Cantor job fair includes businesses that used the stimulus. Do we care?
By JR Hoeft | Friday, July 16th, 2010 | PolicyLiberal blog “Think Progress” is pointing out that several area employers that attended a recent job fair sponsored by one of the economic stimulus’ biggest critics, Republican Whip Eric Cantor, have received millions of dollars in stimulus money.
Obviously, the folks at Think Progress are trying to paint Cantor as a hypocrite.
The question is a red herring because obviously liberals would want those business who received stimulus money to economically grow. Are they now so dysfunctional that they want those employers boycotted?
But this brings up another, more philosophical discussion for conservatives: Is it counterproductive to boycott businesses that “took the money” or is it ideologically puritan?
Perhaps Cantor just recognizes what everyone else does – the actual stimulus has failed so he has to hold a job fair to help jump start the economy on his own.
Tags:
Contribute for Conservatism!
Share this post
About the author
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
We're 75% there! Thank you to everyone who has so far contributed! Just $2000 to go!
Comments
28 Responses to "Cantor job fair includes businesses that used the stimulus. Do we care?"
Cantor is probably just trying to make the best of a bad situation. While the stimulus never should have passed, now that it has he’s only trying to get Virginians a return on the money the feds are wasting.
But the philosophical point remains. Where do conservatives draw the line on bad ideas that become bad law?
I don’t think we need to ask the question, “Is Representative Cantor a hypocrite?”
The answer is all too obvious…
Representative Cantor consistently makes speeches and so forth spouting free-market rhetoric, while he stands for anything but.
It’s important to remember that he voted for the the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 and the Troubled Asset Relief Program; both under President Bush.
Anyone who would even consider voting for such atrocious legislation shouldn’t be referred to as a conservative or a believer in the free-market.
With all due respect to the Congressman, I have lost all faith in his ability to legislate within the boundaries of the Constitution.
I agree that no one need bother labeling the actions of Representative Cantor as hypocritical; his behavior alone has made that abundantly clear. As one of the architects of the republican political strategy of obstruction, he has made it clear that the political fortunes of him and his cohorts have been placed firmly in front of the national interest and the public interest. Thank goodness for the country that a few courageous republican senators have refused to succumb to this dastardly tactic of trying to make the President fail.
I’d be more impressed with these job fairs if taxpayers weren’t paying to put them on.
So some people don’t think Eric “champion of the overdog” Cantor is conservative enough?
To the question J.R. asked, No, we shouldn’t care.
If some companies that got stimulus money are now in the postion to hire more people–Good, that was the whole point.
Yes, Cantor and his ilk have now shifted their attention to saving the Bush tax cuts for the rich, made necessary so the mega rich could buy better wine and take longer vacations in Europe. Even though this will contribute to the deficit, that’s OK; these are Cantor’s country club members he must protect. Now a few bucks for the long term unemployed? That is another matter; no way, he says, that contributes to the deficit and can’t be tolerated. But of course, the most amazing conundrum is that some tea party folks actually buy this garbage. Unbelievable.
Big deal! How many of you own a GM car or use Bank of America?
If you want to be so idealogically pure then don’t do business with Democrats or liberals of any sort. The Congressman was just trying to help his community.
Sterns why dont you tell me how Congressman Cantor doesn’t legislate within the bounds of the Constitution?
Polls show that 70 percent of Americans do not believe that the stimulus program has worked, and a similar percentage feel the best thing we could do to create jobs is to cut taxes.
We are now coping with the damage not of the original recession that started in 2007, but with the cures administered by Obama when he took office in 2009. His big spending, big borrowing and his looming tax increases in 2011 are driving the economy down.
The Fox News poll now shows that 55 percent of all likely voters feel that it is appropriate to call Obama a socialist. This epithet, which most Americans did not see fit to use even a few months ago, fits him well. Republicans should make the point that he is willing to sacrifice all for his ideology and that he is blind to the reality of the damage his spending and borrowing are causing.
Some thoughts from Dick Morris
http://www.creators.com/opinion/dick-morris/economic-numbers-hurting-obama.html
http://www.creators.com/opinion/dick-morris/obama-vulnerable-to-counterattack-on-economy.html
Yes James, you have put your finger on the issue. Most Americans do not earn over $250,000 per year, and therefor, will not actually be hurt one iota if the Bush tax cuts for the rich are repealed. Of course, Cantor and his ilk make no distinction; they lead everyone to believe that it is their tax cut that will be repealed. It is like when the U.S. Chamber of Commrece talks about protecting the small businessman; what bunk. To them, a small business is a fortune 1000 company. These exapmles, and the citizens and tea party members who believe it, need a dose of intelligence and clarity.
Now tell me if it weren’t for the evil rich folks, how would the poor and destitute like us have jobs. Someone has to make the crap rich folks buy…
Lee, you touched on a point that is worthy of thought. I ONLY buy American made cars, I bank at BB&T, an American Bank, and I try my best to only buy products made in America. If all Americans would put forth their best efforts to only buy American made products, we would keep more jobs here at home.
Oh Lee, that is a real hoot. Kind of like the north enders who have to return early from Paris in the Spring to protest their real estate assessment. Fact is, the trickle down theory has been debunked so often most won’t even put it forth anymore. The rich can take care of themselves, and paying a slightly higher tax rate on income will simply effect their nice to haves, not their real life. On the other hand, reducing the deficit by the receipt of the largesse they had thanks to President Bush, we can start to return to pay as you go. Cantor and his buds have finally been forced to confront the hypocrisy of their views, and they prefer protecting the benefit of the country club crowd to reducing the deficit.
Mike, nice of you to decide how much of people’s own money they have the right to keep.
You weren’t so generous when someone was proposing a commercial real estate tax increase.
Well of course Brian, you get it wrong again; it will effect me, but hey, reducing the deficit is in the public interest so I support higher rates on incomes over $250,000. I thought Cantor thought so too, but when it comes to the rich, he makes an exception. No protection, even if it raises the deficit and the debt, is too much for his silk stocking friends. And yes, I thought the tax rate for all real estate property should remain fair and equal, and so did the General Assembly. They got it right.
“Polls show that 70 percent of Americans do not believe that the stimulus program has worked, and a similar percentage feel the best thing we could do to create jobs is to cut taxes.”
Polling is not really the best way to craft economic policy.
Kathy not just American products but Republican / Conservative owned company products. Using the logic from earlier in this post if you own a GM car then you’ve supported a company that benefited from the bailout. Personally thats all crazy. If you like something buy it. If you want to hold a job fair please there are good folks looking for jobs.
Mike,
There will always be haves and have nots in this world. I am working on being a have. I dont begrudge successful people for their success. I follow their lead! Dragging everyone down to my level is not success but just making everyone else fail.
Well Lee, I don’t see it that way. If by “drag down” you mean restoring the higher rates on income that existed for decades, I am OK with that. And the old “have and have nots” is not the way I see it. We all have a role to play based upon our abilities and our competencies; frankly, I value the worth of every worker, whether professional, executive, clerk, or truck driver. Cantor’s hypocrisy is that he claims that the deficit will drag the country down, yet does all he can to stop the cancellation of the Bush tax cuts that will help reduce the deficit. His caucus also tried to stop the extension of unemployment benefits for the long term unemployed, which really proved who he wants to protect. Like the rich really need more help.
Great idea, Mike! A surtax on commercial property near light rail to pay for light rail.
The Democrat Tax Increase of 2011
The current six tax-rate brackets of 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33% and 35% will be replaced by five new brackets with the higher rates of 15%, 28%, 31%, 36% and 39.6%.
Then the marriage- penalty tax returns — for high earners, low earners and everybody in between.
The maximum tax rate on long-term capital gains is set to go to 20% from 15%.
Maximum rates on dividends skyrockets to 39.6%; so much for saving for the future.
And the death tax jumps to 55%.
Well actually Brian, owners of commercial property will pay higher taxes. Those who choose to revitalize their property by investing private capital to change uses from light industrial to multi use will generally increase the value of their property by a factor of ten to fifteen. That is, these developers will pay 10-15 times more in real estate tax every year. That is one of the strongest incentives for communities to invest in public infrastructure like light rail; the increase in value to the commercial tax base will dwarf the local cost to build light rail. Frankly, that is the kind of thinking of which republicans used to be proud. I did not know that was allowed any more on these pages.
Great, Mike. Let’s draw a TIF.
So just what is the cost of the failure of past political leadership? Now we know. Two years after the Tide starts operations in Norfolk, the citizens there will be able to board a passenger train at the light rail station at Harbor Park, ride to Richmond, and connect to AmTrak to ride to DC, NY, Boston, and everywhere else Amtrak will take them. Here at the Beach, we will still be waiting, and we are a City that derives clear benefits from connectivity. So when citizens say, why not hold a referendum, the answer ought to be patently clear; the failure of City Council to do what was best for Virginia Beach a decade ago means we have missed the train today.
There is an Amtrak station at 9304 Warwick Boulevard in Newport News.
From there a person can ride to DC, NY, Boston, and everywhere else Amtrak will take them.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Satellite?SnippetName=IBLegacy&pagename=am/AM_Snippet_C/SnippetWrapper&code=NPN
Yes, and that is the point. Our HRTPO supports improvements to that line so the the service is faster and more reliable. As a region, we get it, and we know how important it is to have passenger rail service, especially in view of the fact the roads, bridges, highways, and tunnels are disintegrating. So why should we, who live in the largest City in the Commonwealth, and who arguably will receive a benefit from more visitors as well, be denied that service because we lack political leadership?
Consolidated response to Mike B:
Yes, Pelosi and her ilk have now shifted their attention from all kinds of legislation and slush funds for the rich, made necessary so the mega rich like Kerry Gore and Pelosi and even George Soros could buy better wine and take longer vacations in Europe or drill forofffshore oil in Brazil. Even though this will contribute to the deficit bexause the Democrats will always spend more than they take in, that’s OK; these are Pelosi’s penthouse liberals she must protect. Now a few bucks for the long term unemployed? That is another matter; no way, the Dems say if it has to be paid for as republicans insist. NO just add it to the deficit and raise some more taxes. But of course, the most amazing conundrum is that all left wingers actually buy this garbage. Unbelievable.
If by “drag down” you mean restoring the higher rates on income that existed for decades, with Dem legislators extorting money by creating all kinds of loopholes for their cronies Mike is OK with that. And the old “have and have nots” is not the way I see it. That would tend to reveal that my liberal heros live lives of luxury while telling everyone else to live on unemployment and cut back on energy use. We all have a role to play based upon our abilities and our competencies; frankly, I value the worth of every worker, to support my liberal heros whether professional, executive, clerk, or truck driver. So what if Pelosi’s hypocrital when she claims that this is social justice. Like the rich liberals really need more help.
[...] Cantor job fair includes businesses that used the stimulus. Do we care? | Bearing Drift: Virginia Po… [...]
Brian,
You’re getting close to what I’ve long argued on the light rail debt service issue. My idea is to draw Special Service Districts a half-mile radius (i.e. TOD Zone) around the stations and place a Property Tax surtax on the properties with the district, similar to the 12 cent surtax in Sandbridge. The case is two-fold.
First, the surtax on the properties will help flush the lower-end uses, helping to spur the TOD.
Second, it will help sell LRT to residents away from the NS ROW. Unless your home is within a half-mile of a station, you won’t pay a cent towards the debt service.
Leave your response