http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2013/01/03/sen-jeremy-hutchinsons-slap-on-the-wrist Comments On: Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson's slap on the wrist UPDATE by Max Brantley en-us Copyright 2013 Arkansas Times. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Arkansas Times readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Arkansas Times. robert@arktimes.com (Arkansas Times Webmaster) Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:01 -0500 Mon, 20 May 2013 23:30:00 -0500 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Posted by Big Truth]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:10:16 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by ProCarry]]> Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:24:34 -0600 Arkansas Times
Where in the hell is Bill Vickery when you need him the most?
Posted by RYD]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 20:35:30 -0600 Arkansas Times
"FullThrottle," as a matter of fact and contrary to what you state, my husband and I were not separated at the time those checks were forged, and I certainly had no knowledge of them or anything else, yet you made a statement as if it were fact. We obviously do not know each other because those who know me know that this is false.

"ProCarry," if you knew me you would know that, no, I do not "hate" the father of my children. As a matter of fact, if you knew me, you would know that I do not "hate" anyone. As a believer in Christ, I believe in forgiveness, mercy, and grace. As a single mother now raising 3 children on my own, I work hard to set an example for my children as to how I want them to treat others. Children emulate their parents. And now my 13 year old is able to read a completely untrue, derogatory, and hurtful statement about his parents because you go on here and make claims as if you know what you're talking about. And yet you don't. Please remember and be conscious of the fact that going through something like this publicly is hard enough for the loved ones affected by the truth without having to then be affected by unfounded, mean-spirited lies - all in the name of politics.
Posted by Stephanie Hutchinson]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:24:52 -0600 Arkansas Times
It's the *spending*, stupid! I've said many times, let's agree to reset to Clinton spending levels and raise taxes to match. We would see $2 of spending cuts for every dollar in tax increase.

This is where Rebublicans are very much to blame. Prior to the Great Communicator spending had never exceeded 21% of GDP except for WWII. Republicans started the addiction to deficits, but Obama has perfected it.
Posted by Theodosius]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:48:52 -0600 Arkansas Times Are you claiming Obama unreformed what Clinton had reformed?

I don't think Saline has a clue about federal budgets. He's parroting what he hears on Fox and from his rwing newsletters.

Cheney slashed federal revenues over a trillion dollars while starting trillion-dollar wars.
Then Bush added TWO UNFUNDED HUGE additions to Medicare, very expensive. They had to fire a Sec of Treasury, Paul O'Neill, who knew it wouldn't work all along and finally said so. But, you won't see Saline reading the Secretary's book.

So, when a de-regulation housing bubble explodes and financial markets contract with lower federal tax rates and even more federal loopholes revenues plummet super fast.

Had Cheney forgone the tax slashing there would be no huge federal deficit at this time.

But Saline, bless his little, little brain, swallows and camel while gagging on a knat:

"Bank Of America Dumps $75 Trillion In Derivatives On U.S. Taxpayers With Federal Approval

http://seekingalpha.com/article/301260-ban…
Posted by eLwood]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:07:30 -0600 Arkansas Times
First, "No" - GDP is up 12% from Obama's first year in office (Great Recession my rear) and up 9% from Bush's last year in office. GDP only fell one year (2009) and by 2010 is was already back even with (a smidge above) 2008. My point in using multiple numbers is simply to show that defense spending has virtually nothing to do with us looking like Greece. We spend less of our GDP on defense than we did for most of the last sixty-five years. Put another way, our car payments really haven't gone up compared to our income, but we eat out a lot more and have a much bigger house payment. You can assert, as some have, that we spend too much on our car. But you cannot credibly assert that the car payment has caused our credit-card debt. Or for more context, we could spend that 2.5% world average of GDP on defense *and we would still be running a Trillion Dollar Deficit*. And Saline, I'm all for eliminating DoE. It is still less than $100B. So you still have to cut $900B-$1.2T elsewhere to get to even.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BUDGET-2013-T…
Posted by Theodosius]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:57:09 -0600 Arkansas Times
If Clinton fixed (reformed) welfare then who unfixed it? Was it George W?

Are you claiming Obama unreformed what Clinton had reformed?

See how Fox News talking points evaporate into just so much steam if you actually listen to what they tout?
Posted by Citizen1]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:49:25 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Sound Policy]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:02:27 -0600 Arkansas Times
The problem with Saline/Ev is he doesn't want to admit the economy under Bill Clinton was booming while the economy Obama inherited from his ReTHUGlicon destroyers was falling faster than Saline/Ev's double-chin. That makes all the difference what spending and income levels will be compared to historical averages.
Posted by Sound Policy]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:01:38 -0600 Arkansas Times According to the White House Office of Management and Budget, President Obama’s two-term average spending level is projected at 23.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

In comparison, President Clinton’s historical spending average was 19.9 percent of GDP. While revenues are set to return to historical average levels of over 18.1 percent as the economy slowly recovers, spending under current policy is projected to remain well above the historical average of 20.2 percent.

_________
The problem with Obama is that he doesn't want to reform the Welfare program like Clinton did or make some hard choices that would be good for the country but may make some liberals mad. LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION: DID YOU FAVOR THE WELFARE REFORM THAT CLINTON DID?
http://thedailyhatch.org/2012/12/17/clinto…
Posted by SalineRepublican]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:25:53 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Retired]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:36:58 -0600 Arkansas Times
This is all you need to know.
Posted by I_AM_THE_NRA]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:43:40 -0600 Arkansas Times
Go back and line by line, eliminating interest as a "non-Derfense" item and set it out alone. Now you can compare-department by department against the prior times. But to sneak SS, Medicare, and interest into the nobn- Defense line when they were never your money to spend is lying to the American people.

Then let's see what the want to cut and see who's pig squeling. Every line item has champions, and not always "liberals" and if you want to start, let's go for some one time money to go directly to the national debt-sell TVA to a for-profit corporation. All new oil/gas leases get 5-year expiratrion dates (drill or we will auction again and you don't get ant money back) and the proceeds go directly to the national debt.
Posted by couldn't be better]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:40:27 -0600 Arkansas Times
I meant to preface my first comment that I agree with Saline.

Weird. I said that out loud as I typed it and it tasted funny. I physically shivered. Are we sure no one has hijacked Saline's account?
Posted by imjustsaying]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:39:48 -0600 Arkansas Times _________
You make some great points but I must point out waste wherever it is. Did you know that if we eliminated the Dept of Eduction that no one would miss it? I think we have to cut everywhere we can.
Posted by SalineRepublican]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:34:55 -0600 Arkansas Times
If we're going to do that, then let's compare our percent of military spending as a percent of GDP to other countries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count…

Couldn't we get to a level like China or Russia?

I think we spend too much. I see Obama signed a $633 Billion "Defense" bill today.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/o…
Posted by imjustsaying]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:27:32 -0600 Arkansas Times
Is the 20% you cite the effect of a shrunken GDP with increased spending to avert a collapse?

I generally make more money each week than I spend but with the blizzard and tree falling on my house, last week I spent more on a tree service than I made last week. Way more! And I spent more on tree service last week than I have in total lawn care and maintenance for a couple years.

Also I have spent more in hotel rooms for the last week than my monthly mortgage payment.

If I cherry pick the numbers and timing just right I can "proove" anything I wish.

You are sure mixing andcomparing a lot of different rates.
% of GPD
% of federal budget
% of nondefense spending

That is what we do in marketing to misrepresent a cost or benefit when the truth hurts our cause.
Posted by Citizen1]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:52:55 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Theodosius]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:09:03 -0600 Arkansas Times
BUT.

I am forced to play the game with the "rules" in effect at the time. If Dustin McDaniel can sell out (legally) and then ram through TIF scams that enrich his backers, then if the only way to keep the sellout self-enriching scum from being governor is to let him collapse due to his poor morals, then I am forced to use those tools.

The same with Hutchison. I can't sit back and allow hard working citizens to be taken advantage of and not take advantage of some crap the holierthanthou gets caught up in.

I wish politics was all played above board and in the sunshine but as the old country saying goes, wish in one hand and then crap in the other and see which fills up first.

When the holierthanthou group starts twisting the facts and playing the constituents then you use the army you have to fight them, not the army you wish you had!
Posted by Citizen1]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:08:18 -0600 Arkansas Times
Even if she forged the checks and stole the money, why was his campaign accounting that bad? No wonder he assumes there's fraud and waste in government. And if someone stole $2,700 from me and slandered me all over the state, I think I'd prosecute on the theft to show everyone who the crook was, unless maybe I was afraid they'd find out who the real crook was...
Posted by Theodosius]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:55:11 -0600 Arkansas Times
For what it's worth, so is Hutchinson.
Posted by ProCarry]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:34:34 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by the outlier]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:32:35 -0600 Arkansas Times
I practice what I preach, and I'm as upset as anyone about Hutchinson's actions... but the rumor mill has been vicious on this, and not one of the more serious allegations has been proven.

Hutchinson got some strange from a bar skank because he's an idiot. She forged campaign checks, likely to pay for an unhealthy habit of some sort. That story is big enough without refusing to report that someone who has every reason to destroy Hutchinson said he clearly wasn't complicit with the theft of campaign funds.
Posted by ProCarry]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:28:23 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by the outlier]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:21:30 -0600 Arkansas Times