Has anyone else noticed how previously "state's rights" conservatives who loathe federal spending, loathe federal intervention in any context, and loathe regulations on private business, are suddenly asking for federal money for their states, and attacking the President for not intervening more heavily in the Gulf of Mexico? Hell, Mr. Bobby "federal money is akin to socialism" Jindal was on television just yesterday whining about needing more "help" from the federal government.I guess there are appropriate uses for federal money and the federal government, after all. What happened to the conservative message of (and I'm paraphrasing) "tough shit if you lose your job, you're a worthless person anyway who doesn't deserve unemployment benefits, you greedy, lazy bastard"?
Now, when BP destroys the Gulf Coast, the federal government is supposed to sweep in and make everything okay? What happened to the idea that when you lose your job, you just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and go get another one? What happened to the idea that safety and other regulations on business are just some liberal, socialist plot to destroy capitalism? Funny how Haley Barbour, Rick Perry, and Bobby Jindal are now socialists with their hands out asking for federal money to help people affected by the oil leak. What happened to state sovereignty, guys? Are your friends at BP not willing to pony up the dough? Mr. Perry, are you still thinking about secession because of all that federal spending, or is it okay when it comes to your state?
The conservative message, circa 2010, appears to be: stop federal spending on them, but keep spending it on us.
UPDATE: This is rich. Texas Governor and fierce Obama critic, Rick Perry, who claimed he was going to reject any stimulus money because in Texas, "we can take of ourselves," is now only able to balance his state's budget due to stimulus money. From the Wall Street Journal, "Although Mr. Perry has railed against the federal economic-stimulus program, billions of dollars from that initiative helped Texas legislators balance the current budget." What a fucking socialist.
4 comments:
Perry is a hypocrit for taking federal money to balance Texas' budget. He should be called on the carpet for his inconsistency there.
That being said, regional disasters such as the BP oil spill should be alleviated with federal dollars from FEMA etc. The federal government should then send a bill with expectations of payment to BP for the money spent to help the states in need.
The federal government has a purpose; it just doesn't need to be the solution to all people for all things. There is a difference.
And naturally, no one says it is the solution for all things. But, I think my new slogan for conservatives RE: spending applies: "stop federal spending on them, but keep spending it on us."
And I love how suddenly Republicans are claiming the feds aren't doing enough, yet whenever Obama does intervene, you all whine about government interfering with business.
But if anything positive comes from this horrible disaster (and that's a big if), at least we know that the "no regulation, no government, let business run amok" philosophy of the modern conservative (that has been slowly ruining this country since 1981) might finally come to an end. It's over, baby, over.
Speaking for myself, I have never said that there is no place for the government and regulation. It just needs to be used sparingly and Constitutionally.
For the record, Obama is not at fault for the BP mess and its clean-up in my opinion either.
Well, we agree on that.
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