Duffy garners spotlight in 7th District challenge

don r.
Superior, WI     02/09/2010 12:32 PM

Oh for crying out loud! The United States fiscal budget year runs from October 1st to September 30th. That's were the math comes in because of the nearly four month overlap between presidents. President Obama had a wonderful opportunity to come sweeping in full of hope and change and promises he made on the campaign trail - instead it was business as usual. Remember how the wars were promised to have ended when he took office. That would have been great, but now a year later nothing. Our boys are still dying for nothing. Dave Obey speaks his mind on the war (needs to end, add special tax, blah blah blah, etc), then Obama slaps him down and he once again votes to fund the war. Why as a matter of fact I don't think Obama has accomplished anything yet and that's with a majority Democrat Congress. Here's a perfect wrap up to all this deficit/debt talk as it comes right from the president's mouth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-uvf95d5SY

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Tracey R.
Christchurch, VA     02/09/2010 9:36 AM

Here is the thing that I think you might be missing. You keep saying that Obama is running up the debt when the CBO clearly states that it dropped by 100 billion from 2009 to 2010. That is a decrease! I would love to see more but with two wars and a financial crisis that continues, I think asking for more is unrealistic. My point with the Bush reference is this....can we lay all the responsibility of 1.4 trillion dollars at Obama's feet when the majority, vast majority of that debt was there when he took office along with two wars and a financial mess? Your argument does not hold any weight by blaming all of this on Obama. Let's look at his plan to reduce the debt, it's there. Little by little...but there. How realistic is it? I don't know...I'm not an economist, I think that remains to be seen. As for the government take over of life...I really doubt that issuing loans to banks and car companies in engage for some regulatory responsibility in order not to get in this mess in the future is hardly socialism. Neither is offering health care to millions of people who dont' have it and protecting the consumer from insurance bottom lines. Anyone who has ever tangled with insurance companies would be glad for the protection.....

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don r.
Superior, WI     02/08/2010 9:20 PM

How sad is it that we are talking trillions of dollars give or take a hundred billion or so. That’s the whole stinking point. Bush did suck, but that doesn’t give Obama the right to astronomically mess things up beyond belief and use Bush as a justification. My God, we are talking a debt pit that we will not be able to climb our way out of. And ridiculous plans like Senator Feingold’s to reduce the deficit by $100 billion a year starting in ten years is asinine and way too little way too late. Why just last week the House of Representatives voting along party lines 217-212 to raise the debt ceiling $1.9 trillion! The only hope I see here is that a couple dozen democrats jumped ship perhaps because they saw how ludicrous this is, but more than likely because they want to save their keisters come this November. FYI: Socialism definition (Merriam-Webster) – Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods. That should sum it all up! What need is there for further discussion on healthcare, General Motors (government motors, now) and bank bailouts.

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Tracey R.
Christchurch, VA     02/08/2010 9:07 AM

I was intrigued by these comments and went and looked at the CBO site and found that 2009 deficit was 1.4 trillion and 1.3 trillion projected for 2010. That looks like a decrease in deficit to me. Granted 2009 was the largest since WWII but then again, we are fighting two wars (Thank you Bush) and we had just seen the largest financial melt down since the Great Depression (Not sure who to blame on that one).CBO clearly states that from 2011 to 2020 the yearly budget deficits are about 600 billion per year and it also clearly states that it does not take into account any current or future budget policy changes. Obama has laid out a plan to meet a lot of those deficits...one such plan is revoking the tax cut put in place by Bush on the wealthy. Anyone making over $250,000 will see their tax rates go back to Clinton era taxes. BTW: Obama didn't ADD 1.4 trillion..that is what the deficit rose too in 2009. Calling Obama a socialist does nothing to advance your ideas. It lines you up with the Glenn Becks and Sarah Palin's of the world. If you want to get him for big government, go ahead. Because the fact of the matter, we democrats do want more policy and regulation from the government. That is how we see to protect our society and our people. That is how we think to ensure the preservation of a vital middle class. If you want to get him for right to choose, gay rights, sex ed...go ahead...we are proud of his stand on those matters (although he could use some tune up on the equal right to marriage). But no President in our history, has paid more attention to developing policy that meets the needs of the people and the financial constraints we see ourselves in. It's not an easy decision and it might not be one you agree with but at least he is putting forth the effort and time that has been so lacking the last 8 yeaers. Reaching across the aisle to at least offer the republicans a seat at the table. If they choose to decline, then so be it. But the offer is there.... So yes, a vote for Obey is a vote for Obama....so let's vote for Obey. He has served us well over the last few decades. He is working hard to ensure that our way of life can continue and I know he will fight for the things that matter to us like access to healthcare for ALL people. Clean water for us to drink, fish, swim, and boat in. Jobs in Northern Wisconsin as well as the rest of the state.

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don r.
Superior, WI     02/07/2010 1:28 PM

The hardest part about politics is having the ability to separate ones own opinions from the actual facts. I prefer the facts. Those that come from government websites (those ending in .gov) or actually seeing or hearing the facts come from ones own mouth. Since Obey has claimed full support of Barack Obama’s policies and backs it with a 95% vote record towards those policies we can only assume that thus far a vote for Obey is a vote for Obama as it was on the issues of the 1st stimulus, omnibus, healthcare, and cap and trade. All of which did or will add greatly to the ever growing national debt which under Obey’s watch went from $300 billion in 1969 to $12.3 trillion after Obama’s first year (treasurydirect.gov). So when I see the facts that Obama added $1.4 trillion to the debt (cbo.gov) and now most recently submits a 2011 budget with a record $1.6 trillion deficit already built into it I have very little hope for this administration and those that support it blindly. And these monstrosities only scratch the surface I’m assuming people watched the youtube link in my last post that has Obama admitting that coal fired electricity will skyrocket. A direct strike to ALL in their pocketbook. What about his goal of a civilian army funded equally as to our armed forces??? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt2yGzHfy7s This is some real scary stuff! I prefer my constitutional freedoms to whatever this guy is dreaming up.

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Tony C.
Superior, WI     02/07/2010 1:14 AM

Hi Don - We both know that spending cannot continue as it is and there has to be a balance between continued stimulus and paying down the deficit. Obama inherited a lot of the deficit spending and the Republicans put us back in debt and spent wildly so I am not sure that pinning it on supporting the Obama agenda is fair or true. It's been one year so let's wait on that before deciding we can't give him a second term. Sounds more like your mind is made up already and I just don't get that. The facts are that most of the federal dollars are spent downstate and if we lose what Obey can get appropriated for the port and N. WI, I am ok with it as I feel that most of that money is not wasteful spending. In fact, a lot of it goes to businesses which is more of a Republican way of thinking. None of us are happy but I stick by my position and think it would be a mistake for us to vote Obey out right now.

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don r.
Superior, WI     02/06/2010 12:49 PM

Tony seems like someone that has heartfelt opinions, but ignores the facts. It's been tough for a lot of Northern Wisconsin democrats these days to see Dave Obey display his true colors by voting 95% of the time in support of the very liberal left Obama agenda. And that's the main reason Obey now needs to go because with socialist Obama at the helm and extremely liberal leaders leading the democrat rank and file Congress around by the nose this country will absolutely be destroyed unless this power grab is stopped. The CBO (Congressional Budget Office cbo.gov) forecasts that if Obama goes a full two terms the debt will reach $22 trillion. TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! Why just recently his 2011 budget already has a $1.6 trillion deficit. This is just too incredible to believe. We as a whole, as a nation, are already in a world of financial hurt and the Liberal agenda only increases it exponentially. To top that off Tony, Obey and his Wisconsin counterparts are to blame for Wisconsin being consistently ranked on the bottom when it comes to receiving money back for what we paid in our Federal income tax (47th last year). And the whole corporation dumping millions comment, read up on it my friend, so when newspapers (which most are corporate owned), unions, George Soros’s ACORN and political action committees dump millions to back a candidate that’s ok I guess? Hmmmm I leave you with this to ponder over the weekend, enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlTxGHn4sH4

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greg j.
Superior, WI     02/06/2010 9:41 AM

Duffy! Duffy! Duffy!

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ROGER L.
Superior, WI     02/06/2010 8:42 AM

Not being able to do anything seem to be much better than what they are doing today. Perhaps we should pay all of them to stay home and not do anything.

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Tony C.
Superior, WI     02/05/2010 1:51 PM

Any new member of congress has nothhing to offer us over such a senior member. Here's why. Duffy can claim whatever he wants but as a new member of congress, he would little if any say. It will simply be more false promises. So you think I am wrong? Go ahead, get rid of Dave Obey and you will quickly find out that you (we) now have absolutely no voice. Especially with the supreme court ruling that will allow corporations to dump millions into the campaign. For this reason alone you need to keep Dave Obey so that he can continue to give Northern WI something we badly need - job creation and the money to back it up as he is a senior member. If he is gone, that money completely dries up. It doesn't matter what party you affiliate with and I don't like the political reality any more than you do but to vote him out will be a huge mistake for Northern Wisconsin.

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