Dorgan gets earful on stimulus proposal

INFORUM ^ | February 08 2009 | Mike Nowatzki

[Last Dakotan]

Frustration with the federal government’s response to the nation’s economic woes boiled over Saturday as a feisty crowd of about 80 people gave Sen. Byron Dorgan an earful during a town hall meeting at West Fargo City Hall.

Dorgan, D-N.D., took a barrage of questions about the proposed economic recovery plan, which emerged from Senate negotiations late Friday with a new price tag of $780 billion after purging $100 billion from the House version.

One person asked why the cost of the plan is so high if Congress isn’t sure it will be effective.

[Last Dakotan]

He'll still vote for it, but nice to see them taking some heat in front of voters.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”One person asked why the cost of the plan is so high if Congress isn’t sure it will be effective. “

And "why it needs to be passed immediately if it will take years to work?" This is the weak spot politically

[denydenydeny]

“Will this help them? I don’t think anybody knows,” Dorgan said. “I know what won’t help, and that is for us to say, ‘You know what? Let’s do nothing about anything.’...”Dorgan blamed the financial sector collapse on greed and a lack of government regulation.

What a complete fool.

There was a lot of common sense at the meeting, though none of it from the Senator.

“Allowing them to fail is the accountability,” he said, adding, “As long as we continue to reward bad behavior, we are doomed.”

“At some point the line has to be drawn in the sand. Do we live in a republic, a nation of laws, or do we live in a socialist society where if you get in trouble, you just go to Washington and talk to your buddy after you give him a whole bunch of donations throughout the year to get things done? This is very serious,” he said, drawing applause from the crowd.

From me too.

[Last Dakotan]

There was a lot of common sense at the meeting, though none of it from the Senator.

Amen to that.

[tbpiper]

He'll still vote for it, but nice to see them taking some heat in front of voters.

I'll say. We need lots more of that. When Dorgan does vote for it and when it fails, we need to make him and everyother 'yes' voter wear it like a sandwich board.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

From the comments at the linked article:
“A lot of people quoted at this meeting do not seem very bright. Its simple economics that nobody seems to remember. To fix the economy you spend! You spend spend spend! Thats the whole point of this stimulus. Supply side economics failed during Reagan and they failed during Bush 2, Republicans need to understand this. This stimulus is trying to return us to Keynesian economics which has a proven track record and is really the only route to go. “

[Penny]

He actually gives his e-mail address: Senator@dorgan.senate.gov . My FAX to him also went right through (unlike to Collins, which has had a busy signal since I started FAXing all senators three days ago).

Dorgan's FAX is 202.224.1193; Collins' is 202.224.2693; Snow's is 202.224.1946; Specter's is 202.228.1229; and Lie-berman's is 202.224.4041.

It also felt good to send notes of appreciation to Senators Ensign, Sessions, et al. who have steadfastly rejected this fraudulent boondoggle that only a corrupt, incompetent bunch of hysterial democrats could produce (oops--redundancy there).

Regards . . . Penny

[Girlene]

Well, at least he's hearing directly from his constituents that they don't want the spending bill. I liked this comment after the article:

This quote pretty much sums it all up. "You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

[freekitty]

What will help, Senator, is to cut taxes. He knows that; but all he knows how to do is parrot his party.

[rightthinkingwoman]

It did my heart good in the comments that at least some people are beginning to get the idea that there are actual PEOPLE voting these politicians into office. Said it before, pols are who they are. The voters need to be called to task for continuing to vote them in.

[rushmom]

And the people in North Dakota will still vote for him.

[businessprofessor]

I have heard this argument stated other ways but this statement is profound. We need someone with the stature of Thomas Payne to emblazen these words on the national mindset.

The rats have not even got started on their Marxist policies. I do not use Marxist lightly. A central tenet of Marxism is a redivision of society into the government favored and remainder. In the Soviet Union and other Marxist nations, the only way to relative prosperity was the party. In the rat version of Marxism, party membership is not actually required. However, you must be in a favored group that is closely aligned (specifically with campaign cash and ideology) to prosper. Labor unions, environmentalists, trial lawyers, and political activists are set for a harvest of rewards. The rest will be forced to live without especially as the new rat Marxism takes hold.

[sickoflibs]

LOL. Why didnt Bush and republicans spend? All we got was tax cuts no spending. Where is the media on this? Their talking points are insane

[Girlene]

This spending bill is one tenet of the lib’s Marxist agenda. Taxpayers will be paying ACORN “stimulus” money to bring out more dead voters next election cycle. The whole Gregg/Commerce Secretary/Filibuster/White House overseeing the Census fandango was a brilliant, fast-paced move by Obama and Rahm to get more control of voting districts.

They are headed down the Marxist road in high gear. We are along for the ride unless we can find the brakes first.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

I disagree with Dorgan on the overall stimulus

But he was the one who put in the Buy American provision...which was the only stimulator in the whole bill...yet there was so much criticism from the Economic Anti-Americans like McCain

McCain lost 65-31 when he tried to kill Buy American...even after it was “watered down” (there was no real “watering down”)

Also, unlike McCain and some other GOP senators...he voted against Illegal Alien Amnesty when they tried to pass it in 2007.

Overall...I would trade my Florida seantors...Sen “Sex With The Troops” Bill Nelson...and Senator “Illegal Alien” Mel Martinez...for Dorgan....anyday