The Associated Press runs down their arguments and finds them … well, let’s just say factually deficient

“It didn’t make financial sense for me to keep paying a mortgage on a home that was basically owned by someone else.”

Former major league baseball player Jose Canseco…”said on Thursday he had lost his California mansion to foreclosure — one of the first celebrities to publicly admit being a statistic in the U.S. housing crisis,” the Associated Press said.

In comments to the TV show “Inside Edition,” Canseco says, “It didn’t make financial sense for me to keep paying a mortgage on a home that was basically owned by someone else.”

More from the Associated Press: “Canseco, 43, one of the most flamboyant U.S. baseball players until his retirement from the major leagues in 2001, told the celebrity TV show ‘Inside Edition’ that it did not make financial sense to keep his 7,300-square-foot home in the Los Angeles suburb of Encino. ‘Inside Edition’ said it had foreclosure documents showing Canseco owed a bank more than $2.5 million on the house.

Obama May Levy $15 Billion Tax on Oil Company Profit

The plan would target profit from the biggest oil companies by taxing each barrel of oil costing more than $80, according to a fact sheet on the proposal. The tax would help pay for a $1,000 tax cut for working families, an expansion of the earned- income tax credit and assistance for people who can’t afford their energy bills.

As with every tax, someone pays for it, and it won’t be the company.. Why not cut the funding to Planned Parenthood? $336.7 million in taxpayer funds which added to their profit of $114.8 million and increased its total assets to $1.12 billion.

The Dow Jones industrials cross 13,000 as dollar soars and optimism rises about economy

WASHINGTON (AP) – The bruised economy limped through the first quarter, growing at just a 0.6 percent pace as housing and credit problems forced people and businesses alike to hunker down.
The country’s economic growth during January through March was the same as in the final three months of last year, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. The statistic did not meet what economists consider the definition of a recession, which is a contraction of the economy. This means that although the economy is stuck in a rut, it is still managing to grow, even if slightly.

NOW HIRING: Federal, state and local governments employing new workers at fastest pace in 6 years…

Federal, state and local governments are hiring new workers at the fastest pace in six years, helping offset job losses in the private sector.

Governments added 76,800 jobs in the first three months of 2008, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.

The LAT’s referenced this study put out by DataQuick. It details the trends in the California market:

The number of California homes going into foreclosure jumped last quarter to its highest level in more than 15 years, as the market continued to works its way through declining home values and a pool of at-risk mortgages that were originated in 2005 and 2006, a real estate information service reported.

At risk basically means that the person borrowing is a credit risk and that it should come as no surprise that there is a default in the loan

Jules talks about a divorce penalty and how we are paying for it. He cited this study:

The breakdown of marriage in America costs at least $112 billion a year, owing to costs of health care, criminal justice, welfare programs and lost income-tax revenue, according to a study released today.

“This study documents for the first time that divorce and unwed childbearing — besides being bad for children — are also costing taxpayers a ton of money,” says David Blankenhorn, president of the Institute for American Values (IAV), one of four sponsors of today’s study.

Even a small improvement in marriage rates — for example, a 1 percent reduction in the rate of “fragmented families” — would save more than $1 billion, Mr. Blankenhorn says.

David Freddoso shares these 2 quotes:

Democrats on the Economy in 1996:

“Our economy is the healthiest it has been in three decades.” (President Bill Clinton, State of the Union Address, January 23, 1996)

Democrats on the Economy in 2008:

“The bottom line is that this administration is the owner of the worst jobs record since Herbert Hoover.” (Senator Charles Schumer, Press Release, March 7, 2008)

Please refer to David’s comparision so you can see how laughable the democrats are

And it’s coming

Idiot

I’m not sure which is worse, the statement Pelosi made, or the author’s attempt to make it seem like earmarks are good for us. Without earmarks, people will lose jobs! I think not! I don’t think that any of us that are calling for a moratorium on pork spending are complaining about funding for infrastructure, police and some military related projects. John Murtha, D-Pa., “porker of the year”, has a history of suspect earmarks and they need to be answered for. What we want to see an end to is the spending that is unnecessary at this time. Here is a link to Michigan Earmarks in 2008 Appropriations Bills. Just take a look at that and tell me with a straight face that the money was spent to keep people working!

Congress Endorses Post-Bush Tax Hikes

When you drive up to the gas station, thank the Democrats for those increased prices. I warned you that we would pay the price and we are. Now comes word that this vote is so important, Clinton, McCain and Obama are actually going to return to their day job in order to vote on this:

Votes on tax cuts and on a one-year ban on pet projects topped the Senate’s agenda before an expected late-night vote Thursday to pass a $3 trillion Democratic budget blueprint. The nonbinding plan predicts a balanced budget in four years and promises generous increases for many domestic programs, but achieves those goals only by assuming major tax increases when President Bush’s tax cuts expire in about three years.

“Lord, make our dollar strong, but not just yet.”

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Via Ed, here is the transcript of what Democratic Sen. Casey had to say on the stimulus package that is going to be blocked this week:

Mr. CASEY: “We want to do a couple of things with this legislation, which we know is the Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008. Our Majority Leader, Senator Reid, and our leadership and the members of the Democratic Caucus set it out fairly specifically. A couple of basic things this legislation would have done: first of all, it would have continued what we started in the end of last year, foreclosure prevention counseling dollars, to give money to organizations around the country that are certifiably expert at this, organizations like La Raza. I know the presiding officer knows that group. We know also the Association for Community Organizations for Reform Now, known by the acronym ‘ACORN.’ They’re headquartered in Philadelphia. These are organizations which understand what a lender has to deal with but more importantly deal with borrowers when they’re borrowing money, when they’re dealing with the difficulty and complexity of borrowing money. These organizations would have helped even more so than they’re helping now with $200 million more of counseling money. That’s not going to happen right now because of what the other side did; they blocked that money by blocking this legislation.”

From the WSJ:

As the Democratic contest continues, it is becoming a race to the bottom on protectionism. Perhaps the best trade demagogue will win, but someone should point out that the last President who tried to govern as a protectionist was Herbert Hoover. It didn’t turn out so well.

Obama gave the heads up to Canada that he’s running for office, so just disregard what they may here

Obama’s Sotto Voce To Canadians: I’m Demagoguing On NAFTA
Obama staffer gave warning of NAFTA rhetoric

Re-negotiating NAFTA: Some Reaction from Canada

Emerson hints oil would be back on table if U.S. reopens NAFTA

Canada’s Emerson Says Nafta Trade Accord Is at Risk

Canada concerned about protectionism if NAFTA dies

Flaherty says U.S. needs to recognize NAFTA benefits

You must read this Rich Lowery article:

For Barack Obama, hope can triumph over anything, except for open trade with a neighboring country with an economy 1/20th the size of ours. Then, all is despair.

Obama’s culprit is Mexico, our third-largest trading partner. It is trade deals like NAFTA — the 1993 accord eliminating tariffs among the U.S., Mexico, and Canada — that “ship jobs overseas and force parents to compete with teenagers for minimum wage at Wal-Mart,” Obama intones. Feel inspired yet?

The big picture doesn’t justify this Dickensian evocation of gloom. Since 1993, the U.S. economy has grown by 54 percent. The jobless rate has dropped from 6.9 percent in 1993 to 4.9 percent today. Manufacturing output has increased by 63 percent. Canada and Mexico are our first- and second-largest export markets, and U.S. merchandise exports to them have increased at a slightly faster clip than exports to the rest of the world.

CHINA? Prior to getting into that link, refresh yourself with this and this that I did a few months ago..

Although I don’t agree with them, I did want to pass along some useful info on the rebate checks that are being sent! There is much confusion over the amount of the rebates. I hope this clears up some answers you may have had

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Rosemary’s Thoughts, Right Truth, Shadowscope, Stuck On Stupid, Leaning Straight Up, Cao’s Blog, Big Dog’s Weblog, Conservative Cat, Adeline and Hazel, Pursuing Holiness, Allie is Wired, third world county, The World According to Carl, Pirate’s Cove, The Pink Flamingo, Wolf Pangloss, Dumb Ox Daily News, A Newt One, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

You wouldn’t know that based on this.

The purpose of the ridiculous bill was to stimulate the economy. Get money back to the people so that they will go out and spend it. Follow closely:

The fate of $600-$1,200 rebate checks for more than 100 million Americans is in limbo after Senate Democrats failed Wednesday to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and big business to the House-passed economic aid package.

Republicans banded together to block the $205 billion plan from advancing Wednesday, leaving Democrats with a difficult choice either to quickly accept a House bill they have said is inadequate or risk being blamed for delaying a measure designed as a swift shot in the arm for the lagging economy.

The tally was 58-41 to end debate on the Senate measure, just short of the 60 votes Democrats would have needed to scale procedural hurdles and move the bill to a final vote….