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Barack and the Big Bird Backfire... Democrats frustrated by Obama's "Big Bird"...

H. Lee White said:
It's not scale, it's priority; not spending that tiny amount on PBS means you can spend that tiny amount more on, say, Medicare.
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Also, congress has no legitimate authority for such spending, so cutting it should be a no-brainer.
 
H. Lee White said:
Same can be said for any small-scale spending item. If the "is only a tiny fraction so there's no use in cutting it" argument is sound, then it applies equally as well to all of those items, and so -none- of them can be cut.

It's not scale, it's priority; not spending that tiny amount on PBS means you can spend that tiny amount more on, say, Medicare.
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See I'd be fine with your argument if that were the case. Romney's just picking and choosing things that he opposes to cut - it's not some humanitarian measure.

We've already established that Republicans pro-privatization, no? It makes sense. Romney's pro-private education, so he's pro-private educational broadcasting.

Edit: Keep in mind the two million dollar increase in military spending. :(
 
zimmer said:
What is Obama supposed to do? He's got a disaster for a record.
What's he to run on?
8% unemployment for four years?
Wasting $5 trillion?
Hostility to business?
National security?
Some kind of proof that he has had success before becoming president that he can hang his hat on?

The guy hasn't a political pot to piss in.
His history is short, sour... pathetic.

He has proven to be Jeremiah Wright without the edge.

Democrats frustrated by Obama's Big Bird campaign turn | Reuters
A fitting backdrop, as this has been a childlike administration.

ROTFLOL...

The silver lining will arrive when Obama departs.

It's all he's got... after all what's he to talk about?
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I love how Romney brings up Big Bird/PBS/NPR, as if cutting those programs shows he is serious about resolving the deficit, and when Democrats mock the absurdity of it, somehow its them who are avoiding the issues.

Romney brought up Big Bird. It's practically the sole specific he's given this whole election. If that doesn't deserve ridicule, I don't know what does.
 
waas said:
See I'd be fine with your argument if that were the case. Romney's just picking and choosing things that he opposes to cut
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Gotta start somewhere.
The fact that he doesnt say that 'this cut means more money for medicare' doesnt change the fact that the cut DOES mean more money for medicare.

We've already established that Republicans pro-privatization, no? It makes sense. Romney's pro-private education, so he's pro-private educational broadcasting.
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Makes all the sense in the world to me.
 
zimmer said:
Absolutely.
Add the Dept. of Indoctrination... er Education, HUD, and we've got a decent start.
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So... explain to me why you want to cut the Department of Education.

When Congress created the Department in 1979, it declared these purposes:

To strengthen the Federal commitment to ensuring access to equal educational opportunity for every individual;
-To supplement and complement the efforts of States, the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the States, the private sector, public and private educational institutions, public and private nonprofit educational research institutions, community-based organizations, parents, and students to improve the quality of education;
-To encourage the increased involvement of the public, parents, and students in Federal education programs;
-To promote improvements in the quality and usefulness of education through federally supported research, evaluation, and sharing of information;
-To improve the coordination of Federal education programs;
to improve the management and efficiency of Federal education activities, especially with respect to the process, procedures, and administrative structures for the dispersal of Federal funds, as well as the reduction of unnecessary and duplicative burdens and constraints, including unnecessary paperwork, on the recipients of Federal funds; and
-To increase the accountability of Federal education programs to the President, the Congress and the public. (Section 102, Public Law 96-88)
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ED.gov

So come on, explain to me how that statement wasn't the single most baseless thing ever posted on this thread. :bringit
 
http://www.elapro.net/Fy2009sp.jpg

Ok so here's our federal government budget. So Romney wants to expand the 20+% on military spending and cut the 2% on education and 1% on science funding. Is this guy brilliant or what!!!

The bigger picture is Romney is retarded and making ridiculous statements with no real world logic to sound good and pull votes. That is not petty politics.


Now I understand why Obama did so poorly, he was struggling not to ROFL as Romney alienates the moderator.
 
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H. Lee White said:
Gotta start somewhere.
The fact that he doesnt say that 'this cut means more money for medicare' doesnt change the fact that the cut DOES mean more money for medicare.
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I'd much rather start somewhere else. The Military could work.


Makes all the sense in the world to me.
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And you still support him? That's sod.

Privatizing essential services leads to nothing more than tyranny; unrestrained tyranny. You wind up with corporations that are completely unaccountable and free from public control. All this does is lead to widespread abuse. The kind of private sector your free market capitalism advocates for is the epitome of unaccountability.
 
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waas said:
So... explain to me why you want to cut the Department of Education.
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Because education is not a legitimate function of the federal government.
 
shiang said:
http://www.elapro.net/Fy2009sp.jpg

Ok so here's our federal government budget. So Romney wants to expand the 20+% on military spending and cut the 2% on education and 1% on science funding. Is this guy brilliant or what!!!

The bigger picture is Romney is retarded and making ridiculous statements with no real world logic to sound good and pull votes. That is not petty politics.
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Thank for that, shiang. :mrgreen:
 
waas said:
So you approve cutting funding to PBS? :thinking
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I do. PBS can run on its own legs now. They can change it to Private Broadcasting System. Hell, they may even be better off in the long run.
 
waas said:
So, Mr. Federalist. What is?
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The legitimate powers of congress are listed in Article I, section 8:
1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

2: To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

3: To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

4: To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

5: To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

6: To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

7: To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

8: To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

9: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

10: To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

11: To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

12: To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

13: To provide and maintain a Navy;

14: To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

15: To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

16: To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

17: To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And

18: To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
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Is the promotion of equality not a "legitimate function"?
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No, it is not among Congress' enumerated powers.
 
AdamT said:
It's not really about Big Bird; it's about the fact that government does a lot of things that Americans like. Romney just provided a great symbol -- a mascot for the idea that Government really isn't the enemy.
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Somehow american kids got educated without big bird and elmo for many years. The idea that govt funding of this profit making TV show must continue is just another example of liberal foolishness.,
 
waas said:
So, Mr. Federalist. What is? Is the promotion of equality not a "legitimate function"?
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worried about the quality of education in the US? Tell it to the teachers union. Tell it to the band of union thugs that are failing to educate our kids and demanding more money for it.
 
Federalist said:
The legitimate powers of congress are listed in Article I, section 8:


No, it is not among Congress' enumerated powers.
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That might depend on what one deems the "General Welfare" to mean as it is not defined.
 
AdamT said:
The annual federal expenditure for PBS equals about 1/2 the cost of one B-1 bomber. I'll make that trade.
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I would too, but they don't make the B-1 anymore.
 
H. Lee White said:
Same can be said for any small-scale spending item. If the "is only a tiny fraction so there's no use in cutting it" argument is sound, then it applies equally as well to all of those items, and so -none- of them can be cut.

It's not scale, it's priority; not spending that tiny amount on PBS means you can spend that tiny amount more on, say, Medicare.
Click to expand...

How many people actually watched the debate? He used PBS as an example. Big Bird had nothing to do with it wether he mentioned him by name or not. I'm sure there were to many items to list that does not need to be funded by the government. He brought it up because of who the moderator was, not because he wants to kill big bird.
 
H. Lee White said:
Same can be said for any small-scale spending item. If the "is only a tiny fraction so there's no use in cutting it" argument is sound, then it applies equally as well to all of those items, and so -none- of them can be cut.

It's not scale, it's priority; not spending that tiny amount on PBS means you can spend that tiny amount more on, say, Medicare.
Click to expand...

Or better yet, don't collect those tax dollars to start with.
 
Bobcat said:
Somehow american kids got educated without big bird and elmo for many years. The idea that govt funding of this profit making TV show must continue is just another example of liberal foolishness.,
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Yep, and somehow kids got born without doctors and hospitals, but I don't think that's a good argument for doing away with doctors and hospitals.
 
AdamT said:
Yep, and somehow kids got born without doctors and hospitals, but I don't think that's a good argument for doing away with doctors and hospitals.
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Big Bird will not go away.
 
Bobcat said:
worried about the quality of education in the US? Tell it to the teachers union. Tell it to the band of union thugs that are failing to educate our kids and demanding more money for it.
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Right cause you know teachers are ridiculously overpaid and all.
 
Ok.

So can we all agree that Romney was a moron in bringing up bigbird and making a big deal out of 160 mil dollars savings? because that will get the economy back on track!

But can we also agree that Obama was an even bigger moron for pursuing this pathetic attack course.
 
American said:
I would too, but they don't make the B-1 anymore.
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Okay, so let's say that PBS' funding is 1/16th the cost of one nuclear sub.
 
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