Let 'em eat cake

The Republicans have been blocking extension of unemployment compensation. While Virginia's rate of about 6.7% is well below the national unemployment rate of over 9%, the GOP's anti-people, anti-middle class stance is hurting folks here in the 6th District and across the Commonwealth. Their reason - we have to pay for it. I have a suggestion - how about pulling troops out of Iraq? Or, Afghanistan? Running a needless/based on a big lie war (Iraq) or one that can't be won (Afghanistan) have been draining the federal treasury since President Bush got us mired in them.

Time to take care of folks here, in our neighborhoods... people you and I know. Besides, their spending will have a stimulative effect on the economy.

Interesting listening to the Repub talking heads on talk shows over the weekend and today. They all call for cutting the budget but none of them - NOT ONE - will say specifically what they'd cut. Reminds me of Nixon's "secret plan" to end the war in Vietnam. A lie then. Lies now.

Bob's Math

I recently received an email from the Goodlatte Press that said, in part:

... the House of Representatives passed one of the most fiscally irresponsible budgets. The $3.4 trillion legislation, which I voted against, spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much. It will significantly increase the tax burden on American families and small businesses to pay for new wasteful government spending while heaping trillions of dollars of debt on future generations.

Whoa Bob! Where is all your newfound fiscal prudence? Didn't you vote enthusiastically to go to war in Iraq and to keep funding it every year? Well, check out what that "smart decision" has cost American taxpayers by the end of April, 2009: $664,773,597,656! The Washington Post, says the Iraq War will cost $3 trillion. If we are lucky!

According to the National Priorities Project, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will cost Virginia's 6th District taxpayers $1.7 trillion since 2001. Again, if we are lucky. With that, we could have funded the following:

• 479,992 People with Health Care for One Year OR
• 1,414,889 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year OR
• 36,608 Public Safety Officers for One year OR
• 25,918 Music and Arts Teachers for One Year OR
• 213,340 Scholarships for University Students for One Year OR
• 320,408 Students receiving Pell Grants of $5350 OR
• 11,186 Affordable Housing Units OR
• 864,000 Children with Health Care for One Year OR
• 239,077 Head Start Places for Children for One Year OR
• 24,956 Elementary School Teachers for One Year OR
• 27,091 Port Container Inspectors for One year

So, Rep. Goodlatte, before you complain about the Obama budget perhaps you should go through a fiscal reality check. The cost of Bush's wars have drained our nation and is among the reasons the economic downturn. President Obama's budget is big, but cleaning up eight years of mess, which you voted for again and again, is expensive and will take some time.