Video: “Administration’s Mulligan”

thinks CEOs should go to jail for their economic choices over the last few years? How can Geithner make that case, after evading taxes for years?

You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re equating not paying around $30,000 in taxes to what the CEOs and Wall Street Wizards have done to this country over the past few years?

We’re in the worst financial crisis in close to a century and you’re playing petty political games. No, what Geithner did wasn’t OK. But, Obama tapped him as the man for the job and he has a very important job to do.

And you’re trying to undercut him in the name of petty politics.

Country First, indeed.

Tom_Shipley on February 11, 2009 at 8:37 AM

Explain that one to me.

He’s a part of the economic recovery advisory board, which is made up of non-governmental experts. I can’t say I know much about him or GE’s practices over the past couple years, but not ALL CEOs have acted poorly over the past few years.

And I think it smart to include people who are “in the trenches” so to speak, to help advise how to get the economy back on its feet.

Tom_Shipley on February 11, 2009 at 8:46 AM

So when is it a crime, worthy of jail time, to make a mistake? Especially when being forced by agents of govt to make that mistake?

I don’t recall the IRS or anyone suggesting Geithner should have serve jail time for his offense. He was hit for something like $14,000 in penalties.

Again, I don’t condone what he has done, but he was confirmed and he’s the man on the job now. And I don’t think the tax issue hinders him from being able to deal with this crisis.

Bringing it up and comparing it to trading bad assets and risking the entire economy in the pursuit of money is just petty undermining.

If that’s what Ed wants to do, fine. He has the right. The rest of the country will move on and try and deal with this crisis.

Tom_Shipley on February 11, 2009 at 9:01 AM

Actually, the rest of the country isn’t going along. Haven’t you noticed?

The rest of the country doesn’t want to deal with the crisis?

Tom_Shipley on February 11, 2009 at 9:06 AM

Too funny. Now you show your incompetence. What do you think drives any economy?

You’re right, that was poorly worded. But, still accurate. The fact is they traded bad assets when they shouldn’t have and it’s what started this entire meltdown. The pursuit of money is a constant. It’s the imprudent pursuit of it that got us in this mess.

Tom_Shipley on February 11, 2009 at 9:08 AM

You still didn’t disclose how you can afford to pay your bills. In your worldview, who will pay for all of the government jobs that will be created by Obama? And who will pay off the debt? Do you even think of these things on your on or do you just have faith in the One to provide for you?

Well, first off, I’m not going to tell some condescending little twit what I do for a living because he demands me to do so. So give up that little pipe dream of yours.

Second, no one wants to have to spend all this money and raise the debt. The argument is that it’s the lesser of two evils. In action will allow the economy to get worse for a longer period of time. The influx of cash will increase the debt, but by jolting the economy back up, we’ll then be able to bring it back down. Remember, democrats were able to balance the budget a decade ago.

And Tom, there are plenty of Republicans, myself included, who have no problem at all with infrastructure spending, particularly repairs and maintenance on existing infrastructure. The Senate bill actually cut some things I thought were necessary. And the tax cuts that are in the bill aren’t the most stimulative formulation we could have come up with. So lay off the straw man argument, OK? It’s tedious.

And the House bill added more infrastructure spending, correct? But, this is an example of good debate. People looked at the bill and said it doesn’t do enough to create the right kind of jobs upfront. So they added more of them.

And I’m all for you proposing different tax cuts. Doesn’t mean you’ll get them, but fine.

When Obama pulled the “I won” line, it was to remind republicans they won’t get everything they want. The just a fact of life.

If you don’t think federal money should be put into the economy to boost it, like genso seems to think, then you’re definitely not going to be happy. But, it’s going to happen. To bring back an Iraq example, you can cheer for it to fail or hope it works.

Tom_Shipley on February 11, 2009 at 10:08 AM