Senator Orrin Hatch on the floor of the Senate, speaking about the health care reform bill. From Think Progress:
"This will become one more example of the arrogance of power being exerted since the Democrats secured a 60-vote majority in the United States Senate and took over the House and the White House. I dream some day of having the Republicans have 60 votes. I'll tell you one thing, I think we would finally have the total responsibility to get this country under control and I believe we would. But we've never come close to that. There are essentially no checks and balances found in Washington today just an arrogance of power with one party ramming through unpopular and devastating proposals on after the other."
Amnesia, anyone? As I recall, Republicans had control of the White House from 2001-2009, and complete control of Congress for 6 of those 8 years. What did they do to "get this country under control?" Let's review:
* When Bill Clinton left office after 2000, the median income-the income line around which half of households come in above, and half fall below-stood at $52,500. When Bush left office after 2008, the median income had fallen to $50,303. That's a decline of 4.2 per cent...That leaves Bush with the dubious distinction of becoming the only president in recent history to preside over an income decline through two presidential terms.
* When Clinton left office in 2000, the Census counted almost 31.6 million Americans living in poverty. When Bush left office in 2008, the number of poor Americans had jumped to 39.8 million (the largest number in absolute terms since 1960.) Under Bush, the number of people in poverty increased by over 8.2 million, or 26.1 per cent. Over two-thirds of that increase occurred before the economic collapse of 2008.
* When Clinton left office nearly 11.6 million children lived in poverty, according to the Census. When Bush left office that number had swelled to just under 14.1 million, an increase of more than 21 per cent.
* When Clinton left office, the number of uninsured Americans stood at 38.4 million. By the time Bush left office that number had grown to just over 46.3 million, an increase of nearly 8 million or 20.6 per cent.
Not to mention the worst terrorist attack in our history. Sorry about that, I forgot that President Bush wasn't inaugurated until September 12, 2001. But there was one significant accomplishment of the Bush presidency and the Republican-controlled Congress--if you happen to be in the top 1 percent, that is: "Two-thirds of the nation's total income gains from 2002 to 2007 flowed to the top 1 percent of U.S. households, and that top 1 percent held a larger share of income in 2007 than at any time since 1928...During those years...the inflation-adjusted income of the top 1 percent of households grew more than ten times faster than the income of the bottom 90 percent of households."
If that's "getting things under control," thanks, but no thanks.
I used to kinda "like" Orrin Hatch. I don't remember why. But I fear he may be "misremembering" this century and perhaps the 1980's decade.
I always got the impression that Orrin was "running for president" most of the time but NOBODY ever noticed. Sometimes he would act like a "statesman." Then he would remember he had to "own up to the party. Methinks he is doing the later.
LOL
The nose rubbing...he was probably checking to see if his nose was growing.
I would pay good money to see one of these commentators say it straight out, "You lie!".
Just like Wilson did, only this time, it would be the truth. Would love to see the expression on those moron's faces if that ever happened.
And I just realized what we should have had in the years 2000-2009 was the Smothers Brothers Redux. Just like they chased after Nixon, that would have been fun to see. Which is why I enjoy Jon Stewart so much.
How much farther do we really need to go before the average American mind snuffs out completely?
But Bob, the MSM is plainly a tool of the lib'ruls. I know 'cause I read it every day in the bogs and posts on the articles.
You're right, the press does everyone a disservice by their failure to speak up rationally.
After reading the commentary by Frank Rich this thought occurred to me.
Obama knows his 'military strategy' stance is a misnomer. The goal is more of a 'police strategy' It still hearkens back to the smackdown theory espoused by Thomas P.M. Barnett.
Incidentally,he scares the hell out of the right wing idealogue:
http://www.intellectualconservative.com/article3477.html
I'm convinced that Obama is a devotee of what the right calls Barnett's seeming "reasonable approach" to world policy.
okay, I can't resist this one.
Amnesia? Try senility. Or better yet, did you notice the "nose rubbing" as he stated "We've never been close to that!" Disingenous? or outright lie...more sociopathic behavior from the right comes as no surprise to me.
The amazing thing is that the media lets Hatch and the others get away with this day in and day out. I watched McCain tear up Gates last week about the withdrawal date from Afghanistan. Obama clearly said in his speech that the withdrawal date was subject to conditions on the ground. McCain sat there a lied repeatedly claiming that the President said they would withdraw unconditionally. Gates did his best to be polite, but should have just called McCain a liar, which is what he is. The media completely ignored McCain's lie, focusing instead on Obama and Gates, repeating that lie.
Yes, the Republicans in charge really worked out well. I for one welcome our new Democratic overlords.
I just sent Senator Hatch a nice little email message reminding him that perhaps its time for his dose of Aricept.
And what his party accomplished during those years when they DID have complete control.
For the life of me, I can't figure out where he can say "But we've never come close to that" with a straight face.
Are these people freakin' morons? Or do they just assume we are?
Getting the country under control, to the GOP, means cutting taxes for the wealthy, spending billions we don't have, starting wars we can neither finish nor pay for, allowing high roller bankers/gamblers to collapse the economy. We should all be thanking Orrin Hatch for reminding us just what a return to Republican control would mean. Fact is, Hatch ought to know better. Apparently he is as blinded by his ideology as the wingers are blinded by their abject ignorance.