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Well, you are entitled to mock the arts if you want, but I see it differently.
For starters, the arts employ six million people in this country and contribute substantially to the economy through the multiplier effect. The Smithsonian is our National Museum and attracts more tourists than any other museum in the country.
And basic research into climate change and alternative energy is going to employ lots of people, and may help reverse the changes that are taking place.
Some of the spending might be legitimate and appropriate but it shouldn't be hidden inside a stimulus bill. Break this stuff out and vote on them independently instead of slipping 'em in while "nobody is looking". That is what is so offensive, not the arts.
I 100% agree that the stimulus plan is not going to work. However I won't sit here and blame Obama and not also blame Bush. You have to blame BOTH. Bush went with a stimulus plan which was destined to fail, and now Obama is too. It's not an "oohhh see, Democrats are bad" kind of thing. It was a bad plan with the Republicans and it's a bad plan with the Democrats. Step back and stop blaming one party for everything.
I don't think anyone on here is 100% blaming Obama. We have a Democratic congress plus a Democratic President who virtually SHUT OUT the Republicans on this bill. The Democrats own this bill.
Go look at the Republican plan. It is MUCH better. We don't need to be giving out money. We need to be letting people KEEP their money.
I don't know why we have to relearn the same lesson here in the United States. FDR tried to stimulate the economy by creating the WPA. It may have gotten people working but it never did reenergize companies which cut thousands of jobs in the early 30s. Only WW2 brought us out of the depression. To believe that millions of dollars earmarked for green energies is going to bring us out of this terrible period is plain nonsense. We did not get in this position because of the price of energy. We moved our industries to China and disposed of thousands of white and blue collar jobs in the process.
For twenty years the nation lived on credit while the cost of living went up and salaries stagnated. The bank's economist knew the situation years ahead and lobbied the government to deregulate the banking industry during the Clinton Administration. For twenty years people lived the American dream well beyond their means. We are getting the same old nonsense now with another phony figure in the White House and another party’s dirty politics. We don’t need pork but the left is not running the show and they have to pay back campaign promises made to their left supporters. Until the nation come to terms with the real truth and corrects its mistakes it’s going to continue to wonder around in the dark hoping to find a way out of this terrible economic period.
This is not just an economic problem but a political one as well.
This thread is fun to read but is a reality.In the Maine forum yesterday was an article by "mainebrokerman" with a quote posted by reloop pertaining to how the USA has lost all control of product's and manufacturing.
What I don't get is that today Obama lectured Wall Street on CEOs being greedy and taking millions( billions in total) in bonuses. This is right after he pushes for a stimulus bailout bill that has billions in wasteful excessive spending? How is the government any different than Wall Street? How can they possibly lecture them when they're far worse at bringing down the economy?
I want to see a nice clean bill. The current bill is a disgrace. It is the legislative equivalent of a "looters' banquet" where every one gets a heaping helping of their favorite juiciest slice of pork.
We need AUSTERITY. A lean, mean Spartan's diet of protein that might not be as rich and delicious but will power us through this lack of trust.
I wanna see tax incentives for lenders to get cash out of their vaults and into borrowers hands.
I wanna see expedited fixes that have strict penalties for fraudulent standards on the part of lenders & borrowers.
I wanna see shared appreciate mortgages so that fear of loss is offset through shared gains.
I wanna see the pretty much first rate cabinet of financial guys that the new administration has tell the HACKS in Congress that if they thought OUT OF CONTROL SPENDING was a bad idea when the other party and the economy was much healthier IT IS A MISERABLE IDEA when things are in sick.
If the money can't get flowing in 9 months , it is OFF THE TABLE.
I wanna see PAY-GO and auto-expiration, so that all the "special cases" don't become the "new norm" and any NEW out lay has to have a corresponding CUT.
Obama did not get sent to the White House to be more of Murtha/Robert Byrd/Ted Stevens. This is SICK STUFF!!!!
Citizens Against Government Waste: CAGW Names Rep. John Murtha Porker of the Year (http://www.cagw.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11276 - broken link)
Citizens Against Government Waste: Byrd Droppings (http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=news_byrddroppings - broken link)
Citizens Against Government Waste: porkerofthemonth (http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=news_porkerofthemonth_2008_dec - broken link)
Well Chet, this IS what we're getting and it doesn't seem to be any better than the first bailout and probably will NOT trickle down to us as we are mere American citizens. The corporate pockets will be lined first as happened with the bankster's bailout bill.
Thank you so very much!
Your statement is simple but "impressive."
If the U.S. consumers are all like you, the U.S. will be out of trouble in no time!
...By the way, I will also get a T.V. this weekend!
Taunt me if you want for my factual opinion, but ask any hotel, restuarant or retail store in Washington how many of their guests are there to go to the Smithsonian, the Kennedy Center, Arena Stage and other cultural and historic attractions.
And it is clear that you have never been to the Smithsonian to see the Apollo Space collection that went to the Moon, or the Spirit of St. Louis. These are treasures that help inspire our young people to pursue careers in science, or to invent new products that advance our economy.
If the people don't have jobs they are not going to visit ANY of the above places.
Before you enrich our "luxuries" you have to stabalize the basic necessities..like "a job".
This is like the auto makers asking for a bailout. Well if you have no one to buy the cars what is the point of a bailout.
We need trickle UP economic policies, not trickle DOWN.
The corporations/small business owners are not investing because the consumers are not buying!
...And the consumers are not spending because the unemployment rate has gone up!
2/3 of the U.S. economy relies on the consumers!
President Obama is on the right track but it is hard to say if the consumers will view it positively!
guys just give them at DC a break. Bush is out and that's a good start already. They are trying to revive the economy and so let us see where we go before passing any comment. You know there are some experts there as well.
Last edited by Global Friend; 01-30-2009 at 11:29 AM..
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I would rep you if I could, but I have to spread it around first.
I was also hoping for a transparent bill. I was hoping that Obama would make it happen. This is just more of the same BS.
Agreed.
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