XPost: alt.politics.usa, alt.politics.usa.misc, boulder.general   
   XPost: us.politics   
   From: robt@john.son   
      
   On Fri, 5 Feb 2010 16:05:13 -0500   
   "Sid9"  wrote:   
      
   >   
   > "Devils_Advocate"  wrote in message   
   > news:Y7idncrHpNQ___HWnZ2dnUVZ_rCdnZ2d@forethought.net...   
   > > THE OBVIOUS DEFICIT-CLOSERS   
   > >   
   > > By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN   
   > >   
   > > Published in the New York Post on February 5, 2010   
   > >   
   > > As he tells us he wants to reduce the dangerous budget deficit, President   
   > > Obama brings to mind the hapless engineers at Toyota who find that their   
   > > vehicles accelerate whether or not the driver wants them to. It appears   
   > > that no matter how hard Obama jams on the brakes with his newfound   
   > > commitment to deficit reduction (after almost doubling the deficit in one   
   > > year), the level of red ink just seems inexorably to rise. The House voted   
   > > yesterday to raise the federal debt limit another $1.9 trillion.   
   > >   
   > > Obviously, more fundamental change in the budget's engineering is needed.   
   > > But, unfortunately, it is easier to recall a car than a president.   
   > >   
   > > Obama's announced intention to freeze 13 percent of the budget for three   
   > > years is a relatively minor cut. It will trim the deficit by only 3   
   > > percent over the decade.   
   > >   
   > > But if the president really wanted to get serious about reducing the   
   > > deficit, he's got two easy steps to take:   
   > >   
   > > 1) Stop the remaining $500 billion of last year's $800 billion stimulus   
   > > package.   
   > >   
   > > 2) Refund to the Treasury the $500 billion in TARP funds repaid by the   
   > > banks.   
   > >   
   > > Instead, he's merrily spending the remaining stimulus cash -- even though   
   > > the first round failed to curb the recession, doing little more than   
   > > protecting the jobs and pay of state and local government employees. The   
   > > remaining money would do more of the same -- while also funding   
   > > pork-barrel projects all over America.   
   > >   
   > > But only $300 billion of the stimulus has been spent. Why not call back   
   > > the remaining $500 billion? Because Obama is still committed to the   
   > > expansion of government spending. His promise of a (minor) freeze next   
   > > year brings to mind an overweight friend's talk of the diet he'll go on --   
   > > even as he starts another banana split.   
   > >   
   > > Then there's the TARP funds. Most of the money laid out under President   
   > > George W. Bush is being repaid by the banks that borrowed it -- but Obama   
   > > is intent on intercepting the cash before it lands in the Treasury and   
   > > sending it out the door again.   
   > >   
   > > He wants these funds for his second stimulus, relabeled as a "jobs bill."   
   > > Some $30 billion is to go to small businesses for job creation, $30   
   > > billion for consumer credit and yet another $100 billion for more state   
   > > and local aid -- that is, more protection for government workers.   
   > >   
   > > And none of that cash will ever come back -- even though it's TARP money   
   > > that was initially appropriated for short-term lending, spending that the   
   > > government would quickly recoup.   
   > >   
   > > When will the president learn that deficit spending isn't the way to   
   > > stimulate the economy? That by adding to the deficit, he is stopping   
   > > business from borrowing to create jobs and blocking consumers from getting   
   > > the capital they need to make purchases?   
   > >   
   > > Treasury debt is up 41 percent over the last year, while commercial and   
   > > consumer lending is down by more than 20 percent: The government is   
   > > hogging the loan window. Doesn't the president realize that this is   
   > > blocking, not catalyzing, job creation?   
   > >   
   > > Go to DickMorris.com to read all of Dick's columns!   
   > > ___________________________________________________________________________   
   > > _____ ______________________________________________________   
   > >   
   > > PLEASE FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND TELL THEM THEY CAN   
   > > GET THESE COLUMNS E-MAILED TO THEM FOR FREE BY SUBSCRIBING AT   
   > > DICKMORRIS.COM!   
   > >   
   > > THANK YOU!   
   > >   
   > > ***COPYRIGHT EILEEN MCGANN AND DICK MORRIS 2010.  REPRINTS WITH PERMISSION   
   > > ONLY***   
   > >   
   >   
   > DICK Morris is a liar.   
   >   
    You are a convictable traitor.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)