A lot of posturing, little action on deficit challenge
In his State of the Union speech tonight, President Obama is expected to announce an executive order creating a bipartisan commission to recommend solutions to the deficit. As part of that speech, he will probably point out in that in a vote yesterday, the Senate killed a proposal to create such a commission through congressional action.
The vote on that measure was 53-46, which in most sane systems would be a passing vote. Under the Senate’s 60-vote supermajority rule, it was seven votes short. Only 16 of those 53 positive votes came from Republicans, even though the bill was a bipartisan effort cosponsored by Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. (Both of Georgia’s senators were among those 16 Republican supporters.)
What’s interesting, though, is that six Republicans who a month ago were listed as cosponsors of the bill turned around and voted against it when the time came. A seventh GOP senator, Lisa Murkowski, was also listed as a cosponsor but missed the vote.as Politico reports. (I haven’t been able to determine the names of those six.)
Had those seven Republicans stuck with the bill, it would have had the required 60 votes to pass. President Obama was already on record as supporting it, which combined with the Senate vote might have given it enough momentum to pass the House as well. When the commission issued its recommendations by the end of the year, Congress would have been forced to vote up or down on a deficit-cutting program that both cut spending and raised taxes, which is the only means possible to address that problem.
And that’s exactly why the Republicans backed out. Their bluff got called, and they folded and walked away.
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196 comments Add your comment
NJ
January 27th, 2010
3:15 pm
And of course it depends on what the government is spending on. Economists have researched until they are blue in the face and have determined that 10 billion dollars spent on defense creates 40,000 less jobs than 10 billion spent by government in the commercial sector.
here are a number of studies showing that high levels of military spending are associated with low rates of economic growth. British economist Ron Smith, after analyzing data for the United States and other advanced capitalist countries, concluded that there is a direct effect whereby countries that maintain large military establishments also have low rates of investment. This is because military spending can push civilian investment aside. Military industry firms outbid civilian companies for engineers, skilled workers, key materials, and even loans. Military firms use these resources less efficiently than would civilian ones because they are less concerned about controlling their costs. They know the Pentagon will foot the bill.
The larger the portion of government spending in the defense arena, the more negative the effect on the economy. Every day there are people simply sitting around drawing salaries, making nothing until an order comes in from the DoD.
TnGelding
January 27th, 2010
3:15 pm
Jenifer
January 27th, 2010
3:12 pm
Thanks. Like it or not, government spending is a big part of our economy.
Jimmy Carter
January 27th, 2010
3:17 pm
TnGelding
January 27th, 2010
3:13 pm
“We can’t afford to prop up other economies at the expense of our own.”
Agreed. And we can’t always be expected to take care of the poor in other countries at the expense of our own.
TnGelding
January 27th, 2010
3:18 pm
jconservative
January 27th, 2010
3:02 pm
But what happens if you reduce spending and increase revenues? Consider the possibilities.
Jenifer
January 27th, 2010
3:18 pm
“Jenifer
January 27th, 2010
3:12 pm
Thanks. Like it or not, government spending is a big part of our economy.”
?
getalife
January 27th, 2010
3:19 pm
The state of the corporate union is strong.
El Jefe
January 27th, 2010
3:19 pm
Micky,
Gov’t builds highways – no, never – they let contracts to build highways – at greatly inflated costs – if the private sector built a road without government influence, it would be under budget and on time – no overruns.
Government spending impacts private sector jobs – as we have seen today – big deficit – big unemployment.
Outhouse GoKart
January 27th, 2010
3:19 pm
What with Steve Jobs? Appears to have one foot in the grave…Cancer?
TnGelding
January 27th, 2010
3:20 pm
Jimmy Carter
January 27th, 2010
3:17 pm
Agreed. What’s it going to take for Congress and the WH to understand we’re broke?
Outhouse GoKart
January 27th, 2010
3:23 pm
Govt loves to inflate the cost of road construction in order to obtain public outcry. The solution is of course high speed rail, light rail, buses and all the other dumbshyt!
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
3:24 pm
“A Public Policy Polling nationwide survey of 1,151 registered voters Jan. 18-19 found that 49 percent of Americans trusted Fox News, 10 percentage points more than any other network.”
50% of the population can’t smell that their pee smells like asparagus after eating it.
TnGelding
January 27th, 2010
3:26 pm
El Jefe
January 27th, 2010
3:19 pm
I’ve worked in all sectors. It depends on who the workers are, not where they are working. There are good and bad in all. The military is the most efficient because they put the most time into evaluation and training. And you’re held accountable. If you don’t produce, you don’t get promoted and eventually are discharged.
MAC
January 27th, 2010
3:26 pm
Mick, The Godfather rules.
Only sissies, a/k/a movie critics, would vote for Citizen Kane.
retiredds
January 27th, 2010
3:26 pm
here is my solution to the deficit and tax problem. do away with all deductions (oops sorry homeowners, business owners, farmers, etc. etc. anyone who gets a deduction from his or her taxes). the IRS sends you a card in the mail each year: you made x your tax is y. i.e. if you made 100,000 and the tax rate is 15%, you owe 15,000. The budget of the US would be a rolling 5-year budget. Expenditures by Constitutional amendment could not exceed the average of the last five years, and/or MUST be balanced. Won’t happen so don’t worry as there are too many Americans who benefit from deductions of all sorts (including me).
Mick
January 27th, 2010
3:27 pm
About entitlements – no cuts only improvements. I’m in my low 50’s and have been working since my first paper route at 10. I’ve prepared for retirement but I still wouldn’t mind having medicare and social security at 60, full benefits. I’ve served in the military and never collected welfare but would have if I needed to. What’s so bad about taking care of our own people? Some freak out and call it socialism, whats the big fuss? You can still get richer than ever if you can build that better mouse trap.
Jenifer
January 27th, 2010
3:27 pm
Lobbyists For Foreign Corporations Begin Fight To Ensure Foreign Money Can Influence American Elections
Ironic that the wingnuts think we have a U.S. president from Kenya, NOW.
HA! Now they REALLY CAN be afraid of being dictated to by a foreigner.
I’m still waiting on the tea partiers to get up in arms about this.
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/01/27/foreign-lobbying-elections/
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
3:28 pm
Boschie!! ”Howya doing??
I was wondering the other day if you had finished your tree house in the living room? I knew you had to do something with that nubby knot of nature that fell on your house. Aren’t you a bit of an arteest & archeetec??
MAC
January 27th, 2010
3:29 pm
Only 1,089 days until Obama is out of office.
stands for decibels
January 27th, 2010
3:29 pm
What with Steve Jobs?
Huh? He looks ok to me. Might have the munchies, is all.
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
3:29 pm
“50% of the population can’t smell that their pee smells like asparagus after eating it.”
After eating asparagus that is, not their pee.
getalife
January 27th, 2010
3:30 pm
Obama will ask the corrupt pols to “curb” foreign donations. Weak.
Who got the AIG bailouts:
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/5272/000095012309004681/y75292aexv10w1.htm
Outhouse GoKart
January 27th, 2010
3:30 pm
Johnny Weir…Ice skater extraordinaire and avant-garde fashion bug!
Mick
January 27th, 2010
3:30 pm
**Gov’t builds highways – no, never – they let contracts to build highways – at greatly inflated costs**
My friend take a trip to key west and go over the seven mile bridge built on time and UNDER budget. Sure there is waste, haliburton anyone?
NJ
January 27th, 2010
3:32 pm
Simply put, no recession or depression has been ended by cutting government spending. The Great Depression was ended by a HUGE amount of government spending that took almost fifty years to pay off. The recession of the early 1980’s was done on purpose, to lower inflation caused by the Vietnam War, and two OPEC oil embargoes one in 1973, the largest and the second in 1979. The Fed tightened up the money supply causing a huge amount of unemployment, and when inflation went down enough, the Fed loosened the money supply and employment started going up again, but remained at an average of 7.5 percent throughout the 1980’s. Another recession bookended the 1980’s and started in the 1990’s. Clinton ended it, Not by cutting government spending but by raising the top marginal tax rate from 28 percent to 39.5 percent. It was a REAGAN appointee, Charles Bowsher, an extremely conservative head of the GAO who recommended an increase in government spending on domestic programs, a reduction of Defense spending and an INCREASE in the top marginal tax rate to end the recession of the 1990’s. Bush 41 refused to listen to his advice. Clinton did. Which was why Bush lost in 1992 and Clinton was able to reduce the deficit to the lowest since WWII, less than a quarter of a trillion dollars.
If Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 were simply able to do what all past presidents had done and add NOTHING to the national debt, there would be no national debt and no annual budgetary deficits. The budget would be balanced and the debt gone.
Again Republicans pick and choose from an a comprehensivce
Outhouse GoKart
January 27th, 2010
3:35 pm
stands for decibels
January 27th, 2010
3:29 pm
LOL…he and The Waz…
Jimmy Carter
January 27th, 2010
3:35 pm
TnGelding
January 27th, 2010
3:20 pm
I really like the article in the link I’ve provided. I would truly say it is bipartisan. Let me know what you think.
http://gulfshoreslife.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/545-people-by-charlie-reese/
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
3:35 pm
Dear Jenifer,
We realilze that you took over Mz Godzie’s old job of stuffing us with DNC highlights every few minutes. She gave it up (the pay wasn’t good) and it got tiresome.
That’s the word, Jenifer TIRESOME! Go have a cup of tea. Relax. Refrain. The strain is beginning to show.. It is all for your own good (and ours).
Disgusted
January 27th, 2010
3:36 pm
What with Steve Jobs?
The Wall Street Journal reported last year that Jobs underwent a liver transplant. I don’t imagine that any of us would look terribly healthy if we had such a procedure.
Number1ninja
January 27th, 2010
3:38 pm
Conservatives’ main objection to Keynsian economics is that it crowds out private investment, but that’s putting the cart before the horse in a recession. Recession is occuring because the private parties took their money and went home, so there’s not going to be crowding out.
And when they tell you the stimulus was a failure, they’re shooting themselves in the foot because the majority of the money has not been spent. But the REPUBLICAN DEMANDED TAX CUTS certainly crashed and burned, if their own words are to be believed.
@@
January 27th, 2010
3:42 pm
Another slight-of-hand game by the devious dems. Getting Republicans to agree to a tax increase is tantamount to saying they support this administrations excessive spending.
I don’t blame the Republicans for walking away.
Let the dems pull their paultry 3% from the pot and wave it over their heads hoping for a big hand from the voters.
The American people can spot a rigged game when they see one. Not all of us are as stoopid as Rahm’s f—-ing (liberal) retards. His words!
El Jefe
January 27th, 2010
3:44 pm
NJ,
Experts agree, the build up to WWII ended the great depression. They also report that the FDR programs extended the duration of the great depression.
http://www.museum.siu.edu/museum_classroom_grant/Museum_Explorers/school_pages/bourbonnais/page6.htm
The suffering American economy was given a boost when the fighting countries needed supplies and looked to America to make them. After Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941, America entered the war. The U.S. enlisted more than 10 million men and women into the military. Since so many were fighting in the war, it was left for those left at home to work in the factories to make supplies for the war effort.
The desperate need for soldiers, pilots, and workers to make ammunition, weaponry, and air/sea craft all contributed to the end of the Great Depression. The economy of America skyrocketed and was on the road to restoration.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_did_World_War_2_help_end_the_Great_Depression
Stop reading the progressive talking points and try to learn something about this country.
Jenifer
January 27th, 2010
3:44 pm
King And Bachmann Hatch Plan To ‘Foment Revolution’ With Declaration Of Health Care Independence.’
What is it with these jerks and only embracing “revolution” when it’s politically suitable?
One must wonder whether they are just using rhetoric like “founding fathers” “constitution” and “declaration of independence” to stir up hatred and foment insurrection among the masses for personal/political gain…or if they actually believe the unhinged bullsh*t psychobabble they engage in?
Either way, these people belong in counseling. Not Congress.
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/01/27/bachmann-king-plot/
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
3:45 pm
jewcowboy,
As you like to say, please give us the facts that prove that statement.
So I would like to see your facts on your post as to how many can smell you-know-what after eating you-knopw-what. You have presented vegatarian politics at it’s smelliest! Now that’s foul!!!
Dave R.
January 27th, 2010
3:47 pm
Uh, Jenifer?
You DO know that Think Progress is a liberally-slanted website, don’t you?
TaxPayer
January 27th, 2010
3:48 pm
Jenifer,
I can tell that you are doing a great job here. Keep up the good work.
Sam
January 27th, 2010
3:49 pm
i’d be curious to hear the explanation of the 6 co-sponsors who voted against their own bill…
Dave R.
January 27th, 2010
3:50 pm
“or if they actually believe the unhinged bullsh*t psychobabble”
I didn’t know that Bachmann and King read your posts on this blog, Jenifer . . .
stands for decibels
January 27th, 2010
3:50 pm
El Jefe @ 3.44, this the best you can do?
from his cited source’s homepage:
This site was created by the combined history/language arts classes of eighth grade teachers Mrs. Tricia Rezba and Mrs. Helen Warke from Bourbonnais Upper Grade Center.
whoa–there’s some serious cred!
Number1ninja
January 27th, 2010
3:51 pm
“The desperate need for soldiers, pilots, and workers to make ammunition, weaponry, and air/sea craft all contributed to the end of the Great Depression. The economy of America skyrocketed and was on the road to restoration.”
And who payed for all that?
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
3:53 pm
Loooo…Jenifer,
“Either way, these people belong in counseling…”
Yes, indeed, Jenifer. When is your first therapy session?
“
El Jefe
January 27th, 2010
3:54 pm
Micky,
The old bridge or the new one?
The older bridge, originally known as the Knights Key-Pigeon Key-Moser Channel-Pacet Channel Bridge, was constructed from 1909-1912 under the direction of Henry Flagler as part of the Florida East Coast Railway’s Key West Extension, also known as the Overseas Railroad.
Private enterprise – If profitable, the private sector will reign supreme.
Yes, it was rebuilt after the ‘35 hurricane by the Feds. Damaged again in the 1960’s and rebuilt in the ’70’s and ’80’s by the Feds
Pogo
January 27th, 2010
3:55 pm
On the other side of the coin Jay, we have seen a lot of posturing from the Democrats and a lot of bad results for this nations deficit as a result of them. I wonder sometimes if it is not to our advantage when our “leaders” do nothing.
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
3:55 pm
Dusty,
“As you like to say, please give us the facts that prove that statement.”
Surely:
Mitchell & Waring – Odorous
urine following asparagus ingestion in man.
International Congress of Pharmacology – 1987
RH White – Occurence of S-methyl thioesters
in urines of humans after they have eaten asparagus.
Science – 1975
El Jefe
January 27th, 2010
3:57 pm
Number1ninja,
The US Government has only two projects that actually worked,
The race for the moon and the build up for WWII. – both highly successful.
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
3:58 pm
Dusty,
“Asparagus “…transforms my chamber-pot into a flask of perfume.” ~ Marcel Proust (1871-1922)
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
3:59 pm
Attaboy, TaxPayer,
“Jenifer, I can tell you are doing a great job here.”
Are you trading your white flag for pompoms, Tax?
Pogo
January 27th, 2010
4:00 pm
It’s all about the sulfur, jewcowboy, as so much is.
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:00 pm
“The US Government has only two projects that actually worked”
Yeah…that whole internet thing…total crap.
Sam
January 27th, 2010
4:03 pm
how about the parks, highways, bridges, military, etc….
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
4:03 pm
jewcowboy, & Proust,
Go flush it and forget it. Keep the air freshner handy, ’specially with “pot”.
Number1ninja
January 27th, 2010
4:04 pm
Holy hyperole Batman!
NJ
January 27th, 2010
4:04 pm
You are forgetting another. The interstate highway system caused explosive economic growth. This was in fact the single factor which caused the huge growth of American business after WWII. Populations were basically confined to urban areas or isolated in rural areas. Where the people moved along the highway networks, business followed. Truman’s idea as a Senator in 1944 after he got a peek at Europe.
With regard to health reform, a poll taken of those in Massachusetts with regard to health reform:
“The poll results were that even Scott Brown voters wanted Democrats to be bolder, and they want health care reform that includes a public option. By a margin of 3-2, former Obama voters who voted for Brown said the Senate health care bill “doesn’t go far enough.”
TaxPayer
January 27th, 2010
4:04 pm
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
3:59 pm
Attaboy, TaxPayer,
“Jenifer, I can tell you are doing a great job here.”
Are you trading your white flag for pompoms, Tax?
You’re just too easy. By the way, Bush is an idiot. Jr. and Sr. in case you were concerned which one.
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:06 pm
Dusty,
“Go flush it and forget it. Keep the air freshner handy, ’specially with “pot”.”
My cup runneth over. ~ Psalms 23:5
Linda
January 27th, 2010
4:07 pm
We don’t need a bipartisan commission to recommend solutions to the deficit. Try finally listening to the American people who have been trying to express their wishes for months and months with tea parties, town hall meetings, polls & the elections in VA, NJ & Mass.
* Stop spending money we don’t have for junk we don’t need.
* Stop raising taxes. Extend the tax cuts.
* Stop trying to convince us how great socialized health care will be & how you can insure millions more people without increasing the deficit, with the same number of physicians & without rationing.
* Stop trying to convince us that we are causing the globe to warm & you can control it with a few more trillions of dollars.
* Stop taking incentives away from private businesses. Give them confidence & help them determine what an additional employee will cost them in 2010 & 2011. Tell them their expenses will not increase as a result of health care tax hikes, cap & trade energy tax hikes, any other tax hikes, card check, bank tax fees, etc. Repeal the minimum wage hike until unemployment decreases. Understand that all of the unemployed don’t want government jobs, green jobs, union jobs or bridge & road jobs. We want to continue to have real private sector permanent jobs created by successful, dependable, employers who achieved the American Dream through hard work & capitalism & who will help us achieve ours.
* Stop trying to grow the federal government. Cut it in half!
Paul
January 27th, 2010
4:07 pm
I see RW-(the original) offered, in response to Jay’s lamenting ‘if only 6 more Republicans had joined in’ that “22 Democrats voted no and it’s the Republicans fault the bill didn’t pass. Got it.” Then AmVet followed with “A bipartisan commission to recommend solutions to the deficit? What next, a commission of hardened criminals to recommend solutions to high prison rates?“
From a political standpoint, I can understand Republicans backing out. As the LA Times noted, “The Senate on Tuesday rejected a proposal to establish a potentially powerful commission to reduce the federal budget deficit, despite President Obama’s endorsement and swelling voter anger about government spending and debt.” Who’s the Party that controls the Executive and Legislative? Democrats. Who’s the anger primarily focused against? The party in power. Who won’t follow the lead of the President who’s of their party? Congressional Democrats. Do Republicans want to act as a shield for Democrats? Not hardly.
Regarding AmVet’s comment: yeah, the people who got us there are out to fix it? Yeah, right. Pitiful leadership by Democrats – they own the Legislative process, yet they need the President to appoint a commission? If this was still the Bush presidency you’d hear howls of protest about the usurper trying to take over power from Congress.
And for the record – hasn’t anyone explored just why it is so many Democrats rejected the President’s plea? Because the Party of Entitlements doesn’t want to be forced into going on record for any modifications to Social Security and Medicare.
Personally, I don’t see why it’s a problem. They’re already on record as voting for cutting hundreds of millions from Medicare.
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:10 pm
“Stop trying to grow the federal government. Cut it in half”
Which half? I vote to cut Social Security, Corporate Welfare and Crown Victoria’s for Federal marshals…but I think they really should add more to the shoe horn budget for TSA.
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
4:12 pm
Dear jewcowboy,
You need a new pharmacist. The only sniffing around pharmacists do now is “Where’d you get this prescription, huhhhh?”
Your facts are unfounded. my friend. But…may I suggest you skip asparagus on the menu?
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:12 pm
“Understand that all of the unemployed don’t want government jobs, green jobs, union jobs or bridge & road jobs.”
YEA! Sweat shop jobs for $.25 an hour for all… Who hooo!
Pogo
January 27th, 2010
4:14 pm
Ever noticed that the really rabid progressives here inevitably become more and more vindictive and unhinged as they see their political world falling apart around them (as has happened in the last few days)? What I find most puzzling is why the liberals can’t understand that the American people, for the most part, do not share in their Socialist/Collective dreamworld. I guess they haven’t grasped the fact that most of us out here have to work to pay for their liberal magical mystery tours (such as Obama, Pelosi and Reid have been on) and that all of us can’t sit on a blog all day in some meaningless idealogical quest to convince the rest of us that we should embrace their progressive utopian dreams. The disconnect is unbelievable.
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:15 pm
Dusty Dusty Dusty,
“Your facts are unfounded. my friend.”
I provided you with 2 sources for my facts. More sources than most on here. From scientific journals. Do you have evidence to disprove Mitchell, Waring and White?
Or are you just feeling a little pissed?
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
4:18 pm
Dear jewcowboy,
“My cup runneth over….Psalm 23.5″
Use the camode……your Plumber
MAC
January 27th, 2010
4:19 pm
Even though I consider myself a fiscal conservative, I would have supported a stimulus to improve specific targeted long-term infrastructure. Unfortunately, though it was sold through the media as primarily for “shovel-ready projects”, less than 10% of the $700+ billion Obama stimulus has been spent on infrastrucure, the rest on soft one-time programs and political pork, so why would I support this ruse again?
All you spend it on infrastructure people need to look at the results not the rhetoric. There’s no commitment by our President to take control, direct Congress and tell the voters IN ADVANCE what specific projects are proposed and to eliminate all the amendments and earmarks for other B.S. spending through veto power and a bully pulpit. Until he does that, his speeches are nothing but hollow words.
Paul
January 27th, 2010
4:20 pm
Any bets on if we hear this at least once tonight?
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/PhotoPopup.aspx?id=519241
Disgusted
January 27th, 2010
4:20 pm
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:00 pm
“The US Government has only two projects that actually worked”
Yeah…that whole internet thing…total crap.
And the first large-scale computer–ENIAC or something like that. What a ripoff! Some guys are funded to build something to target artillery shells, and what do we get? Something that keeps people wasting their time on blogs all day. Who needs government boondoggles like that?
TaxPayer
January 27th, 2010
4:22 pm
Or are you just feeling a little pissed?
Well played, jewcowboy. Bravo.
AmVet
January 27th, 2010
4:22 pm
And the portfolio-obsessed fools never learned…
For the love of money
People will lie, rob, they will cheat
For the love of money
People don’t care who they hurt or beat
For the love of money
A woman will sell her precious body
For a small piece of paper it carries a lot of weight
Oh, that mean, mean, mean, mean, mean green
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCkLEo-DT1Q
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:23 pm
Dusty,
“Use the camode……your Plumber”
Ahhh…so that is what that’s for…thanks!
Curious Observer
January 27th, 2010
4:24 pm
Even though I consider myself a fiscal conservative, I would have supported a stimulus to improve specific targeted long-term infrastructure.
Yea, I’m sick of states like Georgia and South Carolina using stimulus money to avoid a tax increase. So take the stimulus money away, raise taxes, and let these Jeebus people pay for the stuff they want out of their own pockets.
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:24 pm
Disgusted,
“Who needs government boondoggles like that?”
Certainly not El Jefe.
TaxPayer
January 27th, 2010
4:24 pm
Transparency. That’s the ticket. Just start up some talks and take a roll call – D or R. No Rs participating in government! What a non-shocker. Perhaps they simply Object to doing their job, earning their keep. Then again, they do know how to just say no.
Paul
January 27th, 2010
4:28 pm
AmVet
From Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:
“This planet has – or rather had – a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much all of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movement of small green pieces of paper, which was odd because on the whole it wasn’t the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.”
And in their unhappiness in moving about little pieces of paper they destroy lives, cause untold misery, all the while saying “but it was all legal” as they give their political contributions to make sure it stays that way.
Just how much campaign reform legislation (let alone walls between donors and legislators) has the Democratic Congress proposed?
danjonglee
January 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
Bu$$ fault…….
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
Paul,
“From Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:”
That is, perhaps, my favortie book of all time.
TaxPayer
January 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
Can anyone imagine Georgia trying to survive without Fed stimulus money. What, with its 10.3 percent unemployment and one of the nation’s highest foreclosure rates and the most failed banks and what was that you say, Republican majority throughout it all. Wow! That has to be a real letdown for all those out there that thought the Republicans knew what they were doing. Well, they did know what they were doing. It’s just the folks that voted for them that didn’t know. They kept all sorts of things from the voters like Richardson’s shenanigans, amongst others, even though they knew all about it. Fambly values. There’s your ticket.
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
4:32 pm
Dear jewcowboy,
In the furor of facts & fancy, I have CHECKED with my formidable PHARMACIST. Soooo…
Mitchell, Waring & White were dismissed from the Auspicious Annals of Pharmacology long ago.
They were caught sniffing… gummy bears! Disgraced, I tell you. Disgraced. Fooey on your facts!!
Crenshaw8
January 27th, 2010
4:33 pm
*let these Jeebus people pay for the stuff they want out of their own pockets.*
Curious, can we exclude your upkeep?
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:33 pm
TaxPayer,
“That has to be a real letdown for all those out there that thought the Republicans knew what they were doing.”
Well, the gays still can’t get married right? Then all is right with the world.
Paul
January 27th, 2010
4:33 pm
jewcowboy
I was living over there when the BBC first broadcast it. My kids still quote from it.
Ya gotta love it when a guy wakes up drunk in a field in the middle of the night and has the inspiration for a book that goes on to sell millions.
Curious Observer
January 27th, 2010
4:34 pm
UN human rights experts warned on Wednesday that “widespread and systematic” secret detention of terror suspects could pave the way for charges of crimes against humanity.
In their first in-depth global study on the practice, the experts said the practice had spread to almost all regions of the world and was continuing.
The study, which is due to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in March, listed 66 states that have been involved in secret detentions, mainly over the past nine years.
Rut-roh! The United States is one of those 66.
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:35 pm
Dusty,
“They were caught sniffing… gummy bears”
Funny..I’d heard it was free-basing big league chew.
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:36 pm
Paul,
“Ya gotta love it when a guy wakes up drunk in a field in the middle of the night and has the inspiration for a book that goes on to sell millions.”
Why don’t these things happen to me…as many times as I’ve woken up drunk in the middle of field
Crenshaw8
January 27th, 2010
4:38 pm
In case no one has noticed, the U.N. is a toothless tiger.
retiredds
January 27th, 2010
4:38 pm
I pass this on to all the Republican conservatives (an oxymorn if there was one) for your bed time reading.
Republicans and the national debt:
The obvious thorn in the side of Republicans — who’ve made a habit of blasting the Democratic majority under President Obama for deficit spending — is that the GOP majority under President George W. Bush never once balanced its annual budgets. As a result, the national debt jumped from $5.7 trillion in 2000, when Bush was elected, to $10 trillion eight years later. The GOP controlled both chambers of Congress for six years of that span, during which time they not only cut taxes in the middle of two wars, but also passed the largest Medicare expansion since the program’s founding — an unfunded prescription drug benefit that former comptroller general David Walker has called “the most fiscally irresponsible piece of legislation since the 1960s.”
Today, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) was asked point-blank how Republicans, given their track record, can criticize others for fiscal irresponsibility.
Paul
January 27th, 2010
4:40 pm
jewcowboy
And to think Adams wrote this before bloggers. Now he might write about exercising fingers instead of lips:
“One of the things Ford Prefect had always found hardest to understand about humans was their habit of continually stating and repeating the very very obvious, as in It’s a nice day, or You’re very tall, or Oh dear you seem to have fallen down a thirty-foot well, are you alright? At first Ford had formed a theory to account for this strange behaviour. If human beings don’t keep exercising their lips, he thought, their mouths probably seize up. After a few months’ consideration and observation he abandoned this theory in favour of a new one. If they don’t keep on exercising their lips, he thought, their brains start working. After a while he abandoned this one as well as being obstructively cynical.”
larry
January 27th, 2010
4:41 pm
I am wondering what would happen to a certain plant in Marietta if there wasnt government spending. It would be a layoff of epic proportions. Also, since we are cutting spending , lets just close down all of the military bases here in the state and get rid of all those jobs related to those bases.
Its funny, Clinton raised the top tax rate, and the economy expanded for 8 years. Bush cut it and we had two recessions, including the worst one since the Great Depression.
Paul
January 27th, 2010
4:43 pm
jewcowboy
On second thought, that quote works better in reference to Congress -
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
4:46 pm
Oh poor Taxpayer,
He can hardly tolerate life in Georgia with all those terrible Republicans and fambly values and who knows what and Bush did it and they don’t want to raise taxes and soldiers won’t quit protecting the USA and …..what’s this world coming to?????!
Try Wheaties for breakfast, TaxPayer. It’s the breakfast of Champions. You might be transformed!! Worth a try…
jewcowboy
January 27th, 2010
4:46 pm
Paul,
“After a while he abandoned this one as well as being obstructively cynical.”
THAT is why it is one of my favorite books. Gotta go…but thanks for the reminder to re-read it. Have a good night.
“Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
Linda
January 27th, 2010
4:48 pm
Eleven months ago, the war in Afghanistan for 8 yrs. & in Iraq for 7 yrs., a total of 15 yrs. of war, cost almost the same amount as the Economic Stimulus Bill, $787,000,000,000.00, that was passed less than a month after the inauguration, unread, as an emergency, promised to prevent our unemployment rate which was about 7.4% at the time from exceeding 8%, & which is now at least 10%, unless you count those who are under-employed or who are no longer looking for work, in which case it’s over 17%, maybe close to 20%. This was the most expensive single piece of legislation passed in the history of our country.
When it became apparent that no jobs were CREATED, the rhetoric focused on jobs that were SAVED. That’s hooey. Last Wed., Scott Brown said that not one job was created.
The CBO announced yesterday that, as usual, it was another underestimated govt. program to the tune of $75 Billion, the total cost closer to $862,000,000,000.00, give or take a few billions here or there.
Every day there’s dry humor on the news with the outrageous projects included in this bill. It’s also evident that they are located in blue states or in blue districts in red states, some in districts that don’t exist, sort of a Dem. celebration & payback at taxpayer expense.
This was the beginning of this adm. & legislature spending our way into prosperity. A year & a few more trillion dollars later, they need a group to explain how to cut the deficit?
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
5:00 pm
Oh my..LARRY, Curly & Moe
So “Bush cut it (tax rate) and we had two recessions., including the worst one since the Great Depression.”
I tell you, that Bush was one influential man. He has caused EVERYTHING that happened in the last fifty years. Truly amazing and all while the Democrats were tending to their knitting. Way to go, Bush!! Here’s a valentine hug for ya…(**)
@@
January 27th, 2010
5:04 pm
Do any of the Kossacks here recall blogging with someone named Winston Steward at DailyKos?
Turns out he’s the infamous Ellie Light, 51y.o. health care worker out of California.
TaxPayer
January 27th, 2010
5:14 pm
retiredds
January 27th, 2010
4:38 pm
Haven’t you heard. It’s Obama’s fault. Just ask any Republican.
Dusty
January 27th, 2010
5:16 pm
Dear RetreDDS,
I notice that you wrote up how Democrats in Congress asked Republican Boehner how could Republicans, given their track record, criticize anyone of fiscal irresposibility?
Well, for one thing, Republicans pay their taxes. Seems Democrats are a bit negligent about making their payments to the IRS. Just ask Geithner(D), Sibelius(D) etc . That’s a bit irresponsible on fiscal ethics, don’t you think?
El Jefe
January 27th, 2010
5:55 pm
larry,
I guess it was that spending on new weapon platforms?
Regarding Clinton, check out how the government spending was held in check – that is what helped grow the economy during the Clinton years.
HSR0601
January 28th, 2010
3:42 am
As it is, the recovered value on the stock market after the stimulus package could add up to as much as over $ 1trillion, far greater than the total of bold move, other positives aside.
With the same truth, the two prospective principal bills before Congress are sure to realize the equal benefits as a whole. Let’s see the woods, in place of a tree.