tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post6388242198027168097..comments2023-08-20T07:06:14.115-04:00Comments on Thurber's Thoughts: Pork in the bailout plan? Say it ain't so!Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-12204314163342071002008-09-26T17:36:00.000-04:002008-09-26T17:36:00.000-04:00Stephen,I have posted in my own blog about the lac...Stephen,<BR/><BR/>I have posted in my own blog about the lack of Constitutional authority on the present bail out: http://justblowingsmoke.blogspot.com/2008/09/won-battle-losing-war.html and I likewise strongly disagree your conclusion. I am reasonably sure that there is plenty of blame to go around on both sides of the aisle for the causes of this situation and for the lack of required government oversight as it got worst. <BR/><BR/>This however, does not excuse the Democratic Party for attempting to add to the nightmare this has become with additional programs of wealth redistribution. Neither does it excuse the Republicans if they end up acting like Democrats to pander to voters during an election year.<BR/><BR/>The best solution that a Conservative (as I am) can hope for is the least government intrusion we can get and the least government money spent. Plunging this country into additional debt will only add to the country's economic problems.Timothy W Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17118861693269565715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-68586779145403338142008-09-26T15:48:00.000-04:002008-09-26T15:48:00.000-04:00Mr. Higgins:Why do you expect the Republicans to d...Mr. Higgins:<BR/><BR/>Why do you expect the Republicans to do something contrary to their normal and past actions? You decry the fact that they are padding this parody with pork, as does the author of this weblog; nevertheless the bigger issue is the nationalization of our banking industry, which is the real issue. So when you consider that fact, do you have any question in your mind as to the republican's motives? They after all got us to this juncture.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17617546841373107608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-52847347678769430082008-09-26T14:15:00.000-04:002008-09-26T14:15:00.000-04:00There can be little surprise that there's a little...There can be little surprise that there's a little pork in the negotiations going on over the last couple of days. Liberals in the Congress cannot help themselves from attempting to find new ways to do wealth redistribution (you know, Socialism). <BR/><BR/>The question is whether the Republicans will show enough backbone to prevent this agenda from being carried forward. It appears today that this is to be the case, but no one can take it for granted until the final terms of the deal are set in stone.<BR/><BR/>As for directing this earmark to Affordable housing, one has to ask: "Isn't this what caused the problem in the first place?"<BR/><BR/>Perhaps we should simply call this pork what it is, "Piggyback Funding".Timothy W Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17118861693269565715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-60051371901392186032008-09-26T10:17:00.000-04:002008-09-26T10:17:00.000-04:00Maggie:Good post. I would add that this is really ...Maggie:<BR/><BR/>Good post. I would add that this is really bigger than we really understand and few are actually reporting on global banking crisis manifested through the World Bank. Countries around the world are facing the same situation, and the troubling aspect is that each government is calling for the same solution, greater centralized control, nationalization, and less free markets.<BR/><BR/>Read this story from MarketWatch http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/us-lose-financial-superpower-status/story.aspx?guid={AAD822C1-BC7E-4178-9BFE-F9A8C897D209}&dist=msr_8<BR/><BR/>“Steinbrueck [German Finance Minster] criticized the United States for failing to adequately regulate investment banks and said free-market policies embraced by the United States and Great Britain that emphasized a short-term "insane drive for higher and higher profits" were partly to blame for the crisis.”<BR/><BR/>We are faced with a huge decision in the wake of this crisis, do we embrace collectivism as described by the Democrats, some Republicans and the Europeans, or to we hold fast to limited government and free markets?<BR/><BR/>Folks have to read the foreign news services to get the full story. If we trust only the US MSM for our information about this crisis we will miss being cold cocked by Europe and turned toward collectivism in our stupor state.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05043279868308825316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-49500766939123232062008-09-26T09:52:00.000-04:002008-09-26T09:52:00.000-04:00"The problem is not the fundamental well-being of ..."The problem is not the fundamental well-being of our economic system. At midyear, the U.S. economy was still running at growth between 2-3 percent above 2007 levels, even discounting inflation. The national unemployment rate was 6.1 percent, not the 35 percent of the Depression era. The stock market remained higher than the levels of four years earlier. <BR/><BR/>No, the problem lies with the bursting of the residential housing bubble that developed an irrational price exuberance (except in Michigan) in the wake of the Federal Reserve's exceptionally easy monetary policies from 2003 to 2006. Economics students understand this axiom: "Loose money policies create tight credit conditions.""<BR/><BR/>Taken from The Detroit News today.<BR/><BR/>http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/OPINION01/809240304<BR/>The article also outlines four major steps taken by congress to land us here.<BR/><BR/>Rep. Boehner is supporting an alternative plan to have PRIVATE investors purchase this bad debt, while allowing them the PURCHASE insurance on the debt from the Treasury dept. Sounds better than a socialistic bailout and ownership by big government.<BR/><BR/>TAHLCynical Counselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03013429047654810331noreply@blogger.com