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| My most recent blind date |
The losers are Congress ("about as popular as poison ivy"); Gang of Six ("never able to deliver"); Commissions ("a lot of bad commission history"); and liberals ("not much for the ideological left to celebrate").
I'd argue that everyone is a loser. McConnell is perhaps the most partisan member of Congress, having told the National Journal that "the single most important thing" is insuring that Obama is a one-termer. Tea party purists have managed to alienate themselves from the center. Obama is guilty of both dithering and then alienating the very people he needed.
Worst of all, we're the real losers here. Moody's is convinced that the nation's AAA rating is in peril. If it costs the government more money to borrow, then all of our expenses will skyrocket, too.
That's what partisans on both sides seem to forget. We're all Americans, left or right. Most of us are people of good will. The basic difference between left and right is that the left thinks government is the answer while the right thinks government is the problem. Both sides are right and wrong. We need to listen to each other more, and this latest squabble is a sign that centrists like Charlie Dent are in short supply in Washington.
45 comments:
The teabaggers may have won a Republican battle but they have proved they are not capable of governing. Independents are done with them.
That poor woman must have been desperate!
Okay let me get this straight. Republicans develop 3 plans , all of which are never even discussed by the Democrats, Who have not passed a budget in 2 years nor done any deficit plan at all. when forced Harry Reid comes up with a Senate plan that even he voted against. The Democrat President's budget did not get one vote, and on the debt limit he had a hissy fit and ran away, He sat in the WH and shot down everything that was brought before him and used his re election as the gold sandard for every portion of every plan.
And it is the Republicans and Tea Party who cannot govern?
How much Kool Aid do you drink everyday?
Bernie -
Lost in all this is the reason we're going to get downgraded. It's not because we took too long to pass a debt limit increase (so we could spend more).
It's because we still haven't gotten our spending under control.
There is no way a nation can borrow 40 cents of each dollar it spends and expect to be looked upon as financially responsible.
As a democrat, I can view our current economic climate and realize that this is not the time to enact any new social programs that require our government to shell out sums of money with no clearly defined return on investment. Regardless of how noble the cause is. Why is it that Republicans can't view the current economic situation and understand that this is not the time to arbitrarily cut government spending programs. Government spending represents a large % of our nations economy and if you just want to cut it out, you better have a plan to replace it.
Good article Bernie..I despise most of what the Tea party is about , but there's no denying they won this battle..They won mainly because they are insane and saw no problem imploding the economy..You are absolutely correct about McConnell..He probably will be seen as winning because despite grumbling about the Teanuts, his friends with corporate jets and his oil company buddies will continue to get their government handouts..Also defense was barely cut, so while the middle class and poor are trying to heat their houses without federal aid this year the bid fat defense contractors will be sitting pretty.
Of course, most of their campaign bucks will find their way into the coffers of McConnell and friends. And sadly enough, that's how he wins..Also, somewhere out there, Osama Bin Laden is smiling..Because , thanks to the tea party, the continuation of our economic downturn continues. That was his goal and thanks to their destructive tactics we are well on the way to becoming an irrelevent third world nation..
The current bullshit plan only cuts the rate of the budget's growth. This year's budget is higher than last year and next year's will be higher than this year. This growth continues at around 8% per year as far as the eye can see. Taxing the 5% richest at 100% pays for about 5.5 hours of federal spending. Unless there are real cuts - not cuts in the rate of growth - in Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and Defense, our bond rating will be lowered because we have not actually addressed our structural entitlement problem. The tea party came close to having a serious debate. But with 60 members, they only represent one sixth of one third of the process.
The Charlie Dents of Congress prevailed as they have for generations. It's why we continue to pile debt after this same old, same old deal. He's the problem and has been for years. And he has his dummies thinking he forged a solution. Only nothing was solved.
As a result of the cuts in federal spending “Unemployment will be higher than it would have been otherwise. Growth will be lower than it would be otherwise. And inequality will be worse than it would be otherwise,” Mohamed El-Erian, chief executive of the bond investment firm Pimco, said Sunday on ABC. “We have a very weak economy, so withdrawing more spending at this stage will make it even weaker.”
I guess you can have your tea bag and eat it too.
Advance to stage 2. Attack Obama for the state of the economy.
No one has seen the drastic effect. Shore up your funds and look for a safehouse, because when 2013 hits, we are in for a worse disaster than we had in 2008.
Inflation through the roof
A collapse of stock market
higher unemployment
plummeting home values
The USA printed too much money since 2008, and we will see those effects coming soon, when its is actually released into mainstreet. Its hidden in the federal reserve now. Sell your homes and rent if you can
Trish
Those in Congress who support a balanced budget amendment (supported by 75% of the American people) put forth a plan where the budget is balanced over a period of 7 to 8 years. That is hardly extremist.
The rate of GROWTH of government spending would have been cut to achieve a balanced budget. Rational people know that government spending needs to be cut, and cutting the rate of GROWTH of government spending is certainly not extremist.
Yet the Democrats and big-government Republicans want to continue government spending at record levels and continue to borrow to pay for that spending. That is extremist, and the American people are smart enough to realize it.
Trish -
You forgot the multitude of tax hikes hidden in the ObamaCare bill that will become effective in 2013 (conveniently after the election).
It is nice to see that more of us are doing our homework. Anonymous 9:22AM is talking about the baseline where we automatically add a percentage, say 7%, onto the budget of each department every year. You might recall that Reagan spoke of zero based budgeting but it never got through. There are no real cuts because in the end the new budget will be in excess of the last budget even after the "cuts" have been made. The tea party has not won because there are no cuts and despite the call for committees, I will venture that no more cuts will occur. Meanwhile one of the most important observations made here is that of Trish and the issue of inflation that according to Obama is not happening and others say is as high as 9%. When government puts more money out there they are weakening an aready worthless fiat dollar. On top of that prices will go up as will the taxes you pay on that item. Buy an item and pay $.50 today and next week with more money and run away price hikes, you pay a $1.00 on the same item. It was a Keynesian favorite. Thanks for pointing it out to all. Patrick Henry thank you for all your statements. Tom you need to get away from the liberals and do some research.
Trish is right
in 2013 all of the inflationary regulations and hidden taxes take effect and we will be in a world of hurt.
Here's what I don't understand. If the country is out of money, why don't we go to the folks we gave the bailout to and ask for some back. Goldman Sachs seems to be doing okay. Better than the average social security recipient, in any case.
Seriously, are the senior citizens and head start kids really supposed to pay for the bank bailout?
Presidents have little if anything to do with the state of the economy. If the economy happens to good they are given credit where little credit is due. The opposite applies as well.
Imagine Mitch McConnell's wet dream comes true and a republican becomes president in 2013, what overnight miracle will that poor sucker unveil to save the enconomy?
Eliminate corporate taxation all together? Tax any income earned over $500,000.00 at the new job producing marginal 5% tax rate?
I thought the Republicans were going to solve the unemployment crisis once elected. Look at their campaign literature. Job 1 is jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs. I guess the fine print said in china, india and madagascar.
Anon 12:36
I thought Obama said two or three years ago was going to be "focused like a laser beam" on the economy?
Where were all the Shovel Ready Jobs?
Keep drinking the Kool Aid ...
... and re-elect Obama in 2012!
Anon 12:36,
What happened to the supposed "Recovery Summer" of last year?
Do you really believe the stupidity you spout or are you an operative that is paid rather well to ignore reality?
Anon 12:36,
Always remember ... you have to pass anything in order to find out what's in it.
Just ask Nancy Pelosi!
Now, please pass the Kool Aid.
Others are thirsty!
anon 12:45, the 'hovel ready' jobs were in the stimulus. The Republicans made sure they were taken out.
Dispassionate research is a good thing. Fox news/Ann Coulter"Demonic??" information is hardly dispassionate nor accurate. Once again the teabaggers are living in 1801 and not the 21st century. Boy! bring me my tea on the veranda please. Don't worry about teabags Colonel Mustard and I have our own.
Patrick,
What are you smoking..The American people were polled on these issues..It wasn't even close! They wanted a balance approach. They backed Obama's approach, which you of course say didnt exist, overwhelmingly..The teanuts aren't even backing the latest proposal that gives them almost everything they wanted..They started this crisis in the first place because they are just freaking insane..We shouldn't even had a crisis..It was self induced...The American Public like the idea of a balanced budget because they have no clue what that would mean..Let them know what would have to be cut (especially without revenue hikes) and watch how that support goes down the drain..
Chris Miller,
I believe you and the teanuts need to do the research..Anyone that begins an argument that supposes that we can balance this budget with cuts alone are so freaking ignorant they don't even belong in the discussion...I assume that includes you..
Tom
You really need to get back on your medication. When you do please tell all of us the role Obama played in this other then that of the pompous ass. Obama did get what he wanted and that was an extension of the debt limit beyond the 2012 election. And let me tell you why. he is going to find inflation and send checks to the seniors he ignored these past two year. He wants them on board and the zombies from both parties will follow. Just tell me this Tom, why do you believe that the government can take better care of us then we can ourselves. I believe I asked you that in another post and to date you have not responded. Lost your tecticular fortitude, Tom?
Patrick,
Yes I realize there are tax hikes in the Obamacare plan. It is very close to being repealed. Anything can happen, but one thing for sure is dramatic inflation coming soon in 2013.
There were 3 economists who predicted the exact meltown of 2008, but were ridiculed and ignored. They wrote a book at that time , and another that is out now, called Aftershock . Very interesting, but very grim. I would almost suggest not reading it if you have problems with anxiety. It paints a very bad picture for the American economy, as the result of the prop-up plan that prevented a complete collapse in 2008-2009.
In one part, it says gas will be $28.00 per gallon. If people take it seriously, we will have an even bigger problem. Once people stop spending, we are done.
Trish
Trish
I think the CPI shows that shopping is already in deep trouble and our service econmmy, we service we do not build anything, is on a downhill slide. Check the local and county government. Look at the school districts. There is no money for them and I will venture that the unions both public and private will see dark days come 2012. The man in the White House is a one term president.
Chris,
I agree. The unions are going to get a wake-up call in 2012 and beyond. And we all will. The TARP was necessary and helped the crumbling economy skip an all out avalanche.
But the avalanche is on its way. The $14.3 trillion debt just went up to 16.4 and awaits passage. If very dramatic tax cuts with tax hikes are placed in order immediately, we have a chance.
But I think the magnitude of the debt is so large, that the impending crisis is inevitable. The aftershock book recommends investing in gold, because the dollar is soon to be worthless.
I would probably have chalked this book up to an extremist using fear tactics, but its author wrote the 2006 book which predicted the meltdown with astonishing and exact accuracy.
The book is like a horror flick!
Trish
Mitch McConnell wants Obama gone and he said so. That honesty makes him a bad guy in Bernie's eyes. Honest John Edwards and Chameleon Arlen Specter are more Bernie's flavor. Charlie Dent also wants the Obama nightmare to end. He doesn't say so in mixed company and he's Bernie's hero. Obama wants both of them gone and is slamming them everyday. Good for him. The last time I checked, we had disagreements, debates and elections. Politics is tough. Wear a cup and stop with the bullshit indignation. In the interim, each side caved to the middle and we continue mounting debt with no end in sight. Charlie Dent has been there for most of it.
Tom F said,"The American Public like the idea of a balanced budget because they have no clue what that would mean..Let them know what would have to be cut (especially without revenue hikes) and watch how that support goes down the drain.."
Regardless of the competing philosophical opinions on whether there "ought" to be a balanced budget amendment, I think your point is very true. You see it all the time in private and public life....ideas sound great in the abstract, but once people feel any sacrifice, support erodes. "Mandates" are kind of funny that way.
And, since others referenced "Obamacare", by coincidence earlier today I skimmed through 1989 and 1992 Heritage Foundation policy papers, and it is interesting how many of their ideas were incorporated into "RomneyCare", which then were incorporated into "ObamaCare". The conservative think tank proposed personal mandates, taxing benefit plans, and ensuring health for those who could not afford it otherwise. I just found it interesting, how when it was a Republican think tank, and Governor, it was OK, but when it was a Democratic Pres/Congressional Dems, it was bad ... kind of like debt ceilings debates ... what's good for me, is not good for you.
A little surprised to read from a Tea Party member (or fellow traveler) that "TARP was necessary and helped the crumbling economy skip an all out avalanche". Besides (again) that it was from a Republican admin, rather than a Dem admin, it basically was the latest in a long history of the government taking the "moral hazard" out of how financial institutions operate. Yet, I frequently read comments on LVR that for individuals there should be a "to hell with them, they should face the moral hazard of their choices" approach. Again, interesting how when it is a Republican idea to provide a safety net for Republican financial interests, it is good. But when a Democrat wants to help with a safety net to prevent an "avalanche" for the rest of the economy, it is bad.
It has been an interesting week to see the two parties kind of boiled down to their core economic values.
Dear C,
Unlike yourself I work for a living and could care about your posts..The morons in the teabag party like yourself almost did the unthinkable ( and still might) and decided not to pay the county's debt..Now it seems just about every economist on the planet and even McConnell and Boehner realize this is nuts but you and others who post here defend it..I suppose global warming is a hoax too? I bet you all think Elvis lives..You and the rest of the trailer trash racists are just plain nuts..No reason to respond to insanity..
Dear C,
The Government hasn't had to take care of me..But yes, C, the government was formed to watch out for those who would be preyed upon without government intervention..You've heard of police forces, right? Where would peoople be without Social Security and medicare? Your idea is what? Screw them? They should take care of themselves? What about the guy who loses his job and can't feed the family? Tell him , forget it? No unemployment compensation here?
Go get three jobs and put your two year old to work? You teanutjobs are pathetic.
is that woman the new hr director in bethlum?
trish/brenda, after the disgraceful show of childish arrogance and immaturity, the teabaggers will not have the clout they thought they had. The American people have had a chance to see teabaggers in action and they found them repugnant.
2012 will be a mature voter year despite all your right wing extremist hocus pocus cries and screams.
The people are not afraid of the future only the baggers.
How did our esteemed congressman vote on this bill? baggers everywhere want to know?
He supported the bill. I'll have more about that later.
This crisis, was created by Congress for their own political agendas. Boehner wanted to embarass the President before the upcoming election, but it backfired on him when he couldn't get people to vote for his own agenda. Disgraceful. Did it really need to go down to the wire, in order to compromise. We're still debating, whether this package is right or wrong. It never will be 100% correct, that's why it's called a compromise. All of the tea party, right wing extremists offered nothing but complaints and whining. Dent jumped, when Boehner said get in line.
Its a very complicated discussion. When all politicians of all parties realize that there are more takers on the system than those paying in, and that the entitlements must be dealt with, taxes must be dealt with, and spending must be dealt with, this country may have a shot at survival.
Take a look at this scenario:
People turning 65 are signing up for SS and medicare, but are continuing to work part-time to supplement their SS income. But their gross wages are not subject to SS or medicare taxes. SO, they are expanding the problem, because they are taking from the system. They are taking SS and medicare from the system, and depriving part-time employment from a younger wage earner who would be paying SS and medicare taxes on their income.
Now the younger people wind up on medicaid.
They are lighting the candle at both ends. Let the screamers begin.
Trish
Retired ASD teacher here.
Look, this deal has MINIMAL impact on lowering our nation's debt. The baseline budget is going to be increased about 7% per year and, did we really need a 10 year time frame?
That said, it's a START toward fiscal responsibility, and the Tea Party DID focus attention on that critical concern. That's a good thing for conservatives, of which I am one.
Simply put, the Dems, more than ever, are seen as "credit carders" at taxpayer expense. An increasing number of taxpayers who suspect this practice will continue.
Alas, fewer and fewer Americans actually pay federal taxes, but those who do will still be heard throughout the next election cycle. This agreement guarantees that.
ANon 7:49
You love to say "trish "Brenda"..fascinating
If you would have signed your name, I would have kept that comment and shown it to you in 3 years, when the worst world depression takes place.
The government has never paid back its debt to foreign countries, and never will. They just keep adding to it. Its impossible to pay it back. The foreign countries will stop purchasing US treasury bonds, and when they do, we have a failed US treasury auction. The 5 trillion in new printed money will become worthless as the dollar will be worth nothing. Explosion time.
Trish
Dude -
Teabagger this, wet dream that. You delete Charlie Dent is a walking labia.
I'm done here.
I'll alert the press.
Hey retired ASD teacher. You collect a publicly funded teachers pension like Chris. You guys are amazing. You want your tea and still keep your teabags.
Hey Anonymous 12:52AM
What are you going to do when all your public union friends are out of work and the private unions will be right behind them? What will you do when the prevailing wage disappears. What is clealy obvious is that you will end up sitting on the sideline waiting for the dole that will never come. You and your brothers have been responsible for the major tax that afflicts all of us and that is inflation. Wake up and worry about the real problems faced by those who worked a full day's schedule while you work on the Bethlehem Steel six hour work day with an hour to get ready for work and an hour to clean up at the end of the day. All the time bleeding your fellow citizens with contracts that cause prices to go through the war. You guys are not innocent. Your found in evey major industry across this nation. Your represent a small portion of the union work force. One day you will see it all collapse around you.
Hey Chris, corporate America crushed the unions thirty years ago. They are only a shell today. The age of Reagan was the death knell to the working man. So whats the beef? You won the war. The American middle class will be fondly remembered years from now, much like Camelot. Feudal America here we come.
Are you still blaming unions the way you guys still blame Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton?
Watch an old Robin Hood movie. The damn serfs are always the problem. The Lords only want the best for all of us.
What the Hell are you so mad about. That is what will kill the Tea party in the eyes of Independent voters. Your agenda is not as focused as people thought. What is small government? You folks are just angry anarchists. People can sense the desire for the bunker with the freeze dried food and ammunition a plenty.
Frankly, the war is over and the overlords won. They are telling you, you won. You remind me of all the guerrillas fighting for Castro in the Cuban Revolution against Batista. Batista was a bastard to be sure. The people said no more and Castro agreed. He agreed to lead the fight to end the evil and corrupt government. Ask the peasants how that went. Well at least they got health care, we won't even get that by the time you are done.
You folks paint President Obama as the villain.
Truth be told the worst President for the average middle calls was Ronald Regan. His "revolution" started the death march of the American middle class.
When they are done destroying social security, medicare and the ability to afford private land, what will your children tell their children. Old grand-pappy helped them for your sake, now eat your roots?
I agree with those that said they are glad you didn't teach their kids.
You are a product of the new wave of 'ala cart' news. You listen to the "news" that most suits your preconceived and paranoid sense of what is happening. More Fox news please!
Justin R.
Justin,
I think Chris means that the prevailing wages and union labor costs have driven all our jobs out of this country.
If that wasnt what he meant, I'm wrong. I dont think Chris is angry. I think he gets it.
Trish
Gets what? a cold.
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