BENEDICT ARNOLDS OF THE GOP By DICK MORRIS
Published on TheHill.com on February 10, 2009
Because of the concentrated efforts of millions of Republicans all over America, Susan Collins (Maine) was reelected to the Senate, surviving a challenge once thought to be serious. She won, in large part, because she was able to drown her Democratic adversary in a sea of campaign spending made possible by donations from Republicans throughout the nation. As a result of their efforts, the GOP preserved its 40th vote in the Senate.
And when Saxby Chambliss was forced into a runoff in the Georgia Senate race, Republicans from all over the United States poured out their hearts and their funds to get him reelected, all to save the 41st vote and be able to filibuster Democrats' big spending proposals.
Now the actions of three people who told their voters that they were Republicans have eliminated any hope that the GOP has for influence during the next two years. By making their own deals with the Obama administration and settling for cosmetic improvements in the so-called stimulus package, Sens. Collins, Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) have sold out their party, their state and their supporters.
Don't buy their excuse that they shaved more than one hundred billion dollars in spending from the Senate version. By the time the Senate/House conference reconciles the differences between the versions of the legislation passed by the two houses, most of that spending will be back in the law anyway.
Collins, Snowe and Specter had a chance to send a message to Obama that he had to deal with the Republican Party to avert a filibuster. They could have made it clear that genuine bipartisan cooperation was necessary to pass legislation. These three senators, pledged to cut taxes and oppose massive growth in federal spending, could have demanded a 2-to-1 ratio for tax cuts over spending, rather than the reverse, as Obama is succeeding in getting.
Instead, the three wimped out and caved in for peanuts from Obama. In doing so, they completely stripped their party of any leverage. There was no point in having gotten 41 votes if the three weakest links could sell the party out.
This stimulus package will:
• Hurt economic recovery by elbowing aside private borrowers and consumers as the government goes to the front of the line to borrow adequate funds to cover its deficit.
• Invite massive inflation in the future as consumers and businesspeople sit on most of the money until times improve. Then, when confidence begins to return -- no thanks to the stimulus package -- they will deluge the economy with money, triggering massive inflation.
• Expand government and spend borrowed money on projects that may have some long-term merit but are scarcely our top priority right now.
Republicans in Maine and Pennsylvania need to learn their lesson and assure that these three senators face a primary. Real conservatives, who oppose larger government, must stand up to these three phony Republicans.
They'll get their chance. Specter is up for reelection in 2010. He should have been defeated in 2006 when a real conservative, Pat Toomey, opposed him in a primary and only narrowly lost. Better luck next time.
The very concept of checks and balances evaporated last week on Capitol Hill when these three senators sold out their colleagues and stripped their conference of its power. Now Obama can buy off the GOP senator by senator without having to make genuine compromises with the other party to pass his agenda.
In 1993, Clinton was not able to buy Republicans retail. Only Vermont's Jim Jeffords, who soon became a Democrat, gave way and dealt independently with the president. Now, with their backs to the wall, facing a spending package that will consign America to rampant inflation, massive debt and continued recession, these three senators have gone back on their most fundamental pledge to their constituents -- to act in the public good.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
The Stimulus Bill Passes
The bill passed with the expected votes from Republican senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe from Maine and Arlen Specter from Pennsylvania. Does this mean that this vote is "bipartisan"? Hardly; these senators, who call themselves "moderate" republicans, may as well switch parties based on their voting history. These three republicans indicated that they were voting yes because the democrats had changed and reduced the bill by $100 billion. But the Senate democrats had raised the $819 billion House bill by $100 billion. So the final Senate bill of $834 billion ends being slightly more than the $819 billion House bill. Is the new bill a different bill? Who knows? It is not easy to sift through the text of either the House or the Senate bill.
Regardless of the differences there may be between the two bills, the final version will still be the huge spending bill that Obama wants. Bill O'Reilly and others in the media are asking how it is that Obama has allowed Nancy Pelosi to get away with a bill full of the usual Congress pet projects. As if Obama had nothing to do with the contents of this legislation! Let’s not kid ourselves. This is the bill that Mr. Obama has wanted; he asked for these items. One has only to read his inaugural address and his Agenda, which includes The President’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan in the White House website. If you read this plan and compare it to the stimulus bill you will see how the bill follows Mr. Obama's plan. Here are some some examples:
Obama's Plan: 95% of working families will receive a $1,000 tax cut
Stimulus Bill: $275 billion: Payroll tax cuts ($500 for each individual, $1000 for couples)
Obama's Plan: double the production of alternative energy in the next three years
Stimulus Bill: $20 billion for renewable energy tax cuts
Obama's Plan: modernize more than 75% of federal buildings
Stimulus Bill: $6.7 billion to renovate and improve energy efficiency at federal buildings.
Obama's Plan: improve the energy efficiency of two million American homes
Stimulus Bill: $6 billion for weatherizing modest-income homes
Obama's Plan: ensure that all of America’s medical records are computerized
Stimulus Bill: $20 billion for health information technology, including electronic medical records
Obama's Plan: save the public sector jobs of teachers, cops, firefighters and others who provide vital services.
Stimulus Bill: $79 billion in state fiscal relief to prevent cutbacks to key services
Obama's Plan: Equip tens of thousands of schools, community colleges, and public universities with 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries
Stimulus Bill: $41 billion to local school districts through Title I; $6 billion for higher education modernization
Obama's Plan: Help Americans who have lost their jobs with extensions of unemployment insurance and healthcare coverage
Stimulus Bill: $39 billion for short-term Medicaid insurance and Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) subsidy
Now, some of these pet/pork items perhaps were not requested by Obama, but he has not asked Congress to change the bill or to remove these items. The following are some of many in this bill. Are any job-producing, other than temporary, one-project jobs? What happens to the jobs when each of these projects is completed?
• $125 million for the Washington sewer system.
• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.
• $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.
• $75 million for "smoking cessation activities."
• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.
• $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.
• $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.
• $500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.
• $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.
• $6 billion to turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.
• $500 million for state and local fire stations.
• $650 million for wild land fire management on forest service lands.
• $1.2 billion for "youth activities," including youth summer job programs.
• $88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.
• $412 million for CDC buildings and property.
• $500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.
• $160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.
• $5.5 million for "energy efficiency initiatives" at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.
• $850 million for Amtrak.
• $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.
• $75 million to construct a "security training" facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.
• $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.
• $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations
This bill has probably been in the works by the Obama people since the beginning of the campaign. The Agenda has been carefully planned. Obama is smartly executing his plan as soon as possible before he loses popularity.
Regardless of the differences there may be between the two bills, the final version will still be the huge spending bill that Obama wants. Bill O'Reilly and others in the media are asking how it is that Obama has allowed Nancy Pelosi to get away with a bill full of the usual Congress pet projects. As if Obama had nothing to do with the contents of this legislation! Let’s not kid ourselves. This is the bill that Mr. Obama has wanted; he asked for these items. One has only to read his inaugural address and his Agenda, which includes The President’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan in the White House website. If you read this plan and compare it to the stimulus bill you will see how the bill follows Mr. Obama's plan. Here are some some examples:
Obama's Plan: 95% of working families will receive a $1,000 tax cut
Stimulus Bill: $275 billion: Payroll tax cuts ($500 for each individual, $1000 for couples)
Obama's Plan: double the production of alternative energy in the next three years
Stimulus Bill: $20 billion for renewable energy tax cuts
Obama's Plan: modernize more than 75% of federal buildings
Stimulus Bill: $6.7 billion to renovate and improve energy efficiency at federal buildings.
Obama's Plan: improve the energy efficiency of two million American homes
Stimulus Bill: $6 billion for weatherizing modest-income homes
Obama's Plan: ensure that all of America’s medical records are computerized
Stimulus Bill: $20 billion for health information technology, including electronic medical records
Obama's Plan: save the public sector jobs of teachers, cops, firefighters and others who provide vital services.
Stimulus Bill: $79 billion in state fiscal relief to prevent cutbacks to key services
Obama's Plan: Equip tens of thousands of schools, community colleges, and public universities with 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries
Stimulus Bill: $41 billion to local school districts through Title I; $6 billion for higher education modernization
Obama's Plan: Help Americans who have lost their jobs with extensions of unemployment insurance and healthcare coverage
Stimulus Bill: $39 billion for short-term Medicaid insurance and Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) subsidy
Now, some of these pet/pork items perhaps were not requested by Obama, but he has not asked Congress to change the bill or to remove these items. The following are some of many in this bill. Are any job-producing, other than temporary, one-project jobs? What happens to the jobs when each of these projects is completed?
• $125 million for the Washington sewer system.
• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.
• $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.
• $75 million for "smoking cessation activities."
• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.
• $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.
• $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.
• $500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.
• $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.
• $6 billion to turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.
• $500 million for state and local fire stations.
• $650 million for wild land fire management on forest service lands.
• $1.2 billion for "youth activities," including youth summer job programs.
• $88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.
• $412 million for CDC buildings and property.
• $500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.
• $160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.
• $5.5 million for "energy efficiency initiatives" at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.
• $850 million for Amtrak.
• $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.
• $75 million to construct a "security training" facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.
• $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.
• $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations
This bill has probably been in the works by the Obama people since the beginning of the campaign. The Agenda has been carefully planned. Obama is smartly executing his plan as soon as possible before he loses popularity.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)