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Think Progress

Clueless Rick Santorum: ‘Bush Policies Worked’ To Reduce Poverty To ‘The Lowest Rate Ever’

Former Republican Sen. Rick Santorum appeared on Fox News yesterday to defend former House Speaker Newt Gignrich’s absurd war on food stamps, and threw in a factually-challenged defense of the Bush administration as well for good measure. Speaking of increased poverty rates during the recession, Santorum boldly stated that “Bush polices worked,” and resulted in the lowest poverty rates “ever in the history of this country” for African Americans and single women:

SANTORUM: Yeah, remember, under the Bush administration, welfare — I mean, excuse me, poverty among African Americans and among single unmarried women, poverty was at the lowest rate ever in the history of this country. So Obama’s policies are not working, Bush polices worked! For long a time as a matter of fact.

Watch it:

There’s one small problem with Santorum’s claim — it’s completely false. In fact, while the Bush years were disastrous for the economy as a whole, they were particularly devastating for the poorest Americans. Under Bush, the number of Americans living in poverty jumped an astonishing 26.1 percent. When President Clinton left office in 2000, there were about 31.6 million Americans living in poverty, according to the Census Bureau. When Bush left office in 2008, that number had jumped to 39.8 million — the largest number in absolute terms since 1960.

As for Santorum’s claims about Africans Americans, he is dead wrong. A Center for American Progress report found, “The percent of African Americans living in poverty increased from 2000 to 2006 by an average of 0.82 percent per year, after having declined by an average of 1.25 percent per year in the 1990s” — and that was before the recession. Poverty rates among African Americans climbed even higher in the last two years of the Bush administration, reaching an astonishing 24.7 percent in 2008.

And despite Santorum’s claims, the poverty rates for unmarried women also climbed under Bush. As a Center for American Progress report on single women found, single mothers were particularly hard hit, with nearly 30 percent living in poverty in 2008 — “a significant increase” over 2000 when fewer than than 26 percent were impoverished. And not only did the rate increase, but the gap between married and unmarried women grew: “The poverty rate of unmarried women was 13.4 percentage points higher than married women in 2000, but it was 14.6 percentage points higher in 2008,” the report found. Not surprisingly, that gap was even wider for women of color.

It’s unclear where Santorum came up with his bogus claim, as the data is easily accessible and irrefutable. Of all the issues on which to try to defend Bush’s record, poverty is among the most difficult. As the Atlantic’s Ron Brownstein noted last year parsing the Census Bureau’s annual report on poverty, “On every major measurement…the country lost ground during Bush’s two terms.”



106 Responses to “Clueless Rick Santorum: ‘Bush Policies Worked’ To Reduce Poverty To ‘The Lowest Rate Ever’”

  1. Rab says:

    Ricky got bit by the truth dog again!!!!


  2. Razor_Boy says:

    Man on Dog man is clueless.


  3. DNFP (powered by the Stirling Engine™) says:

    Most ignorant quote of the day (and that’s saying A LOT.)


  4. zxbe says:

    I’m sure he got his “facts” from Conservapedia.


  5. LiberalVoter says:

    Well, he forgot to mention this only applied to the top 2% of the wealthy. Remember, this is the mission of the right wing to enrich the very wealthy. Just his way of saying that.


  6. WaltTheMan says:

    In 2001 this country awoke from the American Dream, now the nightmares are on us.


  7. Hoodathunk says:

    We really need to pass a Liar’s Tax. Something like A Million per publicly uttered lie. With the RepublicaiNos and Baggers on such a roll we could cut the deficit to nothing by Election Day.


  8. wisdomofwords says:

    Rick, everybody didn’t benefit from the Bush policies like you did. Only the faithful that watch Fox will believe that crap you’re spewing. Liar


  9. paleolib says:

    With a whopper like that I assume the next words out of his mouth were “and 9/11 happened during the Clinton administration, we found WMD in Iraq and only the quick actions of George W. Bush saved New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina.”


  10. stewarjt says:

    Clueless or deliberate liar? I’m going with door #2, Monte.


  11. har5125 says:

    Clueless Rick Santorum:

    Gotta love the redundancy in the title.


  12. MapleStreet says:

    OK, I understand the psychological mechanisms of denial.

    But, assuming that he believes what he says (admittedly, a long shot), how in the world can he convince others that poverty decreased to the lowest ever under Shrub ?


  13. MapleStreet says:

    3. DNFP,

    Why stop at “the day”? This one probably covers at least several months.

    Cheers.


  14. Hoodathunk says:

    But, assuming that he believes what he says (admittedly, a long shot), how in the world can he convince others that poverty decreased to the lowest ever under Shrub ?

    Poor people magically appeared on Jan 21, 2009. Just like the deficit.


  15. zxbe says:

    MapleStreet says:
    OK, I understand the psychological mechanisms of denial.

    But, assuming that he believes what he says (admittedly, a long shot), how in the world can he convince others that poverty decreased to the lowest ever under Shrub ?

    Enjoyed the discussion on the prior thread. The troll was getting too annoying so I moved on…

    Santorum’s just gaming the media and the fact that we are now in a sound-bite generation. He just needs his base to repeat the lie, and it becomes lore for them.

    Even if he were to issue a correction later, his job is done by spreading the misinformation in the first place.


  16. Pilotshark says:

    Clueless Rick Santorum

    LOL no wonder he is up there for
    teapublicant president candidate.

    clueless in PA


  17. ralph the wonder llama, official spokesllama for Troll-Free America™ says:

    Man-on-Dog Santorum:

    “And Bush policies brought everyone a pony! I can’t believe you people forgot about the ponies!”


  18. pete says:

    Rain falls up, indoors. Right, Rick?


  19. wildwilly1111 (Please Do NOT Feed the Trolls) says:

    Until the media people start pushing back against these blatant lies, we will contin-

    (what? fox? oh…)

    Never mind.


  20. ralph the wonder llama, official spokesllama for Troll-Free America™ says:

    I think this is a conscious decision on the part of conservatives: they have realized that honest, fact-based discussion has a liberal bias, so their only option is to undercut the very concept by legitimizing delusional bullshit as an accepted form of communication.


  21. Pilotshark says:

    “Clueless Rick Santorum: ‘Bush Policies Worked’ To create Poverty ‘The Best Rate Ever’”


  22. har5125 says:

    ralph the wonder llama, official spokesllama for Troll-Free America™ says

    “And Bush policies brought everyone a pony! I can’t believe you people forgot about the ponies!”

    Don’t remember the ponies, but do recall the jackass who was selected by the Roberts’ Supreme Court to be president.


  23. benji85 says:

    Sith mind tricks, that is all it is.

    The Darkside is filled with hate and misdirection.


  24. katy says:

    he’s not stupid… he’s not even ignorant… is he?
    i think he’s just plain lying.

    is there a name for this technique, other than the possibly overused “propaganda”…? or would anything else fly right over the rubes’ heads…?

    moms have used the “reverse psychology” method with huge success, but this is much more pernicious… the possible results especially…


  25. Hope says:

    Do the GOP/Tea Bats tell the truth? Wonder how it’s going to be when they reach the pearly gates of heaven and when asked by Saint Peter “did you help your fellow man”? – They will automatically assume Saint Peter’s asking about the 1%.


  26. alphainfinityomega says:

    Poor people magically appeared on Jan 21, 2009. Just like the deficit.

    Actually you need to go back to election day in early Nov. 2008:
    Have you ever noticed that the Republicans like to quote the unemployment numbers saying “WHEN OBAMA WAS ELECTED…blah, blah, blah….”
    It burns me that no one ever calls them on that rhetorical trickery.

    AIO


  27. Cats r Flyfishn (Just Another Day on Earth) says:

    Ricky got kicked out of the Senate and now he thinks that he is presidential material. In Pennsylvania, we remember how you cheated on your taxes and made Pennsylvanians pay for your home schooling in VA.

    If you think Ricky is bad, check out Toomey. He is worst and he is dangerous to our financial security.


  28. robbez_92107 says:

    Well, what do you expect from The Frothy Mixture?

    The truth? Good luck with that.


  29. austininc4 says:

    Now Who is Rick Santorum again? Oh Yeah, “HE’S A NOBODY”.


  30. texasrick says:

    Anyone can go on Faux and say whatever the hell they want, truth or not, and get away without any fact checking.

    Meantime, down on the farm, Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Moron believe every word…

    Fox news. Lying to white folks since 1996


  31. Mikeystyle says:

    Bush had ZERO net job growth during his term—the worst in history.

    Even the Wall Street Journal admits this
    http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/01/09/bush-on-jobs-the-worst-track-record-on-record/


  32. littlejohn says:

    Facts don’t matter – besides, they’re for liberals and people who think too much. Blind allegience to the radical ideology is what’s important here. What better place to preach the ideology than FoX?


  33. ralph the wonder llama, official spokesllama for Troll-Free America™ says:

    Man-on-Dog Santorum:

    “Well, if you guys can’t remember George W. Bush giving you all a pony, then you’re beyond help.”


  34. Pilotshark says:

    Fox/Saudi news. Lying and scaring white folks since 1996

    though i add that as well.


  35. Hoodathunk says:

    Santorum: What’s wrong with you people? The economy was wonderful and everyone was happy in 2008. Everyone had ponies and things were going so great we gave 750 billion dollars to Wall Street as a thank you gift!


  36. wizard2000 says:

    “SANTORUM: Yeah, remember, under the Bush administration, welfare — I mean, excuse me, poverty,…”

    Let’s finish Santorum’s first thought for him: “welfare payments going to the poor from welfare programs established to help the poor…were at the lowest rate ever in the history of this country.”

    Now, I’m not sure if this is true, statistic-wise, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

    In other words, Santorum must have forgotten for a moment that he was speaking out in public instead of sitting around a whites-only country club table or floating on some white billionaire’s yacht, joking, talking with other radical Republicans in private about shredding our nation’s social safety net, while cutting taxes for the wealthiest…which former president George W. Bush and his administration were very “successful” at doing, beyond what they did (or didn’t do) during Hurricane Katrina, after the flooding of New Orleans, when radical Republicans in the Bush/Cheney administration sat on their public-servant hands, deciding that Louisianan citizens deserved to die because they had dared vote Democrats into top state and local offices.


  37. Pilotshark says:

    “On every major measurement…the country lost ground during Bush’s two terms.”

    unless you are counting making the rich richer. that part gain lots of ground at the sacrifices of We The People.


  38. ralph the wonder llama, official spokesllama for Troll-Free America™ says:

    Pilotshark says:
    Fox/Saudi news. Lying and scaring white folks since 1996

    Well, to be fair to Faux News, scaring people isn’t against the law, and as for lying, well, they won a court case that established their right to lie.


  39. Mathazar says:

    Let me get tis straight.

    The economy tanked, but everyone was better off, especially the lower class.

    Makes perfect sense to someone who didn’t even know the price of gas was nearly 4 dollars a gallon.


  40. Hoodathunk says:

    Back in the days when America still at least gave lip service to ideals lying was considered something only low life scum indulged in because they didn’t know any better. And if you found someone was a liar you avoided them.

    Today, we elect them.


  41. Frugalchariot says:

    I believe what Santorum meant was that during the Bush years, the poverty rate amongst the top two percent plunged to its lowest point in history.

    That would make sense, yes.


  42. Perry logan says:

    Don’t bother to cite the real stats. Even if you back them into a corner, wingers will just say it was all Bill Clinton’s fault.


  43. P.D. says:

    And to think, this idiot was my Senator for YEARS.


  44. MapleStreet says:

    26. AlphaInfinityOmega,

    I assume you are also referring to what the crashing stock market carried over the election (admittedly, also related to poverty and folks loosing their retirement savings) ?

    A market in freefall continued the freefall after the election. So quoting election day market indicators doesn’t give Bush full credit for his catastrophe.


  45. Cats r Flyfishn (Just Another Day on Earth) says:

    He just needs his base to repeat the lie, and it becomes lore for them.

    Ricky doesn’t have much of a base left in PA.


  46. Marie says:

    Rick Sanitariam can’t possibly be serious.
    I heard he is considering throwing in his hat for 2012 — I’d throw him out the door.


  47. Marie says:

    OT
    Internet and other technologies that are staples of life and work under a bill signed into law on Friday.
    President Barack Obama portrayed the occasion as another step in guaranteeing equal access, opportunity and respect for all Americans.

    “We’ve come a long way …but too many Americans with disabilities are still measured by what folks think they can’t do, instead of what we know they can do,” Obama said.

    The new law “will make it easier for people who are deaf, blind or live with a visual impairment to do what many of us take for granted,” he said, from navigating a TV or DVD menu to sending an e-mail on a smart phone.


  48. P.D. says:

    Marie@46, LOL! Ricky has delusions of grandeur. He IS running in 2012. As far as me and my fellow Pensylvannians are concerned, he could fall of the face of the Earth and we wouldn’t give a shIt.


  49. Hoodathunk says:

    I suppose if you are a RepublicaiNo and only pay attention to the 5% crowd, things were looking pretty darn good in 2008. They were well on their way to buying the country on the cheap.

    Hmmm, they still are.


  50. CheeseFlap says:

    Brain hemorrhage leaks
    Monkey spit and a bible
    Styrofoam peanuts


  51. tombaker says:

    i’d keep a little lower profile,

    once my name had become synonymous with what rick’s has.


  52. trevinla says:

    He clearly meant:
    “poverty among African Americans and among single unmarried women, within the top 2% of earners, poverty, of that tiny, TINY, group, was at the lowest rate ever in the history of this country.”


  53. Mathazar says:

    But he must have given away all his ponies, cause he didn’t any left at his “ranch”.


  54. CheeseFlap says:

    Rick’s “evolution”:
    Passionately ignorant
    Still “tucks” lobster tail


  55. lurkmode says:

    Thou shalt not lie Ricky


  56. Keith (a wholly owned subsidiary of megaconglomecorp) says:

    Off Topic:

    SCOTT BAUER Associated Press
    October 08, 2010 3:55 PM EDT

    MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Records obtained by The Associated Press show that Republican Senate candidate Ron Johnson is saving money by employing prison inmates at his plastics factories.

    Johnson’s two companies don’t have to pay for health care for the inmates. The state covers those costs. Johnson has campaigned against government subsidies to business.


  57. livelongandprosper says:

    he could fall of the face of the Earth and we wouldn’t give a shIt.

    I thought he did fall off the face of the Earth. There is still hope I suppose.


  58. Hoodathunk says:

    Santorum: “I took a poll of all the poor people I know in 2008 and again last week. The numbers haven’t changed at all. Still 0.”


  59. alphainfinityomega says:

    MapleStreet says:

    A market in freefall continued the freefall after the election. So quoting election day market indicators doesn’t give Bush full credit for his catastrophe.

    That’s exactly why they do it: I’ve heard Mike Pence do it several times; he’s not the only Rethug that does it.
    It also smears Obama with Bush’s skank even though he was only President elect. (AND I’VE NEVER ONE MODERATOR CALL THEM ON IT, NOT EVEN THE SO CALLED LIBERAL ONES)

    AIO


  60. Hoodathunk says:

    Ron Johnson’s favorite song is “Chain Gang.” Coming soon to a RepublicaiNo business near you.


  61. Keith (a wholly owned subsidiary of megaconglomecorp) says:

    livelongandprosper, hope your sinus headaches cleared up.


  62. SP Biloxi says:

    Who cares what Man on Dog ex-Senator thinks. He’s still pandering Bush when we know that Bush created for the past 8 years an United Snakes of Moronica: Land of the theives, home of the slaves.


  63. mongo says:

    Classic rove, who copied the playbook of various totalitarian regimes (1930’s Germany, North Korea, Soviet Union): repeat a lie often enough and people just assume it’s the truth.


  64. southrnbelle says:

    Hey Santorum,

    They booted you out of Washington a long time ago.

    GO HOME!


  65. Hank10303 says:

    I guess this is the final proof that this fool is not to be relied on for anything factual or truthful and he is no economic expert.

    The fact is the Bush administration increase the poverty percentage by nearly half to another high to 14.3 percent. Thanks to Bush economic policies and his Great Recession.


  66. mongo says:

    No evidence needed, or wanted. Work at people’s emotional level, appealing to what your supporters want to believe is true, ignoring the rational or scientific evidence.

    And if your opponents come out with evidence or contrary point of view, simply accuse *them* of lying, loudly, vociferously and continuously.

    This is what has happened to Obama.


  67. Hoodathunk says:

    Since poverty is something only poor people suffer from it is consigned to the imaginary by Ricky and company. They are like unicorns…poof.


  68. Keith (a wholly owned subsidiary of megaconglomecorp) says:

    There were kickbacks for prison labor in Cool Hand Luke, Brubaker, I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, and Sullivan’s Travels.


  69. livelongandprosper says:

    Keith (a wholly owned subsidiary of megaconglomecorp) says:
    livelongandprosper, hope your sinus headaches cleared up.

    Thanks very much Keith. Indeed I am 100% now. I can see and read clearly. You are definitely NOT Kenneth! A good 11 hour sleep plus all the off the counter drugs did the trick. Thankfully it doesn’t happen too often although my dad has suffered from these for some 40 years so I anticipate that I will get them more often. Genes are genes and you get what you get.


  70. dixie blood (sponsored by The Party Stop Stores) says:

    Ricky,

    Woof! Woof!

    Bow Wow Wow Yippy Yo Yippy Yay


  71. ebbAndflow says:

    Santorum went to he Gingrich school of ‘let’s see if this lie sticks’.


  72. republicanSScareme says:

    Dear Mr. Santorum,

    Does it bother you that you have become the poster boy for stupid rich people?


  73. just the bleepn facts says:

    Republicans lie because the truth has a liberal bias. That’s a fact!


  74. dasm says:

    Do Republicans have any idea what honesty is? Do they realize that, by lying constantly, they are also constantly breaking one of the Ten Commandments? They are anti-American & anti-Bible, and too miserable, hateful, & dishonest to realize it.


  75. tarazan says:

    Mr. Santorum:

    Not even a hypnotized person will agree with what you said.


  76. conservative guy says:

    This comment has been voted down. Click to read.


  77. SKdeA says:

    What’s that stench coming off the GOP all of a sudden? I mean, that new stench?

    Could it be DESPERATION????


  78. SoapBox says:

    This goober has Z-E-R-O credibility.

    Need we say “man on dog” just ONE more time, so that America can know that he truly is irrelevant?

    …done…

    …take a hike, GOMER!


  79. Ape-Man says:

    Santorum again?!

    Santorum should look for a regular job.

    He is all washed up.
    He’s a pervert. A phony.


  80. dbadass says:

    Hi conservative guy:
    Would you like to explore this idea further and in greater depth?


  81. ralph the wonder llama, official spokesllama for Troll-Free America™ says:

    con man — I mean con guy seems to celebrate that President Obama has not been able to undo all the damage wrought by his predecessor in a year and a half.

    After all, it only took Bush that long to completely reverse Bill Clinton’s surpluses! Right, con man… I mean con guy?


  82. ralph the wonder llama, official spokesllama for Troll-Free America™ says:

    dbadass says:
    Hi conservative guy:
    Would you like to explore this idea further and in greater depth?

    I expect he would dbadass, were he at all capable.

    Or interested.


  83. ralph the wonder llama, official spokesllama for Troll-Free America™ says:

    nestedif says:
    Adjusted for inflation, after-tax median household income increased by 2% during the Bush presidency.

    Just an FYI.

    The Wall Street Journal begs to differ:

    “The inflation-adjusted income of the median household—smack in the middle of the populace—fell 4.8% between 2000 and 2009″

    MIght want to re-check your sources there, chief. Just an FYI.


  84. dbadass says:

    Just an FYI.

    Doesn’t this beg a citation?


  85. dbadass says:

    Seems their water dishes may be empty ralph…


  86. dbadass says:

    Look it up.

    Oh so you don’t actually have a source…


  87. ralph the wonder llama, official spokesllama for Troll-Free America™ says:

    nestedif says:
    #84, I said “adjusted for taxes.” Because people kept more of what they earned. They did earn a little less, but they kept more of it.

    And the federal budget went into record deficit as a result.

    So even though people earned less, the government went into severe debt so that people could feel like they had more.

    That’s a hell of a conservative fiscal policy, there.


  88. ralph the wonder llama, official spokesllama for Troll-Free America™ says:

    dbadass says:
    Look it up.

    Oh so you don’t actually have a source…

    Like most trolls, dbadass, this one appears to demand that we do its homework for it.

    I’ve noticed that most of the time when they do that, their claims turn out to be contradicted by their sources.


  89. Fast Eddie says:

    The Republicans that got booted. Keep coming back like bad pennys. Neyt, Delay,Santorum, Bolton, Rove are power hungry idiots.


  90. Pennlady says:

    I don’t think anyone has ever accused Santorum of being intelligent.


  91. Buckie Boy (Jesus hates Conservatives) says:

    YOU LIE….fcukhead.


  92. Chicano2ndFightingTerrorismSince1492 says:

    I wish someone one of these days knocks that stupid smile off Santorums face.


  93. Winski says:

    Since ex-SENATOR Sanitation can only remain relevant to HIMSELF by speaking into a camera that loos back to itself, then let’s try to keep him out of ANY news, anywhere… The man is a DIRT BAG and should be banished from all media except KKKVision (Cluster-Fox)…

    They can continue to promote Rick “man on dog” Sanitation and his self-perceived comeback to irrelevance.


  94. nofltwlt says:

    Rick, you will always be a scrotum; go away..


  95. realpatriot says:

    Why does this site continue to give this moron media?
    We have new idiots to view and feign disgust at,…Ms. O’Donnell or Ron’s errant mentally challenged son…
    Santorum is insane…look it up…he took his still born baby home so his other children could hold it, and talk to it…as if it was a familiar part of the family instead of in it’s mothers womb…..to say goodbye..”we hardly knew ye”….
    I don’t care what anyone else says…santorum is a sick person…..


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  97. wizard2000 says:

    Great Rachel Maddow segment on a few minutes ago, tying initiatives to increase the minimum wage to Democratic Party electoral gains in race after race, state after state.

    Republicans have their own hatred-based initiatives, their gay-bashing and abortion-bashing and immigrant-bashing initiatives, targeting specific minorities in our liberal democracy, in an attempt to energize their hardcore religious fundamentalist base, or members of their racist base.

    Democrats have used initiatives like an incremental increase in the minimum wage, across the board to win elections (even in red states), a “boost the standard of living” initiative that helps all American citizens, right, left and center, all of our fellow citizens who work for a living, many barely scrapping by in trying to feed their families and pay their mortgage. And Republicans, en masse, have been against increases in the minimum wage for decades, supporting the wishes of their corporate/business/Wall Street masters…and they lose these elections where a minimum wage initiative is present.

    So where do the Tea Party Republicans stand on the minimum wage, whether state or federal, or both?

    I hope and pray that Democratic Party leaders saw this Rachel Maddow segment. It might help them in these last few weeks before the November elections to craft a strategy against the culture of corruption, anti-minimum wage Republicans, so that we can defeat these bastards, driving them back into their corporate-funded, foreign-furnished caves for at least another two years.

    And as far as Santorum, his starting with saying welfare, then changing to saying poverty, indicates the thrust of his conservative thoughts behind his deceptive, unintelligible words that followed. He was actually going to say that welfare rolls reached their lowest levels in the Bush/Cheney years, with a whole bunch of African Americans and unmarried single women being kicked off of welfare rolls.

    This all began in the Clinton years, though, when President Clinton joined with Republicans running Congress to “reform” welfare, while at the same time the corporate-whore Republicans in Congress refused to raise the federal minimum wage, which carried over into the criminal Bush/Cheney years when Republicans controlled Congress. The federal minimum wage only went up by a little once Democrats won enough seats and the White House to help increase the standard of all American citizens.

    So, why don’t the Democrats use increasing the minimum wage as a wedge issue even more, both in state and national electoral contests? It seems like a sure winner to me, especially since it highlights how corrupt and heartless the Republicans really are.


  98. Riyaz Guerra says:

    It’s tough living in a country where your governing bodies are teeming with amoral animals that lie with impunity.


  99. Pluggingalong says:

    It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that at the very beginning of the GW Bush administration (that is, while Clinton policies were still in effect) the poverty rate was the lowest in history. If so, then the first part of his statement was literally correct, if meaningless. Note that the supposedly contradictory statements in TP’s rebuttal all talk about how the poverty increased during Bush’s tenure, without noting that the high starting rate occurred during the Bush administration.


  100. Rodeskawler says:

    Red, it is all about timing in this case, but I won’t argue that Obama has not done what is needed to get Americans back to work.

    My guess is you wouldn’t agree with my solution.

    Here it is.

    We mandate solar panels on every home and building in America, save outhouses and sheds. The resources and materials to produce and manufacture the equipment must come from America. They cannot come from China if we cannot produce them here. The panels can only be manufactured in America by legal Americans. When I say manufacture, I mean the entire manufacturing process not just the assembly. Only legal Americans can install and maintain the solar equipment on the homes, businesses and governmental buildings. Any energy sold to energy companies as a result of the solar panels will go directly to pay down the deficit and the salaries of the workers.

    We stop importing any steel, especially from China, and mandate that all steel used to to manufacture anything here must come from American steel plants who hire legal Americans, and in particular, we ensure that we are capable to produce enough domestic steel to maintain our military without needing to rely on China This means will will have to restart old steel factories or have to build new ones. Any new steel factories built must be done with only American resources and legal American workers.

    We mandate modernization of all goverment built infrastructure in all 50 states. All resources and materials must come from American businesses and all work done by legal Americans.

    None of this will be done via closed-door, no-bid contracts. The bidding will be completely public and completely fair.

    We immediately stop the overspending to give kick backs to campaign donors. This means we buy toilets from American toilet manufacturers for military installations at real toilet prices. All defense spending should be reviewed by an independent oversight committee that is not the bribed politicians that keep squandering billions of tax dollars to give campaign donors kickbacks. It will be illegal for any defense contract to be covert or no-bid.

    The maximum penalty for violating any of these laws is execution after a fair trial. There will be mandated minimum of 15 years in prison and these crimes will not be pardonable or commutable by any current or subsequent president.

    Anyone found guilty of violating any of these terms will be banned from running for public office or working as a lobbyist for life.


  101. Rodeskawler says:

    I should add that the reason Obama has not done what is needed to get Americans back to work is because he is very much like you, Red.

    He thinks like Bill Clinton, the DLC and the Republican Party.

    He believes that since he saved the rich, that they will trickle jobs upon us and is sitting on his hands hoping the DLC/Republican talking points will come true.

    He refuses to recognize that the rich have had special tax privileges, thanks to Bush and both Republicans and Democrats, for nearly a decade, but where has our unemployment gone even while we sit out here waiting for the trickle?

    Our unemployment rate sucks because Obama is doing what you prefer; waiting for the rich to create domestic jobs.

    The problem with that is the rich have more incentive to create jobs in China thanks to “free trade” agreements which I assume you are in full support of.

    The “free trade” agreements that allow multi-national ceos to ignore American labor laws we worked hard to achieve when we use to have conscientious leadership that was concerned about the welfare of the nation more than their personal portfolios.

    Obama is a Clintonite/DLC/Republican “free trade” hack. This allows you to point out that the unemployment rate sucks more now than before, but this is because Obama is doing what you would prefer. You should be proud of him.


  102. Quizmos says:

    It is a simple strategy, Santorum understands that lies work!


  103. Pluggingalong says:

    CORRECTION: my previous post, #99, has a mistake. The last sentence should read, “Note that the supposedly contradictory statements in TP’s rebuttal all talk about how the poverty increased during Bush’s tenure, without noting that the low starting rate occurred during the Bush administration, though most emphatically not, of course, because of Bush policies.


  104. zentrails says:

    Megyn’s snark right at the end: “We’ll see what the voters think about that.”


  105. Northwoods Populist says:

    There are three obstacles that Repukes always stumble over.
    The first is truth.It has a way of biting them in the ass.

    Then you have math.Repukes always seem to be the high school dropouts(or Skull & Bonesers getting by on their names) that just couldn’t add numbers correctly.Even rudimentary addition stumps them!

    Finally you have economics.
    There is a long list of Republicants that just don’t understand what an economy is or how it works.
    So what are these idiots to do?
    They look for someone to figure it out for them while lining their pockets.


  106. Innocent Bystander says:

    So, I’m left to wonder…

    Are Republicans congenitally stupid or pathological liars? Or, worse, a combination of both?


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