Yes We Can! Long IslandGOP Stimulus Myths
FactCheck.org, February 24
Many claims of Democrats slipping in earmarks for frivolous projects aren’t true. Do some of the Republican claims you’ve heard about the stimulus bill sound too awful to be true? We find a few that are wildly exaggerated or downright false.
It’s not true that the bill contains spending for “golf carts.” It has $300 million to buy fuel-efficient vehicles, some of which may be electric cart-like utility vehicles.
Money claimed to be for “remodeled federal offices” is mostly designated for upgrading buildings to “green” status through such things as thicker insulation and highly efficient lighting, not new drapes or paneling.
A widely repeated claim that $8 billion is set aside for a “levitating train” to Disneyland is untrue. That total is for unspecified high-speed rail projects, and some of it may or may not end up going to a proposed 300-mph “maglev” train connecting Anaheim, Calif., with Las Vegas.
There’s no money in the bill specified for butterfly parks, Frisbee golf courses or water slides, despite a GOP congressman’s claim that the bill “will fund” those projects. He culled those silly-sounding items from a list of 18,750 city projects that the U.S. Conference of Mayors cobbled together in January as examples of “shovel-ready” projects.
Don’t look to us to defend any particular item in the bill, or to criticize it. We will, however, call out politicians for delivering trumped-up descriptions of the bill’s contents. This is a summary only. The full article with analysis, images and citations may be viewed on our Web site: www.FactCheck.org
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Tom Lavan informs us that Mark Cronin (Long Island for Change, CD-2) will be a guest speaker at the Central Oyster Bay Democratic Club on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 7:30 PM. He will be speaking about Yes We Can. The meeting will be held at the Nutty Irishman 233 Main Street, Farmingdale, NY
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The Obama Code
George Lakoff, TPM, February 24, 2009
The Obama Code is based on seven deep, insightful, and subtle intellectual moves. What President Obama has been attempting in his speeches is a return to the original frames of the Framers, reconstituting what it means to be an American, to be patriotic, to be a citizen and to share in both the sacrifices and the glories of our country. In seeking “bipartisan” support, he is looking beyond political affiliations to those who share those values on particular issues. In his economic plan, he is attempting to realign our economy with the moral missions of government: protection and empowerment for all.
The president hasn’t fooled the radical ideological conservatives in Congress. They know progressive values when they see them — and they see them in their own colleagues and constituents too often for comfort. The radical conservatives are aware that this economic crisis threatens not only their political support, but the very underpinnings of conservative ideology itself. Nonetheless, their brains have not been changed by facts. Movement conservatives are not fading away. They think their conservative values are the real American values. They still have their message machine and they are going to make the most of it. The ratings for Fox News and Rush Limbaugh are rising. Without a countervailing communications system on the Democratic side, they can create a lot of trouble, not just for the president, not just for the nation, but on a global scale, for the environmental and economic future of the world.
Complete article: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/24/the_obama_code/
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Obama’s Bold Progressive Vision vs. The Conventional Wisdom of the Establishment
Mike Lux, Huff Post, Feb 26
The most important battle at this moment in politics isn’t actually the one between Democrats and Republicans. Us Democrats won that convincingly in November (and two years prior to that as well), and are winning it overwhelmingly in public opinion polls. For the moment at least, the Democratic-Republican thing is less a fight and more of a rout. For now, the more important battle is between Obama’s own progressive vision of big bold change vs. the DC establishment (including many Democrats, some of whom work for the President) and conventional wisdom. Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-lux/a-progressive-approach-to_b_169295.html
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A New Era of Responsibility
This document describes the budget President Obama is submitting to Congress: http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/02/26/fy10.budget.pdf
“Our problems are rooted in past mistakes, not our capacity for future greatness We should never forget that our workers are more innovative and industrious than any on earth Our universities are still the envy of the world We are still home to the most brilliant minds, the most creative entrepreneurs, and the most advanced technology and innovation that history has ever known And we are still the Nation that has overcome great fears and improbable odds It will take time, but we can bring change to America We can rebuild that lost trust and confidence We can restore op- opportunity and prosperity And we can bring about a new sense of responsibility among Americans from every walk of life and from every corner of the country”
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The Credit Card Debt Crisis: The Next Economic Domino
Arianna Huffington, Hoff Post, Feb 24
Hot on the heels of the banking crisis, the employment crisis, and the mortgage/foreclosure crisis, the country is on the verge of experiencing a credit card crisis.
According to the Federal Reserve, the total outstanding credit card debt carried by Americans reached a record $951 billion in 2008 — a number that will only climb higher as more and more people reach for the plastic to make ends meet. What’s more, roughly a third of that is debt held by risky borrowers with low credit ratings.
Credit card defaults are on the rise and are expected to hit 10 percent this year. This will obviously drive many banks closer to failing their stress tests — but it will have an even greater impact on the lives of people who find themselves sinking deeper and deeper into debt.
It’s a particularly vicious economic circle: every day, Americans, faced with layoffs and tough economic times, are forced to use their credit cards to pay for essentials like food, housing, and medical care — the costs of which continue to escalate. But as their debt rises, they find it harder to keep up with their payments. When they don’t, banks, trying to offset losses in other areas, then turn around and hike interest rates and impose all manner of fees and penalties… all of which makes it even less likely consumers will be able to pay off their mounting debts.
Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/the-credit-card-debt-cris_b_169657.html
Are you being forced to use your credit cards to make ends meet? Has a credit card company jacked up your interest rate after missing a single payment – or raised your rate even though you haven’t missed one? Have you been charged unexpected add-on fees? If so, we want to hear your story. Share it with us by emailing submissions+creditdebt@huffingtonpost.com
