Jan
30
2009

URLs du Jour

2009-01-30

  • The coveted Pun Salad Read The Whole Thing for today goes to David Harsanyi for his Denver Post column on the stimulus bill:
    Imagine that. The most expensive social experiment in American history -- one that will cost taxpayers more than both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined -- was allotted less than a single day of debate in Congress.
    Remember, we elected Obama in part because his cool temperment was much more suited to the job than that of fly-off-the-handle McCain. Not much evidence of that here in the panicked rush to enact a WholeBunchaSpending NowNowNow!

  • Lots of buzzing about New Hampshire's current lone GOP member of Congress, Senator Judd Gregg, being eyed for Obama's Commerce Secretary. See, for example, Jules Crittenden.

    I cannot, for the life of me, understand why Judd Gregg would see this as a good idea, either for the GOP (since his replacement would be named by Governor Lynch, a Democrat) or himself (since Commerce is a perennial dumping ground for hacks with no future).

    (A list of previous Secretaries of Commerce is here. The last famous one, imho, was Elliot Richardson, who occupied the position for just under one year, 33 years ago.)

  • In case you were worrying that corporate welfare for the politically well-connected was over in the Obama age, well fret not:
    National Journal reported this week that the Senate's economic stimulus bill includes a provision that would make Hollywood studios eligible for a special 50% write-off of equipment purchases. According to the report, "the provision is backed by firms like the Walt Disney Co., and the industry trade group the Motion Picture Association of America."
    No foolin'. General tax relief is off the table; why do that, when you can "target" relief to your contributors?