Pro-clarity and honesty or Pro-bullshit and obfuscation?
When it comes to evaluating Bush’s budget, I favor the pro-clarity position.
Jack Markell knows a little something about budgets. Here is his recent statement on Bush’s budget.
“Once again, President Bush’s rhetoric doesn’t match the reality of his promises to the American people.
In his newly released budget, he once again puts tax cuts for the wealthy ahead of the needs of working Americans. Education, the environment and the poor get short shrift. And perhaps worst of all, the President’s budget increases the burden we all leave to our children and grandchildren as they are the ones to whom he passes such a huge debt obligation.
As the Washington Post editorial writers commented today, Mr. Bush’s plan is ‘more illusory than real.’
We’ve learned to expect nothing less from this President.”
Not at all wishy-washy. Now contrast that with Castle’s statement on Bush’s budget.
“Anytime a President submits a budget proposal to Congress, there is going to be close scrutiny and even more so during a time of divided government — and deservedly so. Overall, it is important to understand the Administration’s priorities and learn how federal agencies evaluate their programs’ strengths and weaknesses.
“In general, I obviously support the idea of moving towards a balanced budget and am hopeful the numbers with respect to deficit reduction are accurate; however, ….
Blahbidty, blah, blah, blah….same old same old from Mr. Castle.
More mush from the wimp.
Please. No one ever likes the President’s budget 100%. But come on, Jack.
“And perhaps worst of all, the President’s budget increases the burden we all leave to our children and grandchildren as they are the ones to whom he passes such a huge debt obligation.”
The President, by means-testing Parts B and D of Medicare, will cut 8 TRILLION DOLLARS from our future deficit and the overall budget balances in five years without raising taxes.
What’s Markell’s plan for dealing with the oncoming entitlement tidal wave?
“Education, the environment and the poor get short shrift.”
Education: Title I spending will increase 59% since Bush took office, including $3 billion in this budget.
Environment: The budget provides $22 million toward completion of the Water Security Initiative, a critical infrastructure protection pilot program for the water sector; supports the continued implementation of clean diesel rules, which when fully implemented will reduce diesel vehicle pollution by more than 90 percent nationwide; provides $162 million to the Brownfields program to assess 1,000 more properties and support cleanup in 63 more communities; provides $35 million to clean up contaminated sediments at three to five sites through the Great Lakes Legacy Act; provides $29 million to restore water quality in the Chesapeake Bay; helps communities finance their water infrastructure and improve operations through expanded bonding authority; and provides $5 million as part of a $52 million multi-agency effort to advance clean technology investment through the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.
“The poor” – Come on with the class warfare already, Jack. There’s low-income assistance in education, job training, housing, not to mention Part D, which is the biggest government giveaway since LBJ.
J – It’s easy to be clear. It’s also easy to be wrong.
And it is easy to be clearly wrong when you rush to defend Bush’s debacle of a budget.
No rational person on either side of the isle thinks this budget is anything otehr than a time bomb set to explode as soon as Bush makes it back to Texas.
What’s with this knee-jerk defense of Bush? Are getting some of these shrink-wrapped packages of $100 bills that the Adminstration is handing out?
“No rational person on either side of the isle thinks this budget is anything otehr than a time bomb set to explode as soon as Bush makes it back to Texas.”
It’s not Bush’s priorities that are the time bomb. With Social Security and Medicare set to blow up the budget, it is impossible to balance the budget long-term without massive tax increases. Right now, the federal budget takes up 20% of our GDP. In 35 years, it will take up 40%. All of the difference is long-term entitlement spending. If entitlements are not reformed, it doesn’t matter what this or any President does; we’ll be France in 35 years.
I’m not defending Bush, but when people like Markell try to dish out the partisan red meat, someone has to be there to point out the foolishness.
I’m preparing my own critique of the budget, in which I will be questioning some of the President’s priorities.
The question is: will the Democrats in Congress heed the President’s call for full transparency and a 50% cut in all earmarks, or will they, as Rep. Jim Moran said during the election, “earmark the s**t out of” the appropriations process?
The House under Pelosi has shown the will to implement some earmark reform. We’ll see if it sticks.
yeah. I think Markell is the one in ’08. I was wondering where to send the campaign check for a while, but Markell has shown some insight and leadership recently (albeit through press releases).
Whatever happened to John “Everybody wants me to be Governor” Still? Does the GOP have someone even better than Prince John?
My favorite quote on the budget was from a reporter on the day it was released.
“They have a term for a budget presented by a President of one party to a Congress of the other party. ‘Dead on arrival'”
The problem with a term like “entitlement reform” is that it hides what the gist of the term is. It is a cut in benefits for the people that we have a standing deal with. Veterans, the elderly, the poor, and the disabled all rely on these entitlements.
Let’s cut some of the entitlements that corporations have come to expect. I’m not saying that Exxon doesn’t get to make a profit, but they are making some of that profit on loopholes and subsidies that are gratuitous.
Yes, we will have a social security problem in the not too distant future. I believe that the first of the baby-boomers become eligible for Social security next year. We need to figure out how we are going to do that, and honestly no one from either side has proposed a realistic solution yet.
on the news the other night, they showed the Budget comming off the printing presses… it’s a book, 6 inches thick. Ofcourse I believe the Jack read and understands the whole thing.
Fixing Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid is simple. When it gets done, it will be done with a mix of cutting benefits and raising taxes. There ain’t no other way.
What you are witnessing now is procrastination and denial as both parties jockey to avoid the blame for doing the right thing.
But I hold Republicans especially to blame for taking tax increases off the table for twelve years, thereby eliminating any reasonable solution.
Obviously the entitlement load will eventually cause economic problems. But current elected officials are reasonably convinced the s**t will not hit the fan during their terms.
So I predict entitlements will not get fixed until a Congress is elected who believes entitlements will crash the eoonomy during their term.
On the other hand, national single-payer health care is a wild card that if enacted, could change the whole debate, depending on how it is funded.
Liberalgeek,
Don’t go calling for corporate welfare reform, that’s when our Congressional delegation forms itself into a hoplite phalanx.
“It is a cut in benefits for the people that we have a standing deal with. Veterans, the elderly, the poor, and the disabled all rely on these entitlements.”
That’s weak. First of all, the President’s call for means-testing on Medicare Parts B and D only affects people who can afford not to have their health care subsidized by taxpayers. I thought you liberals were all for sticking it to the rich…
You can do a lot of entitlement reform without hurting the classes that Dems like to play class warfare with.
“Fixing Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid is simple. When it gets done, it will be done with a mix of cutting benefits and raising taxes. There ain’t no other way.”
I agree that tax increases should not be off the table. But in order to justify taxz increases, there has to be a permanent solution. I’m not going to pay more in taxes so the baby boomers can get SS, but still have to face the fact that I won’t get out what I paid in. I think every option should be considered.
The fact is, however, that when the GOP tried to solve this with privatization, the Democrats did not even offer up a plan of their own. No matter what you think of private accounts, it was irresponsible for the Dems not to even have tried.
but still have to face the fact that I won’t get out what I paid in.
That’s funny… I feel like I got out more than I paid every time I don’t see a dead granny on the street.
The fact is, however, that when the GOP tried to solve this with privatization
Solve?
the Democrats did not even offer up a plan of their own.
uhhh, Pelosi made a smart tactical decision (which I wholly agree with) not to introduce any Dem plan until Republicans took the privatization sham off the table. And by doing so she performed a great national service in preventing privatization of Social Security dollars.
And you know the GOP Congress would not have voted for anything that didn’t have privatization in it.
It’s not entirely true Dems didn’t have a plan. Rep. Wexler introduced a plan to fund Social Security by lifting most of the FICA cap. It died in the GOP-controlled Ways and Means Committee.
“In general, I obviously support the idea of moving towards a balanced budget and am hopeful the numbers with respect to deficit reduction are accurate; however…”
I believe in moving towards balancing my checkbook however I want a bigscreen TV so it just isn’t going to happen….
He freaking SUPPORTS THE IDEA? Who are you kidding moron? you have been in politics way to long. you support the idea? wtf man, that crap pisses me off.
FSP,
My assertion is not weak. I am in favor of means testing, but the euphemism of “entitlement reform” doesn’t even begin to tell that story. Heck, you started grumbling at the end of your post that you aren’t going to get out of it what you put into it. How are the people that did save $15K/year in their 401Ks going to feel when you say “Oh, you have more than a million in a 401K, so no soup for you!”
The rich have already shown that they are unwilling to pay more than their share of the costs of running this country. That’s part of the reason that we are where we are. The upper 1% have been on the gravy train for the past 6 years. So do you think they are going to be happy that we are taking away their benefits? Maybe they won’t care, but we are already paying them in tax cuts.
Please don’t refer to Bush’s privatization scheme as a plan. That was little more than an appeal to underinformed voters, since it would have bankrupted the Social Security plan decades earlier.
Finally, we didn’t start the class warfare in this country. When we call the Republicans on what they have done, it isn’t class warfare. It is simply shining a light on the underhanded things that have been accomplished by changes in the bowels of the tax code. The changes can certainly be cast in a light of a middle-class tax cut, but the result for the upper echelon of the population is dramatic.
“That’s funny… I feel like I got out more than I paid every time I don’t see a dead granny on the street.”
Good. I hope you’re around in 40 years to see the thousands of “dead grannies on the street” when entitlements bankrupt the nation and then go belly-up.
“It’s not entirely true Dems didn’t have a plan. Rep. Wexler introduced a plan to fund Social Security by lifting most of the FICA cap. It died in the GOP-controlled Ways and Means Committee.”
Bull. Pelosi killed Wexler’s plan.
LG – Regardless of my thoughts, I should have chosen my words better. I apologize.
“The rich have already shown that they are unwilling to pay more than their share of the costs of running this country. That’s part of the reason that we are where we are. The upper 1% have been on the gravy train for the past 6 years.”
Seriously? Please. The “rich” pay the overwhelming majority of the taxes in this country.
“So do you think they are going to be happy that we are taking away their benefits?”
I don’t care if they’re happy. The government should not be subsidizing health care for people who can otherwise afford it.
Folks go online to the State Department of Election. Markell has an ending balance 12/31/2006 of $1,332,229.97 in which Markell put in $725,000.00. There was a big fuss about Brian Moore’s parents combining their $600.00 max each into one $1200.00. Look at Markell list of contributors and tell you don’t see individuals contributors $1200.00 and over.
Iam not talk corporations, individuals. If Copland was born with a silver spoon in his mouth the Markell was born with one up his ass.
Markell is going to have one hell of a blitz for the governorship.
Take a look all the money he kicked out in campaign payroll, un-f-ing believable. MONEY AT IT’S BEST !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dave, cut the crap. First we’ll be France, then we’ll be bankrupt…which is it? I go to France frequently, and they aren’t bankrupt. They do have great health care, though.
SS privatization was such a stupid plan that only a Sam Beard — dumbest public figure I ever met — could sign on to it. Your lying sacks of shit in the Bush administration wouldn’t even admit that, by diverting some funds from the revenue stream, either payouts would fall or taxes would rise.
But my favorite line of all your apologias is this one: The “rich” pay the overwhelming majority of the taxes in this country. Yeah, so? They also get the majority of the benefits of this country. As a percentage of their income — all forms of income, not just their “wages” — they do pretty damn well. You want to massage the rectums of the rich for your living, that’s your business. Don’t expect the rest of us to sign up for it.
John (Kilroy), you’re even more uninformed and ignorant than usual here. Markell earned his money in the telecommunications business. And your buddy Brian Moore is still a boil on Roger Roy’s ass.
Oh, by the way, John, Markell’s loan to his campaign was reported quite widely when it was made. Sorry you missed it.
“The rich have already shown that they are unwilling to pay more than their share of the costs of running this country.”
This is the quote I was responding to when I said the rich pay the majority of the taxes, which is in direct contradiction to the statement made.
“You want to massage the rectums of the rich for your living, that’s your business.”
Nice. I guess next you’re going to blow your top and call me a fat-ass, lazy do-nothing.
And don’t worry, Al. When John Edwards gets elected, he’ll get those rich people for you.
Oh, and you’re right – France is doing great. Well, except for the fact that they lose one millionaire a day to more tax-friendly countries.
Ho-hum, Dave. I’ll tell you what — you go ahead and get your information about France from a Swedish-based free-market think tank, and I’ll get mine from people who actually live there. They’re millionaires too, by the way, and they’re not leaving.
And no, I wouldn’t call you a do-nothing. AS for sucking up to the rich, though, if the shoe fits…I’ll just say this: it’s the rare Republican who doesn’t think that money is no indicator of personal worth.
“John (Kilroy), you’re even more uninformed and ignorant than usual here. Markell earned his money in the telecommunications business. And your buddy Brian Moore is still a boil on Roger Roy’s ass.”
So Big Dipshit Al feels Markell’s was earned the old fashion way it’s OK to use that money to by his way into the governor’s house! Real nice Al ! So what are you the Nextel Kid’s pool boy? Gee Al you the man of the town working at a 5 watt Delware radio station. I guess this make you the smartest person in Delaware. If Brian Moore is a boil on Roy’s ass I guess this make’s you Markell’s PAL, Personal Ass Licker !
As I told you before, you don’t intimidate me what so ever. Your obsession to stroke you intellect at the cost of others is a reflection of you shallow being. Ever since you got fired from the sperm bank for drinking on the job you’ve become a real ass!
I am but a mouse before the mighty lion, my heart bleeds with sadness! You are the grandmaster of the media but yet you lack class and stature in such a Mickey Mouse state. I assume you back to be a food critic licking the drippings of you tie.
“it’s the rare Republican who doesn’t think that money is no indicator of personal worth.”
Al, money means shit ! Personal worth is when people like me can tell people like you to kiss my ass ! No I see why you are Rick Jensen under-study you have piss poor interpersonal skills.
I am sure you are familiar with I-messages. So I think you are dead weight at WDEL and the should cut you loose and give Dana that time slot. At least he can tell people to kiss his ass with tact.
“Does the GOP have someone even better than Prince John?”
I would run if Al agrees to be my Press-Secretary. Kilroy for Governor!
“Ho-hum, Dave. I’ll tell you what — you go ahead and get your information about France from a Swedish-based free-market think tank, and I’ll get mine from people who actually live there. They’re millionaires too, by the way, and they’re not leaving.”
Come on, Al. Let’s have a little intellectual honesty. The old “question the source” trick isn’t going to work here.
Financial Times of London.
Washington Post
Reuters
No trick, Dave, and it wasn’t meant to disparage the source, just you. You go ahead and base your judgment on percentage growth of a country’s economy, and I’ll base mine on what it’s like to live there.
John, this has nothing to do with class. You were wrong about Markell’s source of wealth, that’s all. Don’t get so prickly about it.
can someone pull my finger?
Al, I’m not basing anything on growth. I’m basing it on a country that puts a heavy burden on its’ wealthy to foot the bill for its’ goverment and the fact that those wealthy individuals are leaving. That is not the sign of a healthy future.
“John, this has nothing to do with class. You were wrong about Markell’s source of wealth, that’s all. Don’t get so prickly about it.”
Al,
Its not the source of the wealth that concerns me, it’s the utilization of the wealth in attempts to buy his way into the governorship. He was raising money under the pretense of running for State Treasure but in reality building a nest egg to give it a go for the governorship.
It seems the world is so fixated on wealthy Republicans who this they have a birth right such as Copeland for example and yet Markell is sitting on 1.3 mil and yes 750,000.00 is his and that’s fine. Does he love us Delawareans that much to put up such amounts of personal money?
Combine the wealth and the democratic voter power base in Delaware the odds are in his favor to win. They only way Carney will beat him out would be if Minner step-down and made Carney the incumbent. Al, deep down Iam a realist and realized Copeland’s chances of beating Markell is 65% at best. Tell me. If Markell wins it will not be a win for the people who demand real change in Dover. In deed my brain know Markell is a political force but my heart tell me his is not in it for the common folks of Delaware..
No matter who wins in 2008 the sorry sucker will have to raise taxes to clean up Minner mess. Might be best if Markell wins because the actions he needs to take to clean up Minner’s would be his political down fall. I much rather see Copeland go straight to U.S Senate or Congress.
John, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Again.
Al,
If it weren’t for stupid people like me we wouldn’t have a method of measuring your intelligence. I keep looking for books written by you and find now. I flip through over 300 cable channels and don’t see any who refers to your vast knowledge base.
I have no problem with you belittling me because it’s apparent you need someone to kick around. Also, because you are frustrated that Dave Burris has a higher IQ than you.
You defend rich democrats but ridicule rich Republicans. If your such an expert on political issues the why aren’t you running for public office? I wouldn’t classify you as egotistic or even self-centered. Again we’re back to your inability to meet your father’s expectation in life and as failure as man.
For Christ sakes Al, I only expressed opinion not fact. You don’t believe that there will be a major financial fallout inherited by the new governor due to Minner’s lack of management? But you know, God loves all his children even those freaks of nature such as yourself.
So when do you want to get together for a drink ?
John, you don’t know the first thing about me. Christ, you can’t even keep straight who I like and don’t — I have a higher opinion of Charlie Copeland than most of the Republicans I find on the blogosphere. So there goes that theory. The Republicans I slag for worshiping money are the dipshits who think that if you made some money, you must be smart.
I also find your half-witted psychoanalysis offensive, since your “facts” about me are made up out of thin air. What the fuck do you know about my relationship with my father, you dumb asshole? And why can’t you disagree with me, or anybody else for that matter, without resorting to junior-high-level ad hominem attacks?
Kicking you around? Buddy, if I wanted to kick you around, you’d know it. And I don’t go out for drinks with people who a) have nothing to teach me and b) make a habit of insulting me.
“Kicking you around? Buddy, if I wanted to kick you around, you’d know it. And I don’t go out for drinks with people who a) have nothing to teach me and b) make a habit of insulting me.”
Dam Al you spent quite a few years insulting people in your editorials why would you take offense when the shoe is on the other foot?
“if I wanted to kick you around, you’d know it.”
So what are you Bruce Lee now ! One thing I am not afriad of is dying, I’ve had knives against my throat and guns in my face, come kill me !
I am ready to meet my maker any day of the week, how about you? Shall we dance !
I meant that figuratively, not literally. I couldn’t punch my way out of a paper bag.
“John (Kilroy), you’re even more uninformed and ignorant than usual here. Markell earned his money in the telecommunications business. And your buddy Brian Moore is still a boil on Roger Roy’s ass.”
Al. go back to post #17 where you made the first personal attack! Look ath my post #16 does anything refer to you! I go accept “uninformed” in context to your opinion but you took it a bit far with the “ignorant than usual here.” Again that is you right however but there was not provoking remarks towards you or about you. So should I go belly up when attacked like that?
Shit! Are you two lurking on Jason’s blog for the purpose of going toe-to-toe (I mean, finger-point to finger-point)?
If you are, then good! It’s been quite entertaining.
…and, YES, it does come across as personal attacks from both ends to this outside observer.
Where’s the popcorn? This boxing match is good!
“meant that figuratively, not literally. I couldn’t punch my way out of a paper bag.”
LOL ! Come on let’s have a drink ! I’ll invite my good friend Richard Korn he can sit in the middle.
“If you are, then good! It’s been quite entertaining.”
“…and, YES, it does come across as personal attacks from both ends to this outside observer.”
Nay, I really like Al. Somebody has to give him shit to keep him young! I think we should have some kind of election once a year to help us with the boredom. I’ll admit I shouldn’t of have threw the father thing it there!
Mot Newbie wait to Al sees this on Kilroy’s Delaware
http://kilroysdelaware.blogspot.com/search?q=machete
Al, I’ll take it down in the morning! LOL !
I linked to it in my just-published post.
I’m starting to feel like Cosell to both of yours’ Ali and Frazier.
Who will be Frazier: Down goes Frazier, down goes Frazier!
“I’m starting to feel like Cosell to both of yours’ Ali and Frazier.”
Shit I though I was Tyson going for the ear !
Guys, Al is a great guy and I shouldn’t have thrown the father thing in there! You know sometime the Grasshooper has to tell the Master kiss my ass !