Note to Boehner

John Boehner, Republican leader in the House of Representatives is at it again! Boehner is exaggerating and soon we'll see his crocodile tears! Rep. Boehner should understand this:

8 years > one month

However, Boehner and the rest of do-nothing, know-nothing, whiney GOP have failed to get that. According to CQ Politics, Boehner did say this:

BOEHNER: Well, listen, there’s been too much spending under Republicans over the last couple of years. But if you begin to look at what’s happened over the last month and what’s being proposed in this budget, the president’s beginning to make President Bush look like a piper when it comes to spending...

and this...

BOEHNER: Listen, we’re going to take these issues one at a time. And Republicans, as I’ve been making clear to all of you, will not be the party of no. We’ll continue to work with the president where we can. And where we must oppose him, I think it’s our obligation to be the party of better solutions. And we will have alternatives out there in those areas where we do disagree....

Really? Alternatives??? Other than tax cuts???? If you are counting on the Republicans to provide "alternatives" to the President's plans, don't hold your breath.

Still Waiting for the Other Side

Here I sit waiting to read anything about how the Republicans plan to fix the economy. There was some talk that maybe Newt Gingrich had something to offer. However, after close examination Gingrich's suggestions seemed very close to what he had talked about in the 1980's. The Republicans can't come up with any new ideas, but they are good at recycling their old ones. Gingrich, Boehner, Cantor, McCain, McConnell, and the rest of the GOPers can only suggest "tax cuts" every single time they are asked for their economic plan.

I've been watching too, too much of CNBC. The whining from the stock market and banking gurus is really getting old. They ran like wild men while Bush was in office. The banking and financial industries had their days without regulation with the government looking the other way. They need to get it through their thick heads that things have changed.

We own a couple of stocks---- nothing big. As I get my proxy vote materials in the mail, I've been looking closely at the proposals by other stockholders and the board of trustees. I've been voting down any proposals that reward the big shots. We've got to end the wild spending and high living that some company executives have been enjoying. People are out of work, losing jobs, and losing homes. This is not time for big bonuses and redecorating the executive suites. Executives should take pay cuts if it means that they can save jobs within their company.

President Obama Gives Us Hope

Last night when President Obama spoke to the nation, I think people collectively said, "We're with you." Although the President's speech comes at a time when record job losses, business closings, and financial problems abound, he told us, "....We will rebuild. We will recover. And the United States of America will emerge stronger than before..."

The President said, "...We must pull together. Confront our challenges. Meet our responsibilities for our future...."

I think the President spoke about how our nation can recover and come back even stronger. He offered solutions.

The Republicans have offered nothing but the usual "tax cuts," "tax cuts," "tax cuts." When Gov. Jindal spoke, he repeated the same old GOP talking points. I was not impressed by Jindal or his worn out message.

President Obama offered us hope for better days. The Republicans and Jindal----- not so much.

All or Nothing

Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY-D) has released a statement advising Republican governors who thought they could pick and choose those parts of the stimulus package they liked that they better think it over. Schumer's statement basically says this: 'Take It All or You Get Nothing.'

Elidor at the Democratic Underground has posted this from TPM:

February 24, 2009

Dear Director Orszag:

In recent days, a small minority of governors, mostly Republicans, have publicly weighed the possibility of foregoing certain emergency provisions provided under the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed last week by President Obama. I believe this prospect not only would undercut the stimulative effect of the recovery package, but also is inconsistent with a key provision included in the law passed by Congress. To protect the integrity of the recovery program, I urge the administration to issue implementation guidance clarifying that while any Governor may exercise his or her discretion to accept or reject the federal funds provided in the stimulus, no Governor should have the authority to arbitrarily adopt a select subset of the overall package. As you know, Section 1607(a) of the economic recovery legislation provides that the Governor of each state must certify a request for stimulus funds before any money can flow. No language in this provision, however, permits the governor to selectively adopt some components of the bill while rejecting others. To allow such picking and choosing would, in effect, empower the governors with a line-item veto authority that President Obama himself did not possess at the time he signed the legislation. It would also undermine the overall success of the bill, as the components most singled out for criticism by these governors are among the most productive measures in terms of stimulating the economy.....

Thanks, Sen. Schumer, for putting these upstart GOP governors in their places!

>>>>>> Here is a big question: Where in the world is Karl Rove???? He has once again ignored a subpoena. I just wish they would bring him into Congress wearing his usual smirk and these:

Out of Work in South Carolina?

Too bad for you if you live in South Carolina! Your governor doesn't want to take the stimulus money for your state, but Gov. Sanford will say a prayer for you. His prayers won't pay your mortgage or rent, feed the kids, or pay your bills. Think Progress has more.

Gov. Sanford and other Republican governors seem like complete fools. While their unemployed citizens are on the bring of total financial collapse, these GOP governors are spewing right wing propaganda. These guys are a bunch of buffoons. If your Republican governor refuses to take the stimulus package money while your family suffers, call your respective governor and give him a piece of your mind.

President Obama has structured this plan to get our people back to work. Why are these Republicans against helping their residents get back on their feet again? Shouldn't every state share in the benefits of rebuilding and fixing our country?

Jindal's Beliefs Keep Scientists Away

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a Republican, has some very far right beliefs about a lot of things. He would like to have creationism taught in Louisiana's public schools. This is keeping scientists away. As Nola.com explains, "....The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is already committed to New Orleans for this year, but that will be it. Its president Gregory Petsko has declared, "No future meeting of our society will take place in Louisiana as long as that law stands."

"That law" is the Louisiana Science Education Act, which is named for what it is designed to destroy. Jindal signed it last year, clearing the way for creationism to be taught in biology class....."

As a result, scientific conventions and meetings that might normally be held in New Orleans or other major cities in Louisiana are canceling and rescheduling their functions out of the state. Mr. Jindal, who appears to have presidential aspirations, does not believe in science.

Republican Governors Stand in the Way of Recovery

Republican governors are thinking about rejecting their states' shares of the stimulus plan. How arrogant of them! While these Republican governors enjoy the lap of luxury in their mansions, chauffeur driven limousines, and meals provided by the state, people in their states have lost jobs and health insurance. These same Republican governors are putting their right wing ideology ahead of the safety and survival of the people. See LA Times for a related story.

It should be noted that each of these Republican governors has intentions of running as the Republican candidate for President. Who are the GOP governors?

Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana (unemployment rate January 2009 = 5.9% via Newsstar.com)
Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina (unemployment rate January 2009 = 9.5% per MSNBC)
Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi (unemployment rate December 2008 = 8.0% BLS.gov)
Gov. Rick Perry of Texas (unemployment rate rate December 2008 = 6.0% BLS.gov)

The people in each of their states should call the governors and give them a piece of their minds.

Budget Cuts to Hit State Employees in Ohio

Columbus Dispatch:

State employees won't have to take a salary cut, but will have 10 days of leave a year without pay, under a tentative contract agreement worked out by state and union negotiators....

...The rank-and-file membership of the OCSEA, the largest state employee union representing 35,000 workers, would have to vote to approve the new pact before it could take effect.....

...State employees work 2,080 hours annually, meaning the loss of 10 days, or 80 hours of pay, would be roughly equivalent to a wage cut of just under 4 percent.....

This type of leave without pay is hitting other states across the country because of the recession. It is part of the legacy of the Bush administration.

Lies from the Dark Side (GOP)

The Republicans are at it again. They are lying about people and their records:

(1) Newsmax claims that Democrat Jennifer Brunner is an "Acorn loyalist." Brunner, who is currently Ohio Secretary of State, has announced her plans to run as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Bush loyalist, George Voinovich. Brunner kept Ohio's voting fair and open, even though the Republicans filed nuisance lawsuits to throw a wrench in the process. Brunner doesn't work for Acorn. She is not a member of Acorn. Brunner has protected Ohioans' right to vote.

(2) Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn was on the TV with CNN's Rich Sanchez when she started to spew lies. Rich Sanchez put her in her place. Democratic Underground reported this video from The Young Turks on You Tube:



Blackburn was one of Bush's most adoring rubber stampers.

Take Note!

* General Motors and Chrysler want more money from the federal government, but then they'll also layoff tens of thousands of autoworkers (see NYTimes). There is something wrong with this picture.

Democratic Underground has a great video of the Mayor of Lansing, Michigan, Virg Bernero, swatting down an attack from Fox News. (See You Tube video.)


Awesome. Way to go, Mayor Bernero. I'm glad to see someone with the chutzpah to swat down Fox and the rightwingers who hate American workers.

* The one U.S. Senate seat from Minnesota remains empty, and the Republicans want to keep it that way for as long as possible. The GOP wants to prolong the Norm Coleman legal challenges until forever. Check out the latest from Politics in Minnesota:

Are Republicans in the U.S. Congress forking over big bucks to help pay for Norm Coleman's recount challenge against Al Franken in an effort to keep his Senate seat empty for as long as possible -- and, in the process, stall or derail the Obama administration's agenda?

A story on The Nation's website this week quotes a GOP senator from Texas as saying that that strategy is exactly what's happening, and a video being distributed by Coleman's campaign bolsters the idea.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn told the magazine that he's glad that Coleman understands that he "owes it" to his former Senate colleagues to kep the seat vacant. "He realizes how important retaining that seat is to us," said Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is spearheading the fundraising effort.

Congressional Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, are paying $10,000 apiece (the maximum allowed under election laws) "to maintain their power to obstruct Congress," The Nation reported....

I feel sorry for the people of Minnesota who've had to deal with Coleman, Pawlenty, and the rest of the do-nothing, out-of-ideas, Republicans.

Republicans and the Stimulus Package

The stimulus bill passed and was signed into law by President Obama. However, the Republicans keep the public entertained with lies about the stimulus package. The Michigan Messenger debunks the "sin express" that Republican Reps. John Boehner and Thad McCotter continue to repeat:

...Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stashed a “necessary” high speed rail project in the bill. But how does this $8 billion “Sin Express” from Los Angeles to Las Vegas put someone like Greg from Milford back to work?

This is a nearly verbatim repeat of a statement made by House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, who said, “Tell me how spending $8 billion in this bill to have a high-speed rail line between Los Angeles and Las Vegas is going to help the construction worker in my district.”

The problem, as Matthew Yglesias points out, is that there is no such project and there likely will not be. The $8 billion is not for a rail line between L.A. and Las Vegas, it is for the development of high-speed railroads between major cities all across the nation. The money will be targeted at areas that the Federal Railroad Administration has designated as “high-speed rail corridors.” There are ten such corridors identified that are ideal candidates for a high-speed rail system. And guess what? L.A. to Vegas is not one of them.....


I think that it would be hilarious for any Republican that tells a lie to have his/her nose grow by an inch. Boehner, McCotter, Lindsey Graham, John McCain and other GOPers would not be able to fit into a car.

Most of us know that the stimulus package is not going to be the magic solution to our country's economic problems. The Bush administration had eight years of Republican members of Congress rubber stamping every piece of free give aways and de-regulation legislation that came their way. President Obama has been in office for one month, and it will take a lot of serious hard work to fix the mess Bush & the GOP left behind.

Did you know....?????

Goldman Sachs owns Burger King. I learned this after watching this YouTube video by Brave New Films:



The average Burger King employee earns $14,000/year (below the poverty line).

>>>> Recovery.org shows the estimated job effect from the stimulus/recovery plan. For Ohio, 133,000 jobs will be created/saved with this program. That is a good start. Of course, every Ohio Republican in the U.S. House and Senate (we know exactly who you are), voted against this.

>>> Republican Rep. Eric Cantor's wife works at a bank that received bank bailout money. How nice.

Give it up, Norm!

I think it is time for Norm Coleman, former Republican U.S. Senator from Minnesota, to give up his legal challenges in his state and just admit that he lost his recent election. Coleman and his legal team, continue to tie up the courts in Minnesota with his ballot challenges while his state has an unfilled seat in the Senate. DFL candidate, Al Franken won. Norm should do the honorable thing and stop his embarrassing, ridiculous lawsuits over ballots that were disqualified for voter mistakes. There is work to be done in this country and Coleman's shenanigans are slowing down the process. Will these protracted lawsuits be Coleman's legacy? Are the Republicans and Coleman doing this just to make passage of laws difficult in the Senate?

Get over it, Norm! You lost! Be a man and concede!

Contact the Republican Party of Minnesota and tell them to have Norm concede!
*Republican Party of Minnesota--- phone: (651) 222-0022 | fax: (651) 224-4122 | info@mngop.com

Remember A Few Things

As the Republican propaganda machine continues to tear apart any Democratic solutions to this country's economic mess, let me remind you of a few things:

> The laissez-faire attitude that the Bush administration took regarding banking, business investments, and Wall Street, are all contributing factors to this current recession. While the Bushies promoted de-regulation and self -regulation, our financial, pharmaceutical, and food safety were all ignored.
> Losing over 4,244 American lives in Iraq for no other reason but personal political payback, has cost us heartbreak and billions of dollars.
> The Bush administration's unfunded mandate, No Child Left Behind, left states scrambling to find millions of dollars to adhere to uncompromising regulations.
> With "tax cuts" for the wealthy and large corporations, there were no other concerted efforts to create new jobs.
> Republican "tax cuts" do not solve problems. "Tax cuts" do not repair infrastructure, re-train the unemployed, create new jobs, take care of our young and elderly, and improve schools.

With a Democratic President, a Democratic majority in the U.S. House and Senate, my words to the Dems are these------

Forget bipartisanship!!! Just fix what needs to be fixed!

When the Republicans were in power, they did not allow Democratic participation in anything. Do you recall the hissy fit thrown by Republican Rep. James Sensenbrenner in June 2005?
JSonline:

Following repeated Democratic criticism of the Bush administration, House Judiciary Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) on Friday gaveled a hearing to a close and walked out while Democrats continued to testify - but with their microphones shut off....

...House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), in a statement, said the hearing was an example of Republican abuse of power and that she would ask Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to order an apology from Sensenbrenner.

"Chairman Sensenbrenner proved again today that he is afraid of ideas, and that Republicans will stop at nothing to silence Democrats," Pelosi said. "It is quite ironic that at a hearing on the impact of the Patriot Act on civil liberties, the Republicans attempted to suppress free speech."

Since recent polls show that most Americans consider themselves Democrats, President Obama should take care of repairing the country. With his landslide victory, President Obama need not concern himself with the whining Republicans. Until Republicans start thinking about real people and real solutions, we need to ignore them.

Republican Goals: Obstruct, Delay, Say "No"

> Why would anyone vote against this bill--- HR 448: The Elder Abuse Victims Act?????
The Library of Congress
To protect seniors in the United States from elder abuse by establishing specialized elder abuse prosecution and research programs and activities to aid victims of elder abuse, to provide training to prosecutors and other law enforcement related to elder abuse prevention and protection, to establish programs that provide for emergency crisis response teams to combat elder abuse, and for other purposes.


According to the Washington Post, the following Republicans voted against The Elder Abuse Victims Act:
Todd Akin, J. Gresham Barrett, Kevin Brady, Paul Broun, John Carter, Michael Conaway, Nathan Deal, Jeff Flake, Virginia Foxx, Trent Franks, Scott Garrett, Jeb Hensarling, Bob Inglis, Steve King, Jack Kingston, John Linder, Cynthia Lummis, Tom McClintock, Randy Neugebauer, Ron Paul, Dana Rohrabacher, Jim Sensenbrenner, John Shadegg, Mac Thornberry, Lynn Westmoreland

What kind of human being votes against a bill that concerns elder abuse? Do these GOPers support elder abuse? Do they care? Are they so caught up in their own lives that they refuse to care about those who are most vulnerable? If you are elderly or have a loved one in a nursing home, it might be good to call these Republicans and tell them how disgusted you are with their vote against this bill.

> Republicans are making up lies about what is in the stimulus package. Guess they want our recession to go into a depression. Recent lies include stories about health care, Nancy Pelosi, and even funding for projects.

> What is it with Republican John Boehner? Does he even know about the job losses in his district? Why is he against anything that doesn't include tax cuts? Is he just a spoiled brat who whines when he doesn't get his way?

Steve Austria: Ohio Republican Doesn't Know History

"Congressman Steve Austria was the Worst Person in the World" on tonight's Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Why? Apparently Steve Austria, Republican Representative for Ohio's 7th district, doesn't know history. Austria, IMHO, is an idiot.

Huffington Post:

...as Austria was explaining his opposition to the huge federal stimulus package backed by President Barack Obama, he told The Dispatch editorial board: "When Roosevelt did this, he put our country into a Great Depression. ... He tried to borrow and spend, he tried to use the Keynesian approach, and our country ended up in a Great Depression. That's just history."

Oooooooops! He really said that. Then Austria had to say this:

"I did not mean to imply in any way that President Roosevelt was responsible for putting us into the Depression, but rather was trying to make the point that Roosevelt's attempt to use significant spending to get us out of the Depression did not have the desired effect. Roosevelt did not put us into the Depression, but rather his policies could not pull the nation out of the recession."

The Huffington Post indicated that the following graph was on the Rachel Maddow Show:



Wow. Before Steve Austria opens his mouth the next time, he should consult a middle school history book. I have an idea that some of his constituents may want to school him on what life was like during the Republican Hoover administration. You may contact Steve Austria at---

****Washington, DC Office

Washington, D.C. Phone: (202) 225-4324 Fax: (202) 225-1984

******District Office

Springfield, OH 45504 Phone: (937) 325-0474 Fax: (937) 325-9188

By the way, even Austria's hometown newspaper, The Springfield News-Sun, gave him a scolding.

The New Hooverites

Yes, my friends, the Republicans are just like modern day Hooverites. These GOPers don't care if you are out of work, on the brink of bankruptcy, can't feed the family, living without heat, can't afford to visit the doctor. They'll just continue to hold on to their failed "tax cuts" policies until the entire country goes down the drain.

For the record, here are the Republicans that voted against H.R. 1 (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ), AKA as the Economic Stimulus plan. (Source: U.S. Senate legislative site.)

NAYs ---37
Alexander (R-TN) Barrasso (R-WY) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burr (R-NC) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID)	DeMint (R-SC) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Kyl (R-AZ) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL)	McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Murkowski (R-AK) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Voinovich (R-OH) Wicker (R-MS)

If your Senator appears in this list, give him/her call and offer your two cents. I'm sure that they'd
love to explain why they voted against getting Americans employed again.

You may contact your Senator through this website-----> http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

I'll give you a head start:

Voinovich: http://voinovich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm

DeMint: http://demint.senate.gov/public/

Inhofe: http://inhofe.senate.gov/public/

Vitter: http://vitter.senate.gov/public/

The rest is up to you!!!!

Obama

> What a difference an election makes! I watched President Obama's press conference last night and I was so impressed with his detailed, thoughtful. and intelligent responses to the questions. It was such a contrast from the previous resident of the White House.

One correspondent asked if the President was overstating the economic conditions in the country by saying that things were in "dire" shape. (You almost wonder if the reporter has been living under a rock. Don't these people see what is going on here?) The President explained that 3.6 million people lost their jobs in 2008 and things could get worse unless that stimulus package gets passed. I think that he meant that instead of a recession, we could get an economic depression.

> Late yesterday afternoon, the U.S. Senate voted for cloture on the economic on the recovery bill (the stimulus package).

The following list of U.S. Senators voted against cloture (to end debate) and set up a vote:

NAYs ---36
Alexander (R-TN) Barrasso (R-WY) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burr (R-NC) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Corker (R-TN) Crapo (R-ID)	DeMint (R-SC) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Kyl (R-AZ) Lugar (R-IN)	Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Murkowski (R-AK) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Voinovich (R-OH) Wicker (R-MS)

Did you notice that they are all Republicans? Sen. Gregg did not vote because he is under consideration for the President's Cabinet. However, Sen. Cornyn was in New York. (source). How nice. While the country goes down the tubes, Cornyn had other things to do.

Your Job is Just "Bling" to the Republicans

Face it. These Republicans just have no understanding about regular working people. According to the leader of the Republican Party, Michael Steele, those jobs and work projects in President Obama's stimulus plan are just "bling." (see Politico) Really. The fact that you can't feed or clothe your family, means nothing to the Republicans because they can still have dinner at the country club. The GOP hasn't seen any misery---- at the country club. Everyone seems happy there. Now Michael Steele, the Chairman of the Republican Party thinks that creating new jobs, fixing our country's infrastructure, and helping people work again, is just a bunch of fluff.

These GOPers must have their heads somewhere. Is Steele serious? With unemployment rates rising higher every month, Steele and his Republican buddies would like to just let it ride. It means nothing to them. They want to see Obama fail. They want this country to fail so they can win the next election. The Republicans may have been good at winning previous elections, but they don't know how to get people back to work. The Republicans are out of ideas, so they'll just complain about the Democrats. To heck with bipartisanship!!!!!!

Pass the original Economic Stimulus Bill!

Have you called your Republican Senator today? Do it again.

The Republican Legacy

Don't you find it incredible that the Senate Republicans are refusing to help our country get people back to work? What is wrong with the GOP? Do they hate this country? While the Republicans ask for the same old tax cuts that got us into this mess, the country's economy continues in a downward spiral. Now even business leaders, chambers of commerce, and others in the private sector are pushing for approval for the President's economic stimulus package.

Call/email your Senators and tell them to support the President's economic stimulus plan. Start here for names and numbers --- http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm and don't forget to also call local office numbers of your Senators.

If the Republicans still refuse to support this package, their legacy will be even further damaged. After the miserable failures of the last eight years, the Republicans will see their entire party go down the tubes if they refuse to budge. The Republicans will be remembered as obstructionists who refused to help our country and the people when we needed it most.

Would you buy a used car from these losers?

(pic from Huffington Post) These Republicans are responsible for the national debt that was increased during the Bush administration.
CBS News (9/29/08):
With no fanfare and little notice, the national debt has grown by more than $4 trillion during George W. Bush’s presidency.
It’s the biggest increase under any president in U.S history......

The Republican tax cuts don't work. The Republican tax cuts don't work.
The Republican tax cuts don't work. The Republican tax cuts don't work.
The Republican tax cuts don't work. The Republican tax cuts don't work.
The Republican tax cuts don't work. The Republican tax cuts don't work.
The Republican tax cuts don't work. The Republican tax cuts don't work.
The Republican tax cuts don't work. The Republican tax cuts don't work.
The Republican tax cuts don't work. The Republican tax cuts don't work.
The Republican tax cuts don't work. The Republican tax cuts don't work.
The Republican tax cuts don't work. The Republican tax cuts don't work.
The Republican tax cuts don't work. The Republican tax cuts don't work.

The Republicans are clueless as to how to fix the mess we are currently experiencing. They won't own up to the fact that their relentless rubber stamping of the Bush policies created this financial disaster. Bush's Iraq War is costing us $10 BILLION PER MONTH. While those costs continue, our own infrastructure is falling apart. Our country has fallen behind because of the waste of a war and the worthless policies of the Bush administration.

President Obama is correct to say that the GOP is responsible for these financial disasters.

I have some advice for President Obama and the Democrats-----

Forget about bipartisanship. Ignore the Republicans. Get Americans back to work ASAP.

Local Weatherman Doesn't Believe in Global Warming

I had no idea that local TV weatherman, Jym Ganahl, was a wing nut! Ganahl has been a weatherman at WCMH-TV Channel 4 in Columbus for thirty years. Ganahl calls global warming "a fallacy." Here is an excerpt from The Other Paper about Ganahl's beliefs:

Just when you thought it was safe to assume that everyone had pretty much accepted climate change and moved on, here comes rogue NBC 4 chief meteorologist Jym Ganahl to blow your freaking mind.

“Just wait 5 or 10 years, and it will be very obvious. They’ll have egg on their faces,” Ganahl said this week of global warming advocates....

...Back in 2007, the take-no-prisoners field of meteorology was split over the issue of climate change. Prominent Weather Channel meteorologist Heidi Cullen called for those who deny the so-called truth about global warming to be stripped of their American Meteorological Society credentials....

There is even a YouTube video with Ganahl spouting his views.

Channel 4 in Columbus, Ohio, is owned by Media General and has recently gone through two waves of layoffs. Right now the station is practically down to bare bones. Apparently, in their rush to layoff people, they've decided to continue to employ someone who doesn't believe in science.

CEO Money

USA Today has a very informative page on money being paid to CEO's and other corporate big shots:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/graphics/ceo-comp/flash.htm

Here is an example for the site under financials:
Washington Mutual's executive, Kerry Killinger had a salary of $1,000,000, no bonus, other compensation was $397,752, stock and options awards $12,967,131, total compensation $14,364,883, change from '06 -21%, shareholder return -68%. Pretty amazing.

If I read these tables correctly, your company can lose money but your CEO will still get his/her bonus. Must be nice. It might be time for all shareholders to pay particular attention to the money paid to these CEO's. While many Americans have lost jobs, these outrageous salaries and bonuses that are paid to these executives, appear obscene. If any of these companies received taxpayer bailout money, this is wrong.

Hey, Get Over It

Ok, I get that Tom Daschle didn't pay all his taxes. I understand that he withdrew his name from nomination. Enough reporting about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TV and other media people need to cover other stories like-----

-- Why do Republicans continue to support their tax cuts when we all know that they are ineffective tools for getting people back to work?

-- How many Americans are unemployed? How can the rest of us help these families?

-- What infrastructure projects are ready to go if funding comes from the federal government through a stimulus package?

-- What solutions does the GOP have for getting millions of people back to work?

-- Why do members of the Republican Party worship at the fat feet of a 3x's divorced, former drug addicted, gas bag, racist, college drop out? Is this their god? Is this their all-knowing leader? Is this the best they have in their dying, regional political party?

President Obama has been in office for two weeks. He has been busy shoveling through the messes of the previous administration. There has been one little bump in the road. Get over it. We need to talk about important issues.

Duckworth: VA Assistant Secretary

This story makes sense on so many levels:
PRNewswire:

President Barack Obama has announced his intent to nominate L. Tammy Duckworth, director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, to be the Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

"Effective communications with Veterans and VA's stakeholders is key to improving our services and ensuring Veterans receive the benefits they deserve," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "Tammy Duckworth brings significant talent, leadership and personal experience to this important work."

As assistant secretary, Duckworth will direct VA's public affairs, internal communications and intergovernmental relations. She also will oversee programs for homeless Veterans, consumer affairs and special rehabilitative events.....

Duckworth will definitely bring credibility to the post. Congratulations!

Get Down to Business

The Obama administration's stimulus package is meeting strong opposition from the Republicans. However, many of us on the left side believe that President Obama should just get on with pushing the legislation through the Senate.

Here are the facts, as I see them:

(1) The Republicans lost the right to set an agenda when their candidate for President lost.
(2) Overwhelmingly, American voters elected Democrats to the House and the Senate.
(3) The Bush administration left a mess, both domestically and internationally.
(4) People want jobs, a change of approach for solving our nations problems, and real leadership.

I've said it before and I'll say it again------ Ignore the Republicans! The GOP's failure to respond to the needs of their country just shows their self-absorbed, country club, pro-right wing philosophical differences. They don't give a damn. If we don't need the GOP to get things accomplished, forget about their assistance.

My neighbor lost her job last week. She had worked with the company for over two decades and was part of a second round of layoffs. It is just very sad to see her and others put in this situation.

Here is my advice for President Obama and the Democrats---

Pass the legislation and get people working again.

Ignore the Republicans

While President Obama and his team continue to push the stimulus package, the Republicans in Congress refused to support it. Do the Republicans don't see the need? Are the Republicans so stuck in the mud, so backward-thinking that they are unable to think in a direction other than their usual "tax cuts" for the rich?

Democratic Rep. Barney Frank had a response to the Republican naysayers.
Raw Story:
.....Rep. Frank placed blame once more with deregulation for creating the worsening economic conditions that led to banks receiving hundreds of billions of dollars in government aid. "The complete absence of regulation in the financial area has, I think, been a disaster," he said. "And I think we're back to where we were when Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson stepped in or Franklin Roosevelt...No tax cut builds a road. No tax cut puts a cop on the street. No tax cut educates a child in the way that it ought to be done."

When DeMint cited the proposed package the "largest spending bill in history," Frank indicted the occupation of Iraq on its costly consequences to the treasury. "The largest spending bill in history is going to turn out to be the war in Iraq," he charged of the effort, which was widely supported by Republicans throughout the George W. Bush years, which also fostered three major tax cuts and the addition of $4.9 trillion to the national debt. "And one of the things, if we're going to talk about spending, I don't -- I have a problem when we leave out that extraordinarily expensive, damaging war in Iraq, which has caused much more harm than good, in my judgment....."

I'm glad he said it. Bush's war in Iraq is currently costing us TEN BILLION DOLLARS PER MONTH! The Republicans would rather continue the war and the spending of American lives and money in Iraq because they don't want to make it seem that their beloved George W. Bush was wrong. The Republicans just want to give more tax breaks. That is their solution for everything. Tax breaks won't work because it won't put money in your pocket like having a job will.

Barney Frank is right. If we can't get some of our people back to work, we will continue to remain in our present condition, with the chance that things will get worse.

Yesterday on Meet The Press, Sen. John Kerry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison were guests. Sen. Kerry clearly supported the stimulus package. However, Sen. Hutchison continued to push for tax cuts, a cut in the capital gains tax, and refuted the claim that the Bush administration had not spent enough money on infrastructure. Is Hutchison unable to see that those tax cuts didn't work?

Hutchison also appeared to be against expanding high speed internet access throughout the country. (This is all part of the pre-historic thinking of the Republican Party.) Opening the internet to all communities in the U.S. could benefit everyone. It encourages people to set up web based businesses, education, commerce, communication, etc.

Sitting around letting the Republicans lead the conversation won't get anything accomplished. We've had an election and we voted for change. We must let our elected officials in Congress hear our voices in support for the stimulus package. We cannot delay because we must make progress as soon as possible.