Americans Will Pay the Bill for Overloaded Stimulus Package

Rasmusen reports that support for the Emergency Stimulus plan is slipping. This is not surprising since the stimulus has been packed with pork, which by anyone's definition seriously stretches the meaning of emergency. Regular Americans know better than many politicians the basic fact that bills have to be paid, and this proposal leaves Americans holding the tab for a pile of pork. President Obama and House Republicans have shown some willingness to compromise, but the House bill that passed yesterday had not one Republican vote for it and 11 Democrats also oppose it for good reason. Just take a look at a few of the items in this bill that have been stuffed into this bill...

• $20 million “for the removal of small- to medium-sized fish passage barriers.”
• $400 million for STD prevention
• $25 million to rehabilitate off-roading (ATV) trails
• $34 million to remodel the Department of Commerce HQ
• $70 million to “Support Supercomputing Activities” for climate research
• $150 million for honey bee insurance

Cited from Earmarks In House Bill

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Americans Will Pay the Bill for Overloaded Stimulus Package

The B.O. Republicans who voted for Geithner - Video of Inhofe’s statement

Hat Tip and Thank you to Michelle Malkin:
Here is the roll call vote on the [Tim] Geithner nomination:

And here are the 10 B.O. (Barack Obama/Bend Over) Republicans who sided with Obama and the Dems:

Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) Ensign (R-NV) Graham (R-SC)

Gregg (R-NH) Hatch (R-UT) Shelby (R-AL) Snowe (R-ME) Voinovich (R-OH)

Question: Where was GOP Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO)?
Update - Answer: Missed his plane, but would have voted against.
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Sen. Jim Inhofe’s statement on the floor in opposition to Geithner says it all. Mark his words:

Red NoVA

Hello LRR!

(Cross posted on BS 08)

As I mentioned in my last post, I will be blogging at a new Northern VA GOP blog. It's called "Red NoVA." Thanks so much for reading my work here on LRR. I hope to see you on my new blog, Red NoVA.

The link is: http://rednova8.wordpress.com/

Here is the Facebook Fan page.

Abortion still matters

America is the greatest nation in two thousand years. No one nation has advanced the cause of human dignity more in that time. It is the place where human rights such as life, liberty, and universal right to own property emerged as central governing principles. It has served as a beacon to the world. Unfortunately, there have been times where we have allowed some portion of our government to undermine our core principles. One such time was the Roe v. Wade ruling.

It is bad enough that Roe pretended not to know what is self obvious in science, logic, and religion, that life begins at conception. The ruling pretended not to know when life began at all. The ruling violated legal reasoning, precedent, constitutional restraints on the federal government, the 5th and 14th amendments, and the laws of all 50 states. Even the 5 states which disgracefully declared they would close their ears to the cries of the most vulnerable of citizens, did not go as far as the runaway Burger Court.

Since Roe became case law, new technology has put a virtual window on the womb. We can see in real time and in living color the children we denied. It is time for us to come to grips with the fact that we have created an environment of callous disregard for the weakest of humans. Even worse we have opened the floodgates for human cloning and genetic engineering. We have a federal government which denies sick people marijuana to get well, but allow others fatal prescriptions to be offed in the renewed Eugenetics movement.

I disagree with the Obama Administration. There is not a specter of man made global warming hanging over America. There is the specter of abortion haunting what is left of the soul of America. There is a culture of death which is robbing us of our heritage of human dignity. There is a lawless judiciary, which is undermining the Federal Constitutional Process and amassing dangerous power unto itself. It took the greatest of global wars by launched by mad men to equal what our court accomplished January 22, 1973.

Any administration which supports the slaughter of 48 million innocents, is unworthy of the executive office. It is refusing to faithfully execute the Constitution of the United States for over a million citizens a year. Thankfully, under Republican rule, the number of abortions dropped from a high of 1.6 million to a little over a million. Unfortunately, this administration seems hell bent on reversing what little good has been done not only domestically, but globally. President Obama said he would support unconstitutional federal legislation, which would overturn the few protections the states have been allowed to establish for women such as informed consent and parental involvement laws. It seems that the administration will bend over backwards to give new rights to terrorists caught on the battlefields yet rush to spit on the graves of the unborn.

All responsible Americans must raise their voices at this crucial time. No issue defines us more as a people. No issue is more important to our national culture.

What Will MSNBC DO?

Watched MSNBC after 8 anytime recently? If you have you'll know they are facing a crisis. George Bush is leaving Washington. Entire shows on MSNBC revolve around the host's biting hatred on the president. This certainly isn't to say that there aren't legitimate reasons to criticize the Bush administration, but guess what he's leaving. Still with a historic inauguration only a day away MSNBC hosts just can't see past their hatered. So what will these shows turn into? Will there be big pockets of dead air, where indignant rants about Bush 43 used to be? Will they look for someone else to tear down, possibly a Governor from Alaska? Is MSNBC a one trick pony, or will they be able to adapt to a popular Democrat as president?

Talks to Take Place Israel and Hamas

Excerpt from Israel, Hamas, Palestinian Authority to Meet for Talks

Egypt's United Nation's envoy says Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority will meet Thursday for talks.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was at U.N. headquarters for the council's emergency session on Gaza, said she had talked with both the Israelis and Arab envoys about the importance of moving forward a cease-fire proposed Tuesday by Egypt and France.

"We are very much applauding the efforts of a number of states, particularly the effort that President (Hosni) Mubarak has undertaken on behalf of Egypt," Rice said. "We're supporting that initiative."

Israel hammered Gaza City with gunfire and air strikes Wednesday minutes after a three-hour cease-fire ended, and its security cabinet voted to push ahead with the ground offensive against Hamas, the Times of London reported.

Israel agreed to principles of the Gaza cease-fire proposal, but has yet to iron out key details about how it would be implemented, senior Israeli officials told Reuters.

The proposal calls for an end to fighting as well as a drive to prevent Hamas militants from rearming, Israel's key condition, Reuters reported

"There is agreement on the principles but translating those principles into practical action is a challenge that is still ahead of us," a senior Israeli official said.

Trouble for the Auto Industry Bailout

Reports indicate that there is less confidence that the auto indusrty bailout will be passed. Many Republicans and some Democrats question whether the bailout bill will use taxpayer's dollars effectively. The Bloomberg article Democrats Back Off Prediction of Automaker Bailout Approval describes the latest version of the bill.

The Democratic proposal would let the president appoint a so-called car czar to oversee industry restructuring, and give taxpayers stock warrants equal to 20 percent of the loans. It would prohibit the automakers from paying dividends and owning or leasing corporate jets, and pay and bonuses would be limited.

This, however, does not address the inherent problems with these businesses. Preventing the "paying dividends and owning or leasing corporate jets, and pay and bonuses" addresses none of the major problems with these companies. A limit on excesses misses the basic fact that these are failed companies, who can't garner loans from anyone other than Congress. The only check or change that this bill implements is 'a car czar'; the powers of which Chairman Barney Frank tried to explain...

‘Head-Knocking’

Frank told reporters today the bill would give the car czar “a great deal of head-knocking ability” with “a lot of the powers that you would get in bankruptcy.”

The official would have the power to veto participating automakers’ plans to invest abroad, Frank said. Lawmakers want to ensure the companies don’t “take American taxpayer dollars and expand in other countries rather than here, or shut down a plant in America while expanding a plant elsewhere,” he said.

Because Bush and President-elect Barack Obama are unlikely to agree on a czar, Obama will likely replace Bush’s pick as soon as he takes office, Frank said. The Bush administration has said the official should come from the Commerce Department.

So this 'car czar' a likely member of the Commerce Department will be apparently appointed by President Bush then replaced by the future President Obama, and he shall be granted 'head knocking abilities'.

Chairman Frank went on to state that the auto industry will likely need to be granted more money in the future, something Speaker Pelosi has also stated. This does not instill confidence that this bailout will be anything but a waste of money.

A few basic questions for lawmakers...

How will this money fix the failed business policies of the auto industry?

How many bailouts and/or how much money will be paid to the automakers total?

What's wrong with bankruptcy?

What are the requirements for being granted a government bailout?

This is still not an rational solution. Ask your representatives not to support this bailout bill, and make them at least answer the basic question, 'how will this money fix the problems that the auto industry faces?'

Contact Your Senator

Contact Your Congressman

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Continued Problems with the Automaker Bailout

Colonel David Hunt, Back in NH! - December 11

Col. David Hunt has been a Fox News Military Analyst, Howie Carr Contributor, O'Reilly Factor Guest, Etc. and is doing a dinner in honor of Senator Joe Kenney (Lt. Col Marine), as a salute to Joe's 14 years in the legislature.

Col. David Hunt has over 29 years of military experience including extensive operational experience in Special Operations, Counter Terrorism and Intelligence Operations. Most recently,Colonel Hunt served as Tactical Advisor in Bosnia where he facilitated all national intelligence matters for the Commander in Chief. Prior to this, he served as counter terrorism coordinator to the Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. In this capacity, Colonel Hunt planned, choreographed and implemented the first United States national response for an Olympic event in Korea in conjunction with Korean National Intelligence and the Korean Crisis Response Agency. He has served as a security advisor for the Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as state and local police officials.

A graduate of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government,Colonel Hunt holds a Master's degree in English from Norwich University. His books include "They Just Don't Get It" and "On the Hunt...How to Wake up Washington and Win the War on Terror"

Col. Hunt is blunt and entertaining. This is your opportunity to see Hunt in person. He tells it as he sees it and will be giving us his take on Obama and the military.

Don't miss this entertaining and affordable evening on Thursday, December 11th at the American Legion Post 7 in Rochester, 94 Eastern Ave, from 7-8 PM. Dinner is only $35

There will be a pre-dinner reception for those that would like a personal conversation with Hunt. If you would like to attend that your ticket for both dinner and the VIP reception would be $50 the VIP reception starts at 6:30 PM.

Please call 670-8470 for information. Checks may be sent to Joe Kenney for NH, PO Box 4007, Concord 03302

Sheridan Folger,

Just Say No to Auto Bailout Deal Part 2

Yesterday's article Oppose the Auto Bailout was not intended to be anti-union or anti-auto company, it's simply the opinion of an old fashion cheapskate. If the government is going to spend taxpayer dollars they need to ensure that those funds are not being wasted. There has been little effort to explain why pumping money into failed businesses will fix that failed business model. Voters should contact their lawmakers and let them know they will hold them responsible if they give automakers billions of taxpayer dollars only to see those business collapse in the future.

Contact Your Senator

Contact Your Congressman

Similar sentiments we're expressed by Senator Mitch McConnell (R - KY).

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday regarding proposed auto legislation:

“The auto industry is vitally important to our nation’s economy and it is vitally important to my home state of Kentucky. This is not in dispute. The question before us is how to reverse the decline of some of these auto manufacturers after decades of complicity between management and labor.

“I understand congressional Democrats sent a revised proposal to the White House late last night. We will reserve our judgment until we see the latest text. But the proposal we saw yesterday afternoon fails to achieve our goal of securing the long-term viability of ailing auto companies.

“I want to support a bill that revives this industry. But I will not support a bill that revives the patient with taxpayer dollars yet doesn’t secure a commitment that the patient will change its ways so future help isn’t needed.

“To do so would be a betrayal of the millions of hardworking taxpayers who are not at fault for the troubles in the auto industry. And it would be unfair to the millions of Americans who depend on these companies.

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No Auto Bailout Part 2

Just Say No to Auto Bailout Deal

RedState.com has posted a couple pieces on opposing the government bailout of the auto industry. The first by Representative Michele Bachmann opposes not just the auto bailout, but the concept that Washington should be spending tax payer money to prop up failed businesses. The second article by Francis Cianfrocca discusses how contract renegotiations with the United Auto Workers union need to be included any proposed bailout as failure to so will result in the eventual failure of those companies with or without a bailout. Excerpts below.

One main reason the auto bailout is facing such opposition is that there has been no attempt to explain why pumping money into a failed business will fix that business. If these company continue on their current path this bailout will simply prolong the time before before failure, and will result in simply wasting a huge sum of tax payer dollars.

For those who oppose bailing out the auto industry, folllow the links below to contact your Senators and Congressmen to let them know that you do not support this bill, and that you will hold them responsible for wasting your money.

Contact Your Senator

Contact Your Congressman

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No More Bailouts by Rep. Michele Bachmann

Washington needs to stop handing out your money like its Monopoly money. Each dollar is hard-earned and the men and woman who worked so hard for it deserve more respect from their government than to be treated like an ATM. Our economy grew strong on the backs of Main Street; from the ideas and sheer sweat of innovators and entrepreneurs flush with the American spirit. Risk-taking is part of that adventure. But when government guarantees against failure, risk and reward becomes meaningless. Eventually, that will crush our economy- and that eventually may not be that far down the road.

The Critical Missing Piece in the Automaker Bailout by Francis Cianfrocca

There will be no significant cost-cutting or pain imposed on the UAW in the restructuring of the domestic auto industry, unless it happens right now, this week.

The UAW must agree to a labor-cost structure that, in Sen. Corker’s words, is no higher than that faced by foreign (“transplant”) automakers who assemble vehicles in the United States. The union must agree to very painful concessions on wages, healthcare, work rules, and retiree benefits.

Gettelfinger, playing to the galleries, has assured lawmakers that he will indeed be open to doing whatever he can to seal the deal. Among other things, he’s signaled willingness to end the so-called “job bank.” You know, that’s where an automaker closes a production facility that no longer makes sense, but continues to pay the workers full wages and benefits to play video games all day, for years into the future.

But what Gettelfinger has pointedly not said, is that he’s willing to re-negotiate the contract that the UAW currently has with the automakers. In short, he’s not preparing to compromise at all, or to ask his people to take any real pain.

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Oppose the Auto Bailout