. I guess Ogabe thinks it will be easy pickings there. Many people are desperate there and he’s trying to reel them in with promises of WPA type jobs and infrastructure rebuilding work. SKYFOX on February 9, 2009 at 11:43 AM

It worked for Jay Rockerfeller in West VA….

Senator Collins (R) Maine just sold us down the river. I wonder how many republicans will vote for this bill….at least the name is right. It’s a bill our children and grandchildren will have to pay.

kanda on February 9, 2009 at 5:21 PM

Yes, we are sold down the river. But just for this one. Don’t be too dismayed, we will make a comeback.

it took a Jimmy Carter to produce a Ronald Reagan. Perhaps someone will rise up
genso on February 9, 2009 at 5:21 PM

I think the democrats found their Carter in Obama. I hope you’re right about the Reagan part.

The founding fathers wuold do more than disapprove of these bailouts.

Today I had to file and pay my taxes. It’s the first time in my life I wasn’t happy to do it. This country has been pretty good to me over the years. Being native born I do not share an outside view of America that some have. I have traveled the world and know that there is no other place on earth I want to live. America has been through a lot of change since I paid my first income tax in 1962. I’ve never seen such complete disregard for the American people as I’m seeing in this congress.

If you choose to sit idly by and let GM or any company promise to spend the money the government gave them on US jobs only to turn around and spend our tax dollars keeping foreign jobs that’s your choice I suppose. I basically take a different approach.

GM didn’t promise to to spend money to keep US jobs. In fact, the unions promised to help GM lower their costs and have yet to do so. GM needed the money to stay in business. Congress would not have given them the money at all if not for the union paybacks. Still, it is incumbent for GM to be profitable and they are profitable in Brazil because of the lower cost of labor.

I hope it doesn’t happen to you one day. How sad to think that the US Government is providing the capital for GM to accomplish the task and some do nothing. I know you hate the unions but this is not about unions it is about investing tax dollars to save US jobs some of which are union and some are not. To allow the destruction and corruption of our auto industry to break a union or two is not good business. If you think unions are bad now watch what happens when everyone wants to join one to protect themselves from the foreign job exodus. Laying back and pretending you’re an example of free enterprise in action is false security. It is not going to solve the union issue you have, it will make it worse. Forget your hated of unions and consider America for a minute. Once you get your blinders off maybe you will understand.

I don’t hate unions. I don’t care about them one way or another. People are free to do whatever they want with their jobs. I don’t like unions telling management how to run their business and I don’t like businesses which have failed, in part because of the unions, who come begging for money like GM. And I would not put myself in a position where I would need to run to a union to “protect” my job. You want to see companies taking their plants overseas? Wait until the card-check law is passed eliminating secret ballots. Small and large businesses alike will shutter their plants and either go out of business or move overseas rather than have to deal with unions.

I don’t know why you keep harping on revolt as a solution. It is not. It’s not even a legitimate consideration. The only people I know who support that as any solution are socialist revolutionaries. We know how that turns out for the common man. We need to keep or go back to the beliefs of our founding fathers. Perhaps I am misunderstanding your use of the term revolt. It would be the end of America as we know it.

Not advocating revolt at all. Just looking at the options that are presented to us now. As to the founding fathers, I’m not sure that they would approve of some of the following interventions by our current government. Bailing out failed businesses. Bailing out repressive labor unions. Paying money to people who do not pay taxes and do not work. Or a class of citizens who look to government to help them and keep them from failing.

As for Ronald Reagan, it took a Jimmy Carter to produce a Ronald Reagan. Perhaps someone will rise up, perhaps not. What’s your Plan B? Having said all of this, what makes you think I am so passive? Do I have to pound my head against the wall over something like GM in Brazil, which, BTW, is a done deal, in order to get street credit for fighting back? As long as you react, they control you.

As all of our readers know, I’m not a full-time blogger, which is why I remain an affluent member of the Obama-targeted-for-welfare-enslavement middle class.  I’ve struggled for several years now to try and fulfill my real-world responsibilities…

I saw that, too, kanda. I was afraid after the last election that NC had lost their way. Makes us a bit worried in SC. Glad to see that some of the Dems in NC still lean conservative.

genso on February 9, 2009 at 4:07 PM

This is the tricky part. There are good democrats but they are hard to detect unless you turn over the right rocks. So far so good here in NC but he has a lot of people upset with him. He was re-elected this time. If the republicans can find someone more conservative and not a crook we can get his seat.

God bless you kanda. I haven’t given in to them at all. But I refuse to fight the battles that can not be won. And I won’t get caught up in the emotion of the moment. That’s what drives the left and fractures the conservatives. If you have the principles of capitalism in you, then you have to stand behind them in all cases. To fight GM and their investment in a profit center is a distraction and will yield the same results, IMO, as pushing harder on a door that has a “PULL” sign on it. While we are fighting every minor issue, the Obama administration is building their voter support with the stimulus package. Even so, this bill will pass. The showdown will be the vote in the Senate on the bill coming from the Senate/House conference committee. Going beyond that, Giethner will soon announce the Treasury plan for the banks, which, by many accounts, will exceed the stimulus in dollars.

Given this, you, we, have three options. We can revolt en masse; we can go “John Galt” in some fashion; or, we can try to be as successful as possible as individuals and as a nation and use our resources to vote these traitors out. I’ll stand with any revolt. In the meantime, I will be a successful capitalist and use the fruits of that to help support the true conservatives who step up to regain this country. Are we too far gone? Only time will tell. Still, whichever you choose, leave the emotion out of this.

genso on February 9, 2009 at 12:41 PM

I guess I don’t understand you but God Bless you too genso. If you choose to sit idly by and let GM or any company promise to spend the money the government gave them on US jobs only to turn around and spend our tax dollars keeping foreign jobs that’s your choice I suppose. I basically take a different approach. I believe that our politicians faced with the reality of the deception will choose the right course of action to correct it. They won’t do it willingly perhaps but they will listen to us. At least while we still have the power of the ballot.

If you think maintaining the status quo is the correct way to proceed that is your perogative. There are times I think you can’t see the forest for the trees. This issue is not about GM investment anywhere. It is about GM using US tax dollars to protect jobs in Brazil. I hope it doesn’t happen to you one day. How sad to think that the US Government is providing the capital for GM to accomplish the task and some do nothing. I know you hate the unions but this is not about unions it is about investing tax dollars to save US jobs some of which are union and some are not. To allow the destruction and corruption of our auto industry to break a union or two is not good business. If you think unions are bad now watch what happens when everyone wants to join one to protect themselves from the foreign job exodus. Laying back and pretending you’re an example of free enterprise in action is false security. It is not going to solve the union issue you have, it will make it worse. Forget your hated of unions and consider America for a minute. Once you get your blinders off maybe you will understand.

I don’t know why you keep harping on revolt as a solution. It is not. It’s not even a legitimate consideration. The only people I know who support that as any solution are socialist revolutionaries. We know how that turns out for the common man. We need to keep or go back to the beliefs of our founding fathers. Perhaps I am misunderstanding your use of the term revolt. It would be the end of America as we know it.

Go in peace now, continue to support conservatism as you see fit but don’t come crying to me if you’re the last man standing. It is a choice to ignore the issues and stand passivly by when there was still time to voice your concern in an attempt to correct them. I don’t fault you for being passive/aggressive about it. I know there is a long road ahead but we in our own way will do what can be done to help. There is another Ronald Reagan out there we just need to find that person.

kanda on February 9, 2009 at 3:56 PM

I saw that, too, kanda. I was afraid after the last election that NC had lost their way. Makes us a bit worried in SC. Glad to see that some of the Dems in NC still lean conservative.

Pelosi, Reid have “failed,” Shuler says

Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C) has further ingratiated himself with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — not — by declaring that Pelosi and Harry Reid “failed” the bipartisanship test on stimulus.

“In order for us to get the confidence of America, it has to be done in a bipartisan way,” Shuler said in Raleigh following an economic forum, according to the AP.

“We have to have everyone — Democrats and Republicans standing on the stage with the administration — saying, ‘We got something done that was efficient, stimulative and timely.’”

Here’s the kicker: “I truly feel that’s where maybe House leadership and Senate leadership have really failed.”

Shuler, rumored to be mulling a ’10 Senate run, was one of 11 House Democrats to vote “no” on the stimulus and was already deep in Pelosi’s doghouse. Now he’ll have to build a Harry Reid wing.

kanda on February 9, 2009 at 12:21 PM

God bless you kanda. I haven’t given in to them at all. But I refuse to fight the battles that can not be won. And I won’t get caught up in the emotion of the moment. That’s what drives the left and fractures the conservatives. If you have the principles of capitalism in you, then you have to stand behind them in all cases. To fight GM and their investment in a profit center is a distraction and will yield the same results, IMO, as pushing harder on a door that has a “PULL” sign on it. While we are fighting every minor issue, the Obama administration is building their voter support with the stimulus package. Even so, this bill will pass. The showdown will be the vote in the Senate on the bill coming from the Senate/House conference committee. Going beyond that, Giethner will soon announce the Treasury plan for the banks, which, by many accounts, will exceed the stimulus in dollars.

Given this, you, we, have three options. We can revolt en masse; we can go “John Galt” in some fashion; or, we can try to be as successful as possible as individuals and as a nation and use our resources to vote these traitors out. I’ll stand with any revolt. In the meantime, I will be a successful capitalist and use the fruits of that to help support the true conservatives who step up to regain this country. Are we too far gone? Only time will tell. Still, whichever you choose, leave the emotion out of this.

I find it nearly impossible to believe that McCain will reject this bill and NOT support some other monstrosity later.

csdeven on February 9, 2009 at 12:16 PM

Fixed.

genso on February 9, 2009 at 11:47 AM

Sounds like you have given up on the power of the people to influence our government. You say you’re giving up because the socialists “rule now”. That is apathy my friend nothing less. I am not as cynical toward amercia as you are. I’ll keep trying to get the politicians to do the will of the people. Someone needs to hold GM and the politicians accountable. You appear to not have the will to stand up to them at this time. I am sorry you feel that way. I understand that you are weary from the battle. I’ll take the banner for you until you recover your strengh and gain the fortitude to continue.

Sometimes I wonder if we’re on the same page. It is a constant battle to keep all these things in perspective. The politicians try to ram so much down our throats. If you stop to catch a breath they slip something by. We must be vigilant and catch these things. Thats what I am doing.

You realize of course that I am talking about money given to GM to save american jobs don’t you? It has nothing to do with “buy american” that was in the stimulous package. That was some democrat bs they thought would make it easier to pass the stimulous bill.

The auto bailout was “poor gm and chrysler, help us oh government to save our dealers and keep our american plants running and open credit markets so we can sell cars in america again”, that auto bailout. Don’t confuse the two. Either GM lied openly or they didn’t. I have not become as cynical as you yet. I’ll keep trying to get the politicians to do the will of the people. At least if they don’t I’ll know who to vote against next time.

Check this out, more money via EITC for illegals and welfare receipents.

The media is filled with numbers about the economic crisis. But the numbers do not tell the full story.

The story of this crisis is in homes across the country — homes where a family member has lost a job, where parents are struggling to pay a mortgage, and where college tuition has slipped out of reach.

That’s also where the story of our recovery begins — in communities where repairing roads and bridges, manufacturing green technologies, and rehabilitating our schools and hospitals will directly impact the lives of ordinary people and their families.

President Obama’s recovery plan will help struggling families right now by saving or creating up to 4 million jobs. But it will also help strengthen our economy for the future by investing in crucial infrastructure projects in health care, education, and energy.

Share your story about how this economic crisis is affecting you and your family and join your fellow Americans in supporting bold action to speed our recovery:

http://my.barackobama.com/sharestories

Thank you for organizing so much support at this crucial moment for our country,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

The campaign is far from over.

But that is the Chicago way and if noone calls their hand on it, then we get what we deserve.

txmomof6 on February 9, 2009 at 11:59 AM

We are looking at the decades-old results of our nation’s apathy now, in health care and nearly every other aspect of our society. Meanwhile, the people who have dedicated themselves to gain power during that time, and who were able to see further than the next football game and ipod and American Idol, have produced the perfect storm and we will be the worse for it for generations. Get mad, be frustrated, whatever, it will take more effort than we may know how to give to stop this.