The Respectfully Republican Conversation

suzfive

Vivre - Happy Birthday!!! My Dad would always say he was 29 when we asked him how old he was on his birthday - when we were old enough to catch on he would tell us it was the #th anniversary of his 29th birthday. After going through bc, I am just glad I am still here to be able to celebrate.

Moody - I can't imagine what you are going through. I hate it when my kids get a cold. Praying that her tests come out all clear.

Anonymous

ijl

A bit OTC. I have my annual mammo tomorrow. The chances are it should be OK. But all the same it's a  bit nerve wrecking. I wish I had a diagnostic one where they tell you results right there. Instead I have a screening one where I need to wait a few days jumping at all the calls on my cell. Maybe if I beg them hard enough a radiologist would read it there, after all I only have one "natural" breast, so it should take them less time to read the films

Rosemary44

I guess Rock isn't feeling well. 

ijl,

Aren't you doing digital mammos?  They know on the spot.  Sure, tell them you want to know right away.  They'll do it for you.  Mine does it all the time.  I don't leave till I hear the all clear.

vivre

Sue_Blue, Suz five and Ijl-thanks too for the birthday wishes. I guess a lot of you were celebrating by watching  that football game. I guess Rock' team did not win. Who did? I had my nose in a good book. I was going to tune in for halftime, but I missed it. Then I heard it was Springsteen, so I guess I didn't miss  a thing.

Now back to the real world:

Fastest Failure Ever? by Jed Babbin (more by this author) Posted 02/02/2009 ET


It's only four weeks since it convened, so how could a reasonable person say the 111th Congress is a failure? Actually, a reasonable person could hardly avoid that conclusion. 

The 110th Congress's legacy is one of inaction, failing to address the nation's most urgent problems.  The worst part of that failure was the hastily-drafted bank bailout bill of last fall which -- at the cost of $700 billion -- was rammed through despite warnings that it simply wouldn't work.  

Faced with that failure, and the accelerating decline of the economy, the 111th Congress began to the tune of the Obama inauguration and fanfare about changing the way Washington worked.  But nothing has changed since Obama took office.

Taking up its most urgent task -- to pass an economic stimulus package that will actually create jobs and revive industry -- the House instead has passed a bill that's just a dog's breakfast of porkbarrel spending and liberal nostrums that won't -- according to economists on both the left and the right -- do much to help the economy.

As a Sunday Washington Post editorial said, "Former Clinton administration budget director Alice Rivlin fears that "money will be wasted because the investment elements were not carefully crafted." Former Reagan administration economist Martin Feldstein writes that "it delivers too little extra employment and income for such a large fiscal deficit." Columbia University's Jeffrey D. Sachs labels the plan "an astounding mishmash of tax cuts, public investments, transfer payments and special treats for insiders."

Only $30 billion of the $825 billion package is dedicated to fixing infrastructure projects such as highways and bridges.  There is $40 billion for electric grid development and another $20 billion in tax breaks for business.  That's only about $90 billion out of $825 billion or 12 cents on the dollar that -- as the Wall Street Journal pointed out -- can plausibly be characterized as an economic stimulus.  Even the minor business tax breaks it includes will not do much to stimulate business.

The proximate cause of the failure is Speaker Nancy Pelosi's relentlessly partisan approach to the stimulus package.  The Republican Study Committee's alternative proposal was denied a vote and the lesser Republican leadership's alternative was defeated on a party-line vote. 

The RSC alternative -- as analyzed using the Democrats' models -- would have created 6.2 million jobs by doing not-so-radical things such as cutting the corporate tax rate to equal those of Europe.  But the Democrats aren't interested in creating jobs: they're interested in government control of the economy.

Pelosi said that the bill was bipartisan because Republicans had a chance to vote for or against the bill.  That's the Democrats' definition of bipartisanship:  Republicans voting for Democrats' proposals with which they disagree.

The Senate takes up the misnamed stimulus bill this week.  And Senate Democrats seem to be eager to go Pelosi's way.  Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Il), the majority whip, criticized Republicans saying "where is their alternative"?  But the Senate Republican alternatives, like those in the House, were entirely disregarded in committee markups.  Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Az) said that all the Republican amendments were voted down.

Over 63% of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls.  And President Obama's polls are falling:  already down to under 62% from his inauguration high of 83%. 

As the leader of Senate conservatives, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) said, if government spending caused economic strength, we'd have the strongest economy in the world.  But government spending -- which -- along with "reforming" the economy to be in line with liberal theory -- doesn't stimulate anything except government growth. 

President Obama's success depends on his success in reviving the economy quickly. If the economy continues to sink - which it will if the current bill is enacted - Obama will be a failure.  If he doesn't intervene to fix this bill, he will equal the speed to failure that characterizes the 111th Congress.

Obama has never been a leader. In the Senate, he followed the lead of liberals and demonstrated none of the "bipartisanship" he now touts.  On controversial votes - like the one to condemn the MoveOn.org "Petraeus-Betray Us" ad - he absented himself.

That option is no longer available.  Obama has a choice now, to either lead the Senate to fix the failures of the House and make the stimulus bill one that actually might stimulate the economy, or to go along and see his presidency fall as the economy does.  There is a better way.  He has to demand that the Senate Dems dump the wasteful spending and adopt Republican ideas for tax cuts that will stimulate the economy.

The partisan games continue to threaten Obama's agenda.  Or do they?

On Sunday, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said it was a "smokescreen" to say that the House and Senate faux-stimulus packages were different from Obama's agenda.  Schumer added that even Republican economist Martin Feldstein said tax cuts weren't the way to go.  But, unsurprisingly, Feldstein -- who was President Reagan's Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers -- says just the opposite.   He wants tax cuts that actually will stimulate the economy.

In the Washington Post on January 29, Feldstein wrote that the current formulation of tax cuts won't work and proposed a whole slate of others.  Feldstein warns that the proposals now in the bill won't work.  He suggests, instead, that there should be tax changes focused on "...providing incentives to households and businesses to increase current spending. Why not a temporary refundable tax credit to households that purchase cars or other major consumer durables, analogous to the investment tax credit for businesses? Or a temporary tax credit for home improvements? In that way, the same total tax reduction could produce much more spending and employment." 

Feldstein also recommended, "Postponing the scheduled increase in the tax on dividends and capital gains would raise share prices, leading to increased consumer spending and, by lowering the cost of capital, more business investment."

"You have to start from scratch and reconstruct this," Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona told "Fox News Sunday." Good advice. President Obama should send to the Senate a list of things to be cut from the bill, including the permanent expansion of entitlements, the $1 billion for improving the census, the $600 million for satellites to monitor global warming and the $2.5 billion for National Science Foundation grants.  (According to one news report, the $2.5 billion would support grants to an additional 12,750 students.  That's about $196,000 per student, almost four times the income of the average American family.)

Accompanying the list of cuts, the president should also demand the inclusion of a series of tax provisions designed to stimulate the economy.  Heading that list should be the Republican Study Committee's idea to reduce corporate taxes to about 25%, the average rate in the European Union.  

It's up to the president now:  he can let the Senate Democrats follow the House into failure and join them in it.  Or he can, uncharacteristically, lead them to redraft the stimulus package and make it one that will much more likely to help the economy. 

Our economy cannot afford another trillion-dollar mistake.  And, politically, neither can our new president.  It would be far better for him to delay the package in order to make it work than to rush headlong into failure, following Pelosi, Reid and Schumer.

vivre

Maybe Obama needs to start thinking about asking for a bailout himself-after all he is holding the anchor for the Pelosi-Reid sinking ship.

vivre

LauraE, are you being restricted to 5 posts? Have some one reported any of your posts? This will happpen automatically if your posts are reported. We know all too well how easily one can be sabotaged. You need to write the mods and check on it.

Anonymous

Good article, Vivre!

I love when the dems are interviewed and questioned about the pork in the Pork Barrel Package how they just spin, spin, spin.  It's actually sickening.  I'll join Rocky. 

Anonymous

My dd and her friend (partner from the enormous law firm they USED to work for) have gone into business for themselves opening their own office.  And so far it's doing well.  My question.  Is a small law firm considered a small business?  I certainly would thinks so.  What do you think about limiting profits a small company can make?  Eventually, my dd and her partner may want to bring in more attorneys which would make it a larger firm.  Right now when they need to they contract other attorneys to do some of their work.  Also, my dd and her partner really are not out to get RICH because they don't want to work their butts off and have no life (they already work hard enough).  And my dd charges less to represent clients than the huge law firm she resigned from.  So, if her small business makes a profit that some thinks is too much why should she be penalized.  She worked hard to get where she is.  She put herself through law school.  She's not sitting on her butt asking for assistance.  This infuriates me when I hear such crap! 

It's a shame when people in this country want to punish success.  Who knows.  Her work load may change in this economy.  She does employment law.  Hell, the economy may fail so badly there'll be no more people to represent..we'll all just live off the government.

I am saddened to see that some of the democratic party have leaned so far left.  NO SOCIALISM!The dems are the ones, IMVERYHO, who jump started this mess in the first place with the housing crap!

Rosemary44

Obama has started the let's blame republicans for this wonderful bailout plan not getting passed.  He shouldn't be taking such a partisan view, and instead sit down and read the thing and see for himself that it doesn't do what he wants it to do.  It's true, nothing has changed when they dig in without looking at the criticisms that are coming in from economic scholars. All they're doing is throwing money around without a real plan. 

The credits to business is not the right kind, it does nothing to spur business on to hire.  Nothing to keep them holding on to employees because the see a brighter horizon with this economic package. 

It needs to be totally overhauled and pointing fingers at each other doesn't get it done.  Sit down and work together for crying out loud.

Rosemary44

"What do you think about limiting profits a small company can make?"

Shirley,

HUH?  Where's that coming from?  Don't tell that's in the package also? 

I just heard Reid is going for a vote on the package by Friday.  Good luck with that.

Anonymous

I had to edit that post..it was sent before I was done..LOL

We need to hound our senators to not vote for this bill.  I have won dem senator from here and the other repub. 

Off to get ready to go to the dentist. 

jerseymaria

i just heard that if you live in calif. and have a state tax refund coming, YOU WILL NOT GET IT, God knows for how long.  younger ds lives there and needs his refunds to keep him from going under with back bills.  he will be overjoyed (not).   when will they get it that govt can't pay for everything for everyone and survive.

Anonymous

I heard we will get iou's  .......  wish I could send an iou for my property taxes!

Anonymous

"Pelosi said that the bill was bipartisan because Republicans had a chance to vote for or against the bill.  That's the Democrats' definition of bipartisanship:  Republicans voting for Democrats' proposals with which they disagree."

Vivre --- that's a classic!

vivre

If the amount of pork we taxpayers are being bankroll here in the US is not enough for you, here is what we may be headed for? Can you imagine if we have to start answering to the UN for our economic policies:

International Earmarks, Too? by Thomas P. Kilgannon (more by this author) Posted 02/02/2009 ET


The Obama administration is beginning to impose new regulations on Wall Street and the financial industry. The "watchful eye" of government, of which the President spoke in his Inaugural Address, is being fed an endless supply of No Doz. With home prices down, unemployment up, retirement funds slashed, and investment fraud exposed, the public is hungry for action, and government expansion is the daily special.

Congress has already delivered the second half of Hank Paulson's $700 billion. Next is the $825 billion "stimulus package." After that is passed, new regulations will be implemented -- domestically and internationally.

At home, hedge funds, structured for sophisticated investors, will be policed by Washington. Mortgage brokers and credit agencies will be heavily regulated. Proposals to nationalize banks and limit executive pay are being considered. The Federal Reserve will have new authority to conduct central planning. In short, the struggling economy gives Democrats the opportunity to super-size the federal government.

Global government is going to get bigger, too. Paul Volcker, one of the President's key economic advisors, recently released a report through the Group of Thirty calling for a "comprehensive overhaul of the national and international financial systems." Volcker is making good on Obama's promise to "retrofit America for a global economy."

On top of new domestic regulations, Volcker wants "much higher levels of...international policy coordination," between the Federal Reserve, the Treasury and their foreign counterparts. This is problematic. While the Fed rightly considers foreign market conditions when formulating policy, its role is to provide stability to U.S. monetary and banking systems. Forcing it into a global "all for one, one for all," mindset will only subordinate U.S. economic interests to that of other nations.

Likewise with the Treasury. There has long been an effort through the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to "harmonize" tax rates among nations -- that is, keep them artificially high. Doing so prevents competition among governments for investment and industry.

Volcker further recommends that "appropriate agencies" in each country "promote implementation and enforcement of international standards." In the United States, that would include stock exchanges, commodities markets, banks, credit unions, and any number of government regulators -- all beholden to laws and regulations written by foreign bureaucrats. Even before the markets crashed in September, the Securities and Exchange Commission was trying to eliminate the time-honored use of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in favor of international accounting standards for the largest public companies in the U.S.

For private pools of capital -- those notorious hedge funds -- Mr. Volcker says it is "imperative" to create a "regulatory framework" that is "applied on an internationally consistent basis." Then he sets that goal for the world financial system as a whole.

"National regulatory authorities and finance ministers," his report states, "are strongly encouraged to adapt and enhance existing mechanisms for international regulatory and supervisory coordination." Translation: new global institutions to police the financial markets are about to be created. They will undermine America's sovereignty and the privacy and security of America's citizens.

Volcker is not the first to clamor for universal financial policies. His friends at the United Nations exploited September's stock market crash -- which coincided with the opening of the General Assembly -- to make their case. French President Nicholas Sarkozy demanded the UN "regulate capitalism." The Secretary General said that the "global financial crisis" was a "call to collective action."

This blubbering for a second Bretton Woods will only increase as April's G-20 summit in London draws closer. Global government is what gives European leaders any relevance, and they are screaming to rebuild the international system.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has long wanted an International Finance Facility to administer global welfare, and is still advocating "a framework for the international governance that we currently lack." His predecessor, Tony Blair insists that "international supervision" of the world's economy is "unavoidable." Germany's Angela Merkel envisions an "Economic Council" in the United Nations which mirrors the Security Council -- one that will supervise "an international architecture of institutions." Now you know why George W. Bush so often ignored European sentiment.

We can't afford the government we have now. Let's not create even more through international earmarks and pork projects for Prime Ministers.

ijl

Rosemary,

 Thanks for the advice. I am gettting digital mammo. They will have to drag me out if they don't give me the results

ijl

I  also live in California but I always pay the state at the end instead of getting the refund. I would rather use their money than them using mine. I wonder if I can send them IOU

Rosemary44

Sherri,

I thought the entire game was great.  Hmmmm, not to start anything, but that last catch, where both feet had to touch the ground, was never reviewed upstairs.  The side view didn't look like both feet was on the ground, but I'm not a judge of such things.

I'll put the dollar on to my next charity event. 

I like the way the dems have to come out and apologize for breaking the law, Dodd won't disclose his mortgages so instead:

HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd says he'll refinance two mortgages that he received through a VIP program from Countrywide Financial Corp.

Dodd told reporters Monday that the mortgages for his homes in Washington and East Haddam, Conn., will be refinanced with a different company.

Dodd has acknowledged receiving mortgages in 2003 through a VIP program at Countrywide, which was sold to Bank of America Corp. earlier this year and has been the focus of allegations that it gave favorable loan terms to lawmakers.

Dodd says he's moving the loans in part because he was wrongfully labeled a friend of Countrywide's former CEO, Angelo Mozilo. Dodd says he never sought special treatment.

The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Dodd says a third party will be involved in choosing the new bank.

///

ijl,

Good, because I would have wanted to meet you there and bring my monopoly game and we could have spread out, and played while we waited for your results.

Rosemary44

"Is it OK to say I am of the opinion that BO is a slimeball?"

I personally don't know, but I can get back to you on that this time next year. 

About the game, no they couldn't ask for a review because it was in the last minutes of the game or something like that.  They have rules for their rules.  I was just throwing it out there, had they reviewed it, who's to say?  No matter who won, the game is getting very high marks for being the most entertaining. 

Anonymous

Right, he's sorry and it was unintentional!!   Um ..... I thought Obama was bringing change?  Seems like its no small change but big dollar bills!  I am glad that these guys are having to pay back taxes!! Maybe Obama should go thru the whole House and Senate, dems and reps alike and make sure EVERYONE is paying their taxes!

Yahoo News:   Trying to salvage his nomination, Tom Daschle apologized Monday for delinquent tax payments as President Barack Obama and a top Senate chairman stood by him as the choice to lead the Health and Human Services Department.

Following a weekend of revelations about taxes and potential ethical conflicts, Daschle expressed remorse to the Senate Finance Committee, the panel that will decide his fate, saying he was "deeply embarrassed and disappointed" about failing to pay more than $120,000 in back taxes - a lapse he said was "unintentional."

Anonymous

This is funny ... from the Artfull Bras Project ..

This is entitled "Support your favorite boob"

moodyk13

Well I found a "parents business center" here at the hospital so I have run in here to update you guys.  First THANK YOU so much for your love, concern and prayers!!!! 

Not much to update  The scan has been put off til tomorrow because they are so backed up down here.  Most important though is they are keeping Olivia hydrated and keeping her fairly comfortable with the anti-nausea meds.  As soon as the meds wear off though we know it as she gets soooooo sick.

She is only going to the bathroom once a day and not very much output.  Doc has upped her fluids, but she still has only been once today. About 200cc's if we are lucky.

The ultrasound they did yesterday was pretty "inconclusive".  It showed a group of "predominant" blood vessels in the lower left lobe of her liver.  However, this isn't enough info to make a diagnosis, and could just be normal for her liver.  The HIDA scan should be able to tell them more as it can see into her liver, pancreas, bile ducts and gall bladder.

The child had dropped down to 81lbs when we got here saturday afternoon and is down below 80lbs today.  She has not been able to drink one drop or eat one single crumb of anything since last friday.  They are giving her "sugar" water with her IV.........The pediatrician and GI doc came in this morning and said she was a sick little girl.  But they seem confident they will ba able to figure it out and treat her very soon.

I just want to quickly give you a synopsis of what happened when we got here saturday.  Friday night she was at her worst (she had been sick and out of school all week).  Called pedi and he said to take her to Scottish Rite Childrens hospital in atlanta.  We couldnt move her till saturday.  So we got down here saturday afternoon and the "einsteins" in the ER came in and said she just needed a counselor and take her to the doctor next week!!!!!!!  They drew blood and said she was NOT dehydrated...???  How can that be she has had nothing to drink all day and no more that 16 oz everyday this week.  I guess they thought I was over exaggerating......ANYWAY, they sent us home at 11:30PM and didnt even give us a wheel chair to roll her out!  She was so weak we had to keep sitting down while trying to get her to the car.  We got about 5 min down the road and She was so freaking sick we had to pull over.  I told hubby to turn around we are going back.  Walked back in and they said they couldnt see her again before 24 hours.........Well.......I told them " that is just fine, I have my blanket and my pillow, we will just lay here in the floor until the 24 hours has passed"........they took us straight back.  A NEW doctor walked in the room, took one look at her and had a fit!  She got heads rolling and said had I not turned around and brought her back, she could have died from dehydration.  Her tongue was so thick, white and dry.  I told her what the first doc said.  She said, blood work doesnt tell us everything.  She said " I look at the tongue because it is the best indicator".  Thank GOD for the NEW doctor!!!!!!!

 Anyway, I have felt your prayers and so has Olivia.  Please continue to lift her up and pray the Lord will reveal to the doctors whatever it is so they can begin to treat her.  She is such a believer of prayer.  Friday night we were in the bathroom floor for over 3 hours and couldnt move her.  All she would say is "pray".  Then a little bit later she would manage to say "keep praying".  This baby is so sick, but still knows the power of prayer.  Praise God!!!!!

Anonymous

That is so awful! Thank goodness you're a tough one! I cringe when I think of how many parents would have listened to their BS and just go home. I hope she's well soon. Keep us posted. You should print out your post and deliver it to the hospital's admin.

jerseymaria

prayers are and will keep coming until olivia is back home and completely well.  she is such a precious child and i know will be on the road to recovery very soon.  keep strong for her and send an update when you can.  love, maria

Rosemary44

Does Obama have anymore appointments?  The treasury is getting empty and I thought it would be nice if everyone just gets to a mic and starts apologizing and paying at the same time because they always seem to be unintentional mistakes for years.  Not just one year, its a few years.  As Daschle was apologizing, his office was sending out another statement that he has to add $6000 to what he already paid.  Another mistake. Hold up his appointment, we'll own that man.

Rosemary44

Moody,

I'm glad you took a stand.  I'm still saying those prayers for you and your daughter.  They'll find out what's happening to her. 

flash

I generally just lurk on this thread (a good thread by the way.)  But I needed to come in and say I hope they figure it all out for Olivia.  Prayers for all.

Anonymous

Moody, hang in there.  You're one tough Mom!  Don't they know that Mama Bears are dangerous!

I feel so badly for your child.  I know you are at your wits in.  This is a stupid question cuz I don't know what I'm talking about.  Could this have anything to do with the Salmonella out break?  Like I said, I don't what I'm talking about.  I'm sure the docs would have already figured that out. 

I'll be praying for your daughter.

Shirley

Anonymous

"Following a weekend of revelations about taxes and potential ethical conflicts, Daschle expressed remorse to the Senate Finance Committee, the panel that will decide his fate, saying he was "deeply embarrassed and disappointed" about failing to pay more than $120,000 in back taxes - a lapse he said was 'unintentional'."

That is just too freaking funny.  "Deeply embarrassed AND disappointed."  What's he disappointed about?  Getting caught? 

I'm sick and tired of hearing.."I'm sorry......"

Stay tuned to Glenn Beck.  I think he's gonna go after Rangel because he's beein "ignored."  LOL

Wow, we sure have a lot of crooks in the government.  Sickening!  Still think there sould be term limits.