Sheldon Richman
Where Will It Stop?
From today’s New York Times, regarding the impending auto bailout from the Bush administration:
In addition to the emergency loan package, officials are working with the finance arms of G.M. and Chrysler to convert them into government-regulated financial institutions, a designation that could make them eligible for separate loans from the Federal Reserve.
The administration will apparently stop at nothing to push through a bailout that failed in Congress. Isn’t “representative” government grand?
Comment by Max M on 18 December 2008:
What could possibly be motivating Bush to make this move? What does he stand to gain at this point?
Comment by Carl Clegg on 18 December 2008:
Max: I’m convinced that George Bush is desperate to repair his image in any way possible in order to salvage his legacy and in doing so is willing to throw out principles and join the Obama party.
Comment by Mason Drake on 18 December 2008:
Carl, Did President Bush ever have any principles? From the very earliest he has paid lip service to freedom, but has never sought to protect it. Think of the steel and lumber tariffs early on, “no child left behind” expansion of the Dept of Ed and national control over the schools, signing McCain-Feingold, signing Sarbanes-Oxley. We could go on and on.
Comment by Carl Clegg on 18 December 2008:
Mason: Good point. I didn’t mean to imply that he did have principles. But you forgot to mention the Medicare drug benefit program, the largest expansion of America’s welfare state in 4 decades with a cost of over $7 trillion.
Comment by Mason Drake on 19 December 2008:
Yeah, but how could you deny life-saving medicine to old people?