Obama Cites Re-Hiring of 25 Police Recruits as Proof the Stimulus is Working

I saw this and nearly laughed out loud.  Fox News.com has a story posted about stagnant or lower wages to be expected (no surprise there) that had this little tid bit in it:

While aknowledging an “astounding” number of job losses in February, President Obama told critics of his $787 billion economic recovery plan Friday that it is saving jobs and said, “I know we did the right thing.” He suggested that critics talk to 25 police recruits in Ohio’s capital city who owe their jobs to stimulus spending and “talk to the teachers who are still able to teach our children because we passed this plan.”

I knew it would only be a mater of time till the Libs tide the stimulus into the “it’s for the children” mantra.

Here is more of Obama’s fuzzy math at work:

News that 651,000 jobs were lost in February brings to “an astounding 4.4 million” the number of jobs lost since the recession began, Obama said. 

But Obama touted the 114th police recruit class as proof that the stimulus plan, which drew scant Republican support in Congress, is paying dividends.

Now I am no mathematician, but if we have lost 4.4 million jobs since the begging of the recession and he cites the 25 police cadets that have been rehired (the story states that they were laid off in Jan before they could even start patrolling) then according to his own words he still has a net loss of 4,299,975  jobs.  Now I know he mentioned teachers too, so lets add in all the teachers who became unemployed last year, which is 185,000.  You would still have a net loss of 4,114,975 jobs.

Yet Obama said this stimulus package would create or save between 3 to 4 million.

So President Obama, not only has your stimulus bill not saved or created the 3 to 4 million jobs you claimed it would, but it continues to loose jobs and now will cause wages to go down.  Why is this so, because this bill is not and never was a stimulous bill.  It was a pork laden product wrapped in a socialistic agenda.

I urge everyone to attend the closest Tax Day Tea party you can and tell these pompus fools running Congress and the White House that we the people still own this country and like our forefathers before us we will stand up for our rights and demnad to heard!!!

The National Party Should Take A Cue From CA GOP

USA Today( 23 Feb 2009 page 3a) has a small blurb about how the California Republican Party has voted to reprimand six GOP Lawmakers (three Senators and three Assembly).  Theses six broke ranks and choose to vote for a budget which includes tax increases and borrow more money as a way to plug the $42 billion deficit the state is facing.

According to the blurb:

“The measure, which would deny party campaign money to the six, was approved Sunday by delegates at the party’s convention in Sacramento.  Supporters, including state party Vice Chairman Jon Fleischman, says it sends a message to politicians that there will be consequences for breaking their no-tax pledge.”

Now if only the National Party would do the same to the three Senators who felt obliged to vote for the porkulous bill.

New Link: Stimulus Watch

I have added this new link to my page (hattip - Iamsaved )

The link shows where and how the Stimulus money is being spent.  Here is just a taste of what some of our tax dollars will be spent for:

Description	City	State	Jobs	Cost	Program Type	Vote Ratio
Doorbells	Laurel	MS	2	$99,600	Housing	-4834
Forks of the Road Heritage Trail. This project would greatly enhance one of the primary gateways to our city by creating an African American/Ethnic Heritage Trail along a stretch of St. Catherine Street between the Forks of the Road Slave Market Site	Natchez	MS	65	$600,000,000	CDBG	-3677
New Energy Efficiency Industrial Zones 100 Acres	Cidra	PR	1628	$17,500,000,000	Energy	-3160
Construct 25 houses for first time buyers including land acqusition	Friars Point	MS	25	$1,000,000	Housing	-1650
Raul Alvarez Disc Golf Course: This project will develop a 36-hole disc golf course that will be environmentally and financially sustainable.	Austin	TX	4	$886,000	Water	-1544
Sunset View Park – dog park construction	Chula Vista	CA	7	$500,000	CDBG	-1472
Construction of Convention Center Hotel	Dallas	TX	3800	$386,000,000	CDBG	-1223
Solar LA Program	Los Angeles	CA	31243	$2,160,000,000	Energy	-1023
Initiative to Reduce Prostitution-Off the Streets Program. This initiative would connect individuals involved in prostitution with resources to leave a life of prostitution. Beginning with emergency shelter and continuing with an array of educational	Dayton	OH	0	$1,500,000	Public Safety	-1020
Las Vegas Performing Arts Center – Construct a new Performing Arts Center within the City’s Union Park Development.	Las Vegas	NV	1875	$375,000,000	CDBG	-1015
Solar water Heaters for rural area families	Cidra	PR	14	$500,000,000	Energy	-983
Establishment of Two (2) Dog Parks	Lewiston	ME	2	$50,000	CDBG	-870

Live Blogging Obama’s Speech to US Mayors

Obama is about to give a speech to the US Mayors (the ones who’s hands are out wanting our tax money).  Updates to follow.

UPDATE:  Obama starts out by comparing his community organizing days to being a mayor.  Obama mentions his executive order he signed last night for the office of urban affairs (basically it sounds like an new office to make sure that sities follow what Obama wants not what the city may want).

Update:   Obama claims that the spendulous bill will create/save 3 million jobs, gives “progressive” tax breaks and claims that it rewards hard working Americans (ha ha ha).

Update:  Obama talks about more mass transit, broadband for everyone, more money for education (how is this going to truly stimulate the economy).

Basically it sounds like Obama is talking more about government intrusion in our lives.  I think the comment that marks this the most is Obama stating that America will no longer move forward despite the government; instead they will move forward with a helping hand from government.  Talk about scarry.

Trading Floor Revolt Video

This video clip from CNBC is awesome.  This is a must see clip!

And The Hypocrisy Grows Larger

I just saw this on Foxnews.com.  Appearantly the Postmaster General received a huge raise and a bonus last year even though the postal service is faltering.

Postmaster General John Potter’s base salary climbed to $265,000 last year from $186,000 in 2007 and he received a performance bonus of $135,000, all approved by Congress.

And this from a Congress who chided failing companies for paying bonuses to their CEO’s.

Yet Another Unintended Consequence Moment

I saw an article today in USA Today (Lead law throttles youth powersports by William M. Welch print edition 17 Feb 09) about a law passed by Congress this past summer (check this link for background info) that went into effect on the 10th of Feb and the unintended consequences it is having on one industry that was actually thriving even with the state of the economy.

Here is what the story says about the law:

“Passed by Congress after a serious of reports concerning toys made in China with lead, the law bans sale of products aimed at children if they contain more than 600 parts per million of lead…”

According to the article,

 ”…lead is found in steel and other metal alloys in the frame, motor and multiple parts”

So this means that becasue of the lead in the motorcycle parts on off-road bikes and quads the models designed for small children can no longer be sold to them, nor can the repair parts be sold for those models.  What kind of an impact does this have?  Well for starters, the off road youth industry is a,

“$14.5 billion a year industry including sales, service, parts, accessories and payroll.”

So far, the off road industry has seen a 20% dip in sales due to having to pull the smaller models off the floor and those were the models that sold the best.  The article notes that there is an estimated value of $100 million in inventory that can no longer be sold in the US.  Not to mention the fact that now that the smaller models can not be sold the fear is that kids will try riding the adult size models which are heavier and harder for a child to handle and end up getting hurt.  Which in this day of lawsuits you could just see a parent, who bought the adult size model for little Johnny, suing the manufacturer cause Johnny broke his leg when the bike fell on him.

I think Zack Bartell (age 12) sums it up best when he says,

“Are you kidding?  This is silly.  There’s no way I’m going to stick a motorcycle part in my mouth.”

And Pelosi, Reid and Obama want us to trust them to “fix” the economy…….

Automakers Bailout Could Have Taxpayers Paying For Laid Off Union Workers

Now that I am back from a wonderful vacation in Italy with my bueatiful (pictures are coming of the trip as soon as I get the chance to edit them down to size), it is time to get back to some serious stuff.

As you know the bailouts keep piling up and anyone who reads this blog knows that I am against them all.  I am against them for multiple reasons.  First, these are all panic driven “Let’s make it look like we are doing something” measures that cost a fortune and do not even address the issues that got us here in the first place.  Secondly, why is the American taxpayer liable for bailing out failed business policies?

Take for example the Big 3 Auto Industry bailout that Congress is working on.  The Big 3 (Chrysler, GM and Ford) are asking for Billions of dollars worth of taxpayer money in the form of loans; yet they have no plan on addressing the issues that have made them unable to compete in the global auto market. 

Foxnews.com has this article that shows just one of the facets of a failed business plan that could have you and I (and most likely our children and their children) paying for years:

Thousands of laid-off auto workers get paid $31 an hour to sit around and do nothing all year under a controversial program that could continue even if American taxpayers bail out the American auto industry.

The program, called “Jobs Banks,” has been around for 24 years. Some of the employees at jobs banks choose to do community service, but others do crossword puzzles and watch TV all day — or just stare at a wall. If you’re a laid-off auto worker, it’s what comes with your pink slip, thanks to a deal struck in 1984 between the United Auto Workers and the Big Three carmakers.

And they wonder why they are facing bankruptcy.