The first paragraph says it all....

[Guest]

this is the first paragraph of an editorial from a very well respected man..

It's not surprising that the much-ballyhooed "economic stimulus" hasn't done much stimulating. President Obama and his aides argue that it's too early to expect startling results. They have a point. A $14 trillion economy won't revive in a nanosecond. But the defects of the $787 billion package go deeper and won't be cured by time. The program crafted by Obama and the Democratic Congress wasn't engineered to maximize its economic impact. It was mostly a political exercise, designed to claim credit for any recovery, shower benefits on favored constituencies and signal support for fashionable causes.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/07/20/the_squandered_stimulus.html

[Guest]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090720/D99I4A0G0.html

The release of the update - usually scheduled for mid-July - has been put off until the middle of next month, giving rise to speculation the White House is delaying the bad news at least until Congress leaves town on its August 7 summer recess.

The administration is pressing for votes before then on its $1 trillion health care initiative, which lawmakers are arguing over how to finance.

[Guest]

But we shouldn't forget that a lot of the pork barrel projects included in "stimulus" bill was put there by members of Congress--from both parties and from both houses. A lot of that stuff was not included in the recommendation that was initiated by the administration. The President's primary fault wasn't necessarily including all that stuff himself. His shortcoming, and it isn't an insignificant one, is not veto'ing the bill when it was so obvious that so much pork was included and that it was so back-loaded as far as it's benefits are concerned. The non-veto decision was a political one, and one that President Obama must take full responsibility for.

[Guest]

campaign promise to eliminate pork from legislation on his watch.
But then again that was just campaign rhetoric. Better known as the get me elected, say what ever the crowd needs to hear, speech.....no matter what "flavor" a politician is a politician FIRST AND FOREMOST. Their first priority is themselves. Second priorities are the ye-owe-me's aggregated during the duping....oooopps....I mean election.

btk

[Guest]

...that was just campaign rhetoric...no matter what "flavor" a politician is a politician FIRST AND FOREMOST. Their first priority is themselves. Second priorities are the ye-owe-me's aggregated during the duping....oooopps....I mean election.All this seems to raise the question of who is ultimately at fault for the people who are elected to govern us?

The candidates? The good ones, the bad ones; those that mount and effective campaigns and those that don't; those that debate well and those that don't; those that have a reliable record and those that don't-- I don't think so.

The electorate? Those that put their X in the box or punch out the chad or touch the screen without understanding the issues or thinking about who they're voting for; those that make their voting decision based on sound bites from entertainers instead of researching the issues themselves; those that vote a straight party ticket because one party or the other performed in a certain way decades ago?

Nope, I think we've hit the nail on the head on who to blame for governance that either wasn't expected or that we decide we don't like. It's the old "point your finger at someone else and four fingers are pointing back at you" proverb.

[Guest]

campaign promise to eliminate pork from legislation on his watch.
But then again that was just campaign rhetoric. Better known as the get me elected, say what ever the crowd needs to hear, speech.....no matter what "flavor" a politician is a politician FIRST AND FOREMOST. Their first priority is themselves. Second priorities are the ye-owe-me's aggregated during the duping....oooopps....I mean election.

btk

Yes, the age of new transparency...and posting bills for 5 days so everybody can read them. I see that they are starting to compare B. Hussein Obama to Hoover.

[Guest]

Yes, the age of new transparency...and posting bills for 5 days so everybody can read them. I see that they are starting to compare B. Hussein Obama to Hoover.

The bills, and their entire history, have been available online at Senate and House websites for quite a while. Currently, they can be found at:

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/b_three_sections_with_teasers/active_leg_page.htm

and

http://www.house.gov/house/Legproc.shtml

[Guest]

The bills, and their entire history, have been available online at Senate and House websites for quite a while. Currently, they can be found at:

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/b_three_sections_with_teasers/active_leg_page.htm

and

http://www.house.gov/house/Legproc.shtml

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/07/024096.php
Here is the video explaining his transparency.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72g7qmeP1dE&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.powerlineblog.com%2Farchives %2F2009%2F07%2F024096.php&feature=player_embedded

[Guest]

All this seems to raise the question of who is ultimately at fault for the people who are elected to govern us?

The candidates? The good ones, the bad ones; those that mount and effective campaigns and those that don't; those that debate well and those that don't; those that have a reliable record and those that don't-- I don't think so.

The electorate? Those that put their X in the box or punch out the chad or touch the screen without understanding the issues or thinking about who they're voting for; those that make their voting decision based on sound bites from entertainers instead of researching the issues themselves; those that vote a straight party ticket because one party or the other performed in a certain way decades ago?

Nope, I think we've hit the nail on the head on who to blame for governance that either wasn't expected or that we decide we don't like. It's the old "point your finger at someone else and four fingers are pointing back at you" proverb.

We've seen the enemy and it is us!:agree::agree::agree:

[Guest]

But we shouldn't forget that a lot of the pork barrel projects included in "stimulus" bill was put there by members of Congress--from both parties and from both houses. A lot of that stuff was not included in the recommendation that was initiated by the administration. The President's primary fault wasn't necessarily including all that stuff himself. His shortcoming, and it isn't an insignificant one, is not veto'ing the bill when it was so obvious that so much pork was included and that it was so back-loaded as far as it's benefits are concerned. The non-veto decision was a political one, and one that President Obama must take full responsibility for.

First of all, it matters not as I think you were alluding to what party did what. This entire thing points out to me anyway my problem with this WH, and also with congress but the President, in my mind, carries the weight.

The President NEVER mentioned the non stimulus items in the bill UNTIL he was called on it. This was a man who made it a MAJOR ISSUE in the campaign and said he would NEVER sign a bill with this junk in it.

Then the President came out when called on it and told us not to make such a big deal about it and concentrate on whatever percentage of it was actually for stimulus.

THIS IS JUST TOTAL INSINCERITY !!! This President who claims to be so open and honest KNEW what was happening. He has totally and with great emphasis made ALL of my points I stressed during the campaign and continues to do so. This rush on health care is 100% politically motivated...the RUSH, not making changes. It is all political !

His pretty words will catch up with him and are beginning to.

Congress....well,now....I am so disgusted with congress, both parties, all sexes...all of them !

So, we have what I referred to during the campaign as the "perfect storm" and there is not much we can do until Nov 2010 ! We are on a path to a situation that is totally scary !

The President keeps making his pretty speeches, and a large percentage of folks still get hooked on his words (he IS a GREAT speaker).

Now he tell me, a guy on medicaire, that he NEEDS to cut my benefits (last I looked) in order to insure illegal immigrants and people who DONT want insurance. I planned my entire life to be able to retire a certain way...wonder what the medigap that I pay on will cost and how much benefit I will get ? I do not consider entitled to this and had someone told me that somebody is going to come around and take some away from me because I am old, I would have planned differently. I cant do anything about it now.

As anyone who reads this board knows, and does not care, I was scared of what was happening during the summer and fall.....I am now beyond scared..he has beat us down with such large numbers, and such large debt that we will accept things now that we would never had last year !

Sorry for being negative, but I just plain dont see anything to be confident and positive about. All of his pretty words are not doing anything overseas either, and we have yet to feel that jolt !