So much for transparency in Washington. The Dems met last night secretly, behind closed doors, were nailing down their Porkulus bill and shutting Republicans out of the process. They also had previously agreed to allow 48 hours for the public to look at and read the bill before finalizing it but it doesn't look like that is going to happen either.
I am not against a stimulus. Let me repeat that: I am NOT against a stimulus. I'm not even against a stimulus with spending in it.
How do you feel about nationalized health care? How do you feel about going to the doctor and being told that your procedure or your illness is not priority and that you can't have it right now, if ever.
How do you feel about your mother or your grandfather needing surgery and finding out that they are "too old" and just need to come to terms with the process of aging. "You can buy a wheelchair Mr. Smith - you don't get a hip replacement or that orthoscopic knee surgery."
How about you go to your EN&T guy for your allergy meds and you can't have that medication that has always worked for you because it didn't work for enough people and is now too expensive to make. You can't have it any more. It's no longer being prescribed.
That's what is coming. That is what is in this bill. I'm not crying "Chicken Little" here - it's in the bill. I've read it. You want the page number?
What about the welfare reforms Bill Clinton signed during his tenure? Those little provisions that make welfare provisional on finding work? On not being open-ended? That even set a limit on how long you can draw welfare? Gone. Gone. Now you can draw welfare forever and remain dependent on the government forever. You don't have to look for work. You don't have to worry about finding a job in two years or five or ten. Open ended. Forever. It's also in the bill. I've read it.
They're also going to pay health insurance premiums for unemployed workers and their families REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME OR ABILITY TO PAY! You're a bank executive that just got laid off after making $150,000 or $200,000? You have eight kids? No problem. Here's your check. The underprivileged kids have already been taken care of when we expanded the SCHIP program two weeks ago! This is more on top of that one.
I'm tired of Dems saying "well, it's not perfect, but the world isn't perfect"(Max Baucus). This bill is so far from perfect it is insane. That's why they're jamming it down our throats; not because "we're in a crisis" but because they don't want to field the angry phone calls anymore and they don't want us to know what else is in there.
I'm listening to Sen. Baucus on CSPAN right now making the case that if we don't act RIGHT NOW people are losing jobs! As we speak! Right now! Hurry! Pass this bill! Now! JOBS! "We must enact this legislation to save jobs in this country!" "We must do something!" "Other countries are watching us!"
All I have to say is that if you wanted socialism, if you wanted nationalized health care, if you wanted to give the government complete and total control of your life, you've got it with this bill.
If you want to give the government permission to engage in income redistribution, you've got it with this bill. How do you think they are going to pay for open ended welfare and health insurance premiums for unemployed workers and their dependents?
You don't even have to be an American to benefit from this stimulus. Harry Reid and company denied the amendment that would have required proof of citizenship for stimulus recipients.
So go ahead and try to defend this "stimulus" package. It is European socialism on top of payoffs for Dem. pet projects and nothing more.
My God, Pat, can't you just agree with something Obama wants do regardless of what it is!! Can't you just go along with it for the sake of helping the country!! No one cares about old people! Can't you recognize that 100's of years of Republicans in office screwed everything up and the only way to fix it is to let BHO and Nancy Pelosi run the country for the next 20-30 years?? HOPE AND CHANGE! I didn't even read your post but I already know what's in it - you're picking on Obama just because you think he's friends with a silly washed-up old murderer guy. The things you talk about are only silly Rush Limbaugh talking points that no one else agrees with because he is like Hitler and Howard Stern had a baby. Geez. Get with the program!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteSarah - I'm not sure if you're mocking commenters on this blog that are openly in favor of Democrats currently (that would be me, Pat's niece, and Nikki, her daughter and then that anonymous guy) - or perhaps you're just mocking extreme Democrats in general - as that certainly appears to be what you're characterizing in this comment.
ReplyDeleteI find it (let's say ironic) that you mock something in a manner that demonstrates that you, too, are equally extreme (to the point of not considering, having reactionary planned responses - you know, the things you're referring to in this comment).
:)
Pat, that was indeed quite a rant. I certainly understand the anger and distaste over the stimulus bill. Who really wants this to happen?...NOBODY. But why the tired arguments about socialism and public welfare? Do you really believe that all the Democrats want to do is pass this bill so that they can create more welfare? That seems a little elementary and illogical. Those accusations have as much validity as the tired arguments from the far left that Republicans ONLY want to give money to the rich.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is, no system is perfect (regardless of who is running it). So yes, you can rant about the proposed changes to healthcare, but do you honestly think the system we currently have works well? People already get don't get the treatment, surgeries, and meds they need....its called "not having insurance".
We can debate how effective the stimulus will be, but honestly nobody KNOWS whats gonna work because we're in unchartered waters, economically speaking. Would you at least agree, however, that the intention of this bill is to take our economy out of its current tailspin, and not simply fulfill the Democrats' desire to create a socialist state? Surely, you can dislike the bill but admit that much, right?
It seems to me that this economic downturn has exposed alot of flaws in our economic philosophy...the markets don't regulate themselves, the citizenry NEEDS government to step-in when it sees that the economy is put at risk by irresponsible practices, and the lowest taxes in decades haven't left us with the prosperity that Republicans and other market-worshippers always promised. So we're seriously supposed to listen to Republican ideology in the midst of this mess that they've governed over?
So, although the bill is sure to have its flaws, it comes as a necessity, as a triage to an economy left in a tailspin by poor government and an irresponsible market. So, while i understand the distaste over the stimulus, where were your rants against the Republicans while they were spending away the surplus they inherited 8 years ago? Where were the rants against the $750 Billion TARP (which Bush and the Republicans supported)? Where were the rants against an irresponsible administration that simply walked away from an economic mess, a recession with no end in sight, a massive deficit, a demoralized populace, and 2 wars with no end in sight?
The absence of those rants makes this rant on the stimulus seem less than objective; just another reason to vent about the Democrats.