Free Republic

The House on Tuesday evening approved an amendment to a huge Hurricane Sandy relief bill that adds $33.7 billion to the bill, nearly tripling the size of the main bill. Members approved the amendment from Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) in a 228-192 vote. It was opposed by 190 Republicans, but 38 Republicans joined 190 Democrats in support and allowed it to pass. That vote put the House on a path to passing a $50.7 billion disaster aid bill early Tuesday evening. Along the way, the House also rejected several other amendments that would have shaved millions of dollars off the...

Plus: Someone ask Pelosi what the U.S. population is. Krauthammer and more….The Senate is poised on Tuesday to pass the most monstrous hogzilla spending bill of all time despite overwhelming public disapproval of the bill in it’s current form The latest Rasmussen Reports show 62% of respondents feel that the bill should include more tax cuts and less spending.Unverified reports describe calls to Senate and House offices running 100 to 1 against the bill yet Obama and his House and Senate colleagues soldier on to ram this monster down the throats of the American people.Reports like this don’t seem to...

President Barack Obama took his economic stimulus pitch on the road today, with a town hall meeting in Elkhart, Ind., where he warned that the recession could... <> The president took eight questions in a back and forth that lasted just under 40 minutes. One of them drew boos from the crowd when a young woman who identified herself as Tara said, "You've come to our county and asked us to trust you, but those that you have appointed to your Cabinet are not trustworthy and can't handle their own budget and taxes." The crowd booed, but the president proceeded...

A new communique from the man who saw it all coming, warning us to prepare for Weimar II. If ever you wanted an illustration of just how inexact a “science” economics is, watch this clip back to back with The One’s assurances last night (at roughly 4:20 here) that the stimulus is the only way to avoid Armageddon. How much good has 75 years of data done us? From the NYT’s front-pager this morning on Japan’s experiment, this much: Economists tend to divide into two camps on the question of Japan’s infrastructure spending: those, many of them Americans like Mr....

Obama, lawmakers seize on jobs report and press for speedy action WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Seizing on Friday morning's abysmal jobs report, President Barack Obama said the economic crisis threatens to turn into a "catastrophe" without quick action by lawmakers to approve the massive stimulus plan being debated in the Senate. Speaking at the White House Friday morning, Obama said it was "inexcusable" for the measure to get bogged down "while millions of Americans are being put out of work." "If we drag our feet and fail to act, this crisis will turn into a catastrophe," Obama said. "The bill before...

Via Breitbart, the “logic” of panic as articulated by Congress’s cuddliest Democrat. An even more glorious soundbite than Mitch McConnell’s yardstick for measuring a trillion dollars, I think you’ll agree. But is it more glorious than this? Recounting a conversation he had with Obama in the Oval Office earlier in the week regarding the economic stimulus bill and other matters, Biden said the two came to the realization that: “If we do everything right… there’s still a 30 percent chance we’re going to get it wrong.”

The Wall Street Journal calls it the “40-year Wish List”.  Michelle calls it the “Generational Theft Act”.  Others have started calling it the Obama-Pelosi-Reid Debt Act.  Whatever name one gives it, the least likely is stimulus.  The WSJ calculates that no more than 12 cents on the dollar in the trillion-dollar whale goes to actual economic stimulus, and that the rest go to Democratic wish lists for electoral advantage: We’ve looked it over, and even we can’t quite believe it. There’s $1 billion for Amtrak, the federal railroad that hasn’t turned a profit in 40 years; $2 billion for child-care...

In one corner, we have John McCain, who has not requested an earmark for years and who has vowed to veto any bill as President which contains them. In the other corner, still fighting between themselves, we have Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who have combined for over $430 million in earmarks just in the last session. Who says there isn't a distinction to be made in November?: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton helped secure more than $340 million worth of home-state projects in last year's spending bills, placing her among the top 10 Senate recipients of what are commonly known...

SACRAMENTO – A record $19.9 billion transportation bond pitched to voters last fall as a way to “fast track” projects is hitting slowdowns in some areas. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signaled that the money is flowing with a groundbreaking at Solana Beach last month for the extension of car pool lanes on Interstates 5 and 805. The bond will cover part of the $168 million cost. But legislation to set guidelines for distributing $2 billion to improve the movement of freight was stalled in part because Republicans thought proposals by Democrats were skewed toward improving air quality. And legislative leaders are...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Key Republicans in Congress on Sunday questioned White House assertions that the Social Security (news - web sites) system was in crisis, one of President Bush (news - web sites)'s justifications for acting now on private accounts, and said new taxes should be considered. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Congress should "look beyond" the payroll tax to fund the Social Security retirement system and consider a value-added tax and other changes. Though Bush said he will oppose tax increases for Social Security, Sen. John McCain (news, bio,...