So here we are, on the verge of the largest spending bill in the history of the United States. A 647-page list of Democrat pet-projects and handouts that will add a $1.2 trillion directly to the national debt ($825 billion plus life-time interest payments on it) at a time when there will be no increases in revenue to pay of any of it.
It is being called a Stimulus Bill, focused on jump-starting our economy. It has been written by Democrat leaders and the Obama White House, with nothing but an opportunity for Republicans to sit in a room with the president and criticize its myriad of pork-laden social-engineering and hand-outs. Many of you voted for Obama because of hope and change. And while I know your desire for change and hope for improvement of the economy is genuine, I now ask that you consider what is in this bill, and if you conclude that this is not the appropriate use of money intended to stimulate the economy, that you will immediately call on the president, this agent of change away from the earmarks, pork, and wasteful spending of the past, to veto this disaster full of liberal social spending and engineering.
Here is a summary of some of what we know is in this "Stimulus" bill.
* $335 million to prevent Sexually Transmitted Desease
* $4.19 billion for vote fraud organizations like ACORN, the Dems private "turn out the Democrat vote" machine
* $1 billion for the failing Amtrak system that hasn't turned a profit in 40 years
* $2 billion for child-care subsidies
* $50 million for "job creation"??
* $400 million for the National Endowment of the Arts
* $400 million for Global Warming research (I thought this was settled?)
* $2.4 billion for technologies to capture Carbon from the environment
* $650 million for digital TV converter boxes
* $8 billion for renewable energy
* $20 billion in business tax cuts that will likely not be used
* $6 billion for more mass transit
* $600 million for the government to buy new cars
* $7 billion to modernize federal buildings
* $150 for the Smithsonian
* $83 billion to people who don't pay any income taxes - those 40% of taxpayers who pay no income tax
* $81 billion for Medicaid - covert expansion of government health care
* $36 billion for expanded unemployment benefits
* $20 billion for food stamps
* $54 billion to government programs that the GAO and Congressional Budget Office classify as "ineffective" or unable to pass financial audits
* $66 billion for education, but earmarked to prohibit its use on private elementary or secondary schools
* Just $30 billion for fixing bridges and other highway projects
* Just $40 billion for worthwhile projects, such as broadband and electric grid development, airports and clean water projects
According to the Wall Street Journal, just $90 billion of the $825 billion bill can actually be considered as stimulus for the economy. But we all know now, don't we, that any stimulus is just coincidental to the real intend of this bill, which is to spend a grotesque amount of money on pet Democrat programs?
Consider this. With $825 billion, every taxpayer in America could get a check for $6,500 to spend however they wish. How would that stimulate the economy? With interest, this bill will cost every American family $10,520 according to the Heritage Foundation.
But seriously, are any of you Obama voters outraged at the "politics as usual" that has returned to pork-laden spending bills in DC? Does anyone believe this is a economic stimulus bill, or is it really a government growth stimulus bill? Shocked at the lie of change that isn't change at all? Will any of you hold Obama accountable when he fails to veto this bill once Democrats ram it through the House and Senate?
The House just passed this right down party lines, with virtually no review or debate on its myriad of pork spending, 244 - 188.
NOT A SINGLE REPUBLICAN VOTED FOR THIS DEBACLE. Welcome to "change".
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Policies of "change" of the Messiah
Three days into the new administration and the first actual actions by the Messiah are now more than simply words of hope and change.
His first action was to sign an Executive Order to close Guantanamo within 12 months. This decision was made despite a Pentagon briefing that 61 enemy combatants held and released from Guantanamo have reentered the War on Terror against the civilized world, and just as information was made public that Said Ali al-Shihri, suspected of involvement in a deadly bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Yemen's capital, is now the deputy leader of Al Qaeda's Yemeni branch. Al-Shihri was once held and released from Guantanamo into the custody of the Saudi government, under pressure from Democrats and their liberal base to prevent this government from holding enemy combatants. This first action also was made with no plan whatsoever to where the prisoners currently held in Guantanamo will go once this high-security facility outside the United States is closed. Consider the false, but repeated charges against Bush of no exit strategy in Iraq? Bush has won that war, if Obama doesn't screw it up, and exit from Iraq is being calculated in months now, and not the decades that Democrats falsely charged in the campaign. So where is Obama's exit strategy once Guantanamo is closed? Does an exit strategy matter now to his supporters, or is that a standard only applied to Bush?
The next priority of Obama has been apparently to respond to the pro-abortion forces that were among his greatest election allies. Today Obama is to sign another Executive Order that will authorize use of taxpayer money, with our without our consent, to fund training and execution of abortions overseas. In simpler terms, without congressional action, the Messiah has approved the use of my tax dollars and yours to terminate the lives of unborn human beings. No vote. No debate. Just the signature of the new agent of change and hope. I would argue that the killing of unborn children offers those children little hope, unless of course an unborn child can hope to be killed?
So just three days into a new administration we have some real actions that will result in real change. The first real actions anyone can probably cite from Obama? A prison to hold the worst of America's enemies in the War on Terror will be closed with no plan to deal with these terrorists, and pro-abortion advocates are being handed taxpayer money to promote their destruction of life worldwide.
Have pro-life, pro-national security citizens of the United States given Obama sufficient time to "make the change we can believe in"? For this American, these acts alone have ended the honeymoon.
His first action was to sign an Executive Order to close Guantanamo within 12 months. This decision was made despite a Pentagon briefing that 61 enemy combatants held and released from Guantanamo have reentered the War on Terror against the civilized world, and just as information was made public that Said Ali al-Shihri, suspected of involvement in a deadly bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Yemen's capital, is now the deputy leader of Al Qaeda's Yemeni branch. Al-Shihri was once held and released from Guantanamo into the custody of the Saudi government, under pressure from Democrats and their liberal base to prevent this government from holding enemy combatants. This first action also was made with no plan whatsoever to where the prisoners currently held in Guantanamo will go once this high-security facility outside the United States is closed. Consider the false, but repeated charges against Bush of no exit strategy in Iraq? Bush has won that war, if Obama doesn't screw it up, and exit from Iraq is being calculated in months now, and not the decades that Democrats falsely charged in the campaign. So where is Obama's exit strategy once Guantanamo is closed? Does an exit strategy matter now to his supporters, or is that a standard only applied to Bush?
The next priority of Obama has been apparently to respond to the pro-abortion forces that were among his greatest election allies. Today Obama is to sign another Executive Order that will authorize use of taxpayer money, with our without our consent, to fund training and execution of abortions overseas. In simpler terms, without congressional action, the Messiah has approved the use of my tax dollars and yours to terminate the lives of unborn human beings. No vote. No debate. Just the signature of the new agent of change and hope. I would argue that the killing of unborn children offers those children little hope, unless of course an unborn child can hope to be killed?
So just three days into a new administration we have some real actions that will result in real change. The first real actions anyone can probably cite from Obama? A prison to hold the worst of America's enemies in the War on Terror will be closed with no plan to deal with these terrorists, and pro-abortion advocates are being handed taxpayer money to promote their destruction of life worldwide.
Have pro-life, pro-national security citizens of the United States given Obama sufficient time to "make the change we can believe in"? For this American, these acts alone have ended the honeymoon.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Does your income double every 10 years?
Washington State Government spending is out of control. But that is nothing new for a government that's been dominated by Democrats for decades. I decided I wanted to understand just how quickly Democrats are exploding this government, and while you'd think that this data would be easily found on the web, it wasn't.
So for your consideration is the growth, or bloat, of this state's spending habits back to 1983. In advance I'll tell you it works out to an average biennial increase of 14.3%, or roughly 7.2% growth every year. That means a doubling of government spending every 10 years.
In Washington, the 2008 budget was 5.3 times the size of the budget in 1983. The numbers below reflect total Washington State Spending. The includes operating and capital funds both within the General Fund (unrestricted) and restricted funds the Legislature can't touch.
Now if spending is doubling every 10 years, what do you think your taxes are doing every 10 years? Is your income keeping pace? Mine isn't.
So for your consideration is the growth, or bloat, of this state's spending habits back to 1983. In advance I'll tell you it works out to an average biennial increase of 14.3%, or roughly 7.2% growth every year. That means a doubling of government spending every 10 years.
In Washington, the 2008 budget was 5.3 times the size of the budget in 1983. The numbers below reflect total Washington State Spending. The includes operating and capital funds both within the General Fund (unrestricted) and restricted funds the Legislature can't touch.
| Biennium | Spending | Increase |
| (Billions) | ||
| 1983-1985 | $12.96 | |
| 1985-1987 | 15.02 | 15.90% |
| 1987-1989 | 17.18 | 14.38% |
| 1989-1991 | 21.41 | 24.62% |
| 1991-1993 | 23.99 | 12.05% |
| 1993-1995 | 29.55 | 23.18% |
| 1995-1997 | 34.1 | 15.40% |
| 1997-1999 | 39.4 | 15.54% |
| 1999-2001 | 44.54 | 13.05% |
| 2001-2003 | 49.53 | 11.20% |
| 2003-2005 | 53.46 | 7.93% |
| 2005-2007 | 60.52 | 13.21% |
| 2007-2009 | 69.18 | 14.31% |
Monday, January 12, 2009
How does it feel watching your nation implode?
Sorry for another rant, but these are remarkable times.
Liberals destroyed the credit markets and the banking system by undermining them with Fannie and Freddie. Their unions have destroyed Detroit and the auto industry by forcing uncompetitive salaries, benefits and pensions. Uncompetitive CAFE standards from Democrats in Congress have forced Detroit to build inferior cars that people don't want to buy, while Democrats continue to prevent America from pursuing energy independence with domestic drilling bans and pursuit of currently unattainable alternatives, all the while promoting fear and doom with their Climate Change con, even as temperatures cool and normal cyclical patterns are evident, and science dismisses the CO2 scare with known science and historical realities.
Every industry under the sun, and every Democrat government is now lining up at the trough for a handout, including even the porn industry (not to be confused with sick governments that profit selling death-sticks, alcoholic beverages, and from destroying people addicted to gambling schemes reserved for government lotteries and native American casinos).
Bush put moderating the misery of our economic troubles ahead of letting the economy crash and burn completely, by starting up the printing presses and throwing fiscal constraint and free market capitalism to the winds. But not before he was blamed for the liberals' mess and a socialist was elected to the presidency.
Now the printing presses are being geared up to be put into "trillion here and trillion there" mode so Obama, the socialists and the liberals throughout government can buy the votes to hold onto power until our economy does literally crash and burn. And it's becoming increasingly likely that Obama's new foreign policy strategy of isolation and appeasement to Iran, North Korea, China and Venezuela will get us into a good old-fashioned World War in time to hide the real cause of our total economic collapse that is coming as the direct result of liberal fiscal and foreign policy insanity.
And all the while the Pravda media gushes over the Messiah, ignores and spins the corruption and policy dangers throughout the Democrat Party, and acts as the Democrats' PR machine.
Yeah, it's an interesting time, eerily paralleling the 1930s on the eve of a decade back then of unparalleled loss of life throughout the world.
I hope I'm wrong. But one thing about being conservative is the tendency to put reality, reason, and logic above irrational belief, ignorance and unjustified optimism.
Liberals destroyed the credit markets and the banking system by undermining them with Fannie and Freddie. Their unions have destroyed Detroit and the auto industry by forcing uncompetitive salaries, benefits and pensions. Uncompetitive CAFE standards from Democrats in Congress have forced Detroit to build inferior cars that people don't want to buy, while Democrats continue to prevent America from pursuing energy independence with domestic drilling bans and pursuit of currently unattainable alternatives, all the while promoting fear and doom with their Climate Change con, even as temperatures cool and normal cyclical patterns are evident, and science dismisses the CO2 scare with known science and historical realities.
Every industry under the sun, and every Democrat government is now lining up at the trough for a handout, including even the porn industry (not to be confused with sick governments that profit selling death-sticks, alcoholic beverages, and from destroying people addicted to gambling schemes reserved for government lotteries and native American casinos).
Bush put moderating the misery of our economic troubles ahead of letting the economy crash and burn completely, by starting up the printing presses and throwing fiscal constraint and free market capitalism to the winds. But not before he was blamed for the liberals' mess and a socialist was elected to the presidency.
Now the printing presses are being geared up to be put into "trillion here and trillion there" mode so Obama, the socialists and the liberals throughout government can buy the votes to hold onto power until our economy does literally crash and burn. And it's becoming increasingly likely that Obama's new foreign policy strategy of isolation and appeasement to Iran, North Korea, China and Venezuela will get us into a good old-fashioned World War in time to hide the real cause of our total economic collapse that is coming as the direct result of liberal fiscal and foreign policy insanity.
And all the while the Pravda media gushes over the Messiah, ignores and spins the corruption and policy dangers throughout the Democrat Party, and acts as the Democrats' PR machine.
Yeah, it's an interesting time, eerily paralleling the 1930s on the eve of a decade back then of unparalleled loss of life throughout the world.
I hope I'm wrong. But one thing about being conservative is the tendency to put reality, reason, and logic above irrational belief, ignorance and unjustified optimism.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Even in crisis Gregoire can't cut a budget
For the last 4 years, Chris Gregoire and her Democrat allies in Washington have been on a spending spree. Such a spree that the biennial budget for 2007-2008 was $15 billion higher than the biennial budget of 2003-2004 that Gregoire built her first budget on. Yes, $15 billion of growth in 4 years! That is a 29.39% increase in state spending.
Now facing a $5-$7 billion deficit, Gregoire has sharpened her pencil to cut the budget, and she's holding - for now - to her "no tax" election pledge. She's already getting sued by state unions for her "drastic" cuts, and Democrats in the Legislature are already screaming. The curious thing is that Gregoire's proposed budget isn't a dime smaller than the 2007-2008 budget. It actually increases the biennial budget by over $200 million a year.
No doubt most Democrats couldn't care less about fiscal sanity, as long as they get their share of other people's money. But at some point the folks who pay the taxes that Democrats spend are going to say "no more". Then what will Democrats do?
Now facing a $5-$7 billion deficit, Gregoire has sharpened her pencil to cut the budget, and she's holding - for now - to her "no tax" election pledge. She's already getting sued by state unions for her "drastic" cuts, and Democrats in the Legislature are already screaming. The curious thing is that Gregoire's proposed budget isn't a dime smaller than the 2007-2008 budget. It actually increases the biennial budget by over $200 million a year.
No doubt most Democrats couldn't care less about fiscal sanity, as long as they get their share of other people's money. But at some point the folks who pay the taxes that Democrats spend are going to say "no more". Then what will Democrats do?
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