Without A Diagnosis It Is Harder To Find A Cure

Barack Obama makes his case for Bold Action on the stimulus package and includes this headscratcher:

In recent days, there have been misguided criticisms of this plan that echo the failed theories that helped lead us into this crisis -- the notion that tax cuts alone will solve all our problems; that we can meet our enormous tests with half-steps and piecemeal measures; that we can ignore fundamental challenges such as energy independence and the high cost of health care and still expect our economy and our country to thrive.

Come again?  I have only re-read this six times so correct me if I am wrong, but Obama seems to be saying that tax cuts, high health care costs, and our reliance on foreign oil have helped lead us into this crisis.  Really?

In my reality we are having a financial crisis that came about from slack mortgage regulation, easy money fueling a housing boom-turned bubble (that was once lauded as leading the world out of the 2001 recession), and relentless cheerleading for the housing market from Washington.  George Bush's push for an ownership society and the Democrats push to see FNMA and Freddie Mac extend home ownership to groups normally closed out of that part of the American Dream made it unlikely that any regulator would crack down on the mortgage market.  This time the twin towers were "Housing always goes up" and "Washington will bail us out if it doesn't".  The rest is history.  My history, anyway.

Wiliam Kristol advises the Republicans on how to counter-punch - separate the real stimulus from the longer-term investments in America.

Republicans should stop trying to improve the unimproveable with small-bore amendments to the current legislative package. Instead, they can point out that Obama is supporting under the guise of emergency legislation a bloated catch-all of stimulus, pork and (often bad) policy. They can make clear that Republicans will support a real short-term stimulus (pro-growth tax cuts, housing measures and a few targeted spending provisions unemployment and COBRA extensions) that meets Larry Summers’s criteria of being targeted, timely and temporary. They should introduce such a measure as a substitute -- “The Emergency Economic Growth Bill of 2009” -- and trumpet their vigorous support of it. And they should insist that all the “energy, health care and education” proposals be debated in an orderly and serious way in the regular legislative process -- not jammed through as part of an emergency “stimulus.”

This strategy depends on GOP willingness to slow the process down and to challenge Obama’s arbitrary Presidents’ Day deadline. The Republican position should be: We’ll pass on this emergency timetable a real stripped-down emergency stimulus. But if Obama insists on legislation incorporating an alleged “strategy for America’s long-term growth,” then the country deserves hearings and debate that obviously will take some time.

Makes sense.  Now, it is difficult for Republicn Congressfoks to step to the podium and say "Let's give this bill more time than we gave the Patriot Act or the Iraq War Resolution - we all saw what happened when we whooped those through."  However, one might expect such an argument to resonate with the media.  (What am I saying?  A chance to whoop through a liberal fantasy list that has been hanging fire for two decades?  The Times will never look back...).  Here are the WaPo editors:

However, ideology is not the only reason that senators -- from both parties -- are balking at the president's plan. As it emerged from the House, it suffered from a confusion of objectives. Mr. Obama praised the package yesterday as "not merely a prescription for short-term spending" but a "strategy for long-term economic growth in areas like renewable energy and health care and education." This is precisely the problem. As credible experts, including some Democrats, have pointed out, much of this "long-term" spending either won't stimulate the economy now, is of questionable merit, or both. Even potentially meritorious items, such as $2.1 billion for Head Start, or billions more to computerize medical records, do not belong in legislation whose reason for being is to give U.S. economic growth a "jolt," as Mr. Obama himself has put it. All other policy priorities should pass through the normal budget process, which involves hearings, debate and -- crucially -- competition with other programs.

Well, well.

[END OF THREAD]

Comments

[Neo]

President Obama has been "AWOL" in negotiations over the economic stimulus package, Sen. Lindsey Graham said Thursday in a scathing rebuke of the new president.

The South Carolina Republican told FOX News that Obama has not been providing leadership, and he criticized the president for giving TV interviews and writing an editorial touting the package, rather than addressing the complaints of lawmakers.

"This process stinks," Graham told FOX News, before repeating a lot of his criticisms on the Senate floor. "We're making this up as we go and it is a waste of money. It is a broken process, and the president, as far as I'm concerned, has been AWOL on providing leadership on something as important as this."

Sounds like a job for Dan Rather.

[clarice]

He has the loose, sloppy thinking we all saw in the campaign and few others picked up on and reported. If it were just rhetorical flourishes, I wouldn't be so worried, but he really, really is an empty suit.

[verner]

Breaking on Fox. Solis, O's labor secretary pic, may have tax problems!!!

I swear, if she hired an illegal nannie, and didn't pay payroll tax, I am just going to laugh myself to death.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Really weak cheese, Barack. You're only offering change we can hope on. If your pork turns out to have massively misallocated resources, it could easily have a depressing effect.

Even Christi Romer admitted, at her confirmation hearing, there's no evidence that stimulus packages worked in the past.

[bad]

I hope Reid is wrong, as usual, about having 60+ votes.

[bad]

2004-2007 tax issues for Solis.

[matt]

The bill is a stinkaroo and should go down in flames to be replaced by a smaller, targeted, real time stimulus that does not play games.

On another note, Time magazine is now arguing for a newspaper bailout. can anyone say state controlled media? This is getting very scary.

[Neo]

This is an emergency; the normal rules do not apply.

I'm sure that Jack Bauer and Dick Cheney will be relived to know that the Left finally understands their rationale for the use of "harsh interrogators" (AKA torture).

[Danube of Thought]

OT: It's my understanding that pancreatic cancer is quite fast-acting and lethal. I believe Justice Ginsburg was also diagnosed with colon cancer some years ago.

Why, oh why, did Obama do this thing this way? It strikes me as not only far from clever or shrewd, but downright clumsy. And very ominous.

[bad]

The chairwoman of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the bailout funds told the Senate Banking committee Thursday that Treasury in 2008 paid $254 billion and received assets worth about $176 billion.

That's an overpayment of only $78,000,000,000

Chump change from all of us chumps. You go, Turbo Timmy!!

[Pofarmer]

It seems to me that Libs were practically BEGGING to sign on to the Iraq war declaration. Correct me if I'm wrong here.

[Pofarmer]

That's an overpayment of only $78,000,000,000

Pretty good stimulus right there.

[Neo]

There are some rare forms of pancreatic cancer that are surgically treatable, witness Steve Jobs of Apple.

[bad]

My hope regarding Justice Ginsberg is that the cancer is a metastises of the colon cancer to the pancreous. Colon cancer is easier to combat.

[Amused bystander]

I am hearing the reid has it. does not look good. Does anyine know the rules n tis bill, does it have to go back ot the house.

[Amused bystander]

*on this bill*

[bad]

Gibbs just told Tapper his question about nominee tax issues was not pertinent.

Tapper reamed him and Gibbs backed down.

[WillW]

They are running the government at the beginning of the fifth month of the fiscal year with a "Continuing Resolution" which I think means no appropriations have been for this fiscal year.

And now they are going to add 2.2 trillion to that.

This doesnt even rise to the behavior of drunken sailors. Sailors have x dollars in their pocket and run out of money. Pelosi doesnt have the fogiest idea how much money is available. And Obama is so wet behind the ears.

Who in the hell is going to lend them the money to spend. T bills look attractive considering the alternatives they constantly trash but sooner or later someone is going to stop trusting our government to be even slightly responsible.

And the demogoguery of this "foreclosure" issue needs to be questioned. Where are the Hoovervilles if people are being thrown out of their houses. Are people walking away from loans? Are people refinancing and pulling equity and walking away from it. You almost have to look at these loans case by case. Heck if soameone with 80% equity loses their job in OHIO in a house they have owned for 10-15 years, hell yes they should be helped. But someone in California who put down 5% or less pulled their equity to pay off credit cards with a refi during the bubble and got locked in and then walked after it was posted doesnt need anything but top ut their own life back in order.

Lets get a handle on the foreclosures.

[Neo]

There is supposed to be a conference between the houses on the bill.

[Thomas Collins]

I think the GOP is missing a chance here to score real points. The GOPers in the Senate should rally around a "clean" bill (money for TARP toxic asset purchases and infrastructure money that can clearly be spent this year, and tax breaks the Dems have already supported). The GOP should present this bill and say, "Mr. President, you wanted quick action. We will support this bill, which clearly addresses the immediate emergency. Then, we will work with you on the longer term goals in supplemental legislation." Zero and the Dems would have to go along or it would be clear to everyone that pork, not stimulus, is what is driving the Stimulus Bill Bus.

[bad]

Los Angeles County records showed 15 outstanding state and county tax liens against Sam Sayyad and his auto repair business, totaling $7,630. Two other liens worth $981 were released in 1999 after Sayyad repaid the taxes owed, according to county records.

Solis' financial disclosures list Sayyad's business, Sam's Foreign and Domestic Auto Center, as one of the couple's main assets, worth between $50,000 and $100,000. The disclosure form Solis filed after her nomination also lists bank accounts containing between $250,000 and $500,000.

Solis and Sayyad were unaware of the liens until USA TODAY asked about them Tuesday, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said. He said Sayyad paid about $6,400 to Los Angeles County on Wednesday to settle the liens, but he plans to appeal.

LUN

Joe the Plumber didn't know about his tax lien and McCain was skewered for improper vetting.

Gibbs says Solis should not be punished for her husbands tax issues.

[Neo]

Change you must believe in .. because this is an emergency; the normal rules do not apply.

[Captain Hate]

Lindsey Graham grows a backbone; who'd a thunk?

[Neo]

Gibbs says Solis should not be punished for her husbands tax issues.

Oh .. the Clinton defense.

[bad]

Of course Obama believes in faith based organizations. His community organizer gig in black churches is what propelled him into the presidency despite his lack of qualifications.

[Neo]

Fourth, aides say this bill is not their only bite at the apple. Mr. Obama is willing to do more in the future. Congress, facing midterm elections, may also want to pass another small stimulus package next year.

This is only one bite ? .. another "stimulus" next year ?

Spend .. spend .. spend ..

Stockman was wrong .. it's not a billion here and a billion there and before it will add to to real money .. now it is a trillion here and a trillion there ..

[E. Nigma]

Do they file joint returns? If so, then it is her responsibility, as she is signing the 1040 form, too. Geez Louise, how dumb do they think we are?

[MayBee]

Tapper reamed him and Gibbs backed down.

I don't know if he backed down, but he didn't answer Tapper's second question. He let Tapper ask the question, then went to Chuck Todd.

[bad]

But he admitted the question was pertinent.

[bad]

E. Nigma, at this point, the claim is that Solis husband's business is a separate entity.

[MayBee]

It seems to me that Libs were practically BEGGING to sign on to the Iraq war declaration. Correct me if I'm wrong here.

Po- I remember the Dems moving the vote to before the mid-term elections so they could get the "yes" vote on their resumes.

[Old Lurker]

"Gibbs says Solis should not be punished for her husbands tax issues."

So Mr. Palin's snow plow business was not relevant afterall? They just obsessed about that by accident I am sure.

[Amused bystander]

well. i cannot get through to Snow or Collins.

I was hoping against hope that the GOP would stick together

What a disaster this is going to be.

We are going the way of the UK with Mexico thrown in. We will never see America like she was.

I never thought that I would see this. What a tragedy. And without one shot fired.

[bad]

The CBO says the Obama stimulus will be harmful over the long haul. LUN

[Barney Frank]

Assuming she has common pancreatic cancer, the 5 year survival rate is less than five percent. The one year is barely over 10 per cent IIRC.

[Porchlight]

Reid is bluffing on having the votes, I hope and pray.

[bad]

President Obama's economic recovery package will actually hurt the economy more in the long run than if he were to do nothing, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday.

Any senator who votes for this bill is insane. LUN

[clarice]

I don't believe that report about 60 votes for this P.O.S.

[Old Lurker]

Clarice: "He has the loose, sloppy thinking we all saw in the campaign and few others picked up on and reported. If it were just rhetorical flourishes, I wouldn't be so worried, but he really, really is an empty suit."

...but an empty suit with some very scary, very destructive anti-American ideas.

Help me remember the old quote about "except for what he knows for sure that ain't so." Was that Will Rogers or someone like that? I'd like to dig it out since I think we might be living it. Anybody recall it?

[ben]

Has Lieberman said he would vote for $900 billion? If Nelson and Collins and Snowe said they wanted spending cuts to the bill I don't see where Reid gets the 60 votes for the bill as is.

[bad]

CBO estimates that by 2019 the Senate legislation would reduce GDP by 0.1 percent to 0.3 percent on net. [The House bill] would have similar long-run effects, CBO said in a letter to Sen. Judd Gregg, New Hampshire Republican, who was tapped by Mr. Obama on Tuesday to be Commerce Secretary.

Blame Judd Gregg for sabotaging O's bill..3..2..1

[clarice]

Reid says he believes "two Republicans of good will WOULD vote for this". Bluff, bluff and bluff.

I call and raise .

[clarice]

If the citizen calls that are jamming the capitol switchboards aren't enough the CBO report should have everyone lining up the chairs to sit shiva for this turkey.

[Porchlight]

Sad news about Ginsburg. I wish her the best. An old friend died of pancreatic cancer last year at age 70. It had been just about two years since her initial diagnosis.

[ben]

Dueling statements from Collins....

"Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican leading a push to strip billions from the plan, said lawmakers are “very leery of having an enormous package” that is “just a collection of everyone’s favorite programs.”

Collins said after a meeting that the bipartisan group hasn’t decided how much they will seek to cut. She said she would not support a plan as large as the $819 billion package approved last month by the House of Representatives."

Then she met the Messiah and this capitulation statement came out:

"Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said Obama, in a meeting with her on Wednesday, had persuaded her that the ultimate bill should be “in the neighborhood of $800 billion.”

“The president did convince me,” she said, adding that she believed the two sides would reach a compromise on the Senate stimulus package on Thursday."

Bullshit baffles brains.....

[Ranger]

Blame Judd Gregg for sabotaging O's bill..3..2..1

Posted by: bad | February 05, 2009 at 03:04 PM

Gregg is in an interesting position. He has already agreed to serve in the administration, but he is a big time fiscal conservative. Maybe he just abstains, which screws Reid, because he needs 60 to close debate, but doesn't actually challenge Obama. I don't see how Gregg can vote against this, then agree to serve in the administration that forced it one the country.

[MayBee]

I believe Reid has 60 votes just like I believe Roland Burris will never take a seat in the Senate.

[PeterUK]

"Yesterday upon the stair
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today
I wish that man would go away."
Hugh Means (1875 – 1965)

All his life Obama was never there.If he had been vetted they would have known this.

[matt]

67 questions and now 4, count 'em 4 of his nominations have tax and ethical issues. Must have bee a hell of a questionaire. I would have thought "Have you paid your taxes like a good citizen?" might have been on there.

Someone has got to get a copy of this thing. Besides, don't the FBI and perhaps Treasury investigate these people before they're announced?

OT: Etta James is ripsh*t with both Obama and Beyonce' for using "At Last" at the ObamaBall....strange but true....

[Sue]

Poor verner. Laughed herself to death. Her passing will be duly noted at 5:00 PM Central time today. ::bowing head::

[peter]

The only nice thing that I can say about Ruth Bader Ginsburg is that she is a personal friend of Antonin Scalia. Let's hope that she hangs on until 2012. Other than that, she is more concerned with the rights of terrorists than the lives of American citizens.

[Porchlight]

Old Lurker,

I think you are thinking of "it’s not what you don’t know that gets you in trouble — it’s what you knows for sure that ain’t so." A quick search has it attributed to Will Rogers, Mark Twain and Uncle Remus.

Also Reagan paraphrased it in his A Time For Choosing speech - "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, it's that they know so much that isn't so."

Yep.

[Sue]

Test. Did I pass?

[Amused bystander]

well I hope you are right.

What I am hearing is: Spector, Snow, Collins all in.

It maybe over tonight.

Snow and Collin should go over to the DEMS.
It is all just preposterous. Whi is it that only a small portion of the dems understand what they are up to. 4 billion for Acorn? they wlll never win an election again.

How stupid can they be. They just do not see what the stakes are. What is wrong with them.

They need to kill it this week, then they will be in a better position next time around.

[Sue]

Poor verner. Died laughing she did. We will observe her passing at 5:00 PM Central time. ::bows head::

[Thomas Collins]

If a "stripped down" bill is passed, it will be interesting to see what is "stripped." Will the "stripped" items be those that hold no promise of short term stimulus, or simply those items supported by those Congresscritters with less clout. My bet is the latter, and that a significant portion of the "stripped" items would have provided short term stimulus. I hope my prediction, which I admit is exceedingly cynical, is wrong.

[RichatUF]

Why would Reid bluff about having GOP support? Obama got his arm twisting done with Snowe and Collins and he's got the Obot army tanned and ready. How many GOP Senators or Congressman really want to have the full Axelturfing treatment including having Obots attacking district offices?

I just wish they'd get it over with and have the vote.

[bad]

ha ha

I propose that the new Democratic slogan be forever known as "YES WE CON."

Posted by: Britlad2 | February 5, 2009 3:15 PM

Found in WaPo comments of an article on Solis.

[Sue]

The Tapper/Gibbs exchange that bad mentioned is posted at The Corner.

[Ranger]

Just saw the video of Tapper sparing with Gibbs. And the subject was... copies of the waivers all the Lobbycritters working for Obama are getting!!! My guess is they can't produce them because they don't really exist. Its all just a public scam to claim there is some form of formal process to "approve" their work.

[hit and run]

Solis needs to come out and explain that her husband is a "lifelong Republican".

[ben]

'Why would Reid bluff about having GOP support?'

He is a pathological liar that can't help himself?

Hope springs eternal.

[Pofarmer]

Help me remember the old quote about "except for what he knows for sure that ain't so." Was that Will Rogers or someone like that? I'd like to dig it out since I think we might be living it. Anybody recall it?

I think it was a Reagan quote along the lines of "It's not that Liberals don't know anything, it's that they know so many things that aren't so.

[rube]

Later in that press conference a reporter asked about the story involving Solis husbands tax issues going back 16 yea---immediate interruption by Gibbs saying that was not the story he read.

The reporter was right. The liens do go back 16 yaers according to several news sources.

[Pofarmer]

Ya know, in a just world, Joe Biden would be looking for other employment right about now. What a maroon. It must just be Patriotic for Republicans to pay taxes.

[PeterUK]

Poor Verner Mirth to earth.

[Old Lurker]

"Test. Did I pass?"

You sure did.

And I rest my case on thinking it would apply to these times!

(OT, Porch: I though about you last Sunday, as I sat in the pew listening to yet another rewriting of our service...)

[bad]

Verner were lovely...

[Danube of Thought]

The whole tax issue is a red herring to distract us from the fact that Solis is a genuine moron.

[RichatUF]

Where does Joe the Plumber go to get an apology?

I'm sure that right about now an army of reporters are going to Solis' husband's shop to make sure the workers there are properly documented, digging through the garbage cans to find out what they had for dinner last night, and digging through the DMV records to make sure Sayyad did everything by the book.

What, they aren't, the tax errors are perfectly understandable and that Solis is uniquely qualified to cram down the Union Thug Empowerment Act help in these tough times. Will we get Chuck Todd to uncork the "too much vetting" laugher during Chrissy's hour of power today?

[clarice]

I didn't imagine the whole Hope and Change edifice would crumble this eompletely and this rapidly once put to any sort of test.

Maybe he'll just stomp his feet and walk out on us having performed his ceremonial duties at the inauguration. He is in some kind of a play acting thru life mode, isn't he?

[verner]

Wait...what did I miss? No really, did the hard left hispanic pro labor chick for LABOR SEC. really hire illegal help and not pay taxes??? No please, no. Even I couldn't make that up...OK, I really am laughing, but I don't want to die yet...life is just too good. I can't wait to see what happens nexy!!!

[Jane]

The Tapper video is priceless. We need a Gibbs countdown. I predict by April Fools Day his son will need him home more.

[hit and run]

Sayyad gave $1000 to his wife's campaign in 99 and another $1000 to Hillary this cycle.

Told ya. Lifelong Republican.

[bad]

DeMint says there is provision in the Porkulous bill which would forbid any religious activity in any facility taking porkulous funds.

[bad]

lol hit

[verner]

By the way, I vote ETTA JAMES, AT LAST

for the JOM theme song.

[Amused bystander]

Bad: Now why would they do that?

They are so brazen. Why can't Americans see the danger.

The majority of the Country is religious.

They are so hateful and perverted.

[clarice]

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000003024858

Gregg should just back out of the offer.

[Amused bystander]

Clarice: He never should have got involved with it in the first place. What was is he, a sleeper. Honestly, the GOP.

[matt]

all of this news my friends is all fodder for the new revolution. They are trampling our rights and bankrupting those of use who work for a living. 37% approval for the bill, and yet they continue to drive on like a ship with it's bows blown off sinking into the ocean. What fools.....

The administration is rapidly running out of friends and is trying to buy influence. As Lincoln aptly said" you can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all of the time"....give the clown a few more weeks and it's going to be very lonely at the White House.

[MayBee]

copies of the waivers all the Lobbycritters working for Obama are getting!!! My guess is they can't produce them because they don't really exist.

I suspect the waiver process is more of a hand motion.

[PeterUK]

The Stimulus via YouTube New Bullshitol.

[Amused bystander]

Maybee, don't you mean hand lotion?

[verner]

YO TAPPER!!!!!
Maybe he'll shame the rest of the WHPC into doing it's job.

Gibbs seems shocked, I tell you shocked that he's getting tough questions from a journalist.

[Old Lurker]

I think MayBee meant what she said, AB. It makes more sense that way.

[Ralph L]

The article I read said Ginsburg's tumor was only 1 cm. If it hadn't spread to her liver, she has a pretty good chance. It isn't usually diagnosed until it can't be removed surgically. If they had to remove the whole pancreas, which doesn't have an outside covering like most organs, the danger is that she could bleed to death in the next few days.

[Pofarmer]

I suspect the waiver process is more of a hand motion.

I'm envisioning kind of an Imperial Wave, complete with palm fronds and bunches of grapes dangling, and toga's, and stuff.

[Old Lurker]

"I suspect the waiver process is more of a hand motion.

I'm envisioning kind of an Imperial Wave, complete with palm fronds and bunches of grapes dangling, and toga's, and stuff."

Perhaps we should wait for PeterUK to opine about what hand motion occurs to him in this context?

[bad]

Amused, DeMint says it was put in by the ACLU. I don't know how that works.

And I need to find out if it meant all facilities or just educational facilities.

[Ralph L]

The WH thought it's a "wave process," and gave a hand motion.

[Porchlight]

Old Lurker, thanks for thinking of me. We are using the 1928 BCP - no rewriting allowed. :)

I thought of you on Sunday, too - at our annual parish meeting we decided to replace the Episcopal in our church name with Anglican. This provoked a rousing discussion, as you might imagine, but the vestry was unanimous in their decision, as were most of the folks at the meeting. Good times.

[Porchlight]

Oops, sorry, put a big OT in front of my last comment to Old Lurker...

[bad]

Josh Marshall needs to be careful about begging for submission around Mistress Pelosi.

[Old Lurker]

OT to Porchlight: Bravo!

[bad]

Despite the ACLJ line about "religious institutions," the discrimination in the stimulus is FAR broader. It would effect EVERY university or college in the nation (public or private) that takes federal funds from the stimulus to upgrade buildings or facilities. Its says that any school that uses the funds cannot allow religious activities in that building. DeMint explains this very clearly here.

[bgates]

Bad - the American people have rejected your politics of fear posting stuff in the wrong thread.

[Porchlight]

Thanks, OL! Let me know when you make the big leap. :)

[bad]

bgates, I thought it would be a distraction to apologize.

[Porchlight]

Today is a day of many threads...I'm surprised I'm able to post on any of them.

My dad has been cautious about judging Zero too quickly, but this morning he sent me VDH's rant from the Corner. "Obama really is floundering" was his conclusion.

And I spent the morning arguing over email with a liberal friend about Palin. To little end. Her conclusion about Obama: "I'm content with him because he's working hard to surround himself with smart people."

I didn't even touch it. Not worth it. Let it be completely obvious to all when Obama implodes.