As FOX Business Network’s Gerri Willis reported Monday, these pensions are in bad shape; as of 2006, well before the market dropped and recession began, only 6% of these funds were doing well.

Although right now taxpayers could possibly be on the hook for $165 billion, the liability could essentially be unlimited because these pensions have to be paid out until the workers die.

It’s hard to say at the moment what the chances are that the bill will pass. A hearing is scheduled Thursday, which will give the public a sense of where political leaders sit on the topic, said Willis.

Europe’s finance ministers late last week cleared the way for disbursement of their portion of the loan, with the package clearing its highest hurdle Friday: approval by the German parliament.

Under the terms of the deal, Greece will cut its budget deficit from a record 13.6 percent of GDP last year to 8.1 percent this year, and below an EU ceiling of 3 percent by the end of 2014, translating into EUR30 billion in combined spending cuts and higher taxes.

IMF officials have said they’re confident the measures are enough to bring the Mediterranean country back from the brink.

But markets are skeptical that Greece will have the discipline to see the required reforms through and that the country’s economy will be able to grow enough to repay their loans on time.

Last week, traders sought to alleviate risk as Greeks rioted in Athens after the parliament approved major austerity measures. Investors migrated out of the Euro and into the dollar, gold hit $1,200 an ounce and the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted.

You mean like the bank bailouts? You mean like the insurance company bailouts? You mean like NATIONALIZING the auto industry?

Maybe Arnold Shriver needs to “pump up” Obama a little more.

Fannie Mae (FNM.P), the largest provider of U.S. home mortgage funding, said on Friday it needs more capital from the U.S. Treasury after a $23.2 billion loss in the first quarter, and warned government housing programs would cut deeper into its profitability.

The cable news talking heads panned Bobby Jindal’s response to Obama tonight.

There were some apparent audio and technical problems. He could have been more specific in his attacks on the porkulus bill, the bailouts, and the coming omnibus spending bill/mortgage entitlement expansion. (Full speech here).

But then, of course, the critics would have accused him of being too wonky.

Can’t win in these situations. The follow-up to an elaborately staged joint session of Congress speech is always going to look diminished. I thought his delivery was fine. And it’s always better to have lowered expectations, anyway. Otherwise, you end up with…the inconquerable hype of the Obamessiah.

Jindal’s strongest moments came at the end of his remarks:

In recent years, these distinctions in philosophy became less clear — because our party got away from its principles. You elected Republicans to champion limited government, fiscal discipline, and personal responsibility. Instead, Republicans went along with earmarks and big government spending in Washington. Republicans lost your trust — and rightly so.

Tonight, on behalf of our leaders in Congress and my fellow Republican governors, I say: Our party is determined to regain your trust. We will do so by standing up for the principles that we share — the principles you elected us to fight for — the principles that built this into the greatest, most prosperous country on earth.

A few weeks ago, the President warned that our nation is facing a crisis that he said ‘we may not be able to reverse.’ Our troubles are real, to be sure. But don’t let anyone tell you that we cannot recover — or that America’s best days are behind her.

This is the nation that cast off the scourge of slavery, overcame the Great Depression, prevailed in two World Wars, won the struggle for civil rights, defeated the Soviet menace, and responded with determined courage to the attacks of September 11, 2001.

The American spirit has triumphed over almost every form of adversity known to man — and the American spirit will triumph again.

We can have confidence in our future — because, amid today’s challenges, we also count many blessings: We have the most innovative citizens –the most abundant resources — the most resilient economy — the most powerful military — and the freest political system in the history of the world.

My fellow citizens, never forget: We are Americans. And like my Dad said years ago, Americans can do anything.

Thank you for listening. God bless you. And God bless America.”

I’ll take Bobby Jindal’s genuine faith in American entrepreneurship over Barack Obama’s fear-mongering-turned-faux Reaganism any day.

Now on to the scum at MSNBC:

MSNBC couldn’t stand the sight of Jindal before he had a chance to open his mouth. Before he began his remarks, someone on a hot mic muttered “Oh, God.” Patterico’s sure the “Oh God” comes from Olbermann, Goldfarb’s sure it comes from Matthews. Personally, I think it was Olbermann. Update 2/25/09: I was wrong, it was Thrill up the Leg Matthews.

RCP has the video. and so do we:

THE FACTS: There are no “earmarks,” as they are usually defined, inserted by lawmakers in the bill. Still, some of the projects bear the prime characteristics of pork – tailored to benefit specific interests or to have thinly disguised links to local projects.

For example, the latest version contains $2 billion for a clean-coal power plant with specifications matching one in Mattoon, Ill., $10 million for urban canals, $2 billion for manufacturing advanced batteries for hybrid cars, and $255 million for a polar icebreaker and other “priority procurements” by the Coast Guard.

And how did Obama sell this to the good folks in Elkhart?  By using the same, old, tired pork-barrel pledges he supposedly rejected:

Obama told his Elkhart audience that Indiana will benefit from work on “roads like U.S. 31 here in Indiana that Hoosiers count on.” He added: “And I know that a new overpass downtown would make a big difference for businesses and families right here in Elkhart.”

Administration officials were greeted with sarcasm and laughter Monday night when they briefed lawmakers and congressional staff on Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner’s new financial-sector bailout project, according to people who were in the room.

The laughter was at its height when Obama officials explained that the White House planned to guarantee a wide swath of toxic assets — which they referred to as “legacy assets” — but wouldn’t be asking Congress for money. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), a bailout opponent in the fall, asked the officials to give Congress the total dollar figure for which they were on the hook. The officials said that they couldn’t provide a number, a response met by chuckling that was bipartisan, but tilted toward the GOP side.

As far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t care if you dropped dead today Schumer you filthy POS.

BTW, one of the turncoats, Arlen Spectre today on Fox mentions to Megyn Kelly that the porkulus needed more time for hearings. Uh, so why exactly did you vote yes for this porkulus bill? Why didn’t Arlen Specter demand hearings? At the very least, he could have forced more debate by opposing the cloture vote yesterday. I’m sorry people, this country is screwed. NO ONE on Capital Hill knows WTF they are doing. NO ONE, no matter what party affilation.

If you aren’t one who agrees with Schmucky Schumer, He needs to hear from you.

He needs to hear from you.

Tell Chuck Schumer you care.

Schumer, Charles E. – (D – NY) Class III
313 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6542
Web Form: schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm
Fax:202-228-3027

District Office- Albany:
Leo O’Brien Building, Room 420
Albany, NY 12207
Phone: 518-431-4070
Fax: 518-431-4076

District Office- Binghamton:
15 Henry Street, Room B6
Binghamton, NY 13901
Phone: 607-772-6792
Fax: 607-772-8124

District Office- Buffalo:
111 West Huron Street, Room 620
Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: 716-846-4111
Fax: 716-846-4113

District Office- Hudson Valley:
Post Office Box A
Red Hook, NY 12571
Phone: 914-285-9741
Fax: 845-758-1043

District Office- Long Island:
145 Pine Lawn Road, Room 300
Melville, NY 11747
Phone: 631-753-0978
Fax: 631-753-0997

District Office- New York City:
757 Third Avenue, Suite 17-02
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-486-4430
TTYD Number: 212-486-7803
Fax: 212-486-7693

District Office- Rochester:
100 State Street, Room 3040
Rochester, NY 14614
Phone: 585-263-5866
Fax: 585-263-3173

District Office- Syracuse:
100 South Clinton Street, Room 841
Syracuse, NY 13261-7318
Phone: 315-423-5471
Fax: 315-423-5185

***

Reader Brian e-mails a great idea:

Hello from the finally thawed out Lexington, KY!

I just wanted to pass along to you that one of our local radio hosts, Leland Conway, has asked everyone to bring bags of pork rinds to the radio station so that they can be mailed to Sen. Shumer’s office along with a note explaining that at least some Americans do care about pork. Perhaps this is something that could be considered on an even larger scale across the country.

You can order pork rinds here.

WASHINGTON. D.C. – A report by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Minority Staff contradicts assertions by the House Appropriations Committee that National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) lobbyist Craig Obey does not lobby the House Committee chaired by his father, Rep. David Obey. The House Appropriations Committee approved a $2 billion earmark for the National Parks Service lobbied for by Craig Obey and the NPCA.

“The success of NPCA and Craig Obey in doubling the National Park Service’s annual appropriation through the economic recovery legislation raises the question of whether family ties played a role,” according to the report. “The seriousness of this potential conflict should have been disclosed to all Members before the vote took place.”

The earmark for the National Parks Service, included by the House Appropriations Committee in H.R. 1, is more than twice the amount proposed by the U.S. Senate and would effectively double the budget for the National Parks Service without explaining how such a funding increase will be absorbed without creating abuse, waste, and misuse of funds.

The staff report points to lobbying disclosure documents indicating that Craig Obey does lobby on Appropriations as well as the National Park Conversation Association’s stimulus proposal for the Appropriations Committee which identifies Craig Obey as the primary point of contact.

“Two years ago, you pledged to ‘drain the swamp’ in the House of Representatives and create the most ethical Congress in history,” Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Darrell Issa wrote in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “The secret lobbying of the Appropriations Committee by special interest groups and false denials by the Committee itself is yet another example showing that your ethics reform proposals have done little to create a culture of ethical conduct.”

Issa requested that the House accede to the Senate’s lower proposal for the National Park Service which would save taxpayers over $1 billion.

The report and documents are here.

As Hill staffers note, “CBO estimates that the package will cost $838.2 billion. This is $18.7 billion more than the House-passed bill.”

Michelle Malkin  uploaded the CBO analysis in PDF format. Just click here.

Republican Senators are questioning whether President Barack Obama’s stimulus bill contains the right mix of tax breaks and cash infusions to jump-start the economy.

Tragically, no one from either party is objecting to the health provisions slipped in without discussion. These provisions reflect the handiwork of Tom Daschle, until recently the nominee to head the Health and Human Services Department.

Senators should read these provisions and vote against them because they are dangerous to your health. (Page numbers refer to H.R. 1 EH, pdf version).

The bill’s health rules will affect “every individual in the United States” (445, 454, 479). Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system. Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors.

But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and “guide” your doctor’s decisions (442, 446). These provisions in the stimulus bill are virtually identical to what Daschle prescribed in his 2008 book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and “learn to operate less like solo practitioners.”

* 2 billion Blagojevich earmark for FutureGen near zero emissions powerplant in Mattoon, IL
* $2 billion for manufacturing advanced batteries for hybrid cars
* $3 million for purchasing “neighborhood electric vehicles” (golf carts)
* $5.5 billion for making federal buildings “green” (including $448 million for DHS HQ)
* $650 million for the DTV transition coupon program
* $1.2 billion for summer jobs for youth
· $200 million for workplace safety in USDA facilities
* $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges and libraries
* $75 million for the Smithsonian Institution
* $750 earmark for the National Computer Center in MD
* $224 million for International Boundary and Water Commission – U.S. and Mexico
* $198 million to design and furnish the DHS headquarters
* $10 million to fight Mexican gunrunners
* $850 million for Amtrak
* $100 million for lead paint hazard reduction
* $39 billion slush fund for “state fiscal stabilization” bailout
* $275 million for flood prevention
* $65 million for watershed rehabilitation
* $255 million for “priority procurements” at Coast Guard (polar ice breaker)$650 million for abandoned mine sites
* $1.3 billion for NASA (including $450 million for “science” at NASA)
* $100 million to clean up sites used in early U.S. atomic energy program
* $10 million for urban canals
* $1.5 billion for carbon capture projects under sec. 703 of P.L. 110-140 (though the original section only authorizes $1 billion for five years)
* $300 million for hybrid and electric cars for federal employees
* $500 million for State and local fire stations
* $180 million for construction of Bureau of Land Management facilities
* $500 million for wildland fire management
* $110 million for construction for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
* $522 million for construction for the Bureau of Indian Affairs
* $412 million for CDC headquarters
* $500 million earmark for NIH facilities in Bethesda, MD
* $100 million for constructing U.S. Marshalls office buildings
* $300 million for constructing Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) office buildings
* $800 million for constructing Federal Prison System buildings and facilities
* $307 million for constructing National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) office buildings
* $1 billion for administrative costs and construction of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) office buildings
* $160 million for “volunteers” at the Corp. for National and Community Service

The golf cart stimulus can be found in Section 1151 of the “compromise” text and here.

Who’s behind this? The “neighborhood electric vehicles” — souped-up golf carts — that would benefit most are manufactured in North Dakota.

How about $50 billion for “mandatory mortgage modifications”?
Porkulus: It’s what’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the Senate floor.

As many state and local officials clamor for their share of the billions of dollars in federal aid in the stimulus bill under consideration in Washington, South Carolina’s Republican governor is sounding a note of dissent about federal efforts to help the economy.

“A problem that was created by building up of too much debt will not be solved with yet more debt,” Gov. Mark Sanford said Sunday, making a reference to the federal deficit spending that will likely finance the federal stimulus package.

“We’re moving precipitously close to what I would call a savior-based economy,” Sanford also said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union.

The South Carolina Republican said such an economy is “what you see in Russia or Venezuela or Zimbabwe or places like that where it matters not how good your product is to the consumer but what your political connection is to those in power.”

“That is quite different than a market-based economy where some rise and some fall but there’s a consequence to making a stupid decision,” Sanford said after pointing to the powers granted to the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve to help deal with the current economic crisis.

“A lot of people who’ve made some very stupid decisions are being bailed out by the population at large,” he added.

Heres a look at your “savior-based economy”

On the House side, a long term extension of the E-Verify program passed there 407-2 (Conservative Oasis).

But Democrat Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid refused to allow it to come to the floor. Now, we’re headed for cloture.

“While it is difficult to believe that Senate leaders might insist that illegal aliens have the same chance at new stimulus jobs as unemployed Americans, this scenario may now be at hand,” says Roy Beck of Numbers USA. “SA 239 is now unlikely to receive a floor vote.”

The provision is not included in the Sellout Substitute Amendment forged by the Turncoat Caucus and the Democrats.

If that is “patriotism,” then I’m proud to be an unpatriot.

How about you?

MakeStickers.com

The generational thieves question our patriotism.

I question their math. I question their morality. I question their sanity.

Kill the bill. Stab it. Stick a fork in it. Then start from scratch.

So, your representatives of the “most deliberative body in the world” have barely a day to digest and debate the 778-page legislative text before rushing to vote on cloture Monday evening.

Like Dave Ramsey says: “Desperate always reap stupid.”

Click here for PDF file.

Get out your hip-waders.

Highlights coming.

In the meantime, make note of this observation from Justin Hart in response to the earlier chart outlining the Sellout Amendment’s bottom-line spending statistics (which I blogged about this afternoon here):

[figures in the thousands]
Agriculture: $5,109,430
Commerce: $21,513,000
Defense: $3,746,000
Energy & Water: $53,843,000
Financial & Gen. Govt: $10,762,000
Homeland Security: $5,076,700
Interior: $11,643,600
Labor, HHS, Education: $169,184,000
Military & VA: $7,428,295
THUD: $60,580,500
Appropriations: $365,629,525 (of course, this one isn’t broken out)

Bottom line: Global Warming, Government Healthcare, Teachers Unions, School Building Contractors, Subsidized Housing, and MASSIVE Pork.

Thanks Collins, Snowe, and Spectre you turncoats!

Senators Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have said repeatedly that their goal was to eliminate those parts of the bill that are not stimulative. But this document shows that this spending has not been eliminated, but only reduced. If this spending does not stimulate (and it most certainly does not), then why not eliminate it completely?

And if the goal was to simply lower the price of the plan to protect taxpayers, the Nelson-Collins deal fails in that effort as well. At $827 billion, the compromise will cost $7 billion MORE than the bill passed by Nancy Pelosi in the House.

The goal here isn’t to help the economy, or the public. this is just a big payoff to the union thugs, acorn, and the other pets of the democRAT party…sow the wind, reap the whirlwind…and that will be inflation beyond what we have ever known in this country…the currency will collapse…pop goes the country…it was fun while it lasted…

CBO, the official scorekeepers for legislation, said the House and Senate bills will help in the short term but result in so much government debt that within a few years they would crowd out private investment, actually leading to a lower Gross Domestic Product over the next 10 years than if the government had done nothing.

CBO estimates that by 2019 the Senate legislation would reduce GDP by 0.1 percent to 0.3 percent on net. [The House bill] would have similar long-run effects, CBO said in a letter to Sen. Judd Gregg, New Hampshire Republican, who was tapped by Mr. Obama on Tuesday to be Commerce Secretary.

Let me repeat that: $1.175 trillion.

This figure does not include the nearly $50 billion added in Senate amendments during the last two days.

So in the name of fiscal responsibility, Collins and the B.O. Republican contingent are selling out America with a plan that costs $7 billion more than the House Crap Sandwich Supreme.

Enough is enough of this FAKE Republicans!!!!!!! Get rid of these Rinos already!
Susan Collins (Maine)
Olympia Snow (Maine)
Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania)
John McCain (Arizona) (although at least McCain isn’t stupid enough for go for the Porkulus bait)

David Obey, comments on the pork and waste in this bill? SO WHAT! Of course, the wonderful VP – Joe gaffe Biden says the porkulus bill *ONLY* has a 30% chance of failing.

BTW, B. Hussein Obama thanked Collins, Snowe, Specter for their “patriotism”. Patriotism in 2009 equals paying more taxes, spreading the wealth, and useless goverment spending on things like new doorbells, waterparks, golf course, new cars for congressmen, etc. America! What a country!