Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow

That’s what we will all be saying on November 3rd.

For now, we still have to listen to His Phatness, and his silly remark on the (never-ending) extension of unemployment benefits:

“Thank goodness this political charade is over and working families can get the assistance they so desperately need. Republicans should be ashamed of themselves. When it comes to providing modest help to people in need—many who are worse off because of their economic policies—they continually chose obstruction over action. This speaks volumes about how Congress would operate if they regained control.”  

What a moron – as I noted last time the clowns in charge extended the unemployment bennies, if a person is “working” presumably they do not need yet another extension of unemployment.  So please explain, Mr. Hare, how does the extension of benefits to the unemployed help “working families … get the assistance they so desperately need”? 

And why do so many families “so desperately need” unemployment?  Because of the ruinous economic policies of His Phatness and President Obama, which have driven our unemployment rates to historic levels.  Where, Mr. Hare, are the jobs that were promised?  As Governor Jindal said recently, in a slightly different context:

“I want us to send a clear message to Washington, D.C. today – our people don’t want a BP check, our people don’t want an unemployment check, our people want this arbitrary moratorium to end so they can go back to work.

Mr. Hare – the people of the 17th Congressional District do not want an unemployment check (except one with your name on it); they want JOBS.  Where are they?

Finally, do you see how Mr. Hare is now starting to incorporate fear of Republican control?  (“This speaks volumes about how Congress would operate if they regained control.”)  Wonder why, if the Democrats are doing such a great job?  Wasn’t it just the other day that his mouthpiece laughed off a poll showing His Phatness trailing his challenger?  Why on earth would he now make a comment about “if” the Republicans regained control; isn’t that laughable?

Let’s see, the Democrats have been in charge of Congress since 2007, approximately when everything hit the fan.  And we’re supposed to be afraid of Republican control?  Geez, man, the Congressional approval rate is at 11%, an all-time low for any governmental institution!!! 

Methinks Monsieur Hare is hearing phootsteps…  

Phootnote:  What has become of Hare’s supposed devotion to PAYGO?  Guess that’s yet another charade that will end in November…

Phurther phootnote:  Wouldn’t that make a great campaign prop for Schilling?  A big phat unemployment check made out to Phil Hare, dated November 3, 2010.

what us normal people do every day of our lives.  That is, pay for stuff as we go.  And if we can’t afford it, we either don’t get it, or we figure out a way to get more money to pay for it.  Of course, Congress doesn’t have to live by the same laws as the rest of us.

Hare’s press release casting his vote for PAYGO as some heroic act merely demonstrates how out of touch he is with real people.  If you actually issue a press release to pat yourself on the back for promising not to spend more than you confiscate from the American public, you are out of touch.  I mean, who wrote this?  Did they not realize how it comes off?  “Hey everyone!  Guess what – that’s right!  I’m not gonna spend more than the outrageous amounts I take from you!  Isn’t that great?”

Unfortunately, Hare can’t even make a phool of himself without screwing it up further — he also notes that “On regaining the Congressional majority in 2007, Democrats made PAYGO a part of House rules.”

Well then, what’s the problem?  Why have our deficits ballooned since the Democrats took over?

Seems if the Democrats could follow their own rules, we wouldn’t have needed the PAYGO law.  And yet we did.  Then, within weeks of PAYGO becoming law, they exempt the unemployment/COBRA extension.  Unbelievable.

Don’t worry though — I’m sure Rep. Hare is on the case.  He’ll probably pass a PAYGO “commandment.”  Heck, it’s already gone from a rule which Dems ignore, to a law from which they exempt spending we really need, next it will be a commandment from which Dems absolve themselves.  But I’m sure Hare will issue a press release to go along with it.

Less than one month ago, Rep. Hare was loudly trumpeting his vote for PAYGO:

“Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL) today voted for legislation that requires Congress to pay for any new spending or tax cuts, a process known as Pay-As-You-Go or PAYGO. The bill now heads to the President’s desk.

If signed, any increase in spending will have to be offset by spending decreases elsewhere or by finding additional revenue. Likewise, any tax cuts will have to be accompanied by decreases in spending because of that lost revenue.

“The days of excessive borrowing, wasteful spending, and massive tax cuts must come to an end,” Hare said. “PAYGO provides us the best opportunity to return to fiscal sanity so we do not pass our bills onto our children and grandchildren.”

However, that was then, this is now.  Now it’s “forget PAYGO, people are suffering!!!”  In his latest press release, Hare “slams” (his word – wow! what a tough guy!) Senator Jim Bunning for refusing to allow the extension of unemployment benefits for (another) month:

“Yesterday, I stood side-by-side with my Democratic and Republican colleagues in the House to extend unemployment insurance and the COBRA subsidy for one month. Yet the actions of a lone opponent, Republican Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky, have prevented similar action from taking place in the Senate and will ultimately lead to these programs expiring this weekend.

“It is more apparent than ever, with this latest affront to working families, the Senate is broken and needs to be reformed.”

First off, is Rep. Hare so stupid that he does not know the difference between one who is “working” and hence, does not need an extension of unemployment benefits, and one who is unemployed?  Apparently not, as he thinks the failure to extend benefits (meaning the persons are already receiving them) is somehow an “affront to working families.”  But if one is working, can we not safely assume they are not also receiving unemployment benefits?  Maybe I shouldn’t ask… 

Second, whence Hare’s devotion to “pay as you go”?  For Senator Bunning’s objection was due primarily to the fact that Congress had not come up with any offsets (reduced spending or increased taxes) to pay for the extension of benefits, as required by PAYGO.  As noted by Senator Kyl: