If there is anything more unbelievable than this one? I haven't seen anything more ridiculous in the news recently. In today's Wall Street Journal it was reported that... "Top Republican lawmakers are positioning themselves for battle over President-elect Barack Obama's economic recovery plan, signaling...that they will cast themselves as guardians against excessive spending..."

These are the same people who ran a modest national debt and a balanced federal budget up to a crippling amount of debt and out-of-control spending in only eight years. And that was when the economy was still OK. John McCain described it as "pigs feeding at the trough".

Maybe the problem is that when the bridges and roads get re-built, they won't be THEIR bridges and roads. We wouldn't want the wrong guys to get credit would we? That's more important than the public welfare it seems--getting credit rather than governing responsibly. I just hope that when all the earmarks are sneaked into the stimulus legislation that then President Obama vetoes it and sends it back to have all the pork fat taken out. At the least, I hope that the "earmarkers" get front page attention for their self-serving conduct.

Here's the link from the WSJ. I have a subscription, so I hope you'll be able to read it...


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123059778577841155.html

Yes, this one from the Democrat Governor in Oregon.

First they force the auto makers to make more fuel efficient cars and when we buy them and and start using less gas their tax revenues start going down so they fine new ways to nail us. Is there anything the libs won't try?

Funny how silent the media is on the government tracking or every move in cars so they can collect yet more money but scream to high heaven when the government taps terrorists phone calls via the patriot act.


http://bungalowbillscw.blogspot.com/...ward-with.html

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

If there is anything more unbelievable than this one? I haven't seen anything more ridiculous in the news recently. In today's Wall Street Journal it was reported that... "Top Republican lawmakers are positioning themselves for battle over President-elect Barack Obama's economic recovery plan, signaling...that they will cast themselves as guardians against excessive spending..."

These are the same people who ran a modest national debt and a balanced federal budget up to a crippling amount of debt and out-of-control spending in only eight years. And that was when the economy was still OK. John McCain described it as "pigs feeding at the trough".

Maybe the problem is that when the bridges and roads get re-built, they won't be THEIR bridges and roads. We wouldn't want the wrong guys to get credit would we? That's more important than the public welfare it seems--getting credit rather than governing responsibly. I just hope that when all the earmarks are sneaked into the stimulus legislation that then President Obama vetoes it and sends it back to have all the pork fat taken out. At the least, I hope that the "earmarkers" get front page attention for their self-serving conduct.

Here's the link from the WSJ. I have a subscription, so I hope you'll be able to read it...


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123059778577841155.html

While I "sort of" agree with the general theme of your post, I still want checks and balances and surely dont want everything railroaded through simply because of the majority with no discussion !

While I agree with you comment on the spending.....I think you may want to say SIX years rather than 8, and I know there was a faction in the Rep Party that opposed any excess spending thus I am not prepared to condemn folks blindly because of party affliation !!

I also will be very very curious as to how the earmarks are handled by our new President !

So far, the mega-billions out the door already seem to have gone without much monitoring or control. That's about the only bipartisan thing so far - lack of oversight.

Infrastructure rebuild is a good idea, but who is going to be the "general contractor" determining what, when where and why? Is this going to involve another special federal agency with a pedigreed politician appointed to be the disbursing agent? How much of the work will be done by companies using illegal alien labor, with the money paid them being sent out of the country as "remittances" and thus never cycling through the US economy as promised?

We have all seen over the years how construction contracts issued by all levels of government have the greatest tendency for abuse, special "sweetheart" dealing, and outright criminality.

Don't get me wrong - I really like the idea of spending money to get something of value, and nothing is of greater value (other than national defense) than critical infrastructure. I'm just wary about how many percent of the moneys end up buying nothing due to crummy procurement practices and political indirect payoffs. Unless there is REAL oversight over the expenditures, all we will end up with is shoddy work (which will be dangerous and need to be redone) and disgust over the process.

Originally Posted by Bucco

While I "sort of" agree with the general theme of your post, I still want checks and balances and surely dont want everything railroaded through simply because of the majority with no discussion !

Does this mean NOT to go back to a majority situation as existed from 2002 to 2006, during which time our national debt grew to unfathomable numbers? Well, that would be a plus!

On the other hand, I have been accused of worse than being a (very) fiscal conservative, but I do recognize that the economic situation now is a far cry from what it was in 2002....

Originally Posted by Sidney Lanier

Does this mean NOT to go back to a majority situation as existed from 2002 to 2006, during which time our national debt grew to unfathomable numbers? Well, that would be a plus!

On the other hand, I have been accused of worse than being a (very) fiscal conservative, but I do recognize that the economic situation now is a far cry from what it was in 2002....

Sorry for not being clear. My post was not a partisan post but simply a statement that I am more comfortable with an opposing point of view that is viable. I never liked having the same party in power in both houses and the WH, NO MATTER THE PARTY. It simply breeds corruption ! And, I felt this way when the Republicans had that position !

I recognize that with the current climate of political bias, it is difficult to have both parties get together and compromise in any way, but suppose I am a dreamer in that respect !

Originally Posted by dklassen

First they force the auto makers to make more fuel efficient cars and when we buy them and and start using less gas their tax revenues start going down so they fine new ways to nail us. Is there anything the libs won't try?

This reminds me of the water conservation mandate requiring that we water our lawns no more than once a week. Next we hear that the water distribution organizations, in our case North Sumter Utility Company (Wedgewood Lane, The Villages, owned by, well, The Villages), has had such a drop in revenue because of the resultant lower water usage that they're raising the water rates.

Those Morse 'libs'! (Hmmm, never realized this....)

Originally Posted by Bucco

Sorry for not being clear. My post was not a partisan post but simply a statement that I am more comfortable with an opposing point of view that is viable. I never liked having the same party in power in both houses and the WH, NO MATTER THE PARTY. It simply breeds corruption ! And, I felt this way when the Republicans had that position !

I did not take this to be a partisan post, and goodness knows that neither of the major parties is exempt from being riddled with corruption. I would be curious to know if the poster posted the same sentiment in 2002....

Not sure why this makes me think of the current situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Many factions are now screaming for Israel to cease and desist; in my view these factions have zero validity if they said and did nothing during the many months leading up to the present incursion about the countless rockets and mortars that were and continue to be fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip....

We have visited the Holy Land and its ancient religious sites as well as others and have seen firsthand the effects of war after war waged against this tiny country that area-wise is but a blip on the map of the Middle East.

Originally Posted by Sidney Lanier

I did not take this to be a partisan post, and goodness knows that neither of the major parties is exempt from being riddled with corruption. I would be curious to know if the poster posted the same sentiment in 2002....

Not sure why this makes me think of the current situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Many factions are now screaming for Israel to cease and desist; in my view these factions have zero validity if they said and did nothing during the many months leading up to the present incursion about the countless rockets and mortars that were and continue to be fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip....

We have visited the Holy Land and its ancient religious sites as well as others and have seen firsthand the effects of war after war waged against this tiny country that area-wise is but a blip on the map of the Middle East.

To your first point, I may have posted this same sentiment in 2002 but alas no chance to post here at that time

To your second point about Israel, the followiung from todays NY Post...

"BAM STIRS FEARS IN ISRAEL

AS WORLD leaders and international organizations rush to rescue Hamas, Israel faces complex bat tlefield challenges - while fearing a stab in the back from the incoming Obama administration. "

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01012009...ael_146762.htm

Originally Posted by Bucco

To your second point about Israel, the followiung from todays NY Post...

"BAM STIRS FEARS IN ISRAEL

AS WORLD leaders and international organizations rush to rescue Hamas, Israel faces complex bat tlefield challenges - while fearing a stab in the back from the incoming Obama administration. "

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01012009...ael_146762.htm

It was not my intention to hijack this thread into a discussion of the Mideast situation (well, there are so many of them; I mean the current Israel-Gaza one). I guess what I was thinking, as I read through this (and other) threads, is the need for all of us to be honest and avoid being hypocritical based on our own personal 'agendas.' I was just using the Israel-Gaza situation as an example: those who tacitly support the rocket and mortar attacks on Israel by the Palestinians by refusing to do anything about them or even condemn them but then scream when a country does what it needs to do to protect and defend its own citizens. I could just as easily cite examples in our own country but find it easier to be objective when looking at something that does not directly involve the U.S.

Originally Posted by Sidney Lanier

It was not my intention to hijack this thread into a discussion of the Mideast situation (well, there are so many of them; I mean the current Israel-Gaza one). I guess what I was thinking, as I read through this (and other) threads, is the need for all of us to be honest and avoid being hypocritical based on our own personal 'agendas.' I was just using the Israel-Gaza situation as an example: those who tacitly support the rocket and mortar attacks on Israel by the Palestinians by refusing to do anything about them or even condemn them but then scream when a country does what it needs to do to protect and defend its own citizens. I could just as easily cite examples in our own country but find it easier to be objective when looking at something that does not directly involve the U.S.

Probably more my fault than yours on the hijacking but I had just seen that article and it was fresh in my mind, so should be me apologizing for hijacking !

I understood your point totally and it was well taken.