On the first anniversary of the the signing into law of the $862 billion economic stimulus passage it is appropriate to extend thanks to President Obama and to the Democratic leadership in Congress for its success in bringing the country out of recession and away from the brink of economic collapse that may have rivaled the Great Depression. While recovery is not complete and there are large numbers of Americans still unemployed, there are many hopeful signs. The economy grew at a rate of 5.7% in the fourth quarter of 2009, the fastest rate in 6 years.
While there is room to argue about what has helped and what hasn’t, there is no excuse for the nasty display of trash talk exhibited today by Peter Roskam and his fellow Republicans, many of whom hypocritically touted stimulus money being spent in their districts after having voted against it.Their behavior today was appalling. They take joy in signs of new economic difficulty hoping that the country’s failure will bring them political success in upcoming midterm elections. But their behavior is destructive to the nation’s morale and destructive to the recovery itself. This is not what they were elected to do. The nation deserves better.
Just finished watching the video of President Obama’s Q&A session at the GOP House Issues conference today. The President was brilliant. He called the GOP to account for for their campaign of misinformation about healthcare reform and the economic stimulus, but did it with respect and a sincere invitation to Republicans to work with him in the nation’s best interest. The President was articulate and knew his facts, including detailed knowledge of Republican counter proposals. He was warm and human in demeanor and gentle but firm in his criticisms, using self-deprecating humor effectively to put the room at ease. I have never seen a more brilliant performance by a President. Never.
You can hear Congressman Roskam pose his question at about 67:15.
Peter Roskam’s been doing his best to sow fear and doubt about President Obama’s handling of the economy. He is doing this in a cynical attempt to sell you more of the redistributive (poor to rich), deregulatory, trickle-down economic policy that brought the world to the brink of depression under President Bush. Don’t fall for it.
Here Rachel Maddow does a nice segment with economist James Galbraith of the University of Texas that cuts away the bullshit being dispensed by the GOP:
Thanks to Progress Illinois for this video of our own Congressman Peter Roskam at the Republican National Convention gushing over John McCain’s character saying we know who he is and that we can trust him (implying in Republican code that the opposite is true of his opponent, Barack Obama). Roskam also gushes over his choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate, praising the “centeredness” that she “resonates”:
Now listen to Palin resonating her centeredness all over a caller she think is French President Nicolas Sarkozy:
Palin was, of course, pranked by a couple of Canadian radio personalities. Anybody can get pranked but can you believe that Peter Roskam and John McCain want us to trust this person to run our foreign policy. She thought this was the President of France calling and still she behaved this way. Do we really want her representing, and, potentially leading, our country? Apparently Peter Roskam does. Or did.
That’s right. Despite all his high praise for John McCain and Sarah Palin who has Roskam adopted as his new running mate? Yes, Barack Obama. We don’t know who he is and we can’t trust him but Roskam doesn’t care. Demonstrating his total lack of character, Roskam has chosen to grab onto Obama’s coattails because he thinks it will help him win. This despite Roskam being opposed to pretty much everything Obama stands for and despite his service in the leadership of the the McCain-Palin Campaign.
Roskam will say or do anything to get re-elected. He has no scruples. He has run a campaign of lies and smears against his opponent, Jill Morgenthaler, just as he did 2 years ago against Tammy Duckworth. He appears to have abused his franking privilege to send out campaign materials. He has lied to his constituents about his record. And now he is trying to deceive them into think he represents the same positions and values as Barack Obama. He most certainly does not.
So it’s up to you now 6th district voters. Are you going to send this jerk back to Washington for another two years?
Fortunately, we have a good alternative in Jill Morgenthaler. Watch her below in this clip from a CBS News story on Iraq Vets running for Congress (again, thanks to Progress Illinois). Then check out her website.
Roskam has been able to vastly overspend Morgenthaler thanks to the special interests who are paying for his vote (and yet he his begging constituents almost daily for more money via email). But still, a quick survey of yard signs between home and downtown Elmhurst on Saturday revealed a strength of support for Morgenthaler suprising in this Republican town. Good luck, Jill!
Peter Roskam, who is diametrically opposed to almost everything that Barack Obama stands for and is a member of the McCain leadership team, has been trying to peel off Obama voters. But, Obama supports Jill Morgenthaler for Congress in Illinois 6th District.
“While we’re pleased that Barack Obama continues to attract support from across party lines because of his long record of working with Republicans and independents to bring change, he believes Congressman Roskam would continue President Bush’s failed policies and is supporting Jill Morgenthaler for Congress.”
Justin DeJong, Illinois Director of Communications for Obama for America
It appears that Peter Roskam, a member of the McCain-Palin leadership team in Illinois has jumped shipped and that Roskam has hitched his campaign to that of Barack Obama. Roskam’s campaign committee has recently erected a web site entitled Obama Voters for Roskam, an apparent endorsement of Barack Obama’s radical socialist agenda for America.
This, of course, raises all kinds of new troubling questions about the ethically challenged Peter Roskam and his fitness for office:
Does Peter Roskam approve of Barack Obama’s plan to take your money and redistribute it to poor black people? Is Peter Roskam a Communist? Why does he hate America?
Does Peter Roskam know Bill Ayers and did Ayers help Roskam with his campaign? Does Peter Roskam pal around with terrorists? What is the nature of Roskam’s association with Jeremiah Wright?
Is Peter Roskam a member of ACORN? Is Roskam involved in voter fraud?
Is Peter Roskam an Arab terrorist too? What’s HIS middle name? Is he friendly with Osama Bin Laden?
How much do we really know about Peter Roskam?
Re-electing Roskam to Congress would be just too dangerous. That’s why I’m voting for Jill Morgenthaler.
