New Haven Independent

Posted by: Stan | March 31, 2009 1:51 PM

I must admit that I am an Obama supporter. Yet I am so puzzled by the Republicans who want to all of a sudden play the role of 'patriots' when in the last eight years all they did was let this country fall to its knees by following what history will most call the 'dumbest US President.'

For the sake of this country, please give this administration a chance and do what you do best-put self and business above country.

Posted by: EINSTEIN | March 31, 2009 2:41 PM

KEEP NEWT, HANNITY AND THE LIARS FROM EITHER PARTY OUT OF THIS---DO NOT LET THEM HIJACK THIS

Posted by: robn | March 31, 2009 2:43 PM

Sounds like demagoguery to me. This week the Republicans release a budget counterproposal without any numbers....what a laugh. Where do you think that our current record deficit came from anyway?

I don't like the fact that naked credit default swaps are being bailed out, but this is a fire that was started long before Obama got into office.

Posted by: Bill | March 31, 2009 3:43 PM

ROBN, your absolutely right, this fire started under Clinton/Greenspan and the democrats poured gasoline on the fire in 2006 when they refused to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Posted by: lance | March 31, 2009 5:01 PM

I'm so there.

A few things about the "blame Bush" gag....

Curious how Obama would financially weather a 9/11 type attack. And Bush came in when the internet bubble was bursting. Add in a few hurricanes and an anthrax issue. All of that stuff cost money to deal with. Dodd and Frank were warned by the republicans of the banking issue, but they were in somebody's pocket. So even though they were responsible for oversight, they did nothing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&NR=1

Also, banks were strongarmed by Dodd and Franks to make risky loans by race baiters like ACORN.

Obama's fix? Dig into the pockets of responsible people to pay for the wrongdoings of others, corporations an individuals alike.

But hey, that's how Obama was raised, as a hater. His mother was a hater who didn't dumped him off on his grandparents, but unfortunately his grandparents were also haters who attended the "little red church" (google it), with "red" being a reference to communism. His mom also ended up with liens against her due at least in part to her irresponsibility and belief that it was the governments responsibility to take care of her.

Here is a link to the real "Dreams of his Father". Taking of land, 100 percent income tax, you get the picture. And the first few months of his presidency indicate this is exactly where he is trying to go. read it all here....

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM41_eastafrica.html

You can't deny that we are are all or in part a product of our environment, and Obama comes from an environment that taught him that it is the government not the individual that is responsible for one's survival. It's not his fault, it's how he was reared, but that type of thinking doesn't work. Even the leader of the EU agrees with me, which is scary.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/25/world/main4891257.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_4891257

This is an opportunity for all hard working men and women to take a stand against this American version of Khmer Rouge. If we don't, we're going to get robbed. Or worse.

Posted by: Frank | March 31, 2009 5:02 PM

Sanity, she says! The sanity in all of this is to try to undo what Bush and the Republicans did to us for 8 years. The Obama plan may be costly, but the mess we're in is costlier still. Bringing the economy back will require all of us to support some strong measures to kick it up. Please don't undermine these efforts in the name of "sanity"

Posted by: Jimbo | March 31, 2009 6:15 PM

It's real simple - THERE'S NO MONEY LEFT! The government - and this is for both sides - cannot spend its way out of any problem. Stop giving our money away.

There's an old saying - when you're in a hole, stop digging!

Posted by: ctkeith | March 31, 2009 7:28 PM

LMAO,

Who knew Branford Republicans had such a reactionary leader amongst them.

I wonder if Pam Fowler has got the Crying part down as well as her "Dear Leader" Glen Beck?

Posted by: lance | March 31, 2009 7:47 PM

give him a chance Stan? I don't think so. He's already burned through how much money? Any clue how long it will take to pay that back, just so he could repay the favor of all those campaign contributions? and he's already demonstrated his not so subtle disdain for white people on the New Haven Fire Department promotional issue.

They were saying "just give him a chance" in Germany too in the 1930's.

Posted by: Disgruntled Democrat | March 31, 2009 7:53 PM

Lance,

How dare you use facts to make a counter argument!!! And to cite sources and show video, you are a rascal. I've got an article from the NYT from 1999 stating how Clinton was applying pressure to Fannie & Freddie to make more loans, even though they knew it was risky.

All bets were off after 9/11 and Katrina. Thats why Bush had deficits. So many arm chair quarterbacks that didn't have the balls to say they were against the war in October, 2001. Those of us who lost friends or family remember that day clearly and never want to see it again. If it took us operating at a deficit to keep the US safe, then so be it. When we get hit again, it won't be on Bush' watch, so I am definitely interested in how its going to get spun.

Remember Bush had agreed to the pullouts from Iraq before he left office. That would have reduced his large deficit quite a bit. But can someone explain to me how the anti-war president now has 20,000 more service personnel in harm's way than when he took office?

Oh, I will definitely be at the Tea Party. The gov't has had decades to show it could run Medicare properly (and failed). The last thing it should do is now try to run, or dictate how, other businesses should be run.

Posted by: Moshe Gai | April 1, 2009 11:12 AM

Pam Fowler got it all wrong.

In 1989 Communism collapsed. In 2009 Capitalism collapsed. Communism collapsed because it is rooted in the idea that "the government knows it all". Capitalism collapsed because it is rooted in the idea that "greed will lead to prosperity".

The solution of the Bush administration was to create Socialism for the rich and Capitalism for the poor. Obama on the other hand is fighting the war on poverty.

Chairman Bernake knows all too well that in the 1930's the government lost the war on poverty because it chose not to fight it. Only the government could fight a war against the Nazis and only the government can fight a war against poverty.

During World War II the government borrowed money from the people and the deficit rose to 150% of the GDP. Today's deficit is nearing but not yet above the GDP. But we must continue to borrow money and fight this war till poverty will accept an unconditional surrender.

Thus Spake Moshe Gai

Posted by: lance | April 1, 2009 1:55 PM

Thus Spake Moshe Gai- I was planning on being "impoverished" too, but that whole working thing got in the way.

Posted by: Pat Santoro | April 2, 2009 12:29 PM

The problem began in 1913 with the creation of the Federal Reserve.The Federal Reserve is a privately held bank with no connection to the Federal government or the Treasury dept.The IRS is the collection agency for this private corporation.According to the Constitution only the Congress can authorize the printing of new money. Yet, our rights have been violated as we have allowed the head of the Federal Reserve to make these decisions;Greenspan and Bernanke.They were also allowed to adjust interest rates to benefit the elite bank owners. If you have an opportunity read the 16th Amendment.
Pam, I think the Tea Party is a great idea. It will allow the taxpayer to have a voice for more than ten minutes.

Posted by: Peter Black | April 2, 2009 1:59 PM

Pat Santoro: The IRS is part of the Treasury Department. It collects for the government, not the private Federal Reserve.
Moshe: Obama promised us a new era of responsibility. Santelli's tea parties are a reaction to Obama mortgage plan, which rewards those who lived beyond their means by borrowing money they could repay only if the housing bubble never burst. These people, both mortgagors and mortgagees, were real estate speculators. Obama will punish those like Pam, who lives humbly within her modest means, to reward those who were irresponsible. The most egregious example of Obama's reward of the irresponsible is his support of large bonuses for failed, taxpayer supported institutions like AIG. (Yes, he rails against them, but opposes their taxation.) Moreover, the new toxic asset plan will subsidize a select group of hedge funds with tax dollars, all to avoid nationalization of the failed banks like Citi. Bottom line: Obama is not fighting poverty, or pursuing socialism. His policy is closer to National Socialism, using the State to aid favored industrialists.

Posted by: Pam Fowler | April 2, 2009 10:25 PM

While my philosophical and political posistions may be at odds with some, I respect those who are willing to add to the discourse without ad hominen attacks.

Moshe and I have put aside our very different perspectives to often find common ground in many local issues. It comes as no surprise that he disagrees with me; it also comes as no surprise that he offers his perspective (even though he has it all wrong, of course!). This is a good thing.

CTKEITH, however discredits his party with his vapid insults.

Pete, as always, your comments are spot on.

Pam Fowler

Posted by: Ken | April 2, 2009 11:28 PM

Actually folks, isn' it really all Darwin's fault?

Posted by: Pat Santoro | April 3, 2009 8:29 AM

Peter Black:
If you have ever made a payment to The US Treasury, please note on the back of the that check it was deposited in the Federal Reserve Bank.

Posted by: Mary | April 3, 2009 6:43 PM

Where the heck were all of these fiscal conservatives for the past 8 years while Bush/Cheney racked up record deficits while lining the pockets of their war profiteer buddies ?

Where the heck were all these lovers of the Constitution for the last 8 years while our Constitution and Bill of Rights were being weakened by Cheney/Bush ?

I think the only people being duped are the ones who are attending these tea parties. WAKE UP people - you're being manipulated by the Republican Party - the ones who drove this country into the ditch - and Faux News who treats you like mushrooms - they keep you in the dark and feed you manure.

Posted by: Disgruntled Democrat | April 3, 2009 11:58 PM

Mary,

The fiscal conservatives are the ones that turned their backs on Bush and McCain and "hoped" for positive "change" with Obama. So according to your logic, since Bush left a $1 trillion deficit, its okay for Obama to quadruple it - this year?

Until I start hearing the MSM scream about Fannie and Freddie's $51mm in performance bonuses being paid this year, I think everyone should be attending tea parties. But since they were major contributors to the politicians, I'm sure there won't be too many complaints about it.

Big difference between a retention bonus and a performance bonus. And since this entire collapse was based on mismanagement by Fannie & Freddie, the public should be much more upset by their employees receiving anything more than a severance notice.

Lets all max out our credit cards and refinance our homes and spend the money on new cars and home repairs. Nothing frivilous, just important features that will better our lives in the future. Pay the minimum balance due each month and within five to ten years, you'll be as rich as Bill Gates. However, it'll only work if you borrow more than you could ever repay. Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Eating shrooms sometimes leads to enlightenment.

Posted by: ctkeith | April 8, 2009 4:17 PM

Ms Fowler,

Maybe if you're lucky you can find someone equally insane to speak at your tea party as the Washigton DC tea party organizers just announced will speak at theirs.
http://washingtonindependent.com/37859/alan-keyes-to-speak-at-washington-dc-tea-party

May I suggest FICs Peter Wolfgang followed by Disgraced former Republican State Senator Lou DeLuca?

With a little luck you might even get either a shout out from Rush Limbaugh or be called a wonderful American by Sean Hannity.You could even hit the tea party Jackpot and get facetime on Glenn Becks TV show and if God were to truly bless you maybe even hit the jackpot and make him weep.

I,for one,want to wish you complete success.

Posted by: Bob | April 9, 2009 4:49 PM

If the key to succuess is the inflated spending with a suppoed 1.5 multiplier effect. Doesn't stand to reason that we be spending even more. The key to our prosperity is leadership. McCain lost because the country dind feel he provide it and now we are finding that Obama, having never been an executive in any capacity, does not have it. True leaders do not through the country under the bus. It should not matter what the political affiliation as long as the are leaders. The country does not need to be reinvented, but it definitely needs to be reformed. Throwing more money at problems so the inefficiencies can be continued will only continue the spiral. Reformed free market solutions are the only answer. Socialization will only take us down a path that has failed wherever it has been tried. Even Communist China has entrepanureal root

Posted by: Bob | April 9, 2009 4:53 PM

If the key to success is the inflated spending with a supposed 1.5 multiplier effect. Doesn't it stand to reason that we be spending even more. The key to our prosperity is leadership. McCain lost because the country didn' feel he provided it and now we are finding that Obama, having never been an executive in any capacity, does not have it. True leaders do not throw their country under the bus. It should not matter what the political affiliation as long as the are leaders. The country does not need to be reinvented, but it definitely needs to be reformed. Throwing more money at problems so the inefficiencies can be continued will only continue the spiral. Reformed free market solutions are the only answer. Socialization will only take us down a path that has failed wherever it has been tried. Even Communist China has capitalist roots

Posted by: John | April 11, 2009 12:35 PM

Let's stop assigining blame to Republicans or Democrats. The fact is both parties created this mess and we can't expect them to straighten it out. It is not in their best interest! Spending money is how they get re-elected. It will only be by a bipartisan grass roots effort that we can convince them that the people will turn them out of power if they continue on this course. Let's stop blaming each other and fix the system. We need term limits, recall for the scoundrels and an honest media. If we don't demand this we will get the government we deserve. If you agree and want to comment I welcome your comments on my blog, http://nobailoutsforgrasshoppers.blogtownhall.com or visit my protest web site www.nobailoutsforgrasshoppers.com

One Ant that is mad as hell

Posted by: ctkeith | April 14, 2009 4:39 PM

Ms Fowler,

Did you know you were being played for a fool or does it just come naturally?

http://www.savetherich.com/

One more thing.When you get a chance google "teabagging"

LMAO

Posted by: Mark Meloy | April 15, 2009 10:33 AM

This is a complete joke. To call this a "grassroots" movement, and then see that each potential location has a multi-page website, and has, not only the coverage, but full endorsement of Fox News, makes this nothing more than a Republican rally. Never mind that it is a tax protest and that it is highly unlikely anyone attending will have paid any more in taxes percentage-wise this year, and never mind the evidence that the recession is nearing its end by all factual statistics, and that the bailouts and stimulus packages are at or near an end. Might as well add to the far-after-the-fact and misguided rally. Hell, add your protest of the Vietnam war to the list.