What the Stimulus has wrought

This is an election year and you are going to hear a lot about how the Stimulus (ARRA) has failed from Republicans.  The folks over at Mosler Economics have put together a report with some lovely charts showing pre and post Stimulus statistics for the country.  

Things are not great and I will be first to say, that the administration should have been more aggressive on that front.  A recalcitrant congress definitely was hurdle.  But I will not let them off easy, it wasn't, as if they were not warned.   That being said, this should put the lie to the "stimulus failed!" rhetoric.  I know it won't.  But it is nice to see graphical proof.  A couple of examples:

 

Thank You Mann....and Ornstein

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It is a topic I harp on.  But it is nice to see two political mavens, such as Mann and Ornstein, say that which shall not be said.   It is not both sides!

The Republican party has marched inexorably right.  The Democratic party has not.  This is a problem.

It is not symmetric.

That which shall not be said....

If you have not seen the TED talk by Nick Hanauer, then I highly recommend it. 



The thing about this I find fascinating is how obvious this is.   The fetishization of businessmen in our society is slightly disturbing.  The idea that businesspeople are, somehow, possessed of special knowledge that will allow them to be better  run government is just wishful thinking.  Or more disturbingly ego stroking of the elite. 

This is a belief I wish would change, but it seems ingrained in the body public.  Even though most of the times it is actually followed through on, it has disastrous results (last to "business" Presidents, George W. Bush, and Herbert Hoover).

-Cheers

On Governance

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When people talk about "compromise" and "meeting in the middle".  How do you account for this mentality.    The modern Republican party is not interested in any governance other then Republican governance.    Democratic party rule is illegitimate prima facie. 

Steve Benen over at Maddow blog points out how revolutionary this is.  How is compromise even possible when the people you are supposed to work with believe things like this:

"I certainly think bipartisanship ought to consist of Democrats coming to the Republican point of view."

So the only way we can work together, is if we do exactly what you want?

These are the sorts of people Republican voters are sending to deal with the problems we face.  Is it any wonder that nothing gets accomplished?

-Cheers

Thrusters On-line

Yeah, I know.  I have been silent for a bit this year.    But now that we are officially in campaign season, it is time to get to work.


So here you go, the new campaign video from the folks at Obama central. 

Firing up and getting ready to go.  Indeed.

-Cheers

Obviously women don't understand their own bodies.....

Rep. Terry England compares women to cows, pigs and chickens. from Bryan Long on Vimeo.

I just want to let that sink in.

The bill in question HB 954 in the Georgia house of representatives, would make it illegal to obtain an abortion after 20 weeks even if the fetus is known to be still born or otherwise is not expected to live to term.

Yes this is a bill that would punish women for not wanting to carry their dead child to term.

Party of small government my ass.

-Cheers

Reforming Healthcare....

Once again Ezra Klein puts together an exceptional post on rising health care costs in the US.

There is a lot to unpack in there: