Category — President-elect Barack Obama

The stimulus plan currently under discussion won’t boost the economy much.  The few parts that aren’t welfare, like more spending on health care, target state and city governments, society’s least efficient economic engines.  Any multiplier effect will be seriously curtailed by this delivery mechanism. 

And, when you examine what some of these cities want to do with the money, it’s not hard to see zero being the net economic multiplier:

The package would include spending millions to fix roads and sidewalks, making the city more green with energy efficient lights and heating, and $1.6 million for a system to collect and clean all the run off water that pollutes the lake at Durand Eastman Beach.

Sidewalks for economic growth?  Oy vey!  The stimulus is turning into a real charlie foxtrot.  The best alternative idea out there is lowering payroll taxes.  It would help employers hire and retain workers while also not generating more dependents for the government dole.  After all, what happens to the sidewalk builders when they finish: they beg for stimulus package version 3.0.

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is the gift that keeps on giving till it hurts Democrats.  How many politicians would have the cajones to play the race card by appointing an African-American to the seat and dare his fellow Democrats to block him.  Imagine how horrified Illinois Democrats were when all their scheming to retain the seat by refusing to grant a special election or impeaching the governor all came to naught.  The man is a mad genius.

And now that Governor Blagojevich, bless his soul, has put this issue back on the front burner, perhaps the press will ask some questions about the president-elect’s self-clearing report.  I’d be real interested to know why Patrick Fitzgerald interviewed Barack Obama for starters.

Well, that plan was not a success. Obama to try a different virgin!

Bush says sacrificed free-market principles to save economy

“I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system,” Bush told CNN television, saying he had made the decision “to make sure the economy doesn’t collapse.” [snip]

But the US president has yet to announce how his administration will proceed amid calls from Detroit automakers and Democrats for a bailout drawing on funds set aside for financial firms.

“We’ve screwed the pooch, committed animal abuse so large,  there’s no sense stopping now,” said ole Georgie. “What’s another couple hundred trillion a day give or take a buck or two. Me, I’m buying gold, ‘cause when this sucker comes down, boy is it going to make a big noise.”

“Gold “n guns, that’s what it’s going to take to survive; glad I’m out of office!”

What a title the Los Angeles Times puts on this Barack Obama story dealing with disgraced Governor Blagojevich–“Obama clears himself and staff in Blagojevich case”.  Is that how it works?  Barack Obama gets to declare himself and everyone around him innocent in the matter, so no need to dig further?George Bush should have given that a try during the Valerie Plame investigation.  “Everyone here is innocent.  Please move on.”  I’m sure the press would have taken his word for it, right?Media bias aside, here’s the president-elect on his non involvement:

“I had no contact with the governor’s office, and I had no contact with anybody in the governor’s office,” Obama said at a news conference called to introduce his energy and environment team. He said the review showed the Blagojevich scandal “had nothing to do with my office.”

So, the president-elect considers 21 different taped conversations between Rahm Emmanuel and Blagojevich associates discussing his former Senate seat no involvement from his office?  Put the crack pipe down if you think Rahm had that many conversations without his boss’s knowledge.And while we’re at it, let’s define “contact”.  I’m sure Barack Obama defines “contact” as having personally spoken with Governor Blagojevich about the seat.  This might be true.  At the very least, Obama is confident it can’t be proven.  However, in the world of Illinois machine politics, sending your consigliere to deliver a list of your preferred candidates with 21 follow-up conversations most certainly qualifies as “contact”.

I think Barack knows he’s skating on thin ice too.  Check out Mr. Transparency telling a reporter not to “waste” his question by daring to ask about Blagojevich.  This certainly is not the open government candidate Obama promised.  At this rate, the new slogan for the president-elect will be “Got credibility?”.

I love how the press has begun resetting the expectations for Obama.  To hear them tell it, if he ties his shoes in the morning, that’s a victory for America because things are just so bad.  The fact is that even without the War on Terror and a good economy, Barack oversold what he could accomplish.  But that won’t stop him and the press from flogging Bush for the next 4 years. 

Sarah Palin’s presidential hopes dodged a bullet today–John McCain refused to back her for the 2012 nod.  Anybody McCain felt comfortable backing would be a prohibitive longshot.  If the Republican Party ever wants to win again, it’ll end the RHINO love afair and be unapologetically conservative. 

Want proof?  McCain depressed Republican turnout and his beloved independents couldn’t deliver the election for him.  Only McCain thought independents, who by definition don’t care enough to take sides, would carry him to victory.  Pay attention GOP because McCain will lead you to permanent minority status.

Update:  And if you want to know how dopey McCain is, check out this article where he’s siding with Obama on the Blagojevich scandal.  Obama stabbed McCain in the back by refusing matching funds and soliciting millions from foreign donors through his fraud ridden website, and McCain is licking his boots.  Pathetic.

Mr. Obama, would you like to “clarify” some of your earlier statements:

One source confirmed that communications between Emanuel and the Blagojevich administration were captured on court-approved wiretaps.

Another source said that contact between the Obama camp and the governor’s administration regarding the Senate seat began the Saturday before the Nov. 4 election, when Emanuel made a call to the cell phone of Harris. The conversation took place around the same time press reports surfaced about Emanuel being approached about taking the high-level White House post should Obama win.

Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be “acceptable” to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats.

Barack sure has dug a hole for himself.  Not only did Rhambo have contact, the conversations are taped.  It also seems safe to assume Rhambo didn’t call Harris on a whim.  He did it at Obama’s behest, which means his earlier statements about knowing nothing are on pretty shaky ground.

So, the next real interesting question here is did team Blagojevich tell Rhambo the seat was for sale?  Blagojevich did everything but put an ad on craigslist trying to “monetize” the seat; therefore, it seems highly unlikely Rhambo wasn’t approached.  And, if Rhambo knew, does anyone really believe Obama’s right-hand man didn’t clue the boss in?  And, if both Obama and Emmanuel kept silent, flush the president-elect’s credibility right down the toilet.

Obama is playing for really high stakes now.  He’s already been caught in one demonstrably provable lie—that his team didn’t contact Blagojevich—and one pretty safe to assume he lied—that he didn’t have any knowledge about what was going on.

Ball is in your court, Mr. Transparency.  Are you going to come clean or go into bunker mode?

I’m shocked!  Shocked I say to find out that the guy who won’t release his birth certificate, transcripts, medical records, college applications, or pretty much anything else refuses to talk about a scandal erupting in his administration before it’s even seated:

President-elect Barack Obama is refusing to answer any questions about the internal review he has ordered into Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s alleged efforts to sell his former Senate seat, saying he will do so when the examination is finished.

Obama’s staff has declined to respond to even basic questions, like who is conducting the probe, how long it will take, what issues are being explored and whether they are working with federal investigators. Obama has promised transparency throughout his service and to divulge contacts his staff has had with Blagojevich’s office in the coming days. But his staff has locked down on inquiries in the meantime.

But isn’t it wonderful how he puts his canned speeches on YouTube?  And do you know he has a Twitter account?  Mr. Transparency hasn’t had a Twitter message since November 5^th and these are the types of messages the liberal technorati swoon over:

In Springfield, MO. At a “Change We Need” rally. Watch it live at http://My.BarackObama.com/L… 6:31 PM Nov 1st from web

Wow!  You really get a sense you know the guy.  It’s like Barack is talking just to me!

For a guy the media constantly reminds us hasn’t been implicated, Obama sure acts like he or his staff are about to.  The evidence points to “Rhambo” putting out some “feelers” to Blagojevich on behalf of Friend of Obama (FoB) Valerie Jarrett.  Being a FoB, entitles you to a Senate seat in much the same fashion that being a trustafarian Kennedy entitles Caroline to the seat Hillary Clinton is vacating in NY.

This keeps getting more interesting all the time.

The Obama presidency looks like it might be a lot of fun after all.  It takes real talent to be embroiled in your first political scandal before you’ve even taken the Oath of Office.  Here’s the president-elect on his contact with Illinois Governor Blagojevich, who was arrested today for allegedly trying to sell an appointment to the president-elect’s vacated Senate seat:

“I had no contact with the governor or his office and so I was not aware of what was happening,” Obama told reporters today in Chicago.

It seems odd that no contact was made between the governor and the president-elect.  It’s only natural that a resigning incumbent be contacted about their replacement.   For example, Joe Biden made “no secret” about his choice to replace him in the US Senate.  That certainly implies more than just a little contact between himself and the governor of Delaware.  So, it seems inconceivable that the governor and president-elect didn’t discuss it.

And, as alleged in the complaint, how did Blago know the Obama camp was only offering “gratitude” if no conversations were ongoing?  And would Blago, who was soliciting bids from everyone, really not contact the Obama camp seeking an offer?  The complaint certainly doesn’t paint Blago as a guy willing to leave any stone unturned in his quest for a payout.  And if someone not named Barack Obama inside his office was talking about this appointment, did they really keep it from the boss who claims he was “not aware of what was happening”?  Color me skeptical.

But on top of all of that, Obama senior adviser David Axlerod told Fox News Chicago a month earlier that indeed the president-elect did have conversations with the governor about his replacement.  And imagine my surprise to see that an anonymous Obama aide threw “Ax” under the bus today by telling Politico that he misspoke.  Apparently, the cat has Ax’s tongue since he needed an anonymous staffer to recant his own words.

So, the key question now is will Patrick Fitzgerald keep digging?  There are plenty of big questions needing answers.  What did the president-elect know, and when did he know it?  I don’t buy for one second that Obama had no idea what was going on.

Color me underwhelmed by President-elect Obama’s economic recovery plan.  Energy efficient government buildings and new light bulbs?  It sounds more like a Saturday Night Live skit than an economic plan.  If team Obama is looking for innovative ideas, why not follow industry’s lead and try telecommuting?  Forget the light bulbs and rip a few buildings down.  That would really save some money.

Calling liberal welfare programs economic investments doesn’t make it so.  For example, is lack of modern, energy efficient school buildings what’s really holding our children back in school?  Don’t tell that to my mom who’s actually old enough to have gone to a one room school house and still got a good foundation in the 3 Rs.

But the biggest problem with this 50s type infrastructure build out, so much for that dynamic economic team, is the notion government knows how to make investments.  Every state, town, and municipality across this country is litered with government “investments” that instantly turn into white elephants.  There’s the ubiqutous convention centers that guzzle taxpayer funds faster than a autoworker jobs bank.  And raise your hand if you have a brand new library that your town can’t afford to heat and staff now.

The simple fact is that individuals and businesses make far better investment decisions than the government.  Candidate Obama seemed to understand this when he was talking about tax cuts for the middle class and small businesses.  President-elect Obama forgot those promises faster than John McCain’s presidential hopes evaporated once he lost Ohio on election night.  In their place is a massive new spending program to reward unions that’s being disguised as an investment whose inefficiency and size will dwarf the Big Dig.

It’s going to be a long 4 years.

President-elect Obama’s promises to create budgetary savings by eliminating waste.  Let me start out by saying this goal conflicts with the earlier hints coming from his team that we need a huge FDR style budget busting stimulus.  Additionally, it looks a lot like Deval Patrick’s promises when he became governor, and like his friend Governor Patrick, it’ll go nowhere when the rubber meets the legislature.  The Pelosi/Reid Congress couldn’t even get the origional TARP done without a hefty load of earmarks and that bill was supposedly needed to avoid a financial Pearl Harbor.

I’ll remind the president-elect, as John McCain should have during the debates, that he doesn’t have a line item veto.  Therefore, I wish him loads of luck in finding the wasted billions, but it won’t do him much good since Congress controls the purse strings.  There’s not a snowballs chance in hell that he gets his party to comply with its 2006 promise to cut earmarks and pork.

These signs are like a teenager carrying a condom around, pulling it out, showing it to his buddies to prove he’s stud ready. Everybody but his hairdresser knows for sure!

He may detonate before he gets behind the real seal.

It’s kind of interesting to hear team Obama back away from his campaign pledges to “soak the rich”.  It’s the right policy to encourage economic growth, but the decision certainly creates an interesting dichotomy between his tax and spending policies.

In his spending policies, the president-elect says his focus will be on creating or saving (good luck proving how many weren’t lost) 2.5 million jobs through a massive stimulus package.  Keynes would be proud.  However, on taxes, he tacitly sides with the supply-siders by delaying his proposed tax hikes on the “rich”.  However, if the government can create jobs through spending, why not ratchet up the top rate and boost government spending?

If raising taxes was the right policy in good economic times, it should be an even better policy in bad economic times when the government can invest the money to “create” jobs.  So how does one explain this policy reversal?  We know it’s not a fairness issue.  Liberals never believe anyone is taxed too little, and Mr. Obama has often derided Bush’s tax cuts as giveaways to the rich.

The real answer is that putting people on the government dole isn’t the same as creating a job for them.  From an efficiency and wealth creation standponit, there is absolutely no comparison.  It’d actually be interesting to compute how many private sector jobs are killed in the creation of one government job.

It’ll be really important to remember this over the next 4 years when liberals try to sell socialized health care and green efforts as “jobs” creators when in fact they’re drags on the economy.

Let’s get the economy going by passing another massive Federal entitlement:

Paid sick leave will be teed up first in Washington, Senate staffers say. The Healthy Families Act, sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D., Mass.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D., Conn.) and backed by the president-elect, would require employers with 15 or more workers to provide seven paid days for their own or a family member’s illness.

Of course, no worries for Teddy or Barack.  It’s not like it’s their money.  But again, here’s another welfare policy that’ll be a huge drag on the economy.  Just don’t complain Obama voters when the recession gets deeper and there are no jobs.

The president-elect will create or save 2.5 million jobs with a “bold” economic plan.  Details?  So far we only have sweeping generalities: nationalized health care, spending on infrastructure, corporate welfare aimed at creating green jobs, etc.  I still don’t see anything aimed at creating real growth.  It’s going to be a rough 4 years economically.