vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen

12.01.2008

States pass collection plate

Gov. Jim Douglas joined colleagues from the National Governors Association and the National Council on State Legislatures today in asking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other D.C. purse-string-holders for money.

They weren't specific about how much, but they weren't talking about spare change, either.

- As much as $136 billion for infrastructure work. NGA Chairman Edward Rendell. in a telephonic news conference at which the microphone seemed to be in the next ZIP code, said more than 70 percent of that would be roads/bridges, but it would also include wastewater treatment plants, broadband infrastructure and other projects.

- More than $20 billion in boosted Medicaid money. That's how much states got in 2003, Douglas said, and this year is worse.

Rendell said the infrastructure money would go for projects the states could start immediately. They could speed up to a two-week bid process and he discounted any difficulty over environmental permits.

Douglas said states are feeling the pain now, but it'll keep coming as there is a lag time for people seeking Medicaid and food stamps between the time they lose their job and the time they realize they're broke. "This is a downturn that's going to be with us for a couple of years," Douglas said.

Meanwhile, this on the wires:

WASHINGTON (AP) — A panel of the National Bureau of Economic Research says the U.S. economy fell into a recession last year. The NBER says its group of
academic economists who determine business cycles met and decided that the U.S.
recession began in December 2007.
Many economists believe the current downturn will last until the middle of 2009 and will be the most severe slump since the 1981-82 recession.

I'm no economist, but that seems optimistic.

- Terri Hallenbeck

posted by vt.Buzz | 12:47 PM |

Comments:

The irony is that Obama will probably deliver to Douglas and Vermont, but Douglas couldn't get his sleep-over buddy and one true love Bush to throw Vermont any kind of a bone. Douglas is a political whore.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:04 PM, December 01, 2008

If only Douglas had taken that strong a tact with George Bush - all he ever did was send a letter asking for help.

Now that it's a member of the opposite party, he is going to "push" for more help.

Douglas is weak, lacks vision, and is highly partisan!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:15 PM, December 01, 2008

Funny that Douglas offers no solutions himself.

He just begs Democrats (Obama & Pelosi) for help.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:37 PM, December 01, 2008

Doogie's idea of a "solution" is to tell Vermonters to "trust him".

Why? He's an incompetent hack who still supports shrub and the gop-slime policies that got us in this fix in the first place.

The schmuck was still calling for the privatization of Social Security while the stock market was melting down around us.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 3:36 PM, December 01, 2008

David Broder's latest column is on this very topic.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/28/AR2008112802372.html

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:25 PM, December 01, 2008

JW (May I call you JW?), just what is it that "Doogie" is doing to support "Shrub" in the last few days of his presidency? And has a governor of our state ever told Vermonters to not trust him?

Do you think that proponents of privatization never thought that the market could ever take a downturn? Are not young investors wise to ride it out? Are not those getting ready to retire wise to have taken their investments out of the stock market? Should not wise investors be given the opportunity to beat the government over a long period of investing?

And do you think that "Doogie" is in a position really to affect the issue? Does his stance on this issue on which reasonable people disagree really earn him the name "schmuck"? Finally, is it your contention that social security privatization is at all germane to the original post?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:30 PM, December 01, 2008

Anonymous...

"JW (May I call you JW?), just what is it that "Doogie" is doing to support "Shrub" in the last few days of his presidency? And has a governor of our state ever told Vermonters to not trust him?"

Nice try, little nameless-nitwit fella. What has he done besides say "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."?

Given the fact that the Vermont of today is in far worse shape than the Vermont he inherited from Howard Dean, his record says, "bupkis".

"Do you think that proponents of privatization never thought that the market could ever take a downturn?"

Then their idea was even dumber than we feared, little fella.

Ah, so that's what we're currently experiencing, eh? Well, little fella, when ya put it that way. You're even more meshuggah than I feared.

This Country is in the worst fiscal shape since the Great Depression which - ironically enough, resulted from a decade of gop-slime incompetence the last time the gops controlled the Federal Government for an extended period of time.

This is not a "downturn" any more than Operation Barbarossa was a quick, three weeks, four weeks, tops, in and out cakewalk that would pay for itself just like shrub's unnecessary, unwarranted, unjustified and unjustifiable invasion of Iraq was.

Obama's first term will be devoted almost exclusively to stopping the bleeding and stabilizing the patient after shrub' eight-year odyssey of incompetence and clueless corruption.

Did you see what the DOW did today, little fella? Amongst other bad economic news, it reacted to news that we've been in a recession for one year now. The same recession the gop-slime brigade said we weren't in the midst of less than one month ago.

"Are not young investors wise to ride it out? Are not those getting ready to retire wise to have taken their investments out of the stock market?"

And just when was their Social Security invested in the stock market, little fella?

"Should not wise investors be given the opportunity to beat the government over a long period of investing?"

Feel free to point out just where and when I said the stock market should be closed, little fella.

Take your time. You're not goin' anywhere.

State Pension Funds and other State Funds are already tied up on Wall Street, little fella.

I'm talkin' about doogie's continuing dimwitted desires to privatize social security.

All in all, it's a damned good thing that he and his boy, shrub didn't get their way on that issue.

"And do you think that "Doogie" is in a position really to affect the issue?"

Mercifully, given his "thinking" on the subject, no.

"Does his stance on this issue on which reasonable people disagree really earn him the name "schmuck"?"

No, his record beat him to that punch. The doogie schmuck ship sailed a long time ago, little fella.

As for your reasonable people pap, if you know any, send 'em my way.

'Cause, unless and until ya can do that, it's a purely hypothetical question, and given the gop-slime mess this Country and this State finds itself in as a result of shrub and doogie's incompetence, we ain't got time for that now.

After all, This ain't no party. This ain't no disco. This ain't no foolin' around.

"Finally, is it your contention that social security privatization is at all germane to the original post?"

Well, he did make that statement during the campaign, little fella, so it is indicative of his "thinking" on matters of economic policy, so, yeah, I do.

Good thing we've finally got a legitimate, competent President fixin' to move into the White House once they fumigate the joint.

It's even more lucky that we've got a competent, legitimate Congress to help him get us outta this fine, gop-slime fix shrub and doogie have gotten us into.

Fortunately, we have a Congressional Delegation with a bit of clout to go with their clear-thinking competence to save us from the doogie/dubie debacle.

Lord knows we'd be screwed without 'em. Now, if only the Legislature starts holding doogie's feet to the fire and the sclm stop sitting on stories, we just might survive in spite of doogie.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:26 PM, December 01, 2008

If you read that last post, you are a bigger loser than JW Cooper.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:31 PM, December 01, 2008

schmuck
little nameless-nitwit fella
little fella
little fella
meshuggah
gop-slime incompetence
little fella
gop-slime brigade
little fella
little fella
You're not goin' anywhere
little fella
dimwitted
schmuck
little fella
gop-slime mess
little fella
gop-slime fix

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:02 PM, December 01, 2008

"Given the fact that the Vermont of today is in far worse shape than the Vermont he inherited from Howard Dean, his record says, "bupkis"."

Both the national economy and the ever business-hating Vermont Legislature have at least as much to do with the current Vermont economy as Douglas does, you partisan hack.

"This Country is in the worst fiscal shape since the Great Depression which - ironically enough, resulted from a decade of gop-slime incompetence the last time the gops controlled the Federal Government for an extended period of time."

It also resulted from Democrats in Congress forcing institutions to give mortgages to people who wouldn't even qualify for jury duty.

"Did you see what the DOW did today, little fella?"

10 days ago, you were attributing the spikes in the DOW to Obama's cabinet picks. Are you gonna attirbute today's drop to Obama, too?

"Mercifully, given his "thinking" on the subject, no."

But you blamed him for it in your original post.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:10 PM, December 01, 2008

JW, my good man, is it not so far just a downturn? Are you not aware that the market has lost 30 percent of its equity versus 88 percent in the crash of 29?

So privatization is a look into Douglas's thinking, eh? Have you ever entertained a thought that might make others shudder?

"Little fella"? Are you obsessed with size? Could it be you have envy in certain regions?

"Nameless nitwit"? Haven't you made your point about anonymity? Ad nauseum and ad infinitum? Does anyone really care about that point? Do you think you've gotten any traction with it? Has Terri done anything about it? Don't you think you should let it go?

And isn't the whole question about Social Security privatization whether people could do better on the stock market? Have you denied that wise investors can beat the government? Isn't that what the question really is?

And comparing Dean and Douglas on the economy, isn't that a little naive, given the national economic conditions at their respective times? I suppose we could go round and round on blame and credit, couldn't we? Doesn't that sound boring?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:55 AM, December 02, 2008

All condescension, no substance.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:48 AM, December 02, 2008

Who is going to be the Speaker?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:19 AM, December 02, 2008

I don't know but I do know Shumlin wants to be Governor - god help us!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:20 AM, December 02, 2008

The Speaker is going to be the little Confederate general looking guy right?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:51 AM, December 02, 2008

Actually, Shumlin would make for a much better Governor than Douglas is.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:11 AM, December 02, 2008

Anonymous....

"Actually, Shumlin would make for a much better Governor than Douglas is."

He's not quite as bad as his boy, shrub, but he's not exactly a tough act to follow.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:29 AM, December 02, 2008

Anonymous said...

""Given the fact that the Vermont of today is in far worse shape than the Vermont he inherited from Howard Dean, his record says, "bupkis".""

"Both the national economy and the ever business-hating Vermont Legislature have at least as much to do with the current Vermont economy as Douglas does, you partisan hack."

Well, little factually-challenged, partisan-hack fella, given the fact that doogie supports the brain-dead bushleague policies that have brought us to this sad state of affairs and, like his boy, shrub, he's vetoed everything that our alleged "ever business-hating Vermont Legislature" has sent him he didn't like, your dimwitted delusional dreck just don't stand up to the light of day, little fella.

"This Country is in the worst fiscal shape since the Great Depression which - ironically enough, resulted from a decade of gop-slime incompetence the last time the gops controlled the Federal Government for an extended period of time."

"It also resulted from Democrats in Congress forcing institutions to give mortgages to people who wouldn't even qualify for jury duty."

Well, little fella, I hate to confuse ya with the facts, given the reality that cluelessly-corrupt gop-slime controlled Congress from 1/95-1/07 and we've had incompetent gop-trash in the White House for the past eight years, Dems weren't in position to do anything gops didn't want them to do, so you've, once again, got bupkis.

Besides, the CRA has never been more than voluntary.

Get yourself some new gop-slime talking points, little fella.

"Did you see what the DOW did today, little fella?"

"10 days ago, you were attributing the spikes in the DOW to Obama's cabinet picks. Are you gonna attirbute today's drop to Obama, too?"

I can assure you that I have no plans to "attirbute" anything, little fella.

Again, I hate to confuse ya with the facts, little fella, but the DOW was in a death spiral on Friday, 11/21/08, before closing up
494.37 points at 8046.66 after dropping into the 7500 range when Paulson and shrub opened their traps upon news that Obama had named Timothy Geithner to be his Secretary of the Treasury.

The DOW closed up 102.50 at 8859 on Friday, 11/28/07 having posted 5 consecutive gains for the first time all month.

Yesterday, unfortunately, Paulson opened his trap again and it was revealed that we've been in recession since at least 12/07 and shrub's gop-slime brigade has been lyin' to us about that along with everything else for the past year and it tanked to the tune of 681 points to close at 8148.

As of now, it's up 222.85 points, but shrub and paulson haven't opened their traps yet today, so as long as we've got an incompetent, illegitimate gop-trash infestation in the White House, all bets are off until 1/20/09 when honor, dignity, legitimacy, intellect and competence are restored to the White House, little fella.

""Mercifully, given his "thinking" on the subject, no.""

"But you blamed him for it in your original post.""

No, I quoted his sorry butt. Big difference, little fella.

Fortunately, shrub's on his way out and we have a competent Congressional Delegation and Legislature to at least limit the doogie/dubie debacle damage, little fella.

Without them, we'd really be screwed.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 12:37 PM, December 02, 2008

www.getalife.com

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:42 PM, December 02, 2008

Feel free to get your sorry butt a case, a clue and a screen name while you're at it, little fella.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 1:56 PM, December 02, 2008

www.really.dude.it's.for.you.own.good.get.a.life.org

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:20 PM, December 02, 2008

Anonymous...

JW, my good man, is it not so far just a downturn? Are you not aware that the market has lost 30 percent of its equity versus 88 percent in the crash of 29?

Just which part of "This Country is in the worst fiscal shape since the Great Depression which - ironically enough, resulted from a decade of gop-slime incompetence the last time the gops controlled the Federal Government for an extended period of time." is givin' you trouble, little fella?

"So privatization is a look into Douglas's thinking, eh? Have you ever entertained a thought that might make others shudder?"

Not in my capacity as Governor of the State of Vermont while running for reelection, tiny dancer.

I'm confident I would have remembered, but, as always, little fella, if you have evidence to the contrary, feel free to cough it up.

"Little fella"? Are you obsessed with size? Could it be you have envy in certain regions?"

None that you're ever likely to pop up in, little fella.

"Nameless nitwit"? Haven't you made your point about anonymity? Ad nauseum and ad infinitum?"

Perhaps. Perhaps not. Given the content of your posts and the absence of a screen name, nothing better comes to mind.

"Does anyone really care about that point? Do you think you've gotten any traction with it?"

Ya wanna hurry up and get to the part where I'm supposed to give a damn, little fella.

"Has Terri done anything about it?"

And that would be a meaningful measure of .....?

"Don't you think you should let it go?"

Nah, not really.

"And isn't the whole question about Social Security privatization whether people could do better on the stock market?"

No. It's gonna be the same answer the next nine times ya ask me that question, too, sport.

"Have you denied that wise investors can beat the government?

No. They can also get fleeced, too.

Based on the past eight years, I can't see any evidence that "wise" investors have been in abundance, little fella.

Certainly, none that this incompetent-trash administration would give control of the SS purse strings to.

Besides, assuming you have the means, motive and opportunity, there's nothing stopping you from investing in the market now any more than there was the last time ya asked me that question , little fella. All things considered, I don't think that's gonna change.

Nevertheless, SS funds are not gonna be available for these nitwits to blow.

Again, just which part of that is givin' you trouble, little fella?

"Isn't that what the question really is?"

No.

"And comparing Dean and Douglas on the economy, isn't that a little naive, given the national economic conditions at their respective times?"

Granted, Dean, unlike Doogie, did serve the majority of his tenure under a competent President who knew his butt from third base about how to handle the economy, but Dean supported those productive policies and governed accordingly as Doogie has supported and continues to support the unproductive policies of shrub that have led us to this sorry state and governed accordingly, so it's really a question of competence and judgement, little fella.

Incompetent trash make bad presidents and governors. There's just no gettin' around it, and in demanding times, they're even worse.

We live in demanding times.

Fortunately, we'll have a legitimate, competent President in less than two months and a legitimate, competent Congress to help him stop the bleeding, stabilize the patient, bail us out and minimize the damage the doogie/dubie debacle can do in the next two years.

"..I suppose we could go round and round on blame and credit, couldn't we? Doesn't that sound boring?"

Yeah, but evidently, you're a glutton for punishment, little fella.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 3:58 PM, December 02, 2008

www.take.your.medicine.net

www.really.jeff.it.is.for.your.own.good.org

We are trying to help you out.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:12 PM, December 02, 2008

"Just which part of 'This Country is in the worst fiscal shape since the Great Depression which - ironically enough, resulted from a decade of gop-slime incompetence the last time the gops controlled the Federal Government for an extended period of time.' is givin' you trouble, little fella?"

Could it be the part where you haven't given statistics to put this downturn past the recession of '91, '82, or '73? Can you give those? Given that I often fell asleep in Prof. Claudon's class, is it possible you could help me out here?

"Based on the past eight years, I can't see any evidence that 'wise' investors have been in abundance, little fella."

Could it be we travel in vastly different circles, given that you apparently haven't gone to college at all?

"...there's nothing stopping you from investing in the market now..."

How about that I have 7 percent less of my income with which to invest? Does this concern make me a "schmuck"? Even though I also am not running for governor?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:36 PM, December 02, 2008

jw just can't explain away why the DOW was at 12,000 when the dims took over control of Congress two years ago! Soon after the Barney Franks and Chris Dodds took over and you can see what happened! (This Dodd is as big a crook as his father, censured US Senator Tom Dodd!) If Leahy wasn't in the tank for him he'd be on trial right now for improper "loans" from Nationwide.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:48 PM, December 02, 2008

Anonymous....

"Just which part of 'This Country is in the worst fiscal shape since the Great Depression which - ironically enough, resulted from a decade of gop-slime incompetence the last time the gops controlled the Federal Government for an extended period of time.' is givin' you trouble, little fella?"

"Could it be the part where you haven't given statistics to put this downturn past the recession of '91, '82, or '73? Can you give those? Given that I often fell asleep in Prof. Claudon's class, is it possible you could help me out here?"

No, you're gonna have to do your own homework, stretch, but you have managed to convince me that you slept through most of your self-proclaimed time at Otter Valley.

You're the one claimin' this latest brain-dead bush recession is merely a "downturn" that's not so bad and implying that the nixon gop-slime recession of '73, the reagan gop-slime recession of '82 and the bush gop-slime recession of '91 were comparable, if not worse, than the bush recession we find ourselves in today.

If that's your case, you're gonna have to do your own homework and make it yourself, little fella.

Can ya do that? Do ya have the capacity?

Knock yourself out, little fella.

"Based on the past eight years, I can't see any evidence that 'wise' investors have been in abundance, little fella."

"Could it be we travel in vastly different circles, given that you apparently haven't gone to college at all?"

Well, given that I'm a member of the fact-based community, and you're, well, not, and I don't make a practice of hanging with ignorant anonymous trash with bupkis in my actual life, I have no doubt that we travel in vastly different circles, little fella.

Let's frickin' hope so, for Christ sake.

That said, just when did you establish that I didn't go to college, little fella?

Clearly, ya slept through that class, too. Your delusional-dreck dreams don't constitute evidence, little fella. They're merely your delusional-dreck dreams.

""...there's nothing stopping you from investing in the market now...""

"How about that I have 7 percent less of my income with which to invest?"

Gee, that's a shame. That puts you in the same boat as me and anyone else with stocks, pensions, 401Ks and mutual funds.

Imagine if shrub, doogie and the rest of the gop-slime brigade had managed to get their mittwit romneys on your SS funds like they'd wanted and gotten those had been tied up in those bad investments, little fella. Then you'd really be screwed.

So much for you travelin' in vastly different circles, little fella.

"Does this concern make me a "schmuck"? Even though I also am not running for governor?"

No, your schmuck ship sailed a long time ago, little fella. It does, however, extend your stay on the gop-slime ship of fools.

Bon voyage.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 5:55 PM, December 02, 2008

Downturn, recession, aren't we splitting hairs? But aren't you the guy that said "worst fiscal shape since the Great Depression"? Wasn't your assertion much bolder than my use of the word "downturn"? Ever heard of "he who asserts must prove"?

You insist on "schmuck"? Because I ask questions? Have I taken a position yet? How do you know I don't vote exactly as you do?

My disdain for name calling? Makes me a schmuck? My wanting to defend myself against a "nitwit" label? Makes me a schmuck? My asking about privatization? Makes me a schmuck? Just what makes me a schmuck? What have I said? What in my posting makes you think you know enough about my character that would make you believe that I would leave you in a burning building? We're all schmucks, JW, but given that there are degrees of schmuckhood and all I've done is ask some questions, why don't you reserve the term for the truly schmucky?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:50 PM, December 02, 2008

This condensed idiocy is from only 4 posts, just since 12:30 today:

little factually-challenged, partisan-hack fella
brain-dead bushleague policies
dimwitted delusional dreck
little fella
gop-slime incompetence
little fella
cluelessly-corrupt gop-slime
incompetent gop-trash
bupkis
gop-slime
little fella
little fella
little fella
gop-slime brigade
incompetent, illegitimate gop-trash infestation
little fella
little fella
little fella
your sorry butt
little fella
gop-slime incompetence
little fella
tiny dancer
little fella
little fella
little fella
sport
little fella
incompetent-trash
little fella
nitwits
little fella
butt
little fella
Incompetent trash
little fella
stretch
brain-dead
gop-slime
gop-slime
gop-slime
little fella
little fella
ignorant anonymous trash with bupkis
little fella
frickin'
for Christ sake
little fella
Your delusional-dreck dreams
little fella
your delusional-dreck dreams
gop-slime brigade
little fella
screwed
little fella
your schmuck ship
little fella
gop-slime
fools

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:14 PM, December 02, 2008

Anonymous....

"Downturn, recession, aren't we splitting hairs?"

Well, in the sense that a schoolyard shoving match and a knife fight that leaves two people dead are alike in that they're both physical altercations, perhaps you have a point, little fella.

Nah, upon further review, you're outta your frickin' tree.

"But aren't you the guy that said "worst fiscal shape since the Great Depression"? Wasn't your assertion much bolder than my use of the word "downturn"? Ever heard of "he who asserts must prove"? "

Gee, did ya learn that malarkey at Middlebury before or after the section on "the one who smelt it, dealt it doctrine, deduce bag?"

I'll let this schmuck give ya the news, nitwit.

"Burlington, Vermont - December 2, 2008

Vermont Governor Jim Douglas met with President-elect Obama Tuesday at a meeting of the nation's governors in Philadelphia. The hot topic was how to turn around the sinking economy.

Governor Douglas calls the economic climate facing Vermont the worst he's ever been a part of as governor, secretary of state, or treasurer. Many of his fellow governors told Mr. Obama a similar story, asking for relief through a federal economic stimulus package.

In his opening remarks, Obama said, "Governor Douglas, thank you for your outstanding work," acknowledging Douglas's vice-chairmanship of the National Governors' Association.

Mr. Obama shared the head table with Douglas at Tuesday's meeting of the nation's governors. Douglas served as the moderator of the meeting, which he and many of his colleagues used to ask Mr. Obama for billions of dollars in federal aid to make up big state budget shortfalls. Vermont's is projected to be tens of millions of dollars.

Governor Douglas told Channel 3, "This is a serious situation for America."

A stimulus package is aimed at getting Americans back to work. One way is hiring crews for infrastructure improvement projects. Vermont's transportation agency says federal dollars could be quickly spent on paving or overdue work like fixing the Richmond bridge.

Pledging to pass a package in January to help states, Mr. Obama had a message for Republican governors like Douglas. He said, "I offer you the same hand of friendship, the same commitment to partnership as my democratic colleagues."

Douglas acknowledged, "[United States Governors] don't expect the federal government to do all the work for us. The states are doing heavy lifting cutting billions out of budgets. We estimate the shortfall to be $60 billion in all states combined next year and twice that in 2010."

Douglas and his fellow governors also asked for more help in medicaid funding. But when it comes to transportation money, Northeast states have unique limitations. We really can't start construction until April. So Vermont's congressional delegation will be watchful that lawmakers don't put too many limitations on how federal money will be spent.

After his meeting with Obama, Douglas called the President-elect pleasant and engaging but very serious. Douglas says he's optimistic this was the start of a good relationship between the next president and state leaders because it's going to take everyone working together to fix this economy.

Jack Thurston - WCAX News"

Let's see, little fella. According to doogie's bio, he's been nursin' on the government teet since '72 when he was elected to the House straight outta Middlebury.

In other words, Mr Private Sector has been drawin' a Public Sector check for virtually, if not all of his entire adult professional career.

That would encompass the '73 nixon gop-slime recession, the '82 reagan gop-slime recession and not only the '91 bush gop-slime recession, but the '01 bush gop-slime recession and the '07-'08 and counting bush gop-slime recession we currently find ourselves mired in now and said schmuck says this is the worst he's seen before adding:

"Even once the national economy rebounds, it might still take several years for the recovery to trickle down to the state level, Douglas said.

"This is a downturn that will be with us for several years," Douglas said."

Now, if you feel the need to call doogie a lying incompetent who doesn't know what the hell he's talkin' about, not only will I not stand in your way, you can challenged his facts and assertions on the matter, you have my blessings.

Godspeed, little fella. Godspeed.

Laissez bon temps roulet!

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:17 PM, December 02, 2008

www.jeff,get-help-now-for-your-own-good.org

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:22 PM, December 02, 2008

I went to Middlebury too, J.W. And on the other post the guy was right about the past tense of focus having two s-es. Although you can spell it either way, one s gives the u a long sound.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:28 PM, December 02, 2008

Wow, you can cut and paste, Coop! Trying now to have it both ways with the Douglas quotes.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:32 PM, December 02, 2008

As of yet, the recession numbers don't match 1973, 1982, 1991, or 2001, regardless of what Douglas says about his feeling about Vermont's conditions. And 1982's and 2001's recessions were too early on to blame the Republican administrations in which they occurred. To the extent that anyone would blame a recession that seems to occur every nine years on a particular president, those two would have to be laid on the Democratic predecessors.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:38 PM, December 02, 2008

Gee, Coop, you never answered any of Middlebury Man's questions.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:40 PM, December 02, 2008

The above spew is a testament to JW's selective use of a news article.

Was Obama lying when he said, "Governor Douglas, thank you for your outstanding work"?

And this gem:

"According to doogie's bio, he's been nursin' on the government teet since '72 when he was elected to the House straight outta Middlebury.
In other words, Mr Private Sector has been drawin' a Public Sector check for virtually, if not all of his entire adult professional career."

You mean, about the same length of time as that loudmouth welfare queen Bernie Sanders has been nursing on the government teet?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:46 PM, December 02, 2008

"You mean, about the same length of time as that loudmouth welfare queen Bernie Sanders has been nursing on the government teet?"

Or the Clintons, for that matter. Anyone else sick of them? I wish Bush had done a better job so people would remember what slimeballs the Clinton were/are. Bill for Senate. Gag! Bush's incompetence does not erase the fact that Bill's a rapist. No more Bushes. No more Clintons. No more American dynasties. Obama's got my support as my president, but jeez, either Kerry or Richardson would have made a fine secretary of state.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:33 AM, December 03, 2008

So much nameless-nitwit nonsense, so little time.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 6:44 AM, December 03, 2008

If Bernie is on welfare then Jim must be too as Coop's assertion is true. Jim has never held a private section job, unlike Bernie.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:42 AM, December 03, 2008

Anonymous said...

"As of yet, the recession numbers don't match 1973, 1982, 1991, or 2001, regardless of what Douglas says about his feeling about Vermont's conditions."

Ya mean your boy's a liar. I'm shocked, little fella.

"And 1982's and 2001's recessions were too early on to blame the Republican administrations in which they occurred."

They were, eh, little fella.

I hate to keep confusin' your ignorant anonymous ass with the facts but reagan became President in 1/81 and shrub became President in 1/01.

Reagan had been in office for at least a year for the '82 reagan gop-slime recession. It was his recession, little fella.

Like 9/11, and the '07-'08 and counting, bush gop-slime recession we currently find ourselves mired in, the '01 bush gop-slime recession started and ended on shrub's watch.

Gops just ain't no good with the economy, national security, civil rights, the environment, foreign or domestic policy.

Like the nameless-nitwits who love them, they're clueless, corrupt and incompetent.

"To the extent that anyone would blame a recession that seems to occur every nine years on a particular president, those two would have to be laid on the Democratic predecessors."

They would, eh? Ya gonna blame the gop-slime stock market crash of '29 and the Great Depression that followed on FDR now, too, little fella?

Ya gonna blame the stock market crash of '87 on Bill Clinton now, too, nitwit?

The bush recession of '91?

Nice try, nitwit. No sale.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 3:17 PM, December 03, 2008

"Reagan had been in office for at least a year for the '82 reagan gop-slime recession. It was his recession, little fella."

You know absolutely nothing about how fiscal policy works, JW. The lag time that occurs between when a policy is formulated and when even leading indicators begin to be affected is many, many months. It's okay to be ignorant, as long as you're not a jerk about it.

It's the same with '01. But I wouldn't call it the Clinton recession either, because although I lean Republican, I can rise above being a petty partisan hack. With Carter, you couldn't possibly call it anything else but the Carter recession. Remember? Malaise? Misery index? All Carter words.

My boy lying? Political talk is the same as sales talk. It's opinion. People can disagree over it, just like people can disagree over which is the best watch or the best car. I don't exactly agree with what Douglas said. But I don't impugn his integrity over it. Now Obama saying he was gonna take the public funding, then not? That's lack of integrity for you.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:52 PM, December 03, 2008

Anonymous..

""Reagan had been in office for at least a year for the '82 reagan gop-slime recession. It was his recession, little fella.""

"You know absolutely nothing about how fiscal policy works, JW. The lag time that occurs between when a policy is formulated and when even leading indicators begin to be affected is many, many months. It's okay to be ignorant, as long as you're not a jerk about it."

Alas, that leaves your ignorant anonymous ass down on three pitches, little factose-intolerant fella. Ya never even got the bat off your shoulder.

Bummer.

"It's the same with '01. But I wouldn't call it the Clinton recession either, because although I lean Republican, I can rise above being a petty partisan hack."

Alas, your cognitive dissonance, constant cluelessness and utter stupidity have got ya lookin' to Sciavo to 'splain it to ya.

"With Carter, you couldn't possibly call it anything else but the Carter recession. Remember? Malaise? Misery index? All Carter words."

Wrong again, gop-slop breath. Alas, I hate to keep confusin' ya with the facts, but "Misery Index" is a term, not a word, and while Carter used the term, it not only predates Carter's Presidency, he applied it during the '76 Presidential Campaign against Ford in reference to economic conditions in existence during the Ford Administration, little fella.

Look it up. Learn something. Something rooted in actual fact and reality.

The bupkis brigade's loss will be your gain, little fella.

Remember Ford's WIN buttons, little fella? Do ya remember what day it is or what your ... name is, nitwit?

Christ, make an effort, will ya, schmuck.

Clearly, you have no qualms about blaming Carter for what was happening a good 18 months after he was President, are ya gonna blame him for what happened before he was President now, too, nitwit.

"My boy lying? Political talk is the same as sales talk. It's opinion."

In other words, you're saying that doogie doesn't know what the hell he's talkin' about, he's a damned liar or both.

Works for me, tiny dancer.

"People can disagree over it, just like people can disagree over which is the best watch or the best car."

Ah, so if only someone somewhere hadn't bought the wrong car today, we wouldn't have been in a recession for the past year.

It's not bush/doogie's fault.

We're in a Casio Crisis. We live in the Age of the Timex Troubles.

This is the Rolex Recession.

Gee, thanks for clearin' that up, Senator Gramm.

"I don't exactly agree with what Douglas said. But I don't impugn his integrity over it. Now Obama saying he was gonna take the public funding, then not? That's lack of integrity for you.

No, that's another in an endless series for factose-intolerant fascist-fantasy, all-wet dreams of yours, little fella.

Then again, clearly, apart from that, ya got bupkis.

Ya spew psychotic gop-slop with no basis in fact. Ya make claims and offer nothing to support them and whenever ya do offer the occasional crumb, ya screw it up and prove ya don't know your sorry butt from third base about what you're spewin'.

In sum, ya frequently can't spell what ya can't substantiate and ya spend an inordinate amount of time and effort convincin' me that you're dumb, you're scum and ya got bupkis when I keep tellin' ya that ya made that sale a long time ago and I never doubted your delusional dreck credentials for a second.

Ya had me at,"Downturn. Recession. Aren't we splitting hairs?"

Cherry Bomb. H-Bomb. Aren't we splitting hairs?

After all, they're both explosive devices whose names end in bomb.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 12:07 AM, December 04, 2008

"Cherry Bomb. H-Bomb. Aren't we splitting hairs?"

You're analogy would be great, except that the dispute is over downturn-versus-recession, not downturn-versus-depression. A recession is two consecutive quarters of negative gdp growth, according to the ec. textbooks. There is no such formal definition of "downturn." Would it be one quarter? Two quarters? Who's to say? Well, you are. But you're no authority. You're welcome for another ec. lesson.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:24 PM, December 04, 2008

"You know absolutely nothing about how fiscal policy works, JW. The lag time that occurs between when a policy is formulated and when even leading indicators begin to be affected is many, many months."

"Alas, that leaves your ignorant anonymous ass down on three pitches, little factose-intolerant fella. Ya never even got the bat off your shoulder."

That's an answer? I can't believe you show absolutely no gratitude for the economics lessons.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:29 PM, December 04, 2008

"Misery index" was made popular during the Carter Administration. Another history lesson. "Malaise" was actually his word for the economic conditions during his own presidency. Look it up.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:42 PM, December 04, 2008

Actually, you guys are both right, sort of. Carter brought it up against Ford. It was 13% then. But it was 22% by the end of the Carter presidency. It ended up being a real embarrassment to Carter.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:54 PM, December 04, 2008

""Cherry Bomb. H-Bomb. Aren't we splitting hairs?""

"You're analogy would be great, except that the dispute is over downturn-versus-recession, not downturn-versus-depression."

"You're" analogy.....?, little fella.

Once again, your ignorant anonymous ass can't even spell what ya can't substantiate, little delusional-dreck dealin' dolt gift that keeps on givin' fella.

Don't go changin', chuckles.

"A recession is two consecutive quarters of negative gdp growth, according to the ec. textbooks."

Yeah, and even according to the schmucks in the White House, we've been in one since 12/07, chuckles.

So, as long as your ignorant anonymous ass is fellin' suicidally-stupid, little factually-challenged fella, are ya gonna tell me that two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth is a recession but four consecutive quarters of it is merely a downturn now, nitwit.

Moreover, while "ec" remains one of my favorite guitar players to this very day and I enjoyed his recent autobiography, "Clapton", immensely, little fella, I would consult an "econ" book before EC or the European Commonwealth on matters like this, little white rubber room fella.

Would you know your name,
if ya run straight into brick walls?

Will ya feel the pain,
if ya keep runnin' straight into brick walls?

Nitwit, apply directly to the forehead. Nitwit, apply directly to the forehead.

Oy Gevalt, what a putz. Boy you really did just fall off the back of the schmuck truck, didn't ya, little fella.

Don't go changin', chuckles.

You are the wind beneath my wings.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 8:32 PM, December 04, 2008

Anonymous said...

"Actually, you guys are both right, sort of. Carter brought it up against Ford. It was 13% then. But it was 22% by the end of the Carter presidency. It ended up being a real embarrassment to Carter."

Actually, you're half right, little fella. Carter used the term misery index against Ford during the '76 Campaign.

Under Ford, the MI topped out at 19.90 in 1/75 and averaged 15.93 for his 28 months in office.

Under Carter, it topped out at 21.98 in 6/80, while averaging 16.27 over the course of his 1/77 -1/81 four-year term in office.

Reagan, ironically enough, topped out at 19.33 in 9/81 and while he averaged 12.19 for his 1/81-1/89 eight-year term of office and actually had a higher average rate than his successor, bush 41's 10.68 during his disastrous 1/89-1/93 four-year reign of error at the end of his first term with an 11.4 to 41's 10.4, yet the addle-minded reagan is mysteriously considered a successful President while his successor, 41, is rightfully considered an outta the loop, blue-blooded buffoon who only looks better in hindsight when compared to the likes of his totally brain-dead, illegitimate-trash eldest son who - assuming he's not on vacation - is currently holed up in the WH majoring in revisionist history as he and his team of senior advisers works feverishly to polish the turd that is his legacy and retreating to the comfort of his happy place at taxpayer expense while the 43rd reich crumbles around him and the forces of reality close in on cheney's bunker in a soon to be unsecured, disclosed location.

Gee, evidently, when confined to the facts, 41 truly was a kinder, gentler, clueless-cretin than both reagan and his eldest idiot son.

Imagine that.

Will the dickster and his inner circle do the right thing or will he, shrub, rove and the remnants of the 43rd reich once again cede the moral high ground to the third?

If you chose door number one, you truly don't know dick.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:29 PM, December 04, 2008

Well, JW. you proved several things.

You know how to throw insults around. You feel right at home in the gutter. But we knew that.

You know how to catch a typo or a hasty spelling error. Takes a first rate intellect there. But even that hag that I had in eight grade only took a point off for spelling. BTW, Patton and Truman couldn't spell a lick.

You know how to use a mis-spelling to dodge a point.

You know how to use Wikipedia. So does my third grade daughter.

You never took EC101.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:29 AM, December 05, 2008

Wiki Boy! Wiki Boy!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:52 AM, December 05, 2008

I know. Let's have a spelling contest! Might be the only thing J.W. can win around here. You know, besides Miss Congeniality.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:55 AM, December 05, 2008

Econ? Is that what they called it at CCV?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:05 AM, December 05, 2008

So much nameless-nitwit nonsense, so little time.

Anonymous said...

"Well, JW. you proved several things..."

Nah, while that's mighty sweet of ya to say so, little factose-intolerant fella, but you coalition of the clueless cretins consistently demonstrate that ya frequently can't spell what you can't substantiate and your alleged arguments come in pre-shredded form, I merely point it out, but thanks, all the same.

"You know how to throw insults around. You feel right at home in the gutter. But we knew that."

Well, if that were true, that'd be the first thing you loons have learned, but, alas, it was not to be.

To the contrary, little fella, I'm tired of ruining good boots muckin' about in the ignorant anonymous trash sewers where you little loons reside and tidyin' up after the schmuck trucks you're forever fallin' off of, but to paraphrase Edmund Burke, all that's necessary for ignorant gop-slop and other forms of evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing and that's just not gonna happen as long as I remain above ground and in one piece, so, I'm afraid your much desired return to the thrillin' days of last year when this joint was just another ignorant anonymous-trash echo chamber and vacation destination for dimwitted ditto-heads and other delusional-dreck dealin' dead-enders is just gonna have to recede into the meshuggah mists of your memory, little fella.

You're just gonna have to buck up, grow a pair, get your sorry butt a case and a clue or get used to it.

I don't brake for bupkis and I ain't gonna start for the lunatic-fringe likes of you.

"You know how to catch a typo or a hasty spelling error. Takes a first rate intellect there."

Well, that certainly explains why I've gotta do everything around here, little fella, but, at least you've come to terms with the fact that not only don't you loons know what day it is, odds are good you're gonna misspell the wrong answer in the process.

"Patton and Truman couldn't spell a lick."

Yeah, but they managed to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, rise above it, learn to distinguish their sorry butts from third base, get themselves a case and a clue and make somethin' of themselves instead of wallowing in their ignorance.

They're also dead and gone and I'm talkin' to your ignorant anonymous ass, so what's your point, little fella?

"You know how to use a mis-spelling to dodge a point."

Congrats, little fella. Apart from the fact that the next point any of you loons make will be your first, ya just managed to misspell the word misspelling.

You truly are the delusional-dreck dealin' gift that keeps on givin', sunny jim.

Just which part of ya frequently can't spell what ya can't substantiate is eludin' you, stretch?

Ya don't know what day it is and the odds are good you'll manage to misspell the wrong answer to boot.

Just how detailed a map do you need, knucklehead?

"You know how to use Wikipedia. So does my third grade daughter."

Good for her. Ya oughta get her to teach ya. If nothin' else, it'll direct ya to some sources of information and point ya in the right direction.

Then ya can get her to try to teach ya how to reason, write, speak and spell at something approaching her grade level.

"You never took EC101."

Actually, I did, and unlike your sorry butt, I learned how to spell it, too.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:12 AM, December 05, 2008

So, they do offer it at CCV.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:43 PM, December 05, 2008

Anonymous

"So, they do offer it at CCV."

You're gonna have to ask somebody who went there, little fella.

Clearly, your hindsight is as flawed as your foresight and your grasp of the here and now, little nameless-nitwit fella.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 4:57 PM, December 05, 2008

My foresight? That was my first-ever posted comment, Mr. Cooper. It's Mr. Cooper, right? I've been trying to follow all this. I thought somebody said you went to CCV. So where did you go? I'm interested because I'm a big fan. I Googled your name, and I could only find results for this site. (Well, yours is a common name. But nothing for a Vermont Jeff Cooper that could possibly be you. Except, like, 8000 results for you and vtBuzz) I thought maybe someone with your knowledge would have made a big impact in other areas of the world. But I couldn't find anything. I'll tell everyone I know that you're real smart and obviously an up-and-comer.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:11 PM, December 05, 2008

I'm a fan too. I've followed every one of his posts for over a year. And I admire the way he has focused like a laser beam on the anonymity issue for over a year. I admire that determination. It's rare these days that someone would be that dedicated to such a worthy cause. Late at night. Holidays. Doesn't matter. That guy is constantly fighting for an open and transparent blogosphere.

Ralph J. Booter

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:38 PM, December 05, 2008

Anonymous...

"My foresight? That was my first-ever posted comment, Mr. Cooper. It's Mr. Cooper, right? I've been trying to follow all this."

Gee, another nameless-nitwit postin' my name and claimin' to be a new brand, spankin' new nameless nitwit to boot.

Wow. What are the odds.

"I thought somebody said you went to CCV."

Ya did, eh? They did, eh? Imagine that. What the hell, you loons imagine most everything else.

Feel free to point out just where and when I said I'm a graduate of or even so much as attended CCV, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest fella.

Not that there's anything wrong with it.

Irrespective of whether the left side of your sorry butt heard that from the right or vice versa, at least one side of your ignorant anonymous ass has been hangin' out with the wrong nameless-nitwit crowd, little fella.

Funny thing, little nice try nitwit fella. Whenever I google up the Vermont chapters of ignorant-anonymous trash.org or nameless-nitwit nonsense.com, I come up with bupkis.

Just bumper crops and bushel baskets of bupkis fallin' off the backs of schmuck trucks as far as the eye can see.

What's more, there's not a single listing for an ignorant anonymous trash or nameless nitwit graduating from Middlebury College in Middlebury History.

Not even one for Otter Valley HS.

Gee. Imagine my surprise.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:36 PM, December 05, 2008

Even on Friday nights. He puts his social life aside. His family. All for a more accountable blog. The Free Press really should pay him. And over a year of this. Keep up the fight!

Ralph

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:51 AM, December 06, 2008

Anonymous...

"Even on Friday nights. He puts his social life aside. His family. All for a more accountable blog. The Free Press really should pay him. And over a year of this. Keep up the fight!"

Well, that's mighty sweet of ya to say, ralphie boy, but given that you and your coalition of the clueless cretin comrades' ignorant anonymous asses are always here waitin' for me wallowin' in your cluelessness and spewin' your psychotic slop, it's the least I can do to minister to your many nameless-nitwit needs.

Don't mention it.

Clearly, the Lord has blessed me with the quality of my frenemies and just knowin' I'm laboring in his fields is reward enough for me.

It's always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 8:58 AM, December 06, 2008

Um, I didn't go to college, Mr. Cooper. That's probably why I've had a hard time keeping this straight. Maybe you did too cuz you got so many nitwit enemies. The Middlebury person (or so he said) was the one with all the questions, I think. That was humorous how you blew his drawers off. I still very much admire you, even though you think I'm someone else.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:44 AM, December 06, 2008

Anonymous...

Um, I didn't go to college, Mr. Cooper. That's probably why I've had a hard time keeping this straight. Maybe you did too cuz you got so many nitwit enemies. The Middlebury person (or so he said) was the one with all the questions, I think. That was humorous how you blew his drawers off. I still very much admire you, even though you think I'm someone else."

Gee, I'm sorry. How could I not have seen that when you've gone to such lengths to separate yourself
from nameless-nitwit nation by posting under the name anonymous.

If you're not the anonymous Middlebury Man, little fella, you've got my apologies, but if you're gonna merely put occupant on your mailbox, you're bound to get the next nameless nitwit's mail from time to time.

Get yourself a screen name.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:14 AM, December 06, 2008

Would the screen name "JW's Boy" work? Or "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper"? I'm not good at this stuff. Thank you for your suggestion. I'll definitely get a screen name. Heck, I don't really mind if people know who I am. I'm not really in a position of any responsibility. I'm sure you are, though. But you're undoubtedly braver than the rest of us.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:46 AM, December 06, 2008

No, seriously. I admire the dedication. I know of no other adult who can dedicate his life to getting the last word in. No point too trivial. For over a year!

Ralphie

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:50 AM, December 06, 2008

"No point too trivial." I dunno. I suppose we could test that theory:

I think that mustard seed really adds to meatloaf.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:55 AM, December 06, 2008