Jim Cooper, Tennessee's 5th District Congressman, spoke before The Senate Budget Committee Hearing on Bipartisan Process Proposals for Long-Term Fiscal Stability yesterday. He told the Committee, "I believe that the greatest threat to our nation’s economic security is our long-term fiscal imbalance. At the end of the 2008 fiscal year, the Treasury Department’s 'Financial Report of the United States Government' reported the present value of our unfunded liabilities at $56 trillion, or almost four times the GDP of America."
He went on to say, "In my opinion, we have fiscal cancer, and it is metastasizing so quickly that, all too soon, no surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation will be enough to save us."
This testimony was given to Congress less than 72 hours after he voted for the House's health care reform bill which will greatly expand the deficit and create a major new entitlement. The problem with Jim Cooper is that he talks right and votes wrong. I have heard Jim Cooper speak many times. I heard him speak specifically on the budget and deficit issues and I have heard him speak as part of a panel on health care. He makes a great presentation. There is no doubt he has a vast knowledge of the issues and knows a lot of facts. He has insights and an understanding of the problems. I am always impressed. Every time I hear him speak I think, "that Jim Cooper is a smart man." After having been impressed by some of his presentations, I may have even said, "Jim Cooper is my kind of Democrat." Unfortunately, I have been proven wrong again and again.
With Jim Cooper, I sort of feel like Charlie Brown. Lucy keeps making Charlie think that she will hold the ball so he can kick it and she always pulls it away at the last minute. In Feburary, Cooper voted for the economic stimulas bill after having given all the reason why it was a bad bill and leading everyone to think he was going to vote against it. I even commended him in this blog for his vote and then the next day found out he did not vote the way he had said he would (link). Jim Cooper defines the issues and talks conservative. I keep thinking he will vote the right way this time but he never does. I have been fooled one too many times. From now on, I am going to expect Jim Cooper to pull the ball at the last minute.
He went on to say, "In my opinion, we have fiscal cancer, and it is metastasizing so quickly that, all too soon, no surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation will be enough to save us."
This testimony was given to Congress less than 72 hours after he voted for the House's health care reform bill which will greatly expand the deficit and create a major new entitlement. The problem with Jim Cooper is that he talks right and votes wrong. I have heard Jim Cooper speak many times. I heard him speak specifically on the budget and deficit issues and I have heard him speak as part of a panel on health care. He makes a great presentation. There is no doubt he has a vast knowledge of the issues and knows a lot of facts. He has insights and an understanding of the problems. I am always impressed. Every time I hear him speak I think, "that Jim Cooper is a smart man." After having been impressed by some of his presentations, I may have even said, "Jim Cooper is my kind of Democrat." Unfortunately, I have been proven wrong again and again.
With Jim Cooper, I sort of feel like Charlie Brown. Lucy keeps making Charlie think that she will hold the ball so he can kick it and she always pulls it away at the last minute. In Feburary, Cooper voted for the economic stimulas bill after having given all the reason why it was a bad bill and leading everyone to think he was going to vote against it. I even commended him in this blog for his vote and then the next day found out he did not vote the way he had said he would (link). Jim Cooper defines the issues and talks conservative. I keep thinking he will vote the right way this time but he never does. I have been fooled one too many times. From now on, I am going to expect Jim Cooper to pull the ball at the last minute.
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Great take with the "pulling the football" analogy. I believe I will use this on my show if you have no objections.
ReplyDeleteSteve, Thanks. Use it.
ReplyDeleteLot's of folks around the country probably feel like they have gotten the football pulled from under them with Obama.
ReplyDelete