Archive for the ‘Stimulus’ Category

Found while perusing this morning’s ajc.com:

Furloughs may be in store for Georgia teachers.

Why you’re still paying tolls on Ga. 400.

CDC begins to scale back on salmonella outbreak.

State leaders weak on big issues, says Sam Olens, Cobb commission chair, ARC chief — and possible candidate for governor.

Life-without-parole bill pulled from House vote.

Georgia Power gets nod to build more nuclear reactors.

Future of Macon’s Security Bank in doubt, auditor says.

Home Depot stock rises on slow growth plan.

Elsewhere in Georgia:

MT: Lucid Idiocy spots a House move to cut State Ethics Commission budget in half.

ABH: Fresh from stem cell fight, Hudgens to run for state insurance commissioner.

And the nation:

Politico: Five questions for AIG’s Edward Liddy.

WP: Edward Liddy himself, on “Our Mission at AIG: Repairs, and Repayment.”

WSJ: Treasury will make grab to recoup bonus funds.

CBS: In first post-presidential speech, Bush says Obama “deserves my silence.”

Continue reading Your morning jolt »

U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) caused a stir with a Monday interview in which he suggested that he wanted AIG executives to apologize — or kill themselves.

He elaborated in a conference call with Iowa reporters this morning, and said he was thinking less about ritual suicide and more about a little kowtowing to taxpayers. You can listen for yourself here.

Said Grassley:

“What I’m expressing here, obviously, is not that I want people to commit suicide. That’s not my notion. But I do feel very strongly that we have not had statements of apology, statements of remorse, statements of contrituion on the part of CEOs, the manufacturing companies, or banks or financial services or insurance companies that are asking for bailouts — that they understand that they are responsible for running their corporation into the ground. And now they’re coming to the taxpayers for help.

“And have been coming to the taxpayers for help for the last six months. It’s very difficult …

Continue reading Grassley to AIG: Less suicide, more groveling »

The following comes from the Associated Press — no surprise, but it has implications within Republican ranks:

The Obama administration on Monday rejected South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s request to use $700 million in federal stimulus cash to pay down state debt. White House Budget Director Peter Orszag said in a letter to the Republican that the federal stimulus law doesn’t allow President Barack Obama to make an exception for that cash.

Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer had no immediate response, but the governor has said he would reject part of the stimulus money if Obama wouldn’t give him flexibility in spending it.

The $787 billion stimulus legislation sets strict rules for the $53.6 billion being sent to help state budgets, Orszag wrote. It calls for 82 percent of the money to be used for public schools and colleges and 18 percent on public safety and other government services.

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter.

Continue reading White House rejects Sanford’s request to use S.C. stimulus money to pay down debt »

Found while perusing ajc.com this morning:

Georgia law puts non-offenders on sex registry.

Audit says Atlanta losing money on jail.

Anatomy of the peanut salmonella outbreak.

Milton’s money being handled by private firm, treasurer’s job vacant.

Deportation program to get more oversight.

Senate reader part of ‘crew’ that helps Legislature work.

Some opinion:

Should the Legislature revamp DOT oversight? Tommie Williams says yes, Brandon Beach says no.

Bob Barr says its time to open relations with Cuba.

And from elsewhere:

WSJ: Shelby Steele on why the GOP can’t win with minorities.

WSJ: Rocket scientists shoot down mosquitoes with lasers.

WP: Secret Red Cross report described ‘torture’ at CIA jails.

WP: Cheney disgreed with Bush over decision not to pardon veep’s chief of staff.

NYT: AIG tells where the rescue money went.

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter.

Continue reading Your morning jolt »

Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, who apparently is thinking about a 2012 run for president, may reject nearly a quarter of the federal stimulus money available for his state.

On Monday, the Democratic National Committee says it will begin airing the following TV ad on stations in Columbia, S.C., to help him reconsider:

More background can be found here. The ad mentions that Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer doesn’t agree with Sanford.

This from a piece by Bauer on SCHotline:

As a fiscal conservative I am not a fan of the current “economic stimulus” bill, however, it is hard to ignore the awful possibility that South Carolina taxpayers could wind up stuck in the salad bar after paying full price for a prime rib buffet.

For openers let me be clear: I support our governor’s attempt to use additional stimulus money to repay debt. It’s a wise and good use of funds that positions us well for the future.

Clearly, Governor Sanford believes he is doing the right thing, and I don’t …

Continue reading As S.C.’s Mark Sanford considers rejecting stimulus cash, a Democratic ad urges him to think again »

This morning on ajc.com:

• State could restrict research on embryos.
• Applications climb, budgets trim at state colleges.
• Georgia justices reverse Fulton judge in tax case.
• House panel will look at renewed grocery tax Tuesday.
• Public defender’s office ordered to pay lawyers.
• Emory suspends $1.5 billion medical expansion.

Elsewhere in Georgia:

IA: Perdue may address House Republican caucus on transportation.

SMN: Savannah Democrat confesses to owing IRS $15.78.

And the nation:

WSJ: An opinion piece on credit cards as the next thing to crunch.

WP: Who will decide what on stem cell policy.

WP: Howie Kurtz on Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart.

NYT: David Brooks on the misguided GOP response to the recession.

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter.

Continue reading Your morning jolt »

This morning on ajc.com:

Georgia ‘octuplet’ bill morphs into a first reaction to Obama’s lifting of federal ban on stem cell research.

Georgia colleges embrace Obama’s stem cell decision.

Legislators under personal economic pressure.

Peanut inspection system filled with holes.

Will Atlanta’s casino gamble pay off?

Rush to e-file one reason for state tax revenue drop.

Elsewhere in Georgia:

MDJ: Who needs the Governor’s Mansion? Barnes’ new foyer has a bronze inlaid state seal.

And the nation:

WSJ: Dow 5000? A bearish possibility.

NYT: Stocks set to open lower after Merck deal.

WSJ: Florida highway upgrade goes private, and Spanish.

WP: Obama says ‘hola’ to a more inclusive press strategy.

And here’s that “Saturday Night Live” skit that had everyone talking:

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter.

Continue reading Your morning jolt »

This morning on ajc.com:

• Sunday alcohol sales bill dies in Senate.
• ‘Earmarks’ or ‘pork,’ Georgia getting federal bucks.
• Hospitals, Perdue face off over health funding.
• Senator introduces ethics bill on tax evasion.
• Lawmakers to debate ‘Octuplet mom’ bill.
• GSU sees jump in freshman applications.

And elsewhere:

• Politico: Congressional GOPers trapped between Rush and a hard place.
• FoxNews: Rove warns of ’show trial.’
• WP: On Obama going gray. A talk with his barber.
• NYT: Unlucky or unwise, some homeowners left out of rescue plan.
• WSJ: White House rethinks tax hikes.
• WSJ: GM auditors raise doubts about auto maker’s survival.
• ABCNews: Scandal at Treasury: Official quites amid fraud investigation.

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter.

Continue reading Your morning jolt »

As everyone learned last year, Newt Gingrich’s new and enhanced role in the Republican party is that of Chief Phrasemaker.

He’s the coiner of policies boiled down to bumper-stickers. Last year, it was “Drill here, drill now.”

Over the weekend, at the Conservative Political Action Committee event in Washington, Gingrich shaped the proper message for opposition to President Barack Obama’s plans to stimulate the economy.

This from the New York Times News Service — with a paragraph on Ralph Reed thrown in absolutely free:

It means declaring war, as Newt Gingrich, the movement’s guiding light, did here Friday, on Obama’s “European socialism transplanted to Washington” — a phrase fast seeping into the conservative lexicon. (Gingrich also deplored “the Bush-Obama big spending program,” a sign that former President George W. Bush, a onetime hero to conservatives, was being thrown overboard.)

It means wincing, ever so slightly, at the name of the messenger …

Continue reading Gingrich the Phrasemaker on European socialism »

This opinion piece in today’s Wall Street Journal is churning through right-handed web sites today, and providing much fodder for talk radio:

A tax policy that confiscated 100% of the taxable income of everyone in America earning over $500,000 in 2006 would only have given Congress an extra $1.3 trillion in revenue.

That’s less than half the 2006 federal budget of $2.7 trillion and looks tiny compared to the more than $4 trillion Congress will spend in fiscal 2010. Even taking every taxable “dime” of everyone earning more than $75,000 in 2006 would have barely yielded enough to cover that $4 trillion.

Continue reading The topic of the day for conservatives: The ‘2% illusion’ »