The new Political/off topic sticky chat thread (Scranton, Washington: clubhouse, cost of)

[Summering]

Originally Posted by The Commish

Let's think about this one.

You realize someone would have had to do the job of renovating the mall, right? And that "the job" means a "job," as in "work" during some pretty trying times. And you realize that people who have jobs can contribute to the economy to an extent that the unemployed or underemployed cannot, right? If you realize that, then why are you against something that will clearly provide a stimulus?

Oh yes Mr Commish......some amount of jobs, albiet very few....would come from planting grass at the Mall area.
In fact......go ahead........make my day........I'll go plant the grass seed for two million. Ok, half on seed, and half for me Really, in all honesty what would that take "ONE" work crew, truck, shovel, spreader, and seed...It is not going to make a dent in our declining pathway towards the complete shutdown of this economy.
Why am I against this, that will provide stimulus? Of course, you jest....
We will need bigger and better job producing bills to get us out of this, and I am sure you realize that.
I'm with Glenn Beck on this and if you want to hear his views, head to Fox.

[The Commish]

Originally Posted by Summering

Oh yes Mr Commish......some amount of jobs, albiet very few....would come from planting grass at the Mall area.
In fact......go ahead........make my day........I'll go plant the grass seed for two million. Ok, half on seed, and half for me Really, in all honesty what would that take "ONE" work crew, truck, shovel, spreader, and seed...It is not going to make a dent in our declining pathway towards the complete shutdown of this economy.
Why am I against this, that will provide stimulus? Of course, you jest....
We will need bigger and better job producing bills to get us out of this, and I am sure you realize that.
I'm with Glenn Beck on this and if you want to hear his views, head to Fox.

You are sadly uninformed on this topic, and I have several things to say about that:

(1) It was $200 million to improve the National Mall, including $21 million for grass. It's not "spreading grass seed around all day." The projects included repairing the Tidal Basin seawall, adding restrooms to the mall, and renovating some of our most treasured monuments and landmarks among other things. This part of the bill was shovel-ready and would have immediately created jobs.

(2) I don't know why grass in particular costs $21 million. You will have to take that up with the National Parks Service and the Trust for the National Mall. If you feel that's wasteful, then please articulate to me their reason for spending that much and your response to it. If you don't know, then maybe you should keep a more open mind about it. "Common sense" is not an adequate reply.*

*Edit. It's not "planting seed." It's a re-sodding project. "Re-sodding the National Mall in Washington will not be a weekend chore. It will take lots of work and lots of people to do the job correctly. It may take the purchase of new tools and other equipment. It may take the hiring of private contractors to assist in the work." In other words, re-sodding in particular provides jobs and stimulus.

(3) You are moving the goalposts. No one claimed the National Mall Renovation Project will single-handedly "make a dent in our declining pathway towards the complete shutdown of the economy" (mixed metaphors, much?). The project is part of a stimulus package of projects and funding for projects that will do just that, a package that Republicans and uniformed voters are increasingly gleeful of reducing its effectiveness.

(4) That anyone listens to Glenn Beck at all is repulsive, but to rely on him for information is foolish.

[Summering]

WASHINGTON -- The National Mall will have to wait its turn.
House Democrats have removed $200 million from President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package that would have been devoted to renovating the Mall.
The move comes after Republican" lawmakers complained the expenditure was wasteful." Quote from the Washington News.....

Looks like Summering isn't the only one who didn't want to waste on grass....any kind of glorified grass...(.1. and 2. )and YES I did think it would mean sod.......you missed the jest of that. For that amount of money it wasn't seed. Can you catch a joke?

I am very informed, and I had already known this was removed....

3. It was a totally unneccessary addition to what is a serious, and most urgent problem. As agreed by many and most informed people.

4. Well I guess I am repulsive...LOL........I like Glenn because the guy is down to earth. He tells it "like it is" no big, drawn out words needed.
I've liked him since his very first show and continue to find his shows honest and truthful. But, then again I like Hannity, who is saying the same thing about the state of the economy. Yes, sometimes it takes just common sense to make it right in this world.
You know how many leaders of great deeds and inventions made it by "common sense" alone........Bill Gates left college among other famous men. His "common sense" in itself gave him great success in this World.

I don't beat up on that word, I respect it.

So thats the story here.......I am not going to defend the grass statements any longer . It appears others felt it was a big waste thats why its out. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=99919378

[The Commish]

Yes, obviously it's not in the final bill

You don't respond to *any* of the very specific arguments that the National Mall Renovation Project was *in fact* stimulus. Perhaps because you cannot, as it would have clearly created jobs that would help stimulate the economy. That you no longer want to defend the "grass statement" yet still believe it would not have created jobs and helped stimulate the economy is sticking your head in the sand.

Face it, the "grass" controversy is a dishonest right-wing talking point, a sound byte, that upon further inspection (indeed upon my inspection in the previous post) does not hold up. And you would prefer to throw your hands up in the air and defer defending that talking point to the people who made it. You can parrot these fact-free suppositions to your heart's content and ignore all compelling counter arguments, but you will still be wrong.

The only argument you seem to make is that "well, some people didn't like it, so I guess I won't either."

Illuminating.

[roxxy38]

I guess everyone has their own opinion and it should be taken with respect, that should be illuminating also...

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by roxxy38

i guess everyone has their own opinion and it should be taken with respect, that should be illuminating also...

(Hug!) :-D

[NYRangers 2008]

I'm so sick and tired of discussing politics and hearing about. I'm about at my wits end. Whatever happens, happens.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

I'm so sick and tired of discussing politics and hearing about. I'm about at my wits end. Whatever happens, happens.

I better get used to hearing about MORE politics if I move to DC! LOL!

[weluvpa]

Drop the attitude with Summering. I don't care if the grass would have or would not have created jobs.

I would rather see the $200,000,000 added to the infastructure part of the bill and our highways and bridges fixed across the nation.

I'm sure that the money could be put to a better use in our present economic mess, coupled with our aging infastructure and school systems in the country.

We don't need to be sprucing up DC......It would take more money then they could imagine to do that. Those jobs would also be seasonal and short term while rebuilding our nations infastructure will be a long lasting and financial as well as social windfall for this country.

"is a dishonest right-wing talking point"

And we all know how evil those republicans are right? Those democrats are the salt of the earth, especially those far left liberal ones.

[roxxy38]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

(Hug!) :-D

thanks i needed that, right back atcha