Northern Trust under pressure...

[John Kirk]

Lou,

Here is an article which discusses how Roosevelt's policies prolonged the Great Depression:

http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2008/20081027150030.aspx

It seems the UCLA economists disliked his policy of wage and price fixing, not his spending policies.

In 1937, FDR tried to balance the budget by raising taxes, which stifled business and prolonged recovery.

It seems most economists agree that significant government spending now is what the country needs, to avoid a deflationary death spiral.  I absolutely detest bailing out these irresponsible or inefficient companies, but trust the economists' view.

Shiv,

Yes, we have two problems.   Not enough people working, plus lots of people doing jobs counterproductive to the greater good.

Kalen,

If I'm not mistaken, the Dems finally gave up in time for Bush to be inaugurated on schedule.  Six weeks into his presidency, I think most of us were still cautiously optimistic.  George W. Bush is a very likeable man.

[Craig Van Egmond]

Anybody old enough to remember the Doonesbury series of strips right after Ford took office?  There was one where the radio guy, Mark Slackmeyer, was reading off the bad deeds of the Ford administration, and he concluded with something like,

"so, in the first 3 hours of the Ford administration the President has been guilty of several potential crimes.  While it is too early to talk of impeachment......"

Somehow, that strip came to mind.  

I'm just going to ask questions in this thread.

Which potential crimes did the Obama administration commit?

John,

   Me thinks your being a tad too literal on this one... 

[Jeff Goldman]

 And, there is no line item veto as we all know.  

Dick, don't get caught up in the nonsense.  He said he'd go through it line by line and veto any bill with earmarks as part of his commitment to "change"  What a bunch of BS. 

A simple Google search, or review of Obama's website, indicates that for this year, Obama promised to "slash earmarks to no greater than 1994 levels and ensure all spending decisions are open to the public."   In 1994, earmarks were about $7.8 billion.  This year's proposed earmarks....$7.4 billion.  And he has called a conference with Congress to plan to restructure the budget process to eliminate them altogether.  Oddly, this guy is actually trying to do a fair amount of what he said he would do.  And, by the way, the amount of earmarks the last time Republicans controlled Congress?  (ta-dum)...$20 billion (or $67 billion if you use a broader definition).  While I fear the administration is messing up on the banking plan, he seems remarkably straightforward, except in those areas where he is leaning right (Iraq, Presidential power, a couple others).

[RJ_Daley]

Although I don't think Kalen, Lou or Dave were watching, Olbermann just expanded on your information Jeff G.  It seems of the so-called ear marks, the reps are responsible for about 48% of the total $7.4billion cost identified in those 8500 earmarks, which is about 2% of the bill.  Even though they are about 40% or less of the congressional delegation in numbers.  And, in previous bills that the Bush admin and previous R led congressional seasons, they pushed through some $30something billion in earmarked goodies.  This stim bill that they are crying about has Thad Cochran (R) winning the prize for the biggest single earmark at something like $187million on one home area project.  McConnell is right up there too.  And, Kyl's home area pork is being defended by Kyl as not within 'his' definition of earmarks.  To McCain's credit, he didn't sign on for any earmarks, personally.  Although he voted for plenty of bills laden down with other's earmarks over the years.  He didn't vote no on principle, not that he should have, imo.

That doesn't mean that Lou, Dave and Kalen are wrong on earmarks, just that they ought to call all the black kettles black if they are going to be blackpot partisans on these matters.  (I didn't say crackpots)

[Craig Van Egmond]

Nothing is going to happen with earmarks. Its a way of life for both parties and its how things get done.


""House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has a blunt message for the White House on the issue of earmarks: Back off."

"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants the White House to tread lightly on earmarks, saying that any push by the Obama administration to clamp down on pet projects would be met with strong opposition from congressional leaders."

[Mike_Cirba]

While the New Deal may not have actually "fixed" the Great Depression, I wonder how many men, women, and children it carried along on a lifeboat of survival for over a decade until happy days were here again.

Knowing the stories of my parents and grandparents, I'm pretty confident that this post would not be here if it hadn't been for Big Brother FDR and his turning this country to communism in 1930.

Sorry for the hyperbolic nonsensical rhetoric of the word "communism", but after hearing the CPAC repeatedly using inflammatory, nonsensical terms like "socialism", "Bosheviks", "totalitarian", and yes, "communist" over the past week, I felt that I was indeed transported to some Orwellian time when language no longer has any meaning, and name-calling replaced political discourse and reasonable dialogue.

As the head of the NRA said with threatening implication this past week, "those who have the guns have the power".

Pretty damn scary, indeed.   

We have met the enemy...and they seem to be us.

[Mike_Cirba]

Furthermore, this angry rhetoric is simply sour grapes and poor sportsmanship and pathetic whining from the right wing.

We've heard repeatedly what a bad guy Al Gore was for actually trying to contest an election where he won the popular vote and then had to try to prove victory in a very close state where an assortment of ballot types were used, the Governor was his opponent's brother, and the Election Official a Republican appartchik, and the Supreme Court was tilted with Republican appointed judges.

It's a little different this time when John McCain was soundly and fairly defeated and the American people, even in formerly Republican strongholds like North Carolina and Virginia voted for fundamental change in our policies.

So, lordy, lordy, lordy...let's give the new guy a fair shake.   He's been in office a month and a half and the Right Wing is basically accusing the guy of being Mao Tse Tung because he is in favor of letting the top level of income tax rise back to Reaganesque levels.   

Unlike his predecessor, he is not irresponsibly telling us Santa Clausian stories about being able to wage war without cost.

Is this America, where the one who wins the most votes actually gets to govern?

[Kalen Braley]

Although I don't think Kalen, Lou or Dave were watching, Olbermann just expanded on your information Jeff G.  It seems of the so-called ear marks, the reps are responsible for about 48% of the total $7.4billion cost identified in those 8500 earmarks, which is about 2% of the bill.  Even though they are about 40% or less of the congressional delegation in numbers.  And, in previous bills that the Bush admin and previous R led congressional seasons, they pushed through some $30something billion in earmarked goodies.  This stim bill that they are crying about has Thad Cochran (R) winning the prize for the biggest single earmark at something like $187million on one home area project.  McConnell is right up there too.  And, Kyl's home area pork is being defended by Kyl as not within 'his' definition of earmarks.  To McCain's credit, he didn't sign on for any earmarks, personally.  Although he voted for plenty of bills laden down with other's earmarks over the years.  He didn't vote no on principle, not that he should have, imo.

That doesn't mean that Lou, Dave and Kalen are wrong on earmarks, just that they ought to call all the black kettles black if they are going to be blackpot partisans on these matters.  (I didn't say crackpots)

RJ,

Say it to yourself 50 times so you remember.

Kalen is not a Republican
Kalen is not a Republican
Kalen is not a Republican
Kalen is not a Republican
Kalen is not a Republican
Kalen is not a Republican
Kalen is not a Republican
....

Then say this 100 times.

The GOP never said they were against earmarks, just Obama!!!
The GOP never said they were against earmarks, just Obama!!!
The GOP never said they were against earmarks, just Obama!!!
The GOP never said they were against earmarks, just Obama!!!
The GOP never said they were against earmarks, just Obama!!!
The GOP never said they were against earmarks, just Obama!!!
The GOP never said they were against earmarks, just Obama!!!
The GOP never said they were against earmarks, just Obama!!!


      

[Craig Sweet]

Kalen...

Of course many members of the GOP have said they are opposed to earmarks....and you know what, many times the earmark is worthy of funding...

[Craig Van Egmond]

Craig S,

    Other than Senator Tom Coburn which GOP senator have you heard rail against earmarks? 

MikeCirba,

    Its always whining when the other guy is doing it, more irony from the party that never MovedOn. As long as we have to endure the daily bombardment about what kind of dog Obama is going to get, how good Michelle Obamas arms look, how much Chris Matthews would love to have Obamas child, then the media entertainers on the right will continue to whip their listeners up.  It is the world we live in.  You do understand that Keith, Chris, Bill, Rush, etc get paid to do this right? Obama made tons of promises along the way and he should be held to the same fire as everybody else. So whining about people whining is just redundant.

Americans love earmarks...  http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/04/martin.earmarks/index.html

Americans still love Obama... http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i6dRpSGFJgVTUJPG2KbHsZzcKFjA

Its all good..

[Craig Sweet]

Craig E...

Boehner, Flake, Jindel, McCain....and on and on.

But hey, so what?  I see where someone was bent out of shape over an appropriation for honey bee research or some such thing...does that Congressman seriously think this world can exist without bees?

[Craig Van Egmond]

And how many earmarks did these gentlemen take?  I know McCain didn't take any this particular round.

I personally love earmarks and I want my elected officials to bring home as much as they can!! Take it from Montana if they have  too.

[Mike_Cirba]

    As long as we have to endure the daily bombardment about what kind of dog Obama is going to get, how good Michelle Obamas arms look, how much Chris Matthews would love to have Obamas child, then the media entertainers on the right will continue to whip their listeners up.  It is the world we live in. 

Craig,

Which makes it even scarier when the head of one of our two major political parties is forced to kneel down and publicly "orally satisfy" the head "media entertainer", because he dared speak an honest opinion that obliquely criticized the methods of King Rush and his minions.

The sad truth is that even Ronald Reagan would be far too left-wing for these nutjobs who seemingly want their own religious state...so much for the Big Tent.   

[Joe Hancock]

Craig E...

Boehner, Flake, Jindel, McCain....and on and on.

But hey, so what?  I see where someone was bent out of shape over an appropriation for honey bee research or some such thing...does that Congressman seriously think this world can exist without bees?

Does that Congressman think the bees are his responsibility?

Joe

(p.s I'm only going to post good natured, fun little quips, as I have no desire to take up arms in a fight to which I am ill equipped(intellectually) to fight....not even sure if there truly is a battle to fight any more, or if Washington is too far evolved into something unmanageable)

[JESII]

Jim - I think you're a lot smarter than you let on; at least, I hope you are....

I'm not sure what to make of that...

[Craig Sweet]

Joe...

I think survival of bees should be all our responsibility....

[Craig Sweet]

I don't get it...

Why does Emeril wear his Chef outfit...apron and all... when he shops for food for his show in a grocery store?  Does this guy own any jeans?

[Craig Van Egmond]

MikeC,

         That was a sad display.

         Operation Rushbo... http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090304/pl_politico/19596 

 

[Craig Sweet]

Craig E...

I think it's great strategy to identify a marginal character like Limbaugh as the head of the GOP....I particularly like the Democrats "Rush Apology"   web site for Republicans that have been scorned by Rush...

But hey, that's politics right?  William Ayers...Rev. Wright...."socialism"....etc. etc...

[Craig Van Egmond]

Craig S,

     I think it is a sound strategy as well. Distraction techniques work well in magic and in politics.

     Make no mistake about it William Ayers should be in jail.  Rev. Wright is just a racist ass.

     

[Mike_Cirba]

MikeC,

         That was a sad display.

         Operation Rushbo... http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090304/pl_politico/19596 

Unfortunately, guys like Rush and Hannity are NOT marginal characters for today's Republican party.   They are indeed the heart, soul, and mind, and any remotely dissenting views get castigated and publicly scorned for hours and hours daily on national radio.

I do feel good though, in knowing deep down that every megalomaniac eventually has his day of bright exposure, much like Joe McCarthy on the far right, and much like Huey Long on the far left.

Craig S,

      Make no mistake about it William Ayers should be in jail.  Rev. Wright is just a racist ass

Completely agreed!

[Lou_Duran]

Mind you that I don't think I used the word "earmark" once, but hey, let's not be concerned at the least with accuracy and details.  Just build that straw man and knock him down.  It does reflect the strength of their arguments.

As to the Dems and Rush, are you Dems not a bit conflicted that you have to build up a false image to prevail?  Are the means not at all relevant to the ends?

And what does it say about your president and your party that they feel it is so important to devote so much time to this one private citizen during historically difficult, important times?

Oh, Mike Cirba, I don't think Rush is a religious man.  Why are you injecting religion in a perforative way into this matter?  I suspect that a good many Christians identify with the President in his desire to help the poor.  As I noted earlier, responsibility for the care of others- regardless of belief- is a very strong thread in Christian doctrine today.

Lastly, they say that "he who laughs last, laughs best".  Given "Limbo's" track record, my bet is he will be the last man standing, and laughing.  McCarthy would be envious to have such a long running show which shows no sign of slowing down.  How many days until the neo-"Fairness" Doctrine goes to a vote?

Mega dittos to you too.

[Kalen Braley]

Unfortunately, guys like Rush and Hannity are NOT marginal characters for today's Republican party.   They are indeed the heart, soul, and mind, and any remotely dissenting views get castigated and publicly scorned for hours and hours daily on national radio.

I do feel good though, in knowing deep down that every megalomaniac eventually has his day of bright exposure, much like Joe McCarthy on the far right, and much like Huey Long on the far left.

Mike,

I suppose guys like Chris Matthews and Keith Oberman are just harmless cheerleaders?

Thier sarcastic venom over the last few years combined with thier down-right laughable homerism at the DNC was so off the charts bizarre, I found myself tuning in just to see what unbeleive thing they would say next!    

[Craig Van Egmond]

MikeC,

    Obviously they aren't, I don't remember any previous president who mentions the opposing media guys so much. Obama singles Hannity or Rush out at least every couple of days. It is strange that these guys get so much air time and there shows are so popular, meanwhile AirAmerica died a horrible death and MSNBC is like the 23rd rated channel. Keith and Chris would sell their souls for those kinds of ratings. Oh wait, they don't have souls. 

[jeffwarne]

Joe...

I think survival of bees should be all our responsibility....

The ONLY bees my tax dollar will support are the single mother bees !
 That queen bee can spare a few eggs-take 39% of hers