Posts Tagged ‘obama’

Arthur vs Carter watch: I’m not the only one

Posted: January 24, 2009 by datechguy in arthur vs carter
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Apparently the Anchoress has come to the same conclusion about Obama and Carter as I. However she doesn’t have the hope of a turn toward Chester Arthur that I do.

Then again the Obama’s gitmo moves are a Carter vote so she might have a point.

I guess we will see.

My current count is Carter 5 Arthur 2

Update: Welcome Anchoress readers, take a peek around. You might find the essays on belief of interest or a little debate on the subject. I’d also appreciate any new perspectives on Anna Maria College after my son’s visit. And if you are looking for remote PC support I do that too.

My economic plan

Posted: January 24, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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In my little blog post about bi-partianship I talked about the recovery not coming for at least 2 years and probably longer. Here is what I think concerning the economy, here is what I think the government should do outside of the normal functions of controlling the money supply and interest rates:

Do nothing.

That’s it, no stimulus, no bailouts, no directed loans. Let the business cycle work itself out.

This will of course not happen, there was (and is) an awful lot of money given by an awful lot of people in the hopes of getting a piece of government pie as Glenn Reynolds put it:

This is not so much a stimulus, as a massive transfer of wealth from the politically unconnected to the politically connected.

Given time the business cycle will work itself out. In fact if all we did was wait on the business cycle I suspect the recovery would come a whole lot sooner. One could if necessary one can provide some relief to individuals by extending unemployment and or increasing the earned income tax credit. (not my favorite choices but it would get money the people most likely to spend it to survive.) but large dough dumps to political friends when we don’t even know where the money goes aren’t going to do it.

If the Obama team was really smart they would make a much smaller bill with maybe the provisions listed above. If they absolutely HAVE to spend it on something a full going over of bridges and dams would be a good move followed by grants to state and local government for any needed repairs since the work needs doing anyway. Combine that with the unemployment and earned income tax thing and then stand pat. In under 4 years the business cycle would heal itself and he could rightly take full credit! Sometimes the smartest thing to do is nothing more than to keep a calm head.

Politically the instinct to do something dramatic is strong, the instinct to reward contributors is even stronger. (Particularly those contributors let in via the campaigns interesting use of credit cards) Given the president’s history of avoiding political risk it seems unlikely that he would resist these instincts assuming that he wanted to.

Well if one is going to offer criticism one should also offer a solution. This is mine.

Lovers Tiff

Posted: January 24, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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Bernie Goldberg looks at the dust-up concerning the press DARING to ask Obama questions during a visit. The comments he got from a print reporter on the subject are telling:

As a print reporter who covered the Bush White House told me: When a Republican president takes office reporters think they’re self-appointed prosecutors. But no one wants to prosecute Nelson Mandela. And Obama is a lot more like Mandela, to a lot of reporters, than he is to some run-of-the-mill liberal like Dick Durbin. Let’s just call Obama’s little tiff with the press a lovers’ quarrel.

Mandela? Mandela? Please give me a break. What planet are these people on?

Goldberg should know about this, when it comes to the slobbering love affair between Obama and the media he wrote the book; Literally.

Still I can’t complain it gives another reason to include a Monty Python Clip:

Plus it led to an amazing discovery that I will detail in my next post.

Can we cover ourselves? Yes we can!

Posted: January 23, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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The word on everyone’s lips these days is “bi-partisan”. Bi-partisan this and bi-partisan that. The word from the administration is Bi-partisan, it seems to be coming out of everyone mouths.

On all the mainstream networks we hear bi-partisan over and over. On the cable networks particularly on CNN and MSNBC that is the word of the day/week/month. All the MSNBC promos we see the question; Will Obama be able to generate republican support? Will the house republicans play ball? Can they get republican support in the Senate? What will the republicans do? When I see these questions I ask Why?

Unless I can’t count the current congress has a large Democratic Majority in both houses. In the house; 257 seats. Since all spending bills must under the constitution come from the house that means that no republican votes are necessary period.

In the Senate the current tally is 57-41. It will shortly be 58-41 since NY will appoint a Democratic Senator in the Senate. After Minnesota it may well be 59-41.

(Sanders always votes with the Democrats, as does Lieberman on any issue not concerning the war)

There is nothing to stop any bill from coming out of committee for a vote as the Democrats will have at least a 2-4 vote edge on every committee. Any bill they want will be able to make it to the floor.

You might cry FILIBUSTER but the idea that the president is totally inhibited by those one or two votes is nonsense. Particularly when two of those seats are the rather liberal Senators for Maine and one Maverick from Arizona dying to get the approval of the mainstream media once more.

The question then is why? Why make the big deal, and why the big fuss over republican votes when the democrats have the power and the votes? Easy.

They want cover, they want power but not responsibility. They want someone to blame. They remember 1994 and the Clinton Tax increase. They also know that this country is still a 51-49 country and that the blue dogs in the house are not going to keep their seats if they go too far left.

Mark my words when things get worse (they will) the congress will get worried. In 2010 with the recovery hasn’t taken place (much too soon) Democrats in congress will be trying to deflect blame and ask for patience. In 2012 if recovery hasn’t taken place (unlikely; particularly with Democratic business unfriendly programs ) the administration will be dying to say it isn’t their fault.

This is what is happening , the ground is being prepared not for the recovery of the county’s economy but for the retention of power. If the economy recovers all well and good but if not they are going to be damn sure that they keep their majorities.

First things first after all.

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