Hypocrites bearing gifts
Voting no on the stimulus money, but taking it anyway
Hypocrites bearing gifts
Dick Polman, Inquirer National Political Columnist
Eight days ago, a Georgia newspaper broke the happy news about big doings in a small town. Some new federal largesse was on the way; thanks to this money, which totals $625,000, the citizens of Cedartown will soon have new sidewalks, new landscaping, and other improvements in their business district. As one town commissioner exulted in The Cedartown Standard, "This will be a big boost for the historic downtown area and for the whole city."
This new money comes from the $780-billion federal stimulus package, enacted last February on Capitol Hill and signed by the guy who sought it most, President Obama. Everybody in Cedartown was so excited that they all posed for a newspaper photo op, holding a giant facsmile of the check. Front and center, and smiling proudly, is the U.S. congressman who flexed muscle to make it happen. His name is Phil Gingrey. The folks in Cedartown have nothing but praise for Gingrey; as the aforementioned town commissioner puts it, "Rep. Gingrey is our point man when we need action from the federal government."
But hang on, something's wrong with this picture.
Here's Phil Gingrey, a House Republican, flashing his chops and triumphantly brandishing the stimulus bucks that he won for his local town...but isn't this the same Phil Gingrey who voted against the stimulus package - along with every single other House Republican?
Indeed it is. Yet now he turns around and milks it for the folks back home, and garners political kudos in the bargain. The dictionary definition of hypocrisy need not be consulted here, because we're seeing it in action.
In these early days of federal stumulus outlays - the vast bulk of the stimulus money will be spent in the new fiscal year that began Oct. 1 - a Republican pattern has already begun to emerge. As long as these avowed foes of the stimulus can bring home the stimulus bacon, they've really got no problem with "socialism."
One of Gingrey's Georgia colleagues, Jack Kingston, got on the scoreboard back in July when he triumphantly announced new federal money for two police departments in his district, money that would allow each department to hire new police officers. What he neglected to mention, in his official press release (but which soon came to light anyway), was that this money came from the federal stimulus package. Which Kingston had voted against. Which Kingston had condemned, last February, as "fundamentally flawed and doesn't represent the change we deserve or the stimulus we need."
There are all kinds of examples lately. Both Georgia Republican senators, who voted No on the stimulus package, are currently trying to get $50 million in stimulus money for a local bio-energy project. Both Texas Republican senators and 19 Texas Republican congressmen, all of whom voted No on the stimulus package, are currently asking that the White House pump stimulus money into saving NASA. Louisiana Republican congressman Joseph Cao, who voted thumbs-down on the stimulus money, is now seeking some of that money for road repairs and streetcars back home.
The scarlet-red state of South Dakota is also very happy to take stimulus bucks, according to the stats released by Republican Gov. Mike Rounds' budget office. Thanks to the new money spent thus far on highway construction and water projects, the state's GOP regime says the stimulus has already saved or created the equivalent of 1400 full-time South Dakota jobs. Interestingly, one hears no rants about socialism; in the budget director's words, "We're trying to do our part to ensure South Dakota's economy recovers faster by getting these dollars out and to work."
And now we have another classic. A North Carolina newspaper, the Hickory Record, last Friday hailed the arrival of federal stimulus money for a new fire station in the town of Bethlehem. The fire chief was happy: "This will serve a huge need for us. This is a very fast-growing community. We're building for the next 50 years." And reaping the credit was the guy who showed up to present the money, Republican Senator Richard Burr. He too was happy; in his words, "This is a great thing for this county. We're not accustomed to federal dollars in that magnitude finding their way to North Carolina."
This is the same Richard Burr who voted No last winter, complaining that "this isn't a stimulus package, this is a spending package."
It's interesting that none of these people feel compelled to follow the logic of their ideological convictions, and thus tell their local fire chiefs and police chiefs and councilmen that, sorry folks, you'll have to fend for yourselves because we refuse on principle to bring you any of this socialist money.
On the contrary, if I may be permitted a few tweaks of cinema dialogue, these Republicans are more like Captain Renault in Casablanca.
Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that stimulus spending is going on in here!
Croupier: Your winnings for the folks back home, sir.
Renault: Oh, thank you very much.
TOM: From yesterday, it wasn't spin of any kind, World Net Daily is W-AY more far right than you are.— Talvenada- “ Thank the Lord we have an award winning political journalist that is one of the finest of his generation to lead us through the 'important' issues of the day:)” Yes NEPhilly – he’s leading you and your minions, by the ring in your noses, right into your daily ego stoking of seeing your chronic whining on the web … seems he’s done his job and done it well ;-)— let me in
Comment removed.- TOM: I have no intention of debating every Neo-Con issue, like Obama is not an American.— Talvenada
- Still Independent- Long term I guess stocks are a winner. I put stock brokers at about the same credibility level of a tarrot card reader. They are all cut from the same cloth
- TOM: Sorry, I'm trying to find the filtered offense. There are 1-000 Neo-Con issues, and most are hollow.— Talvenada
- TOM: I had over 110 issues over 8 years with W, like bin Laden is free, while Obama has Conse 'Pub issues on a daily basis.— Talvenada
- TOM: (last one) Conse 'Pubs have more issues about Obama in 8 months than I did in 8 years with W.— Talvenada
- Politicians being politicians. And the townsfolk play along. Lets get out of the 2-party system.— Falls Ed
- "We’re going to treat them the way we would treat an opponent. As they are undertaking a war against Barack Obama and the White House, we don’t need to pretend that this is the way that legitimate news organizations behave.” White House Communications Director Anita Dunn. We my as well call her the minister of information. This is a frightening path we are on here folks
- ***According to Politico, the White House plans to "neuter the United States Chamber of Commerce," an organization with members in almost every major community in America. The chamber had supported the President's stimulus package and defended some of his early appointments, but has problems with his health care and climate change proposals. The Department of Health and Human Services imposed a gag order on a large health care company, Humana, that had warned its Medicare Advantage customers that their benefits might be reduced in Democratic health care proposals -- a piece of information that is perfectly true. This gag order was lifted only after the Republican leader, Senator McConnell of Kentucky, said he would block any future nominees to the Department until the matter was righted.***http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2009/10/21/lamar-alexander-tennessee-senator-obama-enemies-list-nixon/— NEPhilly
- Same article: ***The president himself has not stopped blaming banks and investment houses for the financial meltdown, even as it has become clear that Congress played a huge role, too, by encouraging Americans to borrow money for houses they could not afford. The president was "taking names" of bondholders who resisted the General Motors and Chrysler bailouts. Insurance companies, once allies of the Obama health care proposal, have suddenly become the source of all of its problems because they pointed out -- again correctly -- that if Congress taxes insurance premiums and restricts coverage to those who are sicker and older, the cost of premiums for millions of Americans is likely to go up instead of down. Because of that insubordination, the President and his allies have threatened to take away the insurance companies' antitrust exemption.***— NEPhilly
- NE Philly- I am starting to wonder if this is the end of Democracy in this country. I guess we'll end up in re-education camps.
- ***On health care, the White House idea of bipartisanship has been akin to that of a marksman at the state fair shooting gallery: hit one target and you win the prize. With such big Democratic congressional majorities, the White House figures all it needs to do is unify the Democrats and pick off one or two Republicans. That strategy may win the prize but lose the country. Usually, on complex issues, the President needs bipartisan support in Congress to reassure and achieve broad and lasting support in the country. In 1968 I can remember when President Johnson, with bigger majorities in Congress than President Obama has today, arranged for the Civil Rights Bill to be written in open sessions over several weeks in the office of the Republican leader, Everett Dirksen. Dirksen got some of the credit; Johnson got the legislation he wanted; the country went along with it. Instead of comprehensive health care that raises premiums and increases the debt, why should the White House not work with Republicans step by step to reduce health care costs, and then, as we can afford it, reduce the number of Americans who don’t have access to health care?***— NEPhilly
- 90% of the Stimulus won't be spent until next year but Obama needed that passed right away. The healthcare bill wouldn't phase in until 2014 but Obama wanted this passed back in August. Our Soldiers are dying every day in Afghanistan. Obama's hand picked general has requested more troops but on this subject he needs time to ponder. This is not leadership.
Cited by the Columbia Journalism Review as one of the nation's top political reporters, and lauded by the ABC News political website as "one of the finest political journalists of his generation," Dick Polman is a national political columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is on the full-time faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, as "writer in residence." Dick has been a frequent guest on C-Span, MSNBC, CNN, NPR and the BBC. He covered the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 presidential campaigns.
ARCHIVES
All commentaries posted before April 18, 2008, can be accessed at www.dickpolman.blogspot.com.
- American Spectator
- David Limbaugh
- Free Republic
- Glenn Reynolds
- Hugh Hewitt
- Human Events
- John Hawkins
- Matt Lewis
- Michelle Malkin
- National Review
- Opinion Journal
- Power Line
- Red State
- The Brody File
- The Daily Caller
- Town Hall
- Weekly Standard
- Center for American Progress
- Crooks and Liars
- Daily Kos
- David Corn
- Huffington Post
- Media Matters
- Mojoblog (Mother Jones)
- Open Left
- Political Animal
- Salon's War Room
- Talking Points Memo
- Tapped
- The Democratic Strategist
- The Grey Matter
- Unclaimed Territory
- Andrew Sullivan
- Attytood
- Chi Tribune's The Swamp
- CJR's Campaign Desk
- CNN's Political Ticker
- CQ Politics
- FactCheck.org
- Gail Collins
- Howard Kurtz
- Mickey Kaus
- NBC's First Read
- Obit
- Political Wire
- Politico
- Politics Daily
- Pollster.com
- Real Clear Politics
- The Atlantic Wire
- The Fix
- The Moderate Voice
- The Plank
- USA Today On Politics
- Wonkette
