[Rhodes22-list] Katrina Update

[Brad Haslett]

Wally,

I don't have a lot of time today but I'll take a quick stab at your
question.  I stand behind every post and I've been pretty consistent over
the years.  I don't like entitlement programs, don't think most work the way
they were intended, don't think many were needed in the first place, and
they seldom end long after the original perceived need is gone.  Bush 43
hasn't cut a single domestic entitlement program that I can think of, and
expanded some that we couldn't afford (think medicare).  There is nothing
inconsistent in my criticism over that. Bush and the Congress had their
heart in the right place over Katrina, but the inefficiencies and limits of
government have reared it's predictable head. You could double the amount of
money appropriated and it wouldn't speed things 10%. Deficit spending is a
necessary evil at times, and certainly the post dot-com recession and
financial hit from 9/11 warranted deficit spending in my opinion.  Nothing
inconsistent about that.  Dave's rants reminds me of the old Steve from
Little Rock - one side is all bad and the other is all good. Both parties
have engaged in deficit spending, sometimes needed, sometimes not, and
neither party owns all the bragging rights on fiscal responsibility.  To
think so otherwise is naive.  What I took offense to is the thinly veiled
prejudice that heavy equipment operators, especially ones from Mississippi,
can't think for themselves or have their own opinions.  If Dave meant it
differently he can explain himself, but I interpreted it much like Charlie
Rangel's statement, drunk with power three days after the election, "why the
hell would anyone want to live in Mississippi".  It is more of the same
elitist bullshit, "we know what's better for you than you do yourself".  The
people of the Gulf Coast do need federal assistance, ie, money.  They could
also use a lot less interference at the Federal level.  More government is
not the solution to the problem, government IS the problem.  If you, or
Dave, or anyone else think you have better solutions, you might want to
spend a few days along the coast and and look around first. Guess
what? Islamofascism will still be here in two years and so will the
rebuilding needs on the Gulf.  Hillary is already on record for "resenting"
being left with potential problems if she wins, but that's life.  If she can
waive a magic wand, or broom, and make the world's problems go away, more
power to her.  I suspect the sane and rational arguments about what works
and what doesn't will get lost in the usual class warfare static.

So let's summarize:

I don't like entitlement programs.

I don't like deficit spending (or mortgages or business debt) but recognize
it as a useful tool and necessary evil.

I don't like politicians (and journalists) making broad sweeping statements
and drawing conclusions about problems they haven't even witnessed or
bothered to study.

I'll say this one more time - I don't mindlessly agree with either party or
any one President.  However, like Ed Koch, the WOT is our greatest threat
and by comparison, every domestic issue takes a back seat.

Wally, if as you imply I waffle on positions then I'm obviously in the wrong
profession!  Maybe I should run for Senator from Massachusetts.

Everyone is welcome to come to the Gulf and volunteer.  They could use the
help!

I'm going back to work!

Brad


On 2/2/07, TN Rhodey <tnrhodey at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Brad,
>
> I don't understand your response to Dave. Why would folks from Miss kick
> his
> ass because of what you said? I am trying my best to stay out of these
> threads but sometimes I can't help myself. I looks to me like you don't
> want
> to stand behind your posts.....not the first time you have back peddled.
>
> Dave called it like he saw it.....good call!
>
>
> >From: "Brad Haslett" <flybrad at gmail.com>
> >Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Katrina Update
> >Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2007 21:12:59 -0600
> >
> >Dave,
> >
> >Forgive me for being short, the office is unheated.  My operators are not
> >in
> >awe of me or too many other people, but I wish you were here.  They would
> >kick your pompous ass in the first two minutes for your condesending
> >attitude towards them and Mississippi.
> >
> >Brad
> >
> >
> >On 2/1/07, DCLewis1 at aol.com <DCLewis1 at aol.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>Brad,
> >>
> >>You say I put words in your mouth - I come back with quotes from
> >>your  posts.
> >>You say it's word twisting.  Read your cited posts, it's  pretty clear
> >>what
> >>you wrote.
> >>
> >>You talk about the need for deficit spending to fight the war and a
> >>recession.  The post-bubble//9/11 recession started towards the end of
> >>2001  and ended
> >>in 2002(see the first paragraph of
> >>_http://www.fdic.gov/bank/analytical/fyi/2006/032306fyi.html_
> >>(http://www.fdic.gov/bank/analytical/fyi/2006/032306fyi.html) )  , this
> is
> >>2007.  The deficits from tax cuts in the intervening 5 years
> >>have  had nothing to do with recession - but I'm sure you knew that,
> just
> >>another  half-truth.
> >>
> >>You know darn well these guys have been living on debt  forever.  Each
> FY
> >>is
> >>always a "special situation" whose unique  circumstances require your
> >>idiot
> >>buddies to run up debt, right?  I  don't think so.  8 years of "unique
> >>circumstances" with Reagan, followed by  4 years of "unique
> circumstances"
> >>by Bush, and
> >>now 6 years of "unique  circumstances" with Jr - gimme a break.  Any
> >>public
> >>company that tried this  would be trashed and its management in
> jail.  Any
> >>private company would be  dead broke.  But your emotionally aligned with
> >>these
> >>idiots so it's OK with  you.
> >>
> >>Oh, and as per your post I have kept in mind that the Congress has to
> >>authorize the egregious deficit spending - and that brings me right back
> >>to your
> >>idiot buddies, many of which are no longer in Congress.  The electorate
> >>collectively threw up - and your buddies are gone.  But you knew  that.
> >>
> >>
> >>It would be gratifying to see a little intellectual  honesty.
> >>
> >>By all means, go to Mississippi maybe they'll believe you.  I'm
> sure  your
> >>equipment operators stand in awe of your encyclopedic  grasp of
> >>misinformation.
> >>Be sure to tell them about Keynesian  economics and the recession of
> 2006,
> >>or
> >>5, or whatever, and when they quote you  remember to say "I never said
> >>that".
> >>They'll be impressed.
> >>
> >>
> >>Dave
> >>__________________________________________________
> >>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >>
> >__________________________________________________
> >Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Valentine's Day -- Shop for gifts that spell L-O-V-E at MSN Shopping
>
> http://shopping.msn.com/content/shp/?ctId=8323,ptnrid=37,ptnrdata=24095&tcode=wlmtagline
>
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>