I love how Republicans think. It’s excellent comedy as well as great pretzel logic to keep my thinking sharp.
Take Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) yesterday as he lashed out against the stimulus, claiming there is “stinky stuff” in it. He said
“there’s is a ton of stuff we need to cut of out this bill,” and that lawmakers “need to be in a 10-step program” to get the country back to what the founding fathers envisioned. An interesting point, since his voting record would show him to be an excellent and reliable backer of the Bush crime family’s crusade AGAINST the Constitution and the notions that made this country great. But I digress.
First off, let’s go ahead and have the cheap giggle that it’s actually a 12-step program, not a 10 step. But second, let’s consider that this addition to spending is something that the Republicans have had for the last 8 years while they were in control. So long as the programs were things that THEY wanted (like war or tax breaks for the wealthy) they were in the right and it’s OK to be so. Now that the tide has turned and the American people have voted in an administration to undo that horseapple, they suddenly want to be in recovery. Balderdash. Republicans don’t like spending money on Americans, they like spending money on corporations that enhance their own personal positions and wealth. Or that of their buddies. They do not want to assist the common man or the American worker.
Perhaps Senator Lindsay Graham is another good example, as he waved the bill about on the Senate floor yesterday talking about how we should be doing things differently in this post-partisan period. Ah, now I understand. Since the Republicans are no longer in control, it needs to be a post-partisan period. Well, it is fair to say that Obama got elected on such notions – but non-partisan wrangling means that the Republicans get to come towards the middle of the issue as well. The problem is that Republicans want post-partisan to mean that Democrats STILL come over to their way of thinking. Unlike the last 8 years, when the Republicans essentially spat upon any notion that was even middle of the road – if it wasn’t their way, it was the highway.
We see this on right wing talk as well as the Senate floor. The RushoReillyHannity clan is trying desperately to make any noise they can to squash the wave of change that is coming. It will not bode well for them if, after about 30 years of their fiscal policies (yes, again I lump Clinton in on that) we have been left with a bankrupt country that does not take care of it’s own people, yet is masterful at putting money into the hands of wealthy corporate interests. Worse, if the new spending notions actually increase the quality of life here in the good ol’ USofA they will be exposed for the liars and thieves that they have been.
Let’s think logically for a moment here. If tax cuts were really the panacea that the Republicans claim them to be, then the last 8 years should have put us into great straights. If Republicans were really concerned about America and American people, then, having seen the failing economy, they should have done more tax cuts while they had the chance. But whom are we kidding? Tax cuts are not the answer, we all know it. Tax cuts are a little bit more cash in (my) pocket while the rest of the country goes to hell. And that’s part of the problem here: Republican philosophy is all about selfishness and what’s in MY pocket, not realizing that it’s A) not all about them and B) sometimes, when other people get a job it benefits you.
The Republican philosophy is all short term gain with no long term game. And it’s not that the Republicans are stupid – it’s that they are working hard to continue to Reagan revolution ideals that espoused the elimination of social entitlements. The best way to do that is to bankrupt the country, so they are hard at work on it. Make no mistake, their goal is the elimination of social safety nets or anything that takes money from them or their buddies. And the current noise is simply a continuation of that policy.
Anti-America, Anti-American thugs. that’s all. Partisan boneheads that do not have the best interests of the country in mind, or we’d not be where we are today. Keep that in mind: The Republicans screaming about how the stimulus is all wrong now, after they spent their way into a coma over the last 8 years is not just laughable, it’s borderline criminal.
PErk
“Let’s think logically for a moment here. If tax cuts were really the panacea that the Republicans claim them to be, then the last 8 years should have put us into great straights”
The was enormous growth over the last eight years perk. The problem was not the tax cuts or tax increases. Our economy is strong enough to bend a little one way or the other. The problem is the corruption.
We had Fanny and Freddie reeling around ready to fall apart and it was declared a ‘fundamentally sound institution’
Tax breaks took us out of the 2000-2001 recession and stimulated enormous growth. The problem was that banks were forced to give loans to people who couldn’t afford them. This was done on a mass scale. The warning signs were ignored because people in congress were in cahoots with big business. Corruption perk. Not Bush, not tax cuts, not deregulation.
The people who are supposed to oversee F&F and the rest of the bunch, turned a blind eye to the coming disaster just so they could line their own pockets.
Perk, after reading this post again I’m a little disappointed in you. I know it’s entertaining to start a partisan argument here at your blog but this is really going too far.
What you say about how ‘republicans think’ and how republicans are selfish and all of that stuff if just a bit ridiculous. It really is. You show a complete lack of understanding for how others REALLY think.
Boneheads, idiots, selfish, don’t care about anybody else, all of that is just really silly. I’m not even going to dignify this nonsense with an argument.
I’ll wait until you post something objective and intelligent. The rest of your readers can drink this kool-aid. I’m out.
Waiting for a real post…
@ Fanny and Freddie & amazing growth: we did not have growth. We had lots of profit, based on a pyramid like pushing of paper that has ended us where we are. Fannie and Freddie are hardly the sole cause of where we are, and their involvement is miniscule compared to the movement of craptastic loans shuffled about as “mortgage backed securities.” If you want to pin our economic woes on *them* you’ll need to do a bit more research and reading.
No one was forced to give a loan to anyone specifically. That was one of the largest fallacies in this whole mess – banks were no longer able to red line whole neighborhoods, just because on average the credit rating was (x). Freddie and Fannie had to find ways to loan to people that were of less stature than your average borrower, but the market took that inch and made a mile out of it for sheer profit’s sake. You really need to look a little deeper into how these mortgages were sold before you make that assertion. One of my clients is a very prominent mortgage broker and we’ve had lots of discussions along this line. I’m pretty up to speed on what he could do, and what he *did* do to make a profit.
LOL @ “Partisan argument” – I’ve got to say that I’m just really amused at how poorly you right-wingnuts can take what you’ve been giving out for the last THIRTY YEARS. The position is bereft of ideas, bankrupt in ideology and you’ve been assaulting liberals with the nastiest of language and disdainful lack of respect, that for you to have to hear those couple words and it sets you off that much just goes to show how far out of center y’all are.
“LOL @ “Partisan argument” – I’ve got to say that I’m just really amused at how poorly you right-wingnuts can take what you’ve been giving out for the last THIRTY YEARS.”
I can take whatever. Call me this or that it’s fine with me. I can take it. But your post is just an emotional rant that’s just way over the top. An intelligent person wouldn’t try to stimulate a high level, intelligent discourse with that kind of talk. It’s a non starter and an ineffective way to persuade.
Perhaps you should share that insight with Rush, Billo, Sean et al. They’ve seen it as spectacularly successful for a dozen years.
Orielly is not like rush and hannity. Not really. He’s just an old school irish catholic. You might have said Michael Savage instead, who by the way has 2 phd’s.
The similarity to me is their demeanor and unfortunate story spin. The are all 3 such the demagogue that it’s difficult to take them seriously – much like Mathews and Olbermann – although I find Olbermann’s sarcastic prose much more funny.
Michael Savage – eYIKES that guy is off the charts. Talk about extreme… he creeps the shit right out of me.
MORE REPUBLICAN SILLINESS???!!!
roflmao:
roflmao:
Is this to take the attention of our newly elected pinocchio?
I dont think in the history of politics, there has been a single person to LIE as much as Obama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H64yKJhB528
Thats just some funny stuff.
If you read at all, you’ll find more lies than can be reported. How long do you think the people will turn a cheek?
What happened to all the campaign promises? What happened to change?
The ironic part is not that there is no change, but that there is way more ‘politics as usual’ going on now then ever.
With all that is going on, how can a president make moving the us census to the white house a priority? The answer… he can’t. His strings are being pulled like a marionette! (like pinocchio). This guy is going to be worse than carter! European socialism has no place in America…. and he’s going to show us all why!
The real sad part is WE’RE going to have to foot the bill. Even BETTER… our KIDS will foot the bill. (if our country survives this liberal mess!!) Then in some crazy media frenzy…Everyone will blame the conservatives, and no one will mention the liberal screw ups that drove us in the ground!!!
More Liberal silliness!
:doh:
perk-
“I love how Republicans think.”
If you would just admit this more often, you might gain some common sense that would enable you to be more open minded.
21 days in and already we need a regime change!
http://www.zimbio.com/Barack+Obama/articles/1258/JANUS+FACED+AND+RACIST+OBAMA
funny picture!
Ah Trent, sweet Trent.
I am so delighted you could come by and continue to demonstrate why the ridiculous right is losing ground and voice every day. Certainly, the advertisers on Fox are pleased to have you as a watcher.
BTW: yes, that is a yummy drink of water right down there at that cool looking pond. Yep, just go walk right on in and take a drink, you’ll love it. Have a great day, and welcome to La Brea.
4 things here – and I’ll try to be brief.
1. I’m not ecstatic with a number of the people our new President has nominated or appointed. They’re NOWHERE near liberal enough for me. The insane politics of the last 30 years has brought us to this point and it needs a sharp and quick turn around. The mamby-pamby dem’s we have in congress are too busy trying to cover their asses because they capitulated so much over the last 8 years (afraid to be thought Un-American if they opposed shit like the Patriot Act and illegal wire-tapping). So I’m not thrilled with many of them.
2. How many loans have Fannie/Freddie given out? A: none. They’re not lending institutions. They buy the loans from independent brokerage houses who are only supposed to perform all the due-diligence up front – but didn’t. The blame for much of the housing issue lies with the snakes who were allowed to make horrible loans and pocket HUGE amounts of money in the process. FACT: better than 50% of the people who were given sub-prime loans actually qualified for standard 30 year mortgages, but there’s not as much money to made there so those people were steered into bad products. A stock broker can lose his license (I work in that industry) and potentially go to jail if he makes a trade that a client wants and doesn’t consider “suitability” – is this the best option for the client. However, because there was no oversight in this whole fiasco, it was open season on anyone wanting to buy a home and there’s no “limit.”
3. “Conservatives are selfish” – this is indeed a fact. I’ve never heard a conservative say “We …” It’s always “MY money,” “MY house,” “MY SUV,” … when in fact, the preamble of the Constitution begins with “We the people” … not “me the person.” We are a society – not a nation of Daniel Boone’s. What ever happened to “I am my brother’s keeper?” Unless there’s a dime or a tax write off in it for them, I’ve rarely seen conservatives freely do for others.
4. Republicans are pro-business, not pro-people. Want proof? Oddly enough, so do I.
q: name for me ONE piece of Republican legislation that benefited an individual MORE than it benefited a company?
There are two types of highly educated people:
1) Liberals
2) People who capitalize on the stupidity of everyone else by pretending to be conservative
Weird how that shakes out.
Granted, I’m neither as I’ve stated before. This government will not last much longer. It worked when it fit the founding fathers’ view of a liberal democratic republic, but not so much anymore. There’s no such thing as states’ rights, and even those who claim to be for them (Republicans) aren’t (pro-life, prohibition, FBI DEA CIA NSA et al).
“Conservatives are selfish” – this is indeed a fact”
tsk tsk.
Opinion NOT fact
“Republicans are pro-business, not pro-people. Want proof? Oddly enough, so do I.”
What does that even mean?
“name for me ONE piece of Republican legislation that benefited an individual MORE than it benefited a company?”
Companys are started by people. who employ people, whos money can feed these peoples family. WOW. did you really think they were all run by machines?
This type of thinking is the makes of typical liberals. Show your true colors… they’re not very bright!
roflmao:
@jairez
“3. “Conservatives are selfish” – this is indeed a fact. I’ve never heard a conservative say “We …” It’s always “MY money,” “MY house,””
Hey Jairez, can you give me a quick thousand bucks please? I deserve it don’t you think? After all it’s not YOUR money it’s OUR money. So how about it?
Hey Jairez, do you send donate EXTRA money to the gov’t every year when you do your taxes? Or are you selfishly paying as little as allowed by the law?
I wonder.
“q: name for me ONE piece of Republican legislation that benefited an individual MORE than it benefited a company?”
OMG! Jairez you are a great example of the ignorance on the left. Republican legislation??? Ever heard of ABE LINCOLN? You know, that selfish, stupid, racist republican that freed the slaves from your dixiecrats? Incredible!!
:doh:
@Obama
He’s looking bad right now. 5 of his appointees had embarrassing problems to say the least. Not good at all for B.O. He’s screwing this all up for himself. He’s not being true to his liberal ideals, not completely true. He is trying to be bipartisan and work with republicans. Nothing could be worse for him objectively speaking.
He’s is going to piss off his base. He’ll also be unable to bring forth any kind of change if he surrounds himself with the same old folks. A liberal president is liberal for a reason. He has already weighed many philosophical ideas and has decided that liberalism makes sense.
So in his heart, Obama believes that conservative principles are wrong. So why then have republicans in his inner circle? He should have appointed all total libs and tried to go as far left with this country as possible but he’s another dumbass that thinks he can be all things to all people.
Of course I believe that the more liberal the country is the worse it is so I’m glad B.O. is looking to be relatively pedestrian.
Wow you two are a mess.
Trent and Edgar you are so incredibly ill-informed and clearly focusing on nothing but right wing noise makers. Not only that, but your thinking is one dimensional and your logic is, well, not logic at all. It’s simply regurgitation of the crap you are listening to and watching.
I love it because your arguments are so shrill – your tone so mean – you know you’re losing it and you hate it. Just like a 3 year old that can’t have their blanky, you are crying like pussies because you’re losing control.
And thank god, because the pseudo-patriots you’ve looked up to for so long, and their mean-spirited, selfish policies have cost our country way, WAY too much.
You both seem to hate welfare – why then are you so keen on giving your money to corporations, lobbyists and the friends of Dick Cheney? Seems to me that if either of you took half a moment to look logically at where your money has gone, you at the very least would be equally pissed off at how the Republicans have stripped you of your cash AND your savings, and Rush, Billo, Hannity and the rest have been the mouth pieces that made you believe it was good!
Nope, not PC or “tolerant” of you at all. One good turn deserves another, and your party has shown NO TOLERANCE AT ALL for anyone on the other side of the aisle or different than you, so why in the WORLD would you expect tolerance back? Its well and good time that the boneheads that have caused us such trouble in the name of “freedom” get kicked to the curb, just as they deserve.
You can holler all you want about how Obama looks, but the truth is he’s got massive approval compared to your side, and the public knows that it’s the Republicunts that are stonewalling and causing problems for any economic recovery. “Post partisan” my ass. They want it their way or they cry like little girls. Hypocritical pussies that can’t take what they’ve dished out for years.
“Companys are started by people. who employ people, whos money can feed these peoples family. WOW. did you really think they were all run by machines?”
OK … so my bad. I granted you a modicum of intelligence and was hoping for some intellectual feedback. Instead, this is the same knee-jerk diatribe that’s best exemplified by any press conferences delivered by our last President. Nice … you’ve towed the line well.
All legislation is passed to (primarily) benefit either people (aka Individuals; aka “non-corporate” entities), or “corporate entities” (aka moneyed interests; monetary or market gain involved). Historically, the greatest rise of corporate interests began during the industrial revolution, so I’m absolutely willing to concede that once-upon-a-time, Republicans (including the “go to guy” for Republicans – Lincoln) had the best interests of the country in mind. However, since the robber barons of the late 19th century, the last Republican that put the welfare of the individual ahead of the welfare of the corporation was arguably Teddy Roosevelt. Sadly, he was one of the last. The combined efforts of Pres.’ Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover created the conditions of the great depression (classic boom-bubble-bust economies) that greatly mirror the trends of Republican presidents ever since. Their ideas that government service is the launching pad to riches (first evidenced by Harding’s Interior Secretary Fall eventually being found guilty in the Teapot Dome Scandal of the 1920′s.) So it (appears) to have begun. Republicans look to enrich themselves through government while “others” look to serve the common good.
While that is indeed a very broad stroke, and there are exceptions on both sides, it nevertheless begins the historical lens that will serve Republican politicians even to this day. See entire Bush term for examples (Trent Lott anyone?) – 9,000 registered lobbyist in 2001, over 40,000 in 2008. Are you kidding me? Who’s interest do you think they’re lobbying for? Mine? See the Republican Bankruptcy Bill (written oddly enough by the banking lobby), the Medicare Prescription Drug Bill (written by Pharma), The Clear Skies Initiative (written by the Oil lobby), NAFTA and CAFTA (written by prominent members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), Health Care Reform (written by Insurance lobby) …. etc.
By and large, under Republican administrations Corporate Interest trumps individual interests.
Again … prove me wrong. Show me a piece of Republican sponsored legislation that has had a greater benefit to me as an American citizen, than it has had to a tax-dodging, outsourcing, free loading corporation?
This time … let’s try it with facts and thoughtful input instead of knee-jerk reactionary and infantile emotion.
@Perkiset – “Just like a 3 year old that can’t have their blanky, you are crying like pussies because you’re losing control.”
Wow ….. :popcorn:
@perk
“so why in the WORLD would you expect tolerance back?”
Who are you talking to? Couldn’t be me because I said, “Obama believes that conservative principles are wrong. So why then have republicans in his inner circle? He should have appointed all total libs and tried to go as far left with this country as possible but he’s another dumbass that thinks he can be all things to all people”
Did I say I expect a post partisan period? Nope, not me. I think it’s a stupid idea. So who the hell are you chucking your beer can at?
Jairez
Dude, abe lincoln was a republican. He freed the slaves. Is that good enough for you? The dixiecrats down south didn’t want the slaves to be freed because they exploited them in order to make a profit for their companies.
Lincoln chose to help people instead of companies. That answers your question.
@Edgar … ssssooooooo, you have to go back 150 years to find a Republican that answers my question? Hell, I gave you Teddy only going back 100 years.
“Keep up with the times, Jethro.”
roflmao:
@Edgar … ok, my apologies are in order here. I mocked your response, but only because I don’t feel like you answered my question. I already ceded Lincoln and everything pre “Industrial Revolution.”
Please don’t tell me you’re a Republican/Conservative because of Lincoln’s actions? That would be no more appropriate than someone joining the military because they were really fond of Sherman.
Something a bit more recent would be good. Thanks.
Abe Lincoln and the neocon, obstructionists that call themselves Republicans have almost nothing in common. The Republican party of yestercentury was actually for… wait for it… the REPUBLIC as opposed to the corporate interest that the party today supports. Religious extremist war monger cronies that call themselves Republicans today are borderline treasonous, lead by our generation’s Goebbles, Rush Limbaugh. Lincoln did help people. Your party today not only could give a shit about the people of the US, it could give a shit about you. They are in power to promote their own self interest and financial gain.
That’s what Jairez means by selfish. And he is SPOT ON.
You think that their policies really are designed to help you succeed? Bullshit. They are in place to help THEM hold power and money. They need you to be their voice box (which you do with admirable, if robotic, abandon) because if people really knew what their designs were they’d be kicked to the curb – if not drawn and quartered.
@ Obama and Republicans in his cabinet: because unlike your side, Edgar, we choose to at least ATTEMPT respect for you views. Obama has tried, repeatedly and moreso than any president in recent memory, to extend a hand across the aisle – only to have it snapped at by spoil-sport plutocrats that want it their way or the highway. Period of post-partisanship? That was OUR dream, not yours. It is only in your vocabulary at the moment because you can have it all your way.
“@Edgar … ssssooooooo, you have to go back 150 years to find a Republican that answers my question? Hell, I gave you Teddy only going back 100 years.”
100 years, 150 years…whatever!?
@perk
“Religious extremist war monger cronies that call themselves Republicans today are borderline treasonous, lead by our generation’s Goebbles, Rush Limbaugh. Lincoln did help people. Your party today…”
Dont go too far with lincoln perk. If one wanted to, one could demonize him easily. All you have to say is that lincoln was responsible for the deaths of more americans than hitler etc…
You could say that lincoln was inept because he failed to achieve his objectives through purely diplomatic means and instead “RUSHED” to war.
There were a lot of people who HATED lincoln back then obviously as the dead were piled up high into the sky.
So don’t go kissing his fuc%^ng ass too much because he’s still a republican.
Slavery was the hot moral issue at the time and hundreds of thousands died fighting on either side of the cause. Imagine if Bush had presided over a civil war that erupted over a modern moral issue ie abortion.
@Jairez the dork
What about John Mcain’s recent immigration proposal? What did everyone call it? The amnesty bill or something.
What about when Reagan gave amnesty to illegals in the 80′s. Jairez, it’s silly to say that every republican is the same. You should know better.
At least Bush wasn’t like liberal democrat FDR who rounded up all the Japs and herded them like cattle. You want to talk about the erosion of civil rights? Forget about the Patriot act, look at FDR, the greatest liberal of all time.
Dorks…. :nerd:
@Edgar – “What about John Mcain’s recent immigration proposal? What did everyone call it? The amnesty bill or something.”
Edgar … I owe you an apology as I wasn’t aware that had passed. Oh, wait a sec ….. no, I’m wrong – that in fact did NOT pass. JTFC – “keep up with the times, Jethro.” How many do I have to tell ya?
Dude, your party has been in control of congress since roughly 1994, with a free pass from 2001 – 2007. And as I surmised … you’ve got nothing.
Time for the do-nothing party to get the hell out of the way so I can have my country back. Again, to quote Patton, “Either become part of the solution, or part of the pavement.”
– Dork
(who just happens to be right. OUCH … that’s gott hurt )
roflmao:
Definitely touched a nerve there Jairez. Haven’t heard that tone from Edgar since he knew he had lost re. the gay issues.
Desperation I tell you, desperation. Not pretty.
But pretty delightful, actually
@jairez
“q: name for me ONE piece of Republican legislation that benefited an individual MORE than it benefited a company?”
You didn’t say one piece of legistlation that passed.
Splitting hairs. He’s right and you know it. You’re stewed, buttwad.
What is Jairez right about?