Ray Lahood stupid comment of the day.

and from credit writedowns...

http://www.creditwritedowns.com/2009/08/perpetuating-excess-consumption.html

Are you kidding me? If there is pent-up demand for autos why do we need a rebate? If there are 20% more vehicles than there are licensed drivers, why the need to perpetuate this cycle of overspending? Why is it a politician’s job to create incentives to spend? Shouldn’t they be focusing their attention on health, education, defense, infrastructure, public safety, job skills and productivity growth (and perhaps the youth unemployment rate of around 20%)? We’re not exactly espousing an Ayn Rand libertarian view but at a time when the deficit is running at 13% of GDP, at what point is enough? These rebates are not manna from heaven – it’s a future tax liability to hasten a decision that the auto buyer would have made in any event.

So who is Ray Lahood?
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/ray_lahood/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=ray%20lahood&st=cse

His transportation resume is indeed quite limited. He exudes little excitement for anything except for high-speed rail. So why exactly did President Obama pick this former seven-term Republican congressman from Illinois to oversee everything that moves? "They picked me because of the bipartisan thing," Mr. LaHood explained, "and the Congressional thing, and the friendship thing."

One White House insider described the former congressman as "a master of odd jobs," whose knowledge of Washington allows him to take on assignments as varied as lobbying lawmakers on the budget and helping political novices in the cabinet navigate Beltway social rituals.

Besides his enthusiasm for high-speed rail, he has been a cheerleader for the administration's "green" transportation initiatives, like bicycle paths and streetcars. But vehicles are only a small part of his portfolio. "Yes, he's secretary of transportation, but he's kind of our ambassador at large," Mr. Emanuel said in an interview.

Does Ray Lahood understand stuffing the channels?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_stuffing

Channel stuffing is the business practice where a company, or a sales force within a company, inflates its sales figures by forcing more products through a distribution channel than the channel is capable of selling to the world at large. Also known as "trade loading", this can be the result of a company attempting to inflate its sales figures. Alternatively, it can be a consequence of a poorly managed sales force attempting to meet short term objectives and quotas in a way that is detrimental to the company in the long term.

perhaps Bernie Madoff should not have been jailed but instead got a job in washington instead.

...Lets prop up what is unsustainable! Yeah!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_and_circuses

Panem et Circenses

"Bread and circuses" (or Bread and games) (from Latin: panem et circenses) is a metaphor for handouts and petty amusements that politicians use to gain popular support, instead of gaining it through sound policy. The phrase is invoked not only to criticize politicians, but also to criticize their supporters for giving up their civic duty.

your tax dollars further at work...

http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2009/07/la-city-council-considers-30-million-loan-for-cirque-du-soleil.html

The Los Angeles City Council plans to vote Tuesday on a proposal that would bring a new Cirque du Soleil show to the Kodak Theater for a 10-year run, provided that the city agrees to provide a $30-million federal loan from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Riversider any more daily stupid comments from Ray, or did they cease 3 years ago?