February 14, 2009

Rubbing hands together gleefully

Well, the Congress has passed the stinkulus bill. Worth noting for Republicans - not a single GOP vote in favor of the bill, and seven Democrat votes against it.

According to Breitbart,

WASHINGTON (AP) - Handing the new administration a big win, House Democrats passed President Barack Obama's $787 billion plan to resuscitate the economy on Friday despite a wall of Republican opposition. The bill was approved 246-183 and sent to the Senate, where a vote was scheduled late Friday afternoon.
...
Senate passage would meet a deadline of sending the bill to Obama before a congressional recess begins next week.
...
The 1,071 page, 8-inch-thick measure combines $281 billion in tax cuts for individuals and businesses with more than a half-trillion dollars in government spending. The money would go for infrastructure, health care and help for cash-starved state governments, among scores of programs. Seniors would get a $250 bonus Social Security check.
...
"This legislation falls woefully short," said House GOP Leader John Boehner of Ohio. "With a price tag of more than $1 trillion when you factor in interest, it costs every family almost $10,000 in added debt. This is an act of generational theft that our children and grandchildren will be paying for far into the future."

Some interesting things to note about that - the AP is calling it a big win. Is it really a big win? Democrats knew it would pass Congress at least because they had the votes. The same is true in the Senate. It's a win. But that was assured. A big win would have required the bi-partisan support the Democrats were saying they were looking for. That was part of the spread the blame ploy they were banking on in case this stinker fails. So it's not a big win. Michael Phelps beating a 4th grader in the 100m freestyle is not a big win. Michael Phelps beating a seal, now that would be a big win. Michael Phelps blowing a bunch of endorsement deals would be a big Blagojevich. As in 'he really Blagojeviched that up, big time'. [Just wait, there'll be an Obama verb yet].

Something else of note - they're trying to pass this monstrosity before recess. Aside from the ironic comparison of Congress to Kindergartners (and unfavorably at that), there's the time limit on this. If they want it passed by next week, this would make the perfect opportunity to stonewall (i.e. filibuster). True, the Turncoat 3 would need to be brought in line hard. But if Gregg can do it, so can they. Call it wishful thinking because that's what it is, but stopping this bill would be so good for America. Does America need a stimulus package? Yes . Does it need this one? Absolutely not. In fact it can be argued that doing nothing is better than this bill. And certainly other options, that have not really been explored could do much better and at much lower cost. Republicans should marshal every means at their disposal to try and stop this, even though they will eventually fail. They just don't have the numbers to support a sustained filibuster until the recession abates.

As Alfred, Lord Tennyson put it:

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
‘Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!’ he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
In this case we're only looking for 40, not 600.
The fact that it massively increases the national debt, and mortgages the future and puts an enormous tax burden on future generations is the height of generational arrogance and selfishness. Did American forefathers do that 100 years ago? There was often deficits, but nothing on this order. Americans who support this should feel a profound sense of shame. They will go down in history as the biggest Me-First generation in, well, forever. Except for the Light Brigade and those who supported them.
The Democrats know they have this won - they are looking to buy support but it doesn't have anything to do with passing the bill. They are gleefully rubbing their hands together at the prospect of all this spending. It means pet projects, it means looking like heroes and it means buying votes. The bi-partisanship is to cover their rear ends in the event of a stinkulus bomb. It means claiming the victory but sharing the defeat.
The ONLY option for Republicans is to fight it tooth and nail until it finally passes and America gets Obama'd [see, I told you he was going to verbed] and the economy stays in recession, exits with hyperinflation or ends up with inflation and recession a la Jimmy Carter. And as bad as it sounds for America, at least their will be a light on the horizon in the form of a return to fiscal sanity with more REAL Republicans in the House and Senate after the mid-term elections. Let the Democrats rub their hands with glee at their bill becoming law. In two years, the roles will be reversed and come October 2010, the Republicans will be the ones rubbing their hands with glee because the opportunity to reverse the bad decisions of 2009 will be at hand.
Forward, the Light Brigade!’
Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldier knew
Some one had blunder’d:
Their’s not to make reply,
Their’s not to reason why,
Their’s but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

2 comments:

  1. It was Alfred, Lord Tennyson who wrote "Charge of the Light Brigate."

    ReplyDelete

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