Who wants to call Chris Christie today, and ask him some questions?
Christie's suddenly without an idol, suddenly without the national Republican - Gov. Mark Sanford - dedicated to using the Garden State as a springboard to reverse the fortunes of the entire Republican Party. Sanford just resigned as head of the Republican Governors Association (RGA) - it's still unclear whether he can keep his own governorship - at a bizarre, teary press conference. [VIDEO].The GOP was already bumbling around without effective message, little money and no win-strategy. This doesn't help much.
South Carolina's Sanford, who disappeared off the grid a few days ago - his wife didn't know, staff probably forced to lie for him, and some cockamamie story about the Appalachian Trail - turned up today. Turns out he was in Argentina, cheating on his family. And state.
Frankly, the level of irresponsibility is staggering, and terribly sad. Sanford not only left his state rudderless, but was so far off the grid he was on another continent. He was milk-carton gone. Gone a week.
Mark Sanford is Chris Christie's true north.
Here's a great audio clip posted on Blue Jersey by JRB - about how Christie based his own plan to reject federal stimulus package money for NJ if he's elected (good plan, dude!). JRB points out Christie chose the night before Obama addressed the nation on economic recovery to stand beside Sanford and pledge to reject stimulus funds for us. Same way Sanford had - RGA bright-idea man, first Republican Governor in the country to make that pledge. Christie had not yet even read the stimulus plan.Sanford lauds Christie at RGA.
So, who wants to call Chris Christie and ask him the following:
1. Do you plan to give back contributions that Gov. Sanford gave you, and raised for you?
2. Will you comment on the irresponsibility of Gov. Sanford's leaving the country, with no warning?
If you get answers - even from staff - please post them here.
When does South Jersey love Frank Lautenberg most? Why when he's bringing home the bacon of course. And when he snags big bucks for progressive, sustainable policy like this, it's doubly sweet. Take a look!
With the GOP Congressional caucus in full-on goosestep mode, it's entirely possible you've wondered what led to all this chronic naysaying? I've been curious about that myself, and came up with this hypothesis.
A week after the the Washington Post completely botched their assessment of a second stimulus package, the New York Times turns around and nails it.
Their editorial entitled "No End in Site" lays out perfectly what the next few steps should be to help the economy whether this current storm. They begin by stating the obvious:
Lawmakers need to start crafting the next stimulus bill — without repeating the mistakes of the last one. Composed mainly of tax rebates, as the White House wanted, the first stimulus was too broad to deliver a powerful punch.
Amen. It is clear that the first round of stimulus checks didn't work. The editorial then confirms what many experts have been saying is a real potentially relief-filled measure that Congress needs to take with the second stimulus package:
The next package has to focus on actions that are known to yield big economic benefits: bolstered food stamps, which rapidly boost consumption; and aid to states and cities so they can continue to provide essential services.
Lawmakers should also invest in infrastructure projects, like repairing bridges and roads. If not, projects that are already under way may have to be canceled, creating more unemployment.
Thank you. The fact that state and city governments are not asking for money to continue radical spending on pet projects, but instead to protect essential services like education and health care seems to be lost on the minds of those who are not in favor of including state aid in a second stimulus package. Every week there are stories upon storiesof states being forced to slash budgets, pay, and jobs. They are a linch pin of the economy and no one seems to notice. And investing in infrastructure will ensure that we don't add thousands of workers who make their living off of said infrastructure projects. The construction industry has been hit hard enough as is.
The editorial also touches on a response to the home foreclosure crisis:
Congress also needs to ensure that a $4 billion grant to states and cities to buy up vacant properties is quickly and efficiently distributed. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is developing the formula for allocating the money, and early indications suggest it is on top of the process. But the White House is contemptuous of the grant, calling it a gift to speculators when it is actually a lifeline for ailing communities.
If you aren't a Bush republican who just hates any sort of aid not aimed at the highest income bracket, then the main criticism of this effort is that is simply not enough to have an impact on the housing market. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen, but it is still $4 billion to help turn foreclosed properties that the states with said properties currently do not have. In that regard it is a stabilizing factor, even if it is not the stabilizing factor that ultimately turns the foreclosure crisis around. As the editorial says, it is a lifeline for ailing communities who simply do not have the money do to anything with these foreclosed homes.
The time for action is now, but because Congress is in recess the time for action will actually be September. The article suggests the difficulty with creating a second stimulus package in an election year, but brings up the most important point of them all:
Millions of Americans are already suffering. And we fear millions more will be hurt before this crisis ends. They cannot wait until after the election for help.
A very valid point. It's hard to care about battleground polls, attack ads, and town halls when you're losing your job and your home.
Just when you thought the economy had hit rock bottom. The Conference Board, a non-profit global business organization has reported that its consumer confidence index has dropped to its lowest point since the last recession in 1992. The New York Times paints the grim picture:
Tuesday’s data suggested a nation struggling with expensive gas and devalued homes, where people are fearful for their jobs and wary about where the economy is headed.
Any positive signs that economists and forecasters may have cited need to be thrown out the window. Even with the consumer confidence index at 50.4%, down a whopping 7.7% from May, the worst may still be yet to come. This report should be a wake up call to legislators across the country on behalf of a nation in desperate need of more help.
As the economy worsens, more and more key players are getting on board with the idea of a second economic recovery package. But not everyone's where we need them to be to get something done in time to matter. For example Rep. David Obey (D-WI), powerful chairman of the Appropriations Committee free associated to Congress Daily (subscription only) and revealed that he doesn't quite get how urgent doing something to stave off this recession is:
"People use all kinds of terminology; I don't care if you call it a second supplemental or a second economic [stimulus] package -- to me there are all kinds of things that we need domestically -- but we need finish this job [war supplemental] before we can start thinking about the next one"
This pains me. Not only are House Democrats punting on telecom immunity, they're putting war spending ahead of domestic spending.
As I posted on myDD, Bush's first economic stimulus package just didn't work. We didn't get the big sweeping surge of economic growth we were promised. Even what good news we've gotten was drowned out by a chorus of story after story of bad economic news. The costs of living are growing rapidly as employment becomes harder to find. Food is getting more expensive as food bank lines grow longer. The longer Congress waits to act, the worse things will get.
And the states can't wait for the aid that Democratic leaders say must be included in a second stimulus package either. State spending is the last prop holding up the economy and is at a tipping point. More than half of the states are facing crippling budget shortfalls that total $48 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. In the absence of aid from the federal government, states have been forced to cut vital services for many of our most vulnerable citiznes. The Center on Budget and Policy Prioritiesgives outlines the chopping block:
At least 12 states have implemented or are considering cuts that will affect low-income children's or families' eligibility for health insurance or reduce their access to health care services.
At least 10 states are cutting or proposing to cut K-12 education; three of them are proposing cuts that would affect access to child care.
At least 11 states have proposed or implemented reductions their state workforce. Workforce reductions often result in reduced access to services residents need.
And when states are forced to do things like cut their state workforce, the economy suffers even more. According to CNN/Money:
With falling revenue from sales and income taxes, and property-tax declines looming, states, cities and towns have already laid off tens of thousands of government employees. Many expect more job cuts ahead as public officials struggle to balance their budgets.
Economists say that cutbacks in jobs and spending by local governments could be a major drag on the overall economy.
It's cool that Obey recognizes the need for a second stimulus package. But he also needs to understand that each day he lets pass without doing something means the economic hole we're in is that much deeper and is going to require that much more federal spending to help us get out of.
