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  • October 14, 2008 08:31 AM EDT by Brian Sullivan

    The Orgy of Spending

    There are 21 days until the election but that's not the greatest countdown in Washington.   That is instead the race to see which party can offer the fattest, most careless round of gifts to potential voters ahead of the vote.

    It's been decided the $2 trillion dollar rescue package (click for my math) and the emergency half-percentage-point rate cut weren't enough.    We must now potentially have an expensive second stimulus package to help save us from ourselves.   Both the Democrats and Republicans have their wish lists at the ready, filled with necessaries such as infrastructure projects, entitlement programs and other "you need this" measures.    At least the early take on the Republican proposal includes some tax breaks that may help people keep their jobs.    Otherwise even they too are going on a spending spree.

    It's not hard to understand the thinking.   Both parties know that whatever destruction they do to the nation's balance sheet can simply be blamed on "the failed economic policies of the Bush administration."  (How many times have we heard that phrase from either party in the past few months?).   And since they have a convenient scapegoat, why not throw everything in the shopping bag?  Of course, its the taxpayer that ultimately pays for this.   Its a credit card with no limit.

    The battle between the two parties for the "customer" in the voting booth is like watching two old, dying retailers across the street from each other engage in a price war that ultimately dooms them both.    And while the big sales may be good for the customer in the short term, in the end all we are left with are two empty buildings and an ugly street.

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s.r. b.

Wonderfully written! I am so disgusted with both parties at this point I can't decide whether to stay home and not vote at all, or vote for the liberatarian party. Honestly, my five year old has more sense!

October 14, 2008 at 10:20 am

Peggy

I believe the 'bailout' can work to help heal our ailing economy. However, there should be NO 'wish list' items included. At this point monies spent on things like observing the mating habits of the yellow bellied sap sucker is an insult to all American taxpayers. I will vote the Republican ticket because Obama's socialist tendancies are not what this country is about. However, American taxpayers are not responsible for wall street's woes. Let the greedy and corrupt executives and politicians pay for the bailout!

October 14, 2008 at 10:53 am

TimBarton

This situation is disgusting there are so many other fixes besides nationalizing the financial industry and spending trillions. There is only one way to register your displeasure and that is to vote. Vote anyone who is not an incumbent or vote a third party. Imagine the political shock waves if a third party or parties won 15-20% of the vote. If you don't vote you squander your chance.

October 14, 2008 at 11:31 am

John

Agree, great article. Also agree with S.R.B. This is a new level of complete INSANITY! Why we all don't go down there in mass and throw them all out is beyond me! This is our country and they are supposed to represent us! I now have a better understanding why the founding fathers required voters to own land and believe we should go back to that requirement. As soon as we get our country back!

October 14, 2008 at 11:33 am

Ken

The US must have a savings account they never told us about.

October 14, 2008 at 11:49 am

s.r. b.

Ken - Does the Government have a savings account??- Of course they do, it's your children's wages!

October 14, 2008 at 12:57 pm

mwest

s.r.b. that's not a savings account. that's just a future limit increase on their credit card.

October 14, 2008 at 1:31 pm

1776

"s.r.b. that’s not a savings account. that’s just a future limit increase on their credit card." It's not a "limit", it's a control mechanism. It's how to control a population via a money supply. The American people have replaced God (values and morals) with a golden statue (MONEY). "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." - Proverbs 22:7 You reap what you sew

October 14, 2008 at 3:57 pm

about this blog

  • Brian Sullivan joined FOX Business Network (FBN) in April 2008 as an anchor. He co-anchors the 10am-12pm ET hours of the FOX Business block. Prior to joining FBN, Sullivan served as an anchor for Bloomberg Television where he hosted the programs Morning Call and In Focus.

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