Greed Is Still Causing the Meltdown

I would like people to stop screaming, "What about me?"



Because basically, all the criticism of the Obama Stimulus Plan boils down to "What about me?" The more-or-less distinguished members of Congress are upset that their wealthy constituents are going to have to sacrifice a house or a jet.



My co-worker wants to know what it's going to do to help her husband get a job, a question which is far more understandable than the jet problem. However, I try to explain that even if he is not trained to operate the heavy machinery that build roads, jobs will spread as more employed people spend money. I truly believe that, even though here in South Carolina we are at about the bottom of the food chain, given time, things will get better, and some day I will get paid holidays and maybe even cost of living increases again.



Just as raising the minimum wage doesn't just raise the wages of the poor, but the wages of the not-quite-poor, who put in long hours at Wal-Mart and, yes, even our libraries. And then they will spend that money (because it is still not enough to have savings), and that will create more jobs.



And the President's plan to help keep homeowners from foreclosure? Please, people, stop whining about how you are a good, honest, hard-working citizen who bought an affordable house and who makes your payments on time. There are a lot of us around who have had hard luck, lost a job, been struck with illness, lost a loved one in Iraq. There are a few of us who are going to get help that they don't deserve, but they are not going to rip off the government and the American people to the same tune that Halliburton and Enron were playing. If you want to go after someone, go after the people in Congress who helped Halliburton gouge the American people.



To those people who get away with a bailout that don't deserve it, I say, shame on you. On the other hand, there have been a lot more who have not deserved the way they were scammed, and I feel good about our government finally stepping up to help.



For those of you that still want to know, "What's in it for me," I can answer that, too.



A neighborhood without foreclosures increases the value of the neighborhood (and lessens the incidence of crime). Children receiving health care are less likely to end up in emergency rooms with severe illnesses (costing the taxpayer far, far less). Better schools will be better for our economy than better prisons (now and in the future).



So if you can't quite get a handle on why it is good to help others, look at how much better it will be for you when our economy is once again strong.

Whatever Happened to K Street?

     I remember how appalled we all were when the K Street scandal came out.  A group of Republican members of Congress and lobbyists plotting to control the government!  What do you think happened to them when deLay and Abramoff were outed?  Do you think they all felt contrite and said, "Well, that was a bad idea," and went about their business of providing sound and ethical government?

How naive we are.  

How odd that not one House Republican thought that the stimulus bill was worth a try.  Not one.  Not one House Republican thought that their constituents might benefit from enough of the bill that it was worth their vote.  Not one thought that the governor of the state which they represent could use the federal funding to improve crumbling schools and bridges, put police back on the job.  How can that be?

They may or may not be meeting on K Street, and deLay may have been replaced by Mitch McConnell, but that old gang hasn't disbanded.

The power brokers of the Republican Party still wield the hammer.  They can woo members of Congress with calls for loyalty, promises that in time they will be back in power, and which side of the fence do you want to be on when that happens?   They can persuade Republicans by reminding them that it was the philosophy of the right that elected them into Congress.

But the Hammer is not wooing and persuasion.  The Hammer is the control that members like Mitch McConnell wield.  A man who has been described as frightening by members of his own party.  He has the power and money of the Republican Party behind him.  Are you planning on running for reelection?  Do you want a lucrative job when your career of public service is over?

No???  Well, then, go ahead and be a free thinker.  Or even worse, a non-partisan member of Congress.

Because if you support the President, and the Democratic Congress, don't look for help and support from your friends in the Republican party.

Now, I'm not saying that's the way it happens, but it explains a lot.

It explains the schizophrenic behavior of Judd Gregg, who, please recall, approached Obama for a cabinet position.  Who then began to set conditions for agreeing to the appointment, like, you must have the governor of New Hampshire agree to appoint a republican to his soon to be vacated Senate seat (I thought the Blagojevich fiasco established that that was a no-no, but maybe that's just for Democrats.).  Who was in such a state of conflict over where his loyalties lie that he did not even cast a vote on the stimulus package.  Was it the taking away of the Census from the Commerce Department, maybe his one big opportunity to prove himself to his party, that pushed him over the edge?

And what about ALL those no votes on the stimulus package?  Coincidence?  I think not.

I can imagine some of the conversations that have been going on in the halls of Congress--more likely behind closed doors.  Do you really think you are serving the Republican Party?  Do you think we can support your bid for reelection?  Isn't your daughter looking for an internship?  What do you plan on doing when you are no longer holding public office?

Now I can be really paranoid about how much of the Gregg fiasco was orchestrated by the right wing-nuts that control the Republican party, all the way from Gregg approaching Obama for a post, but lets just keep our minds open on that one.

But the bottom line of this Republican Party is the same as it has been since the Gingrich House:  we must--we will--stand strong against the Democrats.  We will defeat all opposition, and that includes all who support the enemy.

That, I truly believe, is the bottom line of the Republican Party.  

Trouble with Pork

It's a simple word, but apparently a difficult concept. As I listen to "our" senators, faces livid, describe the horrific items in the proposed stimulus package, I have two thoughts.

On the one hand, as I hear about improvements on stadiums and other items that will no doubt be good for big business but not the schools and libraries so much, I think (to my surprise) that maybe this is the way the Senate is supposed to work, that what looks like partisan argumentativeness (and actually is) also serves to tame wild proposals.

On the other hand this is truly the definitive act of picking nits. And in so doing also taking out the miniscule items that truly make a difference in my life if not yours, Senator. And one item in particular caused me to let out a particularly grand expletive, and I think neatly sums up the self-serving nature of the republican opposition: sidewalks.

Yes, Senator, sidewalks. I am sorry you think this item is so costly and so wasteful. In actual fact, given the state of the planet, our roads, traffic congestion, and the national obesity crisis, it seems one of the most cost effective actions our government could take would be to not just fund sidewalk creation, but also require that all paved roads include sidewalk/bike paths.

So I am glad that we have a bipartisan committee working on a compromise, but I continue to worry that the party of the Big Tax Breaks will continue to cut out those small items that truly will make a difference now (with jobs) and in the future, to our quality of life.

Oh, and Senator Graham, for that crack about how the stimulus package smells: Thanks for that. Your objectivity and diplomacy continue to make us South Carolinians proud.

How Thankful Should We Be?

For those who don't remember, there was a time before Boss's Day, when Labor Day meant something other than sales and a long weekend. Not that we should scoff at the long weekend, when it happens. And especially if you're still paid for it.

So what went wrong? I believe in conspiracies, I do I do. People like Lee Atwater gave us dirty tricks, and we all know how effective advertising can be. And how often do those "talking points" get heard once "they" have decided on them?

Remember when "death tax" was "estate tax"? So if you had an estate, when you died you would share some of it not only with heirs but with others in the country which provided your the opportunity for your wealth. Because keeping the country going was important.

More important than keeping it all after you pass.