TPMDC Saturday Roundup
Obama Focuses On Stimulus Tax Cuts In YouTube Address
In his latest YouTube address, President Obama seeks to focus the public's attention on the tax-cut portions of the stimulus bill. "Never before in our history has a tax cut taken effect faster or gone to so many hardworking Americans," he says:
But Obama also stresses work remains to be done on helping people pay their bills, unlocking the credit markets, solving the housing crisis, generating growth and restoring fiscal discipline -- and that these issues are all inter-connected: "In short, we cannot successfully address any of our problems without addressing them all."
GOP Keeps Up Debunked Math About Stimulus
In the new weekly Republican response to president Obama's YouTube, Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI) continues to push the GOP's line that their own plan would have created more jobs at half the cost:
As we've pointed out, this claim is based on some very questionable math -- it involves reversing prior calculations about what a tax increase would do, and declaring the mirror image to be true for a tax cut, and also ignores the fact that the current deflationary crisis involves different fundamental economic assumptions than usual.
Governors In Washington This Weekend
The National Governors Association is meeting in Washington this weekend, and are set to have dinner at the White House tomorrow with President Obama. CQ points out that several of the Republican governors have also been seen as potential presidential candidates -- Sarah Palin, Bobby Jindal and Charlie Crist, among others -- and could be testing any potential support while they're in Washington.
WaPo Profiles Jim Messina, Obama's 'Fixer'
The Washington Post has a new profile of President Obama's Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina, dubbing him "the fixer" who deals with solving Obama's problems. "The exact nature of that task changes from day to day," the Post says -- ranging from smoothing over the confirmation of Tim Geithner, to finding new potential nominees for Health and Human Services, or devising a strategy to track stimulus spending.
National GOP Sending Big Bucks To Minnesota Senate Fight
The Hill reports that the national Republican Party has invested heavily in the Minnesota election dispute, with the RNC sending $250,000 to the Minnesota GOP. John McCain has sent $142,000 to the state GOP, as well, and other national figures have also sent money. "The RNC made the Minnesota recount a priority because we think Sen. Coleman has a strong case and deserves to return to the Senate," RNC spokesman Alex Conant told The Hill.
Report: Burris Has No Plans To Quit -- For Now
Roll Call reports that Roland Burris has no plans to resign -- at least not yet. "Resigning has not been an option discussed," a source told the paper. "Who knows what's going to happen over the weekend? Anything can change."
Hillary Asks China For Cooperation On Climate Change
While touring China, Hillary Clinton called upon the country to work with the United States to curb greenhouse gases, and to manage its economic growth in an environmentally sound way. "When we were industrializing and growing, we didn't know any better; neither did Europe," said Hillary. "Now we're smart enough to figure out how to have the right kind of growth."
Socks The Cat Dies
Socks, the cat formerly owned by the Clintons during their years in the White House, and then given to personal secretary Betty Currie, has died at age 19. "Socks brought much happiness to Chelsea and us over the years, and enjoyment to kids and cat lovers everywhere," the Clintons said in a statement.
Josh
Elana
Matt
Eric
RIP, Socks.
February 21, 2009 1:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tbogg has an interesting, if slightly fictional, reaction to Sock's demise.
February 21, 2009 11:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
The whitehouse should do a rebuttal to the weekly lies of the gop. Just short and sweet with facts that point out how big the lies of the gop are.
February 21, 2009 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd like to see a TPM weekly video segment concisely rebutting and hilariously lampooning whatever nonsense the GOP and assorted wingnuts are saying. Ca't imagine it would be difficult, and it's long overdue to point our what utterly moronic nonsense passes for received truth in the GOP these days.
For example, a present GOP talking point is that the stimulus won't create jobs... which is patently absurd. It's mind bogglingly stupid really.
Pretty obviously: building infrastructure, modernizing medical IT, and modernizing green infrastructure... well it's not going to be done by robots is it? Are there infrastructure elves the GOP imagines will do the work? Martians maybe?
It just might be done by... working American people... who... get paid... then spend in the economy... thereby creating demand for consumer goods... thereby creating more jobs... thereby improving the climate for investment and growth. Unlike tractor factories or military buildup, the needed improvements to infrastructure ultimately make our economy more competitive and efficient. Such as energy independence which reduces dollars lost to oil dictatorships; and less bureaucratic waste in medicine, which then allows for nurses to do more nursing and less paperwork. Etc.
Most 5th graders can probably grasp the basic economic concepts. Yet this eludes many Republicans, including those in high office. Truly amazing.
But then, one always has to remember, these are also people who tend to believe in home schooling, teaching creationism as science, and that the Grand Canyon was formed in the Flood, right after man and dinosaurs walked the earth together. Or guys like Joe the Plumber, who doesn't know the difference between business gross receipts and net income, or that he was actually going to get a tax cut under Obama's plan. Guys who are just ignorant and proud of it.
February 22, 2009 5:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
So long, Socks.
February 21, 2009 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Didn't the House GOP conduct massive investigations into how much money the WH was spending on Socks? I just wish House Democrats conducted 5% as many investigations into Bush's wars.
Another interesting piece of news: 2 new polls have solid numbers for Senator Patty Murray (yay!) and Mike Bloomberg (ugh).
February 21, 2009 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Remember the good old days when Fox News got in a froth discussing whether Socks was just a political tool, allowing Hillary Clinton to demonstrate her warm, caring side, and that once the Clintons were out, they kicked Socks to the curb?
Good times.
My favorite picture of Socks:
Photographers, with too much time on their hands
February 21, 2009 2:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love that picture too. Socks seems to be looking at us snd saying, who ARE all these guys?
February 21, 2009 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Burris will never resign. Never. When Burris was IL AG, he pushed for the death penalty for a man even his top prosecutor said was innoicent (Rolando Cruz) because he wanted to be governor and didn't want to be accused of being soft on crime.
Ignoring the constant and loud calls to resign from the Senate or being snubbed by his colleagues for the next 18 months is a cake walk compared to executing an innocent man.
February 21, 2009 1:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
REPUBLICANS TORPEDOING AMERICA
Republicans are practicing seditious DEMAGOGUERY and insurrectionary OBSTRUCTIONISM intended to destabilize our economy for purposes of political exploitation.
Republicans AREN’T making a sincere effort to STOP the bleeding THEIR incompetent leadership and failed policies created. Instead, they’re using conflicting economic theories as a smokescreen to conceal their subversive agenda, which is to cause President Obama and America to fail so they can blame Democrats for the consequences of THEIR calamitous mismanagement.
Republicans are preposterously professing that THEIR disgraceful political WHORING had nothing to do with the banking, real estate, stock market and employment catastrophes that resulted.
Republicans are trying to hamstring Democrats to prevent them from undoing the damage caused by a Republican presidency.
Republicans are offering controversial arguments they know no one can agree on to disrupt and prevent progressive change. They’d rather divide America and create political gridlock than endure the political consequences of effective Democratic governance. That’s how they gained power and that’s how they’re trying to retain it.
Republicans are not the LOYAL OPPOSITION. They are the ENEMY WITHIN whose personal priorities have eroded their moral and ethical standards to the point that treachery and betrayal are their preferred modus operandi.
It’s one thing to advocate their conservative beliefs; it’s another thing entirely to willfully sabotage America’s government because a successful Democratic presidency would not be vulnerable to the fears and hatreds that have produced and sustained the radical Republican corporatism and extremism that have poisoned and crippled America.
February 21, 2009 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
February 21, 2009 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you for underscoring that!
February 21, 2009 6:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Military split over Iraq withdrawal:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29310519/
February 21, 2009 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
lol! I love Schweitzer... He totally rips Palin for standing him up...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3749630
February 21, 2009 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
What happened to the hip hop GOP Steele promised us?? I was expecting Rep. Camp to show up with a diamond-encrusted elephant, baggy clothes, and a bottle of Cristal (sp?). He would then go all 8 Mile on how the stimulus is "whack" and how the Repubs can "keep it real" on bipartisanship. I am so disappointed.
Meanwhile, it seems they not only hate science (global warming) and history (FDR caused the GD), but now Eric points out they have it in for math too! Language Arts and Music, I'd keep an eye on these guys if I were you.
February 21, 2009 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
How come the lazy spineless Democrats aren't helping Fraken? It sends the wrong message by not supporting Franken. As usual it makes look inept
February 21, 2009 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think he's out to prove he can take are of himself. If Senator Al needed their help, he'd ask for it.
February 21, 2009 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Blue Dogs are probably hoping Norm wins.
February 21, 2009 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seconded.
February 21, 2009 6:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, like the 43 of 49 House Blue Dogs who voted for the stimulus. And every single one of them in the Senate?
This comment has your usual amount of factual basis for support: ZERO.
February 22, 2009 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
The stimulus bill would have been a vastly superior bill if Obama hadn't preemptively caved to the Blue Dogs. It's a bill without a coherent message or frame and most people I run into are totally confused about what it is meant to do or if it will benefit them at all.
February 22, 2009 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Again, don't bother to let the facts get in the way of a good Greenwald-esque anti-Democrat rant.
The Blue Dogs are largely a House caucus. The bill that left the House was not a capitulation to the Blue Dogs. The cave-in was done to get 3 Senate Repugs to vote for it.
You know that. You're just hoping nobody calls you on your ridiculous BS.
February 22, 2009 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
pmb,
I wondered about that myself. I have yet to read any story telling about help Franken is getting from the National party. As a matter of fact, the party has been somewhat silent on the race.
I'm in Pa. but I've sent Franken money a few times knowing his legal bills must be quite large.
This may even be a Republican tactic, bleed Franken dry by running up his legal bills which may force him to withdraw. Coleman wins by default.
February 22, 2009 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
If the Repug strategy is to bleed Franken dry on legal bills, it's a losing one. Say what you will about Senate leadership. There is no way they will let Franken's coffers run dry.
February 22, 2009 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jindal's Swindle: Rejects Stimulus Funds, Urges Citizens To Go On 'Millionaire'
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=6314
February 21, 2009 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
"National GOP Sending Big Bucks To Minnesota Senate Fight"
The party is sending the money there because it pays dividends from their warped perspective. Coleman will never win, but as long as they invest this money in his tilt against Franken, the Democrats have one less vote in the Senate. The real shame is that MN has one less vote fighting for them in the Senate, too.
February 21, 2009 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jindal is turning down 1.3 % of the stimulus that would go to those most in need. What a clown.
February 21, 2009 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ahnuld is saying he'll take whatever his fellow Governors are turning down.
February 21, 2009 8:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seems the gov is confused. The stimulus is intended to help the people who elected him to office, not the one's who gave him large campaign donations.
February 21, 2009 10:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
And he's not a clown ... he's a Knight of Nee.
February 21, 2009 10:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really don't know why Arnold is a Republican:
February 22, 2009 12:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
F'u'.. you. kh..Logginseh. gherchh...ehlf.
Smoothe'
sorry.
February 22, 2009 3:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
19! hey, 19? no, I didn't come back to do more Yacht Rock schmoozing.
just Viva Socks! That's old.
Socks, your detractors didn't have shit on you. I expect you knew that. fuggem.
February 22, 2009 3:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, 19 is a very good advanced age for a cat to live to. Means Socks had a hell of a good life and good care.
Bye Socks - you were a great all American cat. And I don't think you ever bit a reporter, either.
February 22, 2009 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
someone who i know leans pretty right, but who i have respect for, sent me this link:
> Obama's Revenge
> http://tinyurl.com/bbj95l
i don't have the energy to rebut this. someone have a link that rebuts some of the stuff in a way that he might find credible?
February 22, 2009 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nothing more than a pure fiction novelette ... no facts, just hearsay that people want to believe because they lost and need some reason to justify their anger and resentment.
February 22, 2009 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
She's a true red wingnut. And was all over the ridiculous birth certificate "controversy".
Here's a link from FactCheck.org that may put that whole birth certificate issue in context for the right leaning friend you have respect for:
FactCheck.org squashes the birth certificate issue
And btw, what difference does it make where Obama was born? His mother was a citizen. Hence, he's a citizen, regardless of whether he was born in Hawaii or on Mars. The ignorance of people about this is astounding.
And Richard Shelby, a U.S. Senator, has now waded into this. Can there by any better illustration of how far off track Republicans are, at this point?
February 22, 2009 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink