Texas Republicans assail Obama stimulus plan

Source: Houston Chronicle

After President Barack Obama’s back-to-back meetings with GOP lawmakers Tuesday to discuss his $825 billion economic package, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs praised the “very cordial” tone of the gatherings and effused: “I think we will have Republican support for this bill.”

He obviously hadn’t talked to any Texas Republicans. The GOP’s Houston-area lawmakers emerged from their closed-door session with Obama impressed with his sincerity and his outreach attempt but uniformly unimpressed with the costly plan designed to jump-start the stalled American economy.

“Redistributing hard-earned tax dollars will do far more to expand the power of the federal government than it will to stimulate the economy,” said Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston. “This legislation is a Trojan horse that liberals are using to ultimately turn America into France because it contains massive expansion of multiple federal programs that are utterly unrelated to stimulating the economy.

<snip>

Rep. Ted Poe assailed “a mind set in Washington that the bureaucrats know how to better spend our money than the people do,” while Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, said spending on programs such as education, health care and museums “do not boost the economy. “I can’t find an economist anywhere who will admit that contraceptives, zoo exhibits and repairs to the Jefferson Memorial are serious economic boosts,” Brady said. He predicted that support for the stimulus package would not reach double-digit strength among the 178 House Republicans.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/6233699.html

---

Anyone still think that these sorts of folks will deal in good faith with Obama and the Democrats in Congress?

Aside from being unrepentant and dishonest ideologues, one seriously has to question whether they're playing with a full deck....

work into every speech. They don't have a clue what life is like for most of the people in any of their districts, they just want to remain in power. If they do something beneficial for their country as a part of that, then that's just a happy coincidence

Now there's a fine group of patriotic Amerikuns.:smoke:

And keep it up and running, before it starts circling the toilet like California.

Funny thing though...The Hurricane relief fund just last week got a generous donation from the Obama's (they wouldn't say the amount-just that it was over 1K). With all that was going on last week-Obama thought enough about the victims of Hurricane Ike to write a check. How much did these asswipes donate? Houston and Galveston have been turning blue. If they keep bring that weak ass shit-they will lose the next election.

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt, a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."

-Dwight D. Eisenhower, November 8, 1954

They will stop at nothing will they?

And besides what is wrong with France?


:rofl:

I'll have a little vin rouge with my hot dog, and some cafe au lait to go with the apple pie.

The right formerly used the specter of the Soviet Union to frighten people.

The Soviet Union is gone, so they use .... France?

Allez les Bleus

:o

from http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=right&searchmode=none




(abbreviation Fr. = French, Romance language spoken chiefly in France.)

necessarily the best. Could just be second best or third best, you know.

Heck! They reckon they've got a good, free education system from infants' school level to university post-graduate level. But I doubt if they could learn a darned thing from Limbaugh or Savage, no matter how long they listened to them! Some folks just never learn. Don't have the brains.

...any chance at all of them having a working Brain.

I invite Texas to wake up and join the United States.

and I NEVER voted for Bush. I used to tell people, "I didn't vote for him for governor, why would I vote for him for president"

:)

I did the same thing, but I had a strong feeling it never sunk in.

(by the way, you can edit your duplicate posts and replace the text with "dupe" ;))

I am not hitting the button twice, it only does it at work.

your post count will go up three times faster :P

DUPE

DUPE

"This legislation is a Trojan horse that liberals are using to ultimately turn America into France"

Riiight, you just keep going on about LIBERALS and FRANCE, and the rest of America can get on with sorting the country out..

hyperbole, this representative has a good point. How does:

$140 million for "climate data modeling"
$250 million for "accelerating the development of the tier 1 set of Earth science climate research missions recommended by the National Academies Decadal Survey."
$4.5 billion to make military facilities more energy efficient
$624 million for Navy Operation and Maintenance
$128 million for Marine Corps Operation and Maintenance
$1.23 billion for Air Force Operation and Maintenance
$62 million for Navy Reserve Operation and Maintenance
$45 million for Marine Corps Reserve Operation and Maintenance
$14 million for Air Force Reserve Operation and Maintenance
$302 million for National Guard Operation and Maintenance
$29 million for Air National Guard Operation and Maintenance
$200 million to revitalize the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
$100 million for National Park Service Centennial Challenge programs
$50 million in grants to the National Endowment for the Arts
$1 billion for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
$2 billion in Child Care and Development Block Grants for states
$1 billion for Head Start programs
$1.1 billion for Early Head Start programs
$300 million for Indian Reservation roads (I hope this isn't for reservations with casinos)
$400 million for "habitat restoration and mitigation activities" at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

directly stimulate the economy?

That's what this bill should do: fund activities that grow the economy. There are certainly some activities like that in the bill:

$44 million for construction, repair and improvements at US Department of Agriculture facilties
$209 million for work on deferred maintenance at Agricultural Research Service facilities
$245 million for maintaining and modernizing the IT system of the Farm Service Agency
$2 billion for rural business and industry guaranteed loans
$350 million for State Broadband Data and Development Grants
$1.8 billion for Rural Broadband Deployment Grants
$1 billion for Rural Wireless Deployment Grants

as just a few examples, but some of the other activities, while certainly laudable, should be in their own bills and not cobbled on to this "must sign" piece of legislation.

while at the same time are worthwhile long term investments- then :shrug:

directly stimulate the economy? Am wondering that myself. The first 3 and the last 2 could be removed along with the National Mall, the National Park Service and the National Endowment of the Arts. I don't see where this is a time for redecorating.

or contractors maintaining and improving national parks (that have been neglected for years under Bush and the Republican Congress) to leave as a legacy for our kids?

there was significant job less in those areas. From where I sit it's manufacturing and retail where jobs are needed. We need to start making our own products again here instead of importing from China.

or maybe you have seen some of them:

New Deal Art During the Great Depression

It is this legacy of the thousands of workers who labored at their craft for little money but great pride which we have to inspire us today. Although many of these works of art have been destroyed or stolen, those that remain must be preserved. They stand as a reminder of a time in our country’s history when dreams were not allowed to be destroyed by economic disaster.

http://www.wpamurals.com/



Here's a PSA from the period:

They are remarkable..maybe 50 million in the scheme of things isn't that much after all 8-) Thanks..it has been a while since I visited the local gallery. Just want the help to go those who have been hurt the hardest. By the way Eric Holder has just been confirmed.

In difficult times people need culture and beauty more than ever. Do you think that only blue collar workers are worth employing? Do we artists not have enough of that "Joe the plumber" nobility to be even considered a mere 50 million? That's one piece of hardware for our military-yet I doubt that you'd deny the military 50 million to develop, say, combat training video games: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59009

and yes we need artists, musicians, plays etc. Certainly don't want to sacrifice one for another. Right now the blue collar has been the hardest hit but who knows maybe there are artists in that group who could benefit.

This artist made a six figure income under Clinton, and had all savings wiped out by medical expenses. Then Bush came along, and this artist's income dropped by 75% because her income depends on other Americans having a disposable income with which to buy her goods. Now this artist is tens of thousands of dollars in debt, can't afford to have the lump in her breast examined and would really, really like to hang onto her house for a few more years...but that looks unlikely. We have just as much to contribute to society as a retail worker, waiter, worker in a manufacturing plant or anyone else that is considered "sacred" by the Left-but no one ever thinks that we, too, might be effected by all this.

I'm sorry to sound touchy about this topic, but a former coworker of mine blew his brains out two months ago after not finding work in three years. I can sympathize with him. If this continues another two years for me I may be looking at the same "solution".

NT!

Educating children is an investment in the future of the economy - ensuring those that join the workforce in the years ahead have the knowledge to compete. The education items also provide funding to school districts, without taking money directly from taxes, and could quite possibly prevent staff cuts.

Operations and maintenance are jobs. Keeping equipment in working order, repairing that which needs fixing and upgrading that which is obsolete. Quite a lot of the Operations and Maintenance items go towards fixing up and imprving facilities, bases and housing. Contractor jobs, essentially.

Making building and facilities more energy efficient will create jobs and save money. Quite a lot is wasted in heating and electrical bills due to inefficiency. Weatherizing and improving homes will save people a lot of money.

Research and development are jobs, and invest in technological future of the country. Finding renewable forms of energy will benefit the economy, especially if it can help rid us of our dependence on foreign oil. It would also help reduce carbon emissions save on utility bills.

Almost everything in the bill (aside from some tax-relief items) will create jobs of some kind - revitalizing the national mall is clean-up, landscaping, and construction essentially, as well as maintenance to the various monuments. Some items are a bit of a stretch if you look at them as they are, I'll admit, but they will put people to work and grow the economy.

government jobs are not the way to drive the economy as they drain funds out of the private sector which, over time, can have a deleterious impact on the economy.

Sometimes its hard to take a macro view of an economy when their is a lot of emotion tied up in the micro view (who wants to see their neighbor/self/sister/brother etc out of work)

it is also incumbent upon us (as an informed electorate) to review these and voice our opinions on what should stay and what should go in this bill to make sure that we spend wisely the limited tax resources of our government.

Every page of it. It needs more infrastructure spending - at least $200 billion more - but everything in there has the intention of either giving people work, allowing them to keep more of their money, or keeping vital public services going without cuts or reductions.

And many of the government jobs are going to the private sector. Nearly if not all of the infrastructure projects are to be competitively awarded to private firms.

Edit to include: In regards to the education items, this is a rather interesting read.

Or roughly 2.5% of the total package.

Not seeing the forest for the trees.

So I think it's meeting its goal.

Keep on marginalizing yourselves, boys. (wipes tear) :D

looted the treasury, killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people for profit, bankrupted the economy, jeopardized our national security, shit canned our international reputation and ruined our military.
Why should anyone pay attention to Texas Republicans? They should be marched into the sea with bricks in their pockets.

Hey pukes, keep on making yourselves look like the bunch of demented jokers you guys are, you are just giving Obama the excuse he needs to ignore you without looking like a partisan jerk, because that label will then fall on YOU GUYS not the president. BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

:rofl:

Dear Texas republics;

Bite me.

I call your bluff and raise you a Molly Ivins and an Ann Richards.

Morgan Fairchild, Farrah Fawcett, Jamie Foxx, Carol Burnett, Bill Hicks, Steve Martin, Lisa Loeb, Lance Armstrong, Tex Avery, Walter Cronkite... seriously, the list goes on. And on.

:P

:rofl:





Shouldn't you give that top piece to Wisconsin? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

My profile is all BS. You think I would put anything real in my profile? heheh no way

:eyes:

How about Ladybird Johnson? Carol Burnett? Mike Judge (King of the Hill, Office Space)

Why do y'all always paint with such a broad brush? The preview button is your friend. Think before you post ;)

Jim Hightower, Gary Busey, Jennifer Garner, :loveya: Summer Glau :loveya: , Brent Spiner, Buddy Holly, Dan Piraro....

I remembered the first name, but "Spiner" eluded me :o

Here's another "good thing" to come out of Texas: NASA-JSC, Mission Control and the Apollo Program. I had the good fortune to grow up amongst the children of those astronauts. I can't think how dull my childhood might have been without Johnson's local influence, nor what it might have meant to the nation and the world...

Willie Nelson and the Dixie Chicks?

Just like the saying goes, everythings bigger in Texas, including ideologies.

The fundies are way over the edge
The politicians are all owned by big business, with a few exceptions
And the liberals are COMMITTED!

I thought they were obvious :P

When Michigan is used as a giant trash dump and disposal site for the rest of the U.S. :eyes:

spending money on education, health care and museums KEEPS PEOPLE EMPLOYED, EDUCATED and ALIVE dumbshits! Man, I'm sick of knuckle dragging mouth breathing morons in office. Why even allow these sub human a drop of newspaper ink? They're doing all that they can to destroy America.

These folks quite literally meet the definition of delusional.

"what a lovely bunch of coca(nuts)."

That can't get over the fact that there's a Democrat in the white house now.

And I'm from Texas! Please accept my apologies for the way my stupid politicians act. Believe me, I am doing my darndest to make sure they are replaced!

Hutzpah.

On edit: on second thought, they may just get away with their rhetoric. They have the M$M in their pocket and an electorate with the memory skills of a gnat.

what have we ever done to those fuckers ?

Idiot GOP members and their fawning voters do because Faux News tells them to hate France. Nevermind that the term "Conservative Party" was invented at the French National Assembly of 1789 ;)

Hypocrites

Transformez l'Amérique en la France. Quelle déclaration stupide.

Not one more penny to that state, period.

has Michigan ever had any Le Idiot politicians, now or in the past? Perhaps a diminishing of y'all's funds would be in order, too. Afterall, if we're going to punish stupidity, let's do so equally and across the board!

I feel like my dog just took a dump on the neighbor's carpet (again).

Sorry folks, I've been working like mad to get rid of this idiot, I'm just gerrymandered w/idiots.

Apologies all around.

then we can get rid of Delay's illegal gerrymandering and have sensible districts again. He's my supposed rep, too, and no amount of voting against him counteracts the hoards of upper middle class hicks that keep him in office. We have to do more.

The headlines these days are SOOOO much better after these past eight years, aren't they?!

let's see:

we piss off TEXAS REPUKES

AND we get FRENCH CUISINE to boot!!!

I'd call that a "win-win"

"This legislation is a Trojan horse that liberals are using to ultimately turn America into France because it contains massive expansion of multiple federal programs that are utterly unrelated to stimulating the economy"

While France has been a great place to visit, and I really would rather live here, some aspects of their society would be a welcome change...

which have screwed the American People as a whole all for the sake of their own corporate/personal greed.

The mega wealthy and powerful are the only people, the Republicans care about, that's why dumbing down the vast majority of the American People as they die for lack of any decent health coverage by uncaring, greedy insurance corporations; only concerned about the almighty dollar are all that matter to them.

Education, health care, who needs that, not the wealthy and powerful and as for the rest of the American People; they can eat cake.

Squeal, you piggies, squeal!

Where would I want to live if I had the choice. Texas or France. Hmmm..... Boy, that's a difficult decision.

NOT!

Texas, that is.

We would welcome you with open arms as would any Frenchman or woman to their country. In fact, from how my parents have described the south of France, it's a lot like Texas. Friendly, open spaces, beautiful and fertile farmland.

Please! Stop with the broad brushes over a few assholes. And if I recall correctly, France has their own conservative asshole "running" things at the moment...

Houston and Dallas only. I've never been to Austin but know someone who has and that's probably the only city I would want to live in. It's not so much the geography but the culture that is important. However, I've never been to France, so maybe I'd be disappointed.

Let Texas be an example to all of us that no federal funds are needed to stimulate the Texas economy and that to provide Texas with any such funds would be an insult to the great Senators and Representatives from the State of Texas. Sarcasm alert.

because I'm getting tired of the knee-jerk Texas-bashing. Besides, we're no longer in even the Top Ten republican states, according to a recent Gallup poll :D

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/1/28/141534/066/500/690045


(emphasis mine)

We're getting bluer every day!

No other state in the union has republicans in political office, no only Texas.

This stuff gets old after awhile.

and compare to subsequent threads, see if the ones that have been "corrected" just show up all over again with the same tired hateful arguments.

I don't doubt that happens. Some folks are just too dense to ever learn or allow their minds to be expanded with facts direct from the source ;)

They have no credibility or authenticity whatsoever.

and craves improvement and wants a reversal of regressive policies, it seems the pukes want this country to fail or more specifically, the Obama administration to fail and by proxy the rest of the country more than we desire change. Until people let them know that this is not what they want from their representatives, they will continue this stubborn, angry, entitled to power behavior. This really is up to us and their constituents.

Let them hear from you.

Repukes are reactionary dumbasses who do not want to see the average person get ahead! I guess it's better to keep giving the rich tax cuts and not do anything to actually put money back into general circulation for the better good, like educating people, fixing roads and bridges and other things left to waste, etc.

If the bill had more defense spending (putting more money in very wealthy defense contractors' pockets, like Hell'n-burn'n) or even giving more money to banks and corporation, you know, to encourage them to hire people and lend out money (they would never dream of instead, rewarding themselves with huge bonuses, and buying corporate jets and other companies instead) - if this were the case, that bill would get TOTAL repuke support!!