Suspected US Missile Attack in Pakistan
The BBC is reporting that a suspected US Missile attack has killed 27 militants in a Pakistan border town in the North West. The US is suspected to have carried out around 20 Drone missile attacks in the previous few months.
On this attack, the Drone fired two missiles at the target. The missiles hit a home in the the South Waziristan area. Officials have stated that this house was used as a hide out for Taliban forces.
According to the BBC, witnesses in the area say the rockets were fired from a drone and say the house was frequented by militants from Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud's organisation.
Earlier this week President Obama said that he had no doubt that militants were operating in safe havens in Pakistan's tribal belt. He also said that the US would make sure Pakistan was a strong ally in fighting that threat. Pakistani leaders had expressed hope that the new US administration of Barack Obama would halt the controversial manoeuvres.
Following President Trump and the Trump Administration for the Official 4 year (1461 day) Elected Term, focusing on the sitting President's use of Executive Orders, Memoranda and Executive Decisions. We are the original 1461 - all the others are imitating us
Saturday, February 14
Friday, February 13
The ups and the downs of the stimulus package
Here is the way the money breaks down in the H R 1 Stimulus bill. Take a look at it and read the actual bill. I will post that link at the bottom of the page.
Let everyone at 1461 Days know what you think about this and share your thoughts!
The ticket items that gained money in the process:
High-speed and inner-city railways made out well. The monetary level went from $300 million in House bill and grew to $2.25 billion in Senate bill. The monetary sum rolled up to $8 billion in final version. There also is an additional $6.9 billion provision for public transit. While we are on the subject of trains and transit, Amtrak picked up $500 million from both the House and Senate versions of the bill. They gained a total of $1.3 billion. The bill does stipulate that up to 60 percent can go to the Northeast Corridor.
The National Institute of Health wound up with $10 billion in the final bill. The House bill had proposed $3.5 billion and the Senate took the total to $10 billion. In the end $8.2 billion goes to the NIH director to be spent at his discretion.
A Government oversight Board will be established to oversee the stimulus bill spending. They will have to get by on a mere $84 million to do the job. The House bill gave the board $14 million to do the job while the Senate bill only offered up $7 million to fund the board. Additionally there is more than $100 million to pay for various inspectors in different agencies.
NASA made out like a bandit. The all but bankrupt space agency raked in more than $2 billion, including $400,000 for global-warming research.
The ticket items that lost money in the process:
The FBI was looking at a gain as the Senate had allocated $475 million to the department but all funding was cut out of final stimulus bill.
The ticket items that lived through the process:
Something I have been trying to figure out why it was even in the stimulus plan was funding for Pandemic flu research. Senators agreed it wouldn't produce jobs but it is getting $50 million in the final stimulus bill. That is down from the original value of nearly $900 million.
Items to help save US taxpayers money and stimulate the economy:
Funding has been set aside to the tune of $2 billion for a neighborhood stabilization program that is designed to help areas hit hard with foreclosures. The funds will be used to buy back properties and prevent further foreclosures.
A total of $1.5 billion is to be directed to homelessness prevention programs. (this one also bothers me. I am not a big fan of making another program to work with a program that falls under another programs guidelines)
$90 million is going to the State Department domestic facilities that deal with passports and training. (I can't understand the relevancy of this one either)
The Social Security Administration is gaining $500 million in this plan. The idea is to spend the money to replace old computer systems that half of the SSA employees can't seem to operate anyway.
Tax breaks
For those folks who are looking forward to some rebates for purchasing that new fuel efficient Hybrid or Electric car that will be produced by our ailing American auto industry, you may want to get a better job first. Anyone who buys a new car in 2009 gets to deduct the sales tax. That's right anyone who buys a new vehicle in 2009. This does not apply to used cars. You just have to qualify for the program. To qualify for this program you must make less than$125,000 individually or $250,000 jointly.
I can see the lines already forming at the local Ford dealership. But don't be disappointed folks, this program only cost $1.7 billion in the package.
On a bright note for the home front, first time home buyers who purchase a home in the calendar year of 2009 will get an $8,000 tax credit. This credit does not have to be repaid like the measure last year required. To qualify for this program you have to be making less than $75,000 individually or $150,000 jointly. More good news on this one too as this is a drop in the bucket program costing only $6.63 billion.
And on the Tax front, individuals making less than $80,000 or families making less than $160,000 can get up to $2,500 in tax credits for college tuition. $1,000 of the credit is refundable. This one is a bit costlier at $13.9 billion.
Deeper down the Tax highway we see that anyone making $75,000 individually or $150,000 as a family will get refundable tax credit up to $400 per person or $800 per family. Wow, the whole country just started doing kart wheels at once over that bit of news.
I have to ask this. I know the e-mail will light up once again but I have to ask. Where's the beef? What is going to stimulate anything other than allot of back patting in DC? I don't see it? The items that might work are preordained to fail as they are out of reach of the common working man. the rest should have been taken care of on it's own time in it's own legislation.
At the end of the day, this is crap.
Let everyone at 1461 Days know what you think about this and share your thoughts!
The ticket items that gained money in the process:
High-speed and inner-city railways made out well. The monetary level went from $300 million in House bill and grew to $2.25 billion in Senate bill. The monetary sum rolled up to $8 billion in final version. There also is an additional $6.9 billion provision for public transit. While we are on the subject of trains and transit, Amtrak picked up $500 million from both the House and Senate versions of the bill. They gained a total of $1.3 billion. The bill does stipulate that up to 60 percent can go to the Northeast Corridor.
The National Institute of Health wound up with $10 billion in the final bill. The House bill had proposed $3.5 billion and the Senate took the total to $10 billion. In the end $8.2 billion goes to the NIH director to be spent at his discretion.
A Government oversight Board will be established to oversee the stimulus bill spending. They will have to get by on a mere $84 million to do the job. The House bill gave the board $14 million to do the job while the Senate bill only offered up $7 million to fund the board. Additionally there is more than $100 million to pay for various inspectors in different agencies.
NASA made out like a bandit. The all but bankrupt space agency raked in more than $2 billion, including $400,000 for global-warming research.
The ticket items that lost money in the process:
The Veterans lost out almost everything they had gained. Almost everything that had been added for the Veterans Affairs were trimmed. The $2 billion that the Senate had put in for VA construction was removed from the package. The Veterans did gain $1 billion for medical facility renovations and retooling. That was a small victory for those who have given so much.
The Military also lost out on targeted construction money that was to be spent in each branch of the military. In place of the targeted funds now is a general budget to be spread out across the different branches. Just looking at one branches funding, the Army construction funding went from $900 million in the House bill to $600 million in the Senate bill to $180 million in the final bill. The final general military construction fund settled on $1.45 billion for all branches and services.The FBI was looking at a gain as the Senate had allocated $475 million to the department but all funding was cut out of final stimulus bill.
The ticket items that lived through the process:
Something I have been trying to figure out why it was even in the stimulus plan was funding for Pandemic flu research. Senators agreed it wouldn't produce jobs but it is getting $50 million in the final stimulus bill. That is down from the original value of nearly $900 million.
Items to help save US taxpayers money and stimulate the economy:
Funding has been set aside to the tune of $2 billion for a neighborhood stabilization program that is designed to help areas hit hard with foreclosures. The funds will be used to buy back properties and prevent further foreclosures.
A total of $1.5 billion is to be directed to homelessness prevention programs. (this one also bothers me. I am not a big fan of making another program to work with a program that falls under another programs guidelines)
$90 million is going to the State Department domestic facilities that deal with passports and training. (I can't understand the relevancy of this one either)
The Social Security Administration is gaining $500 million in this plan. The idea is to spend the money to replace old computer systems that half of the SSA employees can't seem to operate anyway.
Tax breaks
For those folks who are looking forward to some rebates for purchasing that new fuel efficient Hybrid or Electric car that will be produced by our ailing American auto industry, you may want to get a better job first. Anyone who buys a new car in 2009 gets to deduct the sales tax. That's right anyone who buys a new vehicle in 2009. This does not apply to used cars. You just have to qualify for the program. To qualify for this program you must make less than$125,000 individually or $250,000 jointly.
I can see the lines already forming at the local Ford dealership. But don't be disappointed folks, this program only cost $1.7 billion in the package.
On a bright note for the home front, first time home buyers who purchase a home in the calendar year of 2009 will get an $8,000 tax credit. This credit does not have to be repaid like the measure last year required. To qualify for this program you have to be making less than $75,000 individually or $150,000 jointly. More good news on this one too as this is a drop in the bucket program costing only $6.63 billion.
And on the Tax front, individuals making less than $80,000 or families making less than $160,000 can get up to $2,500 in tax credits for college tuition. $1,000 of the credit is refundable. This one is a bit costlier at $13.9 billion.
Deeper down the Tax highway we see that anyone making $75,000 individually or $150,000 as a family will get refundable tax credit up to $400 per person or $800 per family. Wow, the whole country just started doing kart wheels at once over that bit of news.
I have to ask this. I know the e-mail will light up once again but I have to ask. Where's the beef? What is going to stimulate anything other than allot of back patting in DC? I don't see it? The items that might work are preordained to fail as they are out of reach of the common working man. the rest should have been taken care of on it's own time in it's own legislation.
At the end of the day, this is crap.
Thursday, February 12
Lincolns 200th Birthday February 12 2009
And so we mark the passing of President Lincolns 200th birthday.
It wasn't a happy day of celebration for many in the United States.
Toyota America announced that they will begin to shave expenses. Some of the ways they intend to trim expenses are by reducing some of the 25,000 hourly workers weekly hours. They will cut some of the production days in the month of April. They will eliminate bonuses for the executive staff and the 3,000 salaried employees they have in the United States. They will also offer voluntary exits to those whom wish to follow other opportunities. They have also stated that there will be no wage increases for the foreseeable future.
This begs the question; has anyone seen "Gung Ho" recently?
Peoria Illinois
President Obama said today during remarks at a Caterpillar plant in Peoria, Ill., that his proposed economic stimulus would allow the company's CEO to rehire recently laid-off employees. But that apparently depends on some other things happening first. Like laying off more employees. That's one of those details that just didn't cross the finish line.
When asked today if the stimulus would allow Caterpillar to rehire some of the 20,000 recently laid-off employees, James Owens CEO of Caterpillar said, "I think, realistically, no. The honest reality is we're probably going to have more layoffs before we start hiring again."
But earlier today President Obama is quoted as having said: "Yesterday, Jim, the head of Caterpillar, said that if Congress passes our plan, this company will be able to rehire some of the folks who were just laid off,"
So who's attempting to blow smoke up Americas butt?
Gregg Bails on Bid that he didn't want in the first place??
Ok, I for one am confused on this one. I have heard and seen everyone on all sides of this one talking. I even listened to Senator Gregg himself explain that he was turning down the nomination. But what is the real reason?
Senator Gregg said that he had given prior information to the White house, several days back that he was no longer interested in the position. If that is the case, why would he wait to today to make a public announcement?
Why Thursday?
Something just isn't sitting well with this one.
Allot of the issue I have with this is the timing of the announcement.
When asked if his taxes were in order, Senator Greg stated that his taxes were not the issue.
Ok, at least we know that's not the reason.
But what is the real reason?
House and Senate to vote on ratified H R 1
The United States House and Senate are expected to start voting on the ratified American Recovery and Reinvestment Act legislation Friday. The House is expected to quickly pass the legislation even with out any Republican support. The Senate is expected to work through the weekend on the package and possibly have a final product by Monday. Details of what has been added and subtracted have yet to be released.
There was an amendment that calls for full public view, in electronic format and a download-able PDF to be made available to the US citizens for 48 hours prior to any final vote being allowed on this package. I have not seen any such links as yet. Once one becomes available I will post it here. I would expect this package will be close to one thousand pages and may cause a network slowdown if it does in fact become available, as citizens scramble to download or read the document.
It wasn't a happy day of celebration for many in the United States.
Toyota America announced that they will begin to shave expenses. Some of the ways they intend to trim expenses are by reducing some of the 25,000 hourly workers weekly hours. They will cut some of the production days in the month of April. They will eliminate bonuses for the executive staff and the 3,000 salaried employees they have in the United States. They will also offer voluntary exits to those whom wish to follow other opportunities. They have also stated that there will be no wage increases for the foreseeable future.
This begs the question; has anyone seen "Gung Ho" recently?
Peoria Illinois
President Obama said today during remarks at a Caterpillar plant in Peoria, Ill., that his proposed economic stimulus would allow the company's CEO to rehire recently laid-off employees. But that apparently depends on some other things happening first. Like laying off more employees. That's one of those details that just didn't cross the finish line.
When asked today if the stimulus would allow Caterpillar to rehire some of the 20,000 recently laid-off employees, James Owens CEO of Caterpillar said, "I think, realistically, no. The honest reality is we're probably going to have more layoffs before we start hiring again."
But earlier today President Obama is quoted as having said: "Yesterday, Jim, the head of Caterpillar, said that if Congress passes our plan, this company will be able to rehire some of the folks who were just laid off,"
So who's attempting to blow smoke up Americas butt?
Gregg Bails on Bid that he didn't want in the first place??
Ok, I for one am confused on this one. I have heard and seen everyone on all sides of this one talking. I even listened to Senator Gregg himself explain that he was turning down the nomination. But what is the real reason?
Senator Gregg said that he had given prior information to the White house, several days back that he was no longer interested in the position. If that is the case, why would he wait to today to make a public announcement?
Why Thursday?
Something just isn't sitting well with this one.
Allot of the issue I have with this is the timing of the announcement.
When asked if his taxes were in order, Senator Greg stated that his taxes were not the issue.
Ok, at least we know that's not the reason.
But what is the real reason?
House and Senate to vote on ratified H R 1
The United States House and Senate are expected to start voting on the ratified American Recovery and Reinvestment Act legislation Friday. The House is expected to quickly pass the legislation even with out any Republican support. The Senate is expected to work through the weekend on the package and possibly have a final product by Monday. Details of what has been added and subtracted have yet to be released.
There was an amendment that calls for full public view, in electronic format and a download-able PDF to be made available to the US citizens for 48 hours prior to any final vote being allowed on this package. I have not seen any such links as yet. Once one becomes available I will post it here. I would expect this package will be close to one thousand pages and may cause a network slowdown if it does in fact become available, as citizens scramble to download or read the document.
Wednesday, February 11
789 on February 11 2009
789 - The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The 8 member House and Senate negotiation committee has reportedly hashed out a $789 Billion H.R.1 stimulus package and are moving the package forward. The stimulus package is aimed at saving or creating 3 to 4 million jobs, stopping further bleeding of the economy and initiating broader green energy development and also allowing the needed revitalization of the nations aging infrastructure that is sought by President Obama.
The 6 Democrats and 2 Republicans worked into the early morning of Wednesday on the package. They resumed work this morning and before noon they called the package finished.
February 11th, 2009 at 12:00 PM (WhiteHouse.gov lists the time as 12:00 am) the White House Office of the Press Secretary released the following statement from President Obama:
"I want to thank the Democrats and Republicans in Congress who came together around a hard-fought compromise that will save or create more than 3.5 million jobs and get our economy back on track. Just today, the CEO of Caterpillar said that if this American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan is passed, his company would be able to rehire some of the employees they’ve been forced to lay off. It’s also a plan that will provide immediate tax relief to families and businesses, while investing in priorities like health care, education, energy, and infrastructure that will grow our economy once more. I’m grateful to the House Democrats for starting this process, and for members in the House and Senate for moving it along with the urgency that this moment demands,"
The compromise includes the funds for unemployment benefits, food stamps, health insurance coverage, road and bridge construction, and more, and it extends $44 Billion to the states that are dealing with budget cuts. The legislation also preserves much of Obama's tax cut for poor and mid income Americans.
The Taliban attacked the Justice Ministry in Kabul Afghanistan today.
Taliban attacks in the Afghan capital Kabul today killed at least 26 people.
"We are reminded today of the brutal tactics that extremists like the Taliban wish to employ," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs. "It hardens our resolve, but it also hardens our resolve to get the next steps in Afghanistan right."
Taliban militants launched suicide bomb and gun attacks on three Afghan government buildings in Kabul. The Afghan defense ministry said eight suicide attackers also died in almost simultaneous strikes on the prisons directorate, and justice and education ministries. This was by far the deadliest insurgent attacks in Afghanistan so far this year.
No doubt this will make the decision to move forward with President Obama's plans to switch the major offensive power of the military from Iraq to Afghanistan.
DC Moves toward voting rights
The S-160 bill was passed by a Senate committee today that would give the District of Columbia its first full seat in the House of Representatives. The Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee passed the legislation by a vote of 11 to 1 during the committees first business meeting in the new Congress. The bill sets up a crucial vote by the full chamber sometime in the coming months.
You will never guess who the lone "NO" vote came from. That's right, Republican Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican Presidential nominee. Committee chairman Joseph Lieberman, Independent from Connecticut said in an opening statement that "we hope and believe this is our year".
The 8 member House and Senate negotiation committee has reportedly hashed out a $789 Billion H.R.1 stimulus package and are moving the package forward. The stimulus package is aimed at saving or creating 3 to 4 million jobs, stopping further bleeding of the economy and initiating broader green energy development and also allowing the needed revitalization of the nations aging infrastructure that is sought by President Obama.
The 6 Democrats and 2 Republicans worked into the early morning of Wednesday on the package. They resumed work this morning and before noon they called the package finished.
February 11th, 2009 at 12:00 PM (WhiteHouse.gov lists the time as 12:00 am) the White House Office of the Press Secretary released the following statement from President Obama:
"I want to thank the Democrats and Republicans in Congress who came together around a hard-fought compromise that will save or create more than 3.5 million jobs and get our economy back on track. Just today, the CEO of Caterpillar said that if this American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan is passed, his company would be able to rehire some of the employees they’ve been forced to lay off. It’s also a plan that will provide immediate tax relief to families and businesses, while investing in priorities like health care, education, energy, and infrastructure that will grow our economy once more. I’m grateful to the House Democrats for starting this process, and for members in the House and Senate for moving it along with the urgency that this moment demands,"
The compromise includes the funds for unemployment benefits, food stamps, health insurance coverage, road and bridge construction, and more, and it extends $44 Billion to the states that are dealing with budget cuts. The legislation also preserves much of Obama's tax cut for poor and mid income Americans.
The Taliban attacked the Justice Ministry in Kabul Afghanistan today.
Taliban attacks in the Afghan capital Kabul today killed at least 26 people.
"We are reminded today of the brutal tactics that extremists like the Taliban wish to employ," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs. "It hardens our resolve, but it also hardens our resolve to get the next steps in Afghanistan right."
Taliban militants launched suicide bomb and gun attacks on three Afghan government buildings in Kabul. The Afghan defense ministry said eight suicide attackers also died in almost simultaneous strikes on the prisons directorate, and justice and education ministries. This was by far the deadliest insurgent attacks in Afghanistan so far this year.
No doubt this will make the decision to move forward with President Obama's plans to switch the major offensive power of the military from Iraq to Afghanistan.
DC Moves toward voting rights
The S-160 bill was passed by a Senate committee today that would give the District of Columbia its first full seat in the House of Representatives. The Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee passed the legislation by a vote of 11 to 1 during the committees first business meeting in the new Congress. The bill sets up a crucial vote by the full chamber sometime in the coming months.
You will never guess who the lone "NO" vote came from. That's right, Republican Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican Presidential nominee. Committee chairman Joseph Lieberman, Independent from Connecticut said in an opening statement that "we hope and believe this is our year".
Tuesday, February 10
and into the fire February 10 2009
From the frying pan and into the fire.
Watching the reaction to the passage of the stimulus and the release of the Treasury Department's latest plan was like watching the Friday the Thirteenth movies and yelling at the screen for the not so smart girl in the movie not to go into the woods alone at night. Painful and frustrating and in many ways, sad to watch.
The Dow Jones shed 4.62% by the close. Dropping 381.9 points to end the day at 7888. That is only 4.5% above the five-and-a-half year low of 7552 from Nov. 20th. The day started off at a flat line. Then at 11 a.m., Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner held a press conference. The heat from the stove hit the oil in the pan and the fire was ignited. Some compared the scene to the movie "Trading Places". The calm before the storm and the explosive nature in which the environment erupted into chaos as the press conference was underway.
Geithner's plan? To use $1.5 Trillion (yes I said TRILLION) to thaw the credit markets and bail out banks and financial institutions. The plan calls for the use of quasi private/public fund of $500 Billion designed to buy up the toxic bank assets like bad real estate and consumer loans and remove them from bank statements and test banks solvency. It also calls for a commitment of up to $1 Trillion to reopen lending markets for consumer, student, small business, auto and commercial loans.
In the end we can't tell if this is a good idea or a bad idea as there are no real details about what or how this will be achieved. Who and how will the fund be funded? It remains to be seen as his plan was not presented, it was only outlined.
The Senate added to the volatility of the day as they announced passage of an $838 Billion Economic Stimulus package. The package passed on a vote of 61 to 37 with three Republicans in support of the package. Those Republicans are Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe both of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. The three Republicans joined with 56 Democrats and 2 Independents and passed this mammoth package through. One Senator did not vote today. Senator Judd Gregg, a Republican from New Hampshire.
The package now moves forward to a House-Senate conference in which the group will work to resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions. Obama still hopes to sign this bill into law by Monday, again forgoing the 5 day public review we were promised.
The Education package is still not in this bill.
President Obama was in Fort Myers, Florida involved in one of his town hall meetings at which he was introduced by Florida Governor Charlie Crist, a Republican who also backs the stimulus package. During his speech to the crowd President Obama was handed a note from press secretary Robert Gibbs informing him of the Senate vote. He announced the outcome of the vote to the crowd who cheered and applauded the victory. "That's good news," Obama said.
Watching the reaction to the passage of the stimulus and the release of the Treasury Department's latest plan was like watching the Friday the Thirteenth movies and yelling at the screen for the not so smart girl in the movie not to go into the woods alone at night. Painful and frustrating and in many ways, sad to watch.
The Dow Jones shed 4.62% by the close. Dropping 381.9 points to end the day at 7888. That is only 4.5% above the five-and-a-half year low of 7552 from Nov. 20th. The day started off at a flat line. Then at 11 a.m., Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner held a press conference. The heat from the stove hit the oil in the pan and the fire was ignited. Some compared the scene to the movie "Trading Places". The calm before the storm and the explosive nature in which the environment erupted into chaos as the press conference was underway.
Geithner's plan? To use $1.5 Trillion (yes I said TRILLION) to thaw the credit markets and bail out banks and financial institutions. The plan calls for the use of quasi private/public fund of $500 Billion designed to buy up the toxic bank assets like bad real estate and consumer loans and remove them from bank statements and test banks solvency. It also calls for a commitment of up to $1 Trillion to reopen lending markets for consumer, student, small business, auto and commercial loans.
In the end we can't tell if this is a good idea or a bad idea as there are no real details about what or how this will be achieved. Who and how will the fund be funded? It remains to be seen as his plan was not presented, it was only outlined.
The Senate added to the volatility of the day as they announced passage of an $838 Billion Economic Stimulus package. The package passed on a vote of 61 to 37 with three Republicans in support of the package. Those Republicans are Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe both of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. The three Republicans joined with 56 Democrats and 2 Independents and passed this mammoth package through. One Senator did not vote today. Senator Judd Gregg, a Republican from New Hampshire.
The package now moves forward to a House-Senate conference in which the group will work to resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions. Obama still hopes to sign this bill into law by Monday, again forgoing the 5 day public review we were promised.
The Education package is still not in this bill.
President Obama was in Fort Myers, Florida involved in one of his town hall meetings at which he was introduced by Florida Governor Charlie Crist, a Republican who also backs the stimulus package. During his speech to the crowd President Obama was handed a note from press secretary Robert Gibbs informing him of the Senate vote. He announced the outcome of the vote to the crowd who cheered and applauded the victory. "That's good news," Obama said.
Monday, February 9
the Presidents first Press Conference February 9 2009
Obama Press Conference. 2/9/9
A bitter pill to swollow
Is defeat to difficult to overcome? Do most of us just not understand what a personal loss it may be to not be elected? Does a failed attempt at the Office of President leave such a bitter taste that you act on a personal basis from then on and forget that you are still in a position to serve the greater good of the people who elected you?
Recently John McCain has been in the spotlight for things he has said almost as much as his former running mate, Sarah Palin has been. As several recent quotes and statements made by Senator McCain point out so well to me why the American public decided to pass on his resume.
At the end of the day the bill moves forward. Once again the McCain has lost a fight to hold ground and take a leadership position. The bi-partisan government that McCain claimed was his goal in and during the presidential campaign seems to be more of a partisan Republican rule that he wants to press.
But is this just about Republicans -Vs- Democrats? And with that question is it just the Republicans that are acting like angry little school kids on the playground? No. Some pretty high up Democrats are playing there version of the "Your not our friend anymore" game as well.
I don't think there are many Republicans or Democrats left in the US that are not tired of hearing - he said she said, its his fault, they are to blame. At the end of the day, we personally don't care about your petty "I don't want you playing with my friends anymore" BS.
The House voted through $150 Billion in the stimulus package. This was money to invest in our future in a multitude of ways. Fast, shovel ready projects that could get Joe the Plumber, Harry the Pipe Layer, Chuck the Carpenter and Erica the Equipment operator back to work and earning money. It is not as if we have enough schools or that our schools are above the standards that they should be at. In fact many of our schools are substandard and in some areas of the country schools just are not where they should be. But the Senate has trimmed the stimulus for educational spending from $150 Billion to $83 Billion. Now $83 Billion is still allot of money and will do allot of good, but if the stimulus is designed to have a fast and "Stimulating" effect on the economy why would we remove the most stimulating aspects of the stimulus bill? Worse is the Senate actually eliminated the full sum of the $20 billion in direct financing of school renovations. Not some or a portion of, but all.
How can that one be justified? By anyone?
But the Senate did not stop there. They went on to remove an additional $40 billion from the House’s proposed $79 billion stabilization fund for states. The majority of this money was to be be spent on schools and state universities.
Has our education of our future leaders and business people become the first sacrifice of this economic trouble? Are we to think that we will get funding for this type of project, or the type of project that is needed in our school systems today at a later time?
This money was designed to help the states meet education payrolls. As the tax collection revenue will meet with major shortfalls, what departments will be the hardest hit? It usually hits the education sector hard and fast. On average a third of all state revenue is spent on education related expenses.
First the factory closes, then the schools. Soon the traffic dies down and there is nothing but dust on the old streets in the town.
Fix it.
Recently John McCain has been in the spotlight for things he has said almost as much as his former running mate, Sarah Palin has been. As several recent quotes and statements made by Senator McCain point out so well to me why the American public decided to pass on his resume.
At the end of the day the bill moves forward. Once again the McCain has lost a fight to hold ground and take a leadership position. The bi-partisan government that McCain claimed was his goal in and during the presidential campaign seems to be more of a partisan Republican rule that he wants to press.
But is this just about Republicans -Vs- Democrats? And with that question is it just the Republicans that are acting like angry little school kids on the playground? No. Some pretty high up Democrats are playing there version of the "Your not our friend anymore" game as well.
I don't think there are many Republicans or Democrats left in the US that are not tired of hearing - he said she said, its his fault, they are to blame. At the end of the day, we personally don't care about your petty "I don't want you playing with my friends anymore" BS.
The House voted through $150 Billion in the stimulus package. This was money to invest in our future in a multitude of ways. Fast, shovel ready projects that could get Joe the Plumber, Harry the Pipe Layer, Chuck the Carpenter and Erica the Equipment operator back to work and earning money. It is not as if we have enough schools or that our schools are above the standards that they should be at. In fact many of our schools are substandard and in some areas of the country schools just are not where they should be. But the Senate has trimmed the stimulus for educational spending from $150 Billion to $83 Billion. Now $83 Billion is still allot of money and will do allot of good, but if the stimulus is designed to have a fast and "Stimulating" effect on the economy why would we remove the most stimulating aspects of the stimulus bill? Worse is the Senate actually eliminated the full sum of the $20 billion in direct financing of school renovations. Not some or a portion of, but all.
How can that one be justified? By anyone?
But the Senate did not stop there. They went on to remove an additional $40 billion from the House’s proposed $79 billion stabilization fund for states. The majority of this money was to be be spent on schools and state universities.
Has our education of our future leaders and business people become the first sacrifice of this economic trouble? Are we to think that we will get funding for this type of project, or the type of project that is needed in our school systems today at a later time?
This money was designed to help the states meet education payrolls. As the tax collection revenue will meet with major shortfalls, what departments will be the hardest hit? It usually hits the education sector hard and fast. On average a third of all state revenue is spent on education related expenses.
First the factory closes, then the schools. Soon the traffic dies down and there is nothing but dust on the old streets in the town.
Fix it.
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