[Vision2020] Moscow Tea Party

[g. crabtree]

Obama's Out of Control Spending Dwarfs the Wasted AIG Bailout Money
March 17, 2009 10:21 AM ET | Bonnie Erbe | Permanent Link | Print
By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

President Obama's profligate spending habits are starting to look an awful 
lot like his predecessor's, and that's not good. Here, for example, are 
three things the president did yesterday. These are three things that simply 
cannot be done simultaneously with a straight face:

First, the President expressed outrage over the horrendous abuse of 
government bailout money by insurance giant AIG-the same issue that has the 
rest of official Washington zooming off into outer space:

  President Obama vowed to "pursue every legal avenue to block these 
bonuses." But that pledge might have came too late. About $165 million in 
retention payments went out Friday to employees at Financial Products, after 
numerous discussions with the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve.

Problem with his outrage is, the government funds were used as bonuses on 
Mr. Obama's watch. President Obama could legitimately object to $165 million 
in wasteful government spending

if he weren't simultaneously in the process of committing waste on a much 
grander scale.

  Obama's budget proposes a $1.75 trillion deficit to lift the country out 
of recession and lay the groundwork for healthcare reform and other big 
initiatives. Republicans and some conservative Democrats are concerned about 
the record spending...

And the President cannot be all things to all people, expanding funding for 
a wide variety of programs at the same time.

  President Obama pledged Monday to make good on his promise to transform 
the Department of Veterans Affairs and said he would "dramatically improve" 
mental health aid. Flanked by Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, the 
president said his budget calls for a $25 billion increase in funding for 
the VA over the next five years - a commitment that will be tested by the 
needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

I'm not saying veterans should not be high up on the list of priorities. 
They should be, but one has to limit priorities. The war in Iraq continues 
to cost more than $10 billion dollars per month, the president is boosting 
the number of troops in Afghanistan, expanding health care spending and 
recreating the New Deal (hundreds of thousands if not millions of federal 
jobs) all at once. Does the phrase "hyper inflation" ring a bell? If you 
don't know what it means, you will in due time.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>
To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2009 9:39 AM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Moscow Tea Party


> So, let me see if I have this right.
>
> Roger Falen is suggesting that . . .
>
> Barack Obama's four months in office is equally responsible as George
> Bush's ninety-six months in office?
>
> If not, please explain how it is (to any degree) the responsibility of
> Barack Obama's administration.
>
> The bailout of banks was formulated and commenced prior to January 20,
> 2009.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "So keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't forget to
> have fun doin' it.  Lord, let your laughter ring forth.  Be outrageous,
> ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can
> produce.  And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer
> joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it
> was."
>
> - Molly
> Ivins
>
> ---------------------------------------------
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