Politics and religion.

[Grace]

What's wrong with us - from the NY Times.

sometimes I think we're focused on all the wrong things

[RICHARD]

What's wrong with us - from the NY Times.

sometimes I think we're focused on all the wrong things

Every week a water main breaks in Lost Angeles, Tonight Drew Carey's house was in danger...

[Grace]

Could this man be your next Governor


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100217/..._zsa_s_husband

[Medusa]

What's wrong with us - from the NY Times.

sometimes I think we're focused on all the wrong things

This article takes me for a ride in the way back machine. I took classes in Pittsburgh, PA and at one point our bus would have to cross a bridge that was so old and unsafe that our driver would tell us to get out and walk across the bridge and he'd pick us up on the other side. I've never heard whether that bridge collapsed or was repaired before that happened.

[RICHARD]

This article takes me for a ride in the way back machine. I took classes in Pittsburgh, PA and at one point our bus would have to cross a bridge that was so old and unsafe that our driver would tell us to get out and walk across the bridge and he'd pick us up on the other side. I've never heard whether that bridge collapsed or was repaired before that happened.

Oh,

That certainly gives the old "I walked to school...." story a new twist!


--------

Grace...

Worse?

Zsa Zsa as first lady....

[cassiesmom]

What's wrong with us - from the NY Times.

sometimes I think we're focused on all the wrong things

We got some repairs because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. There are still places that need improvement, though. There is one stretch of Route 66 that I drive every day, it's maintained by the Illinois highway department, and I noticed yesterday t hat they came through and patched potholes again. It doesn't need patching, it needs to be re-surfaced because it gets so much traffic on the way to and from I-55 and 294.

[lizbud]

I was unsure what to expect from the new Rep. Senator from
Massachusetts. but if this is any indication, it's a very good start.


ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf reports: So much for Scott Brown the Republican savior. In his third vote as a Senator, Brown vote against Republicans, helping break a filibuster on a jobs promotion bill crafted by Democrats.

“I came to Washington to be an independent voice, to put politics aside, and to do everything in my power to help create jobs for Massachusetts families. This Senate jobs bill is not perfect. I wish the tax cuts were deeper and broader, but I voted for it because it contains measures that will help put people back to work,” said Brown in a written statement before the vote, although he criticized the “continuation of politics-as-usual in the drafting of this bill.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid praised Brown after the vote.

“I hope this is the beginning of a new day in the US Senate,” said Reid at 6:13.

“Whether that new day is because of the new Senator from Massachusetts or someone else, I don’t know,” Reid said.

Along with Brown, Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, George Voinovich of Ohio, and Kit Bond of Missouri also voted with Democrats.

A total of five Republicans voted against the filibuster. Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska, voted with Republicans.

The final vote – 62 to 30.

The bill, with a price tag of $15 billion, includes a bipartisan tax credits proposal for businesses hiring new workers as well as several other tax measures. Senate Majority Harry Reid dropped a more bipartisan $85 billion proposal that had been crafted by Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont, and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa. Their bill was more focused on tax measures and as part of the compromise included popular tax measures that had nothing to do with jobs creation. Reid said he felt the message had been muddled.

Reid also stripped out a planned further extensions of federal unemployment insurance and COBRA. Democrats will now have take up those matters separately (creating another chance to say they are voting to help workers) in several weeks.

The current Senate bill created the strange situation of seeing Republicans criticizing Democrats for going with a pared down bill.

Here is Democrats’ memo on their jobs bill.

It contains four main elements, as described by Democrats:

1) reduce the cost to employers who hire new employees with a tax break for any employer who hires an employee who has been out of work for at least 60 days;

2) enhance the write-off that small businesses can take for purchases of certain equipment, freeing up capital to grow and hire workers;

3) expand the Build America Bonds model by making it available to existing Tax Credit Bonds, which provides the bond holder with a federal tax credit in lieu of interest; and

4) extend the surface transportation programs (SAFETEA-LU) through the end of the year.

The bill will now have to be debated and get a final vote, perhaps later this week. If it passes, it would have to be reconciled with a more than $100 billion House jobs bill.

The headline in this vote is certainly that Scott Brown, whose election Republicans should “exalt in,” according to Mitt Romney last week, voted with Democrats to break a Republican filibuster.

In a strange Senate floor speech, Reid asked Republicans to support the bill in part because men who are out of work are abusive.

“It is remarkable that we have to hold a procedural vote on bill that will create jobs. it will be regrettable if the minority prevents us from moving forward to take that first step and giving millions of unemployed Americans the hope that tomorrow will be better than yesterday. Think what it is, Mr. President, for someone to get up in the morning and have no place to go to work -- to work. I have met with some people dealing with domestic abuse. It has gotten out of hand. Why? Men don't have jobs. Women don't have jobs either -- but women aren't abusive -- most of the time. Men when they're out of work tend to become abusive. Our domestic crisis centers in Nevada are crowded,” he said.


February 22, 2010

[Puckstop31]

It contains four main elements, as described by Democrats:

1) reduce the cost to employers who hire new employees with a tax break for any employer who hires an employee who has been out of work for at least 60 days;

2) enhance the write-off that small businesses can take for purchases of certain equipment, freeing up capital to grow and hire workers;

3) expand the Build America Bonds model by making it available to existing Tax Credit Bonds, which provides the bond holder with a federal tax credit in lieu of interest; and

4) extend the surface transportation programs (SAFETEA-LU) through the end of the year.

Like I said a long time ago.... Government by Lawyers and Professors who have spent almost ZERO time in the real world.

Tell me, anyone, which of these things increases a customers willingness to buy products or services? It might make it easier to hire, but what SMART business person hires when there is no work for them to do?

Sure, the roads will get fixed up all nice and purdy. (Just like I said a year ago...) But when the roads get fixed and the bridges get fixed... And all that freshly printed money is still out there, chasing the original amount of goods and/or services... What happens?

The answer is easy... Its happened time and again during the course of history.

[wombat2u2004]

I was unsure what to expect from the new Rep. Senator from
Massachusetts. but if this is any indication, it's a very good start.

It contains four main elements, as described by Democrats:

1) reduce the cost to employers who hire new employees with a tax break for any employer who hires an employee who has been out of work for at least 60 days;

2) enhance the write-off that small businesses can take for purchases of certain equipment, freeing up capital to grow and hire workers;

3) expand the Build America Bonds model by making it available to existing Tax Credit Bonds, which provides the bond holder with a federal tax credit in lieu of interest; and

4) extend the surface transportation programs (SAFETEA-LU) through the end of the year.

A good read Lizbud.
Any incentive to get the unemployed into the workforce again has got to be good.
Wom

[lizbud]

A good read Lizbud.
Any incentive to get the unemployed into the workforce again has got to be good.
Wom

It makes good sense to me too. Incentives for small businesses to help
them hire more people. Can't be a consumer until you have a job and the
money to spend.

[wombat2u2004]

It makes good sense to me too. Incentives for small businesses to help
them hire more people. Can't be a consumer until you have a job and the
money to spend.

They have a system like that here in the building industry. You hire an apprentice, you get a lump sum incentive from the govt to begin with, and another one at the end of the apprenticeship. All of the education for the apprentice is nearly free.
It gets the kid off the street, it gets him paying taxes, he has a career, it makes the industry more competitive.
I had apprentices......why shouldn't I give them a job ??? Someone hired me as an apprentice when I first started......it's called giving something back.
The system has been working well here for years. Way to go.

[Puckstop31]

That is all well and good Wom.... Only, the problem right now is not a lack of trained people in the workforce. The problem is lack of work for them to do.

History shows that Kensyian Economics (Government 'Stimulus') is only ever a very short term bump.

History also tells us that the way out is to simply let the people and businesses keep more of their money to spend for themselves.