Patience has its limits.
Take it too far, and it's cowardice.
George Jackson
It's Official: Obama Is the $6 Trillion Dollar Man
According to CBS News/Newsmax:
On Jan. 20, 2009, when Obama took office, the debt was $10.626 trillion. The Treasury Department's Bureau of Public Debt on Friday published its daily debt report, showing the government's total debt topped $16.687 trillion.The U.S. economy barely alive
Gentlemen, you didn't build that
But with Paul Krugman and Ben Bernanke we can rebuild it
We have the votes
We have the ideology to make the world's biggest debtor nation
Barack Obama will be our man
The federal government will be better than it was before
Bigger, progressive, spendthrift.
I stumbled across this slightly dated video (it references last fall's election) via Christine O'Donnell's Pac. I generally don't like rap, but see if "you didn't build that, you didn't build that" isn't catchy....
The Administration's Incompetent Approach
to Addressing Health Care Fraud
I have to smile here as Reason points out the lion's share of fraud-related recovery--literally pennies on the dollar of fraud estimates--had nothing to do with the Administration's fraud reform efforts, but an investigation started under the Clinton Administration. I will say that introducing private-sector approaches and implementing modern database technologies (including data mining tools) are steps in the right direction. But, among other things (not discussed), there's a lot of noise (distortions) in health care data, and the government engages in price-fixing, which can create distortions (depending on market prices) attracting fraud. We have to have consumers more vested in healthcare costs; just to give a minor example (I'm not alleging fraud, but pointing out the mindset) I see cable ads all the time promoting (for senior citizens) motorized scooters, diabetic supplies, etc. at little or no cost, they'll work with the government or your insurer, deal with the paperwork, etc. Think of the recent campaign; there was a law tracking contributions of a certain size. The Obama side had a lot of smaller contributions missing the reporting criterion. So, assuming for argument $25. An anonymous donor could simply send multiple $20 contributions. Instead, suppose government tracking starts at the same $25, same concept.
Various Sequestration Notes
- The $44 billion in sequester cuts for this fiscal year amount to what the government borrows every two weeks. (The sequester actually requires about $85 billion in cuts this year, but about half can be rolled into subsequent years.) This is chump change that any fiscally responsible president could shake out of his back pocket. Indeed, a 2011 Government Accountability Office report identified about $100 billion worth of government waste and duplication that could be eliminated without affecting anyone outside Uncle Sam's employ. But instead of doing the responsible thing, President Obama has taken to the stump and made the sequester a social justice issue. He warns that if Republicans refuse him another tax increase and prevail with their "meat-cleaver" approach to the budget, there will be no first responders to help disaster-struck communities recover; prosecutors will be unable to put away criminals; schools will have to lay off teachers; parents will lose child care; and kids won't get vaccinations. As a warning shot, the administration began releasing detained illegal immigrants -- a move that will not help the cause of immigration reform. - Shikha Dalmia
- Even with the sequester, the federal government is expected to spend more this year than it did last year. The White House’s Office of Management and Budget says the sequester will cut a whopping $2 million from the $20 million budget for the National Drug Intelligence Center. That sounds pretty bad - until you realize the Drug Intelligence Center closed its door in June 2012. - Reason
- President Obama famously said during a debate with Mitt Romney that [the sequester cuts] would “never happen.” But as the deadline drew near and it became clear that no deal was in the offing to head off the cuts, sober warnings emerged from the nation’s capitol. Some 800,000 Pentagon workers would be furloughed. Thousands of illegal aliens would have to be freed. Teachers and firefighters would be laid off. - FNC
- Obama at news conference: "Starting tomorrow, everybody here, cleaning the floors at the Capitol. They're going to have less pay. The janitors, the security guards. They just got a pay cut. They've got to figure out how to manage that. That's real." 4 Pinocchios-Washpo (got written confirmations that there were no furloughs or pay cuts for either janitors or security guards)
- However the cuts fall, Light at NYU says the Washington Monument ploy, also known as the Firemen First principle, is at work. It goes like this: Put someone's budget at risk and the first thing you'll hear is a threat to close a cherished national symbol or lay off firefighters and police, when in fact there are other ways to cut spending. It so happens the Washington Monument is already closed, for earthquake repair. But Obama indulged in the Firemen First principle quite literally.He appeared at the White House in front of officers in blue uniforms to warn of the consequences of the sequester. "Emergency responders like the ones who are here today - their ability to help communities respond to and recover from disasters will be degraded." - Associated Press
- Arne Duncan, FTN: It just means a lot more children will not get the kinds of services and opportunities they need, and as many as 40,000 teachers could lose their jobs. ... There are literally teachers now who are getting pink slips, who are getting notices that they can’t come back this fall.” - 4 Pinocchios-Washpo (some teaching transfers in WV not related to sequester)
So help me if I read another one of those scripted apocalyptic commentaries about rising ethnic composition implying the imminent demise of the GOP... Fortunately, this isn't one of them.
In researching this opinion I reviewed the history of the Federalist Party, headed by rivals Hamilton and Adams, versus the Jeffersonians/Republicans. Adams was the first and only Federalist President. Within a generation, the Federalists had all but disappeared; in part, intraparty rivalries played a role, but the Republicans also began co-opting some of their opposition's principles, e.g., Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase. The Northeast, seat of industry and power base of the Federalists, prospered by trade, especially with Britain. For a number of reasons (British-American Indian alliances, interference with shipping, non-recognition of the naturalization of former English citizens, etc.), relations with Britain deteriorated, and war ensued, a British blockade crushed the Northeast economy. Public exposure of attempts by certain Federalists to broker a deal with Britain was probably the point of no return.
Chapman pointed out that the GOP elections of 1968-1988 were largely inspired by strong anti-Communist national defense and strong law-and-order domestic policies. His argument is that with the collapse of the USSR and declining crime rates over the past 2 decades, the Republicans have been lost without comparable follow-up themes. If anything, the loss of blood and treasure in what many consider poorly chosen wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and incompetently-run occupations have undermined GOP credibility on security.
I think it's an interesting discussion, but I don't think so:
- I would point out that the GOP has won the House the last 2 elections and holds a majority of governor's seats. Obama won 2 fewer states and millions fewer votes in his reelection. I would argue Obama's victory had more to do with the power of incumbency, superior ground game getting out the base, and an inept opposition candidate whom was outmaneuvered and let the Obama campaign define him.
- I do think both parties are running dated platforms. I think a more serious problem is that Dems have co-opted the GOP's signature tax cut issue. They've also attempted to co-opt the traditional security argument based on the UBL Abbottabad operation and the escalated drone campaign. If I was the GOP, I would be arguing that the biggest threat to security starts with an anemic economy and competing spending priorities.
- I would hesitate to argue like Chapman "it's all about security". I think the primary issue since the 2000 election had been domestic policy: in particular, slow growth, high unemployment. The GOP needs to explicitly address failing domestic programs and elitist agendas--there are some striking comparisons between the Federalists and today's progressive Democrats, the Jeffersonians and today's Republicans; for example, today's Democrats dominate the Northeast and today's Republicans dominate the South and farm states. Can you imagine what Thomas Jefferson would think of his party today doubling down on the Fed during so-called financial reform or arguing you could use the General Welfare clause in the Constitution to run the national debt past its credit limit?
- I have argued that the GOP needs to run more positive, pro-liberty traditional value campaigns (e.g., self-reliance, hard work ethics, thriftiness, etc.), scale back unsustainable government and reduce the government's burden (taxes and regulations) smothering economic growth. GOP candidates need to choose their battles very carefully, especially when certain issues have limited applicability to national policies.
Political Cartoon
 |
| Courtesy of Nate Beeler and Townhall |
Journey, "Faithfully". My baby brother's favorite Journey hit--one of the best (if not the best) power ballads of the 80's; the arrangement and vocals are brilliant and unforgettable. My primary criticism is the lyrics are unduly focused on working in the music industry (like Kiss' signature ballad "Beth"). I suppose every music fan daydreams of being an entertainer ("Here's Ron and the Eggheads...") and find it difficult to empathize with rich rock stars traveling all over the world to sellout venues of adoring fans, But a lot of people endure a road warrior lifestyle to support their families; servicemen go on isolated tours, etc. The lyrics could easily be adapted so fans can more readily identify with the song. (Now I'll have millions of Journey fans flaming me...)
