Happy Hour Discurso

Today's opining on the public discourse.

Cons being cons:

Last month, conservatives jumped on a Congressional Budget Report (CBO) “analysis” concluding that “it will take years before an infrastructure spending program proposed” by President Obama “will boost the economy.” Yet it turned out that the “analysis” was not a comprehensive report of Obama’s plan. A full CBO report recently concluded that two-thirds of the House plan’s recovery investments will come within the first 18 months after it is enacted.

Despite the CBO’s newer, more comprehensive report, conservatives are still trying to peddle the initial misleading analysis in a transparent attempt at blocking the economic recovery bill. Yesterday, Reps. Lamar Smith (R-TX) and Patrick McHenry (R-NC) issued press releases advancing the misleading preliminary analysis. Citing the CBO, McHenry complains that “over half of the money will be spent between 2011 and 2019″ and Smith says “only 20% of the funds will be spent in the first year.”

So. They'll only talk about the report they like, not the one that reflects the truth. Is anyone surprised? I didn't think so.

And in further non-news, they're still being obstructionist fuckwits:

It got 58 votes, when proponents needed 60.

Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked Democrats from adding $25 billion for highways, mass transit, and water projects to President Barack Obama's economic recovery program.

Already unhappy over the size of the measure, Republicans insisted additional infrastructure projects be paid for with cuts elsewhere in the bill. [...]

"We can't add to the size of this bill," said Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla. "The amount is just inconceivable to most people."

Of course, whether the amounts are "conceivable" or not isn't really the issue, is it? The last federal budget was more than $3 trillion. That amount may be "inconceivable to most people," but Congress still passed it, and the president still signed it. As standards go, this isn't especially reliable.

Besides, for a senator like Inhofe, the size isn't really the issue anyway. It's not like he's prepared to support an $885 billion package, but a $925 billion package is just beyond the pale. He and his like-minded colleagues are going to vote against the recovery plan anyway.

Since they're obviously not going to vote for the stimulus no matter how much they get to modify it, why the fuck is anyone still working with them? Can we just please hold a revolution, kick the fuckers out, and get on with business? I'm that fed up.

And when you see who the Cons have got to advise them on economic matters, you'll probably be ready to join me:

The ubiquitous Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, aka “Joe the Plumber” and “Joe the War Correspondent,” will soon add a new moniker to his profile — “Joe the Economist.” Politico reports that House GOP congressional aides decided to invite Wurzelbacher to a meeting on the stimulus in hopes that it will attract some media attention:

Wurzelbacher, who became a household name during the presidential election, will be focusing his talk on the proposed stimulus package. He’s apparently not a fan of the economic rescue package, according to members of the group.

[snip]

Steve Benen comments, “This is what it’s come to for Republican staffers in Congress. In the midst of an economic crisis, and after balking at a stimulus package, the GOP is turning to an unlicensed plumber/campaign prop to discuss legislative strategy on economic policy.”

That's right. Joe the Fucking Plumber. The Cons aren't a political party - they're the Washington Generals. They're a huge fucking joke played at our expense.

And what about John McCain, that mavericky bipartisan POW who's too moderate for the right-wing masses? He's come up with an excuse for not backing the stimulus that's almost as ridiculous as asking Joe the Plumber for insight:

It's hard to guess which of John McCain's personas is going to emerge at any given time, but apparently, when dealing with economic policy, we're still dealing with '08 Candidate McCain.

Sen. John McCain enlists the help of online supporters through his political action committee, Country First. The former Republican presidential nominee tapped into his campaign lists Tuesday, asking supporters to sign a petition in protest of the economic stimulus package.

"I cannot and do not support the package on the table from the Democrats and the Obama Administration. Our country does not need just another spending bill, particularly not one that will load future generations with the burden of massive debt. We need a short term stimulus bill that will directly help people, create jobs, and provide a jolt to our economy," McCain says in the e-mail. "I hope you will join me in saying no to this stimulus package as it currently exists by signing this petition."

Well, that's interesting, John. Weren't you the one pushing for corporate handouts just a bit ago?

Over recent weeks, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has emerged as a vocal critic of President Obama’s recovery package, claiming it is too big and filled with “pork.” McCain now says he will not vote for the bill in its current form in part because the legislation, in his view, does not sufficiently reduce business taxes:

McCAIN: We should have cuts for business and business taxes and small business taxes should be cut. [CBS, 2/2]

McCAIN: We need to make tax cuts permanent, and we need to make a commitment that there’ll be no new taxes. We need to cut payroll taxes. We need to cut business taxes. [FNS, 1/25]

And of course, McCain campaigned for president promising $45 billion in tax breaks for the 200 largest corporations. Yet it seems McCain has had a quick change of heart.

The McCain of five minutes ago does not agree with the McCain of this instant. That's emblematic of the entire Con party right now, which, as soon as they've gotten their way, decide that's not what they wanted.

Mothers in the audience will recognize this behavior. It's what children do when you're trying to serve them dinner, and they don't want what you're serving no matter how much they begged for it before sitting down at the supper table.

I think the children in Congress need to be sent to bed without supper.