Do the morons at the CRC understand the meaning of the phrase "Shovel Ready?"

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The massive porkulus that our resident Cowardman, Brian Baird, voted for without reading (Because it had a few crumbs in it that he wanted... so he didn't care about any of the other details) is a huge pot of money,

Earlier, some of the more delusional morons supporting the criminal waste of money known as the I-5 Bridge replacement/loot rail project were upset that Obama didn't just whip out the government checkbook and write one for the whole thing. As Tim "The Liar" Leavitt put it:

“It’s frustrating to me that our Congress passed a $700 billion bailout for the financial sector and they couldn’t throw in a measly $3 billion for this immense federal asset for the West Coast,” said Tim Leavitt, a Vancouver councilman who will represent C-Tran on the 10-member sponsors council. “Please give us some money. Why do we have to beat each other up locally?”

Even as an early backer of fringe left whacko, Anti-American racist bigot Obama, The Liar hasn't had a lot of success in getting his best bud to write the checks.

Well, let's take a quick look at the criteria for this kind of check, shall we?

First of all, the project needED to be "shovel ready."

That is, ALL of the support work and permitting needs to be accomplished.

Secondly, ALL of Obama's "friends" need to have been taken care of first. That means we get what, if anything, will be left over.

Thirdly, the CRC and it's supporters have proven themselves delusional on so many levels... not the least of which is the massive public opposition to all of this nonsense.

Think the fed is going to fork over a $150 million for a project that isn't CLOSE to "shovel ready" (Though it is manure ready) and that is universally despised by the locals?

Don't hold your collective breath.
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Formula to solve Clark County's revenue problem.

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These are tough times for government. Not nearly as tough as they are for the governed, but tough times, nonetheless.

So, how do we get the local budget under control? How do we get those leading us understand that tax increases are not the way?

I've long advocated that those government employees that have budgetary input should be allowed to personally keep 10% of any monies they save.

Unfortunately, bureaucrats are not promoted or awarded bonuses for walking into their boss's office and telling them, "Boss, you know what? My budget is too big, and I've got too many people."

What's the incentive for them to reduce the size of their empire?

You want budget cuts? Then have the people using the equipment, offices, cars and so forth make the recommendations.

We're not getting the recommendations now because there's precisely zero incentive to provide them. So make an incentive. And make it substantial.

Each recommendation has to be reviewed for viability, of course, otherwise the budget would resemble a collapsing star, it would shrink so fast.

An additional step will be to cut the pay and benefits of all county employees.

Those cuts might get less drastic if some of the county's 11 labor bargaining units, eight of which are now negotiating with the county, agree to wage freezes or benefit cuts next year.

There's really noting TO negotiate, except for the size of the pay CUTS.

Yes, that sucks for them. But does unemployment suck even more? Is a reduced pay check with county benefits preferable to NO paycheck with ZERO benefits?

It would be to me. And like it or hate it, this is hardly a worker's market, with Clark County having the highest unemployment in the state.

Here's a clue: we're in a horrific recession. Things are bad enough for the people paying the bills; there can be no way for this county to make it worse. And to Commissioner Stuart, already indebted to David Barnett for buying him his office, you're coming up for reelection in 2010. As a new-bridge/loot rail maniac and a corrupt commissioner elected entirely because of the check your boss sent in for you, you're going to have it tough enough as it is. Don't make your re-election impossible by jacking up our taxes in the midst of a recession.

In short, a little of that American ingenuity and sacrifice that our president is calling for; sacrifice on EVERYONE'S part, including those in government, is called for.

So, allow the budget writers to cut and keep some of their cuts as an incentive while cutting the pay and benefits of everyone still employed by the county... or laying off enough employees to make up the shortfall.

This situation is NOT an "emergency." It is, instead, a reflection of the economy that surrounds us all. And if Commissioner Boldt "has to do what we say," then don't ignore us by raising our taxes without asking.

You can't have it both ways, Mr. Boldt.
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In the interest of fairness: Baird's response to the "Why?" did he vote "No" on the Pelosi Debacle Health Care Bill.

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I have my own conclusions for another post, but this is important reading for those who want to be fully informed.

Baird Healthcare Response 112009
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Killed and wounded at Ft. Hood should get the Purple Heart.

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I must admit that I hadn't thought about it. But in a combat situation, when one of us is wounded, particularly with some seriousness (again, letting out John Kerry, since there is no award for self-inflicted wounds) one is awarded the Purple Heart.

I believe that the second Major Hasan made the decision to kill American soldiers he qualified as an "enemy of the United States."

That, to me, means that anyone killed or wounded by any terrorist attack, including 9/11, while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States deserves the award and all that goes with it... and that includes the troops at Ft. Hood as well as the Little Rock Recruiting Station and the other fragging attack by an American Muslim, Sgt Hasan Akbar, that typically goes unmentioned.

a. The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of an Armed Force or any civilian national of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after 5 April 1917, has been wounded or killed, or who has died or may hereafter die after being wounded

(1) In any action against an enemy of the United States.

Although wearing the uniform of my Army, is their any doubt this scumbag became an enemy of the United States the INSTANT he made the decision to kill us?

We can come up with a dozen reasons NOT to award this medal.

But we can also come up with a dozen reasons TO award this medal.

And under the circumstances, when it comes to those who’ve shed their blood for this country at the hands of an enemy… ANY enemy… acknowledging that fact with this medal is the least we can do.

Why, as a soldier, the ACORN in Chief sickens me.

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That the empty suited, anti-American racist bigot occupying the White House loathes the military is no particular secret.

In every way from dithering on his decision to ignore HIS HAND PICKED COMMANDER in Afghanistan, to getting wounded Veterans to buy their own health care to using soldiers as campaign props.... I dispise this clown and everything he stands for.

So, it came as no particular surpise when I discovered this tidbit from Michelle Malkin:

We need not imagine the national uproar that would have ensued had George W. Bush talked to American soldiers the way that the President Obama did today at a U.S. military base in South Korea:

President Obama will not announce his decision on sending more troops to Afghanistan before the Thanksgiving holiday, senior aides said Thursday.

The news came as the president greeted 1,500 troops at Osan Air Base in South Korea, just before boarding Air Force One and heading back to Washington after an eight-day trip to Asia.

…Obama arrived on the base 3:19 p.m. local time (1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time) and received a rousing welcome from 1,500 troops in camouflage uniforms, many holding cameras or pointing cell phones to snap pictures.

“You guys make a pretty good photo op,” the president said.

Standing on a riser wearing a blue suit and red tie, with a cluster of troops and a large American flag behind him, Obama expressed “the gratitude of the American public” and said his meetings in four countries over eight days in Asia will help deliver a “safer, more prosperous world for all of us.”

He got a huge cheer when he told them he was increasing military pay. “That’s what you call an applause line,” he said, before boarding his jet and taking off at 4:11 p.m.

More here:

It's just a damned shame that we're cursed with such an utterly clueless moron to run the show.
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