Is Pelosi Panicking? Leaked Memo Lashes Out at Republicans

Human Events ^ | 29 January 09 | Connie Hair

[Clinton's a liar]

This is a memo from Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Democratic members sent after the stimulus vote yesterday. Pelosi is apparently panicked at Republicans’ success in uniting against her hyperpartisan actions in shutting them out of the formulation of the stimulus bill and in peeling nearly a dozen Dems off to vote in opposition.

Here is the full text of the memo leaked to HUMAN EVENTS this morning.

Memo
To: Interested Parties
From: Brendan Daly
Re: The Republican Problem
Date: January 29, 2009

The House Republican Leadership put its Members in another politically untenable position yesterday: trying to reclaim the mantle of lower taxes and small government -- at the exact time when economists of every ideological stripe agree that government investments are the only way to get our economy moving again and make us competitive for the long term.

So yesterday, while we are facing the greatest economic crisis in decades, Republican House Members ended up voting unanimously against:

[okie01]

...at the exact time when economists of every ideological stripe...

A reference to Paul Krugman, no doubt...

[EternalVigilance]

If these folks were firemen, they’d be pumping out of a gasoline tanker instead of a fireplug.

My apologies to firefighters everywhere for the comparison.

[okie01]

It is bad that at present the message was one of blocking as opposed to coming up with alternative solutions.

Not so. The House Republicans offered an alternative, composed chiefly of tax cuts. The Congressional Budget Office -- now staffed by Democrats -- estimated the GOP plan would create 6.2 million jobs (about five times the estimate for the Democrat package).

However, because of the new House rules -- propagated by Miss Nancy -- the GOP alternative could not be introduced. Nor was the minority allowed to amend the majority's bill.

It's not the GOP that should be accused of "partisanship" in this case. Pelosi & Company have a lock on that practice.

[a fool in paradise]

These are people who mean to sell out this country.

They are more willing to negotiate with sworn enemies of America than they are the other major elected party.

[bmwcyle]

Hello!

[Swiss]

Better study a depression that the government successful prevented.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1921_recession

By reducing taxes and cutting spending, the government got us out of the sharpest deflation up to that time and reduced World War I debt by almost 40%. They also sparked an economic boom.

[SeaHawkFan]

I support the theory, but right now Keynesian economics is the right move.

Have you always been this stupid.

I have a degree in economics and no honest knowledgeable economist.

Statistics dating back for decades demonstrate the the money multiplier for government spending is about 2:1; but over 5:1 for private investment. It is a lie that government spending improves the economy. It is just the opposite; or were you living undr a rock during the Reagan years?

[Clinton's a liar]

Hi!

[roaddog727]

“....at the exact time when economists of every ideological stripe agree that government investments are the only way to get our economy moving again and make us competitive for the long term..”

I am an Economist by formal Education and decidedly DO NOT agree that “government Investment” is the way out. THAT’s a path so fraught with peril as to be completely unfathomable.

[Illinois is a Red State]

Those Republicans sure are going to be sorry when the Messiah’s plan fails and the American public will look back in anger and wonder who was responsible! Yep, those stinky, stupid, Republicans will regret it! Have fun in fantasyland while it lasts, Nancy. You won’t be there much longer. The election season is closer than you think, and the evidence this “plan” is going to fail is even closer. :)

[JrsyJack]

The House Republican Leadership put its Members in another politically untenable position yesterday: trying to reclaim the mantle of lower taxes and small government

Translation: If this bill fails to stimulate it will be hung around my neck like a piece of cheap Walmart jewelry and that new President will stuff me under the bus with all those other folks.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This is NOT a Stimulus Plan....it is a Vote Buying Plan...I just posted this from the Blogosphere:

Democrat Vote Buying “Stimulus” Bill to Give Tax “Credits” to Illegal Aliens?

[semantic]

Connie, here's a thought experiment: assume for a moment that after spending $trillions in both monetary & fiscal programs, the financial sector is stabilized/nationalized and .gov has millions employed in hole digging/filling aka infrastructure projects.

Well, what next? The point is, without (a) developing a new sustainable, high growth economy; or (b) returning to the FIRE model based on asset inflation-credit expansion, there will not be enough economic activity to generate sufficient tax receipts (income, sales & assets [cap gains]) to fund the demands of the welfare state.

All this discussion about Dems vs Repubs, stimulus/bailout bills, 2010, 2012, etc are all no different than debates regarding angels on a pinhead. They completely miss the point. The real issue at hand is that we're going to be facing the most serious threat to our national security/unity since 1861.

The last time we had a severe economic contraction ie Depression, the welfare state didn't yet exist, so NOBODY was dependent on its programs & transfer payments. Now, we're somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-50%, but there isn't going to be any "real" economy to support it. (Monetizing Treasuries aka "printing money" doesn't get you where you need to be.)

This is the area conservatives and free-market thinkers should be focusing: what system can be crafted after the present system fails? Will we get there peacefully, or are we too frayed with opposing political viewpoints & belief systems?

[a real Sheila]

I call BS as far as Nazi being in a “panic” about this “leaked” memo. This was NO accidental leak.

THe language is very much like her icy speech after the house initially failed to pass the first bank bailout. The tactic worked in her favor. She totally angered the Republicans who then rejected the bailout package, which then forced the Senate to rewrite it, which in turn made it become even more laden with pork and cost MORE. Then it passed the house!

She is a RAGING B FROM the bowels of HELL, but she does know HOW to manipulate and get her way!

[EternalVigilance]

...a path so fraught with peril as to be completely unfathomable

One of the better summations of our current political "leadership" I've seen.

[JrsyJack]

Its all in the parsing...I am sure that economists of every stripe do support it. I am also quite sure that economists of every stripe do not support it. No mention of a majority or a plurality, just that there is support. That's the deception.

Being an economist means never having to be right. When is the last time a major financial index, number or measurement has not been a surprise? For example just last week existing home sales “surprised” the experts by going up.

[Clinton's a liar]

Translation: If this bill fails to stimulate it will be hung around my neck like a piece of cheap Walmart jewelry and that new President will stuff me under the bus with all those other folks.

ROTFLMAO!

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

It’s all about the image of Republicans that they want to portray. They’re thinking about the Congressional elections in 2010. They’re hopin’ the bill won’t be proven to be a total failure until after 2010, and that they can knock out more Republicans and marginalize any Pubbies left in the running. It’s all about political power. Not about what’s good for the country.

[pillut48]

[Clinton's a liar]

I call BS as far as Nazi being in a “panic” about this “leaked” memo. This was NO accidental leak.

Where did anyone suggest Pelosi was panicked about the memo leak? Further, why does SHE have to intentionally stage a "leak" of anything for the press to repeat her talking points? Also, if she's NOT panicked, why does she obviously feel the need to propagandize her OWN Dem members about what really happened with the vote yesterday?

Answer: They all know what really happened with this vote last night. Dems were forced to own this disaster outright. And Pelosi's in a panic over it.