You’ve probably heard that there’s a joint House-Senate stimulus bill agreement. It’s all over but the signing.
I’m listening to Jonathan Alter on Countdown saying he’d just passed through Times Square, and that it is empty. Times Square is the theater district. In the evening it’s usually swarming with tourists. Yes it’s a weeknight, and February, but empty? That’s so sad. I’m sure he meant it is empty compared to what it usually is, not completely devoid of people. But still, it’s sad.
On September 13, 2001, still in shock from the terrorist attacks, I left Grand Central and walked west on 42nd Street to Times Square. It was bustling. There was considerable construction going on, and the construction workers had hung American flags on the scaffolding. Some of them had flags attached to their hard hats. There were many expressions of defiance against the terrorists, spraypainted on signs and sheets and flapping in the wind high above the streets.
Most of all, Times Square was busy. New York City was bursting with prosperity in those days. As terrible as the week was, as grief-stricken and as angry as people were, outside the financial district the city was beautiful. The cafes were overflowing with diners, and shoppers were everywhere.
Did Republican economics finish the job the 9/11 terrorists started?
On to dumb, dumber, dumbest.
Dumb — Kathleen Parker and other “pundits” who are tsk-tsking Barack Obama for being an amateur. In short, she said, he lacks maturity, toughness, and gravitas. He’s too puppy-eager for people to like him. He won’t give up his Blackberry.
Yea, if he were a real leader, he’d have his stimulus bill by now. Oh, wait … See also Andrew Sullivan.
Dumber — Republicans in Congress, who steadfastly refused to discuss the stimulus bill in good faith, who spent the past several days lying and grandstanding, and who voted against it but for three Senators who are now being targeted by right-wing organizations. Dumb enough? Now the liars and grand-standers are whining that they were cut out of the final House-Senate negotiations. See John Cole.
Dumbest — You’ve heard this one by now, I’m sure — Rep. Steve Austria (R-OH) thinks FDR caused the Great Depression.
As if it weren’t hard enough already to take me seriously…. I may want to think about changing my “gravatar.”
Now the liars and grand-standers are whining that they were cut out of the final House-Senate negotiations.
No! They were left out? Whatever did they d– Oh, right.
There’s really a Repug Congressman from Ohio named “Steve Austria”?! Hmm… how many “Six Million Dollar Nazi” jokes can we make on one comment thread?
But seriously (said the woman with the cartoon mouse beside her comment), the latest Repug meme appears to be “And that other Depression thingy was the Dems’ fault too.” First Mitch McConnell remarks on how all FDR’s works programs failed (which I believe led to a gentle rebuke from Obama at the press conference). Now this other jerk chimes in. Not only are their QB’s calls stupid, but their offensive line’s execution is clumsy as hell.
(Sign of the Apocalypse: me making a football metaphor.)
It just occurred to me: most time-travel fantasies involve “We must go back and stop Hitler!” With the Repugs, it’s “We must go back and stop FDR!”
joanr16… I like your gravatar. It shows much more nicely at 64 pixels than at the measely original 32. And if people question your seriousness based on your gravatar then they can’t be too alert to begin with. I think you’re a pretty sharp individual.
Dumbest – I heard that one on the news this morning and spit coffee all over my carpet. Please reassure me that nobody believes this horse pucky… Oh. Forgot all about the 22% who think Shrub did a good job. Sorry. Answered my own question.
Joan – I love the mouse. Very authoritative, as I remember the cartoon.
Swami – I agree. Joan is a very sharp individual.
Steve Austria isn’t my congressman, although I am embarrassed to say he comes from my part of Ohio. He represented Beavercreek in Greene County for years in the state senate, and he now displays his ignorance of history for all to see. Fortunately, the Dayton Daily News took him to task for his stupidity. It sounds as if he’s been listening to the historical ignorance of Amity Shlaes.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/oh/story/opinions/editorial/2009/02/12/ddn021209austria2xxmg.html