bad you freaks can’t simply blame Bush when this insane spending sree fails…

By EJ

January 30, 2009 3:12 PM | Link to this

What is this —-a popularity contest?

Why is it so important for Obama to have bipartisan support? If he is right, he will be right regardless.

Let the free spending democrats dig their own hole. I know of no family who spent their way out of debt. Neither will this nation.

I am against any movements towards a socialist America. As Obama embraced the union leaders this week, he changed the laws and took us several giant steps closer.

When that too fails, it will be said that it was because it was not enough. Just as there never has, and never will be, enough spent on public education. We want more more more……

By Mrs. C

January 30, 2009 3:18 PM | Link to this

Can someone explain to me why the Republicans took no issue with spending the $700+ billion on the first bailout, which we have no idea where half of it is gone, it has done nothing for mainstream America in terms of creating jobs or helping with mortgages, schools or cities. But it did assist all their croanies in getting fatter pockets with these excessive bonuses and private jet tours to beg for more money.

But now a plan by Obama and the Democrats, which will give money to schools, budget crunched states and cities, and help out those of us in mainstream America and they want to moan and groan about excessive spending. Give me a break… I don’t care if it only creates 10 jobs, thats 10 more jobs then the plan the Republicans, Bush, and that pitiful Treasury Sec. created.

Republicans kills always out for self…..They forgot that this was the United States of America a long time ago…..

And I won’t even give Rush the time of day with a comment.

By First Sergeant

January 30, 2009 3:27 PM | Link to this

Taxpayer,

Good job with your 8:26 post. You have highlighted major flaws with republican philosphies. And you know what; the truth hurts; individuals, like budwiser, can only attack and call nasty names. No substance at all. What a shame.

By Joe

January 30, 2009 3:29 PM | Link to this

Have you been living under a rock Mrs. C? The dems crafted most if not all the legislation with the first hand out. Who is in charge of overseeing it? Barney Frank and the rest of the corrupt dems in Congress. At least an overwhelming majority of Repubs voted against it the first time and all did this time. Obama is a complete dunce on this but his cool aid drinking followers simply don’t understand it…

By williebkind

January 30, 2009 3:31 PM | Link to this

{{By St. Joan

January 30, 2009 2:54 PM | Link to this

Rush Limbaught? Do people still pay attention to the aging, fat, bald, , impotent, 4 times divorced, addicted to prescription painkillers, arrested for doctor shopping Rush Limbaugh? }}

Hey you went to college to study Freud did you. Look what a MAN he was….Rush is a conservative and lights the way for many more. He is the same today as he was yesterday.

You guys say hello for me to King Obama, Prince Harry, and Prime Mistress Pelosi.

By Punch

January 30, 2009 3:37 PM | Link to this

Even after screwing this country republicans still can’t be objective. They broke it and they can’t fix it and they don’t want anyone else to try. What’s really even sicker is that repubs listen to that uneducated, pill-popping rich man who makes his money off those poor homeless, healthcareless, jobless souls who dare not go anywhere near Iraq or Afghanistan. Sick! Oh yeah, don’t forget that there are some educated fools out there, too. Heard too many lessons at the dinner table.

By GMAN

January 30, 2009 3:47 PM | Link to this

Rush is a BIG boy! Why are all you wingnuts trying so desperately to protect him? Could it be that he really is your daddy (a.k.a pimp) and you are all part of his stable?

By lees

January 30, 2009 3:50 PM | Link to this

The decadent international but individualistic capitalism in the hands of which we found ourselves after the war is not a success. It is not intelligent. It is not beautiful. It is not just. It is not virtuous. And it doesn’t deliver the goods.

John Maynard Keynes

By Hip Hopcracy

January 30, 2009 4:00 PM | Link to this

Rush is simply the mouthpiece for that part of our population that would rather assail liberals than hold its own party accountable.

It’s one-sided crap, defensible with the application of a closed mind.

The only way that Limbaugh continues to out-debate his adversaries is his use of the dump button.

By Eric

January 30, 2009 4:20 PM | Link to this

The AJC stroking Oboma???? never would have expected that.

The new turf and flowers is going to fix our economy, all the people that worked for AIG, ING, etc. are going to lay sod.

I guess ACORN needs money to pay for the votes too, that will create jobs as well.

By Eric

January 30, 2009 4:20 PM | Link to this

The AJC stroking Obama???? never would have expected that.

The new turf and flowers is going to fix our economy, all the people that worked for AIG, ING, etc. are going to lay sod.

I guess ACORN needs money to pay for the votes too, that will create jobs as well.

By No_libs_allowed

January 30, 2009 4:23 PM | Link to this

Of course I agree with Rush!!! I find it amusing that Obama is dragging him into conversations the way he has been. Free advertising!

By Pogo

January 30, 2009 4:23 PM | Link to this

Let me say this first. Rush does not speak for the conservatives. He speaks to make himself money and he has done quite well at it. At least conservatives are smart enough to know when a huckster is a huckster. He obviously struck a note with a hell of a lot of people or he wouldn’t still be out there. That being said, one sided liberal parrots like you Jay, Maher and the loons on MSNBC don’t really have a lot of room to talk about Limbaugh. They are just as bad as he. They make their money by dividing, not unifying (much as the liberal politicians do). They play to an audience that happens to agree with them at the time. When the political winds change, which they will, they will be gone. Jay, you are what you espouse to hate about the people like Limbaugh. You are Limbaugh, only in a political polar opposite form. Hypocrit.

By Bud Wiser

January 30, 2009 5:00 PM | Link to this

Taxpayer, since you resort to name calling as opposed to answering or refuting anything I ever have to say, it is obvious that it is you that lacks the intellect. Take your whining and complaining and tell it to someone who cares.

You certainly lack the brainpower to compete intellectually with anyone, because you simply do not compete.

You resort to your idiotic name calling and subject changing, a tactic so well over-used by the intellectually vacant. You ignore the subject altogether if it displeases you, because you simply are not a very smart person.

So, why don’t you just stay quiet and let us only guess how stupid you really are, as opposed to you esposing some idiocy here and confirming it for all to see.

If you like exposing yourself as a moron, then you are at least successful at something.

By jonj

January 30, 2009 5:13 PM | Link to this

Republicans vs. Democrats

Which part has more Klansmen and Neo Nazis as registered members of their party and why?

icantbelieveisaidthatish.blogspot.com

By jonj

January 30, 2009 5:17 PM | Link to this

Republicans vs. Democrats

Which part has more Klansmen and Neo Nazis as registered members of their party and why?

icantbelieveisaidthatish.blogspot.com

By jonj

January 30, 2009 5:37 PM | Link to this

Rush does not speak for the conservatives. He speaks to his “base” which in turn makes him goo gobs of money. The sad thing is that most of his “base” are too low on social-economic totem pole to even matter to the GOP. But they are fairly simple minded folks who follow blindly and are easily race baited. Rush…Hannity and the like preach that nothing in this country is fair because of Blacks or Hispanics and of course we cant forget those evil gay people and their audience eats it up. Meanwhile our country went to sh*t under GWB who was a puppet and not a very good one. The WEALTHY got rich and the middle class got driven into the ground. President Obama provides the perfect fuel to their fire. He’s 1/2 black which in this country makes you ..well …BLACK..and he’s smart, articulate…he has a few political connections and a few good ideas- PERFECT! This scares the living daylights out of the typical bigot and will surely provide him with enough material for the next 4 years.

icantbelieveisaidthatish.blogspot.com

Race, Politics, and Religion in the USA

By pat

January 30, 2009 5:37 PM | Link to this

Why are democrats so afraid of Rush? He’s a talk show host, who through their own stupidity, is going to be more popular than he ever was. Democrats don’t need the republicans at all. They have the floor, I do not understand where this fear is comming from… The “Stimulus” is about the stupidist thing that can be done. It’s so full of pork and pet projects it is just clearly a democrat power grab…Pay off constituants, grow the govenment, give hand outs, etc. The only part of this pork package that will help are the tax cuts. Everthing else is just a block hole to throw money into. Infastructure is necessary, but it is not an investment or a stimulus. Infastructure is a place where people lose money, everybody knows that. You may need roads, but they won’t give you a return on your investment. If you truly wanted to “bubble up” by spending a trillion bucks, it be far better to cut every body a check and let them spend it however they feel. At least this way you can ensure that the money will go directly into the economy and not black holes to be made up by tax hikes.

By MHS

January 30, 2009 5:45 PM | Link to this

I don’t side with either because it isn’t about sides it is about moving the country forward. It was very childish of Obama to even comment on Rush. If his skin is that thin then he is in for a rough couple of years.

By Mr. Eyes Wide-open

January 30, 2009 6:17 PM | Link to this

I’m not siding with no one.

The Democrats have “alway” been a give away party. The GOP are a bunch of dips also. Americans United for Change are DA’s. This politican partisan needs to stop.

This “Stimulus Package” is going to put this country into debt. Billions have been blown away already!! It’s not going to create 4 million jobs. However, the blacks love this, they love to get any hand-out, I know this as fact. The Hell with anything else.

Change? The only change I see is a new President replacing a previous President. There’s really no new change in the Cabinet, just a staff from from another useless Administratiion. “ALL” have high hopes and bright ideas. But still, it will all be the same. “Nothing.”

I’ll apologize if the economy gets moving again!!

By LibsRLosers

January 30, 2009 6:24 PM | Link to this

F* George Soros. Enough said.

By SaveOurRepublic

January 30, 2009 6:25 PM | Link to this

To the uninformed, this “Obama vs. Rush” schism appears to be “Left vs. Right”. However, underneath the ever-so-thin veneer, we see it’s simply Globalist coin “side A” vs. “side B”. Rush “Limblaah” is the cheif propaganda mouthpiece for the Globalist Neocons & perpetuates the phoney “Left/Right” paradigm (thereby duping the sheeple into believing they have an actual “choice” between two (controlled) “sides). Conversely, “Bacrock Obuma” is the faux-“liberal” with a Marxist “shell” & Globalist “core”. Both of these 2 individuals are pawns for the Globalist Elite, and serve their assigned function(s) accordingly. Look beyond the smokescreen & don’t buy into the fallacy of the “Left vs. Right” paradigm!

By SaveOurRepublic

January 30, 2009 6:44 PM | Link to this

The Conservative @ 18:31 - The “guys” on the right (GOP Neocons) have indeed moved to the Left (ie - RINOs like “Juan McAmnasty”, “Jorge Boosh”, etc.). Whereas some Democrats (rightly) opposed devastating “free” trade (ie - NAFTA, which has dismantled the U.S. manufacturing base)…thereby embracing a truly (paleo)conservative position (on that issue). I simply propose strict, unyielding adherence to the Constitution & placing U.S. interests 1st, 2nd & 3rd on the priority list (….not pandering the Globalist interests). Instead of corporate welfare for these traitorous multinational (US based) corporations (who endless outsource American jobs & insource “el cheapo” H-1B labor), place the focus on revamping the tax system. That would start by abolishing the (private) Fed & income tax/IRS (the Fed’s “collection agency”), returning to the gold standard (thus ending fiat currency). Secondly, the pawns on “Crapitol sHill” need to end these foreign entanglements & “aid” (taxpayer funded handouts). However, the sellouts in DC are too beholden to the Globalist agenda to ever enact these (truly effective) needed changes!

By Eric

January 30, 2009 6:46 PM | Link to this

The country loves the Democrat “stimulus package” so much that the stock market just suffered it’s WORST JANUARY IN HISTORY!

Stock prices are based on expected future profits. The worst January in history tells me people don’t think this fraud of a “stimulus” will do anything to get the country back on track.

That tells me the Republicans are smart to distance themselves from this pork-laden nightmare.

By Frank

January 30, 2009 8:47 PM | Link to this

Everyone talking about printing more money, Isn’t that where the Republicans got the trillion dollars they wasted in Iraq. From the printing presses they controlled for 8 years