$2 Million for a Presidential Yacht?

[FORD]

$2 Million for a Presidential Yacht?

http://deantv.typepad.com/deantv/laconianh3.JPG
By Gov. Howard Dean, M.D.
This is one in a series of weekly syndicated columns written by Governor Howard Dean.

Immediately after Election Day, President Bush promised that he would use his political capital to bring unity back to America. Less than a month later, he is about to sign a spending bill which voids all those nice words and promises. It is not what the President says that matters, it is what he does that counts.

These are a few things which the spending bill contains:

Pell grants will become unavailable for 85,000 students that were receiving them and another 1.2 million students will have their Pell Grant funding decreased. On the other hand, the bill appropriates $2 million to buy a presidential yacht.

Farmers lose over $400 million of soil conservation money. On the other hand, the bill funds the American Cotton Museum in Texas.

The President's commitment to education remains under funded by roughly $400 million from what the President promised in order to support local schools under "No Child Left Behind." On the other hand, the president has agreed to sign over $1 million for seafood marketing efforts in Alaska—home of Senate Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens.

Even worse, the money for this bill does not exist. Every penny of these appropriations adds to the deficit. Why? Because two weeks ago, the Republicans passed and the President signed a bill authorizing nearly an additional $2 trillion dollars of borrowing, which our children and grandchildren will have to pay back—with interest. Two weeks before that, the President signed a bill giving $139 billion to big corporations like oil and tobacco companies and even Chinese manufacturers of ceiling fans.

One of the most spectacular parts of this week's bill, added in by Rep. Ernest Istook (R—Okla.), allows the staff members of congressmen and senators to rummage through any American's tax returns. Fortunately, Senator Kent Conrad (D—N.D.) of North Dakota noticed this while it was being rushed through Congress to get to the President's desk. As of this writing, this provision has not been taken out of the bill—so nosey congressmen, senators and their staffs will be able to pry through your tax returns.

Americans deserve a better government than this. I very much hope that Democrats will provide at least a strong opposition force to this kind of spending and to these kinds of gross invasions of personal privacy, which the President's party apparently thinks are justified.

I hope the Democrats and moderate Republicans in Congress will stand up for better priorities than this administration has, no matter how nice the President's words. Nice words will not save our farmers, our environment and our schools. Nice words will not protect the privacy of our tax records. Leaders who understand the value of a dollar will protect us and our children, and leaders who respect Americans as individuals will give America back the kind of country we deserve.

I do not believe it is our job to support a philosophy, which can be summed up as "Borrow and Spend, Borrow and Spend". Loyal and patriotic Americans have an obligation to their country to stand up for fiscal policies which make America stronger, not weaker.

link (http://www.democracyforamerica.com/features/2004/11/29/2_million_for_a_presidential_yacht.php)

[Nickdfresh]

Outrageous!

[Seshmeister]

But there's no money for body armour for marines?

[ODShowtime]

I wanna know more about this presidential yacht bullshit. Don't those bush fuckers already have yachts and jets and all that shit?

[Big Train]

There is body armour for Marines.

The boat I actually don't care about. President of the most powerful country in the world should be big pimpin and 2 mil is a drop in the bucket of the trillion dollar budgets they are dealing with.

Again, it comes back to what I said last week (I'm not going to try to defend the rest of the bill, especially when I don't know who tacked what on), we absolutely NEED to reform the way bills get passed in this country. A bill for farmers should only be about farmers. No tack on's for a social program or a fuckin boat for that matter. That is what creates these spending defecits in the first place. In order to get a billion for road improvements, you have to spend a billion and a half for social programs and funding a condom museum in Fargo.

[Snow Ho]

:(

[Mezro]

Politicians will always spend our money; it is part of the ego trip and it is a big part of their bloated game.

Mezro...sucks that we work hard to give the powers that be Monopoly money...

[Warham]

If Howard Dean was president, it'd be no different.

[ODShowtime]

Originally posted by Big Train
we absolutely NEED to reform the way bills get passed in this country. A bill for farmers should only be about farmers. No tack on's for a social program or a fuckin boat for that matter. That is what creates these spending defecits in the first place. In order to get a billion for road improvements, you have to spend a billion and a half for social programs and funding a condom museum in Fargo.


I agree 100% with this. Too bad the people who could stop it are the people who benefit from it. And they are all unfettered now. Nothing stopping them from porking things up worse than ever.

[FORD]

Originally posted by Warham
If Howard Dean was president, it'd be no different.

Governor Dean's record in Vermont says otherwise.

[Warham]

Governor Dean, like any other president, is not going to change the face of Washington.

I don't care what he's a doctor of.

:D

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by Big Train
There is body armour for Marines.

...we absolutely NEED to reform the way bills get passed in this country. A bill for farmers should only be about farmers. No tack on's for a social program or a fuckin boat for that matter. That is what creates these spending defecits in the first place. In order to get a billion for road improvements, you have to spend a billion and a half for social programs and funding a condom museum in Fargo.

The way bills are presented is shameful. They are rammed through the houses so quickly no one can actually see all the bill entails.

[aesop]

Just look in West Virginia. Half of all pork buried in those bills ends up in Robert C. Byrd's back yard.

Driving thorough there for work not long ago, I saw Robert C. Byrd-stamped manhole covers!

Some Prime Pork:

Other Byrd Projects
Robert C. Byrd Drive, from Beckley to Sophia (Byrd's hometown)
Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia
Robert C. Byrd Cancer Research Center
Robert C. Byrd Technology Center at Alderson-Broaddus College
Robert C. Byrd Hardwood Technologies Center, near Princeton
Robert C. Byrd Bridge between Huntington and Chesapeake, Ohio
Robert C. Byrd addition to the lodge at Oglebay Park, Wheeling
Robert C. Byrd Community Center, Pine Grove
Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships
Robert C. Byrd Expressway, U.S. 52 near Weirton
Robert C. Byrd Institute in Charleston
Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing
Robert C. Byrd Visitor Center at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park
Robert C. Byrd Federal Courthouse
Robert C. Byrd Academic and Technology Center
Robert C. Byrd United Technical Center
Robert C. Byrd Federal Building
Robert C. Byrd Hilltop Office Complex
Robert C. Byrd Library and Robert C. Byrd Learning Resource Center
Robert C. Byrd Rural Health Center

Robert C. Byrd Clinical Addition to the veteran's hospital in Huntington

Robert C. Byrd Industrial Park, Hardy County

Robert C. Byrd Scholastic Recognition Award
Robert C. Byrd Community Center in the naval station, Sugar Grove
"L'etat, c'est Moi": Words from the King
"Having the title [of Appropriations chairman] is fine, but not having the money is sobering."

________________________

Just blame the JackAsses that re-elect these mothball- ridden mummies.

[Big Train]

Wow, have we found an issue we are all actually in agreement on? Scary....

[aesop]

Originally posted by Big Train
Wow, have we found an issue we are all actually in agreement on? Scary....

Hmm... It is a little unnerving, isn't it.

[ODShowtime]

We agree on tons of stuff. It's gw&friend's bullshit machine that has us at each other's throats all the time.

[TLR]

Originally posted by Warham
If Howard Dean was president, it'd be no different.

Yeah, it would. It would be worse...

[Big Train]

I find that statement hilarious, Ford. When it's GW & Friends (coined by OD) working together, it's some sort of "evil cartel" , but when it's Vermont f/the Howard Dean Dancers, it's somehow "different". The reason he gets stuff done is that the whole damn state agrees with him, at least the politicians.

[Warham]

Vermont has like five people that live there.

Dean can't cut it in the big time.

[Mezro]

Originally posted by aesop
Just look in West Virginia. Half of all pork buried in those bills ends up in Robert C. Byrd's back yard.

Driving thorough there for work not long ago, I saw Robert C. Byrd-stamped manhole covers!

Looks like Byrd is the word.

Mezro...the Robert C. Byrd commemorative turd...

[High Life Man]

I hate that Pell Grant bullshit.

Fuck you.

Do what I did, get a fucking job and take out some loans. If you want it bad enough, the money is out there to borrow.

Yeah, it sucks to have to pay the $$$ back, but I'm better off for it.

[Big Train]

I say the opposite: Fuck that.

If I had the Pell grants, I wouldn't have had all those credit problems after graduating.

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by High Life Man
I hate that Pell Grant bullshit.

Fuck you.

Do what I did, get a fucking job and take out some loans. If you want it bad enough, the money is out there to borrow.

Yeah, it sucks to have to pay the $$$ back, but I'm better off for it.

Meanwhile, we pay taxes for foreigners to go to our Universities.
:gulp:

[Dr. Love]

You can't simply blame the President for this without blaming everyone that voted to include that in the bill.

If you wanna blame a President for a bill presented by Congress, give him back line-item veto power so he can remove rediculous items from a bill.

[franksters]

Originally posted by BigBadBrian
Meanwhile, we pay taxes for foreigners to go to our Universities.
:gulp:

so how do you like being fucked up the ass by someone you don't even know? like I said he is a dictator and soon you guys will have no more freedom anywhere...

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by franksters
so how do you like being fucked up the ass by someone you don't even know? like I said he is a dictator and soon you guys will have no more freedom anywhere...


How does it feel not to even comprehend most of the posts here on this board. A true pity, isn't it froggy? :gulp:

[Guitar Shark]

Originally posted by Dr. Love
You can't simply blame the President for this without blaming everyone that voted to include that in the bill.

If you wanna blame a President for a bill presented by Congress, give him back line-item veto power so he can remove rediculous items from a bill.

Right on Doc. Restoring the line-item veto is the way to go.

[Steve Savicki]

Bush, how much money will you have left over in your personal oil funds account after you purchase this yacht?

Originally posted by Seshmeister
But there's no money for body armour for marines?
Or for schools for our children who are our future?:(

[Steve Savicki]

Originally posted by Mezro
Looks like Byrd is the word.
Everybody's talkin' about the Byrd.

May as well relieve the agression by playing the Ramone's remake.

[Ally_Kat]

Originally posted by Steve Savicki

Or for schools for our children who are our future?:(

Doesn't our country spend the most on education per student? Last time I checked we were.

[Phil theStalker]

Civil war is coming.

Are you ready?


P

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by Phil theStalker
Civil war is coming.

Are you ready?


P

No. My M1A2 Abrams main battle tank is in the shop, my M-16 is broken, and my pants are too tight. Guess I'll have to sit this one out!

[Phil theStalker]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
No. My M1A2 Abrams main battle tank is in the shop, my M-16 is broken, and my pants are too tight. Guess I'll have to sit this one out!
You write like a dead man.

You are dead.

They (who are they?) don't have enough tanks for the "new" offensive in Iraq and they're pulling 1,000 tanks, and tank crews of soldiers, out of S. Korea to send to Iraq.

MOMMY !

A good deer rifle is all you need.

Anything else you'll be able to get off of the dead bodies of "foreign assets" that come knocking on your door.

This country will be taken back after a big world war.


P

[Phil theStalker]

And you won't be here to see it.

You're dead already.


P

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by Phil theStalker
You write like a dead man.

You are dead.

They (who are they?) don't have enough tanks for the "new" offensive in Iraq and they're pulling 1,000 tanks, and tank crews of soldiers, out of S. Korea to send to Iraq.

MOMMY !

A good deer rifle is all you need.

Anything else you'll be able to get off of the dead bodies of "foreign assets" that come knocking on your door.

This country will be taken back after a big world war.


P

And you write like a clueless deluded fool that has no rational grasp of the shit he brings up! You want to go set off bombs 'cause your pissed off Phil? Because you think the election was stolen? Go ahead, what's stopping you blogger? Go refight the your local delusional, romantiscized version of the Spanish Civil War! But you get no sympathy from me when they line you up against a wall.

Actually I can't really figure out if you are a radical extremist left winger (as you seem to portend) or a paranoid militia-joining right wing anarchist, because you seem to combine the worst elements of both, yet you are devoid of any of the redeeming qualities I can relate to in each!

[ODShowtime]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
yet you are devoid of any of the redeeming qualities I can relate to in each!

I beg to differ. He is quite entertaining to me.

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by ODShowtime
I beg to differ. He is quite entertaining to me.

I agree! He is to me as well. But he's such a fucking wingnut at times!

[Phil theStalker]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
And you write like a clueless deluded fool that has no rational grasp of the
?
to combine the worst elements of both, yet you are devoid of any of the redeeming qualities I can relate to in each!
i forgot wot i was going t2o say

[Phil theStalker]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
And you write like a clueless deluded fool that has no rational grasp of the shit he brings up! You want to go set off bombs 'cause your pissed off Phil? Because you think the election was stolen? Go ahead, what's stopping you blogger? Go refight the your local delusional, romantiscized version of the Spanish Civil War! But you get no sympathy from me when they line you up against a wall.

Actually I can't really figure out if you are a radical extremist left winger (as you seem to portend) or a paranoid militia-joining right wing anarchist, because you seem to combine the worst elements of both, yet you are devoid of any of the redeeming qualities I can relate to in each!
Hey look, everybody's got their opinion and everybody's got a right to their own opinion (f4or now), point aff fakking view, etc..

Thank you for your point of view.;)

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by Phil theStalker
Hey look, everybody's got their opinion and everybody's got a right to their own opinion (f4or now), point aff fakking view, etc..

Thank you for your point of view.;)

Agreed!

[Seshmeister]

Originally posted by BigBadBrian
Meanwhile, we pay taxes for foreigners to go to our Universities.
:gulp:

And we pay taxes so Americans can go to ours, hell some of them are my pals.

I guess it all evens out...

[Seshmeister]

Originally posted by Phil theStalker
A good deer rifle is all you need.


What about a cheap rifle...

[Phil theStalker]

Originally posted by Seshmeister
What about a cheap rifle...
That would do good, too. An air rifle would do good if you just want to eat. Look at all the birds. At least get an air rifle and stock up on pellets for shooting food when you'll need to.


P

[Dr. Love]

Originally posted by Guitar Shark
Right on Doc. Restoring the line-item veto is the way to go.

Yep.


But I misjudged the thread; I didn't realize it was a let's all make innuendos about the other party suckin'.


Silly me. ;)

[FORD]

What happenned to the Presidential line item veto anyway? I remember Reagan lobbied for it his entire term, as did Clinton, who I thought actually succeeded in getting it passed.

Actually, in Junior's case, I'm glad he doesn't have it. Not because he's an alleged "Republican", but because his theocratic fascist agenda would have him even editing conservative bills that in any way opposed the PNAC agenda.

[Dr. Love]

Clinton got it, and then it was ruled unconstitutional in '98, I believe.