#2
Another characterized Obama was "the most dangerous smooth talker on the planet- and I knew Kissinger." Both were voters for Obama in the last election.
Then they're bloody well getting what they deserve. Stop ye'r bitchin, man-up, sit down and ride the bus.
#7
I really have no idea how Obama expects to finance a near $2 trillion deficit this year, or the next or the next again? Even China doesn't have that many dollars, and even if they did, they are reducing their net exposure to US treasuries. The only other options I see is printing Mugabe quantities of $ or seizing the wealth citizens well over and above the top 35% tax rate, to like 50%.
#2
Excellent! Ridge seemed like one of the few truly honest people in Washington.
Posted by: ed ||
05/06/2009 19:53 Comments ||
Top||
#3
No charisma. Not particularly competent. But acceptable. And clearly better than Specter (or gag, Franken in MN.) Honest? Probably not - doesn't seem ANY politician is - but better than most.
So just who's tracking that $787 billion in taxpayer money that President Obama and the Democrat-led Congress are doling out? You are. Or you're supposed to be, anyway.
"We are, in essence, deputizing the entire American citizenry to help with the oversight of this program," said Rep. Brad Miller, chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology's subcommittee on investigations and oversight.
So, too, said Earl Devaney, the ex-cop who's now chairman of the Recovery Act Accountability and Transparency Board, charged with tracking the torrent of cash now pouring out of federal coffers.
"I'm going to have millions of citizens to help me," he said, comparing run-of-the-mill Americans to inspectors general, the high-ranking officials charged with ferreting out waste and abuse in federal agencies.
"I'm going to have a million little IGs running around," the chairman said Tuesday after his testimony before the subcommittee.
And perhaps that's just as well, given the turnout of the panel tasked with keeping track of thousands of millions of dollars. Just three of the 10 members bothered to show up for the subcommittee's second meeting, dramatically titled "Follow the Money Part II."
"These hearings are titled 'follow the money' after the character in the movie - and the book - 'All the President's Men,' " Mr. Miller said. "The Deep Throat character, he told [reporters Carl] Bernstein and [Bob] Woodward to trace the money back to find out where the corruption began.
"We hope this will not end up as anything as sordid as that was," he joked.
Still, the North Carolina Democrat said he realized that tracking so much money will be difficult, acknowledging that "we're trying to spend $500 billion quickly."
Mr. Devaney, though, said his board - made up of 10 IGs - has a dual mission: "First, the board is responsible for establishing and maintaining a Web site." Oh, and second, it's supposed to "help minimize fraud, waste or mismanagement."
While Mr. Miller and the panel's top Republican were there, only Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, Pennsylvania Democrat, also came along to the hearing. Absent were Democratic Reps. Steven R. Rothman of New Jersey, Lincoln Davis of Tennessee, Charlie Wilson of Ohio, Alan Grayson of Florida and Bart Gordon of Tennessee. Republican Reps. Brian P. Bilbray of California and Ralph M. Hall of Texas also skipped the session.
Still, to a sparse crowd, Mr. Miller got right to the point. "President Obama promised a level of transparency, through the Internet, Recovery.gov. ... How do you intend to provide that level of transparency, to see how - who actually got the contract to pour asphalt?"
"As I mentioned in my testimony," Mr. Devaney said, "that Web site is evolving. ... I would probably be the first to admit today the Web site doesn't give you that kind of information."
Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia, the subcommittee's ranking Republican, noted that he voted against the $787 billion stimulus plan. "Simply put, the American people need to know what they got for their money," he said. "Under the Obama budget, the national debt will double in five years and triple in 10."
Mr. Broun was most interested in Mr. Obama's claim that the recovery plan would create "or save" 4 million jobs, but noted that the number of jobs "saved" is likely unknowable and that since the president took office, 1.3 million jobs have been lost.
"How do you plan to verify the actual number of jobs created?" he asked.
"Sir, we haven't really received any information about that on the Web site," Mr. Devaney said.
The repeated lack of information, though, sets up a fantastic sequel: "Follow the Money III."
#1
Still, the North Carolina Democrat said he realized that tracking so much money will be difficult, acknowledging that "we're trying to spend $500 billion quickly."
Despite promises from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) would retain his seniority after switching parties, Specter will be put at the end of the seniority line on all his committees but one under a resolution approved on the floor late Tuesday.
Under the modified organizing resolution, Specter will not keep his committee seniority on any of the five committees that he serves on and will be the junior Democrat on all but one -- the chamber's Special Committee on Aging. On that committee, he will be next to last in seniority.
As a result, Specter -- who as a Republican was ranking member on the Judiciary Committee and a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, as well as ranking member of the panel's Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education -- will now rank behind all the other Democrats, at least until the end of this Congress.
According to a senior Democratic aide, it remains unclear whether Specter -- who will still retain his seniority in the Senate outside of the committees -- will see a boost in his committee seniority should he be re-elected for the next session. The status of his seniority for the next Congress will be determined once the 112th Congress convenes in 2011, the aide said.
Democrats said that while unrelated, Specter's comments to the New York Times Magazine this weekend indicating he would support former Sen. Norm Coleman's (R-Minn.) disputed re-election bid against Al Franken have angered many Democrats.
"Sen. Specter better watch comments like these. They won't help him in the caucus," a Democratic leadership aide said, adding that the comments have "caused a lot of heartburn in the caucus."
#3
Democrats said that while unrelated, Specter's comments to the New York Times Magazine this weekend indicating he would support former Sen. Norm Coleman's (R-Minn.) disputed re-election bid against Al Franken have angered many Democrats.
The donks aren't going to like your new start fresh out of the box. You are not following the party line or being politically correct Arlen. You were thinking you had First Amendment Rights huh? Guess again.
#10
FOX NEWS AM > IIRC seems SPECTER's allegedly racist remarks suppor COLEMAN as the "last Jew/Jewish member" in the US Senate is twhat killed 'ole Arlen's seeenroarity status???
-- So Michele Bachmann's version of history is "from another planet." Bobby Jindal, the Republican governor of Louisiana, is "chronically stupid." And Eric Cantor of Virginia, the second-ranking Republican in the House, is "busy lying constantly."
That at least is according to posts on three left-leaning blogs.
Continued on Page 49
#2
...Oh, f'r Gawd's sake, why is anyone surprised? The man's a Chicago machine politician. That's how they roll.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
05/06/2009 6:15 Comments ||
Top||
#3
"somehow, the magnanimity isn't there"
That is the way with nascent tyrants. They can't stop the attacks until they have reached a perfect state. Which being impossible, means that they are never going to be magnanimous.
#5
Gov. Jindal may be many things, but one thing he clearly is NOT is "chronically stupid." I would not be surprised if he had the highest IQ of any governor or Congressman.
#6
Glenmore, you silly, the gentleman is a Republican. Of course he is brain damages! Just look at what is believed about George W. Bush, with a degree in history from Yale and an MBA from Harvard. Or about people like you and me, who vote straight Republican ticket for the moment.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
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Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
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Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
.jpg)
So just who's tracking that $787 billion in taxpayer money that President Obama and the Democrat-led Congress are doling out? You are. Or you're supposed to be, anyway. 
Despite promises from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) would retain his seniority after switching parties, Specter will be put at the end of the seniority line on all his committees but one under a resolution approved on the floor late Tuesday. 
