Obamanomics is Kneecapping America

By Caomhin

Sound harsh?  In reality, that’s not harsh enough.  We here at ToOurRepublic.com have been trying to sound the alarm even while Obama was on the campaign trail and we spoke against against President Bush’s bailouts as well.  Liberals and big government GOPers are still trying to say that these plans are working.  They are not.  Obama, while hiding on vacation, released the horrendous news, unemployment to stay at near 10% (far above where he said it would be if his Stimulus Porkfest passed), with deficits exploding by over 22% over the next 10 years due to his spending…in 7 months.  Worse yet, they are killing our ability to be productive in the present and in the future:

The federal government faces exploding deficits and mounting debt over the next decade, White House officials predicted Tuesday in a fiscal assessment far bleaker than what the Obama administration had estimated just a few months ago.

Figures released by the White House budget office foresee a cumulative $9 trillion deficit from 2010-2019, $2 trillion more than the administration estimated in May. Moreover, the figures show the public debt doubling by 2019 and reaching three-quarters the size of the entire national economy.

Obama economic adviser Christina Romer predicted unemployment could reach 10 percent this year and begin a slow decline next year. Still, she said, the average unemployment will be 9.3 in 2009 and 9.8 percent in 2010.

I wonder people like Arlen Specter still feel good about themselves about passing that deficit exploding bill that produced nothing except an unemployment rate that will continue to climb into 2010.  I distinctly recall, not even three weeks ago Obama saying,

“While we have rescued our economy from catastrophe, we have also begun to build a new foundation for growth.”

Bumping the national debt up to $9 trillion dollars and unemployment staying near 9.8% in 2010 is not a “catastrophe?”  Does Obama even know what economics or reality is?  He can not truly believe this.  This has to be his ego talking.  Nobody can be that disillusioned about the economy.

Some members of the media are seeing the extreme danger in Obama’s deficit bloating and are calling him out on it, not even allowing him to use his “Blame Bush,” excuse anymore, because, well, it’s a huge lie:

President Barack Obama’s budget would produce $9.3 trillion in deficits over the next decade, more than four times the deficits of Republican George W. Bush’s presidency, congressional auditors said Friday.

…

Worst of all, CBO says the deficit under Obama’s policies would never go below 4 percent of the size of the economy, figures that economists agree are unsustainable. By the end of the decade, the deficit would exceed 5 percent of gross domestic product, a dangerously high level.

White House budget chief Peter Orszag said that CBO’s long-range economic projections are more pessimistic than those of the White House, private economists and the Federal Reserve and that he remained confident that Obama’s budget, if enacted, would produce smaller deficits.

Even so, Orszag acknowledged that if the CBO projections prove accurate, Obama’s budget would produce deficits that could not be sustained.

Oh, so we’re supposed to feel good about Peter Orszag saying the he thinks the CBO is too pessimistic?  This is he same guy in whom Obama relied to tell us that unemployment would not go above 8% if his Stimulus Bill passed, the man who was so far off the mark in all his projection (all on the wrong side) that people are starting to demand he resign.  This is who they roll out to try and convince the American people that Obama knows what he’s doing and that his numbers can be trusted?  From all appearances, I wouldn’t let this guy balance my check book.  Remember this picture, which it now appears that the CBO was probably too optimistic when it came up with their figures?

If you haven’t already read Pete DuPont’s article from The Wall Street Journal entitled, “The High Cost of Liberalism,” you owe it yourself to do so.  It’s a stunning look into the future at just some of the tax increases that are going to have a tremendously negative impact on all Americans, from Main Street to Wall Street.  For the record, he mentions that it’s possible that the Democrats will keep most of President Bush’s tax cuts (which need to stay into place…and FYI if you have a a Roth 401(k) that was a result of Bush’s tax legislation as well) but I don’t buy it.  The Democrats have put us in such dire straits that they’re going to look for every penny they can get their hands on.  The people who will face the greatest impact if the Bush Tax Cuts expire?  The people making between $26,500 and $32,500 who face an 87% tax increase if they let the Bush tax cuts expire.  We’re losing our ability to compete and maybe even earn a decent living in the present and the future if we continue down this path.  The madness must be stopped.

So It Begins For Social Security

By Caomhin

While there were many issues that I had disagreed with President Bush, the privatization of Social Security was not one of them.  We all know that the entitlement program payments are exploding and have to be honest with and to ourselves, it’s going to get much, much worse.  Most people around my age have almost no faith that Social Security will be around when we retire.  A slow but steady move towards the privatization would have empowered millions upon millions of Americans in taking ownership of their retirement funds with the ability to change investments based upon their objects as a result of a number of variables.  Democrats railed against this and went so far as to applaud themselves for blocking reform all the while insisting that the crisis with Social Security was non-existent.

I wonder if they’re applauding themselves right now:

Millions of older people face shrinking Social Security checks next year, the first time in a generation that payments would not rise. The trustees who oversee Social Security are projecting there won’t be a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for the next two years. That hasn’t happened since automatic increases were adopted in 1975.

By law, Social Security benefits cannot go down. Nevertheless, monthly payments would drop for millions of people in the Medicare prescription drug program because the premiums, which often are deducted from Social Security payments, are scheduled to go up slightly.

Democrats can try to spin this anyway they want to, but without a COLA the same amount of money from year to year is worse less due to inflation, thus Social Security recipients are facing the reality of leaving with less real wages.  The retirement of the Baby Boomers has just begun and already we are seeing the vast problems of Social Security coming to the surface and we’re not even seeing the tip of the iceberg yet.

Government Sends Stimulus Checks to Inmates

By Caomhin

Of course they did, why wouldn’t they?  The $787 billion Porkfest, which has given us nearly 10% unemployment was a horrible, horrible idea from the jump, and the administration of it even worse.  I don’t know what’s worse the fact that the government sent stimulus checks to inmates or the fact that it does not surprise me in the least:

Moraski said a total of 3,900 inmates not receiving benefits were sent a stimulus check and that of those, 2,200 were due the payment because they were out of prison late last year. The other 1,700 were mistakenly sent the checks.

But Moraski said that the number was “relatively small” given the fact that 52 million total payments were made, and that most of the mistaken payments have been returned by the correctional institutions. He did not provide specifics for how much of the $425,000 had been returned.

The Boston Herald reported the administration is asking for the Massachusetts money back. But Diane Wiffin, a spokeswoman with the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, told FOXNews.com that her department tried to alert the Social Security staff months ago when it first discovered that the checks had been sent to 23 inmates.

“It was the DOC’s opinion that the inmates were not eligible for the payments because of their incarceration, and we withheld the checks from the inmates at that time and immediately contacted the federal Social Security Administration,” she said in an e-mail.

But she said that the administration “failed to provide a directive despite several requests,” so the department could no longer withhold the checks from the inmates.

Take special note of the fact that the Obama administration didn’t get back to Massachusetts, which has a very large liberal population.  He wouldn’t even respond to their concerns.  These are the people who want to be in charge of your healthcare and that program will not be a one time debacle, but an ongoing one, which spiral out of control rapidly.  Examples like these should be looked at as reasons why we should oppose efforts by the government to interfere in the free market while exponentially increasing the national debt.

Obama’s Approval Rating Dropping Rapidly, Starts to Blame Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, Talks Smack on Bill Clinton

By Caomhin

Democrats’ and the Media’s attempt to say opposition to the healthcare overhaul being opposed to by a minority or “fringe” of America is ridiculously off base and the polls show it.  Yesterday, Allahpundit posted about the terrible approval numbers for Obama found by Zogby, a polling organization that tends to under sample Conservatives.  They found Obama’s approval rating to be at…45%.

Today, Rasmussen’s Daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows that 39% of America Strongly Disapproves of Obama’s job performance with a Presidential Approval Rating of  -8%.  The more polls that get released, the more we can see how Obama’s policies are becoming more and more unpopular and that the American people are getting a strong sense of buyer’s remorse.  The media, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, etc., can try to spin by saying “Democrats were elected to reform healthcare,” but they weren’t.  They ran their entire campaign as, “we’re not Bush.”  Well, “we’re not Bush,” got elected but the Dems did not run on issues and the American people don’t lie.  They strongly reject the Liberals’ efforts to have the government running the healthcare business.

Since Democrats took over Congress in 2006 you’ll also notice just how rapidly the National Debt has increased.  Not surprisingly you’ll also notice that poll after poll shows concern for the National Debt skyrocketing.  Yet, Obama and the Democrats just want to keep on spending and spending with no way to fund these programs either in the short term or the long term, which guarantees that the National Debt will continue to rise rapidly under the Dems’ watch.

Also take strong note in the polls that Liberal support for Obama is not dropping and I’d strongly suggest that his approval with Republicans was never very high in the first place.  So where does the erosion come from?  Independents, Libertarians, and Blue Dog Democrats.  These three groups know this, too, which compounds the problem for Obama.  The more he goes out and blasts “Republican” opposition to his plan (even though they can and could have passed healthcare reform anytime they wanted with the Democrat’s supermajority) it’s really those three groups he’s blasting.  Well, if you’re an independent, libertarian, or a Blue Dog Democrat, you know the President is out there talking about you, and the rest of America who is opposed to this horrible legislation, and yet, the media is surprised his numbers are dropping among the groups that he talks ill of?

Expect his numbers to keep dropping too, he’s going fully blown Hillary, talking about the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy (note to Obama: Blue Dogs, libertarians, and independents are not right-wing conspirators).  He also took a veiled shot at Bill Clinton:

I think early on, a decision was made by the Republican leadership that said, ‘Look, let’s not give him a victory, maybe we can have a replay of 1993, ’94, when Clinton came in, he failed on health care and then we won in the mid-term elections and we got the majority. And I think there are some folks who are taking a page out that playbook,” the president said.

…

“I guarantee you, Joe, we are going to get health care reform done,” he said to one caller.

It’s not the Republican leadership leading the rally to support capitalism and block government from taking over the healthcare industry.  No, this has been the work of the American people, who have taken charge of the issue and taken matters into their own hands.  The president has refused to work with Republicans anyway, making sure to protect his chief donors and the profession he’s most sympathetic to, lawyers, by refusing to even consider tort reforms, even as lawsuits are one of the main drivers in rising health care costs.  He has refused to allow health insurers to complete across lines.  In general, he has refused to listen to the American people and his poll numbers show it.

Note as well, the sections I’ve bolded above.  Is there any other way to read this knowing Obama’s ego?  He’s saying, Clinton failed, and I’ll succeed.  He said this during the primary with Hillary as well, but he primary is over.  Why would he bring it up again?  Of course it’s his ego.  Blue Dogs love Bill Clinton, so I’m sure Obama’s contempt for him will continue to endear himself with Blue Dogs.  Don’t plan on Obama listening to the American people, he’s going to keep pushing for a Government take over of health care.  The media and those around him will do their best to shield him and his ego, but when every poll in America shows people increasing disapproving of the way he’s handling things, it won’t matter.  The people decide elections and given the way the people have turned out oppose this plan and the wild spending being embarked upon, no one’s going home anytime soon.

Does Sebelius Believe in Capitalism? No. No She Doesn’t.

By Caomhin

As the American people have done a tremendous job of expressing their strong opposition to the health care bill, it appears the White House is retreating on the public option. The bill itself should be scrapped and should be started over from scratch on free market principles, and there are a few things that can be done to achieve true reform.  These things include:  tort reform, removing barriers of competition by allowing insurance companies to sell products across state lines, and allow FSAs to HSAs  to be treated the same way, thus allowing the money you contribute to be rolled over, accumulate interest, remain tax advantage and allow you to move between health plans as you see fit. Yet, as we have seen in the debate thus far, the Administration has vilified the market, the American people, and insurance companies rather than seeking feedback and input from all sides and looking for a way to implement true reform.  They tried to railroad this bill down American’s throats and the PEOPLE, not the interest groups, stood up and opposed this plan.  Americans believe in freedom, we believe in the free market.  We believe that the national debt is a monstrous problem for the long term stability and financial health of this nation and we have moved to stop the madness of politicians on both side who have no grasp of economics, decency, or common sense.

My greater point here is to remind you, that indeed, the Administration, or, at least Sebelius, though I suspect the vast, vast majority of those who occupy the White House, simply do not believe in the free market and that the reason this debate is so heated is that is one of ideology.  This quote from Sebelius in the aforementioned article illustrates this:

“That’s really the essential part, is you don’t turn over the whole new marketplace to private insurance companies and trust them to do the right thing.”

Yet, that is exactly what you do in a free market, in a free society that adheres to the capitalist system.  Our decision making rewards and punishes companies based on their performance and the quality of their goods.   It is easy to express displeasure with one producer by simply moving to the next or using a different product, thereby affecting a company’s bottom line and decision making.  The more freedom that exists in the market, the easier it is to hold companies accountable, and yet here in the United States, a resident of Pennsylvania can not buy an insurance plan from New Jersey or vice versa?  We do not have a free market in health care and that is the biggest problem we face today.  With this is mind, compare Sebelius’ quote the the Merriam-Webster definition of capitalism:

an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.

Michael Vick Eagles Jerseys Now on Sale

By Caomhin

In related news, Ed Rendell, who refuses to let go of his dream to raise taxes on millions of hard working Pennsylvanians…again….took time out of his busy cheesesteak eating, tax scheming schedule to comment on the Vick signing.  For those who are lucky enough not to have to deal with him, he likes to spend more time talking about the Eagles and Phillies rather than, you know, doing his job.  In the middle of a budget crisis he wants to play color commentator.  Fondly recall, if you will, this story:

On the day his car was traveling at an average trip speed of 99 mph on a stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in western Pennsylvania, Gov. Ed Rendell was in Philadelphia all day doing television interviews and sportscasting, the governor’s office said.

Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo was at a loss this morning to explain the reason why a state trooper drove the governor’s car at such fast speeds last October, and said they were looking into it.

That’s pretty much Rendell in a nut shell.  In other news, at least he has hired a new press secretary with strong connections to Vincent Fumo to join others already working for Rendell who also worked for Fumo.  This was announced a whole 2 days after Federal authorities plan to appeal the light sentence Fumo received for his vast, blatant corruption. Rendell had also written a letter on behalf of Fumo seeking leniency before his sentencing.

Toomey Leading Specter and Sestak by Double Digits

By Caomhin

Awesome news, and further proof that the Democrats’ efforts to paint those opposed to massive government expenditures, promises of tax increases across the board, sky rocketing debt, and inflation as “Astroturf” are anything but that.  Rather, we are the majority and there are so many more independents, Libertarians, and Republicans who are speaking out for the first time, it is overwhelming them.  Remember a few months ago when even squishy GOP insiders were saying that Pat had “no shot at winning” the seat in PA and were still backing Specter?  Yea, I do too.  Looks like we were right and the political mainstream, pundits, and media were all wrong.  Again.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Pennsylvania voters shows 48% would vote for Toomey if the election were held today. Just 36% would vote for Specter while four percent (4%) prefer a third option, and 12% are not sure.

…

If Congressman Joe Sestak is the Democratic nominee instead of Specter, Toomey still leads but by a smaller margin. The polling shows 43% for Toomey and 35% for Sestak. In June, Sestak had a six-point edge over Toomey.

His lead over Specter should continue to rise as well, as Specter has performed so poorly at town halls, even saying that he “doesn’t have any requirement to be here.” This is true, and the more our great Commonwealth gets to know Pat, Specter won’t be there at all. Pat will be our new Senator, bringing much needed common sense to Senate and giving us a Senator in whom we can be proud.  There’s no video out yet, but as I tweeted yesterday, Joe Sestak gave a wonderful performance on Greta Van Susteren in which he dropped the gem that we need to pass Obamacare “in order to compete with China,” and “it doesn’t matter that 53% of Pennsylvanians oppose” Obamacare, he’s going to vote for it anyway.

Let Me Be Clear, Obama is a Tool

By Caomhin

First, you’ll be glad to know Obama has launched his “Start Snitching” campaign.  Anyone reading this feel forward to send my name and blog over, I’ll be happy to debate anyone on what’s in the bill, contrary to many, many, many Congressmen, I’ve read a good portion of it.  I’ll wager that I’ve read more of it than Obama.  Two things to remind yourself that are currently in the health care bill:

taxpayer assisted abortion

and

promoting euthanasia for the elderly.

Two videos here for your enjoyment, the first I can watch over and over again, as Arlen Specter (Specter-PA), who is going to get trounced in 2010 as we here in Pennsylvania proudly elect Pat Toomey as our next Senator, admitting that he has to move fast and not read legislation (worked for you on the stimulus, huh Arlen?) and Sebelius defending him.  Classic.  The second, a video the White House was sufficiently pissed off about that it unleashed a smear campaign against Drudge and the creators of the video saying the words were taken out of context.  “I happen to be a proponent of single-payer, universal healthcare plans.”  Don’t think it’s possible to take that out of context, nice try though Obama.  Hope and Change = Broke and Vain!

The Squashing of Max Baucus

By Caomhin

We sometimes hear about moderate Democrats who are defenders of ideals that they hold true but that run against the dominant Liberal ideology of their party.   I would just like to put these rumors to rest and illustrate how Liberals crush dissent in their party.

Case Study:  Max Baucus (D-MT)

Part I: Baucus has problems getting the Liberal’s dream of a government healthcare off the ground in the Senate.  He is threatened over this by Tom Harkin (D-IA):

Baucus, who is more conservative than most of the Democratic Conference, has frustrated many of his liberal colleagues by negotiating for weeks with Republicans over healthcare reform without producing a bill or even much detail about the policies he is considering.

“Every two years the caucus could have a secret ballot on whether a chairman should continue, yes or no,” said Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “If the ‘no’s win, [the chairman’s] out.

Part II:  Baucus is “believer in gun rights,” and announces he is not sure how he’ll vote on Sotomayor’s confirmation.

A Baucus “no” vote against President Barack Obama’s high-court nominee would attract national headlines. It would also create a politically awkward situation with the White House as it is trying to prod Baucus to produce a healthcare reform bill.

Liberal groups are incensed at Baucus for his refusal to embrace the so-called public option in revamping the nation’s healthcare system. Democracy for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee are running ads against Baucus in Montana on the issue.

Part III:  Baucus folds, announces he will vote for Sotomayor.

By Friday morning, Baucus — or his aides — had apparently realized that crossing the NRA wouldn’t be quite as dangerous to his future political prospects as being the only Democrat to cross Obama on the Sotomayor nomination would be. So his office put out a statement indicating that Baucus will, after all, vote to confirm her.

See how the Liberals roll?  At the first sign of dissent in their ranks, they openly threaten the member (in a secret ballot no less, you know, they type of ballot they want to outlaw with Card Check) by stripping him of his titles and or Committee memberships.  If that doesn’t work, use the liberal base to begin running ads against him.  Step three I’m sure was even more behind the door threats and pressure on him.  Finally, Baucus gives up on his beliefs and succumbs to the will of the hard Left.

Dodd, Conrad are Liars

By Caomhin

Shocking headline, I know, as we already knew that.  I’m late to the table on this issue, but so egregious are their lies on this issue that it  necessitates this be put out as often as possible, even with everything else going on.  Dodd and Conrad are lying through their teeth and need to be held accountable.  They can not be allowed to win re-election as they have abused their positions for personal gain and have subsequently lied repeatedly to the American public about doing so.  Actions such as these are inexcusable regardless of which side of the aisle they reside.  This is an outright abuse of power, one  that we can not stand idly by and let occur.  I don’t ask this too often, but read the entire article.