Newsweek's Hirsh on Stimulus: Don't Worry About Pork, This is an 'Emergency'

NewsBusters ^ | February 5, 2009 | Jeff Poor

[Rufus2007]

It's time to wave the white flag and surrender to "post-partisan" unity.

Yes, it's time for conservatives to abandon core principles and just allow the Pelosi/Reid/Obama pork-a-palooza, also known as the stimulus or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009, to pass into law. At least that's what one Newsweek columnist would have conservatives do.

Now is not the time for political bickering in this "post-partisan" era, said Newsweek columnist Michael Hirsh in a Web exclusive piece for Newsweek dated Feb. 4. Hirsh reflected on how Obama has lost grip on the "agenda in Washington," and complained how the debate on the stimulus has proceeded, "nitpicking over efficiency" instead of debating the size.

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[Rufus2007]

This is one of those absurd headlines only Newsweek can deliver.

[Tarpon]

pretzels, I didn’t think they worked for headlines.

[madison10]

They only yell, “forget party politics” when THEY want it. Tough luck, Liberals. Time for turning the tables. The Porkulus Special stinks.

[mgc1122]

Newsweek? Is that rag still in business? Who reads it besides anxious patients in a dentist’s office?

[CharlesWayneCT]

We seem to be winning the battle right now, but we need to make sure the story line isn’t “Stimuls vs No Stimulus”, because we will lose that.

Instead, it has to be “stimulus” vs “Pork”, so that when Obama says “we need stimulus or else we will never recover, the people see that the Republicans are with him, and that it is the Democrats, by insisting on Pork, that are blocking the necessary stimulus from becoming law.

Of course, we can argue whether the stimulus is needed, but we would lose that argument in the court of public opinion.

[spyone]

So we waste 88% of the funds to get the benefit of 12%. The tab for the difference is picked up by our kids/grandkids. This is so absurd. It’s like kiting a check.

[txroadkill]

Pelosi to Wolf Blitzer: I promise no pork in the stimulus

[Recon Dad]

Seymour Hirsh is pure unadulterated scum who has cost American lives. He should have been shot as a traitor.

I'll stop sugar coating this if anyone would like!

[savedbygrace]

Two items in the bill that deserve some treatment, like this:

1) $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI

Are we NOT paying these employees salaries now?

2) Unspecified assistance for "nonambulatory cattle"

Otherwise known as "noctural tippees".

[Recon Dad]

I want to apologize the minute I see the name Hirsh I go crazy. Upon reading further I noticed it was a different Hirsh.

As Emily Latella used to say............NEVER MIND!

[Heartland Mom]

Well, since it is such an emergency - take the pork out and have it pass.

[Post Toasties]

Hirsch is obviously incompetent on the matter - he’s just being a shill for the 0bama administration.

[PubliusMM]

Hirsh wrote. “Even so, Obama has allowed Congress to grow embroiled in nitpicking over efficiency when the central debate should be about whether the package is big enough.”

So, in this PinHead’s feeble mind, debate over the economic well being of many future generations of Americans is “nitpicking”? And, the only discussion should be the size? This idjit must work in the LibTard KoolAid production facility (where the CEO is not salary capped, BTW).

Hirsh continued. “There’s no way anyone can spend $800 to $900 billion quickly without waste and boondoggles. It comes with the Keynesian territory. This is an emergency; the normal rules do not apply.”

Sorry...wrong, again. Simple rules of accounting should apply. The funds to be expended by this bill are not expected to be spent quickly, anyway. Much of the expenditure happens two or three years out. So, proper accounting should damn well be possible. Waste and boondoggles? Sounds like someone is trying to set the stage for laying off blame for failure.

Let your elected officials know that this Porkumongous spending bill is not the way to rescue this economy.

[youngidiot]

Hirsh continued. “There’s no way anyone can spend $800 to $900 billion quickly without waste and boondoggles. It comes with the Keynesian territory. This is an emergency; the normal rules do not apply.”

Keynesian economics is thoroughly discredited. I don't know how anyone could argue otherwise.

[Travis McGee]

Porkulus must die!

[genghis]

I want to apologize the minute I see the name Hirsh I go crazy. Upon reading further I noticed it was a different Hirsh.

As Emily Latella used to say............NEVER MIND!

me too!

[Travis McGee]

It’s typical Keynesian Kornukopianism. Like a gambling addict in Vegas, they are always willing to “double down,” even when they have lost their homes and cars several times over, and the guys with broken noses are threatening to break their arms.

“Just one more hand! It’s an emergency!”

[Le Chien Rouge]

Yes.......it is an emergency......we need an $800,000.00 new frisbbe golf course hear in Travis County//

extreme sarc//

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/02/05/0205discgolf.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=52

[maggief]

"When you are dealing with a stimulus of this size, there are going to be wasteful expenditures and boondoggles," Hirsh continued. "There's no way anyone can spend $800 to $900 billion quickly without waste and boondoggles. It comes with the Keynesian Kenyan territory. This is an emergency; the normal rules do not apply."

Fixed it.

[TigersEye]

“Pay no attention to the massive spending which will act like an anchor on the economy for years to come. Just do it!”