February 14, 2008

NO WONDER HE STAYS AWAY FROM SPECIFICS

Clinton and McCain jab at Obama, who offers details of his jobs program (Michael Cooper, February 14, 2008, NY Times)

Obama seemed to allude to the criticism of his rivals who suggest that he excels at rhetoric, but falls short on details, by saying at the outset of his remarks that he was going to "take it down a notch" by giving a speech that he said would be "a little more detailed, a little longer, with not as many applause lines."

He went on to call for a decade-long investment in a $150 billion plan to create five million so-called "green-collar" jobs to develop energy sources that are friendly to the environment. He also called for a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank, a $60 billion program, which he said would create two million jobs for rebuilding highways, bridges and airports.


What's green about projects to increase travel by car and plane, other than the money he'll spend on the boondoggles? You could at least take the environmental shtick a little bit seriously if he were proposing to pay for the stuff with gas taxes.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 14, 2008 12:30 PM
Comments

His followers engage in extatic chants ("Yes we can"), he has someone with the name of Will.I.Am (Triumph des Willens, anyone ?) making Riefenstahl movies for him and now he promises full employment through government projects, more particularly highways.

I'm at a loss to figure out whom he reminds me of...

Posted by: Peter at February 14, 2008 3:53 PM

Conservatives sat out election 2006 to protest Republican earmarks, and Bush's big spending and expansion of entitlement. They would reflect back those days under Bush were the golden days of responsible govt.

Posted by: ic at February 14, 2008 3:57 PM

So this new Works Progress Administration is going to spend $150 billion over ten years to create 5 million jobs... that will apparently pay $3,000 a year?

Posted by: Timothy at February 14, 2008 4:20 PM

Timothy:

Details! It's the expressed emotion that counts.

Posted by: Luciferous at February 15, 2008 12:39 PM
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