Today's Qs for O's WH

We are getting robbed by the real criminals in our country. YES, I mean the politicians at local, state, and DC. Unfortunately today it seem like DC sets the example for the rest to follow. They all need to fired good or bad to send a message and hold them all accountable as well as most of the mass media. If you use big headlines to sell a story on the front page and it turns out to be false, Then the same media outlet should be required to retract and correct the story in the same fashion!

Thanx for bringing the Corn thing to light..I totally missed it. My prediction of Gibbs' future job loss may be accurate.

I wonder if the administration likes Gibbs not knowing and deflection tactics.. I don't give Gibbs enough credit.. he's much smarter than I thought he was.

Instead of saying that he would check on the number he should have mentioned that Diversion Dog was available for interviews.

"Do you believe private schools accept anyone as long as you have the tuition money?"

Sorry, you don't get any response until you address my prior points...No deflection or diversion allowed...

Bottom line - it was all a sham, charade, a lie. And us taxpayers will be paying for it for a long time.

And Jake, you let Gibbs off to easy with his "get back to you" answers.

david:"If the Government is looking for a way to get money into the system a simple solution would be to stop the bailouts and hand the money [back]to the people."

How exactly would that deal with the collapse of the commercial banking system, shutting down the majority of small businesses in America within a week and canceling all credit cards potentially overnight? Are you proposing full nationalization of all the banks in conjunction with your plan of doing more of the tax cuts Bush did that helped get us into this mess? And just how low do you want taxes to go, bearing in mind their historic low point at the moment (lower than under Reagan for the top brackets who have appreciable capital gains)?

"I now understand why you use the term "right-winger" so much - From your perspective just about everyone falls under "right-wing" category."

Not at all.

So what is your argument as to why private schools (not religious education as they tend to perform worse than public school in testing) perform better than public ones if it is not do to money spent and the ability to choose one's students?

Do you believe private schools accept anyone as long as you have the tuition money?

If the Government is looking for a way to get money into the system a simple solution would be to stop the bailouts and hand the money [back]to the people.

"Its not just money, its the more exclusive nature of private schools that can refuse to accept students they do not want."

Wow...you really are out there...I now understand why you use the term "right-winger" so much - From your perspective just about everyone falls under "right-wing" category.

Regarding your other post, all you did was attack my position rather than back any argument of your own. I'll continue to back my assertion that the government can provide for defense of the country better than the private sector (which was my point that there are sectors where the government management is better than private, but overall the level of talent in the private sector is superior to that in the government sector - broadly speaking, of course).

The unemployment numbers have been adjusted regularly and are confusing to say the least. I like the Tapper question framed like that ..if we didn't have the stimulus.. ..guess it would infer that the stimulus isn't really a good way to augment employment (something many pundits put forth from the git-go)

Seems like the Press Sec should be able/required to provide back up for POTUS prior day statements.

Ever get copies of the waivers?

"The 2010 budget has not even been submitted - are you referring to the 2009 budget submitted by Bush but only recently (finally) finished by Congress?"

He's probably talking about Obama's FY 2010 budget as discussed, among many other places, at the OMB website

I believe that Bush's proposed 2009 budget was never approved by congress, which instead passed a continuing resolution.

"If your answer is "private" and you justify solely on the basis that $$$ spent per student is consistently higher in private schools, that is a losing argument"

Its not just money, its the more exclusive nature of private schools that can refuse to accept students they do not want.

"Unfortunately, sectors of government that do perform well (e.g., the U.S. military) are being cut while sectors that do not perform well are being expanded..."

The new defense budget is 4% larger than the last one so what cut are you speaking of.

Are you claiming that projects like the airborne laser and f-22 are marks of government efficiency?

One would think the last place you would tout efficiency is in the military hardware department given the frequent cost overruns and Congressional turf used to protect said projects.

Also - Who provides better education at the primary and secondary levels: Public or Private?

If your answer is "private" and you justify solely on the basis that $$$ spent per student is consistently higher in private schools, that is a losing argument...

"No more than you are advocating that private industry is superior to government in all facets....oh wait a minute."

I'd be interested in your take... Unfortunately, sectors of government that do perform well (e.g., the U.S. military) are being cut while sectors that do not perform well are being expanded...

How many government employees do you know who are underutilized? Overpaid (vs. similiar work in private sector)? If you work (or have ever worked) for the government, tell me what it's like in August & September of every year when government agencies are in often in an all out rush to throw money at anything and anyone to clear their account ("if you don't spend it, you lose it" and it - unspent portion - will likely be deducted from next year's budget). There is little/no accountability in government for management of taxpayer $$$, nor are there many (if any) incentives for saving money. Broadly speaking, this is not the case in the private sector, which is a significant differentiator between the two.

how much more:"He quadrupled Bush’s one-year budget deficit in one fell swoop of his pen when he signed the $2.5 trillion dollar budget for 2010. "

The 2010 budget has not even been submitted - are you referring to the 2009 budget submitted by Bush but only recently (finally) finished by Congress?

And I suppose you're also charging to Obama the $700 billion TARP expense demanded by the Republican Administration and authorized by Congress (and half spent) under Bush? There is no possible justification for doing so, but somehow I don't think that's an issue for you.

"So are you boys advocating that government entities at all levels do a better job of spending tax payer money than private industry?"

No more than you are advocating that private industry is superior to government in all facets....oh wait a minute.

$3.2 Trillion dollars.

He quadrupled Bush’s one-year budget deficit in one fell swoop of his pen when he signed the $2.5 trillion dollar budget for 2010. Add to that the $750 Billion dollar stimulus bill, plus the 2nd half of TARP, the back-door money to AIG and we are WAY over $3 Trillion.

tjp612:"So are you boys advocating that government entities at all levels do a better job of spending tax payer money than private industry?"

Don't over expand the scope of what I'm saying. No, government in general lacks accountability and tends to pick up deadwood (the almost vindictive voter driven restrictions - like no personal call on your office phone during lunch - also seem to encourage this). But in the area of building investment (my personal field), yes they do better than many private entities. Foundations in the private sector are perhaps the best; they also take the long view. Many private companies are too focused on the 3 year window to make investments in quality buildings.