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As progressive blogger mooncat at Left in Alabama points out, freshman GOP Rep. Martha Roby was recently asking for a truce from the Obama administration and Democrats, pleading with them not to run any attack ads holding her to account for her vote in favor of Paul Ryan's budget and its accompanying plan to turn Medicare into a voucher system.

Amazingly, even after that, they decide to trot her out to give the Republican Weekly Address defending Ryan's budget. That said, worrying about blatant hypocrisy and whether anyone in the media might bother to point it out has never been one of the GOP's big concerns.

Here's more from Left in Alabama:

Will Roby again beg President Obama for mercy for her vote to "essentially end Medicare?"

She probably should, but the text of her pre-recorded message is already available and Roby confines herself to holding the debt limit hostage and a reiteration of the GOP platitude that "everything should be on the table -- everything, that is, except tax increases. We cannot tax the same people we expect to create jobs."

Seriously. That's a verbatim quote from Martha Roby.

Wake up and smell the coffee, folks. Tax cuts don't create jobs, they create deficits. If tax cuts were going to create jobs, the Bush tax cuts would have created jobs. Instead, as the Wall Street Journal remarked, George W. Bush had the worst record on job creation since they started keeping records!

She was also touting more "drill baby drill" energy policies, as though we've got enough oil available here in the United States to make any difference compared to what we consume, and that that oil doesn't end up being sold by a cartel where we've got no control over the price, and pretending the solution for our country is not figuring out how to get off of oil dependence all together. And of course, she said nothing about whether oil speculators are running those costs up as well.

She also pulled out the Republicans' favorite boogeyman -- tax hikes -- as being harmful to the economy when we all know full well that they don't care how badly taxes are raised on the poor and the middle class or small businesses as long as their wealthy campaign contributors don't see their taxes go up. If they actually cared about protecting small businesses and taxing those who are hoarding all of the wealth in the United States, the Republicans would have voted to let the Bush tax cuts expire for anyone making less than $250,000. Instead they decided to hold the unemployed hostage to get those tax cuts back for the upper earners.

And when any of our politicians in this country start talking about outsourcing and a race to the bottom on wages, I'll believe they're serious about whether our economy actually improves or not. Naturally any discussion on those topics rarely makes the national discourse by our corporate media.

Transcript via the LA Times below the fold:

Weekly remarks by Rep. Martha Roby, as provided by Republican Party leadership

Hello, I’m Representative Martha Roby. It is a great honor to speak to you today about the challenges our country faces.

I do so, not only as the representative of Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, but also as a mother concerned about the future for my kids, and yours. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve gone to the grocery store and found myself in a conversation about the price of gas, the cost of going to the doctor, or about how hard it is to get a business going and keep jobs in our area.

The sad conclusion of these conversations is that Washington is a part of the problem. It is failing to promote policies that will put our economy on a path to prosperity.

The price of gas is a good example, and a timely one too. Year after year, politicians in Washington talk about steps to ease the pain at the pump, but they never act. It hit home this spring when the president promoted Brazilian-made energy in Brazil while his administration keeps our resources here at home under lock and key.

I am pleased to report the House has passed several measures designed to expand domestic energy production to help address the soaring gas prices. This is also important because when we’re talking about energy, we’re talking about jobs. The cost of energy is directly related to the cost of hiring workers and running a business.

The cost of government is also hurting our economy. Washington’s failure to enact policies that promote long-term economic growth and balance the budget is creating uncertainty for employers and consumers alike.

For years now, Washington has kicked the can down the road without facing up to its spending addiction. Not anymore. The big spenders have been put on notice and are on retreat.

The American people reject the idea of giving Washington a blank check to increase the debt limit. The House is listening. Republicans have made clear that there will be no increase in the national debt limit, unless it is accompanied by significant spending reforms that truly change the culture of spending in Washington.

To get there, everything should be on the table –- everything, that is, except tax increases. We cannot tax the same people we expect to create jobs. That is a recipe for keeping people out of work. The threat of tax hikes -- along with the torrent of rules and regulations coming out of Washington - has employers sitting on their hands at the worst possible time.

The Republican budget put forward by Chairman Paul Ryan ends the threat of job-crushing tax hikes. It also preserves critical programs like Medicare. Because, again, the greatest threat is doing nothing. If we do nothing, Medicare will simply run out of money. Without action, seniors’ benefits will be cut. Under Chairman Ryan’s plan, seniors 55 and older would not be affected in any way. That is an important point. For those of us under 55, we must take steps to ensure Medicare will still be around when we retire.

It is time for Washington to get serious about the challenges that face our country. This includes putting our fiscal house in order and addressing the soaring gas prices. The greatest threat to our economy, job creation, and the future of our children is to do nothing. We have to act. It is what we were sent to Washington to do.

Finally, I would like to take a moment to thank all Americans for the overwhelming support and especially the prayers you have sent to the people of Alabama in the wake of last month’s devastating tornadoes. We have needed them. As have the people of Tennessee and all those along the Mississippi dealing with terrible flooding.

It is heartbreaking to see our friends and neighbors go through tough times. But, as always, the people of our state are coming together to lend a helping hand to do what needs to be done.

I am proud to represent people who care so deeply about their communities. Their perseverance and strength only motivates me more as their representative in Congress. I owe it to them not to let this critical moment pass without acting to ensure the American Dream is alive and well for our children and grandchildren. If everyone in Washington felt the same way, we could accomplish a great deal more. Thank you for listening.

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33 Comments
debaser71's picture

republicanism ... what a fucking joke

Stupid Git's picture

A (mock) message from our President: "This is a critical time in our nation and we must avoid partisan bickering and work toward an agreeable compromise on these important issues with our Republican friends."

(I wondering if after the right gave GWB credit for the OBL killing maybe Obama will learn they are not his friends and he will never win their love or even respect. Though, if he hadn't already...)

surfjac's picture

...


Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"

pissed off patricia's picture

Well, according to Boehner yesterday, the only people raising hell at the recent town hall meetings were people sent there by MoveOn and other left wing groups. So why is she whining?


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

berniem's picture

Is there anyone in this nation who still posseses a functioning brain that cannot admit to the fact that all things intellectually bizarre, illogical, psychotic, pathological, inhumane, childish, boorish, and inane, to name but a few abnormal states, emmanate from below the Mason-Dixon Line and/or identify themselves as some form of conservative?

THIS HAS GOT TO BE FIRST - and the GOP is of no help!!!!
At this time, we the working middle class have got to pressure our administration to LOWER GAS PRICES!!
At this time, we the middle class people have to to pressure our administration to OPEN UP THE JOB MARKET
and put our people back to work!!!!!!

Cut out the FOREIGN AID! Cut out the FREE TRADE! TAX THE RICH! TAX ENTICE U.S. COMPANIES TO
BE MANUFACTURING RIGHT HERE.

THE ABOVE ACTION WILL TACKLE AND ELIMINATE TRILLIONS OF THE DEFICIT

Peter G's picture

of the things you are demanding require contradictory policies? Don't you?


Hasa Diga Eebowai

Dabb's picture

This administration didn't raise gas prices. This administration didn't close the job market. This administration wants people to work so that the econony will be healthy. Republicans don't want these things because lower gas prices, more jobs, and a healthy economy would make this administration look good. And the Republicans' only goal is to make this administration look bad.

Cat Atomic's picture

Except anything a reasonable opposition might suggest. EVERYTHING we want must be on the table, but NOTHING you want.

stewartm0205's picture

creates jobs. The rich don't create jobs they kill jobs. It is not the rich that create new businesses. New businesses are created by people who want to get rich. The rich kill jobs because they take money out of the productive economy where people work for a living and put it in the speculative economy were people scam for a living.

padiae's picture

This is very true. And this message needs to get out there!!

Liberal AND Proud's picture

I am so glad things worked out the way they did in the last election.

It's going better than I'd ever dreamed.

The only way it could be more perfect is if the GOP had won the Senate too. The American people are getting the bitch slapping they deserve for spending the last 30 years being ignorant mofos.


Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.

Kreskin's picture

The problem is that the rest of us are suffering the consequences of the fools in this country , suffering right along along with the ones who asked for it .


"The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all."

Winski's picture

I REALLY need some help.. The more I think about this the angrier I get, but some facts will help quell that feeling...

Riddle me this... HOW and WHY are there any republican women - AT ALL? I give women a LOT of credit for the endless reams of nonsensical crap that comes at them every day from men about every conceivable subject and triviality, and also from some women, but here's the part I DO NOT understand.

EVERY WOMAN that claims to be a republican ALSO admits, by definition, that they have ceded complete control of their reproductive tract, to men. Those men write insane legislation that creates every conceivable limit on how a woman can decide what happens to their body. I just don't get it!!?? How does that happen? Do women in the republican party or that 'conservative' mind set just have no respect for themselves going in? Do they want to be dominated and ordered around like a piece of meat? Do they like being slaves to their male, legislation/rule making masters? Do they just not care? Or, do they truly consider themselves second-class citizens?

Is there an answer?? If so, PLEASE tell me what it is??

...their fathers did", maybe there are women that don't see themselves as victims of the right wing mysog, misogny...er, women-hating policies. What a shame!


Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"

Cthulhu's picture
.

Daddy Issues.


"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -- Robert E. Howard

the official transcript started with "once upon a time, in a land far away..."

and, not sue if y'all have seen this classic iNewt moment (as it relates to the ryan idiocy), if not, enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuo3dBP431k&fe...

classicrockdon's picture

Remember how the administration deliberately kept protesters away from GWB's motorcade routes? They cannot even read a placard that disagrees with their point of view. How can they possibly be expected to argue their point? It has no basis in fact - let Fox news do their lying for them, right?


It is not enough merely to possess virtue, as if it were art. It should be practiced. (Cicero)

Liberal AND Proud's picture

WATB


Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.

miss_kitty's picture

--Rep. Martha Roby

fhinton's picture

Personally, I've never believed anything a Republican has ever told me. I live in the district directly above Roby's and the Congressman here is the worst kind of liar.

Samson-'s picture

"I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve gone to the grocery store and found myself in a conversation about the price of gas, the cost of going to the doctor, or about how hard it is to get a business going and keep jobs in our area."

she needs to add, as a disclaimer to this made-up grocery store story, that she, as a republican, supports policies that fight to use taxpayers money to subsidize oil companies, the disease-profit healthcare system, corporatism that snuffs out small businesses, and out-sourcing of work to anywhere but america...

today's republican party: we will tell you anything, anything

They are all running scared. I wish that was the case anyway. But I can at least accept that they are too coward and embarrassed to face the press themselves, so they shove a little nobody out in the spot light with their lies and BS. "Hell, with that cute little smile....who couldn't just swallow that shit?"

There is no depth to which this repukkke party will not stoop.

Kreskin's picture

Unless the Democratic party is a complete sham they should have no mercy what so ever and attack these clowns relentlessly on Ryan's plan and their votes .


"The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all."

Paul1968's picture

If we are in as much financial trouble as Rep. Martha Roby claims, maybe we could not afford to help out with the flooding in Alabama. I did not hear Martha say that money should not have been spent.

Maybe Martha should be for sending some of the federal dollars spent in Alabama back to DC. In 2005 Alabama received $1.66 from the Federal Government for every $1.00 paid by Alabama in federal taxes. It would seem Alabama is the problem not the solution.

ikalbertus's picture

If the shoe was on the other foot, I'm sure that Republicans would give Democrats the same consideration. Good sportsmanship and all that.

thewaronreason's picture

to not be held responsible for what she does after she runs for an office that pretty much makes her THE person who should be held responsible from her constituents? are we reinventing representative government, where the ones representing don't have to be responsible for what they represent? my brain hurts.

ghostrider's picture

As you repugs showed your Democratic opponents last time. None.

Crustyolcarpenter's picture

In Front Of Me, Than A Frontal Lobotomy.........Judging from her hair line, and her "line" I think she's had the latter.


The first casualty of republicanism is the truth.
Party politics are not only undemocratic, they are antidemocratic.

verylargehat's picture

WHAT is the PROBLEM with these freaks?

Zafod's picture

In the paragraph "If they actually cared about protecting small businesses and taxing those who are hoarding all of the wealth in the United States, the Republicans would have voted to let the Bush tax cuts expire for anyone making less than $250,000. Instead they decided to hold the unemployed hostage to get those tax cuts back for the upper earners."

Shouldn't "less than $250,000" be "more than $250,000"?

The original sounds more like their actual objective.


“When fascism comes to America, it will come covered in teabags, riding on a Rascal and waving a cross”

corevj34's picture
[Comment Deleted By Administration For Violation Of Terms Of Service]

Stupid wingers don't know what they are up against. Barack tried to warn McCain.And NO, it is not cronyism.

Mujin

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