Speak Out 2/14/09

Unsound reasoning

RUSH Limbaugh seems to have decided that his political philosophy is more important than the country. By arguing that he wishes -- and Republicans should wish also -- that Barack Obama fails, he is arguing that his political philosophy is more important than the future of the nation. Unfortunately, no amount of evidence will ever convince Limbaugh that he is wrong. This reasoning seems remarkably unpatriotic to me.

Facing reality

WE are facing an economic version of Pearl Harbor. GOP critics say the president is trying to scare the American people by predicting "catastrophic" consequences if we don't have an economic stimulus package. To me, the president's characterization of the crisis is realistic. We need some straight talk. It's ironic that the usual scaremongers are hurling such accusations at our chief executive. They're in the business of propagandizing, while the president and responsible members of Congress are facing up to reality.

Praise for apologies

IT warms my heart when prestigious columnists like Joe Sullivan and Paul Greenberg praise President Obama for having the guts to apologize for some of his ill-fated cabinet appointments. In addition, it irks me when conservatives like Pat Buchanan say that a president should never have to apologize for anything. We've had enough of that.

Replacing the poles

IT bothers me when people try to compare Hurricane Katrina to the ice storms we're having. The government did an adequate enough job in Katrina. What can you do in a situation like that? I'm sure the government will do a good enough job with the ice storms south of us. If we're living in the last days, there's going to be more and more of these disasters. Eventually the government won't be able to pay. It will go broke. We shouldn't hollering "government." I know that the utility companies are going to spend a lot of money replacing poles. but I don't think it would be fair to pass that cost along to us. Our bills are high enough in this poor economy. Surely there will be some government help for putting up the poles.

What means?

YOU mean we must live within in our means even if we have no means within which to live?

Sounds familiar

IT is interesting that to compare the economics of Adolf Hitler with the economics of Barack Obama. From "Germany, a History," by John A. Rhodes: "By using a mixer of state socialism and free enterprise under strict government control, by ruthless economic planning and by trampling on the rights of all enemies of the state, the Nazis pulled Germany out of an economic slump. A four-year plan was devised with the announced aim of helping the peasants and workers. Eradication of unemployment initially received a priority in government planning. It was effected with astonishing success. Large-scale public works projects such as the building of superhighways, huge sports arenas, monumental government edifices and public housing were inaugurated. Economic growth was stimulated, especially in heavy industry in the production of armaments. From 6 million unemployed January 1933, the number dropped to 4 million by December of that year, to 2.6 million by December 1934 and to less than one million by the end of 1937." Get the picture? Quite a similarity.

Taxpayers pay

THE stimulus packages amount to nothing more than legalized robbery of the taxpayers. Taxpayers are going to pay the bill. The ones who get the money are going to enjoy the fruits of the taxpayer.