Tweet
Ok, this person makes some good points, though I don't agree with everything he says. :)
Britt Combs: Despite promises, Obama goes shopping
Put it on the card, for tomorrow never comes.
By Britt Combs | The McDowell News
Published: March 3, 2009
We're less than six weeks in to the Obama administration. Does this bold new era of Change seem eerily familiar to any of you?
The financial troubles threatening businesses, governments, the global marketplace and the holdings and treasures of individuals and families are not that dissimilar. Although the jargon of the finance, business and government communities tend to obscure the fact, we all suffer from the same disease: debt.
In business they call it "acquisitions;" in finance it's called "leverage" and in government it's called "investing in our nation's infrastructure to achieve a more viable tomorrow to extend to every working American family a chance to achieve the American Dream; the hope for a better tomorrow" but in fact it's the same filthy habit, spending money you don't have. In our own personal and household affairs we call it "putting it on the card."
The president, that apostle of Change, has emerged as an uncompromisingly bold investor in the infrastructure of the bright and sunny future of America's adorable children, which, stripped of political flourish, means he is putting it on the card. It is as we have said before in this space: all his fop and haw about Change fell by the wayside as soon as he took office; Obama, who spent the last year raving against Bush's undisciplined spending, wants to go shopping.
One would think a big-time Change guy from way back would focus on doing things differently than in the past, like living within our means and spending prudently. One would be wrong. The president's definition of Change seems to be that we have not spent lavishly enough. He wants a vast increase in military spending for fiscal year 2010, quite the opposite of his trumpeted anti-war campaign stance. He has proposed a whopping 40.9 percent increase in State Department spending – foreign aid and lavish parties and evening gowns for Hillary and such.
He has proposed an 18.5 percent increase for HUD, which means paying even more $100 per hour union workers to lean on shovels all day. He champions a 2.8 percent increase in transportation spending, including $5 billion for "passenger rail between major cities." Translated, that means moving even more Yankees, going even faster between New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington, at even lower ticket prices, and sticking the rest of us with the bill. Lucky Yanks!
He wants to increase the Security Exchange Commission's budget by 13 percent. They've done such a fabulous job recently, ladies and gentlemen, let's give them a raise. Brilliant! How about a 35 percent increase for the EPA? Nice, huh? That ought to get the ol' economy back on its feet.
Want to see some real economic stimulus? How about a nearly-50 percent increase for the Commerce Department, specifically to spend on "climate change research" and for luxurious new budgets for NOAA, some rat hole called the "National Science Foundation" and –get this – NASA, that wonderful racket, er, agency that is so famous for spending money on practical things we really need.
Did you like the Bush bailouts this past fall? Then you'll simply swoon over the Obama bailouts. He wants Congress to go ahead and plan on another $750 billion to put the gravy on last year's bailout biscuit, plus another $250 billion just in case. Let's go ahead and call it $1 trillion, since that's what it is.
And there's more and more and more. To Obama, "reorganizing priorities" means spending like never before and economic consequences be damned. What a let down.
All this on top of the lavish "stimulus bill" that funnels even more billions into government rat holes and union coffers and big campaign contributors' pockets. And on top of the "earmark" laden $410 billion bill to get the federals through to September, a complete and utter betrayal of his campaign promise to reject that sort of spending.
It's not his fault, his aides say. The whole thing started with Bush. The government was just whistling along, free from debt or bad feelings, until Bush spent more than we can afford. "We inherited this mess."
Indeed. And now the only solution is to spend like it's going out of style. Have you enjoyed the recession? You'll adore the depression to come. We don't have the money, folks. We don't have it.
The money is not there. It does not exist. We do not have it.
We'll either have to borrow it or print it. Either way, inflation will eat your supper and evict you from your house. The president and Congress will focus their efforts on delaying that until they leave office. That's all they can do. Their hands are tied. You voters would rather we all starve than allow Washington to cut spending. So they just shuffle the books and hope the bill collectors don't call today so we can party on. If they have to leave you penniless to accomplish that, then so be it.
Obama is an engaging man with many great likable and admirable qualities. But let's dispense with any illusions: our savior, the champion of Change who will "get America back on track" he most certainly is not. You've been euchred, folks.
Futurist, wry observer and celebrated guest speaker, McDowell News Staff Writer and Columnist Britt Combs takes absolutely no pleasure whatsoever in pointing out that he was right all along.
Britt Combs: Despite promises, Obama goes shopping
Put it on the card, for tomorrow never comes.
By Britt Combs | The McDowell News
Published: March 3, 2009
We're less than six weeks in to the Obama administration. Does this bold new era of Change seem eerily familiar to any of you?
The financial troubles threatening businesses, governments, the global marketplace and the holdings and treasures of individuals and families are not that dissimilar. Although the jargon of the finance, business and government communities tend to obscure the fact, we all suffer from the same disease: debt.
In business they call it "acquisitions;" in finance it's called "leverage" and in government it's called "investing in our nation's infrastructure to achieve a more viable tomorrow to extend to every working American family a chance to achieve the American Dream; the hope for a better tomorrow" but in fact it's the same filthy habit, spending money you don't have. In our own personal and household affairs we call it "putting it on the card."
The president, that apostle of Change, has emerged as an uncompromisingly bold investor in the infrastructure of the bright and sunny future of America's adorable children, which, stripped of political flourish, means he is putting it on the card. It is as we have said before in this space: all his fop and haw about Change fell by the wayside as soon as he took office; Obama, who spent the last year raving against Bush's undisciplined spending, wants to go shopping.
One would think a big-time Change guy from way back would focus on doing things differently than in the past, like living within our means and spending prudently. One would be wrong. The president's definition of Change seems to be that we have not spent lavishly enough. He wants a vast increase in military spending for fiscal year 2010, quite the opposite of his trumpeted anti-war campaign stance. He has proposed a whopping 40.9 percent increase in State Department spending – foreign aid and lavish parties and evening gowns for Hillary and such.
He has proposed an 18.5 percent increase for HUD, which means paying even more $100 per hour union workers to lean on shovels all day. He champions a 2.8 percent increase in transportation spending, including $5 billion for "passenger rail between major cities." Translated, that means moving even more Yankees, going even faster between New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington, at even lower ticket prices, and sticking the rest of us with the bill. Lucky Yanks!
He wants to increase the Security Exchange Commission's budget by 13 percent. They've done such a fabulous job recently, ladies and gentlemen, let's give them a raise. Brilliant! How about a 35 percent increase for the EPA? Nice, huh? That ought to get the ol' economy back on its feet.
Want to see some real economic stimulus? How about a nearly-50 percent increase for the Commerce Department, specifically to spend on "climate change research" and for luxurious new budgets for NOAA, some rat hole called the "National Science Foundation" and –get this – NASA, that wonderful racket, er, agency that is so famous for spending money on practical things we really need.
Did you like the Bush bailouts this past fall? Then you'll simply swoon over the Obama bailouts. He wants Congress to go ahead and plan on another $750 billion to put the gravy on last year's bailout biscuit, plus another $250 billion just in case. Let's go ahead and call it $1 trillion, since that's what it is.
And there's more and more and more. To Obama, "reorganizing priorities" means spending like never before and economic consequences be damned. What a let down.
All this on top of the lavish "stimulus bill" that funnels even more billions into government rat holes and union coffers and big campaign contributors' pockets. And on top of the "earmark" laden $410 billion bill to get the federals through to September, a complete and utter betrayal of his campaign promise to reject that sort of spending.
It's not his fault, his aides say. The whole thing started with Bush. The government was just whistling along, free from debt or bad feelings, until Bush spent more than we can afford. "We inherited this mess."
Indeed. And now the only solution is to spend like it's going out of style. Have you enjoyed the recession? You'll adore the depression to come. We don't have the money, folks. We don't have it.
The money is not there. It does not exist. We do not have it.
We'll either have to borrow it or print it. Either way, inflation will eat your supper and evict you from your house. The president and Congress will focus their efforts on delaying that until they leave office. That's all they can do. Their hands are tied. You voters would rather we all starve than allow Washington to cut spending. So they just shuffle the books and hope the bill collectors don't call today so we can party on. If they have to leave you penniless to accomplish that, then so be it.
Obama is an engaging man with many great likable and admirable qualities. But let's dispense with any illusions: our savior, the champion of Change who will "get America back on track" he most certainly is not. You've been euchred, folks.
Futurist, wry observer and celebrated guest speaker, McDowell News Staff Writer and Columnist Britt Combs takes absolutely no pleasure whatsoever in pointing out that he was right all along.