State of the Union rumor

[BWahlberg]

A split Congress/Executive Branch just works so much better, almost without exception.

[Stevicat]

At the expense of nitpicking, Stevi, it's hard to give him any credit at all for cutting taxes while he continues to spend like a drunken sailor (apologies to alcoholic people of the seas everywhere), isn't it?

Selling tax cuts is easy -- everybody wants them.

Selling more spending is easy -- everybody like free s**t.

So doing both is easy. It took zero courage on his part to do what he has done. In order to accomplish anything constructive, the two elements must be balanced. To both cut taxes and increase spending is just easy, foolhardy, and blatantly irrepsonsible.

Unfortunately, the Republican Party is no longer the party of fiscal responsiblity at all (on a national level, anyway). It is merely the party of tax cuts. You give them unchecked power, and this is how they use it?

A split Congress/Executive Branch just works so much better, almost without exception.

Great point. I agree that their is certainly a lack of courage. This is an example where I would probably, if asked in a poll, say I was disappointed.

[Bleedinbluengold]

Yeah, Bush is actually going to set fire to the constitution tonight, should be something "special."

All joking aside, as a Democrat, or more importantly as a Progressive, today, for me is a very dark day. The checks and balances of the government is moving in a direction of non-existence. I'll bet that Alito and Roberts, if they have to make a choice, would think the NSA spying without a warrant is no big deal.

I am deeply concerned about where this country could be heading. I know its a great day if you're a Republican, your party now controls all 3 branches, but hopefully just until the next elections. 1/2 (roughly) of America is now all but silenced. The 1/2 that voted for Gore and then Kerry, and the Democrat party platform.

I'm down today, but the sun will come up tomorrow and I'll still own all of my possessions, and still have my family and career. I'm also calling the state Democratic party and volunteering, if I can help the "rebuilding" by getting Burns out of the office, well thats a good step, and I'm going to help as much as I can.

Sorry guys, just had to vent a little, I know many of you disagree with this, but I thought I'd make my frustrations public.

Hey, you still have your guns too!!!

[BWahlberg]

I don't own any guns, but I get what you're saying

[Bleedinbluengold]

I didn't watch, I can't stand how slow it goes with everyone standing to applaude every 2 minutes. I only get an hour or two to myself a night, I'd rather just read the Cliffs notes in the morning.

In reading those this morning, I stumbled on something that made my sarcasm spring out.

We will also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn but from wood chips, stalks,or switch grass."

Too bad we're not allowed to cut trees to get those wood chips, thanks in most part to our previous President. Because apparently they make a great fuel source. I wonder if we could find other uses for that lumber?

"cutting-edge methods" for producing ethanol? I can't even type I'm laughing so hard. Dude, it doesn't get any easier or cheaper - unless you're talking Star Trek technology!

[BWahlberg]

Bleeding, for those of us (me) who are not so chemically inclined can you please explain...

[ChiOCat]

I didn't watch, I can't stand how slow it goes with everyone standing to applaude every 2 minutes. I only get an hour or two to myself a night, I'd rather just read the Cliffs notes in the morning.

In reading those this morning, I stumbled on something that made my sarcasm spring out.

We will also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn but from wood chips, stalks,or switch grass."

Too bad we're not allowed to cut trees to get those wood chips, thanks in most part to our previous President. Because apparently they make a great fuel source. I wonder if we could find other uses for that lumber?

"cutting-edge methods" for producing ethanol? I can't even type I'm laughing so hard. Dude, it doesn't get any easier or cheaper - unless you're talking Star Trek technology!

Easy, yes. Cheap? Not necessarily. The ethanol plant was the only one in the corn mill that was not a revenue source. They survived on subsidies prior to the jump in oil prices.


That was one thing I respected about McCain. He came into Iowa and looked right at everyone and said he wanted to do away with subsidies. Not a popluar opinion there, but he didn't flinch when he said it.

[Bleedinbluengold]

I didn't watch, I can't stand how slow it goes with everyone standing to applaude every 2 minutes. I only get an hour or two to myself a night, I'd rather just read the Cliffs notes in the morning.

In reading those this morning, I stumbled on something that made my sarcasm spring out.

We will also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn but from wood chips, stalks,or switch grass."

Too bad we're not allowed to cut trees to get those wood chips, thanks in most part to our previous President. Because apparently they make a great fuel source. I wonder if we could find other uses for that lumber?

"cutting-edge methods" for producing ethanol? I can't even type I'm laughing so hard. Dude, it doesn't get any easier or cheaper - unless you're talking Star Trek technology!

Easy, yes. Cheap? Not necessarily. The ethanol plant was the only one in the corn mill that was not a revenue source. They survived on subsidies prior to the jump in oil prices.


That was one thing I respected about McCain. He came into Iowa and looked right at everyone and said he wanted to do away with subsidies. Not a popluar opinion there, but he didn't flinch when he said it.

Unprofitability was more likely due to low commodity price versus the cost of production was it not? I think, relatively speaking, ethanol is quite cheap to produce on a unit basis.

[Bleedinbluengold]

Bleeding, for those of us (me) who are not so chemically inclined can you please explain...

Just a sarcastic reference to the moonshiners of old.

*ANECDOTE ALERT*

I guy I knew in college would bring his distillation kit home on weekends sometimes and make moonshine. He was from Billings.

[ChiOCat]

I didn't watch, I can't stand how slow it goes with everyone standing to applaude every 2 minutes. I only get an hour or two to myself a night, I'd rather just read the Cliffs notes in the morning.

In reading those this morning, I stumbled on something that made my sarcasm spring out.

We will also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn but from wood chips, stalks,or switch grass."

Too bad we're not allowed to cut trees to get those wood chips, thanks in most part to our previous President. Because apparently they make a great fuel source. I wonder if we could find other uses for that lumber?

"cutting-edge methods" for producing ethanol? I can't even type I'm laughing so hard. Dude, it doesn't get any easier or cheaper - unless you're talking Star Trek technology!

Easy, yes. Cheap? Not necessarily. The ethanol plant was the only one in the corn mill that was not a revenue source. They survived on subsidies prior to the jump in oil prices.


That was one thing I respected about McCain. He came into Iowa and looked right at everyone and said he wanted to do away with subsidies. Not a popluar opinion there, but he didn't flinch when he said it.

Unprofitability was more likely due to low commodity price versus the cost of production was it not? I think, relatively speaking, ethanol is quite cheap to produce on a unit basis.

Cheap is subjective. If you cant' make it for more than you can sell it, it's not cheap.

[Bleedinbluengold]

I think you meant, "if it costs you more to make than you can sell it for, then it's not cheap to make." Correct?

I get your point.

Spending money on "cutting-edge" research to try and simplify (which a reasonable person would think that simpler=cheaper) a process that could not be more basic is a waste of money, in my opinion. How much research does it take to know that an ethanol plant is at the mercy of grain and energy prices, and the overall supply.

[ChiOCat]

I think you meant, "if it costs you more to make than you can sell it for, then it's not cheap to make." Correct?

I get your point.

Spending money on "cutting-edge" research to try and simplify (which a reasonable person would think that simpler=cheaper) a process that could not be more basic is a waste of money, in my opinion. How much research does it take to know that an ethanol plant is at the mercy of grain and energy prices, and the overall supply.

Should not type while watching kids in bath!

I don't know how much easier you could make ethanol production. It's pretty straight forward, as you said previously. Ferment and distil. (and yes, you can drink it before they put an aditive in that makes it "fuel grade.")

[Eastcoastgriz]

For all the conservative criticizms of Clinton, he (working with Gingrich, right?) was able to get this country to a surplus.
Thats what gets me, Republicans love Bush, say he's a great guy, one of the greatest presidents ever when a lot of the things he's done was directly against his party platform.

why dont you list the major legislation that Clinton proposed to get us that surplus.

[SonomaCat]

For all the conservative criticizms of Clinton, he (working with Gingrich, right?) was able to get this country to a surplus.
Thats what gets me, Republicans love Bush, say he's a great guy, one of the greatest presidents ever when a lot of the things he's done was directly against his party platform.

why dont you list the major legislation that Clinton proposed to get us that surplus.

Well, the tax increases are probably a pretty obvious starting point.

He also was able to PASS welfare reform (can't remember whose bill it was, but it never passed before his term, so you have to give him credit for that).

[Stevicat]

For all the conservative criticizms of Clinton, he (working with Gingrich, right?) was able to get this country to a surplus.
Thats what gets me, Republicans love Bush, say he's a great guy, one of the greatest presidents ever when a lot of the things he's done was directly against his party platform.

why dont you list the major legislation that Clinton proposed to get us that surplus.

Well, the tax increases are probably a pretty obvious starting point.

He also was able to PASS welfare reform (can't remember whose bill it was, but it never passed before his term, so you have to give him credit for that).

The Republican controlled congress wrote the bill and he did sign it.


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Reforming welfare
The stage was already set by 1996. Even Bill Clinton, a Democratic President, had promised to "end welfare as we know it" in his State of the Union Address. The welfare reform movement reached its apex on August 22, 1996, when President Clinton signed a welfare reform bill, officially titled the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. The bill was hammered out in a compromise with the Republican-controlled Congress, and many Democrats were critical of Clinton's decision to sign the bill. In fact, it emerged as one of the most controversial issues for Clinton within his own party.

One of the bill's provisions was a time limit. Under the law, no person could receive welfare payments for more than five years, consecutive or nonconsecutive.

Another controversial change was transferring welfare to a block grant system, i.e. one in which the federal government gives states "blocks" of money, which the states then distribute under their own legislation and criteria. Some states simply kept the federal rules, but others used the money for non-welfare programs, such as subsidized childcare (to allow parents to work) or subsidized public transportation (to allow people to travel to work without owning cars).

[Ponycat]

He also was able to PASS welfare reform (can't remember whose bill it was, but it never passed before his term, so you have to give him credit for that).

He does deserve some of the credit but it was part of the Contract with America

[Bleedinbluengold]

Not sure this Act had anything to do at all with the budget surplus. As I remember it, Welfare spending has increased every year for ever.

My opinion is that the surpluses were a direct and indirect result of the stock market bubble.