Warning: This post is about politics. Encouraged by vast throngs more than one of our readers, we’re going to stand on the bridge over the teeming abyss of political discourse, and have a measured conversation. We’re going to discuss, as politely and graciously as the subject permits and deserves. As always, we’re honored by and welcome your thoughtful comments. If, on the other hand, your inner troll has been awaiting an opportunity to hurl bait from the underpass, there are other venues where that sort of interplay is welcome and encouraged, and, as such, we’ll be disinclined to host your voice. Now that the house rules have been posted, we’re open for business.
What exactly is going on?
Everyone is concerned and worried about the economy, not just in the U.S., but throughout the world. Whistling past the graveyard of commerce and employment as usual, while necessary to maintain momentum and optimism, also belies the severity of consequences that remain unseen in the fog obscuring our future path. The facts are clouded by rhetorical flourish, contrarian and seemingly arbitrary markets, dueling predictors, and ideological failure.
What appears to be emerging out of the mist and the mystifying is this: no one really has a clue.
So, at approximately 2:20 into this clip, we hear that there was an inconceivably massive electronic run on our money supply – $550 billion “in the matter of an hour or two.” By whom? No mention. In response, the Feds injected a little coagulation against their estimate that, if left unchecked, this event would have escalated to over $5.5 trillion by the middle of the afternoon. This would have collapsed the economy of the United States, and subsequently, within 24 hours, the world’s. “It would have been the end of our economic system and our political system as we know it.” Got that?
Later on, Kanjorski admits that no one really knows how to stanch the wound, that the $700 billion bailout was the “cheapest way” to attempt to prop up banks outside of buying their bad assets. However, since additional assets have been in freefall, we “are no better off than we were.” So, not only has there been a massive injury, but organ failure has ensued.
Subsequent to the run, we’ve had an election with decisive results, and the majority in the House of Representatives has crafted legislation the likes and size of which we have never seen to deal with our economic issues. The Senate has passed its own version, presumably without some of its members even taking the slightest look into the 100+ page document:
Hey, what’s with all the extras, the earmarks, the pork?
Well, technically, it’s true that there are no earmarks in the Senate bill, as President Obama (testily?) reminded us the other night. Instead, appropriations such as $2 billion for a clean coal power plant, $10 million for urban canals, $2 billion for manufacturing advanced batteries for hybrid cars, $5.5 billion to green up Federal buildings, $198 million to refurbish the Department of Homeland Security headquarters, and $255 million for a Polar ice-breaker are amendments, not earmarks.
So, these amendments alone, not all of them,are just a little bit under the $10 billion or so that it was so hard to hand the auto companies. Huh. We’re wondering if we could amend our family grocery cart with a few additional items between check-out and the parking lot? Or, if we could amend the understanding we have with our young adult children to include a variable litmus with respect to their decision-making? We could probably amend to our hearts’ content. And not have happy responses to our amendments.
But hey, perhaps we should just relax, and not sweat the small stuff:
Where is all the precedent, and what do the experts say?
From Nobel Prize in Economics winner to man on the street, it’s anyone’s guess how this all is going to turn out. Keynes: debunked. Greenspan: caught on tape admitting he didn’t foresee the mess. Morgenthau, and the Japanese Central Bank, both of whose failed policies appear to have been harkened back to in the preparation of this apoplectically gargantuan intervention in all facets of our social and economic fabric, ignored. Do we really want government responsible again for what could be a lost decade of growth? If so, spend on! Economists don’t seem to be staying on board.
All Hands on Deck!
The U.S.S. Clueless is certainly taking on an enormous amount of water. On the bridge and below decks there is frantic activity to repair the steering mechanism and the bilge is crankin’. Up top, where we anxious passengers are grouped, the lifeboats appear to be so overloaded that they can’t possibly be seaworthy. Is it possible, though, that our mother ship could limp along to shore if most of the hapless passengers assigned themselves some tasks and just simply got to work? Do we need a rescue flotilla comprised of tugs, junks, dinghys and destroyers? Or maybe just a few helicopters? We don’t really know, do we?
We can only look to what’s happened when sister ships have foundered. As such, the current strategy on the table doesn’t appear to have a successful precedent, encompasses far too much unrelated spending on social engineering and pet projects, and encumbers our children and their children with a greater debt load than the world has ever seen.
It seems to us that this isn’t the trip we signed up for, and no one knows how the boat works.
Related reading:
- 5 Reasons Why the Economy Might Recover Faster Than You Think (usnews.com)
- Obama heads to heartland to stump for stimulus (cnn.com)
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Peter and Betsy Wuebker are location-independent professionals who share what they know about travel, simplicity and integrating work with life. 
It’s frightening, isn’t it. Our trusted experts are just humans, and now they’re faced with a challenge they’ve never had to face before, and we’re finding out whether their theories will stand up to reality.
Ever since Economics 101 in college, I’ve felt that economics is a mystical art. How does one predict, let alone change, the financial behavior of 200 million people of diverse backgrounds, levels of education and even levels of ethics and sanity? I sure don’t know. I trust that they will bring us out of this, because I have to.
Dot´s last blog post..A Good Post Soon
I meant, I trust that they (the experts) …
Dot´s last blog post..A Good Post Soon
To say that the country is facing an economic crisis like none before and is having to invent a new wheel to solve it is not correct.
Anyone remember The Depression? FDR and the democrats tried massive Federal transfers of wealth. That wheel didn’t roll. Certain laws of economics don’t change, they just get ignored. Had WWII not come along, we’d probably still be sitting at the side of the road with four flat tires.
As it is right now, we have one flat tire and another is leaking air. The Federal government is coming to the rescue with a spare tire but they have no tire iron and no jack. Fact is, they are not the auto club. When all the spending is done, we’ll have four flats, a brand new spare tire and the auto club will have gone out of business.
This economic bail out is nothing more than throwing your money and mine at a problem the government can’t and doesn’t know how to fix. It’s best to look like you’re doing something when in politics.
Better get a horse.
Pete´s last blog post..3D RED HEARTS – CUSTOMIZABLE – Customized
It’s all just gotten so overwhelming with programs added to programs and all the octopus arms of goverment not knowing what the others are doing. Republicans blame the Democrats. Democrats blame the Republicans.
I just wish we could wipe the slate clean and start over.
But obviuoly that can’t happen.
So I’ll go on teaching my daughter to be honest in all she does and to stand up for what is decent, and try to keep doing the same myself.
Jannie Funster´s last blog post..Blogging Poems
I recall President Carter and his Congress spent like drunken sailors too. He (and his kind) were drummed out of office, Reagan cut taxes and enacted incentives to drill for oil and prices plummeted. The American people believed in his leadership despite maybe disagreeing with his political doctrine. The Iranians capitulated and the stock market went up.
It is a fact that lower taxes increase government revenues. I don’t understand why this isn’t a part of the current plan. There is certainly room for it in the business sector. What is being done is breathtakingly stupid.
I had hope that our President could lead us through this. It is apparent to me now that he wants to take control of the private sector and that government knows best. The majority of Americans were duped. And there is no one who would be more happy to be wrong than me!
Betsy it is all my fault and I am sorry,
I did not listen, I did not dig deep enough, I did not clear away all the veils of illusion and I did not embrace my reality.
I did not keep track of my money, or teach my children enough, or feed them a proper diet. I did not walk the picket lines or attend the school meetings or city council or tell my truth about the local politicians. I did not research or teach enough or practice my civic duty to the fullest extent of my responsibility. I used chlorine bleach so I have no fish in my lake any more and I let my family use toxic products within my home because I have the right to bring what ever I want into my home, whereas industry is regulated my home is not.
I wanted the cheapest price so I shopped at the wrong stores and liked the inferiority of Chinese goods so let my fellow citizens lose their jobs and lead poison our children – I ate food from farm factories that provided cheap nothingness because it was easier and we needed rows and rows of houses built on the family farms in our community so that more people could shop at the big box stores and mom and pop could waste away.
I am sorry, I took the easy road and the safest road and I lost my health care, and my business and my church and I grew more and more silent….but then who would have heard my voice when 3 Million neighbors marched against the war in Iraq here and 36 million on Sunday marched around the world saying no more WAR…and our leaders ignored the masses – all those voices… 36 seconds on the evening news on 1 network….
This is an easier way to machine gun down or road kill our youth than doing it in stadiums in South America or Beijing….
I knew it was going on since I was a child…I heard it over and over again The Prime Minister of Canada told me as we danced at his Inauguration celebration – so I knew better….I am sorry but I hid and became silent…
Oh if only I could have won the lottery…
I knew before Naomi Klein detailed each move in the Shock Doctrine, I knew it before Paris Hilton’s Grandfather cut her allowance, I knew it when Cheney took on Bill Gates – I knew it in eighth grade State History Class….
I am sorry, I became afraid that people would call me names
I am sorry, because I wanted to make sure my children were protected
I am sorry, because I did not wish to be ridiculed and made fun of or locked up as a crazy person.
The start of any change – any change -begins with the dirt, foundation stone – the bedrock…..clearing away all the dust and debris and finding all that is real – real…
The fear mongers are working 24/7 because they think they have won….and if you believe in Armageddon – deep in your heart…then you do not care/truly you do not care what comes next…
As long as the voice of reality is beaten back by the noise of fear…
there is truly no hope…
we are at an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth…we are the rats in the maze, being spun around and around until we truly eat each other, we are the people of Iraq and Palestine and Rwanda
We are here – at this point….still a few voices to be heard scrambling around….
We will descend further… for we built our house upon the sand
and we all know how those little pigs turned out…
I am sorry, I was silent, It is all my fault.
Patricia´s last blog post..A Romantic Day by Myself
Hi Dot – I don’t know if economics is a mystical art, but I can remember being mystified in my Econ 101 class.
I’m not sure if predicting the behavior of 200 million or 200 would be the best talent to have, but I’m leaning toward believing the latter number is closer in terms of control. Still, I think a Magic 8-ball would probably do just as well as any “expert” at this point. Thanks.
Hi Honey – We’re all over the transportation analogies with this one, aren’t we? I guess this makes sense when we think in terms of momentum.
Hi Mary – Yes, I remember vividly trying to navigate a fledgling career in Carter’s recession. Not fun. Our country’s products – most notably our cars – were getting kicked, and prices were in a spiral. Proportionately, though I seem to remember more income flexibility, as housing and other prices were relatively low by comparison with today, even with inflation. I don’t think incomes have risen sufficiently to give most Americans the same purchasing power they had in Carter’s recession.
This seems especially significant when you look at the latest incarnation of this legislation. The income tax credit for first time home buyers has been reduced. Why not a credit for all home buyers? Wouldn’t that incentive create movement in the housing market at all levels, not just entry? Or – why not a percentage rate reset on existing mortgages? Even a couple hundred dollars in a household budget would make a huge difference and slow the foreclosure rate, no?
The ratio of spending vs tax relief/incentives in this bill is 65/35 or thereabouts. There are provisions governing reporting systems for health care records that lead the way to nationalization. We’ve not begun that debate, yet there it is. And how does that stimulate? Are doctors going to save the economy by purchasing the software to comply with the new requirements? Boggling.
It is extremely hard to view this “stimulus package” as anything but agenda-driven smoke and mirrors. Price manipulations and engineering social policy through artificial controls will be easier to accomplish on fearful people. I find it astonishingly ironic that the same folks who were railing against the Patriot Act for its intrusion into the privacy of individuals would promote the type of stuff contained in this bill. Medical records? What happens to the sanctity of choice for women? Not that I want to get into the “A” issue, but honestly, the justifications are so vacuous and arbitrary, it makes your head spin. It must be very hard to keep up on the position du jour. I myself was way behind when global warming morphed into climate change. Thanks.
Hi Patricia – That was one heck of a comment.
I think your observation that real change comes down to bedrock is key. It would appear that fundamental bedrock is under fire, in that there is a seismic politico-philosophical clash between ideologies, and the current political climate is opportunistic and agenda-heavy.
There is so little in this legislation that will restore confidence. Where are the reliefs to taxpayers, homeowners, people who are trying to feed their families, workers? Where are the incentives to loosen the credit markets? Where is the accountability to financial institutions and other recipients? Why do so many of these provisions not take effect for two or three YEARS? Are we really going to replace and save jobs by adding infrastructure? Will this be a Great Leap Forward?
There almost seems a deliberate vagueness to Geithner and the President, which would convey cluelessness to some and conspiracy to others. Where is the optimism and encouragement? All we hear from the President and his minions is crisis, crisis, crisis. Well, for goodness sake, I think we know it’s a crisis already. What we want to hear is specifically, “America is awesome, America can’t be slowed, America is going to be stronger, smarter, less dependent and here’s what we’re going to do starting RIGHT NOW.” Not, cancel a nuclear power plant build west of Minneapolis – which might not only create jobs but energy independence – by executive order of the President because Americans for Clean Water objected. Those are the college kids who come to your door with petitions. Wouldn’t one think the power plant has to comply with regulations?
It appears to me we have Stumblebum in the White House and a Congress filled with Dumbledores. This is NOT the change the American people were sold. The electorate took the bait and now the switch is on. Thank you.
You said it “No one has a clue.” Just quick, spend a lot of money, don’t worry about how much, where it comes from, where it’s going, whether it will help, just throw the money.
Debbie´s last blog post..We’re dealing with barbarians both at home and abroad
Hi Jannie – I waited to answer your comment, because it is so overwhelming. And our children, by the looks of it, if you believe the debt service calculations, will be saddled with $3 Trillion. How do they wipe up that size of a mess? I’m beginning to think the only hope is repeal in 2 years before a lot of this is supposed to be spent. Thank you.
Hi Debbie – It just keeps piling on. The negotiations today were only made by House Democrats, who announced an approved revision at noon. Republicans were invited in at 3. I guess we won’t hear too much more emphasis on the bipartisan nature of this action from now on. Thanks.
Hi Betsy – Like you say – everyone knows the economy is in the shit but nobody seems to know how to save it. I know that trying to balance the economy is virtually impossible and there will always be problems.
But throwing a whole heap of cash at something in the hope that it will go away doesn’t seem to be making things any better. In my eyes – banks and shareholders take risks. I’ve lost money in companies I held shares in and would never have expected the government to bail me out.
It’s kind of like managing a company. A good manager would give more money to the department that was keeping within budget and flourising. The bad manager would allocate the most budget to the department that had spent too much money and was still doing badly.
We still have our heads in the clouds….we are no where near bedrock -just ask the person digging the latrine.
We just wish we were at bedrock…so we don’t have to figure it out
Betsy,
Unfortunately, the world of economics can be very unpredictable in nature and therefore the task of making appropriate policy settings can be extremely difficult, especially in unpredictable times such as these.
One thing which it will be critical for your government (or any government around the world which is undertaking stimulus measures) to avoid is the funding of projects whose long term value in terms of social, environmental or economic benefits are not sufficient to justify the expenses which they entail.
If your government chooses it’s projects wisely, then even if the plan to revive your economy does not succeed, at least your country will have something to show for its money. But, on the other hand, if they engage in wasteful spending like that of Japan throughout the 90s, then all that will be left to show for it is a great mound of unsustainable debt.
Andrew´s last blog post..Street Traders and business ethics
Betsy,
A well-written, well-researched blog entry. Thank you for doing your homework well.
We have had elections here turn on statements like “It’s the economy, stupid.” Alas, I fear that it’s not JUST the economy, no matter what Economic “theory” one is bound to believe. None of the economic “theories” have the answers anymore, and the study of Economics is incomprehensible at best and – as we have seen – dangerous at worst.
I happen to live in Fairfield, CT – a town that has been in the news a lot lately due to the Madoff mess. We are the “third wealthiest COUNTY” in the US. (Fairfield town being the County Seat of Fairfield County). If you don’t have $1/2 million dollars, don’t even bother looking for something remotely habitable here. I am also a dyed-in-the-wool Liberal politically, though Clinton changed THAT definition handily. I tell you this only as background. I also have been teaching what amounts to 20th Century History for 24 years.
Daily, I see the changes in my town. Weekly, I see past students who lost a parent in 9-11, mostly at Cantor-Fitzgerald. (Not to mention the cousin I lost in 7 WTC that day…) My friends who teach in this town have seen 42 million dollars of the Town Pension Fund disappear to Bernie the madman Madoff.
Yet I also see something unprecedented: a new hope of a President (who RARELY says “umm…” and “uhh…”) who has incorporated into his new government people from different perspectives – and different political inclinations. That has given me hope – something that has been elusive for 8 years. Do I want a government bailout? No, not really. What I want is for Washington to cut the pork – finally and forever – and give its citizenry back the basic fundamental rights that are guaranteed to us in our First Amendment – actually in our entire Bill of Rights, without whose existence, a long, hot summer in 1787 would have been a total waste. That starts in the White House, and should be guarded by the Supreme Court (forget the Legislature – they’re too busy, especially in the House, trying to get re-elected for 22 months of their 24 month terms).
Bottom line: change is finally upon us here. And change takes time, and is horribly painful to many. But do we not at least have an obligation to see this change in Washington as the beginning of something GOOD, rather than the same-old, same-old of 8 years of BAD which are still on the lips of the Political Pundits and out-of-favor “economic theorists” who don’t know WHAT to make of a man who is at least starting SOMEWHERE.
You wrote a great, well-supported piece here – and it’s quite impressive. Nonetheless, I must humbly and respectfully disagree with many of your contentions and conclusions. “It’s not JUST the economy anymore, stupid.” And no, YOU clearly are NOT an individual to whom I am applying the term “stupid.” I’m just taking an outdated saw and updating it for these troubling times. It’s not just the economy or economic indicators like unemployment. Most of my friends – and my husband – are working from 6am to 11pm 6 days a week just to KEEP their jobs. Even the concept of “employment” has changed, rendering a low-appearing unemployment rate moot, as each employee works an 85+ hour week. That doubles that OLD measure of unemployment in the US to upwards of 15% mathematically…
Thank you.
Rita
Rita´s last blog post..Madoff Just Loves OPM….
Hi Cath – Absolutely, the solution to a problem isn’t always throwing more money at it. And solving the problem doesn’t generally entail throwing more money out there to purchase more things that are unrelated to it. Here is a wiki tool developed to enumerate all the items contained in this bill: http://www.stimuluswatch.org/ When I viewed it just now, there was $100,000 in there for doorbells in Mississippi, creating two jobs. Would anyone be home if we rang them? Please…pay me $50,000 to install doorbells. Better yet, give two people who’ve been out of work the $50,000 seed money to start a business installing doorbells and doing other repairs. Thanks.
Hi Patricia – I don’t think a lot of people really want to know. The more I find out, the more disheartened I am.
Hi Andrew – Welcome! You’re very right – we may indeed have something to show, but it’s a huge multi-trillion dollar gamble when you factor in debt service. There are more problems having to do with transparency – from the Administration that promised to be the most transparent in history. First of all, the secrecy and speed. Without transparency it will be difficult, except for those in the know, to access the money. As such, the stage is set for mis-use and corruption. Secondly, President Obama, who won the election, has every right to push his agenda and policy proposals. Wrapping them into and rushing them through the process under the guise of emergency economic rescue is at the very least disingenuous, and flies in the face of acceptable legislative process. Just yesterday, Congressional leadership promised a 48 hour review. Now that’s gone. It’s no wonder people think something stinks.
I’d invite you to check out http://www.stimuluswatch.org/ and see whether you think some of the environmental or economic benefits of the items in there might justify the proposed expenditures. Thank you very much for your comments.
Hi again Betsy,
Thank you for the welcome and it is a pleasure to be a visitor on your blog.
I take it you don’t have a great deal of confidence in terms of the public accountability of your government. I certainly hope that the money for the stimulus package ends up being wisely spent. If so, your country will have a lot more than debt to show for its efforts.
I will certainly have a look at that site if I have a chance. To tell you the truth, I should have been following developments with respect to the stimulus package either of your government or of other governments around the world more closely.
Andrew´s last blog post..Free her – Fiat’s big call on Burma (part 2)
Hi Rita – Sorry, your comment was in moderation. Welcome, and thank you for your thoughts! I’d like to respond to some of them.
Do I want a government bailout? No, not really. What I want is for Washington to cut the pork – finally and forever – and give its citizenry back the basic fundamental rights that are guaranteed to us in our First Amendment – actually in our entire Bill of Rights, without whose existence, a long, hot summer in 1787 would have been a total waste. That starts in the White House, and should be guarded by the Supreme Court (forget the Legislature – they’re too busy, especially in the House, trying to get re-elected for 22 months of their 24 month terms).
I’m having trouble seeing how $500 Billion in spending (if one believes the 65/35 split between non-related stimulus spending and stimulus-related spending statistic) could be construed as cutting. While it is technically true there are no earmarks, as in earmarks tacked on by individual reps or senators to benefit their constituencies, the omnibus spending contained in the bill is so comprehensive as to render earmarks unnecessary. Spending is spending.
If one doesn’t “really” prefer a government bailout, how does one reconcile these actions, ostensibly taken to bail out a troubled economy? As well, if one would prefer a return to constitutionally-based rights (presumably one of which is the right to privacy, and presumably which one believes were removed somehow previously), how would one reconcile the provision contained in this legislation for a national medical records database? This means our records would be accessible to government oversight, setting the stage for governmental approval/veto of treatments. When queried about this provision, it was clear that many of our representatives were unaware that it was in the legislation. That’s reassuring, isn’t it?
If one prefers other constitutional rights to be upheld, as well, then how would one reconcile the recent executive orders against the words of WH counsel, to wit from Newsweek: A day before Obama signed executive orders closing Guantanamo Bay and banning torture, the White House’s top lawyer privately indicated to Congress that the new president reserved the right to ignore his own (and any other president’s) executive orders. In a closed-door appearance before the Senate intelligence committee, White House counsel Gregory Craig was asked whether the president was required by law to follow executive orders. According to people familiar with his remarks, who asked for anonymity when discussing a private meeting, Craig answered that the administration did not believe he was. The implication: in a national-security crisis, Obama could deviate from his own rules.” So, yes, we have change upholding or reinstating constitutional rights – or even paving the way to their application to non-citizen terrorist combatants – but the Administration retains the right to rescind at whim. Isn’t this what the previous Administration had been roundly criticized for? Good grief. No change, here. Move along, folks, nothing to see.
As well, with respect to the First Amendment, Obama’s record has been mixed throughout his career: The First Amendment Center has a fairly comprehensive analysis in this report:
http://tinyurl.com/chvkvt
With respect to freedom of the press, it’s notable that Obama and Biden, when subject to less than softball questioning, have blacklisted certain news organizations, as detailed in the report, and widely commented upon at the time. Recent interchanges with the press have been made in accordance with a “preferred list” of reporters, again as widely reported. Change?
Bottom line: change is finally upon us here. And change takes time, and is horribly painful to many. On this we can agree.
I’m saying it doesn’t have to be as painful as it’s evidently going to be on us, and our children, and their children.
But do we not at least have an obligation to see this change in Washington as the beginning of something GOOD, rather than the same-old, same-old of 8 years of BAD which are still on the lips of the Political Pundits and out-of-favor “economic theorists” who don’t know WHAT to make of a man who is at least starting SOMEWHERE.
I think most of us really want to think of this Administration as the beginning of something positive, despite whether the President was our candidate of choice or not. However, as we’ve been repeatedly reminded by the opposition over the last 8 years, thoughtful dissent is still patriotic. I can agree with you that the President is starting somewhere. I and many others, however, are very troubled by what appears to be skillful packaging and rhetoric, but when the pretty bow comes off, a re-gift on steroids.
Without going into personal details, I think it would be hard to find anyone untouched by the tragedy of 9/11, and also, by the hardships present in today’s economy. And it is difficult to compartmentalize segments of the “big picture” of our nation’s experience since then. But we need to reconcile our emotive reactions with logical assessments, and guard against repetitive methodology that has proven ineffective.
Additionally, if one prefers to modify jobs data measurement by number of hours worked, your husband’s job might be a wash with respect to someone else’s that is 20-some hours per week. Tangentially, would it be better to give someone else a job to keep your husband at 40 hours? Possibly. Perhaps we should move to a 35 hour mandate, such as in France? Then we could all argue about our lower GDP.
So, you’re right. There is a distinct need to start from somewhere and do something. But starting from a place of murky understanding and inexperience favors doing the wrong thing. It also appears that the proposed fix relies heavily upon interventive methods used in our own country during the Great Depression (which took WWII to get us out), and Japan’s Lost Decade. Additionally, relying upon recommendations from junior economists who have admitted their predictions are based upon a theorem that has been widely disputed doesn’t inspire a great deal of confidence. But, this is presuming people will look into all of that. Most won’t. They want to be saved. By anything, it would appear. That might be the real definition of hope in this landscape.
I’d like to see thoughtful review, true bipartisanship (which has been promised), more transparency (which has been promised), and direct flow to those who need it most. This stimulus process and outcome contains very little of any of that.
Thank you for your comments, Rita.
Hi Andrew – I think public accountability in government can be very fluid – that’s the most diplomatic descriptive I could think of at the moment.
I think we all hope for wisdom in spending, and we hope that our representatives put the people’s welfare first. What we hope for isn’t always what happens, though. Thanks again.
Lots of posts, views and words but they can all be summed up here:
Said U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat. “Regardless of party, we all cast our votes with one hand and crossed our fingers with the other.”
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And you wondered why I DM’d you to tell you how much I ADORE you! THIS IS WHY!!!
YOU GO GIRL!!! Betsy Wuebker in 2012!!
Kathy | Virtual Impax´s last blog post..The shit fight is beginning- should you join in?
“$2 billion for a clean coal power plant, $10 million for urban canals, $2 billion for manufacturing advanced batteries for hybrid cars, $5.5 billion to green up Federal buildings, $198 million to refurbish the Department of Homeland Security headquarters, and $255 million for a Polar ice-breaker”
Sounds like a whole lot of money for nothing. Maybe the equivalent of me ignoring my bills while using a credit card to buy massive amounts of candy bars.
Ben . . . how did you get so smart? Must be in the genes. I like kit kats.