It doesn’t take long to figure out that the Republicans are highly critical of President Obama.  Even after spreading the claim that Barack Obama is Ground Zero for the Ebola Virus, he still remains more popular than they are.  It’s like he’s rubber and they’re glue.

So, they have switched strategies.  Sabotage.

Just six years ago, Congress passed a massive infrastructure bill with near unanimous support: 412-8 in the House, 91-4 in the Senate.

So committed to cause of infrastructure was that Republican-controlled Congress in 2005, that they weren’t concerned that some of the 6,361 earmarked projects may not have constituted the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

But today? At a time when the need for jobs is painfully greater than six years ago?

A Democratic president proposes an infrastructure bill to create jobs. And every Senate Republican filibusters it.

A Democratic president proposal an infrastructure bill that does not increase the deficit. And every Senate Republican filibusters it.

A Democratic president proposes an infrastructure bill with no earmarks at all. And every Senate Republican filibusters it.

A Democratic president incorporates a bipartisan proposal for an independent infrastructure bank precisely so decisions about funding projects can be made based on the merits instead of on crude earmark politics. And every Senate Republican filibusters it.

Republicans have a dream:  they await the day when a neglected bridge falls on a crowd of homeless people living underneath it so they can blame Obama twice.

.

Thanks to Carl for the heads-up.

Bud sent this about Phil Gramm, which reminds us that we need to check his PhD in economics for cereal box stains and wonder if letting his teach is all that wise.  He’s been linked to 16 major financial crisis events.

And speaking of Phil and Rick and Texas A&M and financial dealings, we have this little joyful event.  There has been a Super PAC formed to raise Aggie money for Perry called, because Aggies are so creative, “Texas Aggies for Perry in 2012.”  And guess whose name pops up?

Texans for Public Justice, an Austin watchdog group, calculated in a report last year that Perry’s appointees to the Texas A&M Board of Regents ranked among the top donors to his political campaigns, giving an average of $113,000 each in unlimited donations. One of his appointees was Wendy Lee Gramm, wife of Phil Gramm, whose 2002 U.S. Senate campaign transferred $610,000 to Perry, according to the report. Phil Gramm is now a professor at Texas A&M.

Just what we need, Wendy and Phil Gramm buying their way back into the White House.  That was sarcasm.  We don’t need that.  At all.  In fact, it would be awful.  The odor alone will kill people.

If Rick Perry gets elected, you’re giving Phil Gramm the keys to Fort Knox.

I live in a county where “grants” are considered free money.  If we get a federal grant to hire two new assistant District Attorneys for two years, we jump on it like a fat lady on a milkshake.  I can recall the DA telling the press, “It’s not costing us a thing!” as if somehow the money appeared on the courthouse lawn like manna from heaven.

Phil Gramm - Noted Whiner and Bozo

It appears that our conservative Republican county government can’t make the intellectual jump necessary to realize (1) that we will have to pick up the salaries for those ADA’s after the grant runs out, and (2) it’s ALL our money.

The money from grants comes from the federal government, which gets its money from …. think, now, what happens every April 15th? … you can get this, I know you can … it comes from …. right, the very same magic treasure chest the county gets its money.

Conservative governmental entities play a shell game of passing the buck, and I mean that literally.  The state cuts funds to education and then your local school board has to raise taxes.  Then your state senator claims he cut taxes.  No, he did not.  He cut state taxes and raised local taxes.

Y’all know Phil Gramm and Rick Perry, don’t ya?  The head cheerleaders on the evils of the federal government and that all taxes are bad?  What you don’t know is that they are both tighter than skin on a sausage with Texas A&M University.  So, lookie here:

The University received $23.8 million for the project from a federal grant, approximately 70 percent of the total price tag. Appleton said Phil Gramm, former U.S. Senator and economics professor at A&M, was helped secure the earmark grants for the project.

“This grant was a needed one for the University in order for campus to continue growing,” Appleton said. “Thanks to the grant, the University can use less state and university funds.”

It’s ALL our money, Bub.  It does not matter one iota to me whether the federal, state, local, or university pays for the project — it all comes out of my pocket, dammit.

I do not mind conservatives being stoopid.  Hell, it’s what they do best so let them do it.  What I mind is that they think I’m stoopid, too.

Thanks to Alfredo over at the Dairy Queen who is on a tear this morning about Jack Abramoff, too.

No story gets fun until Gloria Allred gets involved.

The Queen of Hoopla, Allred will say or do damn near anything to get on teevee and extort a potload of money for her  clients, who are generally people who want to cash in on being minor league social victims of the rich and famous.  Allred is a woman who has had a shame-ectomy and that is contagious.

She’s pointing her well manicured finger at Herman Cain and it almost – I said ALMOST – makes me feel sorry for him.

A new woman alleging sexual harassment by presidential hopeful Herman Cain will break her silence at a news conference with her powerhouse attorney Gloria Allred Monday afternoon in New York City, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.

Popcorn, anyone?

Thanks to Carol for the heads-up.

#1:  It’s revealed that you put the “entitle” in entitlements —

If Perry retires at the end of his current term, in 2014, he would be eligible to collect as much as $119,025 a year, according to calculations based on 30 years of elective service and optional provisions. Perry will also receive Social Security, which could swell his total public pension benefits to more than $140,000 annually.

In 2005, Perry signed legislation that increased lawmakers’ pensions.

#2:  They have to send out your parents to do interviews because they are the only ones still saying nice things about you.

#3:  The best even your own mother can come up with is this —

“I may be a little biased, but I don’t think he’s perfect and I don’t always agree with him. But he’s smarter than I am and he wants what’s best for America.”

Okay, you gotta admit that the Newt Gingrich / Herman Cain “Lincoln / Douglas Debate” was interesting on at least one level:  Cain has been accused of sexual impropriety the exact same number of times that Newt has been married.

Coincidence?  Or debate?

Politico said they “agreed to agree.”  Yeah, that chicks are hot.