Crooks And Liars About Sums It Up

The Joe The Plumber Victory Tour continued today on Capitol Hill, where he did a "live hearing" on failed Internet channel Pajamas TV and said this:

The money that they’re talking about spending is just absolutely incredible. You can’t get your mind around it. We used to think a million dollars was just the most incredible thing. Then it went to billions and now we’re talking trillions. And trillions is such a large number we just can’t wrap our mind around it, at least I can’t.

I know, inflation blows my mind too. Let me try and help out. US GDP every year is $13 trillion dollars. This is a two-year bill for $789 billion. So it's less than 1/26th of total GDP. See, Mr. the Plumber, one dude in ACORN doesn't get the whole "trillion," it's spread out over 300 million people, which I know is just the most incredible thing.

When they're not zonked out about all the crazy, crazy numbers, they're straight-up lying:

Is there really $30 million in the new stimulus package devoted to saving the salt marsh mouse in Nancy Pelosi’s district?

That’s what some conservatives are now charging, and the claim seems to be gaining some traction with elected GOP officials and conservative media outlets, who are using it to argue that the bill is stuffed with Dem pork.

But there isn’t any such money in the bill. And Pelosi’s office is saying that the claim is a “total fabrication.”

Not that you needed to hear this, but there is no salt marsh mouse in San Francisco.

Meanwhile the Repbulicans' big idea is to get Politico to write a story about "attack ads" when they're spending $35,000 on spots in 29 districts. Not exactly saturation coverage. Speaking of fiscal responsibility and sticking to conviction:

BLITZER: Doesn’t South Carolina need some help?

GRAHAM: Yes. But there’s only one taxpayer. This is not money we found under a tree in Washington. The money we’re sending back to the states came out of the same wallet that the money going to the states came from. So, yes, South Carolina needs help. I’m all for infrastructure spending. But it’s got to be shovel ready. […]

I’m not for $75 billion slush fund for states that can be spent on anything they want to spend it on including budget problems because we’ve got our own budget problems and you’re rewarding states who have done very little to trim up their own budget.

However, when Blitzer asked him whether South Carolina should “take the money, Graham replied: “I think that, yes, from my point of view, I — you don’t want to be crazy here. I mean, if there’s going to be money on the table that will help my state, but I’ve got a job to do up here, and that is to try to help people and not damn the next generation.”

If Democrats were vindictive, the formula would be pretty simple: if you don't vote for the recovery, your district doesn't get any of it. Some Republicans get this, and I'm sure if the Democrats played hardball a lot more would, too.

U.S. Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, R-New Orleans, said Wednesday he is likely to vote for the economic stimulus bill when it comes to a vote, probably today or Friday, even if he is the only Republican member of the House to do so.

"I'm voting along what my conscience dictates and the needs of the 2nd Congressional District dictate, even if I were to be the only member of the GOP to vote for the stimulus package," he said.

"Even though it is going to be a humongous bill, even though we will be in debt for years, I believe that more likely than not, I will vote for it because the 2nd Congressional District needs a stimulus package."

A liberal is a conservative who has angry constituents.