The myth Republicans want you to buy into is that the idea of ‘big government’ is still all about taxes and your concealed weapon. Today though, it’s more about equal rights, privacy and most importantly the distribution of federal funds in a way that benefits the people. The Bush version of big government is all about, who in our society has to work their tails off for theirs, and who doesn’t. At the end of the day, who among us got to pick something off of the fancy desert cart when we really didn’t deserve it?
In one of my last articles LINK I pointed out a clear example of this. Boeing is a corporation that has been plagued by scandal involving the sale of flawed products, influence-pedaling and ultimately fleecing the taxpayers. The Pentagon restricted them from being rewarded further contracts based on their past indiscretions and what happens? Big government drops a sweet missile sale in their lap to the country currently housing Osama Bin Laden.
In 1995 the amount of pork barrel spending signed off on by President Bill Clinton was $10 billion. That number rose to $14.5 billion in 1997, but in his last year the number was $12 billion. In President Bush’s first year in office, that number jumped to $17.7 billion and has risen steadily each year and in 2004 equaled $22.9 billion. The current year’s budget allows for $27.3 billion. This equals a 227.5% increase since Bush’s first year in office. He has yet to veto a single bill as president.
This is Bush’s version of big government. Collect less in taxes, run up debt to cover the pork and bribes, then ensure there’s nothing left for the people. Starve the states and as many social programs as possible. His partners in the House and Senate get their pet projects approved and in turn comply with every request the White House makes along the way. It’s a dishonest way of doing business, a system based on bribes and subsequent compliance. In DC the game is to keep your hand extended long enough, and regardless of the sins you may have committed, the terrorists you house, the money you’ve stolen – in the end everyone gets fed but the taxpayer.
compassionate conservatism in action, biuld a billion dollar bridge to no where so the homeless will have something to sleep under.
Yes right thinker I know not that many people are going to sleep under a bridge in Alaska, this post is a metaphore.
Yes right thinker I know not that many people are going to sleep under a bridge in Alaska, this post is a metaphore.
Yeouch!! Right out of the gate, Karl comes swinging. Being the compassionate conservative that I am I will turn the other cheek. BTW, if you are ever in Vegas, I’ll save you a spot under the I-15 overpass.
In DC the game is to keep your hand extended long enough, and regardless of the sins you may have committed, the terrorists you house, the money you’ve stolen – in the end everyone gets fed but the taxpayer.
I’m surprised at you, you express strong liberal views and yet you denounce one of liberals most cherished social programs, wellfare. Oh wait, you must mean corporate wellfare, bonuses for the people who create jobs. I got that confused with the people who don’t work but get paid anyway.
Either way, you sorta right, in the end everyone gets fed but the taxpayer.
This big government thing is bothering me too but why are you complaining that Bush is following the liberal master plan?
Remember the discussion about liberals forgetting about long standing principles once Bush embraces them? Dems love big government unless Bush is doing it, Dems love Social Security unless Bush is doing it, Dems love wellfare unless Bush is doing it. What’s the deal?
This logging in thing isn’t keeping my posts out of moderation.
Ohh, I stand corrected, it just worked.
HA! For the past few days when I’ve seen ‘comments waiting moderation’ and your name would be in there…*&$%!
Couldn’t figure out why someone could post their second comment ever and it goes right through, but here it is, you’ve been posting quite a bit and the system doesn’t work. I’m glad it finally is…clicking ’send’ and not seeing your words on the board SUCKS…thanks for the patience, dude. Now the rapid fire posting can finally begin!
The money goes all over the place. In every area spending increased, EXCEPT for…guess…ok, I’ll say – Veterans Administration. That’s another article, or part of the next military piece. It seems like the urge to go off on this country’s treatment of the military and how it’s a 180 degree turn compared with what is said about the military. But that’s for another post…
My source on all this is:
http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=reports_pigbook2005
I’d encourage everyone to take a look at this site. When a teacher has to spend their own money for supplies to use in class, these line items are why. If our country’s media was worth a damn at all collectively – the information from this site would be mentioned on the front page/top story area more often.
This information really tells me why the companies Bush ran when he was younger ended up going belly up. He’s never had to worry about balancing the checkbook.
I think it instead proves that Republicans are the best at complaining. ‘Big government’ was and still is considered a Democrat thing…yet spending in ’95 was only 10 billion. Republicans were raking the president over the coals for that. Look at the amount of pork now…and what exactally were Republicans complaining about back then?
It’s not the ‘liberal’ way of doing things to hand money out left and right to whoever delivered the votes for a junior congressman from Alabama, or fishery owned by the father of a hooker that junior congressman sees once a week.
Liberals aren’t the party of big government – politicians are the party of big government. Republicans just produce leaders who are worse at managing it. Defecits are a staple of Republican presidencies since I’ve been alive. It’s smile, own a ranch and clear some brush for the camera, and let the people working for you do whatever the hell they want. Sums up Reagan and Bush Jr. pretty well as far as I’m concerned.
Clinton cheated on his wife…these two presidencies have produced some serious reasons for why the rest of the world hates us. Guatemala – Iran Contra – Nicargua – Arms sales to Iraq and Iran while they were fighting one another (the footage of Rumsfeld meeting with Saddam is damning) – and now we have a serious mess on our hands that really requires some tallent and outstanding leadership.
I don’t think Bush has the skill necessary to lead the country out of this. He’s thus far shrunk from every microphone, he’s been saying the same tired old line about the war for over a year now…but I’ve got a piece in the works on this.
Leadership is a lot of things. It’s an idea of ‘the buck stops here’…and Bush’s presidency has none of this. It’s all about limiting exposure and hoping the ceiling doesn’t collapse before the 8 years are up.
or fishery owned by the father of a hooker that junior congressman sees once a week.
Hey, is that a “smells like tuna” joke?
Republicans just produce leaders who are worse at managing it. Defecits are a staple of Republican presidencies since I’ve been alive.
Actually, studies have shown that Republican Congresses and Democratic Presidents show the most fiscal responsibility. Liberaa prez. tries to buy everything in site and conservatives cancel all the checks.
At least when a Rupublican runs a deficeit, things happen, progress is made. Reagan ran deficeits but almost crushed communism so I’m cool with that. If only Saddam had complied, Bush would have been able to focus on and solve so many of these domestic issues that have been haunting us since the liberla heyday.
but I’ve got a piece in the works on this.
I bet you do. Does it start at the beginning or is this like Episode 4 where it starts right in the miidle?
I don’t think Bush has the skill necessary to lead the country out of this.
I think he not only has the skill but the temperment and drive to see it through as long as he needs to. He knows the definition of the word is and he’s going to present his views on the war from the priviledged position of an informed commander in chief.
he’s been saying the same tired old line about the war for over a year now
Why would he come out with different views of the war, the reasons for going are the same now as they were then. He is steady, focused, determined, disciplined and is a believer in freedom and democracy.
Leadership is a lot of things. It’s an idea of ‘the buck stops here’…and Bush’s presidency has none of this. It’s all about limiting exposure and hoping the ceiling doesn’t collapse before the 8 years are up.
Actually, Bush has it made, it’s smooth sailing to the end of his term, no more elections for him and these midterm 06 elections should go well for Republicans since they have essentially proved their point about Iraq.
But there’s always Michael Moore to make a propaganda film that exploits even more people and makes him richer so who knows.
Right thinker:
Thx for saving me a place on the I 15, although next time I go to vegas I am hoping to convince some hotel I am a high roller and get comped, it is good to know I have a place to stay if that does not work.
In your response you say liberals love big government unless it is Bush’s big government. What really bothers me about Bush’s big government is at he does not seem to want to pay for it. The federal debt is becoming a problem at least when Clinton started a program he figured out how to pay for it. A huge part of the problem is the Iraq war has been much more expensive thatn planned, now would be a good time to show some leadership and maybe repeal some tax cuts or lower farm subsidies to pay for the war. Borrowing is a good way to keep it off people minds but not a good fiscal policy.
As for the plan to throw money at faith based orginizations you I would probably never agree on the merits of it, but at least lets figure out a way to pay for it that does not involve more borrowing. By borrowing to finance most policies the merit as a cost to benefits gets lost. It is sort of like when someone gets their first credit card sometimes they go a little crazy because it does not seem like real money.
Yea…at least when Clinton borrowed to pay for his policies, he was hammered for it. People complain about a liberal media, but Bush gets a free pass on this stuff for the most part.
Parcells?
What if you remove the Clinton administration? From what I know of government – the legislature draws up the bills and the President decides what to sign off on. Only with a…75% (I think) vote can the Senate override the President’s veto. Your description of it makes it sound like Clinton would write up the bills and the Senate would sign them.
Subtract the cost of the war and he’s still over budget. The war hasn’t seemed to distract him much. How about the 30 day tour across the US for SS reform?
Heh – I just close my eyes and go…sometimes there are Tom-Toms and sometimes it’s all about the double sided light saber.
We’ll see – He’s shirked the responsibility of addressing the military concerns. He has delegated too much to Rumsfeld in my opinion.
We’re there now, the speech has to change to cover what’s happening there now. If the public is worried about recruiting shortfalls like I am – he should be giving us an assurance of some kind that he’s got a plan. When things happen, they need to be addressed. I feel like he’s just ignoring the unpleasant.
You know…after watching O’Reiley last night – I’m not so sure there’s much difference between what Moore does and what FoxNews does everyday. At least Moore has footage – FoxNews just talks. Their ratings are tanking btw…they’ve lost over 50% of their viewers in the prime demographic since the election. CNN has already tapered off, but they keep going down by the month. People are getting hip to the flip.
Your description of it makes it sound like Clinton would write up the bills and the Senate would sign them.
Maybe your right. I thought the executive branch could make executive orders that bind the government to financial obligations. So maybe the Republicans wouldn’t send anything the democrat prez. would want and that is how it stays so lean. I’ll have to look into how the prez. requests same party law makers to submit legislation he wants enacted.
I am hoping to convince some hotel I am a high roller and get comped
It’s gotten to the point here that getting comped is part of the urban folklore. I’ve been here over three years and have yet to get anything complimentary. You only get comped if you have these loyalty card, like the ones you get from the grocery store.
Then you only get comped when your spending reaches certain levels. It’s a lot like points on a credit card but they even track your gambling, so buying a bunch of chips and then cashing out doesn’t work.
Yea…at least when Clinton borrowed to pay for his policies, he was hammered for it. People complain about a liberal media, but Bush gets a free pass on this stuff for the most part.
Clinton didn’t borrow anything, he raised taxes which is stealing in the minds of most Americans.
Subtract the cost of the war and he’s still over budget. The war hasn’t seemed to distract him much. How about the 30 day tour across the US for SS reform?
Well, that is of dire importance that we get this overhaul. I want my private account!!!!
Heh – I just close my eyes and go…sometimes there are Tom-Toms and sometimes it’s all about the double sided light saber.
Like how I can infuse Star Wars into the conversation? Somneday I hope to have the balls to use it in an actual business meeting.
“If our company continues to allow operations to be late on their production reports we could end up in a situation not too unlike the one in which the Jedi found themselves in Episode 2 where a clone army had been created on the planet of Kamino completely unbeknownst to Executive Management and Marketing. We’ll probablyhave to restate the earnings for the quarter.”
You know…after watching O’Reiley last night – I’m not so sure there’s much difference between what Moore does and what FoxNews does everyday.
With O’Reiley, you know it’s O’Reiley and it’s his opinion. Moore takes real life footage and then edits it and repackages it in a manner that what really happened is lost and a new “fact” is presented. Moore creates lies where O’Reiley pushes his views and opinions of other events. It’s ahuge difference.
Right thinker:
I just read bringing down the house, so I am planning on going to vegas taking them for few mill and retiring, this seems like a more realistic plan the one Bush kind of sort of put forth.
It was probably easier to get comped when the mob allegedly ran vegas, at least those guys had a heart, now the corporations really make things tough.
Peace out
No – when a bill had unnecessary pork shoved into it, Clinton would send it back to the legislature with instructions on what needed to happen before he signed it. Whereas the pork that’s shoved into bills today are all approved. Not a single veto. If it gets by the leadership of the House and Senate, it’s a law.
Bush used this same idea of being a human rubber stamp in reviewing the appeals of death row inmates while governor in Texas. ‘Well, i’m sure such and such knows what they’re doing’. Basically missing the entire point of why we have governors and presidents in the first place.
I don’t get this logic. We have a government that is there for us, and we all pay into the government so it can run. Now, instead of us paying into it to make it run, we borrow the money needed.
How can what we’re doing now in running up debt be a good thing compared with actually paying as we go? This type of leadership is what turns corporations into auction houses.
DI: Subtract the cost of the war and he’s still over budget. The war hasn’t seemed to distract him much. How about the 30 day tour across the US for SS reform?
RT: Well, that is of dire importance that we get this overhaul. I want my private account!!!!
Some people not wanting to contribute to social security is nothing of dire importance. That’s the problem, this concept that a citizen’s wish to donate less money to a social program is more important than people dying. Your bank account is not worth more than a human life. And you can already establish a private account anytime you chose to.
Look at the amount of money Bush has taken from SS’s reserve. Kind of hypocritical to steal funding and then say there’s a crisis. He wants to destroy the program. It’s been a goal of these people for decades. Let’s not pretend this is about personal accounts or any other sidebar concept they’ve rolled out to distract us.
The Iraq war is much more important than the solvency of social security – – – decades before it goes bust…meanwhile, people in Iraq die every day. What’s more urgent? I think it’s obvious.
HA! Nice…everyone’s always beating up on Operations. Hey – I know, USE THE FORCE…call it Six Sigma!
How can he call anything he does ‘fair and balanced’? He’s a joke. Ratings information indicates that his average radio listiner is a senior citizen…AVERAGE. I’ve been meaning to look this up for a few days after hearing it on Al Franken’s show, but haven’t had the chance.
Moore can bludgeon something alright, but in the end, he’s going to end up doing this country more good than bad. Without him around, I’d have never known about the GM factory closings in Flint – what the company Bechtel even does or that it existed, etc. FoxNews complained about him calling his work a documentary – meanwhile their entire primetime lineup is commentary on a channel called ‘News’.
I’m not going to battle for Moore – as Fox may have a point…I just think it’s classic hypocracy. This is why their ratings are falling. The jig is up. Their ‘between segment anchors’ will have to start reading the teleprompter naked…or maybe up the slut w/ their makeup. Laurie Dhue…is that one of them still? Slickest lips in the biz!