Speaker Pelosi C-SPAN Weekly Legislative Briefing - Unemployment Benefits Create Jobs – The Lunatic is Running the Asylum

During her Weekly legislative briefing Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, (between bouts of partisan rhetoric) spoke about the value of unemployment benefits. The video and unabridged transcript which follows speaks to the idiocy of Ms. Pelosi and her inability to understand basic economics. The basic premise: unemployment benefits were designed as a State, not Federal, benefit - one which would enable individuals who had lost employment to gain temporary relief. However, as individual States can no longer afford to pay out unemployment benefits for years, the Federal government now seeks to foot the bill. The problem: where is the money coming from? House Republicans suggest using money earmarked, but not spent, from the Stimulus package passed in 2009. Democrats say no, as that money is going to be used for “job creation”. Apparently, they are waiting for the tax cuts that affect every single working American to expire (See “Six Months to Go Until The Largest Tax Hikes in History” from American’s for Tax Reform) in order to begin to pay for the extravagance this Congresss, led by Speaker Pelosi, has displayed since taking power in 2006. In addition, new jobless claims due out today are expected to rise, leaving even fewer taxpayers available to fleece.

The administration has already noted they believe that there is no way to replace the eight million jobs lost, and V.P. Joe Biden has labeled the current economic state of the U.S. as the “Great Recession” (going on to blame former President George Bush. How long, therefore, does the Speaker believe benefits can be extended? (Note: the Congress holds the nations purse strings, and without that political body’s consent, a President cannot spend one dime.) Therefore, understanding that digging a deeper hole into debt might put our nation at greater peril, there is a bit of push back from those who understand that, yes, we should extend benefits (humane), but the nation needs to find a way to pay for it first. The argument follows: as Speaker Pelosi believes that unemployment benefits create jobs, why not use some of the stimulus that is unspent (allegedly for use to create jobs), and do something useful, while not incurring more debt (although in reality, the U.S. would be using debt already incurred, a self-made line of credit so to speak).

In reading the transcript below, understand that as Speaker, Ms. Pelosi is third in line to the Presidency of the United States. Should something happen to President Obama (see Blagojevich Trial), Vice President Biden would be the President, however, should something happen to Biden, Nancy Pelosi would be sitting in the oval office. That said, she is currently in a position that is more powerful, economically than that of either the President or the Vice President – it is chilling either way.

Nancy Pelosi is up for re-election in 2010 and faces Republican John Dennis in the November election. Once thought to be a permanent fixture in the San Francisco district, Ms. Pelosi has lost political capitol in her home district; therefore, Dennis is in a good position to be the next Congressional Representative, replacing Ms. Pelosi. A Republican led House would, of course, effectively remove the Speaker from extreme power; however, one has to believe that to remove the Speaker permanently would be a far better course for both the San Francisco District and the nation – as political fortunes change with political winds and the real danger exists she might regain the seat at a later date.

Transcript:

“have stopped unemployment benefits from going to people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. It’s just cruel and we’re not gonna it’s it cannot stand and I believe uh that uh it - it will this will be passed when we come back. We have passed it over and over again and today we will pass it again to remove all doubt. Now let me say that unemployment insurance we talk about it as a safety net and the rest this is one of the biggest stimulus to our economy – economists will tell you this money is spent quickly it injects demand into the economy and its job creating it creates jobs faster than almost any other initiative you can name. because again its money that is needed for families to survive and its spent so it has a double benefit it helps those who’ve lost their jobs but it’s also is a job creator and uh for for that reason for those two reasons at least it should be passed and I’m optimistic that it will. It’s impossible to think of a situation where we would have a country that would say we’re not going to have unemployment benefits and the only people who want them are the people who don’t want jobs it’s just so contrary to what our country is about and I reject that misrepresentation of the motivation for people to be on unemployment insurance.

C-Span Video



Best quote from comments left at Breitbart.tv, who was, in all likelihood, the first to publish the video : “I would give California back to Mexico just to get rid of her. “

Drastic to be sure, however, a better bet would be for those in opposition to Speaker Pelosi to visit: www.johndennis2010.com and either donate or volunteer or blog or email the link to family and friends. No matter what political ideology to which one subscribes, it is apparent from the continued lunacy of Ms. Pelosi, that a permanent replacement should be seriously considered and John Dennis offers the opportunity to finally do something to move our nation toward sanity.

As The Economy Reels, Obama’s Ability to Tell the Truth Questioned - Union Chief Testimony at Chicago Blagojevich Trial

Obama - Trouble in Chicago - image: nickwardscenarios.com

Economic forecasts for this week have been nothing short of dismal. CNBC reported that only 13,000 private sector jobs were created in June, well below the 100,000 jobs needed to reduce the unemployment rate. The Department of Labor unemployment figures will be released on July 2nd, and will include those temporary census workers who are now out of work. Last month the averaged unemployment rate rose from 9.7 to 9.8%.

In addition, the bill to extend unemployment benefits to an estimated 1.3 million individuals who have remained unemployed for an extended period of time remains stalled in the Senate. Democrats have been quibbling with Republicans over adding to the national debit (which has risen to levels not seen since World War II - Republicans argue monies not spent from the stimulus bills should be used for these extensions instead of incurring additional national debt. Ironically, Democrats argue that the monies are needed to encourage job growth – current economic indicators tend to disagree, as noted temporary census takers will be placed on the “doll” as of this month. Additionally, Democrats pointing fingers at Republicans for “killing the bill” should look to their Speaker, Harry Reid, who, once again, voted “Nay” by mistake.

The fact that spending one’s way out of a financial crisis has not worked, is lost on the President – perhaps his mind is elsewhere – like Chicago.

Times (CNN Partner) reports that Obama’s initial claims of having no knowledge of any dealings with Blagojevich may have been stretching the truth a bit. In 2008, the Presidents future council investigated claims regarding Blagojevich and within two weeks produced a report stating the President had no involvement in a Senate Seat for Sale. Apparently, this is not the case. On Tuesday of this week, SEIU’s Tom Balanoff testified that he did, indeed, have conversations regarding the Senate Seat and potential replacements with Obama. He also indicated he told the President he would relay Obama’s choice of Valerie Jarrett to then Governor Blagojevich.

To date, as noted by Times, the best reporting (or perhaps sole reporting) on the trial has come from the Chicago Sun Times – a daily feature: live blogging with trial transcripts offers new insight into the underside of the political machine that moved Obama to Pennsylvania Avenue. Reporting from the Tribune across town, appears more defensive and plays to the unsavory character of Blagojevich, rather than the implications that the President had a part in the entire process.

One door closes, another opens. It is appearing more likely by the day that that Hillary Clinton will run in 2012, which would, at the least be an attempt to restore some dignity to the Party.

Articles of Note, Wednesday, June 30, 2010 – Is a Clinton Presidential Bid in 2012 – Likely?

Hillary Clinton 2012 - from the blog Pumaeyes.wordpress.com


(AP) In Asia, major indexes closed down as concerns lingered about Chinese growth and lower-than-expected U.S. confidence for June all weighed during Tuesday trading as the trading year hit the mid-year point. (continue reading)

(AP) House Democrats, who are trying to pass a long-stalled war funding bill this week, have attached $10 billion to help local school districts avoid teacher layoffs when schools reopen.” (continue reading)

(Politico) The White House was mum Tuesday after a union leader testified that Barack Obama personally asked him to approach then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich about appointing confidant Valerie Jarrett to his Illinois Senate seat – testimony Republicans say clearly contradicts the Obama team’s version of events." (continue reading)

Note: this is a story with legs, so much so that a 2012 run by Hillary Clinton may be in order. And the kicker:

Washington PostHillary Clinton Should Be Obama’s Vice President (read story here)

At the very least the Clinton 2012 concept is not lost on the Washington Post’s, Sally Quinn.

In the event of an impeachment, the Vice-President would then be given the reigns of power, making Clinton, the de-facto President. Possible paths to impeachment: Gulf Oil Crisis, Blagojevich Trial, Buying more seats in Congressional Districts, etc. This, coupled with a Republican majority in the House and Senate makes the possibility of total impeachment remotely probable – All would be driven and dependent upon public opinion only.

This would set Clinton up in a position to run against whomever the GOP puts forth in 2012, and gives her time to muster her already significant grass roots support. As the economy shows no signs of recovery, and Obama appears determined to spend the U.S. into a double dip recession, November, to some, may not come quickly enough. Note: Clinton would work well with a Congress controlled by Republicans. Clinton’s tenure in the Congress givens insight into her strength on Defense issues and one might find Hillary Clinton to be able to control ideology, move to the middle and embrace programs that would push the nation back to the center and economic stability – if only given the time and the chance.

Foreign Assistance To the Gulf – Administration finally accepts offers given from the Get-Go – Are the Truly Incompetent or Criminal?

The oil spill, which began with an explosion aboard a BP oil rig on April 20th, resulted in a seemingly uncontainable flow of oil into the gulf, with the Obama administration insisting every day that they were in control. On Tuesday, June 29th, the administration released a statement that 12 nations will be allowed to help with containment. The State Department was cited in the Yahoo.com news report filed under the news headline “Finance”.

However, the Dutch offered their assistance on Day 3 to help with the clean-up :

Three days after BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling platform exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, the Netherlands offered to help. Ships could have set about clearing the oil using Dutch sweeping arms, but the US government didn’t take up the offer. Dutch Consul General Geert Visser in Houston told Radio Netherlands Worldwide he was disappointed.
The US response, says Mr Visser: “‘Thanks for your help, but at the moment we can manage ourselves.’ And that was it.” He puts the reticence down to pride.

Given the fact that additional nations, as well as entrepreneurs and scientists from the United States have been begging the administration to allow them to help since the beginning, one wonders why the administration has taken over 2 months to respond to offers of assistance, (or in the case of the Dutch, to respond in a timely manner in order for the offer of assistance to be effective.) The fact that deep water oil spills have happen in the Persian Gulf, and Contractors were able to contain and clean similar spills, (while offering aid to the U.S.) has not been widely reported. Nor the fact that Britain offered assistance immediately, but was rebuffed”

Although many note that the Obama administration used the oil crisis as an attempt to push the high price-tagged “Cap and Trade” environmental legislation through Congress, ( (14 days prior Headline):”After Oil Spill, Need for Cap-and-Trade Bill Is Urgent, Dems Say”) it appears that the administration is simply incompetent. Logic implies there cannot be another explanation. Otherwise, if it were true that a political party headed by a president who sat by and did nothing while the world and U.S. citizens begged to offer assistance and were refused for a period of sixty days, in order to use this economic and environmental disaster, (the proportions of which are massive in scale and the outcome in terms of the environment and economy unknown at this time) it would be criminal, period.

The fact that fishing, one of our nation’s oldest and more stable industries is threatened by the spill, is not lost on most people – let alone tourism in states where the oil is washing ashore on formerly pristine beaches. It is less about the oil and more about the impact on a way of life that has been established for centuries on the American coastline of the Gulf of Mexico -states from include Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana (to date), where wildlife and fish are in peril.

If it is true that environmentalists have influenced the decisions made in cleaning up this spill, in the first place, (the use of certain chemicals, etc. which may have been harmful in the short term), then shame on the administration for not taking a tough stand and doing the research necessary in order to get the situation under control quickly. It appears however, that it was a question of being “clueless”, one which gives the nation no confidence what-so-ever in the occupant of the Oval Office, or the hundreds upon hundreds of academics and appointed like-minded creatures that do his bidding rather blindly.

The United States, far from the world view perpetuated by the Obama administration is not a nation of incompetents, rather one which has risen to the occasion on more times than one might be able to count. It is a disaster yes, which could have been contained or at least attempted to be contained by those nations who have experience, and offered assistance on Day 3 - the fact that it is now at day 60, and the administration is finally accepting offers of help from “certain nations” they deem acceptable – is mind-boggling and smacks of the incompetent or criminally (ideologically) insane.