Ga. legislators succumbing to rainmakers’ spiel
Back in the old days, a breed known as “rainmakers” would travel rural, unsophisticated areas of the country promising that — for an upfront fee of course — they could bring rain to drought-stricken farmland. If you read Sunday’s story by the AJC’s James Salzer, you might come to the conclusion that the breed has never gone away entirely. It has merely changed its sales pitch.
As Salzer reports, out-of-state companies have come to Georgia pitching what they call CAPCOs. It works like this:
1.) Thanks to a new law, insurance companies are given the right to contribute up to $125 million to private CAPCOs that otherwise would have been paid to the state. (The insurance companies are later repaid a share of that $125 million as an inducement to participate).
2.) CAPCO operators — the people pushing the plan in Georgia — use the $125 million to invest in local small businesses. They get paid management fees for handling the money. Even though it’s not their capital at risk, they get whatever profit the investment produces. In the end, they even get to keep the $125 million investment capital.
3.) By funneling state revenue into the hands of private investors, the state supposedly gets jobs and investment but no share of the profit. The jobs, however, are notoriously difficult to count. And as Salzer recounts, several states have tried the CAPCO approach, often producing more disappointment than employment:
“If they sold deals like this to naive little old ladies, they would go to prison,” said Republican state Sen. Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, where a similar program has drawn criticism. “I don’t know what should happen to you if you sell deals like this to naive legislators.”
… Julia Sass Rubin, an associate public policy professor at Rutgers University and a leading critic of the CAPCO model, said states have much more cost-efficient ways to invest in small businesses to create jobs.
“The CAPCO is the classic $200 million toilet,” she said. “You don’t ask, ‘Does it flush?’ You ask, ‘Why did you pay $200 million for a toilet?’ ”
CAPCO promoters have an advocate in state Rep. Ben Harbin of Augusta, one of the more influential members of the House. The chief Georgia lobbyist for the plan, former state senator Pete Robinson, is a longtime friend of Gov. Nathan Deal and served on Deal’s transition team. Deal also backs the CAPCO approach.
The plan passed the state House on the next-to-last day of the 2011 session. When the Legislature reconvenes in January, it will be one Senate vote away from Deal’s signature.
Once that happens, the rains will start falling from the heavens, and the crops will rise green and lush from the moist Georgia earth. Or so we’re promised.
– Jay Bookman
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342 comments Add your comment
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 24th, 2011
10:20 am
Scout is back to whine about Obama acting by the Executive Branch…funny, I don’t hear much from Scout when Republicans used regulations to try to stop abortions or when Republicans vow to use executive orders to stop Obamacare….. Wonder why that is? Perhaps it again lies in the fact that hatred surpasses all ability to think rationally for the Box 23/26 birthers and crazies
Bosch
October 24th, 2011
10:20 am
kayaker,
In other words, you are using OLD data and trying to pass it off as relevant today in the now in vain just to try to score cheap shots at Obama. That’s ridiculous and your bs will be called out every single time (well, maybe not now since Bookman has decided to ignore you).
getalife
October 24th, 2011
10:21 am
With the gop cowardly not voting on the President’s job bill, we have joined Europe on austerity only.
This will prolong our recession and the gop are to blame.
So, lets stop the mindless attacks on our President on our economy.
It is what you cons wanted.
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
10:22 am
AmVet:
A couple of quick points:
1) Whatever the true % is for unemployment, it’s basically (with a few exceptions) the fault of the Obama administration …………….. translation …………. “it’s not working” !!!
2) Employment will never be at 100%. Let’s say it someday gets down to 1%. The 1% not YET hired should be just the type out there “occupying”.
3) With few exceptions, a recruiter for a private business, corporate industry or the government would be NUTS to hire those type of people …………… nothing but trouble down the road.
4) Bottom line ……………. BETTER QUALIFIED APPLICANTS.
4)
2)
TaxPayer
October 24th, 2011
10:22 am
I would add all cons lost credibility here a long time ago.
We do find them laughable now and fun to engage.
Tis true but one must be careful not to call them out for their inability to support their claims with facts too often or else they might take their ball and go to Kyle’s hood.
Jm
October 24th, 2011
10:22 am
I guess Jay has nothing to say about Volker’s comments about the GSE’s and congress.
Silence says everything…..
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
10:23 am
Goodfight:
November 2012 !
Hard Earned Tax Dollars
October 24th, 2011
10:24 am
Jm says…And Amvet blames the GOP for 26% unemployment when for 2 years Dems controlled EVERYTHING
and…. So I stopped reading
When referring to the state of Georgia (Republican) ruled/control for almost a decade, Old Sonny and Nathan own this one!!
Jm
October 24th, 2011
10:24 am
Fact: everyone is a liar except for the Lib himself
Buck Hayek
October 24th, 2011
10:25 am
Bush Socialism =
1- $700 billion mandatory purchase of bank stock (TARP)
2- takeover of old folks pharma benefits (Medicare Part D)
3- $300 checks to all (2008 stimulus)
4- putting Fannie/Freddie into conservatorship rather than bankruptcy Oct 2008
5- handing out $10,000 downpayments for home purchases (American Dream Downpayment Act)
6- $2 trillion nation building effort in Iraq
Obama is a mere piker in the socialist realm.
TaxPayer
October 24th, 2011
10:26 am
Poor Scout,
He’s so confused.
St Simons - we're on Island time
October 24th, 2011
10:26 am
One more time.
Demand is a reason to create a job. ROI is the outcome.
If this was legit, why would you need my (Georgia’s) money?
Dang socialist Republicans & insurance lookin for gubmint handout.
Really, this is what happens when a subculture touts (and votes in) ignorance as some kind of “folksy virtue”. You end up with goobers & ignorance (see US govt 2001-2008). They’re not folksy, and dang sure not virtuous (Health care for all – that’s virtuous). My grandaddy called them “carpetbaggin scum”. Alsoo too, the cons are mixing their messages with this one. Its hard to screech “too minny reg-u-lations” when you’re passing a NEW law so you can bilk taxpayers.
Bosch
October 24th, 2011
10:27 am
“Dems controlled EVERYTHING”
jm, Dems sure as hell haven’t controlled things here in GA, where unemployment is way above the national average.
“Silence says everything…..”
Or maybe he just isn’t that into you jm. Most of us aren’t.
Jay
October 24th, 2011
10:27 am
Amvet, that comment has been pulled down and a repeat will get you banned.
bman
October 24th, 2011
10:28 am
Fisker also got about 1/2 billion to build a $100,000 electric car….in Finland. CAPCO isn’t the worst deal out there…
getalife
October 24th, 2011
10:28 am
“might take their ball and go to Kyle’s hood.”
True but they are so much fun, I go over there to engage them too.
I even got Kyle to comment on The Obama doctrine when there is no Obama doctrine.
I doubt he will engage me again.
My own version of a scout hole if you will.
Fair is fair.
jm
October 24th, 2011
10:28 am
“Obama is a mere piker in the socialist realm.”
lie
Jay
October 24th, 2011
10:28 am
jm, i guess you missed my earlier response:
What Volcker comments?
Joe COOL
October 24th, 2011
10:28 am
We can all play Kayacker “facts”..lol
Facts on Government Motors:
61% owned by the getafile
17.5% owned by the Ajc
9.8% owned by GG
9.8% owned by bond holders from the old Big Chicken
Grand total of 98%.
Now thats how Kayacker comes up with “facts”
Paul
October 24th, 2011
10:28 am
Jm
“I guess Jay has nothing to say about Volker’s comments about the GSE’s and congress.
Silence says everything…..”
Silence?
Jay’s addressed many of those points over the past couple years. Perhaps you missed those threads.
They’re in the archives.
Mick
October 24th, 2011
10:29 am
There are some here who hate this president so much that they can’t seem to grasp the hypocrisy of their words, try reading before typing than think about it before you hit submit…
AmVet
October 24th, 2011
10:29 am
Corporal, your first point is a childish lie. I have real bad news for you, this widespread devastation did not begin on January 21, 2009. What rock have you been living under?
BTW, do you ever make a post without ad hominems and a variety of other sophist logical fallacies?
You second one is accurate, though irrelevant.
Your third one and fourth one are more bald-face lies based on your ignorant and childish speculation. Nothing more than your usual fact-free drivel.
The next two actually make the most sense…
TaxPayer
October 24th, 2011
10:30 am
And Amvet blames the GOP for 26% unemployment when for 2 years Dems controlled EVERYTHING
The Dems controlled hiring and firing all across the US!!!! Well Dayham!!! No wonders we is in so muches trubble. Its da trubble wit tribbles. Why is it that just reading a conned post kills brain cells.
Welcome to the occupation (Trotsky)
October 24th, 2011
10:30 am
Buck Hayek 10:25. Mandatory reading.
“Obama is a mere piker in the socialist realm.”
Jm
October 24th, 2011
10:30 am
Hard earned 10:24 I agree
Jay, no I saw it and referenced the posted comments near the top of page 2
Mick
October 24th, 2011
10:32 am
The modern day republican party is made up of zombies and truth denialists, recede noisily into the minority, your rightful place…
Paul
October 24th, 2011
10:33 am
Trotsky
’bout a year ago I referenced comments by leading American socialists wherein they stated Pres Obama is no more a socialist than James Bond is a real spy.
Made no difference.
The mantra just keeps on flowing. Blocks the need for real thinking, you see -
getalife
October 24th, 2011
10:33 am
I own 61 % of GM?
Wow, I do own two GM cars but 61 % is a stretch.
Jm
October 24th, 2011
10:33 am
Jay, my 9:32 post to be exact
AmVet
October 24th, 2011
10:33 am
Understood Mr. Bookman. And apologies to you and the other folks here. I am not planning on riding the Dave R train.
But as I wrote, it was worth the yellow card. (grin)
And now I will give myself a time-out to go be a good lil’ capitalist…
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
10:35 am
AmVet:
Personal attacks vs. debate. Not surprising.
I see you just got banned ………… must have been a doozie.
Paul
October 24th, 2011
10:35 am
AmVet
Thanks for asking yourself ‘is it worth falling on my sword?”
and for discerning the correct answer!
Welcome to the occupation (Trotsky)
October 24th, 2011
10:36 am
Paul: “The mantra just keeps on flowing. Blocks the need for real thinking, you see -”
As Plato pointed out centuries ago, no human passion is more powerful than the passion for stupidity. People cling to untruth, myth, outright lies as though to a life raft.
Joe COOL
October 24th, 2011
10:37 am
getalife
October 24th, 2011
10:33 am
lol….thats how “facts” are with some of these CONs. Just make em up as you go.
TaxPayer
October 24th, 2011
10:38 am
Republicans have no choice but to post and re-post lies because they have no truthes that will do so much as maintain the support of their still conned minions. Let them, for example, pull out the Paul Ryan yellowbrick roadmap again and try to resell that one to the nation’s Social Security and Medicare recipients.
Go for it!
Bosch
October 24th, 2011
10:38 am
“I see you just got banned ………… must have been a doozie.”
No, Scout he didn’t.
Bosch
October 24th, 2011
10:39 am
Hi Ya! Paul! Good weekend?
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
10:39 am
Headline: “Key general: Iraq pullout plan a ‘disaster’ … ”
“U.S. troops will be vacating Iraq at a time when neither Baghdad’s counterterrorism skills nor its abilities to protect against invasion are at levels needed to fully protect the country, say analysts long involved in the nearly nine-year war.”
Sounds like 1972 to me.
Jm
October 24th, 2011
10:39 am
909 won’t raise as much revenue as 999
Cain backpedal. Ok by me but others will crucify him. And he hasn’t proposed how to actually balance the budget as far as I can tell
getalife
October 24th, 2011
10:40 am
Joe Cool,
I wish I owned 61 % of GM
Hard Earned Tax Dollars
October 24th, 2011
10:40 am
Wish that I could blog at work but it has been outawed! Check back later!!
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
10:40 am
Bosch:
Excuse me ……….. I meant a post pulled.
But you knew that.
C from Marietta
October 24th, 2011
10:40 am
Hey Jay,
How about that wonderful democracy coming to Libya?
JB
October 24th, 2011
10:41 am
OBAMA=one big a** mistake america. …..Soon to be gone. His own party running from him. Hooray.
Jm
October 24th, 2011
10:41 am
Maybe Jay is experiencing true visual “selection bias” and can’t see my earlier Volker post
TruthBe
October 24th, 2011
10:41 am
Obama is a disaster as the president. He should go back and work for Acorn and the corrupt socialists inwhich he was good at. All most all of you African Americans voted for Obama because he’s black and you will do it again because of your reverse racism. Obama has been bad for the economy and jobs of all Citizens including African Americans. That includes some of you fans of Jay. The media will again give Obama a free pass on his politics and bad record. The media is so corrupt today that they have very little creditably. That includes the ajc.
mm
October 24th, 2011
10:41 am
“Solyndra alone was more than twice this amount, given to a company that was already failing,”
The BS talking point that will never die. You righties couldn’t come up with an original thought if you life depended on it.
USMC
October 24th, 2011
10:42 am
“Is there ANYTHING that state or local officials can do that can’t be made acceptable by the mere mention of the magic word “Obama”?”–Jay
LOL! Jay you must have had too much spiked “punch” and hash/pot “brownies” at the Little 5 points Halloween parade on Saturday.
All we have heard from you and your minions, Obama, and the LEFT since 2007 is “It’s BUSH’s fault” for every issue from state and local to federal and International issues.
Unbelievable the double standard and Hypocrisy; only on Jay Bookman’s blog!
TruthBe
October 24th, 2011
10:43 am
Obama’s pull out of Iraq is only for his own interests to get re-elected. Obama is a dishonest pig.
Mick
October 24th, 2011
10:44 am
1811
So what do you want to do, stay there forever? Make up your mind please. Oh, there’s nothing to make up because everything this president does in your world is bad, bad, bad. You kind of are a one trick pony, maybe time to learn some new tricks?
Buck Hayek
October 24th, 2011
10:45 am
Bush – 61% of presidential experts name him worst President in US history.
http://hnn.us/articles/48916.html
and 35% put his second worst – behind James Buchanan.
Jm
October 24th, 2011
10:46 am
Truthbe
He’s a skinny porker
Midori
October 24th, 2011
10:46 am
“You have forfeited all credibility.”
can’t miss what you never had……..
Paul
October 24th, 2011
10:47 am
Bosch
Yes, thank you. Mom is recovering, in a therapy rehab facility for probably a month. (I think she appreciated it when I told her “all my life I’ve wanted to say “My Mom’s in Rehab!!!”" – told her I know a guy who can make us t-shirts) and the physical therapy’s going well. Strain was a bit much on Dad as he’d taken a bad fall two weeks prior so I was able to help a lot on the day to day and he was feeling much better when I left. I’ll go back next week for a few days.
Gotta get a mobile hotspot set up for the laptop- I missed out on way too much fun here.
And the Series is 2-2. Two good teams trading wins. What a series should be.
And how was yours?
getalife
October 24th, 2011
10:47 am
c,
They have not voted in Libya yet.
Tunisia is going well.
usmc,
You have to keep up with tb on con talking points.
You are slipping .
Peadawg
October 24th, 2011
10:48 am
“Obama’s pull out of Iraq is only for his own interests to get re-elected. Obama is a dishonest pig.”
He only pulled out after negotiations w/ Iraq to keep soldiers there past December 31st broke down. Dishonest? Absolutely.
“I fulfilled my campaign promise….only after I almost didn’t”
Paul
October 24th, 2011
10:49 am
Hi Midori!!!
Feeling better, I hope?
Joe COOL
October 24th, 2011
10:51 am
LOL @ TruthBe.
Bless ya heart
getalife
October 24th, 2011
10:52 am
pea,
The mic wanted to stay but our President kept his promise.
It is as simple as that.
Butch Cassidy
October 24th, 2011
10:53 am
Wait, am I reading this correctly? The same people that bitch about Obama not keeping his promise to get us out of Iraq, are now bitching because he’s keeping his promise to get us out of Iraq?
Doesn’t anyone ever get dizzy from all the spinning?
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
10:53 am
Mick:
I think Obama would be wise to listen to the advice from his generals rather than the advice of his staff who says he needs to do that to retain his very libeal base if he wants re-elected.
Otherwise, you tell me what was the purpose of the American lives lost (during both administrations)?
If Obama had pulled out every trooper the day after his Inauguration, at least I could “understand” his actions. This is just politics.
JF McNamara
October 24th, 2011
10:53 am
Now I know where Deal is going to work when he gets out of office.
Bosch
October 24th, 2011
10:54 am
“But you knew that.”
No, Scout, I didn’t, because that’s not what you wrote.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 24th, 2011
10:54 am
A one trick pony? More likely the only trick is the pile that is left behind after every post. No wait….. a pile left behind by a pony at least has some value to it. The nonsense of the little corporal result in posts which stacked end from end could not fill Box 23
Welcome to the occupation (Trotsky)
October 24th, 2011
10:54 am
TruthBe: “Obama is a disaster as the president. He should go back and work for Acorn and the corrupt socialists inwhich he was good at. ”
Keep clinging to that life raft.
“All most all of you African Americans voted for Obama because he’s black and you will do it again because of your reverse racism”
So, what do you call your position then, reverse-reverse racism?
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
10:55 am
P.S. Mick:
We still have troops in South Korea ……………. for a reason.
The day we leave is the day the North Koreans will probably come across that border.
getalife
October 24th, 2011
10:56 am
Butch,
I quote Jim Wooten on that one.
“My head spins”.
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
10:57 am
Bosch:
“No, Scout, I didn’t, because that’s not what you wrote.”
Well, posting something which would require a reply from someone who had been “banned” vs. just have a “post pulled” is self explanatory.
getalife
October 24th, 2011
10:57 am
scout,
Yeah, look at Vietnam.
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
10:58 am
Good Fight @ 10:54:
More personal attacks from Good Fight.
Jay
October 24th, 2011
10:58 am
I agree with everything Volcker says in that speech, jm. The thrust of his remarks is here:
By now it is pretty clear that it was faith in the techniques of modern finance, stoked in part by the apparent huge financial rewards, that enabled the extremes of leverage, the economic imbalances, and the pretenses of the credit rating agencies to persist so long. A relaxed approach of regulators and important legislative liberalization reflected the new financial Zeitgeist.”
He argues in favor of things that you have opposed, such as tighter capital requirements. He wants greater oversight of money market funds, as well as requirements that companies rotate auditors. He advocates Dodd-Frank as a BEGINNING point, i.e., “The newly enacted prohibitions on proprietary trading and strong limits on sponsorship of hedge and equity funds should be much more significant.”
I agree with him on the GSEs as well. He approaches them from the same point of view that he uses to address banks that are “too big to fail (TBTF).” In both cases, because they can call on taxpayer bailouts, GSEs and TBTFs are encouraged to take too much risk, with too little “moral hazard” involved.
I agree. (Note that Volcker refers to “extremely lax, government-TOLERATED underwriting standards.” Not government-imposed. Government-tolerated.)
So what’s your point?
Paul
October 24th, 2011
10:59 am
Scout
“I think Obama would be wise to listen to the advice from his generals ”
I’d think that an ex-military guy, even at the level you served, would know the Commander in Chief establishes the concept of what will be done and the military makes recommendations on how to achieve it.
The military does not go to the president and say ‘this is what we think you should do in this area.’
The military advice was for the objectives laid out by Pres Bush and continued by Pres Obama. Pres Obama modified it by updating objectives. Appears some of the military leadership was still stuck on ‘this is what we used to be doing.’
TaxPayer
October 24th, 2011
10:59 am
The conned think that just because they like what they hear on the FOXy Blues teevee and on SmallTalk AM Radio, it simply must be the truth.
But once the Republicans won the majority here in Georgia and things still showed no improvement after implementing all their wunnerful policies, the talk of all that ails us still all being the Democrat’s fault should start sounding some little bitty alarms in anyone with a minimal number of synapsies still firing up there. Of course there’s always future Armaggeddon Days to look forward to. There’s 11/20/2011 and then there’s 12/20/2012…
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
10:59 am
getalife:
Exactly ………… only in the case of North Vietnam it took them three years (1975) to get back up to strength to invade South Vietnam because we gave them such a pummeling during the 1972 Easter Offensive.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 24th, 2011
10:59 am
So North Korea is going to invade Iraq when we leave? Did Bush negotiated a South Korean withdrawal timetable too that the South Koreans have asked that we leave? I vote we leave general and some petit corporals behind!
Edward
October 24th, 2011
11:00 am
If the troops remained in Iraq, the GOP would be campaigning on Obama’s failure to adhere to his promise to bring the troops home. Now that he’s bringing them home, they must now campaign on continuing a war that should have never been. Hey GOP, how do you propose to keep paying for Iraq? How about some reduction of corporate welfare? And now I see old Saxby voted against ceasing to pay millionaire farmers government subsidies… is that a surprise? Since old Saxby gets his own share of those subsidies, he’s just another welfare queen.
You GOP teabaggers are a laugh a minute.
Bosch
October 24th, 2011
11:01 am
Paul! You bet I’ll make Mama Paul a shirt! Whatever color she wants!!
Sorry ’bout your dad too! Apollo fell down the stairs this morning, mis-stepped the bottom two and landed on his head….not to compare the pup to your Dad, just to lighten the mood.
Ya’ gotta be aware of things when they start falling — my dad used to fall all the time before my mom died, he fixed that by not leaving the recliner (or the house for that matter) except to go get some food and go to the bathroom!
My weekend was full of major physical labor stuff — my back may never recover.
Granny Godzilla
October 24th, 2011
11:01 am
Scout
“I think Obama would be wise to listen to the advice from his generals rather than the advice of his staff who says he needs to do that to retain his very libeal base if he wants re-elected.”
So who of his staff advised otherwise/
Keane retired in 2003.
Watcha’ got?
Anything?
TaxPayer
October 24th, 2011
11:02 am
BOX 23! Uh Oh! Someone yelled “Squirrel” in Scout language.
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
11:03 am
Paul:
I hear you but I am betting in this case the president asked, they advised him and he rejected it for political (not sound military) reasons.
The current on duty generals will not say anything (and shouldn’t) as he is the Commander in Chief.
That’s why the “retired” generals speak up on behalf of those still serving ……….. it’s just the way it’s done.
That said, General Green (Commandant of the Marine Corps) stated that durng the Johnson Administration, his biggest regret is that he and the rest of the Joint Chiefs did not resign “en masse” over Johnson’s inane handling of the war (they discussed it).
Bosch
October 24th, 2011
11:03 am
Hi Midori!!
Ya’ been feeling poorly? Hope all is better!!
Paul
October 24th, 2011
11:04 am
Scout
“The day we leave is the day the North Koreans will probably come across that border.”
Are you seriously making the case that less than 30,000 military is all that keeps the North from invading South Korea? That the 30,000 US, added to the ROK forces, is sufficient to turn back an invasion? Really?
Jm
October 24th, 2011
11:04 am
Jay
I have not argued against higher capital requirements. Quite the contrary
Furthermore, I remember your arguments vociferously pointing out “how little” of the subprime debt was owned by the GSE’s therefore they weren’t at fault, it was Wall St you said.
Which version do you stand by now? I think it’s fine to change one’s mind. It appears you have done so.
I’m glad to hear you think the GSE’s deserve a huge amount of blame, and that Congress as their regulator bears that blame too. In particular the House FInServ Committee.
n
October 24th, 2011
11:05 am
More .smoke and mirrors lawmaking. Almost all Republican sponsored legislation over the past decade has served primarily as a vehicle for direct or indirect wealth transfer from the taxpayers to the inner circle of politicians and their businessmen/corporate cronies. They happily starve government, education, public works, infrastructure repair, natural resources, the courts, DA’s Offices, etc., while they continuously seeks new and ever more devious and deceptive methods to soak the taxpayers. They think we are fools; and alas they may be right.
TaxPayer
October 24th, 2011
11:05 am
You cons over here should at least try to coordinate your trash talk with Kyle. After all, he was just bragging about how Obama was doing as Bush planned with his withdrawal from Iraq.
Jay
October 24th, 2011
11:05 am
So Scout, given that the Iraqi authorities have made it absolutely crystal clear that they will not extend prosecution immunity to US soldiers, meaning that our men and women would be subject to Iraqi (Koran-based!!) laws, courts, judges and prisons, what would you have Obama do?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 24th, 2011
11:05 am
Scout, not personal at all. They are only “personal” to your posts and not comments about you. You do comprehend the difference. Attacking your posts as worthless is not only acceptable, truth is a defense.
Taxpayer
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
11:05 am
Granny:
If you can’t see this as a political vs. military decision I can’t help you.
Even Hillary is warning Iran (wonder if Obama approved that)?
Time will tell but let’s discuss again down the road if Iraq takes the fall.
Got to run …………… everyone (who can) be respectful to posters
Jm
October 24th, 2011
11:06 am
Volker also said this:
“if the government wants to guarantee mortgages for certain low income people, ok, but I wouldn’t do much of it.”
Granny Godzilla
October 24th, 2011
11:07 am
Scout
So…since you are just guessing after all
it very well could be that all his Generals are hi-fiving each other at the prospect of bringing all those fine young man and women home?
Paul
October 24th, 2011
11:08 am
Bosch
Thanks for the levity. Just before I left Dad remarked he’d turned the corner on healing. I do think the mental stress from Mom held it back. BTW – he fell by tripping on a doorstep, holding aloft a hummingbird feeder and coming down on tile flooring. Said he was moving faster than usual.
Oh, and Ibuprofen is your friend -
1811/0311
October 24th, 2011
11:08 am
Jay:
One more quick response:
Should the Iraq’s pull that stunt ………… simply refuse to turn the personnel over to their jurisdiction and send them home. If we can invade a country and kick their a** we should have the guts to do that.
I’m sure it’s been done before in our history.
What’s done is done. As I said to Granny, let’s talk about this one down the road ………….. hopefully, we won’t watch as the last helicopter full of Marines lifts off the Embassy roof.
Got to run …………………..
TaxPayer
October 24th, 2011
11:09 am
I hear you but
Scout,
Shouldn’t that be:
“I hear you knocking but you can’t come in…”
or is that just your version of a Joe Wilson, “You Lie!”
Bosch
October 24th, 2011
11:09 am
So, Scout wants to invade Iraq again???
Granny Godzilla
October 24th, 2011
11:11 am
Scout
“If you can’t see this as a political vs. military decision I can’t help you.”
I determined that long ago
Everybody is entitled to their own guess…I guess.
Creed
October 24th, 2011
11:11 am
Ga. legislators succumbing to rainmakers’ spiel
CAPCO Program Locations
Louisiana became the first state to enact a CAPCO program in 1988. Missouri (1997), New York (1998), Wisconsin (1999) and Florida (1999) passed their own versions after observing the beneficial impact of Louisiana’s program. These states were quickly followed by Colorado (2002), Alabama (2004), Texas (2005) and Washington D.C. (2005). Due to their success, many of these programs have been renewed, some on multiple occasions.
As have eight other states and the District of Columbia. Did Georgia’s legislators research the successes or failures in other states? We can only hope.
CAPCOs in Wisconsin are encouraging the bio-fuel industry.
Buck Hayek
October 24th, 2011
11:11 am
The Bush people, in their effort to pump the housing bubble up, lifted the GSE “conforming loan” maximum from $330,000 to over $700,000.
Bush also rejected the GSE Reform Act that Mike Oxley sponsored (Chuck Hagel did the Senate version).
It was clear by their action the Bushies were pumping the mortgage bubble for all it was worth.
Paul
October 24th, 2011
11:12 am
Scout
I look at it more like the Pres sets the objectives and the military tells him how to achieve. They provide significant advantages and disadvantages. They should not be the advocates of policy.
I see while typing this you’re leaving for a bit.
Jay’s 11:05 is the salient point in all this. I trust you’ll have a clear, succinct answer upon your return.
Jm
October 24th, 2011
11:13 am
Jay, and my point is, Volker is being semi politic by saying government tolerated. Ignoring that, he is literally saying government tolerated bad GSE decisions. They were able to do that because of sh-tty oversight from the HFSC. And why was that? Because Barney Frank saw an opportunity to push more subprime debt out the door rather than improve oversight when he blocked regulatory reform multiple times almost 10 years ago ss the ranking minority member of the HFSC.
Bush tried to reform them. Barney stopped it and is to blame.
I’m not saying Bush is perfect and Frank is the devil. But you do take the opposite stance defending Frank to any length necessary and vilifying Bush at all times. And you seem to ignore the facts of the situation.
Just acknowledge the truth. You can blame bush all day long for Iraq. But blame Frank for the GSE disaster.
kawasaki kid
October 24th, 2011
11:13 am
Judging from Gov. Deal’s track record of cronyism and corruption, this scheme to benefit out-of-state investors with all the risk going to us taxpayers is a natural for him.