And the real winner is…Peggy the Moocher
My syndicated column today looks at how both parties in Washington have fueled our out-of-control bailout mania and entitlement culture. The ethos is embodied by Peggy the Moocher — the Obama supporter who is no doubt ecstactic today over the prospect of her gas and mortgage bills being covered. We are a Land of Peggy the Moochers now, in large part thanks to Republican capitulationists. That is the main point of the piece and I don’t want you to miss it. It’s not just about one Obama supporter. It’s about the endless parade of corporations and homeowners lining up for their handout and how the GOP failed fiscal conservatism. Failed the party base. And failed taxpayers. On a related note, the American Issues Project has just released a new survey of voters in battleground states. The bailout “played a big and punishing role for the GOP.” Learn from this, Washington.
Update 12:30pm Eastern. Right on cue, Nancy Pelosi has just issued a renewed call for the Democratic stimulus boondoggle (which is item one on my What Not To Do list): “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling again for a lameduck session of Congress to enact a stimulus program to shore up the sinking economy. Pelosi, a California Democrat, said Wednesday that no decisions have yet been made on such a post-election session. But she did say that talks are continuing with the White House on the terms of such a package, which would include additional assistance for people who are out of work.”
***
And the winner is…Peggy the Moocher
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2008
Sorry to break the bad news to Joe the Plumber. But the winner of Campaign 2008 is Peggy the Moocher. No matter who moves into the White House, Peggy’s got good reason to do a happy dance. The plain, ugly fact is that both major political parties are committed to spreading the wealth in one form or another. It’s all just a question of how much and how quickly, not whether.
Who is Peggy the Moocher? She’s Peggy Joseph, a voter in Sarasota, Florida who exulted earlier this week at a Barack Obama rally that this was “the most memorable time of my life.” Why? As she told a Florida reporter on a YouTube video now viewed by hundreds of thousands: “Because I never thought this day would ever happen. I won’t have to worry about putting gas in my car. I won’t have to worry about paying my mortgage. You know. If I help [Obama], he’s gonna help me.”
You can’t blame Peggy the Moocher for viewing Obama as the superior Santa Claus. With a relentless messianic campaign, a grievance-mongering wife touting him as the country’s soul fixer, and a national infomercial promising to take care of every need from night classes to medical bills to rent and fuel-efficient cars. Obama effectively channeled Oprah Winfrey’g Big Give.
“Everybody gets a car!” “Everybody gets a car!” And gas. And mortgage payment relief.
Bu the damning reality for fiscal conservatives is that John McCain’s plan for homeowners under water on their mortgages was even more generous than Obama’s. His $300 billion “rescue” involved directing the Treasury Secretary to “purchase mortgages directly from homeowners and mortgage servicers.” That was on top of the trillion-dollar-plus “bank” bailout supported by both presidential candidates, the White House, and the Democratic leadership; the $85 billion-plus to AIG; the $25 billion to automakers; the $200 billion in capital and credit lines to Fannie and Freddie; and who knows what else we’ll be redistributing to the indebted states of New York, California, Massachusetts, and all the other Peggy the Moochers large and small lining up for their piece of the bailout pie.
McCain assailed massive government spending —while promising to heap on more massive government spending to pursue home ownership and retention at all costs. It was the Republican, not the Democrat, who entrusted the Treasury Department to renegotiate individual home loans and become chief principal write-down agents for the nation. Both private and public entities are planning for a McCain-esque homeowner salvation plan for borrowers in the red. It’s a swell idea for everyone who bought overpriced homes with Adjustable Rate Mortgages. Those who rented or bought within their means or locked into fixed-rate loans that they can afford are out of luck, naturally. The only sane thing to do in response? Stop paying your mortgage and get in line.
“E Pluribus Unum” is no longer our national motto. These three words are: “Do For Me.” As in: What will the government do for me? On Election Day, the federal government quietly reported that it will borrow a record $550 billion in the current quarter to fund the bipartisan bailout. The Treasury Department reported that it plans to borrow more than a half-trillion dollars in the current October-December quarter and another $368 billion in the first three months of next year. Estimated total for the whole year: $1.4 trillion. Democrats plan to add another $500 billion in “stimulus”-palooza legislation. Credit card companies, utilities, insurance companies, and car loan and student loan debtors await their turn.
The bailout bonanza blurred the differences between the two major political parties, but the Peggy the Moocher video shows there are still basically two stark, contrasting views of government in this country among the rank-and-file electorate. Unlike Joe The Plumber, Peggy sees government as her salvation and the president as her subsidizer-in-chief. She voted with the expectation that the Spreader of Wealth will reward her with payback. Joe just wants Washington to leave him alone to fend for himself.
Personal responsibility? Hah. Washington can’t afford it.
***
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Well from her point of view, but only one of you gets screwed.
I can afford my mortgage and provide for my family on one income, so my wife can stay home. I am not out of luck. I am very very fortunate. And I mean FORTUNATE. A wrong decision along the way, a turn of chance, and things could have turned out a lot different. For most people, life is not a Horatio Alger story. They work hard and often have little to show for it. The idea that the well off are that way by anything other than good fortune is fantasy.
Yes we will.
If we don’t get new blood into the GOP, we’ll get fooled again.
If we continue to get candidates who need a teleprompter to speak to America, we’ll get fooled again.
If we continue to get candidates who want to reach across the aisle – while ignoring their constituency, we’ll get fooled again.
If we continue to get candidates who doen’t immediately fight back against left-wing tirades and insults, then we’ll get fooled again.
Any GOP candidate who fails to do any of these should be immediately dumped.
An empty suit beat a decorated war-hero.
An empty suit beat a man who’s served in govt for 30 years.
…because he promised cookies and ice cream for all.
We have to re-think not only our party, but our strategy.
And I have to agree with a previous poster reagrding religion/God in politics……it doesn’t belong there.
This goes beyond religion/God.
This is about our country.
Forget ‘O’s race……the results would’ve been the same if her were white.
He promised the moon and he won.
Will Obama pay my mortgage and buy me that sports car that I haven’t been able to afford yet? I want a new Dodge Challenger. Oops, it’s a gas guzzler….
And now he gets to deliver it. Should be interesting.
“If you want to dance you have to pay the fiddler.” His bill is coming.
I applaud MM and encourage her to keep up this fight. Our new fight does not necessarily have to be with the left, but must be with the GOP and I appreciate seeing MM continue to harp on this. She was a leader in recognizing that McCain was a farce and not a candidate for us.
McCain and the GOP lost this election due to a President out of control and a vacant right wing that smeared the principles of conservative by hiding behind a term while exercising none of the principles.
It is hard for the republicans to preach against socialism and describe what it means when the whole premise of the GOP has been the same as the left, just not as extreme. When you believe in out of control government spending, spreading of the wealth, government run education and a host of other issues, where does the GOP have the integrity to preach against it!
McCain could not even utter the word socialism. He was afraid of naming names and refused to target the party and reason behind our financial crisis.
Folks, the GOP lost this election.
Yeah, Cuz he was too busy playing tennis and building the Arthur Ash tennis memorial arena or whatever they call it. When he was mayor the squeegee men ruled the streets.
I know that most people are ignorant of history, economics and government and really had no idea what they were voting for.
Obama was the American Idol candidate, not the best singer but the best marketing package.
What Obama hasn’t told anyone is that Higher Energy $$$ equals higher prices for medicine, hamburgers, baby formula, bread, arugula, flu shots, winter coats, and school clothes.
Obama’s worshippers know nothing about economics, and probably less than nothing about the rest of the world. They probably imagine that there are unlimited goods which are produced, warehoused, and kept from them for no good reason. Obama will simply open the locks and free the goods and services. Poor fools. The cupboard will be empty pretty soon.
Wait until next years layoffs and offshoring start. Obama may get to double-digit unemployment before his first year ends!
I loved the old Soviets! One year they would make all left shoes, then randomly switch to all right shoes for a year or two….
Call me racist but I will feel much better if someone can name one black mayor or governor that wasn’t corrupt or completely inept. Exclude senators or congressmen.
Here’s what’s gonna happen. As soon as the economy bounces back, Obama and the Dem Congress will be giving all the illegals amnesty and shipping all the troops home from Iraq no matter the cost.
The economy will bounce back on the ‘free money’ people will be given in the next stimulus package, as well as the MEGA-bailout of basically every major industry in America, which is well underway.
Obama will serve a second term. The republicans still haven’t learned anything.
Obama will continue to give away the hard earned money and tax dollars to the poor and/or lazy. It will take more than 4 years for the bill to come due, until then we’ll float on stimulus packages and people will be ignorant and happy.
They’ll think everything is fixed, until the value of the dollar collapses, which will take more than 4 years, because of all the loans Obama will get for the country from his friends like Chavez, Achmadinajad, and Kim Jung Il, and China.
I see an 8 year term for Obama, with a massive landslide against the Democrats in 2016. That doesn’t mean the Republicans will win, with the failure of the party and this election, it’s clear they’ve lost their way and might never get back on the ‘RIGHT’ track.
Lt. Governor Michael Steele
It’s not the skin color – it’s the policies. Liberal policies.
Peggy won’t be the only Moocher. I went to have the oil changed in my truck today and was told that it would be a 1.5 hr wait because only 2 guys showed up for work today.
Why buy the cow when you get the milk for free?
PS didn’t get my oil changed
Pay close attention.
I am actually pretty ticked. I wrote to Senator Levin to tell him that my car needs a major repair, so I need my bailout now.
I told him he could save the auto industry by giving all of us new cars.
I can’t believe that he hasn’t bothered to reply. I’ll bet if I were a Wall Street banker he would be right on it.
The markets love Obama. Down 3.3%
Stand by to standby…
I guess we’ll get to find out about the birth certificate after all.
Michelle may I be so bold as to recommend “Parliament of Whores” By P. J. O’Rourke to assist your fans with further discussion insights.
Peggy must think that a $500 rebate check is worth more than it is.
I need to contact my cousins in England to find out what their tax % is. Then I’ll know what our % will be and I can start making reductions in my expenses. That way, I will be able to pay the tax bill that will go to Peggy. Then she won’t have to make any cuts in her expenses.
Who is John Galt?
Thanks 30, that answered my question.
Hey madchef:
I agree. You could have also pointed out that socialism embraces parasitism, and liberals will ultimately kill their host, i.e., America.
for those who promise the moon, drop our pants and give them the moon.
My part of the right wing wasn’t vacant. I was right there emailing my congresswoman and senators to vote down that silly shamnesty bill each and every time it came up. Remember the bill that wouldn’t die? And if I recall correctly, none of the candidates from the Republican Party fit the conservative bill except Mitt Romney, and everyone was afraid of his Mormonism and how it would hurt America. I don’t know about anyone else, but I consider radical Leftism a bigger threat to our country than Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
let’s all sing “Peggy the Moocher”, with Obama starring as Cab Calloway.
The Democrat Party is on the Highway to Hell. The high-speed commuter lane where full busses are speeding as fast as possible to oblivion.
The GOP is on the Frontage Road to Hell. Sure, it’s a bit slower paced, and you can occasionally stop and “smell the roses,” but make no mistake: the end result is the same.
No one is using the other side of the highway or the road. There are open lanes for us to use if we want, and they’re all leading in the opposite direction.
What the h*ll are we waiting for?
I need to add that my one Republican Senator and US Rep heap tons of glory upon themselves for reaching across the aisle. I try to remind them that they will pull back a stump when they reach across. Maybe reaching across the aisle was the thing to do in days of yore, but not with this crop of Democrats. I don’t understand a government that has contempt and disgust for its citizens or its corporations, and will ascribe the word “evil” in order to manipulate or control.
You’d better hope not. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go wash my mind’s eye. Ick!
ECS
To be fair to the NEA – that has been their goal since the ’60s.
Dear President Obama,
Now that you’ve gotten over — on everybody — you won’t have me to kick around anymore. I’m packing up my tools and *ahem* moving on.
I hope Mrs. O knows what a plunger is and how to use it (I know your dainty doily aaaass doesn’t). All I can say is you’ll be able to flush the toilets in Galt’s Gulch. I wish I could say the same for the White House.
Signed,
Joe the Plumber
P.S. see you in ten years…yeah, right.
* out *
I wants my reparations(even if can’t spell it)and don’t be giving me no 40 acres and mule,I wants my 40 acres and a Lexus.
Elm Creek, I checked your blog. You live right up highway 169 from me.
I WISH THIS WAS MY IDEA
Send your mortgage coupon and gas bills to the White House for delivery on inauguration day and request payment.
Each and every clown that supported the McCain candidacy needs to be purged from the party. McCain was doomed even before he received the nomination.
If the party is going to exist, and right now that is a big if, it needs to return to it’s conservative roots.
Personal and corporate responsibility
Protection of sovereignty
Strict adherence to the rule of law
A commitment to shrinking the role of government
These are among the must haves if the party is survive and rebuild.
For years now, conservatives have not had political party representation. If the GOP doesn’t come back to it’s roots, then it’s time to form a new conservative party. The time for this is now as the GOP is in a complete shambles.
Thank you RNC, thank you Bush, thank you Rove and thank you to all the RINO’s for destroying this once great conservative party. Now accept your responsibility for this destruction and be gone forever.
MOST of the media is now on a mission to REDUCE the expectations for the Obama presidency.
Obama supporters were duped.
Or just plain stupid.
Poor poor Peggy-the moocher. I doubt if you will ever get your bills paid if you wait around for the great one to pay them. He forgot about you around 7pm last night honey. As for me, I will go on paying my mortgage, my utility bills, credit cards etc. and every night I will wonder how people can live without any personal goals or self esteem. Life is more than a sellout and a handout.
The something for nothing, world owes me a living, I don’t have to lift a finger, moocher.
Is it wrong that when I heard the name “Peggy the Moocher”, I honestly thought people were talking about Peggy Noonan?
I mean up until just now…that’s who I thought people were referring to.
Any guess how long it will be before the left begin to experiance “buyers remorse”?
Peggy the moocher is going to have to stand in line. Obama owes alot of people a lot of favors. They come first Peggy…the line forms at the left.
Get….
a….
f*cking….
job!!!!!!!!!!
All I know is…
“Mo’ guvmint = Mo’ bettah. Hey, whey my weffare check be at???”
Next stop: National Bankruptcy Court.
Proof that we really need to institute some kind of intelligence test for voting privaleges. With ignorant people like this voting, no wonder we are heading toward 3rd world status. God help us.
you forgot the gogurt….