"How did we become a country where men playing a child's game are paid millions of dollars annually while soldiers, police and firemen must work second jobs to feed their families? Why do singers and actors live like royalty while teachers and nurses shop at second-hand stores?"

The answer is because we have a nominally free society. It is predicated on supply and demand. The pool of people who can perform as soldiers, teachers, and firemen is vastly larger than the pool for professional quality sports playing. By professional quality I mean that people are willing to pay for and watch these people play their sports. Not too many people want to pay to watch soldiers, firemen, and teachers do their jobs. Also, the roles of firemen, soldiers and teachers require many more people than that of the professional ballplayer. No society could afford to pay those positions in that way. Our society values what it does. We should not be shocked to get what we get, consequences and all.
I served for 10 years as a commissioned officer, I am not denigrating those jobs, just stating reality.
Other than that, I enjoyed your posting. Your questions were of course rhetorical, but I enjoyed answering that one anyway.

But isn't it a shame we treat the court jesters so well and the people we need so poorly?

to "save" us. Well, according to USA Today, state and local governments have set virtually no money to pay the $1 Trillion in medical benefits for current and future retired civil servants. State and local entities are going to fell the pinch very soon. Say goodbye to define benefits schemes.
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According to the NY Times, monies from the stimulus bill earmarked for mass transit can only be used for improvements and not the day-to-day operations. So mass transit agencies such as MARTA will continue to operate in the red. It would have to take a lot of "gained efficiencies" from this new equipment in order to stem this operational red ink.

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but there is Anti-American speech and this is close.. Freedom of Speech is not just a concept it a Right..
Your Idiotic approach to this is juvinile and not well thought out at best.. Goes along with your Nazi comment..
I guess Republicans can come back and say.. IF YOUR FOR OBAMA YOUR AGAINST AMERICA.. Please try to to pull in the Rhetoric and Ideology it makes you look small and mindless.. especially when you respond with NAZI..

Some times I think he has a split-personality. He can come on here and make very rational and thoughtful blogs, especially concerning local matters, like the mess with the FCBOE. I read what he writes on these issues and I say to myself " Yeah, this is something that makes sense--I agree..." Then he starts his hate-filled ranting on anything that he thinks is "conservative" (a subject that he obviously does not comprehend) and he becomes one of those "dumbocrat liberal". An then, all you can do is shake your head and move on.

It's Godwin's Law.

It's inevitable.

Rush is no more or less a private citizen that Howard Dean. He's the head of the Republican Party.

In that case, barry is not POTUS.

It's President Pelosi and VP Harry Reid. They're the one's calling the shots. barry and Joe are just figure heads.

What about barney frank? Where does he fit in?

He was all "up in the grill" of the bankers yesterday on c-span. Of all the people to be questioning the bankers that was the rainbow icing on the cake. Little barney of fannie/freddie fame. He was astounded and appalled that they would give loans to people who were not credit worthy.

Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Charlie Rangel are nothing but a bunch of crooks and all deserve prison time.

But with the democrat crooks in charge in Washington, there is no chance that they will ever be prosecuted. Rangel was allowed to remain as Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee even though he dodged paying over $75,000 in taxes for rental income that he received on a beach house in the Dominican Republic and for use of 3 Harlem apartments.

Rangel referred to his tax-cheating ways as a "mosquito on an elephant's back".

Democrats are above the law, you see.

Democrats in Washington are nothing but gypsies, tramps, and thieves.
They are destroying our great country.

How many times do I have to tell you they are my heros? This is a new day in the U.S.S.A.

Our lead TAX CHEAT IN CHARGE of the treasury dept. has shown us a beautiful example to follow. Why do you hound these poor people like daschel, killefer, rangel, and geit-I-don't-pay-taxes? You hound them as though they were criminals.

Good job!! Have a good day Fred and keep up the good work!!

Senators Grill Geithner Again on New Financial Plan: Graham Tells Him, 'You Have No Clue'

"After getting grilled by Republican senators for close to four hours Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner returned to Capitol Hill today to face more questions about the lack of detail in the government's financial stability plan, but Geithner's second stint was no smoother than his first. One lawmaker, pressing to find out if Treasury would ask for more money to right the financial ship, told Geithner, "You have no clue."

taxes were done correctly. Since when has it been acceptable to not pay taxes and use the excuse that someone else did them or they forgot or 'gee it was an oversite, I'll take care of it right away'---ranks right up there with the dog ate my homework. I, and you, (unless you are a politician or a fat cat) have been responsible for each and every one of our tax returns--if you think IRS would have accepted any of these lame excuses for our 'errors', raise your hand.

Pelosi's mouse slated for $30M slice of gubberment cheese

"Lawmakers and administration officials divulged Wednesday that the $789 billion economic stimulus bill being finalized behind closed doors in Congress includes $30 million for wetlands restoration that the Obama administration intends to spend in the San Francisco Bay Area to protect, among other things, the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse.

President Nancy Pelosi represents the city of San Francisco and has previously championed preserving the mouse's habitat in the Bay Area."

The media was actually able to trace this lie about "$30 million for salt marsh harvest mouse protection" back to its source, a low level Republican congressional staffer. The staffer admitted it wasn't true.

It may not be true, but don't expect the Sean Hannity and Fred Garvins of the world to own up to their part in spreading lies.

LINK:Confronted With Salt Marsh Lie, Hannity Refuses to Back Down

I was having a good morning till I read this post. Pelosi and Reid; oh please.
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Rush is a private citizen..In a public job.. He is neither an Elected Official or one that is seeking the same..
He is not the head of the Republican party that would be Former Maryland Lt. Gov Michael Steele who will be the new chairman of the Republican National Committee. Rush is more of a spokesman of sorts but no more then Micheal Moore is a spokesman of the Democrat party..
There are many to whom we listen to get news and a more Center/Right view then the to obvious left of the mainstream media.. There is Hannity, Glenn Beck, Mark Levin, Andrew Wilkow to just name a few..
and yes Fox news is a big part.. at least they try to be more center..
We can go on about the media bias but it is old news now anyway.. The problems we now face trancends politics and ideology from both sides.. Who's Right Who's wrong doesn't really matter anymore.. WE can re-hash the election all we want the results are still the same.. Calling people NAZIS and making references to Adolph Hitler is at best moronic..
I am concerned about the future of the Country.. my Country.. the Country I bled for.. The Country I knew after Sept 11th.. I want the Country of Sept 12th, but I guess that is a pipe dream..
We are all to caught up in the Rhetoric our ideology our "party's".. I want to dis-engage, but I am afraid to do so.. Where do we go from here? I don't know but I do know we are headed there faster then ever before..

Bring back the honor, bring back the respect first and foremost, the world is laughing at us for our infighting and strife, while the third world nations rise in favor, we are to busy fighting with each other about who has what, when before long we all will have nothing if we continue into the abyss of this depression. Make U.S.A #1. and everyone else #2. We have to save ourselves in this crisis and stop trying to police the entire world, there is nothing to be ashamed of by seeing to ourself first for no one is going to come to our rescue except ourselves, if we can come together long enough, to pull up off the deck..... GOD WILLING.....BLESS

I wish to GOD that Rush was in "charge" of the Republican Party. It would not be the weak-kneed, no-spine, forget-what-a-conservative-is-mess that it is today!! Rush is "Godfather" of the conservative movement, IMHO. Someone with flaws, but someone that I admire for many of his qualities and accomplishments.

for your service to this Country.. Even though you were not appreciated then you are certanly appreciated by most now...
Secondly.. you should feel proud that the freedoms you fought for is expressed by someone like Rush who is able to express his opinions without fear of retribution.. I guess you must have felt the same when Clinton who ran to Paris to protest the war and also Kerry who called you all baby killers. These Republicans just can't.. huh wait a minute I was just told they were Democrats.. hmmm sorry about that..

I too await that answer.. but who are we to question "THE ONE" and his ACOLYTES..

You should read some polls not commissioned by NewsMax among their readers. Even though support is dropping because of the Congressional bickering strong majorities still support the stimulus package. After it passes and starts to get implemented, I suspect that its popularity will improve even more.

Gallup poll, “The American public gives President Barack Obama a strong 67% approval rating for the way in which he is handling the government's efforts to pass an economic stimulus bill, while the Democrats and, in particular, the Republicans in Congress receive much lower approval ratings of 48% and 31%, respectively. “

Gallup: Obama Has Upper Hand in Stimulus Fight

“CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll found that support for an economic stimulus increases to 71 percent when tax cuts for individuals and businesses are added to the package, while opposition drops to 28 percent.”

CNN Poll: Stimulus has widespread support

The Diageo/Hotline Poll, “Specifically, when voters are asked if they support or oppose the stimulus package and no details of the plan are given to them, 54% of voters support the stimulus package.  When voters are given the specifics of the stimulus package, 66% of voters support it.”

DEMOCRATS SEEN AS DOING A BETTER JOB THAN REPUBLICANS

Jeff, maybe you need to stop reading the Huffington Post and NYT -

I don't know what planet you are getting your info from, but the Americans are smart enough to know a rat when they smell one.

More Americans Oppose Stimulus Than Support It, For Good Reason

Support for Stimulus Package Falls to 37%

(Willie Nelson Ref)

62% Not happy with plan LINK

With the Senate poised to vote Tuesday on an $827-billion version of the economic recovery plan, 62% of U.S. voters want the plan to include more tax cuts and less government spending.

Just 14% would like to move in the opposite direction with more government spending and fewer tax cuts, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty percent (20%) would be happy to pass it pretty much as is, and five percent (5%) are not sure.

Americans not sold on Democrats LINK

The majority of Americans say most members of Congress don't pay all the taxes they owe. In fact, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 15% are confident that their elected representatives do pay the taxes they levy on others. Just who has been in the news about failing to pay.. That's right kiddies it is the Democrats..

Obama falling like a rock in polls LINK

President Obama had a rough week in the Beltway echo chamber, but the Democratic National Committee has assembled evidence arguing that he has retained his popularity with most Americans.

However, House Republicans distributed a memo by Neil Newhouse of Public Opinion Strategies concluding: “While Obama gets ‘style points’ for his handling of this issue, make no mistake, Americans have very mixed attitudes about the stimulus plan, and are NOT sold on either its urgency or its substance.”

While the Obama administration struggles over Cabinet nominees who "forgot" to pay taxes, 55% of American adults say that behavior is typical for most members of Congress.

Jeff, Diva, Sniffles and Bonkers.. not every poll agrees with yours.. here are a few "others" you can call them biased.. why not I am sure the ones you guys pull isn't..

Oh and Bighammer.. DIVA just hates it when you Regurgitate facts all over him..

Your third link above was very interesting. You changed the title of the article from "Obama holds strength in polls" to "Obama falling like a rock in polls" even though the article you referenced says the exact opposite.

A key finding from YOUR article:
"Americans overwhelmingly support Obama’s approach to passing the economic recovery plan, especially when compared to Republicans in Congress: 67 percent approve of the President’s efforts to pass the plan, 36 points more than those who approve of congressional Republicans."

Another one:
"Despite media attention given to Republican criticisms of the President’s plan, it is clear that voters strongly back the President’s approach and their confidence in his ability to improve the economy has strengthened since he took office, with a majority now saying they are more confident than they were before he took office."

Sorry to throw some reality-based cold water onto your carefully constructed fantasy world, Li'l Snipey!

How old are you anyway.. Do you post during recess.. you know mommy will spank if you talk bad to your elders..
Take it all in context.. I know you like to pick and choose, but just like I said: Obama falling like a rock in polls" that was my title not the article's.. aren't you one of the ones that berate others about pasting blah.. blah..
His polls were very high upper 80's to 90's now where are they.. and in less then 20 days.. So yes I said Falling like a rock... You chose to only Cut and paste from the "Democrat memo" My God you are truly blind..
It is the nurance of the articles that was being shown..
You must learn to look Contextually at the entire argument not just through the prism of ideology picking out what you want to shore up your argument.. that is why I posted the link to the entire article not just selected phrases unlike some.. do you not think I read them before I linked them.. Really..

There is no joy in Wingnuttia today...
Stimulus Support Edges Higher, Now 59%

Support for Stimulus Package Falls to 37%

62% Want Stimulus Plan to Have More Tax Cuts, Less Spending

58% Say Most Congress Members Won’t Know Stimulus Plan When They Vote On It

60% Say Stimulus Plan Is What Democrats Want, Not Bipartisan

About that 37% figure, Adolfred...

Take a look at the date on the article you linked to.
February 4, 2009.
Nine days ago, with public opinion from the week prior.

Now take a look at the date on the article I linked to.
February 13, 2009. That is today.
With the most current polls of public opinion, from this week.

Fifty-nine percent, Fredo. Fifty nine percent of America now supports the stimulus package.

No amount of spinning and misdirection on your part or Li'l Snipey's part can change that underlying fact.

Again with the name calling.. I swear you may be an adult.. but your little tantrums amaze me.. but what the heck I'm just a NAZI.. Holocaust denier right..

The "Tiny" Trillion-Dollar Turbaconducken You Don't Care About LINK

CNN That bastion of Conservative views might disagree with you Snif.. are they NAZI's too?

Support Slips in CNN Poll LINK

I'm disappointed, although truthfully not surprised, that you are attempting to use a Michelle Malkin editorial to counter my facts. No doubt in your skewed view of reality, a "fact" is something you really really WANT to be true.

I noticed you dredged up a week-old poll from CNN in a pathetic attempt to deflect from my facts. Your CNN link only goes to further prove my point, i.e. at this time last week, public support for the stimulus package was 51-52%. As of today, the public support for the stimulus package is 59%. That's a 13.46153846153846% rise in approval in a single week, no matter how you spin it.

but I did not know how bad it was stuck..

Here is another obviously Right winged Poll.. They have to be Right Winged because it disagrees with you.. Probably all NAZIS

Obama Campaigning Builds Support for Stimulus Program
Link

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of U.S. voters now support the plan while 40% are opposed. A week ago, just 37% favored the legislation, and 43% were opposed.

Hmmm.. 44% - 59% post your link if you wish to be credible.. It is still lower then you quote and is still not what the American People want...

It increased to 44% after barry told the lie that Caterpillar was going to stop the layoffs and start rehiring some of the folks that were laid off if the 'stimulus' bill passed.

barry told another whopper when he went out on the road and stated that there weren't any earmarks in the bill.

Just goes to show - if you need support for an unpopular bill, just lie about it.

This might be what snif meant by the Nazi thingy....www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFGr7KK-T4o

I yam what I yam....Popeye

Everyone should take polls with a grain of salt (unless Nate Silver over at fivethirtyeight blesses them) but here is the latest Gallup:

Stimulus Support Edges Higher, Now 59%

The numbers vary but the trend is clear: rising support for the stimulus package. I can’t imagine that after the bill is passed (very soon) and the money starts being distributed and people start getting some jobs back that support is going to radically decline. I’m anticipating support to rise or, at the least, to remain about the same. The Republicans were on the wrong side again.

The reason those polls are biased and wrong is because they don't agree with me.

Gotta work now. The government gets all my pay before about 12:15 every day. Aggravating is an understatement.

Sigh.

On this one we are definitely on the same page.. What is the cut off date now for paying off our individual debt to Caesar?
May or is June?

Jeff...not everyone is a mindless Dumbocrat like yourself. The support is not dropping because of congressional bickering, its that the contents of the package are finally coming to light.

Just as many have suspected it's full of PORK for everyone's pet projects, Just a few of the items are below:

$726 million for an after school snack program.
$8.2 billion to bring broadband and wireless to unserved areas.
$650 million for more of those coupons for people to buy a $40 converter box for their analog TVs.
$52.4 billion for carbon capture and sequestration demonstration projects.
$300 million for grants to combat violence against women
$150 million for the Smithsonian
$34 million to renovate the Department of Commerce headquarters
$500 million for improvement projects for National Institutes of Health facilities
$44 million for repairs to Department of Agriculture headquarters
$350 million for Agriculture Department computers
$88 million to help move the Public Health Service into a new building
$448 million for constructing a new Homeland Security Department headquarters
$600 million to convert the federal auto fleet to hybrids
$450 million for NASA (carve-out for “climate-research missions”)
$600 million for NOAA (carve-out for “climate modeling”)
$1 billion for the Census Bureau

I'm being called mindless by a member of a Party that expresses their independent political thinking by referring to themselves as "ditto heads"?

Ouch.

We've seen this string of numbers before. Doesn't matter. The bailout that George Bush started will pass both Houses and be implemented.

"Jeff...not everyone is a mindless Dumbocrat like yourself. The support is not dropping because of congressional bickering, its that the contents of the package are finally coming to light."

Hammer, the future of your party can see Russia from her state. What's it feel like having the snot kicked out of your political ideology by "dumbocrats?" Feels good from my end; every time I see my President

SEE them do you? Just because someone has shown them before does not take away from the fact that they are not items that will STIMULATE the economy. President Obama said in his news conf. that the package must create 4 million jobs...Those items won't do it, they can't. The point that you Liberals miss is that the jobs have to be created by businesses not the government.

Hammer, the future of your party can see Russia from her state. What's it feel like having the snot kicked out of your political ideology by "dumbocrats?" Feels good from my end; every time I see my President

Yes I voted Republican, however it was more a vote AGAINST OBAMA, than a vote for McCain. My ideology wasn't defeated by a stronger ideology, just an army of uneducated idiots hungry for something different, be it right or wrong!

Now you got me confused.

The bailout that George Bush started will pass both Houses and be implemented.

Are you referring to Bills H.R. 1 and S. 1 (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)?
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the banking and insurance industry last year under GWB's Treasury Department? Do you think the bank bailout is separate and exclusive to the current bill? Or do you see the TARF as the initiation of federal intervention in our economic system to prevent a collapse? That is confusing????

Bailout QandA

Here is a key quote from the article:

"President George Bush tried to calm fears that the taxpayer is on the hook for up to $700bn of losses by claiming yesterday that the relief fund could end up costing Joe Public nothing. "

Cy? You conservatives are calling this the "Obama Stimulus bill."
"Obama's TARP,"
"Obama stimulus plan."

Look at the numerous blogs your brothers have produced.

Are you saying that in the rescue's initiation, it was Congress' baby because GWB was the president, but NOW it is The President's baby?

Now, I'm confused?

The stratosphere is way too high to fly without pressurization. It tends to diminish oxygen to the brain.

As for the different methods of doling out our money; TARP is Bush's baby. H.R. 1 and S. 1 are in response to what President Obama believes we need. TARP is now public law (110-343). H.R. 1 and S. 1 is still in the final debate stage in congress. Hope this helps. Now start sucking on some oxygen.

Anyways, thanks for calling me a conservative. Main called me a closet liberal.
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You keep 'em guessing! Heck, Jeff doesn't even understand what being a "ditto-head" is all about!

Bush and the rest of a Democrat controlled Congress started it..
OBAMA is going to make sure he finishes it.. Only bigger and more bloated..
Diva seems to forget that Bush alone does not write the bills Congress presents the Bill to him for Signature.. and he signed it..

Oh and Diva.. like I said before you need treatment.. Bush Derangement syndrome although it can not be cured.. it can be treated with Medications.. I hear Lithium, prozac.. etc works..

I swore I wouldn't get into this but... oh well. I have read the Limbaugh/Hannity/Coulter gobbledygook for too long. So, here is your opportunity to prove your point. Please explain how, if the Repubs had any idea (other than tax cuts, there has been none), why/how did we get here after a Repub Congress 1995-1996? How did we get here with a very conservative President and a Republican Congress and Senate 2001-2006? How did we get here with a mere Dem majority in Congress (54%) starting 2007 but a conservative Pres. through 2008?
Bush cut taxes drastically. With a totally conservative government, our yearly deficit went from a $125 million (?) surplus to a $500 BILLION DEFICIT year over year. Our $5.7 trillion debt rose to $10 Trillion! Could you again explain how simply "cutting taxes" will solve all problems?
A quick google shows that economists tend to agree that in fact with low tax rates (we are under 40%) then revenues will actually decline with tax cuts (Laffer Curve). The reason that they rose under Reagan is that the top tax rates on investments were up around 70% and Reagan brought them down to the mid thrity percentile. But since they were so low, Bush's tax cut didn't actually raise revenue. My uneducated understanding of the Laffer theory is that if taxes are !00% then there is no incentive to work. But when they are as low as they are now, then more tax cuts do not increase revenue because it doesn't create the same incentive.

I know the theory that the Mortgage crises is the sole responsibility of Clinton, Franks, and Dodds. Please...PLEASE explain why the enlightened Congress and former Pres. didn't use their complete majority to correct that?

Anyway, inquiring minds want to know.... Why didn't you guys create a greater surplus during all those years in power? Why didn't you fix the mortgage problem during all those years in power? Why didn't our economy gain more and more strength as we lowered taxes? And most of all, what is YOUR plan to turn around the economy.

Now is your chance. Put your money where your mouth is.

P.S. Exactly WHY did we attack abandon Afghanistan and invade Iraq?

From Birdman:
I know the theory that the Mortgage crises is the sole responsbility of Clinton, Franks,and Dodds, Please...PLEASE explain WHY the enlightened Congress and former Pres. didn't use their complete majority to correct that?
Birdman maybe this is the reason WHY.

Ownership

Thanks for the link. I get awfully tired of the Repubs heaping all the mortgage crises blame on Clinton, Franks, and Dodds. If everyone would simply "own up" and take accountability then maybe we as a nation could actually work together and come up with solutions. Probably not in the works though.

Since your posting was "a little" wordy.. Here is a link to start you in the right direction..

The Long History of the 2008 Financial Mess

Note the decades part.. One party/one president did not get us here.. They all suffer from "Potomac Fever"

Sorry I mistyped your name (my bad). Thanks for the link. You are right, it is no one party or generation's fault. But it is discouraging listening to the party politics of the Repub leaders who, after 8 years of party politics and total "un-inclusion," want not only total inclusion, but total control as a minority party. They are now reaping what they sowed. Problem is, a combo of ideas would be the best. But the line was drawn and now we will see.

your answer will be flooding in shortly.. gotta go right now, but wait for it.. you might learn something..

Lindsey answer treasure chest

That was you on the bottom Right?

With the ball(s) in hand

Cheers, and good day mate!

actually funny.. made me laugh... good shot