Comrade Bush once again needs to be reminded that there is nothing conservative about corporate welfare. Bush long ago abandoned any pretense of fiscal conservatism. But rather than recede quietly into the reeds before leaving the White House January 20, he seems hell-bent on killing with an axe what remains of the Republican Party’s central organizing principle: limited government. Bush’s eight-year-long spending spree, his signature on at least 69,341 earmarks, his barely touched veto pen, his $783 billion Medicare drug entitlement, and his massive financial bailout (so far: $3.35 trillion in actual outlays and $13.35 trillion in total guarantees and commitments) apparently are not enough. Bush believes that what taxpayers really need is yet another $40 billion for Detroit to spend with little assurance that automakers will make the major reforms needed to restore their competitiveness.
Compassionate "conservatism" is code for full-on Socialism.
|
Bush's "conservative" legacy: 69,341+ earmarks, barely any vetos, $783+ Billion in Medicare drug entitlements, and a financial bailout from hell ($3.35 Trillion in actual outlays, $13.35 Trillion in total guarantees and commitments), plus bailouts for the Big Three and a failed amnesty for illegal aliens. |
|
Union extortion.
|
Simply put, Bush doesn’t want to be remembered for letting the auto industry go belly up in his watch. So he is kicking the can down the road and giving them just enough to survive until after Obama takes office.
His replacement will be worse but, good riddance to bad rubbish.
“$13.35 trillion in total guarantees and commitments) ...”
That sort of puts the $40 billion auto bailout into perspective — “you know”.
The auto bailout is less than 1/3 of 1% of the total package — yet it seems to be getting 85% of the ink lately.
Why is that? My theory is that trillions of dollars boggle people’s minds — while we fool ourselves into thinking that we understand billions. Also, high finances are black arts — while, the auto industry seems much more tangible and easy to understand.
(I’m not saying that any part of the bailouts and “stimulus” is right.)
Since I’m paying for it, where’s my new car?
Republicans have a lot of soul searching and cleaning house to do after GWB economic precedents. You cannot attack Obama for wasteful spending and socialistic takeovers and defend GWB without being laughed at. I see Hannity try it every night and he looks pathetic. (He is in GMs pocket too!)
The chief executives of the “Big Three” automakers have repeatedly abased themselves before Congress. They have carefully followed scripting provided for show trials. They never mentioned crushing constraints from unsustainable union contract benefits, or CAFÉ standards: none of which impact highly profitable overseas operations. In spite or because of their obsequiousness, the Washington patricians determined to dictate future operations for the car companies.
Such a course directly contradicts the innovative path chosen by Albert Speer to raise German armaments production over three fold from 1941 to July 1944, despite round the clock allied bombing. To quote from Inside the Third Reich, Speer said, “Aside from organizational innovations, things went so well because I applied the methods of democratic economic leadership. The democracies were on principle committed to placing trust in the responsible businessmen as long as that trust was justified. Thus they rewarded initiative, aroused an awareness of mission, and spurred decision-making. Among us, on the other hand, all such elements had long ago been buried. Pressure and coercion kept production going to be sure, but destroyed all spontaneity. I felt it necessary to issue a declaration to the effect that industry was not ‘knowingly lying to us, stealing from us, or otherwise trying to damage our war economy’”.
Now a new Reichstag, while allowing private ownership, will centralize control within federal bureaucracy, thereby stifling initiative and spontaneity.
He’s still trying to get Harry and Nancy to say something nice about him on Jan. 20 so he can go back to TX in liberal peace.
