Saw this on Glenn Beck today(you know, that far right extremist). Here’s a list of questions:
• Can we survive this debt? If yes, how?
• Why the rush on health care reform, cap-and-trade?
• Who is writing these bills?
• Will Washington read and understand the bills?
• Why are you called “grassroots” if you are for, but “Astroturf” if you are against?
• Our unfunded liabilities for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is close to $100 trillion. Is there any way to pay for these programs without bankrupting America?
• We are in so much debt, why spend more borrowed money on cap-and-trade and health care programs before we stop the flow of red ink?
• The stimulus package funneled billions of dollars to ACORN: How does giving billions of dollars to ACORN stimulate the economy?
• If it was so important for Congress to pass the stimulus bill before they even had time to read it, why has only a fraction of the stimulus money been spent six months later?
• Former President Bush said he had to abandon free market principles in order to save them; how exactly does that work?
• Why won’t members of Congress read the bills before they vote on them?
• Why are citizens mocked and laughed at when they ask their congressman to read the bills before they vote on them?
• Was the “cash for clunkers” program meant to save the Earth or the economy? Did it accomplish either?
• How did Van Jones, a self-proclaimed communist, become a special adviser to the president?
• Did President Obama know of Van Jones’ radical political beliefs when he named him special adviser?
• The Apollo Alliance claimed credit for writing the stimulus bill; why was this group allowed to write any portion of this bill?
• If politicians aren’t writing the bills and aren’t reading the bills, do they have any idea what these 1,000-page plus bills actually impose on the American people?
• If the “public option” health care plan is so good, why won’t politicians agree to have that as their plan?
• If town hall meetings are intended for the politicians to learn what’s on our mind, why do they spend so much time talking instead of listening?
• Politicians are refusing to attend town hall meetings complaining, without evidence, that they are scripted. Does that mean we shouldn’t come out and vote for you since every campaign stop, baby kiss and speech you give is scripted?
• Why would you want to overwhelm the system?
• Is using the economic crises to rush legislation through Congress what Rahm Emanuel meant when he talked about not letting a crisis go to waste?
• What are the president’s “czars” paid? What is the budget for their staffs/offices?
I heard today that our Social Security payments are not going to increase next year. That’s the first time it has happened in my lifetime. At the same time, they will be taking more out for Medicare. And my rent went up $40 a month this coming year. We old folks are feeling the depression, also.
Comment by Mom — Monday August 24, 2009 @ 11:18 pm
That’s correct Mom. The reason is because the price of gasoline is a lot lower this year than it was last year so overall the cost of living has not gone up. Of course the majority of seniors who rely on SS don’t drive so the cost of gas doesn’t affect them. It’s sad the government is spending so much money yet is throwing it’s seniors under the bus.
Comment by Don — Tuesday August 25, 2009 @ 11:57 am
Some good questions, some silly ones.
Examples of good questions:
Can we survive this debt? If yes, how?
Will Washington read and understand the bills?
Our unfunded liabilities for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is close to $100 trillion. Is there any way to pay for these programs without bankrupting America?
A silly question (statement):
“The stimulus package funneled billions of dollars to ACORN.”
The stimulus package makes ACORN eligible, along with many other organizations, to compete for some of the $5.2 billion allocated for neighborhood development. ACORN has not received any, and is likely to not receive any. They state that they “have no plans to apply for such funds”. This hardly counts as “funneling billions of dollars”.
So Mr. Beck is either lying or didn’t do his research. Either way, it calls into question everything he says.
Comment by Daryl — Sunday August 30, 2009 @ 8:55 pm
I’ve learned to not trust factcheck.org. They are owned by the liberal Annenberg Foundation. They tend to lean left.
Comment by Don — Sunday August 30, 2009 @ 10:01 pm
How about the other questions? Do you have a “factcheck.org” answer for them? Why do you think we would need a civilian security force that’s just as well funded and powerful as our military? Who would they be used against? Why?
Comment by Don — Sunday August 30, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
Many of his questions are good questions that deserve thought and answers, whether I agree with his implications in asking them or not.
Specifically, however, the “civilian security force” comment has been taken out of context and exaggerated. If you read the whole quote, he says: We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded. We need to use technology to connect people to service. We’ll expand USA Freedom Corps to create online networks where American can browse opportunities to volunteer. You’ll be able to search by category, time commitment and skill sets. You’ll be able to rate service opportunities, build service networks, and create your own service pages to track your hours and activities.
This will empower more Americans to craft their own service agenda and make their own change from the bottom up.
He was talking specifically about encouraging volunteers to expand the Peace Corps and the US Freedom Corps (a volunteer organization Bush put in place after 9/11). Hardly the Gestapo the critics who pull this sentence out of context make it out to be.
Regarding Factcheck’s “leanings”, it seems to me that they criticize Obama and other Democrats as much as they do those on the right. Regardless, they referenced their findings, which Beck did not do.
Comment by Daryl — Tuesday September 1, 2009 @ 11:21 am
Sounds to me like he’s talking about 2 different things. One is a “security force” the other is whatever that thing you mentioned.
You forgot to add “We can not continue to rely only on our military” which means to me he wants a security force that is just as powerful and well funded as our military. I ask again, why do we need another force that’s just as strong and well funded as our military? What possible use would they have? Who would you use them against? Why do they need to be “just as powerful”?
Comment by Don — Tuesday September 1, 2009 @ 11:33 am
I think you have to be wanting to read sinister motives to interpret it any other way than exactly what he says: An expansion of the Peace Corps and the USA Freedom Corps. Can you find anywhere else where he describes it in a different way?
The idea was originally proposed by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, as far as I know.
From Obama’s interview with Defense News:
Obama did appear to back a soft-power vision Gates began advocating in a series of speeches last fall: a more modern State Department and “civilian national security force” that could “deploy teams that combine agricultural specialists and engineers and linguists and cultural specialists who are prepared to go into some of the most dangerous areas alongside our military.”
-What possible use would they have? Instead of only sending soldiers to Afghanistan, how about some advisers, engineers, linguists, doctors, agriculturists? How about earning some good will from the people and help build their society instead of just fighting their bad guys.
-Who would you use them against? Nobody. You would use them for people. Remember, we’re talking about the Peace Corps, the USA Freedom Corps. While the soldiers are in there keeping the people safe, the civilian force is building bridges, digging wells, healing the sick, talking to people in their own language.
-Why would they have to be just as powerful? That sounds like a good goal, but I doubt we’ll reach it any time soon. But ideally, the US should be fostering good relations by helping other countries build more than it is by sending soldiers to kill their bad guys.
Comment by Daryl — Thursday September 3, 2009 @ 6:19 pm
I think all you have to do is understand that one of his heros while growing up was Saul Alinsky. If you read “Rules for Radicals” you can see how Obama is following many of Alinsky’s teachings.
As for the Civilian Security Force, you seem to think they are supposed to be like the Peace Corp. I think they are the pre-cursor to Obama’s Youth. I hope you’re right but I fear that I am.
Comment by Don — Friday September 4, 2009 @ 8:26 am
By the way Daryl ACORN has received a lot of public funds.
Comment by Don — Thursday September 10, 2009 @ 7:06 pm
And did you hear the US Census has decided to not use ACORN?
Comment by Don — Saturday September 12, 2009 @ 1:26 pm