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The Iraq War Resolution was passed by Congress in 2002. Both VP Elect Pence and nominated Jeff Sessions for AG voted in favor of the Resolution. It was initially sold to Congress as a 5 week - no more than a 5 month initiative. Cost were unbudgeted and approved as Appropriations.
Yes, the historical facts suggest the bulk of the Mid-East war spending took place before Obama, but lets allow Waldo an opportunity to back up his claims.
The point is valid, except you should substitute Obama for Bush. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were started by Bush. Obama inherited this mess. On one hand he is criticized for leaving Iraq too soon, and not doing enough to fight Isis. On the other hand here you are criticizing him for spending too much money.
Nope.
Obama bombed Libya to oblivion, got involved in the civil war in Syria, dramatically increased the war in Afghanistan, and ended up having far more troops involved in the middle east than the war the idiot Bush fought.
And the leftists are complaining about the few $s spent on the American worker here in the USA negotiated by President Elect Trump.
He also spent $30 BILLION to hand GM over to the UAW.
2005- GM posted loss of $11 billion
2006- GM attempted to get Federal financing to support pension liabilities
2007- GM posted loss of $39 billion
2008- GM projected it would run out of $ by mid 2009. Auto industry CEOs flew to DC on private planes to beg for bailouts
Before Bush left office the Federal Government " invested" $23 million into GM for short term financing to get them through March, 2009.
March, 2009- Obama Admin declined to invest more money without a credible plan including Chapter 11, sales of assets and resignation of CEO and CFO. GM bond holders initially rejected while UAW agreed.
The bond holders eventually came around and the Federal Government became the largest shareholder.
GM reorganized and over time the Federal Government's investment was wound down. Obama claimed the investment his Admin made was profitable. That was cheesy hair splitting, between Bush vs Obama Admin investments.
Back to the point, Obama did not spend $30 billion to hand over GM to the UAW.
I am not a fan of speculating what might have been from the perspective of hindsight. I do know the Federal Government would have been on the hook for a substantial percentage of GM's pension liabilities had neither the Bush or Obama Admin's done anything.
Yet he speaks of spending even more $$$ on a military never held accountable for its cost.
DoD/ Pentagon have never been able to account for their spending, despite an Act of Congress to do so. It has never precluded spending more. It has not mattered who sat the oval or held the majority.
Except obama saw the fire and threw more gas on it. Where have you been?
0bama shut off the water mains to the fire hoses. Then he sat back and watched as the smoldering embers erupted back into flames, and did nothing.
He watched as the flames grew and started burning the home next door, and did nothing.
He watched as the flames lept from home to home, killing entire families with women and children, with the city begging to have the water mains turned back on, and he did nothing.
City after city burned to the ground in Iraq, with thousands of dead, and still 0bama did nothing.
Then the democrats reelected 0bama for doing such a great job. That sums up 0bama's first four years in office.
Absolutely correct. In addition no more US soldiers in Iraq means no more American deaths, no more PTSD, no more lifelong VA expenses.
No shortage of posters on this forum who have blamed Obama for withdrawing troops from Iraq in compliance with the agreement between the US and Iraq forged by the Bush Admin.
Trump got mileage out of blaming Hillary for the War because she voted in favor of the Iraq War Resolution in 2002.
He ignores that both Pence and Sessions voted in favor of the resolution.
Trump got some mileage out of blaming Hillary/ Obama for creating ISIS because of the withdrawal of US troops.
He ignored that the Bush Admin agreed to troop withdrawal and Obama honored that portion of it that crossed administrations. Guess Obama could have unilaterally voided the agreement and continued to occupy Iraq against Iraq's wishes.
Bottom line, no matter what the Obama Admin did or not, half the people would not be pleased and some of those who blame Obama for withdrawing would have blamed him for staying.
We shouldn't even phrase it as "spending money" because in reality, the government is just taking away less money that was earned by someone.
AND, it was money that was going to be lost anyway the minute the factory moved to Mexico, so I don't see how the tax break is "costing" us a dime.
Also, when they come up with these numbers on corporate tax breaks, they never take into account the income taxes from the employees for the jobs that would have otherwise been lost.
It's a state tax break to save 1000 out of 2200 jobs. Why did not Goveror Pence do this sooner?
That Carrier's parent company is a defense contractor on the federal teat carried some weight. Had Carrier not been owned by a Federal contractor, would it have been possible to save 1000 jobs?
I am thrilled for the 1000 who will continue to be employed. I also acknowledge that it is a slippery slope.
Corporations are increasingly using leverage of relocation to another city, state or country to bargain for packages to stay put. When the package expires, another round of threats begins.
Last edited by middle-aged mom; 12-02-2016 at 09:34 AM..
Cheney's puppet started the wars. Not that Obama has no blame, though.
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