September 1, 2010 – Extreme Liberal's Blog

Wow, I just came across some really cool tools at ProPublica.org. Here is one and here is another, go check them out. The chart is interactive, simply drag your mouse over a line on the chart and it pops up information about that program. Where have they been all my life. For example, I just found out that my county in Michigan has received $88,359,838 of stimulus money. I commute about 35 miles one way to my day job and in that trek I see countless men and women working at repairing roads, overpasses and bridges. There are streets in my town that haven’t seen fresh pavement in over 20 years. That stimulus money is helping my community in a lot of ways. Prior to the stimulus, it was estimated that the unemployment rate in my town was 38%. I know that those stimulus dollars are helping to keep our community together and viable. I see it everyday, you can’t spin or poo poo that away, it’s real. And yes, for those on the left who scream that it should have been bigger, I agree completely. But simply saying the phrase “should have” doesn’t diminish the effects of what is happening. And saying “should have” is pretty fucking easy for all the arm-chair quarterbacks on the left but actually making it happen is a bit harder with “conservadems” acting like Republicans. WE NEED MORE and we need everyone who claims to be liberal or progressive to help us get it done. That might mean putting aside petty arguments with the administration and actually helping the people of America. There are signs that the Obama administration is working on more stimulus. Here is a piece from a Wall Street Journal article…

The Obama administration is considering a range of new measures to boost economic growth, including tax cuts and a new nationwide infrastructure program, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The president’s economic team has met frequently in recent days to list ways to bolster the struggling recovery, according to government officials.

Of course, with November looming on the horizon, the prospects of getting something done are pretty slim. But of course no one ever thought we would pass Health Care Reform and POW, we did it, bitches. It is really sad that in America, politics are more important than people’s lives, jobs and homes. The asshats in the Senate and the House are more concerned about getting re-elected than the long term stability of our country or the people who are losing their homes. I miss the days when at least some of the politicians in Washington stood up for principles and did what was right for the country instead of their own selfish, short term interests. I guess in the poll-driven media culture we find ourselves in, we are pretty much fucked. That is why I like President Obama so much, he isn’t afraid to take on big issues even when some in his own party turn on him because of it. And it doesn’t help that the blogosphere is loaded with so many politically immature blowhards who really don’t have a clue how Washington works and think a president can just make people do things. And when you try to clue them in, they simply cover their ears and go nah, nah, nah, nah like a bunch of junior high school kids. Pathetic.

We all have to do our part to help push for more stimulus, for the long term health of our country. Write your congresspeople, comment on blogs….we need your help.