For weeks now, every media outlet has been railing against AIG for paying out bonuses to some of their employees. An easier issue to demagogue does not exist and everyone is on board with it.

The new CEO of AIG says the bonuses are part of their employment contracts. Now, because the government has given AIG billions of dollars to ‘bail them out,’ the administration feels that they have a right to intervene in the employee/employer relationship and pick the pocket of the employees, or ‘workers’ as Obama likes to refer to wage earners.

It was reported early on, but not since about a week or two ago, that the employment contracts like those being harangued by the media are normal for Wall Street traders. That they operate on a ‘low’ weekly salary, and the nut of their income comes in the form of a bonus arrangement based on whatever is well known in the industry and that these contracts were part of the terms of their employment.

If all the above is true, then it is easy to see how dangerous it is that the government is talking about interfering with that employee/employer relationship by voiding the contracts and not paying the ‘workers.’

It feeds the populist feeding frenzy of eating the rich. Only in a socialist state my fiends.

My how things change when you leave politics out of it.

During the fall campaign, Obama relentlessly criticized his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, for declaring, “The fundamentals of our economy are strong.” Obama’s team painted the veteran senator as out of touch and failing to grasp the challenges facing the country.

But on Sunday, that optimistic message came from economic adviser Christina Romer. When asked during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” if the fundamentals of the economy were sound, she replied: “Of course they are sound.”

Never mind Obama. How’s the media going to take this 180?

 AP link:  White House says economy is sound despite ‘mess’

With bailouts and ‘stimulus’ plans and a new federal budget out there, all of which are a burden on our future generations, can it be that the fix is worse than the problem?

Under the cover of economic recovery, the Obama administration has managed to legislate a blend of socialism by that or any other name. It is nothing short of socialism via fiat.

The first question should be:

Do you want to shift the United States from a free-market capitalist society to a more socialistic one, controlling your bank, your health care and your welfare? YES or NO

This necessitates one more question:

Do you believe the government can do all that to your satisfaction?  YES or NO

With only its record to go on, the Obama administration is assuming the answer to the questions would be YES. And the  media watchdog is apparently of the same opinion.

At his address to the nation last night, President Obama put into perspective exactly what was bothering me with Gov. Crist’s support for his so-called stimulus bill that was railroaded through Congress last week.

Florida is expected to receive some $12 billion in federal aid from the package. Crist says it is his job to represent the people in Florida, so if he can get $12 billion out of our government, he’ll take it. The day before the vote, about the bill, Crist said . . .

My concern is not about what’s best for one party or the other. My concern is what’s best for the state and what’s best for the people of Florida.

His reasoning is as short-sighted as can be. Never-mind that the stimulus bill is 75% of a government stimulus rather than an economic stimulus. Also never-mind that the President once again emphatically stated that there were no earmarks in that bill. All without the slightest challenge from the media on that false statement. The rationale seems to be that, after the first few hundred billion dollars in earmarks, there are no earmarks in that bill.

If Gov. Crist wants to better represent his constituents, he would be looking at the long term consequences this stimulus bill will do to our economy instead of reaching for the proverbial golden ring.

For his panhandling politic-speak,  Obama called Crist out when he said . . .

In other words, we have lived through an era where too often, short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity; where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter, or the next election.

Governor Crist can forget whatever presidential aspirations he may have in is future. At least as a Republican. Supporting that bill for the reason he said ended that question.

links: RAW DATA: Transcript of Obama’s Address to Joint Session of Congress |

Gov. Charlie Crist takes heat from Republicans for supporting stimulus package

History is made today, Friday the 13th, when two houses of congress vote on a ‘stimulus’ bill that they have not read. And what they have not read, will guarantee that the next couple generations will still be paying our bill.

How’s this for ‘change?’ President Obama’s campaign promises include transparency. Does that include enough time to read what is in the 1,100 page bill? The bill that Republican input was not allowed. The ‘agreement’ was 48 hours to review the bill before voting on it. Turns out to be around 8 hours.

Today also marks the official death of the media’s role as a government watchdog. The media has so powerful a responsibility that they have the constitutional protection in the 1st Amendment to be one. That dog died today.

Democrats in Washington don’t want the people to know what is in the bill before they vote on it. A lot of what is in it this ‘stimulus’ bill  are things that, if put to a vote on their own, would not pass. So the less you know about it, the better.

It is obvious why the Democrat-controlled congress wants to rush this bill sight unseen, to the President’s desk. But what is the media’s excuse? That dog died.

Look how the watchdog AP, or make that the lapdog AP, covers the events of today. Not one mention of the fact that Democrats reneged on the deal to have 48 hours to read it. No mention of the fact that there was not enough time for anyone to read the bill. The rush to the vote is called muscling the bill through, virtually on their own. Sounds like a good thing doesn’t it. In the article, look for a mention that no one, including the media, knew what was in the bill when they voted on it. Who would have thought that the media would be satisfied with the voting and passage of a bill, the contents of which are not known?  AP doesn’t know what is in it. What is worse, AP doesn’t care to find out what is in it.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a major victory for President Barack Obama, Democrats muscled a huge, $787 billion stimulus bill through Congress late Friday night in hopes of combating the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.

Quick survey here. Everyone who thinks the media would be just as lax if McCain/Palin were in The White House, please raise your hand.

link:  Democrats muscle huge stimulus through Congress

Originally posted 2/13/2009

UPDATE 2/14/2009:

Survey results from yesterday are borne out of today’s headlines. From O-AP.

Savoring win, Obama celebrates `major milestone’

Savoring his first big victory in Congress, President Barack Obama on Saturday celebrated the newly passed $787 billion economic stimulus bill as a “major milestone on our road to recovery. ” Officials said he would sign the measure on Tuesday in Denver.