Moonage Political Webdream

This is Tom Vilsack: This guy is exactly what’s wrong with the federal government today.  He is the Agriculture Secretary.  He is in charge of the food stamp programs.  That includes WIC too.  Now, he saw this data: That is the number of people on food stamps.  It has basically increased every single month since [...]

I had this to say a while back: Fair warning here folks, the next couple of years will suck if you’re an independent business owner That was in reference to Ted Kennedy wanting to raise the minumum wage because Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats took over Washington.  He got what he wanted.  Unemployment increased more [...]

Heh!  Trick question of course.  It was never meant for you if you weren’t a construction project: “The vice president was talking about the summer of recovery in reference to the Recovery Act, that you would see the creation of a series of infrastructure and other projects ramping up over the summer,” Goolsbee said on [...]

While employment still failed to gain any traction, businesses increased their inventories and invested in infrastructure.  Usually when businesses invest heavily, you get employment.  This time however, it all came from overseas by way of imports, which surged 28%. The reason is simple, it’s so much cheaper to buy overseas than it is to try [...]

A few months or so ago, Obama hit the beach and started delivering his “economy is recovering, but not enough” message. Some think this was in response to the rather catastrophic forecast of the first Tuesday in November. Personally, I do. “It’s the economy, stupid.” Simple message, hard to debate. The message then was that [...]

We got the news that unemployment claims have risen this week. That’s in July.  That’s as in traditionally one of the busiest months of the year.  That puts Obama on a course of distinction: President Avg Unemp Obama 9.5 Ford 7.8 Reagan 7.5 Carter 6.5 GHW Bush 6.3 Kennedy 6.0 GW Bush 5.3 Clinton 5.2 [...]

Yesterday we had two issues, among many, that demanded Obama’s attention. Fannie Mae, the largest U.S. residential mortgage funds provider, on Monday asked the government for an additional $8.4 billion after the company lost $13.1 billion in the first quarter. Barack Obama, addressing an audience in Hampton, Virginia, said nothing.  The government very quietly wrote [...]

Here’s the headline story: Last week, telecommunications giant AT&T, which employs more than 280,000 people, announced it would take a $1 billion, non-cash, first-quarter loss because the bill ends an exemption on benefits for retirees. Likewise, the largest maker of earth-moving equipment, Caterpillar, claims it will take a $100 million charge. Deere & Company, the [...]

OK, so some economist said a whole bunch of people might lose their jobs.  Then, the actual numbers came in less than what might have been. Harry Reid was thrilled.  You can see the excitement in his eyes.  You can hear it in his voice: Now, this is where it gets dicey.  The immediate assumption [...]

This week we had Joe Biden assuring as that allowing a bomber on an airplane and the fact his bomb failed to explode is proof their anti-terrorism plan is working just fine.  Then, we had him assuring a crowd of people their stimulus plan is working: Not sure how well the crowd bought it. He [...]