New Developments III

Greg
Tenured
Posts: 3285
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 1:12 pm
Location: Greg
Contact:

Post by Greg »

Sources: Tentative deal reached for $780 billion stimulus package:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/06/stimulus/index.html
Greg
Tenured
Posts: 3285
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 1:12 pm
Location: Greg
Contact:

Post by Greg »

Here's Obama giving a kick-ass speech about the stimulus bill at the Department Of Energy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amr_SmwaOGc
Greg
Tenured
Posts: 3285
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 1:12 pm
Location: Greg
Contact:

Post by Greg »

Mister Tee wrote:We're going to get a serious stimulus package, close to what Obama wants. Why? Because the country's in a crisis.

I've been thinking that the real big stimulus might actually come from all the complaining about capping salaries for executives at banks receiving bailout money and so forth. This could set the stage for public support for nationalization of the banks that are receiving the bailout money. Then, the federal government would then print the money and lend it to the banks; but, would determine to whom the banks lent money.

This, rather than the current stimulus package, would be what funds green energy, remodernization of our manufacturing base, and so on. The money would be lent to companies to build photovoltaic panels, windmills, a new electricity grid, new more-roboticized factories, etc. This would create a vast number of jobs. The new factories, for instance, would create a lot of jobs for IT workers still underemployed as a result of the dot-com bust.

Some of the money from the electricity bills, new products sold, etc., would then pay back the loans and thereby repay the money printed by the government. This could not be done with the stimulus bill as most of the infrastructure and other spending will not go to projects that could lead to something being sold in the marketplace. For example, most of the work with roads and bridges will probably not go to toll roads and bridges.




Edited By Greg on 1233875665
taki15
Assistant
Posts: 541
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 4:29 am

Post by taki15 »

Shame on you Mister Tee for questioning the integrity of the hard-working DC press.

Just take a look at the earth-shattering scoops Mark Halperin has on his front page, and I guarantee you will imediately call him for forgiveness:

1)Tom Coburn says stimulus is ''Stinky Stuff''

2)Racoons invade the White House!

3)Mayor Bloomberg explains the mysterious New York City odours

There you have it.
Bring the Pullitzers!!!
User avatar
OscarGuy
Site Admin
Posts: 13668
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 12:22 am
Location: Springfield, MO
Contact:

Post by OscarGuy »

I have no idea. He said he read it, but I don't know where.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
Heksagon
Adjunct
Posts: 1229
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:39 pm
Location: Helsinki, Finland

Post by Heksagon »

OscarGuy wrote:I have a friend who immediately said that there was too much pork in the stimulus package. He said he read it himself.

Is the text available on Internet somewhere?




Edited By Heksagon on 1233872198
User avatar
Eric
Tenured
Posts: 2749
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 11:18 pm
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Contact:

Post by Eric »

Horrible, but this part is amusing:
Living in the presidential bubble also creates a very "surreal experience," Rogers said. For instance, Bush and Ronald Reagan never carried any cash.

One time, when traveling with Reagan, Rogers said, "we went to a McDonald's and somebody gave him a $50 bill. He looked like he didn't know what to do with it."


Jives nicely with Joan Didion's essay on Mr. & Mrs. Reagan.
Mister Tee
Tenured Laureate
Posts: 8637
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 2:57 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Post by Mister Tee »

They do say it's early-stage cancer, but pancreatic is one of the worst.

Meantime...as if to prove my point about what jackasses we have in the press, check out this abcnews link, which has to be read to be believed.

http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=6806414
User avatar
OscarGuy
Site Admin
Posts: 13668
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 12:22 am
Location: Springfield, MO
Contact:

Post by OscarGuy »

True enough.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
flipp525
Laureate
Posts: 6163
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 7:44 am

Post by flipp525 »

OscarGuy wrote:And, just when we thought it couldn't get any worse:


Ginsburg is hospitalized with pancreatic cancer

11 mins ago

WASHINGTON – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been hospitalized for surgery for pancreatic cancer.
Just think how much worse it would be if that had happened under Bush's watch.
"The mantle of spinsterhood was definitely in her shoulders. She was twenty five and looked it."

-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
User avatar
OscarGuy
Site Admin
Posts: 13668
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 12:22 am
Location: Springfield, MO
Contact:

Post by OscarGuy »

I have a friend who immediately said that there was too much pork in the stimulus package. He said he read it himself. He couldn't understand why we would put money in to modernize the information technology structures of schools. I told him it was a broader, long range goal to get kids into the workforce with better job potential. His issue was that it would take 10 years or more for it to have any effect and we're suffering now.

yet, I'm sure he didn't read it in full and see the disproportionate amount to other services. Here's the problem, many people in the country will latch on to these talking points and half-truths because they want to, not because they're true.

And, just when we thought it couldn't get any worse:


Ginsburg is hospitalized with pancreatic cancer

11 mins ago

WASHINGTON – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been hospitalized for surgery for pancreatic cancer.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
Mister Tee
Tenured Laureate
Posts: 8637
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 2:57 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Post by Mister Tee »

I hoped not to have to write something like this -- at least not so soon. But…

What's happening in DC right now is a disgrace. That the Republicans would become 100% obstructionist even under dire circumstances shouldn't come as a complete surprise, given their performance over the past decade and a half. That they would root openly for failure, whatever the cost to the country, makes a demonic sense. But the gleeful complicity of the press corps is shameful and beyond even my worst imaginings.

We're on the edge of a national emergency. No one can be sure if banks have been stabilized or if their collapse has simply been deferred. What's certain is, the crisis created in the financial industry has moved forcefully into the general economy and could wreak a havoc on the country not seen since the post '29 period. Action is vital.

And what are we talking about? Someone might have owed back taxes. A miniscule portion of the stimulus goes to "condoms" (STD prevention, actually, but why report facts when a dopey misleading headline can cause so many giggles?). John McCain (who I seem to recall lost the election by a wide margin) flogs anew his tax cuts for rich folk/cut spending program -- which would put the economy down for the count -- and anchors nod approvingly. Meanwhile, all spending -- the stimulus economists are begging for -- is officially labelled "pork" and thus bad-bad-bad. Republicans -- a 40% minority in both Houses -- comprise 2/3 of the guests on TV news programs, passing on misinformation without challenge. Oh, and did I mention, Obama -- despite his lofty approval ratings -- is said to be cratering?

For those who've been around a few decades, this all rings a bell: we recall Clinton being treated as instant failure in just the same way -- at least Obama's only being asked if "the honeymoon is over"; Clinton, at about the same point, was subjected to Sam Donaldson wondering "Is the presidency over?" (Oddly enough, Bush never got such treatment -- even though his tax cuts never had majority support in polls. Liberal media at work) That Clinton "recovered" enough to be re-elected, and leave office the most popular president of the half-century, you would think might make some less quick to jump to negative evaluation. But that underestimates our press corps -- embodied by the cosmically shallow Maureen Dowd, who the other day managed to analogize the Daschle pullout to September 11th! Many on the left think the press is simply in bed philosophically with the right. God knows there's FOX, and people like Charlie Gibson, with his comical fears about losing his capital gains. But I think the real alliance between Republicans and the press is their common feeling that this is all a game. These people are all in such high tax brackets that, unless they entrusted all their money to Bernie Madoff, they're going to sail through whatever comes just fine. They can afford to treat everything in DC like a rugby scrum. This alienates them from the vast number of Americans who are now deeply fearful for their jobs and very lives, and can't be bothered spending 72 hours on how abjectly Michael Phelps should apologize for doing a little dope.

We're going to get a serious stimulus package, close to what Obama wants. Why? Because the country's in a crisis. Because California can't pay its unemployment claims. Because Republican governors, mayors and business leaders are crying out for help. Tomorrow we're going to get an unemployment report that's going to freeze our bones. Only inside the DC beltway is it considered more important to maneuver for daily headlines than to address all these pressing matters. Fortunately, we have a president who takes the long view -- who, throughout his campaign, was always willing to forfeit a media cycle or two. The question is, when will those in the media catch on to this? In his inaugural address, Obama quoted the Bible and spoke of it being a time to set aside childish things. Much of the country is squarely with him on that. How long will it take our official spokesmen to catch up?
taki15
Assistant
Posts: 541
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 4:29 am

Post by taki15 »

Mister Tee wrote:Obama last night at a gathering:

"I am seriously glad to be here tonight at the annual Alfalfa dinner. I know that many you are aware that this dinner began almost one hundred years ago as a way to celebrate the birthday of General Robert E. Lee. If he were here with us tonight, the General would be 202 years old. And very confused."

Over and above all he's doing, I just love that this guy is our president.
From the same speech:

''Now, this hasn't been reported yet, but it was actually Rahm's idea to do the swearing-in ceremony again. Of course, for Rahm, every day is a swearing-in ceremony.

But don't believe what you read. Rahm Emanuel is a real sweetheart.

No, it's true. Every week the guy takes a little time away to give back to the community. Just last week he was at a local school, teaching profanity to poor children.''
Mister Tee
Tenured Laureate
Posts: 8637
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 2:57 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Post by Mister Tee »

Obama last night at a gathering:

"I am seriously glad to be here tonight at the annual Alfalfa dinner. I know that many you are aware that this dinner began almost one hundred years ago as a way to celebrate the birthday of General Robert E. Lee. If he were here with us tonight, the General would be 202 years old. And very confused."

Over and above all he's doing, I just love that this guy is our president.




Edited By Mister Tee on 1233519490
Heksagon
Adjunct
Posts: 1229
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:39 pm
Location: Helsinki, Finland

Post by Heksagon »

Once again, it may be worth pointing out that historically, this type of policies have virtually never been successful.
Post Reply

Return to “Current Events”