Posted on 03/17/2010 4:43:16 PM PDT by seanmerc
WASHINGTON -- Billions are being spent for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we have stingy budgets for the stubborn needs on the home front.
Thousands of teachers have been laid of, schools closed and homes foreclosed all over the country. Banks are holding back on loans to small businesses and the jobless rate remains stubbornly high.
Call it a "recession" or a "depression," we know there is great deprivation in the lives of millions, especially those who have lost their jobs.
In many ways, President Barack Obama has run up against a Republican iron curtain in his attempts to get the country moving again. This has been painfully on display almost daily during the long health care debate when the Republicans have strived in unison to defeat Obama’s reform proposals, despite the president’s accommodating concessions.
The obstructionist-in-chief has been Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who lined up his party to oppose not only health care reform but just about everything else on the president’s agenda, including financial reform.
In an amazing display of "group think," Senate Republicans have remained united in their desire to just say "no," though 11 of them broke with their peers on Wednesday to vote for legislation designed to create jobs. It must have been the business tax breaks enshrined in the bill.
Otherwise, McConnell has succeeded in blocking nearly every Obama-endorsed legislative proposal. The astonishing failure of Republicans to find any merit in most of the president’s programs is pretty smelly. It’s the odor of pure politics.
In other words, McConnell & Co. believe they will reap advantage in the November elections by systematically trying to make Obama and the majority Democrats look like inept losers.
I know that it’s a different world since the Great Depression. But having lived in that dark era, I am struck by the current lack of compassion in American society, especially on Capitol Hill, compared to the early 1930s.
Back then, humanitarian social workers, nurses, teachers and other professionals flocked to Washington, rolled up their sleeves and offered their services. The spirit that we were all in it together swept the nation.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the New Deal, which radically transformed the role of government. FDR was not afraid to try something new to get the country back on its feet. And if one program didn’t work, he tried something else.
Roosevelt boldly pointed at Wall Street excesses.
At his first inauguration on March 4, 1933 -- he was elected president four times -- he said: "Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men. The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization."
Roosevelt and the Democratic Congress transformed much of American society through government programs that provided help and hope. Among the historic New Deal programs were Social Security, the Works Progress Administration, the Federal Housing Administration, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Labor Relations Board, the Tennessee Valley Authority and a host of other alphabet social agencies.
Where are those kinds of initiatives now, when they are urgently needed at a time of 10 percent unemployment and some 46 million without any health insurance?
In the guns-or-butter debate, the administration’s priorities are unfortunately very clear. Listen to White House spokesman Robert Gibbs: "We would not be in Afghanistan if the president didn’t think it was in our strong national interest to do so."
It’s heartening that Obama has -- finally -- fired up his campaign for health care reform. Maybe he will find his voice on other issues that are crucial for America.
Yoo-hoo, Helen Thomas ping list members! FReepmail me if you'd like to be added to the list [KNOW YOUR ENEMY!].
<click!>
Drivel off.
By the way, you could have spared our eyes!! <snort!>
What is Helen Thomas , brain dead? What concessions? The dems have locked the Republicans out of legislative conferences for a year. Changed the locks on the doors to keep them out.
There have been no concessions by Obama. Only manipulation and grand standing for the media.Obama is an ideologue. He doen't know how to be bi partisan.Thats why he is doing so poorly.
In the process he is simply earning the hatred of the American people. The Republicans are not doing that, Obama is doing it to himself.
“I’d hit it!”
signed, Gov. Paterson of New York.
that’s hillary in 3 yrs
Looked to me like the bourbon is bloating her (hillary).
Oh Man! Fer crying’ out loud you did warn us but did you have to have this harridan’s picture que’d up right away?
Could you please increase the size of that, that, thing?
“Thousands of teachers have been laid off”
Please cite your source of this tidbit?
Government has been hiring.
Millions of us taxpayers have been laid off. You suppose we might START cutting back on the overpaid, lazy, incompetent government employees some time in the near future?
The Democrats have the majority in Congress, they fought for this and bragged for this.
Yet, it’s the Republican’s fault they can’t get this bill passed.
And quite frankly, I find it amazingly fantastic she remembers the early 30’s political climate. How old could she have been?
Be careful what you wish for..you might actually get it!
Like her or not you have to give Helen credit for hanging in there at age 89. She’s had the honor of meeting many presidents and the misfortune of meeting Obama.
“she remembers the early 30’s political climate. How old could she have been?”
She is, as they say, ageless....
“FDR was not afraid to try something new to get the country back on its feet. And if one program didn’t work, he tried something else.”
...which also didn’t work. And he kept trying, and trying, and trying....
and then - WAR! JACKPOT!
I believe that is what is traditionally called a banshee. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
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