The passage of the jobs bill represents a great victory for President Obama, a huge triumph for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and a tremendous moment for the smart Republican senators, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine. It is a crushing blow for the do-nothing, obstructionist, recession Republicans who are betting against America.

A popular president with support in the nation that has risen again to the high 60s to mid 70s in popularity asked for a jobs bill by Presidents Day, and gets it. The recession Republicans, tarred by landslide losses in 2006 and 2008 because of their diehard support for George W. Bush, sink further into the political hole. When America recovers, Obama wins; Harry Reid wins; the Speaker wins; Sens. Snowe, Specter and Collins win; and the recession Republicans lose. They are betting the ranch that America fails, because they know if the program succeeds, if America succeeds, they are left out on the limb of that old black magic of recession Republic economics.

These guys have gone so far right, they can't see Main Street with a microscope. They are so politically maladroit, the best they can serve up for a nation that is hungry for solutions is a stone-cold dish of Bush doggie bags.

They tried to cut the jobs bill in half. They tried to take spending for jobs out of a program to create jobs. They opposed fuel-efficient cars for the federal fleet, weatherizing buildings in the cold winter and building schools for the kids while they supported that old black magic of tax cuts for the wealthy and repeated, ad nauseam, the sad platitudes of Herbert Hoover and the defeated policies of John McCain in 2008.

The three Republican senators standing almost alone in the region of the nation where most Republicans are no longer welcome are called traitors and Benedict Arnolds.

The recession party gloats when Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire declines to serve in the Cabinet, though he will not run again and will very probably be succeeded by yet another Democrat in yet another state where the recession Republicans are no longer welcome in Senate seats or the governor's mansion.

The death march of the recession Republicans continues. It is their curse, their failure of economics, the curse that led them to minority status for a generation after Hoover, the curse that led to their latest disaster in 2008, after their disaster in 2006.

The recession Republicans are hoping the president fails, and betting the ranch that America fails, which is a very bad bet indeed.

_______



About author
Brent Budowsky served as Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen, responsible for commerce and intelligence matters, including one of the core drafters of the CIA Identities Law. Served as Legislative Director to Congressman Bill Alexander, then Chief Deputy Whip, House of Representatives. Currently a member of the International Advisory Council of the Intelligence Summit. Left goverment in 1990 for marketing and public affairs business including major corporate entertainment and talent management. He can be reached at brentbbi@webtv.net.
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/20308

never thought I would miss this stuff lol

I don't believe you or your "credentials." If this is all so wonderful, and you're winning, you should be happy. How can the bloodied remnants of a totally failed and decimated Republican Party possibly scare you to the point where you have found it necessary to herein lash out tocrush them further. You're no leader----you're a politician, there's a difference: politicians don't live to lead; they live to get re-elected.

You are protected by the First Amendment to spew, but I won't let you spew unchallenged. We could argue up and down parapets all day, so why don't you just come back in a month and show me----prove to me----how the Thing has worked out for Real People, not the advancement of The Party.

By the way, I'll bet you my Jimmy Carter memorabilia plate that you're ragingly in favor of the anti-Limbaugh Censorship Of Free Speech Doctrine too, aren't you. Fine; here's what I quote to that, and bon chance a toi:

" When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew. "

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out."

(By Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.)

"I don't believe you or your "credentials." If this is all so wonderful, and you're winning, you should be happy. How can the bloodied remnants of a totally failed and decimated Republican Party possibly scare you to the point where you have found it necessary to herein lash out tocrush them further."

So basically because the remnants of the republican party are bloodied, the others in this country are suppose to give them the sympathy that they have never given to anyone? You forget the great republican party has stood for full and utter self responsibility regardless to whatever life deals you, correct? They have no empathy for those in the world who struggle more than them or are different from them because it has to be these people's own fault life has dealt them this hand. Why do they not hold themselves to their own same philosophy that applies to everyone not like them?

If someone is going to come for the communists,
the social democrats, and the trade unionists, then it's o.k., sign me up.

With the republicans voteing against the largest middle class tax decrease in history its like my birthday and christmas all rolled into one. After all these are the same republicans who voted for tax decreases for the billionares and corperations who shipped jobs over seas. Thank you republicans for at last showeing your true colors. Your for tax decreases only when the rich benefit at the expense of the middle class. Thank you Mr Obama for fullfilling your pledge to give tax decreases to 95% of america

Steve Benen of The washington Monthly sums it best "BIGGEST. TAX CUT. EVER.... A few weeks ago, when the House approved the economic stimulus bill without any Republican votes, David Weigel noted that he literally couldn't remember "a time when the entire Republican conference in either house voted against tax cuts."

That's true, but let's go a little further. The compromise plan announced last night includes $282 billion in tax cuts over two years. With that in mind, Steven Waldman argues, persuasively, that when the vast majority of congressional Republicans oppose the package, they'll be voting against the biggest tax cut "in history."

He goes on to say...

" such, GOP lawmakers are going to reject one of the largest, if not the largest, tax cut ever proposed by a president -- which just so happens to be targeted at the working and middle class families Obama vowed to look out for.

When the economy recovers, I suspect many on the right will argue, "Obama's policy only worked because he passed a quarter-trillion dollars in tax breaks." That will surely make them feel better. But how will those same conservatives respond when it's noted that Republicans stood up to oppose one of the biggest tax-cut plans in American history?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016863.php

The republicans didn't vote against the tax cuts. They voted against the fact the other 2/3 of the bill was pork and frivolous spending by the democrats and catering to their special interests.

About time the republicans in congress grew a pair. THAT is what makes me happy. When this all goes to **** the democrats will have to own up to their mistakes with only 3 republicans in 2 houses voting for it. That will be a great day - when a party in Washington finally has to own up to their own cluster****.

For the record, here are a few of the items in the stimulus package that left the GOP so greatly offended, per BusinessWeek.com:

$30 billion for a smart power grid, advanced battery technology, and energy efficiency measures.
$20 billion in tax incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency over the next 10 years. Tax credits for families that purchase plug-in hybrid vehicles of up to $7,500.
$5 billion to improve the energy efficiency of more than 1 million homes.
$6.3 billion for increasing energy efficiency in federally supported housing programs.
$3 billion for the National Science Foundation for basic research in fundamental science and engineering. $1.6 billion for the Energy Dept.'s Office of Science, which funds research in such areas as climate science, biofuels, high-energy physics, nuclear physics, and fusion energy sciences . $8.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health, including expanding good jobs in biomedical research to study diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, and heart disease.
$7 billion for extending broadband services to underserved communities.
$87 billion over the next two years in additional federal matching funds to help states maintain Medicaid programs.
$53.6 billion for a State Fiscal Stabilization Fund-$40.6 billion to local school districts, which can be used for preventing cutbacks, preventing layoffs, school modernization, and other purposes; $5 billion as bonus grants for meeting key performance measures; and $8 billion for public safety and other services.
Higher education tax credit increased to a maximum of $2,500, and makes it available to nearly 4 million low-income students by making it partially refundable
Increases the maximum Pell Grant by $500, for a maximum of $5,350 in 2009 and $5,550 in 2010.
$200 million added to the College Work-Study Program.
$1.1 billion for Early Head Start.
$1 billion for Head Start.
$2 billion for the Child Care Development Block Grant to provide child care services to an additional 300,000 children in low-income families while their parents go to work.
$13 billion for Title I grants to help disadvantaged kids reach high academic standards.
$12.2 billion for special education grants.
$29 billion for modernizing roads and bridges. $18 billion for clean water, flood control, and environmental restoration investments.
$5 billion for improvements in Defense Dept. facilities.
Child tax credit expanded to allow families to begin qualifying for the child tax credit with every dollar earned over $3,000.
Earned Income Tax Credit expanded by providing tax relief to families with three or more children and increasing marriage penalty relief.
New, partially refundable $2,500 tax credit for families. Temporarily suspends taxation of some unemployment benefits. Tax credits for hiring recently discharged unemployed veterans and youth that have been out of work and out of school for the six months prior to hire. New bond-financing program for school construction, rehabilitation, and repair.
Increases unemployment benefits for 20 million jobless workers by $25 per week.
Increases food stamp benefits by 13%.
$100 million for Emergency Food & Shelter to help local community organizations provide food and shelter; $100 million for formula grants to states for elderly nutrition services including Meals on Wheels; and $150 million for the Emergency Food Assistance Program to purchase commodities for food banks to refill emptying shelves.
$4 billion for job training including formula grants for adult job training, dislocated worker job training, and youth services (including funding for summer jobs for young people).
$500 million for Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants to help persons with disabilities.
$500 million to match unemployed individuals to job openings.
$120 million to provide community service jobs to an additional 24,000 low-income older Americans.
Payment of $250 to Social Security beneficiaries, as well as veterans receiving disability compensation and pension benefits from the Veterans Affairs.
There are a few distinct reasons the GOP has decided to get in the way of everything proposed by the Obama administration and the Congressional Democratic majority. They need to appear to be relevant after back-to-back electoral pastings in 2006 and 2008. Because they are better at playing the media game than the Democrats, they can telegraph whatever remaining strengths they have far more effectively.

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/20314

There are a few distinct reasons the GOP has decided to get in the way of everything proposed by the Obama administration and the Congressional Democratic majority. They need to appear to be relevant after back-to-back electoral pastings in 2006 and 2008. Because they are better at playing the media game than the Democrats, they can telegraph whatever remaining strengths they have far more effectively.

They need Obama to fail on all fronts if they are to have a prayer at recovering lost ground at the polls in 2010. Finally, they only have representation in states where Bush remains popular and the GOP cant on government remains holy writ, so if they want to keep those few remaining seats, they have to play in the hard-right part of the pool. This is not a group of people Obama should expect anything from beyond what has already been demonstrably in evidence. Hoping for something different is a foolish pipe dream.

President Obama can work with the Democratic Congressional majorities to pass future legislation, perhaps making sure to get one GOP vote in the Senate to thwart a filibuster. If no such vote is forthcoming, he can dump any quixotic quest for one or any GOP votes and dare the GOP to filibuster widely popular bills. He's not going to get GOP support for anything, so why bother trying? Let them keep it up and lose every time, and let them try to stand on that record for the 2010 midterms.

President Obama needs to do the work the people overwhelmingly elected him to do, and if the GOP does not want to be a part of that work, so be it. In the long run, a string of Democrat-only legislative victories will have a dynamic effect on the obstructionist tendencies of the GOP. Sooner or later, they'll come running in whole or in part to Obama's side of the aisle, if only to save themselves. Until then, dump them.
_______

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/20314

You go madman!!!

First thing i find funny is this Jobs Bill you speak of is controversial at best. You see, jobs given to the people to help out in economic situations must add to our countries GDP in order to improve anything. That means 90% of jobs that require sitting in at a desk won't help. Hell, even police officers or firemen, soldiers, etc. although carry important positions, still do not help a spiraling economy.

Another funny thing is by doing the math, and a little research, you will find that even raising our GDP won't really help. Our system is now 100% based on debt. This means the only thing you can do to keep us going for another year or two, is take out more loans from the banks. That's it. Debt, has become the GDP of today. Problem is when you take out a loan, interest must be paid, along with principal payments. When we can no longer afford these payments another loan must be taken out to make these payments. This is the point our entire economic system has reached.

You blame the republicans. Truth is, as dangerous as the Bush adminstration as been to our personal liberties, it has done very little to hinder us economically.

In fact, arguably, Clinton has been at least, if not more damaging as Bush when it comes to jobs, outsourcing, etc.

But he still is not any reason for what we are facing today.

Our recession started with the housing "bubble" bursting. This was caused by banks allowing people to withdraw high risk loans. Many people blame the banks, and deregulation of the market. This is not at all the case.

In 1977 James Carter (democrat) signed in a bill called the Community Reinvestment Act (written by a democratic congress) which put pressure on banks to give out these risky loans.

In 1971 Nixon (republican) passed a bill (i believe it was written by a republican congress) that took us off the gold standard for our currency. This allowed us all to spend, spend spend, without having to back anything up.

Both bills were passed to response to a system that was not meant to last. When you have a central bank 100% of the money that goes into circulation has to be paid back with interest. This, i believe, caused the great depression. Which put us on what is called a Fractional Reserve system, which made debt our GDP as i explained earlier.

So it all stems from the Federal Reserve Bank. The Federal Reserve Act passed in 1913. It was signed by president Woodrow Wilson (democrat), and written by a democratic congress.

Republicans did little to stop, or reverse this, therefore i put them in equal blame for this mess.
Democrats wrote most of this damaging legislation and passed it, therefore I WOULD put them mostly at fault except for one thing. John F. Kennedy in June of 1963 signed Executive Order 11110, which bypassed the Federal Reserve Bank, and gave our currency back to the U.S. government. This order no longer exists, but i give democrats credit where credit is due.

I know it seems like i went off topic. But my message is simple. Stop singling out parties to pin the blame economically. Both had pretty much an equal part in it. And stop blaming it on the last 8 years. As damaging as the Bush administration has been, in no way did they cause this mess. It all happened a while ago, when our grandparents were kids. Republicans are just the current scapegoats because people don't want to dig enough.

Its class warfare that is the main culprit. The elites who created the mess and wrecked the whole damn thing managed to get the taxpayers to bail them out and give themselves bonuses to boot. Its a middle class takedown.