Morning Briefing for February 25, 2009
FEBRUARY 25, 2009
1. Obama’s Speech Leaves Everyone Asking, “How?”
His staff said it’d be Reaganesque, but it was a laundry list of contradictory statements and laundry lists of socialism
2. Washington Becomes Rome
Senator Schumer Holds States Hostage to Porkulus
3. They can no longer blame the GOP
Will Barack Obama actually take on his own party over fiscal recklessness?
4. Michael Steele Might Aid Primary Challengers
The RNC Chairman is playing hardball with Arlen Specter.
5. Nuance: White House vetting prayers said before Obama events
Out: Vetting cabinet appointees for tax problems. In: Vetting preachers for Jesus problems! No wonder Daschle slipped through the cracks.
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1. Obama’s Speech Leaves Everyone Asking, “How?”
His staff said it’d be Reaganesque, but it was a laundry list of contradictory statements and laundry lists of socialism
“Not because I believe in bigger government – I don’t,” Obama said.
How exactly does that square with the statements he then went on to make, e.g. healthcare, energy, and education? He’s going to expand those programs massively.
There are too many questions out of this speech. He contradicted himself. He refused to give details, just boilerplate pablum. The great oratory failed.
“Second, we have launched a housing plan that will help responsible families facing the threat of foreclosure lower their monthly payments and re-finance their mortgages. It’s a plan that won’t help speculators or that neighbor down the street who bought a house he could never hope to afford, but it will help millions of Americans who are struggling with declining home values”
How exactly will his plan be able to distinguish between those worthy of help and those not worthy of help? Will the government have discretion to make that call?
2. Washington Becomes Rome
Senator Schumer Holds States Hostage to Porkulus
Chuck Schumer wants the White House’s Office of Management and Budget to tell states they have no choice in the use of porkulus funds.
Below the fold is the entire letter. It’s is amazing in its reach. In effect, states will have zero discretion in how they spend the money and which parts they take.
This stems from Gov. Bobby Jindal and others saying they would not take the whole package because some parts would force state tax increases to comply with the terms of Porkulus.
Schumer says that’s tough. States will be forced to increase taxes and take 100% of the money if he has his way. And the states will have no discretion.
This is how it is to be, folks — the federal Emperor and his Imperial Senate ordering fealty and servitude from the states. And if Washington does not get the fealty and loyalty, the states will be cut off, their people hurt, their businesses shut down, etc.
Washington has become Rome. And with Barney Frank up there, we’ve even got the licentiousness and male prostitution rings. Next up: throwing Christians t the lions.
3. They can no longer blame the GOP
Will Barack Obama actually take on his own party over fiscal recklessness?
“ABC News’ Jonathan Karl reports: The House Appropriations Committee just posted its $410 billion 2009 Omnibus spending bill. It’s a doozy. This is the bill that will fund the government’s operations until the end of the fiscal year. It’s larded with thousands (so many, I can’t count them all yet) of earmarks and adds up an increase in overall discretionary spending of more than 8 percent, the biggest one year increase since 1978 (with the exception of the spending boost after the September 11 attacks).”
4. Michael Steele Might Aid Primary Challengers
The RNC Chairman is playing hardball with Arlen Specter.
“Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says that he might support primary challengers against the three GOP senators who voted in favor of the stimulus package.”
Let’s be clear. This won’t actually happen. There are far too many institutional pressures and rules to make it possible. But signaling that he’d be open to it is enough to encourage a primary opponent and sends a strong message to Arlen Specter.
Specter is, after all, the only one of the three turncoats up for re-election in 2010.
5. Nuance: White House vetting prayers said before Obama events
Out: Vetting cabinet appointees for tax problems. In: Vetting preachers for Jesus problems! No wonder Daschle slipped through the cracks.
Though invocations have long been commonplace at presidential inaugurations and certain events like graduations or religious services at which presidents are guests, the practice of commissioning and vetting prayers for presidential rallies is unprecedented in modern history, according to religion and politics experts…
“If a similar thing had been done by President Bush’s White House, I guarantee you there would have been a lot of people crying foul,” says Bill Wichterman, deputy director of the Office of Public Liaison under President George W. Bush. “Democrats can do this with immunity, but when Republicans do it, it becomes controversial.”…
[M]any church/state experts are unfamiliar with the program. “The only thing worse than having these prayers in the first place is to have them vetted, because it entangles the White House in core theological matters,” Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said upon learning of the Obama invocations…
James Bing, the pastor of the Friendship Baptist Church in Fort Myers, Fla., said he chose to self-censor his prayer. “For some strange reason, the word Jesus is like pouring gasoline on fire for some people in this country,” he said. “You learn how to work around that.”
