DeMint takes on Biden’s challenge
posted at 11:35 am on July 29, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
God love Joe Biden. Every time he opens his mouth, a gaffe of some dimension falls out of it, giving us a steady stream of material. In this clip, Biden makes a momentary mistake of bragging about cutting pay checks rather than payroll taxes, but makes the far bigger mistake of repeating ad nauseam about Porkulus critics, “What would they do?” At times, it almost seemed as though Joe broke TOTUS again and his text wouldn’t move.
Greta van Susteren asked Jim DeMint the same question, and got a very long and detailed answer:
“We introduced real options to this [Porkulus], and those options are on the table.”
DeMint does a good job of outlining some of those options, but the biggest gaffe from Biden is that no one bothered to ask that question in February. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid insisted on locking Republicans out of the process of creating the stimulus package. Republicans had offered a range of options, including backing another Democratic plan from Rep. Walt Minnick (D-ID), which stripped everything out of Porkulus except funds spent in 2009 — and it would have cost a sixth of Porkulus. START would have focused entirely on short-term stimulus and left out a generation of the Left’s pet projects and wasteful spending, including $300 million on golf carts.
Instead, the Obama administration backed the steamroller tactics of Pelosi and Reid — and America got flattened. Biden wants to know what else they could have done. They could have started by listening to Republicans when it counted, not just ask rhetorical questions to cover for Biden’s admitted misreading of the economy.
Blowback
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DeMint… one conservative actually fighting for this country.
Upstater85 on July 29, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Being in the leadership positions is hard!!
jukin on July 29, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Palin/DeMint 2012!
promachus on July 29, 2009 at 11:39 AM
We need 100 more Demints…
BPD on July 29, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Remember, if Obama goes, we get this guy.
Bipartisanship comes when you work with the opposing party, not when you steamroll them. This stimulus is in the hands of the Democrats, because WINNING means they get to write the laws.
How’s that unemployment working out for us?
originalpechanga on July 29, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Hahahaha…Would you not give 95% of Americans a paycut!!!
How true…how true…
the Coondawg on July 29, 2009 at 11:40 AM
But DeMint isn’t rural. His arguments won’t work with the cornpone caucus. Right, AP?
spmat on July 29, 2009 at 11:41 AM
Don’t forget about John Boehner in the House as well…
JetBoy on July 29, 2009 at 11:42 AM
It’s interesting to note that the police officers, that Biden is talking about are only paid for three years. The agreement is that the cities will come up with the payment for the fourth year… after that… then what?
CynicalOptimist on July 29, 2009 at 11:42 AM
As an Ohioan, I have got to say, I love this southern senator.
myrenovations on July 29, 2009 at 11:42 AM
Joe Plugs asked “what would you do?” so many times i almost thought he actually was asking for advice.
walkingboss on July 29, 2009 at 11:43 AM
Yes, Walt Minnick’s plan was immensely better (and would have been more stimulating) than the crap sandwich we got.
But instead we got a bill with all kinds of stupid crap in it. Money for unions (political payoff), money for “infrastructure” (temporary shovel-ready jobs scooping donkey shat), and stupid stuff like money for zoos (to help gird our lions… I guess).
Abby Adams on July 29, 2009 at 11:43 AM
AP needs to run more “FACT CHECK” stories like the one after the latest presser. I’m sure it’s not new in politics, but I’m getting sick of how this administration loves to ignore reality, past events and facts, and build their own view of past events and people. Have they no responsibility, honor, or pride? (Rhetorical)
Makes me think of that Adam Savage quote from Mythbusters, “I reject your reality, and substitute my own”. This really has to be the Obama Administration motto.
NickelAndDime on July 29, 2009 at 11:45 AM
I was asking that question. Of course I also believed that Obama needs to fail when the prevailing attitude was that we needed to give him a chance. How’s that working out for ya?
highhopes on July 29, 2009 at 11:45 AM
i’m i totally wrong about the destination of payroll taxes which they “cut”, don’t these funds go toward the entitlement “trust funds” that the dems claim to support? how is taking money away from current beneficiaries to give obama’s talking point “95%” reality a good thing? wouldn’t cutting the income tax rates benefit both groups, at least it wouldn’t HURT one group.
weewilly on July 29, 2009 at 11:45 AM
That bill wasn’t about stimulating the economy is was a political spoils bill rewarding all of the filthy liars allies including the unions and ACORN (which got millions).
highhopes on July 29, 2009 at 11:47 AM
Walt Minnick’s plan was bang-on (how often do you say that about a Democrat?). He likely has been in the woodshed since.
michaelo on July 29, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Don’t you remember Clinton’s million cop program. Same thing. Feds fronted the money but when it ran out, layoffs occurred.
highhopes on July 29, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Oh, I don’t know Joe. How about doing nothing and letting the free market take it’s course?
That’s all you had to do. Nothing. And you screwed the pooch on that one.
fogw on July 29, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Its always interesting to hear DeMint talk about our demented President.
bluegrass on July 29, 2009 at 11:49 AM
fify
weewilly on July 29, 2009 at 11:49 AM
DeMint must be racist or something
76United on July 29, 2009 at 11:50 AM
After reading DeMint’s new book, I hope that he will run in 2012. If they would run someone like DeMint, I might actually be able to vote GOP again. No McCain-esques EVAH!
PrincipledPilgrim on July 29, 2009 at 11:50 AM
You’re right Ed,God does love biden,but I am having a hard time of it!!!!
ohiobabe on July 29, 2009 at 11:51 AM
eeerrrrr, eeeerrrrr.
bloggless on July 29, 2009 at 11:51 AM
95% of Americans are in desperate shape? When did that happen?
The recession is 8 years in the making? Where has Biden been that last 8 years? In Congress!
ctmom on July 29, 2009 at 11:51 AM
The irony here is that a pay cut is one of the things we need to get the economy growing again. That, a reduction and leveling of the tax rates, a reduction in micromanaging regulation, and an overall reduction in government spending.
Count to 10 on July 29, 2009 at 11:51 AM
WWJD. WHAT WOULD JOE DO?
bloggless on July 29, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Well, we could have done better than just nothing, but nothing sure would have beat what we got, hands down.
Count to 10 on July 29, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Count to 10 on July 29, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Obrawndo, Biden, Pelosi and Reid depend on voters having an attention span shorter than Joe’s hair plugs.
That’s why they hate Fox news and conservatives so much: We have a memory they can’t delete.
“What would they do?” Limit government, cut taxes, get out of the way of business and investment. Thanks for asking, Joe. Not that I believe for a second that you actually want a response or are willing to accept any input.
Tom_OC on July 29, 2009 at 11:55 AM
I don’t think people realize the red tape that is going to be created with the Health Scam and any other program that the government creates. The Health Scam is an invitation for the government to know the things you eat, drink, and pay for. I for one would like to be able to pay for a can of Pepsi and a Snickers bar for less than $2 and not have my hands slapped by the government Candy and Pop Czar if do.
yoda on July 29, 2009 at 11:56 AM
God may love him but everyone else thinks Joe’s an asshole.
Monica on July 29, 2009 at 11:57 AM
I’d settle for 99 more.
LastRick on July 29, 2009 at 11:58 AM
God may love him but everyone else thinks Joe’s an A-hole.
(cleaned up version since the first was caught by filter)
Monica on July 29, 2009 at 11:59 AM
The looks on the cops’ faces when Joe says “pay cut” is PRICELESS!
Christien on July 29, 2009 at 12:02 PM
In honor of Biden, a graph about clowns.
LastRick on July 29, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Why, yes it was. And even more interesting is who actually wrote Porkulus, or at least had a hand in it.
Yeah, it’s Beck, who never seems to get a fair shot here at HA, but he sure does a great job of explaining who exactly was pulling the strings.
This is a must watch, and quite scary.
Knucklehead on July 29, 2009 at 12:03 PM
We have to remember that porkulus is doing exactly what they want. We have a long history of these give-away programs failing and they still defend them. Obama has the economy right where he planned it.
fourdeucer on July 29, 2009 at 12:04 PM
What is it with these Southerners that are taking over the party?
cntrlfrk on July 29, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Exactly my thoughts the second he opened his mouth.
RightWinged on July 29, 2009 at 12:05 PM
The Republicans need to continue to remind America that they claimed that Porkulus was a spending bill, not a jobs bill, and they were, and are, right.
cntrlfrk on July 29, 2009 at 12:07 PM
So JoJo will have to be dragged from office alongside Ogabe; fine with me. The sooner the better.
Bishop on July 29, 2009 at 12:09 PM
I saw figures last night that 75% of the Stimulus would be spent by 2012.
If it wasn’t going to bhe spent right away, why did it have to be passed right away? Rhetorical question.
bw222 on July 29, 2009 at 12:10 PM
I have a theory about the status of Porkulus:
If, only 20% of the 787 billion “stimulus” package has been allocated/distributed, is the Obama administration purposely holding back the balance of these funds to “disperse” to DEMOCRAT DISTRICTS just in time for the election cycle? Who, exactly is monitoring this process and where are the watchdogs?
Rovin on July 29, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Of all the obnoxiousness that has come out of this Administration, what galls me the most is the way they have steamrolled these three giant deficit-exploding, economy-killing bills through with ZERO consideration of any republican alternatives, then caricatured Republicans as “do-nothings without a plan of their own.” The state-run media would never have let George Bush get away with caricaturing Democrats this way – in fact, they savaged Bush for caricaturing that never even happened, i.e. the “Democrats are unpatriotic” bullshit.
rockmom on July 29, 2009 at 12:19 PM
DeMint’s turning out to be one of our best. Buy Saving Freedom. It’s a good read.
How good it is to see so many good books coming on the market lately… Horowitz, Levin, Beck, Malkin, DeMint, and others.
petefrt on July 29, 2009 at 12:20 PM
But Demint isn’t a Birther.
EXPELL THIS RINO FROM THE PARTY!!11!
/yup
omnipotent on July 29, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Joe Plugs asked “what would you do?” so many times i almost thought he actually was asking for advice.
I know it:) It was as if he was imploring the audience for a response.
“Somebody, anybody…….?????”
JoeinTX on July 29, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Joe Biden is the
StimulusStabilization sheriff.myrenovations on July 29, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Ditto to both of you. The GOP was offering plenty of suggestions. The media just wasn’t reporting them, and the Dems just weren’t listening.
The only way to respond to nonsense such as Biden’s is to deliver detailed, two-by-four-to-the-head counterarguments. The GOP has been sitting back and taking punches for too long from these POS Dem bullies.
BuckeyeSam on July 29, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Bingo.
They have to wait until early 2010 to start their “Buy the Vote” campaign.
Chicago thizzle, doncha know.
omnipotent on July 29, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Rush addressed this a few days ago. He said he doubted it, because the Dems have such a deep war chest already they don’t need Porkulous in 2010.
Maybe they don’t need it, as Rush said, but I can’t help but suspect the timing.
petefrt on July 29, 2009 at 12:24 PM
I’m worried about this Stimulus II talk. I’d love for DeMint and friends to cut off debate on another round of stimulus by asking to REOPEN the first stimulus bill. We could trim the fat and convert spending to tax cuts, 80% or so of the money is still sitting in the (Chinese) bank waiting to be spent.
hawksruleva on July 29, 2009 at 12:28 PM
Why does this remind me of this:
“Buehler….Buehler…….?
“Anybody…..Anybody……..?
Knock knock? Anybody home?
No, just Joe Biden.
bloggless on July 29, 2009 at 12:31 PM
What bugs me is the gall these morons are to think they can control this stimulus like it’s their own private piggy bank, when this is taxpayer funds that should have NO PARTY AFFILIATION!
I’d have to question Rush’s reasoning here. While the Dem Party may have millions in their war chest, around 500 billion spent in the right districts would go a long way towards “serving their constituents”
Rovin on July 29, 2009 at 12:35 PM
I’m so glad to see a reference to Walt Minnick’s really terrific alternative plan. As a conservative, I find him more appealing that a lot of the Republicans in the House and Senate. And a very good argument for judging politicians on their principles rather than the letter after their names.
DeMint ’12!!
califcon on July 29, 2009 at 12:39 PM
I know… I just really wanted to use my “gird your lions” line.
;-)
Abby Adams on July 29, 2009 at 12:41 PM
As a South Carolinian (who goes to church with Sen. DeMint and knows him quite well) I have got to say, I bet I love him more. What you see with Jim DeMint is what you get.
Unlike that flaming, love struck idiot Sanford.
SuzEQCitizen on July 29, 2009 at 12:55 PM
DeMint is doing a great job of challenging Obama and the direction the country is going. Watch for the left in general, the media in particular and RINOs in the party to try to marginalize him like they did Sarah Palin.
In fact, as soon as Allah gets back from lunch with David Frum ….
bw222 on July 29, 2009 at 12:57 PM
FIFY, moron. Hair plugs are only supposed to be surface dressing, your doc drilled all the was to your medulla, obviously.
TinMan13 on July 29, 2009 at 1:03 PM
DeMint is Da Man, he has taken it to Obama and Biden every chance he has. He is my choice 100% for 2012. Cue latest ABBA rendition of Waterloo. I am humming that from now until Jan 2013
msmveritas on July 29, 2009 at 1:05 PM
Ed, this reminds me of a crack many years ago from political humorist Mark Russell:
For 2 years this was the greatest business in the world. Then Nixon resigned and I had to go back to writing my own material.
Owen Glendower on July 29, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Very true, but on the plus side, absolutely NOBODY would take him seriously as POTUS, so he’d get nothing done and therefore do little harm.
Bob's Kid on July 29, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Hey, you can’t go socialist for free, ya know!
n0doz on July 29, 2009 at 1:21 PM
So? His policies are likely to be no more stupid and he wouldn’t have the guaranteed vote bank, or the ass-kissing media, making him and his policies a lot easier to derail. I would love to see Jughead fail SPECTACULARLY, no-one else could be worse because no-one else can hit that self-censorship button that exists within otherwise sensible Americans.
Fortunata on July 29, 2009 at 1:25 PM
errr, errr
fourstringfuror on July 29, 2009 at 1:31 PM
DeMint / Beck 2012
workingforpigs on July 29, 2009 at 1:50 PM
And this is why Virginia, among other states, refused some of the stimulus money for unemployment comp. It was mandated to continue the program after the funds ran out. This issue will come up in our gubanatorial race. The problem is that the questions are complex and the general populace is ignorant. At first glance, how can our General Assembly refuse Federal monies? So they don’t have to explain later why we are *gasp* cutting unemployment benefits (back to where they were).
riverrat10k on July 29, 2009 at 1:54 PM
Geez DeMint….
Didn’t you know Biden’s question was rhetorical. He didn’t really want an answer.
Scrappy on July 29, 2009 at 2:07 PM
So wait – you’re complaining that Republicans were locked out of the debate, and that they offered good-faith options.
And your evidence of this is… a plan put forth by a Democrat.
In fact, a plan that was put forth solely as a backup measure in case the stimulus bill failed to get enough legislative support:
Nice logic there, Mr. Morrissey.
orange on July 29, 2009 at 2:12 PM
Oh, and here’s more holes in Morrissey’s theory:
Oh really?
This despite the fact that:
Gee, lots of Republican support for that plan, eh?
And you wonder why the media didnt cover it more extensively? It was one dude who put forth a plan that he specifically said was a back-up measure, and it was a plan that he couldnt get any co-sponsors for. Of course the media didnt cover it. Why would they? They cant cover every little thing every Congressperson submits.
This thing wasnt taken seriously by anybody on the Hill – not even Minnick, apparently, except as a backup measure.
And still you’re trumpeting this insignificant Democrat-created bill as the best and only example of a Republican idea for turning the economy around.
Wow.
orange on July 29, 2009 at 2:22 PM
Just in time to vote in more Democrats (and second term Obama) to increase more/bigger government.
Sir Napsalot on July 29, 2009 at 2:42 PM
See, its all the repubs fault cuz the repubs forced the dems to physically lock them out of congress while the bill was being written.
Ya, Ya, that’s the ticket!
All you peons need to quit whining and thank Obama for your $0.19.2 per hour that we will allow you to keep for a couple more months.
Respectfully, Nancy Pelosi
DSchoen on July 29, 2009 at 2:45 PM
What would I do? Are you kidding me?
Hey Joe! Get the hell out of the way. Period.
Mojave Mark on July 29, 2009 at 2:50 PM
Obama to Rahm: “I thought I told you to shut him up!”
GarandFan on July 29, 2009 at 2:50 PM
Naw, it won’t work that way.
Do you use one of those “club” cards when you shop at the supper market?
Now you will get one of those cards that you will have to use to buy ANYTHING.
Buy a soda from a Machine ya have to swipe “your card”.
Everything you buy will be recorded, itemized and cost.
At the end of the year you will be given a Government report detailing how many calories you have consumed along with Government guild lines for the acceptable amount of calories.
If you exceed the Government guild lines “your card” will be “edited” so you can only buy “X” number of sodas per year, not to exceed the Government guild lines for your Soda/calorie intake.
Your taxes will be “adjusted” to pay for this “Card program” based on the difference tween your excessive soda purchases and the Government guild lines for soda purchases.
Note: Sodas is just an example of how the “Card program” will work.
The “Card program” will apply to everything you buy, EVERYTHING.
Another benefit of this “Card program” it will show any difference tween how much you spent vice how much you have been paid.
Isn’t this great!
DSchoen on July 29, 2009 at 3:36 PM
Blame Bush isn’t having the effect it once was . . I know, let’s start blaming Clinton!
- The Cat
MirCat on July 29, 2009 at 3:47 PM
You’re off by a bit.
We need 538 Jim Demints.
Chaz706 on July 29, 2009 at 4:47 PM
What’s really sad is that a lot of media have picked up on this “the Republicans have no plan” nonsense, and they’re not all liberals, either. Neal Boortz, for example, was repeating that theme today in the reading assignments on his website.
Head over there and let him know he’s wrong.
We need to counter this whenever possible.
SDN on July 29, 2009 at 5:08 PM