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Return to Article: Stimulus price tag might top $1.3 trillion

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  Okay, Tom, I'm the liberal loon; I guess that makes you the radical right. Like magnets, and many contributors to these blogs, we seem polarized; so dynamically opposed that all we accomplish is finger pointing. And all pointing fingers gets us are three pointing right back at ourselves. Personally, rather than standing out here in left field, I would more comfortable be back in the center where I started. Still, now that we got the identity crisis and name calling over with, perhaps we can get on with the business at hand.

  "if you thought spending was out of control under Bush, [...] You ain't seen nuthin yet!" Unfortunately you are more correct than I would rather. But a spending record yet to be written, particularly in these harsh economic times, cannot be compared to the debt incurred over the past 8 years. To go from a budget surplus to a trillion dollar debt charged on plastic (due to those tax breaks) during relatively good financial times smacks of lunacy. Yep, there's those loons you spoke of, and they're the fiscally conservatives?!

  I do not like taxes, abhor "Daddy's war", and prefer a free market; yet all good things must have their limits. We must pay our way, fight the "good" fights, and keep reign on the greed that laissez-faire economics enables. Instead of being a choral director or an iron-fisted dictator, government should be like an older brother (NOT Big Brother) to business; in general, a guiding light with the occasional cuff on the back of the head to keep business straight. It is true that robber barons built this country, but it was built on the back of the poor and disadvantaged; and we decided a long time ago that degree of abuse was not fair or desirable.

  Regardless of our differing opinions, the only folks I must admit to begrudging their views are Skeeter and their ilk; and by those I mean the folks who scream their mean spirited prejudices against anyone; particularly against all us civilians even though they don't know what they're talking about. If you got a legitimate gripe, please speak your mind; after all, this is America. And if our Constitutional freedoms are restored, you may just live to enjoy that self-expression.

  Tip off Posted January 8, 2009 10:14 AM
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  Didn't this start as 5 or 6 Billion package?

  Naw, no pork in there! So much for the "I'll go line by line and remove...."

  Tip you and the rest of the liberals loons drank the koolaid and if you thought spending was out of control under Bush, what was the name of the tune from Bachman Turner Overdrive, You ain't seen nuthin yet"!

  Sing it Randy!

  Tom Posted January 7, 2009 12:30 PM
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  For Skeeter and a number of others out there, despite my railing against his majesty's historic expansion of executive power, Constitutionality encroachments, "Daddy's War", the current fiscal debacle, and numerous other offences against Americans; well, as his reign draws to a close, I must declare my intention to, hopefully, swing back to my preferred centrist position and Doubting Thomas stance as regards the incoming administration. While I must admit to having a modicum of hope, I feel I must begin looking at the new administration more critically; it, of course, being the current target of opportunity. I make no promises, but that is my intent.

  I must admit that recent moves by the Blue Dogs to eliminate congressional term limits have me concerned and leave little ammunition with which to rebut attacks from Tom's Party Pachyderm. Still, as I read articles such as "Obama bans earmarks from economic package", "Obama vows no earmarks on stimulus", and "Obama promises future budget restraint", pronouncements that seem to have missed the GovExec reporters, again I must express my hope. These may be mere propaganda... glad-handing play sheets, as many will claim, but I do like the direction they point; and at this juncture in time, that is all I have to go on. Right now, at this moment, the swing of the pendulum is what I fear most.

  Such a success would allay many of my fears. It was easy to believe that a filibuster-busting capability would be necessary to quickly turn this stampede towards insolvency away; but even I know some control... some legislative restraint IS necessary. Therefore I ask "Can this cowboy ramrod this herd? Will his policies convince the more moderates in both houses to unite and defeat extremism?" for that is surely our only hope.

  Ths Missouri Mule is still waiting, watching, and ... yes, still hoping.

  Tip off Posted January 7, 2009 10:30 AM
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  STOP IT! STOP ! STOP IT! If industries can't stand on their own two feet without government subsidies and bailouts, then they should fail. The gov't is beating me up with taxes then giving me a stimulus? That's dumb in my book. If the auto industry can't make a buck on a fifty-thousand dollar vehicle (that probably only costs $10K in material), too bad. I'd rather pay for what I buy directly to a provider, than see the gov't continue to mis-handle tax revenue, and Congress pack their pork. Use what we're providing in subsidies to finance important programs from which all taxpayers can benefit, like education to build a corp of robust, independent and educated thinkers for industry. One thing was done right years back, and that was ending the old welfare programs. Gov't needs to continue in the same vein with industries.

  gow5 Posted January 7, 2009 9:49 AM