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The Washington Post's Robinson Doesn't Appreciate the Golden Rule

By Steve Lombardi

Eugene Robinson in his latest opinion piece for the Washington Post writes in Blind Unanimity that Republicans in voting unanimously in opposition to the latest economic “stimulus package” don’t understand the mandate the voters sent to Washington with the Democratic majority.

His opinion is both correct and incorrect. Correct that the Democrats have a majority but wrong that Republicans (and Democrats) for that matter should ignore the voter's sentiment about wasteful spending. Yes, for eight years the Republicans spent foolishly; but don’t ignore that this stimulus package has plenty of foolishness in it as well. The Republicans were right to reject it. And if the Democrats don't get their act together in engaging in more foolish spending they will be out next election.

We just need to keep throwing out the majority party every fourth-year.

What Washington doesn’t seem to get is that taxpayers (yes there are a few of us left) have had enough with wasteful spending, pork barrel budgets and log rolling appropriations. The key to staying in power in Washington is to do what you promise during the election – cut spending. Did you hear that?

“If Republicans hadn't broken the bank with drunken-sailorish spending during most of George W. Bush's time in the White House, their complaints about the cost of the stimulus package and its impact on future deficits would be more credible. As things stand, we have to let actions speak: absolute solidarity among House Republicans in voting no.”

Congressmen: Are you capable of going to Washington and not becoming infatuated with yourselves?

John McCain – Out of Touch on the Economy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4egXbhSOhk

The Republicans narrowly lost. This was no sweeping mandate. Get that out of your head. It was simply voter’s cleaning house and trying the other party on for four years. If they don’t produce and stop foolish spending the Republicans will be right back as insiders with a majority. Get it?

Stop spending foolishly. That’s the point taxpayers were trying to make in the last election.

National Debt Spending Clock for Iraq War

“The US budget for Iraq in FY 2007 came to $4,988/Iraqi. This is triple Iraq's per-person GDP. It's like spending $121,000 per person ($484,000 per family of 4) in the US. Why not just bribe the whole country? (I'm saying how it must seem to Iraqis. Think how it would be if some other planet invaded the U.S. and spent $121,000 per American per year to straighten out our country. We'd say—Just give us the money and we'll do it ourselves.") See spreadsheet for details.

Before the war, White House economic adviser Lawrence Lindsay estimated the cost at $100 to $200 billion. So the White House got rid of him and "re-estimated" the cost at $50 to $60 billion. It's now over $500 billion.

The administration spokespersons, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Wolfowitz, etc. were just totally unrealistic. "We are dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon." – Wolfowitz, March 28, 2003.”

As of today the war in Iraq has cost over $630 B US. It's breaking the back of the U.S. economy. Continue to spend foolishly and the Democrats will be next to be voted out.

So Eugene, stop acting like a man on a drunken binge after the Super Bowl win. You're not understanding voter sentiments. The Democrats can win the 2008 battle for the White House and lose the war of keeping power.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on February 01, 2009 (boomark / email).