A $1.5 trillion deficit ought to be cause for compromise

“A $1.5 trillion deficit ought to be cause for compromise”

Amen.

• Link
• Report this comment

Some tax increases (2% rate increase for every bracket, temporary, if recovery provides significant new revenues). Moderate to large spending cuts (discretionary can and should be cut by $100B’s, and reallocate the remainder to be most effective, cut military spending by $100B, and enact some entitlement reform…. which will only have longer term benefits.

This whole thing is making me sick and ill, $1.5 Trillion is so incredibly immense….

• Link
• Report this comment

$1.5 trillion. Sounds kind of nebulous doesn’t it? I know it’s a lot of money but how much. $1.5 trillion is $5,000 for every single (and married) man, woman, and child in this country. So, while the World’s supply of oil, food, etc. remains relatively static, there will be $1.5 trillion more dollars (not to mention Yen, Pounds, Euro, etc.) chasing those finite necessities. If you had to guess, what do think will happen to the price of those necessities? What do you think will happen to your earnings in 2011? Go up? I hope so!

• Link
• Report this comment

Congressional Republicans, of course, have no intention of allowing that to happen. They have convinced themselves and their followers that it is possible to address a problem of this magnitude simply by cutting spending.

Now… There you go GOP bashing again…

I said end the tax discounts last year. Let the tax rates reset to 2000 levels. Turn around and lower spending to 2006-2008 levels as the GOP wants. The Dems get a tax increase (as the GOP would call it), and the GOP would get spending cuts (as the Democrats would call it). Look at what happens over 2 years while simultaneously doing a complete top to bottom review of every single program funded by the federal government. Eliminate outdated and unused programs, do away with any agencies with overlapping responsibilities, and consolidate the entire function and operation of the government. At the end of that 2 year period, the government should be leaner and function without most of the bureaucracy that it currently has. Set guidelines in stone so that funding and programs are done as needed and not wanted.

• Link
• Report this comment

Well, I got the problem fixed in two words—well, maybe two if you want to get picky about it:

Off-budget.

It worked when we was fighting two wars. Iraq? Off-budget. Afghanistan? Off-budget.

So it ought to work now. Not just for the two wars but for SS, Medicare, Medicaid, Defense—you name it and we can put it off-budget. Put enough stuff off-budget and we can balance the budget and give another big Tax Cut too.

No charge for the advise. It’s just that sometimes you folks get so smart you overlook the easy fix.

Have a good p.m. everybody.

• Link
• Report this comment

Should have extended tax cuts for 1 year and split the difference between expiring rates and old rates for calendar year 2012….. ease us in to the new tax rates.

I don’t like higher taxes. I don’t like sovereign default more.

• Link
• Report this comment

MarsWoman – Congress will spend itself to oblivion, tax revenue or not…. everyone should be job hunting in Asia, there are good well paying jobs there. And lower taxes and better government in a fair number of the countries.

Canada is well run too.

• Link
• Report this comment

Germany has a low unemployment rate…. folks broaden your horizon. The US looks likely, although not definitely, to be toast.

• Link
• Report this comment

Obama is a complete dumb-a– for focusing on health care first…. the guy deserves to be fired in 2012. He put ideology before practicality. That’s grounds for dismissal.

• Link
• Report this comment

Republicans will keep defense spending high because defense contractors are one of their major sources of campaign cash. It’s just that simple and the Republicans are just that base.

• Link
• Report this comment

Alls I gotta say, is….since there appears to be time, THEM FIRST! CUT THE SPENDING…then come talk to the taxpayers.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s a Mexican standoff.

And NO, I’m not holding anyone’s…..errrr….hand while they make up their collective minds.

PULL THE TRIGGER! BITE THE BULLET! GIT ER DONE!

• Link
• Report this comment

AmV

I knew it wouldn’t take long for someone to say it. Figured I’d be a joiner today.

• Link
• Report this comment

Kamchak – they have partially rigid labor laws. But it has more to do with a thriving export business. Ie, they know how to make sh-t better than ADD, ignorant, under-educated, lazy americans.

• Link
• Report this comment

If there is anybody who can really tell you what the economy is going to look like in 2020, they are a whole lot smarter than me.

• Link
• Report this comment

they know how to make sh-t better than ADD, ignorant, under-educated, lazy americans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-OkHz2Lmy0&NR=1

If you feel that way about your fellow countrymen, then maybe you SHOULD get back to that Singapore job website.

• Link
• Report this comment

The CBO Director warns that if spending isn’t brought under control our debt could soon reach 100% of total economic output. The first step is to aggressively tackle spending and then look at how additional tax revenue generation may be necessary. Just giving politicians additional tax dollars to waste before government gets into a disciplined budget spending pattern would be irresponsible. Of course the Democrats don’t care much for that approach but they’ll have no choice but to get on board or get off board.

• Link
• Report this comment

“If there is anybody who can really tell you what the economy is going to look like in 2020, they are a whole lot smarter than me”

Projections are not predictions

• Link
• Report this comment

Del – I feel like we’re watching the manufactured downfall of the Soviet Union. From inside this time. The great liberal project will soon come to a crashing halt as they spend themselves into bankruptcy.

• Link
• Report this comment

jm

I talk to Germans on a daily basis. They, amongst other countries, produce engineers out their asses. You can ask them what did they study in school, and they’ll answer, industrial engineering. What do you do for a job? I work in a factory building such-and-such. Education isn’t all you try to make it out to be.

The reason Germany is kicking our ass in business, is because their countrymen believe in their country. They did not sell out their businesses to the highest bidder like we do here. Businessmen here don’t give a sh*t about country, all they care about is $$$. It’s a damn shame even to look at famous landmarks like the Empire State Building and such, and know that they’re not even American owned anymore. That’s what’s wrong with us. We sell more of our own sh*t like crackheads. We damn near sold our entire manufacturing industry.

• Link
• Report this comment

Or is it INVESTING!!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Let’s not forget the facts. When Obama took office, there was already a $1.2 trillion dollar deficit, which he inherited from Bush and the republicans. So let’s be clear about who created this deficit, lest like Americans idiots…we start hurling shallow accusations around. By the time Obama took office, the republicans had spent $1.2 trillion in deficit for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Bush started with almost a trillion dollar surplus and ended with a $1.2 trillion deficit. The smelly republicans can’t spin this.

• Link
• Report this comment

andy, was the purchase of your home just spending or an investment? the purchase of stock? the purchase of your education?

• Link
• Report this comment

Robert

Bush did not inherit a true surplus….. Keep it real, bro.

• Link
• Report this comment

China’s unemployment is around 4%. Minimum wage
around $200.00 per month. Population around 1.5 billion.
They hold around 20% of US public debt. Why? Seems
they should invest the the money in their country. Maybe
it’s safer here.

• Link
• Report this comment

It isn’t my deficit.

Try making me pay it…………………Boy!

• Link
• Report this comment

“However, that improvement assumes that the Bush tax cuts disappear as scheduled after 2012, with taxes reverting to 2000 levels.”

However, that improvement assumes that there are big spending cuts in programs like Defense, Medicare, Medicare Part D, Social Security, Food Stamps, farm subsidies, etc. etc. Fixed your typo Jay. No thanks needed.

“Republicans can’t enact spending cuts of the size needed, particularly in slowing the growth in entitlements, without Democratic help. Democrats can’t enact tax increases of the size needed without Republican help” – Only one is needed and I bet Jay can’t guess which one…

• Link
• Report this comment

jm

I spent a week walking thru Germany less than 6 months ago. They own their own businesses. From mom and pop stores to mom and pop manufacturing firms. I even think it’s part of their government policy for so much of their business community to be small businesses.

Here in the US, it’s all about how big I can grow my business so that somebody will buy me out. Not too many get into business for the long haul. Look at all the consolidation that goes on here. Free market principles here.. BullSh*t!! How many free market choices do you have for your electrical power?? gas service?? Cable service?? When you go shopping, do you go to Wal Mart/Target first or do you go to Sal’s? How many independent gas station owners are there vs chains??

Our biggest problem with international trade is that we damn near exported everything, including the shirts off our backs. Other than defense equipment, what major areas of manufacturing are completely based in the US? majority based here??

• Link
• Report this comment

So basically, it would be a bad idea to make the tax cuts permanent, to make the doc fix permanent, to repeal the health care law, and to continue paying out extended unemployment past Jan 2012. If I have that right, then good. Because I am cool with all of that.

It would also be a good idea to tackle the budget through defense spending cuts. A good amount of the public supports it and it’s a large portion of our budget. Even a 5% cut in the defense budget would be 4.25% of the whole budget (if I’m right about the math, 85% being leftover from the 15% of “touchable” budget). So let’s say they do both. 7.25% decrease in spending. It’s still nto enough if we just let those tax cuts stay there.

Just sayin.

• Link
• Report this comment

SoCo – almost all gas stations are independently owned. yes, utilities are highly regulated monopolies.

not sure I see your point….

but I do agree with I think your last paragraph, that we need to find a way to rebuild our manufacturing base….

• Link
• Report this comment

jm, I second that and would only add to the Question, will we help ourselves?… and if we have the will to help ourselves do we still possess the ability?

• Link
• Report this comment

Adam 4:40 your math’s way off

• Link
• Report this comment

@4:37

I with you, Bo.

You’ll not find my signature on no 1.5 trillion dollar loan.

Bring it!

• Link
• Report this comment

Del – “ability?” probably not until we elect a serious Republican. You know, the fiscal conservative type instead of the social conservative type.

• Link
• Report this comment

SoCo @ 4:38,

Preach it, Brother!!! Is it any wonder we are so discouraged? Your second paragraph… yes…. that’s what they did to us. We had >50% of the market share, too! But that wasn’t enough. They wanted a quick-buck turnaround, and now we belong to a bunch of foreigners who trust the new and exiting projects to the CHINESE, not us, despite our better understanding of our customers and prior success. Morale buster for sure.

• Link
• Report this comment

@4:37 abd 4:44

Count me in too.

Let the Banker/politicians pay it.

We ain’t.

• Link
• Report this comment

Texan – breaking news. They ain’t either.

• Link
• Report this comment

Adam,

Only an example of what Charlie Rangel would not do to trim the deficit. There are many more examples of our elected officials protecting their turf with earmarks and other federal subsidies to perpetuate their careers….. all at our expense. Point is, they could fix it if they wanted to. They have no intention of fixing anything.

• Link
• Report this comment

Meant to also add about education… We could have a population that’s 80% college graduated, however, if nobody knows how to fix a car engine or change a flat tire, how in the hell will we get to work??

Gotta run for a while. Be back later.

• Link
• Report this comment

No!

not until you get rid of chucky Schumer.

• Link
• Report this comment

Elect an R President. What brand? GW Bush. GHW Bush.
Ronald Reagan. Gerald Ford. Richard Nixon. Dwight Eisenhower.

• Link
• Report this comment

Paul Ryan: “Just take a look at what’s happening to Greece, Ireland, the United Kingdom and other nations in Europe. They didn’t act soon enough; and now their governments have been forced to impose painful austerity measures…”

I call BS.

Greece? Maybe. But Ireland and the UK didn’t have a spending problem. In fact, their books were in pretty good shape. They were hit by the economic downtown cause by the bursting of the real estate bubble and their revenues nosedived (thanks to anti-regulation fervor). For Ryan to imply that their economic troubles were caused by spending was dishonest.

Also, what have the austerity measures done for these countries? Answer: added insult to injury. Reduced government spending at a time of economic distress leads to fewer jobs which leads to fewer customers which leads to fewer jobs..it’s a vicious cycle. Austerity measures haven’t helped Greece, Ireland, or the UK solve their economic problems. To the contrary, such measures have exacerbated their economic problems.

Here’s what we should do to reduce the deficit:

1. First and foremost, make it our collective mission to control health care inflation. Projected deficits in the out years are caused primarily by the rising costs of Medicare and Medicaid caused by health care inflation that is disproportionate with other industrialized countries. The Affordable Care Act was a good start, but there’s more to do. (No, cutting benefits is not the answer.)

2. Allow the Bush tax cuts expire for the rich (top two rates).

3. Tax unearned income (capital gains, dividends, inheritances) at the same rates as earned income (work).

4. With regard to spending cuts, go after low hanging fruit: defense cuts recommended by Secretary Gates, farm subsidies, oil subsidies, and other forms of welfare for millionaires.

5. Grow revenues by growing the economy (specifically putting people back to work via government investments in infrastructure, clean energy, technology, and education).

• Link
• Report this comment

Bada – “Hemisphere-Gravity Lag” can be a real pain in the rear.

• Link
• Report this comment

You’ll not find our signature on that 1.5 trillion dollar note either.

Count us in.

• Link
• Report this comment

later folks…. gotta go try to build me some intellectual capital

• Link
• Report this comment

Del has a point. Eliminate our involvement in Afghanistan and cut way back in Iraq. Bring home all of our military in Japan, So Korea and Europe. Use many of these troops that we bring home to enforce our border security and escort our unwanted illegals to the border and back home. Also, let it be known to the drug cartels that if one American is killed or harmed due to their activities on our borders, armed retaliation will be the result. That’s after we give notice to Felipe Calderon that his inactivity in doing anything about our illegal immigration program is at an end and we will not tolerate this anymore. This would cut our military budget by at least 15% and increase our security by one hell of a lot. But it takes someone with balls to do this. Bozo, anyone? Not in a million years.

• Link
• Report this comment

Make that one-trick…

• Link
• Report this comment

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms in not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense.”

jm, above is a quote from Ike.

Highest Tax rate 1953 -92%, 91% the rest of his term. capital and earned income.

• Link
• Report this comment

We is wid yall pragitiatimatics.

we is all over it,sheeeeeeeet.

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s true tax rates have been higher then they are now but you also had more things you could count off. You could count interest on car loans, credit card interest, etc. It’d be interesting to see comparison numbers of the effective tax rate, taking that into account, with what the rates are now. My guess is it would be close to a wash but that’s just a guess.

• Link
• Report this comment

Frog…I bet it was not just to meet girls.

Not of point but found your comment downstairs about general complaints about attorneys not personal, and certainly I agree. I dont take it personally. I do understand the frustration. I get frustrated too with law enforcement, courts and state administrators. They have their frustrations too and there are often reasons for some systems or processes. All we can do is keep working to improve and to try to get justice.

• Link
• Report this comment

There ought to be some way to go back and sue the one’s responsible for this – on EITHER side.

Now before you start with well they can’t do their job with the fear of being sued ……… law enforcement officers are sued civilly and prosecuted criminally sometimes for decisions they have to make in less than a SECOND.

Shouldn’t others be held accountable for what they did over a period of months or years ?

And being voted out of office doesn’t seem quite “just” enough.

• Link
• Report this comment

The German (”Rhenish”) model of capitalism is right now looking far stronger than the Anglo-American version for a variety of reasons, foremost among them being the checks and balances against pure speculative finance getting a hold over the reins of mid-size and large companies. Unlike their Anglo-American counterparts, German companies have supervisory boards which include a certain percentage of labor representatives and which ensures that decisions are made based on more variable considerations than the narrowly stock-performance-driven management models in US companies. In other words, German companies define “stakeholder” differently than US companies. German companies also have traditionally had closer ties to “House banks” and less reliance on speculative capital and financial instruments for their financing needs.

In other words, just as the American political system prides itself on its many checks and balances between branches, which provides safeguards and stability, German companies have their own checks and balances against the more destabilizing elements of capitalism gaining too much of a foothold. But ultimately, this is made possible by a far greater sense of caution towards Anglo-American laissez faire capitalism and a much greater sense of the needs of the worker – i.e. labor unions.

Oh, and of course they also have a deep manufacturing and engineering tradition that is still valued highly – unlike us.

• Link
• Report this comment

josef:

Please see my 3:11 downstairs

• Link
• Report this comment

“We cannot afford to reduce taxes, reduce income,until we have in sight a program of expenditure that shows that the factors of income and outgo will be balanced.”

quote from Ike when pressured to reduce taxes by Republican Congress

The median family paid less than 20% of income in taxes in 1955.
The wealthy paid a lot, the middle not so much.
Heard that anywhere lately?

• Link
• Report this comment

Exactly Jay, and notice how Pogo STILL seems to think spending cuts ALONE will solve the problem? What column did he read, if any, before posting?

• Link
• Report this comment

With regard to spending cuts, go after low hanging fruit: defense cuts recommended by Secretary Gates, farm subsidies, oil subsidies, and other forms of welfare for millionaires.

Why just the millionaires? Go after ALL forms of entitlements and welfare.

• Link
• Report this comment

The congress will keep spending, revenue enhancement will happen. Now choose based on who has the most left to decide who pays the most taxes. I know who I choose.

• Link
• Report this comment

Jay, besides the military, what would you cut that would make a dent in the deficit?

• Link
• Report this comment

Stratfor had an interesting piece on Obama’s defense strategy. It’s a freebie.

The difference between Afghanistan and Iraq is that a wrenching crisis can be averted in Afghanistan simply by continuing to do what the United States is already doing. By continuing to do what it is doing in Iraq, the United States inevitably heads into a crisis as the troop level is drawn down.

If I had to pick and choose, I’d pull out of Afghanistan and return to Iraq.

Read more: Obama’s State of the Union and U.S. Foreign Policy | STRATFOR

• Link
• Report this comment

Whoops!

Obama’s State of the Union and U.S. Foreign Policy is republished with permission of STRATFOR.

• Link
• Report this comment

And to all of our left/center left friends that believe the republicans are the only military backers….try shutting down any military base or military production line in the most liberal member of congress’ district….and then stand back and watch the outrage. They understand the jobs involved, too. Or how do you think the south is so full of military bases? Perhaps its because the Armed Forces subcommittee was full of southern democrats for 45 + years…..

• Link
• Report this comment

“remove all military bases from countries around the world where the host country is unwilling to fund the majority of the cost.”

hear hear………………

And charge the guys in the neighborhood for defense vs having the understanding that we will come running if needed. Living off us needs to stop…superpower or no superpower.

• Link
• Report this comment

DANG! I just saw this part in that Stratfor piece.

Obama does not yet have a coherent strategy stretching from Iraq to Afghanistan. Certainly, he inherited the wars, but they are now his. The Afghan war has no clear endpoint, while the Iraq war does have a clear endpoint — but it is one that is enormously dangerous.

I’ve been thinking the same thing all along. Afghanistan was the WRONG war, not the RIGHT war. The LEFT’S war, not the RIGHT’S war.

Read more: Obama’s State of the Union and U.S. Foreign Policy | STRATFOR

• Link
• Report this comment

Observer, somebody shoot me!

I listened to that entire interview of Sarah BaraClueless and that woman can drone on and on and on and on and say…………………………………………..nothing!

I’m serious, listen to it yourselves, oh ye faithful. It is one endless sound bite and bumper sticker.

No specifics. Nothing informative. Nothing with any meat on it at all. Nothing other than mental masturbation.

I really am beginning to think that woman is dumber than a bag of hammers and should change her last name to Jabberwockie…

• Link
• Report this comment

Cost Nick his job in 1917…

• Link
• Report this comment

Amvet @ 5:42,

There are some that take her seriously which says alot about our citizenry.

• Link
• Report this comment

@@

Oh, I know… but it did make me smile.

marky mark

“Or how do you think the south is so full of military bases? Perhaps its because the Armed Forces subcommittee was full of southern democrats for 45 + years…..”

Not many people know we have an Air Force base in… Tennessee!

Story goes, Rep Al Gore Sr (believe he was on the Appropriations Committee at the time) heard the Truman Administration wanted to build an AF base for flight simulation testing (wind tunnels) his response was “Tell President Truman that’s a fine idea. Where in Tennessee would he like it built?”

• Link
• Report this comment

md

Self sufficiency…as Hillbilly points out, some of us are still stuck in the 19th Century, but I think that’s where we took a wrong step and best go back and review it all from that point forward…

• Link
• Report this comment

Ok, I am done.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/compost/2011/01/wtf_moments_with_palin_on_the.html

• Link
• Report this comment

@@

Shocked at what? Axelrod’s ‘honesty’?

Yup.

Guess he’d say Pres Obama isn’t moving to the center, he’s just building consensus to move the country forward.

Personally, I don’t much care which direction people want to call it so long as we get policies that work.

• Link
• Report this comment

PAUL
The South is so full of military bases because it’s been under occupation for going on 150 years…

Scout
I’ve read the de Lorenzo…interesting….I don’t buy it all straight down the line, but he certainly makes some valid points…

• Link
• Report this comment

“SNOWIEST JAN IN NYC HISTORY! ”

Ah ……………………….. nevermind.

• Link
• Report this comment

Personally, I’d like to see ‘em shut down. It’ll give ‘em time to think. They ain’t doing to well with this thinkin’ on their feet approach.

• Link
• Report this comment

But Lincoln as the Great Emancipator is about the biggest crock of horsesh*t in American mythology…

Amen! Lincoln himself said that if he could end the war without freeing the slaves, he would do that. The Emancipation Proclamation was purely a political and military ploy.

• Link
• Report this comment

What mileage is that Jay? If you had any introspection at all you would see that your own mileage is about a centimeter long, if that. Almost daily you pound out with much emphasis that taxes must increase but you never, ever talk about cutting the things that will have to be cut in order to allow us to continue to do business. Perhaps those “uneasy truths” about what will be required of us as a nation to continue to exist cut a little too close to home for those of the progressive mindset such as yourself. You are enslaved to your publisher and I can respect that because afterall they pay your bills but don’t even try to come across as someone who is open to any other train of thought other than the one that both you and your “boss” believe in. You may fool yourself into believing that you’re opened minded but your true self is revealed here on a daily basis way more than you even realize.

• Link
• Report this comment

Paul

January 27th, 2011
5:50 pm
————————————————-
A friend of mine used to be a member of the GA
legislature and owned an auto parts store in a small
town in North GA. Through congressman John Davis
he obtain a supply contract for parts for 4 AF bases.
A defense contractor actually supplied the parts but
he got a check every month for his ‘part’. I’m sure this
type of thing goes on now. Not illegal.

• Link
• Report this comment

The deficit doesn’t jump when tax rates are held the same, and that’s what happened with our President Bush’s tax rates–they did not change. So, you need to look elsewhere when playing your blame game.

• Link
• Report this comment

“Congressional Republicans, of course, have no intention of allowing that to happen.”
———————

Jay, you seem to be implying that the “doc fix” is the Republicans problem. If that’s your intent, that’s pretty rich, considering that the “doc fix” was one of several bogus budget gimmicks the Idiot Messiah put in his health care power grab to make it look revenue neutral.

• Link
• Report this comment

Is it unreasonable to have spending cuts first…?

Nope.

But…

WHERE?

• Link
• Report this comment

Where do the Democrats propose cutting? Other than defense, that’s pretty much a given for the party of “America Sucks”.

• Link
• Report this comment

josef nix

“The South is so full of military bases because it’s been under occupation for going on 150 years…”

LOLOL!

One would think you’d be used to it by now –

barking frog

Sounds like a small business set aside. Not only perfectly legal, there’s law and policies dealing with it. Lots of those big contractors/suppliers don’t make stuff – they just funnel it from other sources. In fact, many of the big guys need to show how much of their supplies come from small businesses. No reason it shouldn’t go to help the llittle guy who otherwise would be cut out.

• Link
• Report this comment

You can talk about the need for compromise all you want, but both sides are playing a shell game. The deficit will never be erased if the emphasis stays purely on “discretionary” spending. That’s not where the big money is. And the use of that term implies that most of the spending is sacrosanct. If there’s no willingness even to talk about revenue enhancement or sharp reductions in such expenditures as agriculatural subsidies, oil subsidies, defense, etc., then there’s no hope of reducing the deficit. And Congress should stop using regular Medicare and SS as whipping boys. Those programs are supposed to be self-supporting. If there’s a need to raise the tax rate or the income limit or the age limit to fix them to be self-supporting, then do it. Don’t treat them as though they’re some kind of general welfare, and don’t pretend that taxes intended to support these programs aren’t being diverted to other purposes. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I see withholdings for SS and Medicare in my pay stub every pay period. The only reason SS and Medicare are being discussed as targets of reductions is that enemies of the programs have been extraordinarily successful in selling the BS that they are general welfare programs.

I’ll be frank and say that I don’t give a hoot about Medicare Part D. I pay premiums for that program every month, but I never draw a penny from it because my private insurance plan and its prescription subsidiary make it too troublesome even to try to submit Part D claims. The Part D program was never funded, and if it goes under, too bad. It’s just an enrichment source for Big Pharma and the insurance companies, particularly since it forbids the federal government from even negotiating drug prices.

• Link
• Report this comment

My post misappeared.

Until now, the protests have been distinctly secular, with few representatives of the country’s largest opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood. Whether it will stay that way after Friday is an open question. Those involved in organizing the protests say they hope their movement to oust Mubarak is not overtaken by a group that has said it wants to bring Islamic law to Egypt but is widely suspected of occasional complicity with the government.–WaPo

I hope that’s true and that the Western media hasn’t been duped again into supporting Islamic radicals.

jay’s left-wingers seem to be having a conversation among themselves about Palin. While it’s of no interest to me, she seems to be all they wanna talk about.

Blog on…and on…and on…and……

• Link
• Report this comment

“Self sufficiency…”

I don’t think we have the necessary raw materials to do so………..unless folks really are ready to sacrifice……which doesn’t appear to be the case with all the entitlement programs………

• Link
• Report this comment

“While it’s of no interest to me…”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OstRBLG5n3c

“Gordon, I’m with you 100%…do the tax cuts first…”

But…

WHERE?

• Link
• Report this comment

Scout

my 6:11

That should be Gayarre, as in Charles Etiènne Arthur Gayarré. His papers are most interesting reading.

• Link
• Report this comment

The correct question is where WOULDN’T you cut?

• Link
• Report this comment

jm: 5% of 85% is 4.25% of the whole. My math is not off, but it is based on my assumption that 85% is the rest of the budget when you cut out the 15 percent Jay is talking about. That’s not an unreasonable assumption, but I’m sure I’m not looking at the whole picture.

In any case I would prefer not to be personally insulted for being off on the math when I admitted it might be off in the first place.

• Link
• Report this comment

AmVet:

I was thinking Observer, but thanks for pointing out you, too, were involved.

schnirt

• Link
• Report this comment

Barry

The Defense cut originated with SecDef Gates, and it’s not a one-year amount. I believe it’s spread over, what, ten years? It’s another of the Pentagon’s fun with numbers routines.

And I’ll stick my neck out and say it’s not a cut from this year’s baseline – it’s a cut based upon future program increases that haven’t even been funded yet.

• Link
• Report this comment

It seems Harry Reid thinks Obama was wrong to promise
to veto any bill with earmarks and says its a power grab.
A democrat rebellion could easily sway the balance of
power to give Republicans a stronger foothold.

• Link
• Report this comment

If I were doing the cutting, there wouldn’t be any problem getting Americans to do the jobs Americans won’t do.

• Link
• Report this comment

Yeah, remind me who Gates works for?

• Link
• Report this comment

Barry,

Yup, SecDef Gates proposed the cuts over five years.

His Republican supporters? The Congressional Tea Partiers.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hhro2MhndFpx09q5ci3qZlczKJJg?docId=ba6bf98a76c6464585836f95f69b7b85

• Link
• Report this comment

Barry

While SecDef Gates works for Pres Obama, it’s not at all unusual for departments to independently work their own solutions to what they see as impending problems. They describe it in terms like “get ahead of the problem.”

• Link
• Report this comment

Lil’ Barry Bailout : Figures you have more respect for the last President, who got 4500 of our soldiers dead, and double the debt.

• Link
• Report this comment

AmVet: Is that “You fix the budget” thing still up?

• Link
• Report this comment

Looks to me like some Tea Partiers are willing to cut military spending.

Military spending has created divisions within Republicans ranks, with some tea party-backed lawmakers favoring deep cuts.

They’re going thru the haggling process. I’m thinking Republicans will be forced to make cuts in military spending. Don’t know what we’ll do with those workers helping fulfill contracts though. Where are they gonna find a job?

• Link
• Report this comment

Just take a look at what’s happening to Greece,

I would’ve shut it off there, if I’d been bothering to watch.

• Link
• Report this comment

AmVet

Ab-so-lutely mindnumbingly amazing, ain’t it?

• Link
• Report this comment

Doggone/GA:

There used to be a Navy base in Athens where they trained supply officers. I think they gave that one up about 10-15 years ago.

• Link
• Report this comment

Is Obama’s “You Snitch” still up?

• Link
• Report this comment

Seems to me, the best way to cut would be to pick a percentage and cut every department by that much. Then you watch the game begin. Each department would pick the most popular/necessary thing they have and announce that it was going to have to be cut. They know that will create the greatest outcry to save their budget. That’s the way the game is played, and it happens on the state and local level, quite frequently.

That’s still the best way to cut, in my mind, though. Pick a percentage, 3%, 5%, whatever. After they do that and follow through with it, then talk about raising taxes. If they raise taxes first, there’ll be no spending cuts of any consequence. I’ve seen that one over and over, through the years, at the state, federal and local level.

• Link
• Report this comment

Pick a percentage, 3%, 5%, whatever.

You sure you want to open up another math discussion with me around, HD??

• Link
• Report this comment

Not all conservatives agree with these republicans…That’s why we have the Tea Party. Fiscal responsibility means trimming the fat…but also paying for what you buy. That may mean higher taxes.

Our point of disparity is that it seems democrats only want rich people to pay for the excesses of gov’t. If taxes have to go up….The pain needs to be felt by everyone. Earned income credits should be cut at the same rate someone else’s taxes go up.

If the poor, and underprivileged get the right to vote… They deserve the right to pay for the programs their elected officials start.

• Link
• Report this comment

@@

Rahmbo’s back on the ballot…

• Link
• Report this comment

Thanks, josef…as he should be in my opinion.

F*ing SOBs!!!! WhoTF did they think they were F*ing with? “F” ‘em.

(ISH)

• Link
• Report this comment

hillbilly

Across the board, 10%…how you do it in your department is your bidness…but you’re getting 10% less to do it with, like it, lump it, love it or leave it…

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s a good idea to cut the crap out of everything, but we also need to do something on the revenue side.

I know! Let’s boost the economy!

All federal regulations established since 2006 should be rescinded immediately. Any regulations since then deemed imperative to the national interest should be subject to an up or down vote by Congress.

Open ANWR and all other federal lands for energy extraction.

Abolish all public unions. And if they don’t like it, fire them.

On the spending side:

Abolish Obamacare and that financial “reform” monstrosity. Sell off GM and Chrysler.

Tell anybody 40 years old and younger that SS and medicare won’t be available to you until you’re 72 or older. That sucks but you knew it wouldn’t be available to you anyway, didn’t you?

• Link
• Report this comment

josef @ 7:01

I think it’s either that or inflate the currency to the point the deficit disappears. Do we really want that?

• Link
• Report this comment

Well, if cutting twenty percent of fifteen percent won’t get the job done, then why haven’t the Republicans suggested cutting fifteen percent of something worth twenty percent instead.

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m out, but not before delivering this.

Jay Carney — the communications director for Vice President Joe Biden — will be named the new White House press secretary, Chief of Staff Bill Daley announced today.

He’s done such a fine job with Joe’s “communications”. I can’t wait to see what he can do for the administration.

LUV ‘YA JOE!

• Link
• Report this comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D9TUhIKDbw

• Link
• Report this comment

mystyfied

Katrina? How could you possibly be LESS prepared? Oh, yeah, that’s right…BP…nope, if we’re going to do it, then do it and do it across the board and no one can kvetch…otherwise, just follow the Hillbilly plan…btw, federal government employees from the POTUS on down, same 10%/…

• Link
• Report this comment

“How many people who do physical labor, for a living, have bodies that will hold out until they are 72?”

Probably more than people that don’t do physical labor. Sitting on one’s rear all day growing bigger isn’t exactly the ticket to longevity.

• Link
• Report this comment

Cool story about the Gibson, Am.

• Link
• Report this comment

Sorry, @@, but:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nEZQKsf37I

• Link
• Report this comment

As far as not cutting defense, what do you think was one of Russia’s achilles??? Remember them trying to keep up the arms race with the US of A. Think it won’t happen to us? We’re burning thru money in West Iran (Iraq) and East Iran (Afghanistan). Who do you think is the most likely funding source for the “insurgents”?? Take a look at the country sandwiched between the two. Now add China to the arms race… We’re gonna deee fense ourselfs bankrupt.

We need to be sensible about all our sh*t. Cut unnecessary and outdated programs. Re-organize government from top to bottom and do away with all the redundant agencies and programs. That’s how we start to get to a smaller government. Cutting percentages off programs don’t amount to jack sh*t.

• Link
• Report this comment

Sinkwich

My point is, simply cutting all regulations could end up doing more harm than good. If we end up with children being born with twelve arms and crap, there goes the medicare budget and welfare. You can’t abort them. They can’t work. So how in the hell do you support them? As I said in my 7:19, I think a better way is to re-organize and cut things out that way. The government should put itself thru a “bankruptcy proceeding” and re-organize.

• Link
• Report this comment

AmVet 6:11 – considering discretionary spending has increased 50% in the last 2 years, that would be a good place to start. Followed by military spending and entitlements.

• Link
• Report this comment

Adam 6:24 – probably technical confusion. 85% of the US budget is not military spending….

• Link
• Report this comment

Then maybe they ought to contribute to an IRA understanding that government isn’t going to wipe their nose for them?

But if the retirement age is 72, they can’t cash their IRA until they are 72, right? Or are you going make a stipulation that they can, with no penalty?

• Link
• Report this comment

Gilmour always makes it look so easy-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Kupc5TtHw&feature=fvw

• Link
• Report this comment

So Co:

“My point is, simply cutting all regulations could end up doing more harm than good.”

Then bring all regs since 1986, one by one, up to an up or down vote.

Bait fish in California, anyone?

• Link
• Report this comment

“We’re gonna deee fense ourselfs bankrupt.”

And entitle ourselves to be poor……………

The rest of the world has been watching……..they know how the cold war game was played. The outcome isn’t restricted to one “side”.

And now Yemen has joined to fray…………….will look kind of funny when the “White” knight rides in on a donkey………with no Armor.

• Link
• Report this comment

Gilmour always makes it look so easy-

I think that’s why he wasn’t placed higher on the Billboard 100 Great Guitarist list, Mick. Same things happens to great actors–the great ones make it look so easy you forget they’re acting and they don’t get full credit for their talent.

• Link
• Report this comment

“Granted that’s not good for you but you can still do those kinds of jobs with bad knees, bad backs, bad hips, etc.”

True, but those parts count on the heart, which will go much sooner in our obese society.

• Link
• Report this comment

By the way, what does social security pay toward a burial these days.

If memory serves, it’s $255.

• Link
• Report this comment

May I suggest a blog, that encourages debate and solutions, but any (even slightly) partisan comment is deleted. Just let the reasonable adults discuss situations of consequence and describe and direct reasonable solutions. I expect it to be a good read…you may even win an award….what say you…all?

• Link
• Report this comment

jm

If there are only 5-10% of jobs that require physical labor, you live in a different world than I do.

• Link
• Report this comment

So Co:

“If you invest $1,000 at the beginning of that time and earn 8 percent, that $1,000 will grow … to around $140,000.”

Yo, anyone who thinks all they have to do is invest $1000 one time to secure their retirement is an Obama voter.

• Link
• Report this comment

“The difference being a change in administration? I beg to differ”

FEMA was to a great extent gutted between the Clinton and Bush admins. The location of Katrina no doubt was part of it (I’ve never had any doubt, myself) but even without that it’s highly unlikely that the BUSH FEMA would have done any better anywhere else.

• Link
• Report this comment

hd

Most of the people who rail against social security here are in their thirties, which means they have been paying in for at least 10 years or more and 65 seems light years away. As some of us can attest, time really starts moving the older and hopefully wiser you get. We need them to understand that the genius of social security is each generation helping the next. If they are lucky enough to live long enough, their time will come and just as many of us are demanding, they should demand that they get back what they paid into all those years..

• Link
• Report this comment

Is this the same group of Rocket Scientists that said that Obamacare will pay for itself and even reduce the deficit?

• Link
• Report this comment

F Sinkwich: Give me a mathematical formula whereby a reasonable laborer can put in money to an IRA from the beginning. Tell me how much it comes out to if he sticks with it. Make sure your deposits accurately reflect a reasonable deposit from the average wages of a laborer. You may also assume he never gets fired or moves to another company for the sake of simplicity and perhaps for the sake of ignoring reality.

• Link
• Report this comment

Adam:

“F Sinkwich: Open ANWR and all other federal lands for energy extraction.

Does not solve anything in the budget”

Uh, increases economic activity which increases the tax base? Plus it reduces the cost of energy which promotes economic growth?

DUH.

• Link
• Report this comment

It really is hard to overstate Gilmour’s impact…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPXWKO-EBgc&feature=related

• Link
• Report this comment

but putting a handle on earmarks and other spending, as well as being responsible with the tax code, is a good overall plan.

First, make sure you understand what an earmark is. It’s not an addition to a bill. Rather, it’s designating certain money within an existing bill for special purposes. If there’s a $5 billion agricultural bill and a Congressman inserts an earmark of $85 million for an agricultural museum in his state, the bill still costs $5 billion. It’s just that $85 million of that money must be spent on the Congressman’s pet project.

Eliminating earmarks will do nothing to reduce spending unless the money designated as an earmark is removed from the total cost of the bill. Now if that $5 billion bill with the earmark is reduced by the amount of the earmark, then we have real savings. Merely abolishing earmarks in and of itself will not reduce spending even one dollar.

This message is brought to you by one of my former bosses who served as a Congressional staffer for many years before deciding to pursue an honest living.

• Link
• Report this comment

Climate scientists are third door down on the right. Just look for the door labeled “Inhofe”. He’s their leader. They also do rocket science and health and medicine and just about anything you need an expert for.

• Link
• Report this comment

May I suggest a blog, that encourages debate and solutions, but any (even slightly) partisan comment is deleted…what say you…all?

.

Sounds like a bunch of pansy, Lib BS to me, quick.

• Link
• Report this comment

Adam:

“Give me a mathematical formula whereby a reasonable laborer can put in money to an IRA from the beginning.”

It’s the miracle of compound interest. Please contact your financial adviser for more information.

• Link
• Report this comment

F Sinkwich: Try responding to the REST of the post. You don’t get off that easy.

• Link
• Report this comment

Slow

My bad… I kinda like the whole “label somebody that doesn’t agree with me” thing. Maybe I should become a pseudo-conservative.

• Link
• Report this comment

Bruno

I don’t think it’s Lib/Con… That’s just straight up pansy!!! It sounds like some of that “War Eagle” stuff to me.

• Link
• Report this comment

Doggone

These brilliant “Drill Baby Drill” fans also forget any drilling that’s done simply puts product onto the INTERNATIONAL market. It won’t be much of an economic impact beyond 5 people getting a job drilling a hole in the ground.

• Link
• Report this comment

Yeah, vote on every single regulation and make them read each too. Any idea how many volumes of materials are in the CFR? They whined about a 2000 page bill.

How about sensible proposals?

• Link
• Report this comment

hd

In many ways you still are bullet proof, only now your power has shifted and you can lick them with your wit…

amvet

Echoes is an epic song that takes me back to the wild 70’s…great tune. Check out this version-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4×2sDwd6Mg&feature=related

• Link
• Report this comment

Bruno…what, you dont come for the babes?

• Link
• Report this comment

Taxpayer…you are not suggesting Burial First, Medicate Later are you?

• Link
• Report this comment

Now that the rate is about 1%, the miracle of compound interest ain’t quite the miracle it once was.

That’s a good rate. You better lock that one in before it goes down.

• Link
• Report this comment

Doggone, I remember all the evils that would happen if we put in the Alaska pipeline, and guess what?
I don’t think anyone knows what’s in Anwr until you at least try to find it, sitting back and doing nothing gets nothing done.

• Link
• Report this comment

For 95%, I would guess it’s strictly for the e-fellowship. The other 5% are likely taking themselves too seriously.

Oh, ye of limited mathematical skills.. It’s 94%.. 5%.. and 1%. I bet you’re wondering what the 1% stands for??? That’s the one percent of us twisted enough to post something like this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-OkHz2Lmy0&NR=1
or
http://www.visittex.com/images/headup.jpg
whenever people post dumb sh*t.

• Link
• Report this comment

nice white people from 47 generations of notable German peasants up there

Unless those notable Germans tainted the gene pool with some Sioux blood or something, they’ve gotta be f**king like jack rabbits to get 47 generations in that quick.

• Link
• Report this comment

Surely you meant to properly label the tax rate legislation the “Obama tax cuts” Jay as it was Obama who signed that legislation. To call it anything else would be dishonest.

BTW, while we’re on your “raise taxes” kick, I’d like you to state publicly here you will follow through with your commitment to pay “a few thousand” more in taxes during this tax season. It should be quite easy for you to do your taxes, then change your deductions until that number drops “a few thousand”. So, are you going to man up or welch?

• Link
• Report this comment

josef, when my mom died they paid my dad 255.00.
when my dad died they paid 0. no surviving spouse.

• Link
• Report this comment

Doggone:

“It would take a minimum of 10 years to get that oil flowing and by then demand will have greatly outstripped the available reserves there.”

BS. Typical liberal response to all new energy extraction: since we can’t get the payoff tomorrow, let’s not even try.

More supply drives down prices worldwide. You should have put that bong down the night before waking up at noon to go to your ECON 101 class.

• Link
• Report this comment

Disgusted: When the h*ll was it 7.5%

• Link
• Report this comment

SoCo

Notable peasants back all the way to the Barbarians and the Fall of Rome… A generation being calculated as 25 years!

• Link
• Report this comment

doggone

FEMA actually did a standup job after hurricane andrew and was even more efficient under clinton. With the proper leadership, it is a vital agency for response to natural disasters.

• Link
• Report this comment

josef, you’re correct, a minor child(guardian) is eligible also.

• Link
• Report this comment

barking

That’s interesting…was just going on our own family experience…

Doggone

Yeah, but Louisiana doesn’t have all those snowbirds/retirees from Up North…if it did…

• Link
• Report this comment

“BS. Typical liberal response to all new energy extraction: since we can’t get the payoff tomorrow, let’s not even try.”

Don’t know much about how long it takes to bring an oil well online, do you? Education really IS worth the effort.

“More supply drives down prices worldwide. You should have put that bong down the night before waking up at noon to go to your ECON 101 class.”

and more DEMAND drives prices up. By the time ANWR could be brought online DEMAND will have outstripped the supply of available oil there. ECON 101.

The money could be much more productively spent in helping to get us OFF the oil train.

• Link
• Report this comment

quick, with this crowd, it would be awfully quiet in here!

It is a topic of some discourse, in and of itself, of course.

Free speech. Social mores. Accepted, tolerated limits. Shifting lines in the sand…

Mick and B, we are just killing it tonight. (Rush!) Notwithstanding that parting shot by @@ that really did make me bust out laughing.

From Umma Gumma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze-p4e6rJaM&feature=related

• Link
• Report this comment

“Yeah, but Louisiana doesn’t have all those snowbirds/retirees from Up North…if it did”

If it did, the response would still have been just as bad. They weren’t ready, because unlike Clinton the Bush admin had “better” things to spend the money on.

• Link
• Report this comment

“You need to bust Doggone’s chops since she left out 5% in her blog equation”

Did I? Ok, I can fix that, how about 5% who come here by accident and can’t figure us out?!

• Link
• Report this comment

“BTW, Doggone, in what category do you place Scout??”

10% who take themselve too seriously

• Link
• Report this comment

how about 5% who come here by accident and can’t figure us out?!

We can definitely place quick in that 5%, Doggone. I can hear him now “Well, then, I’m going to take my football and go home!!”

• Link
• Report this comment

Bruno

Going back to check Doggone’s math, I came across this from her…

You might find it interesting to educate yourself on things like “shaker trucks” and how they FIND OUT where to drill for oil. Or do you think they just toss a coin and keep putting holes in the ground until they find some?

F’N PRICELESS!!!!!

But she did recover at 8:12, so all is forgiven with her math.

• Link
• Report this comment

I gotta run… Time to put the lil sidekick down for the evening. I’m finally starting to wear her down.

Check y’all later…

Bruno

Anytime I see some pure un-cut bs posted, that Picard face palm with sound effects will be my standard response from now on. I don’t think I’ll even post a comment.

• Link
• Report this comment

Doggone

I beg to differ again…nice white people on rooftops would have gotten a much quicker response…those scenes from NOLA hit the same response mechanism as similar scenes from the rest of the Third World…sympathy, but no empathy….

• Link
• Report this comment

Employment and wages of the largest occupations, May 2009

• Link
• Report this comment

You guys are reinventing the wheel here

Nah. Just cuttin’ a few corners.

• Link
• Report this comment

Thanks SoCo!

• Link
• Report this comment

Can’t stand. I was laughing so damned hard, I dropped my C…

• Link
• Report this comment

“I beg to differ again…nice white people on rooftops would have gotten a much quicker response”

I wouldn’t argue that…but overall the response would not have been significantly better, because – there’s no getting around it – they weren’t ready. There’s just no comparison between the Clinton FEMA and the Bush FEMA. None. Clinton considered FEMA of great importance. Bush appeared to consider it a waste of money. And the difference showed.

• Link
• Report this comment

“Can’t stand. I was laughing so damned hard, I dropped my C…”

And the best part is he’ll never see that “drill in ANWR” IS giving up.

• Link
• Report this comment

Might as well pulll out all the stops:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2wud_RqEaM&feature=related

• Link
• Report this comment

quick

BTW, have you been in on Friday night? If not, let me extend you an invitation…get to see sides of us you’d never expect during the week…

• Link
• Report this comment

“I wasn’t too hard with that post was I?? ”

Considering who you were responding too, I’m not sure it’s POSSIBLE to be too hard!

• Link
• Report this comment

So Co, don’t Bogart that joint. You gotta get up at 11:00 AM for counseling.

Then you gotta go to CVS for some smart pills. They don’t seem to be working much, but at least they’re retarding your rapid descent to stupid-ville to some degree, however negligible.

• Link
• Report this comment

Doggone/GA:

“10% who take themselve too seriously”

There’s a reason for that.

Since I was 18 I have served my country and I have done some very, VERY serious things.

• Link
• Report this comment

G’evenin” gang.

• Link
• Report this comment

Wet wiccan,

I don’t believe anyone has mentioned one downer in the Katrina time although it usually is.

The Federal Government cannot move in a state emergency until the governor of the state requests help. The governor of Louisiana took two days after Katrina hit land to ask for Federal help.

The mayor of New Orleans was supposed to start a fleet of school buses to rescue city resdents without transportation. He never did. The buses sat in the parking lot until they were flooded.

The police of New Orleans were as demoralized as much as the other citizens. The few who remembered their duty were overwhelmed.

There’s a lot of blame to be spread around for many things and it has been. But, the start of getting help was delayed by those in the state, not by Washington.

• Link
• Report this comment

You V.C. !

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/27/dan-choi-repay-army-bonus-dadt-discharge_n_815102.html

• Link
• Report this comment

quick @ 8:47

But it’s not our blog. We don’t make the rules and we don’t pick the topics.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hillbilly, why would hits and civility be mutually exclusive?

• Link
• Report this comment

“But, the start of getting help was delayed by those in the state, not by Washington.”

Horse sh*t, Maybelle…the minute that levee broke everybody knew what was coming and Washington should have had the military out pulling people off rooftops, out of that cesspool at the Dome, rescuing folks from that hell on earth at the Convention Center…d*mn ‘em all,,,

There, is that more up to my standards?

• Link
• Report this comment

why would hits and civility be mutually exclusive?

Why are people like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck so popular amongst the right wingers.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hillbilly Deluxe, sadly I suspect you’re correct.

Even still…

You don’t see one like that 8:50 in a very long time.

So there’s a sign…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ6wEtUm8Nw

• Link
• Report this comment

Hillbilly

“We don’t make the rules and we don’t pick the topics.”

True on the first, but the Bruin is pretty good about leaving us be to do the latter!

• Link
• Report this comment

Scout, reaction force now on, direct where to direct fire suppression, over

• Link
• Report this comment

Jonix: You have to understand that somebody in DC actually had to find Constitutional authority before they could help anybody. Do you have ANy idea what thse liberals could do if they could only get their hands on a heliocopter???!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

tell me about your education…how do YOU qualify

Qualify for what.

• Link
• Report this comment

Shalom! Careful with the allusions to the book of Matthew,somebody might think you converted.

• Link
• Report this comment

Josef…all it ttakes is YOU
Taxpayer…qualify for honest debate

• Link
• Report this comment

josef, i tried peace on earth, almost anything is better to peace on….

• Link
• Report this comment

quick–My undergrad college is right here for you. Top of the page for you:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/22/colleges-with-the-highest_n_656372.html#s117600&title=undefined

Taxpayer went to GT, where he never learned about the Pauli Exclusion Principle, though he claims to be a materials engineer:

• Link
• Report this comment

Del:

From Ford drop one, Chevy drop 3, azmuth 320 mils, one round, willie peter, will adjust, over.

• Link
• Report this comment

Yep, my take was that the dirty little secret that underpins our entire society got thrown right in our faces in a HUGE way with that storm, that there really was no way, for us a nation, to pretend any longer.

The poor go to the back of the bus. No matter black,brown, white, yellow, red, etc, etc, etc…

Just the way of man, I guess…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdIgZtdonBk

• Link
• Report this comment

come on…lose the party…live the message…left right…i dont care
let’s fix it!

• Link
• Report this comment

Del:

This about fits doesn’t it my friend ?

“Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not now that strength which in old days
Mov’d earth and heaven, that which we are, we are:
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”

“Ulysses” by Alfred Tennyson, 1842

• Link
• Report this comment

quick: amen.

• Link
• Report this comment

it might be that threads tend to drift into areas that folks are the most passionate about.

That’s true. For a good many, they are passionate about partisan politics. I’m not but when it goes that route, I can always check out.

• Link
• Report this comment

Scout: I’m shocked!shocked I tell you! TENNYSON?

• Link
• Report this comment

Jose…lets not play the acccredition game…and if I started that…i am sorry…if I have offended you…sorry
I dont wanna play kissy…i wanna fix what is wrong

• Link
• Report this comment

Mick @ 9:02–I don’t know what happened to OGK. We both were banned momentarily for playing some baudy tunes that night.

Here’s my favorite “old Floyd” song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeCyVmhvN8w

It’s definitely NOT an easy concept.

Try this one on, Doggone: Prove that every finite, non-zero inner product space has an orthonormal basis.

(Hint: find any basis for your inner product space, then use the Gramm-Schmidt Method to convert it to an orthonormal basis).

• Link
• Report this comment

Dusty

The first mistake was made by le Sieur de Bienville…
But like I said, d*mn ‘em ALL…incompetent and heartless…

Rude? Oh, no…bitter…angry still…rude ain’t even in the cards…no excuses for any of them. Starting at the top and coming down to the bottom…forget all this happy cr*p about my guy wasn’t as bad as your guy…they were all three toed cretin children of the devil…

And, just for the record, Katrina was second only to Galveston in loss of life in a predictable natural catastrophe…

quick

Me? I’m part of the problem, not of the solution! Though I don’t seem to be so tonight given my particular feelings about Katrina. I do agree with you on civility…I try, I’m just not real good at it…

• Link
• Report this comment

bruno

I distinctly remember that night, you both were in another zone-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdgI-JBSScA

• Link
• Report this comment

Del you are entitled to your opinion. I do condemn hate speech and islamphobia. I defend your right to your opinons but I do not have to accept them as rational. Its not lunacy to condemn them just as I would the opinion of a white supremecist. The fallacies in logic found in hate speech, birtherism and islamaphobia are lunacy. Not hypocritical at all and not uncivil to point it out.

• Link
• Report this comment

quick

Was that @ 9:11 to me…? G-d, I hope not since the accreditation game galls me sumpin’ ferocious…

• Link
• Report this comment

josef

Just saw this headline at cnn: Law would allow teachers to grade PARENTS…..very interesting, indeed…

• Link
• Report this comment

godless heathen–That is also a valid solution to the problem. What trips people up with the Monty Hall problem is the fact that even though only two doors remain after Monty reveals a “losing” door, the two remaining choices do NOT have an equal probability of containing the Grand Prize.

• Link
• Report this comment

Divide 22 by 7 to the last decimal place and get back to me.

I think that works out to frog pi.

• Link
• Report this comment

Keep up the good fight, I haven’t seen any evidence of white supremacy on this blog. I typically write off those who post comments that I may disagree with as their entitlement to an opinion. After all this is only an opinion blog and not a forum for personal insults. Just saying.

• Link
• Report this comment

no luck on % doing physical labor gotta jet later

• Link
• Report this comment

So what’s your point?

My point is that some folks might consider some of the rather lively discussion around such a dinner table to be beyond civil when in fact it may be considered quite normal for those that routinely dine around that table. what’s your point.

• Link
• Report this comment

Mr. B–You’re an idiot moron pervert. Didn’t mean to let you down like that the last few pages…..

• Link
• Report this comment

Thanks, Bruno….. I needed that.

• Link
• Report this comment

DUSTY

I don’t care whether you care or not…you know I like you a lot, but for the love of Pete, since when did G-d Al-mighty start sending disasters as per the geopolitical divisions of the North American Empire…it was a NATIONAL disaster, plain and simple and we all saw it coming…now, I’m going to drop this with you since if I don’t I’m liable to say some things I would regret later…and Granny said “be nice.”

Mick

Oh, would I LIKE that!

• Link
• Report this comment

Group Hug

I feel the love

Hope all of you have had a great day……..

We all get caught up in the rhetoric and at time go too far in our comments, but wish all of you the best and never stop working for what you think is right…………..

Past the jabs and jokes as well as the joker politicians we have one both sides………. we will move forward as a country

Except for a few exceptions, we all want what best for America and with effort from all of us…………… America will get past this downturn regardless of who sits in the WH

Will be more pain ahead, however we WILL PREVIAL

Have a great night and if I’m not on blogging and jabbing tomorrow have a great weekend……..

Much love and success

• Link
• Report this comment

amvet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWvzZCZF1gw

• Link
• Report this comment

BRUIN

Though you’re probably not about, in case you are, “Being There” is coming on Ch. 69…a little Eastern European angst for ya!

• Link
• Report this comment

Mr B
In your post to Scout in re Kipling…I agree…

• Link
• Report this comment

Spending cuts first, more confiscation of private property last.

• Link
• Report this comment

Actual death panels.

“And that’s when they let me know that we no longer had insurance on account of the 2 cents, and they canceled us,” said Frances. “Since then, I’ve been depressed. I haven’t been able to hardly do anything. As you can see, we still have our Christmas decorations up. So it’s been hard on me.”

Just my 2 cents.

• Link
• Report this comment

gotta check out, too…tomorrow is a pr day…oy! But, I’ll smile and be sweet…

• Link
• Report this comment

“…he was like a man who stands upon a hill above the town he had left, yet does not say ‘The town is near,’ but turns his eyes upon the distant soaring ranges.”

Thomas Wolfe

• Link
• Report this comment

Oh, Doggone–Here’s a link for you so you can “bone up” on your Linear Algebra:

http://cnx.org/content/m10430/latest/

Quiz tomorrow at 8.

• Link
• Report this comment

Del, no I did not have an unpleasant experience. I simply gave an example to Scout regarding the definition of civility to show that it is a relative term. He did the same with his counter example of a communique between individuals from the Civil war. If you prefer to substitute “Radical Islam prayer service” or “Evangelical bible study” or “beer with Obama” or whatever in place of “Italian dinner” in order to make the point, I’m good with that.

• Link
• Report this comment

TaxPayer, Okay…no problem.

• Link
• Report this comment

Trying again because for some reason the first post of this was nonsensibly “under moderation” so the misspellings are intentional to avoid moderation

Del, you are correct. No whyte supremacy on this particular blog today that I have noted. I do believe it was in some posts on another blog. There is also a great deal of islamophobia or perhaps it may be termed christian supremaacy. What you do as to those opinions is up to you. In daily blogs filled with attacks of “you libs want this” “libtyrd” and counter attacks (and if does go both ways by some posters), you seem to only really want to pout in very limited circumstances. Unfortuately, some consider “silence” to be acceptance of their hate speech. I choose to address those opinions as ill-informed, misguided and hateful. I choose not to be silent. I choose to point out the lunacy when evidenced, especially repeatedly. You’ll also note that I don’t generally do so by violent vitroil. If you don’t like it, you are welcome to read on, just sayin

• Link
• Report this comment

Keep up the good fight, don’t like it? well you should do the same. Have a nice evening.

• Link
• Report this comment

Yeah, Del, Me too. sometimes I play it on the piano and it still gets me. Just the thought of what it says even in music.

Well,. it has been a good day, working with a lot of friends and enjoyng it . Some days are just better than others! So I say goodnight. Getting late…

• Link
• Report this comment

Well, another day another devalued dollar but everting be allright mon…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqP3wT5lpa4

• Link
• Report this comment

Keep up the good fight, I’ve never laid claim to this blog…I think Jay is the custodian. If some one posts ill-informed speech and vitirol directed at Christians I’ll be pointing it out regardless of whoever else may care to join me.

• Link
• Report this comment

Taps…remember those who are not sleeping in comfortable beds or sitting comfortably blogging as you may be, as they’re protecting your right to do so with their lives.

• Link
• Report this comment

barking frog:

I hear you! My great, great grandfather was in the 96th Virginia Rangers. He was captured and sent to Camp Chase, Ohio where a higher percentage of prisoners died than at Andersonville.

Hummmmm ………………

Did anyone hang for that ?

• Link
• Report this comment

Del: Translation for 9:44 Thomas Wolfe

You can’t really go home again. It’s never the same.

• Link
• Report this comment

Kammy:

Yep ……….. all five are Democrats too.

• Link
• Report this comment

BADA BING:

“An international team of scientists has uncovered a tool kit that indicates that modern humans, who looked and perhaps behaved much like us, must have lived in eastern Arabia about 100,000 to 125,000 years ago. The collection of small hand axes, scrapers and other tools was found in Jebel Faya, United Arab Emirates. A report about the discovery appears in the journal Science.”

I wonder if they are “Craftsman” with a lifetime warranty ?

• Link
• Report this comment

One more thought:

The bottom line is that all religions are NOT equal anymore than all forms of government are equal.

Setting the particular diety involved or which religion may be true or not aside, none are perfect (as we are human) and all are different as to authority, doctrine, treatment of their believers, non-believers and practice.

For example, I would put snake handlers and striknine drinking mountain folks at the bottom of the list just a notch above the First Crocodile Church of Uganda.

Now that said, in this country (as opposed to Islamic countries for example) all people should have the freedom to worship as they please UNLESS their religion becomes harmful to the membership or others.

And ………….. every last person in a particular religion does not have to be involved in the harmful activity/violence for the religion to be branded as such.

That’s why the Christian Identity Movement, various polygamist cults out West, Snake Handlers in Tennessee (the only state that allows it) and various other “religions” are monitored by social services and especially law enforcement.

• Link
• Report this comment

You and CT must have been reading off the same notes. Compromise is like civility. When I see some from the liberal side, I might be inclined to a little of my own. Till then, nah.

• Link
• Report this comment

“A $1.5 trillion deficit ought to be cause for compromise”

Wrong!

Where was your sacred compromise when ramming through HCR, when any measure of compromise and time to examine the actual bill would have shown it to be the budgeting shell-game it really is?

And now the vaunted CBO, who has been more wrong than right on really important fiscal issues because the “C” in CBO stands for “Congressional”, says that the ever-sacred Social Security will be broke in 25 years, while running permanent deficits during that time. And what is the Democrat answer to that problem? Add more people into the program!

Good plan!

Bottom-line, a $1.5 trillion deficit ought to be cause for ACTION, as in CUT SPENDING FIRST. Show us you’re serious about cutting the size and scope of government first.

You don’t give a drunk another drink in order to keep him from drinking.

• Link
• Report this comment

Where was your sacred compromise when ramming through HCR

thank you for my morning’s “for f-ck’s sake” moment, Dave.

Yep, “ramming through HCR,” after debating for sixty freaking years.

GOPers managed to win back the House riding a wave of discontent (and massive apathy among Obama’s voters) over a crap economy. This is a chance for them to face up to the necessity of increasing taxes. I am not betting that they will–my money is on more obstruction and BS–but I guess they might surprise me. That’d be nice.

• Link
• Report this comment

Morning, sfd

Wanted to say ‘thanks’ for a post of yours the other morning – was a remark about efforts to privatize Social Security & was one of those “light bulb” moments.

I believe ‘privatize’ means people invest on their own.

Investing means commissions, charges, etc etc etc and gazillions of dollars that won’t go towards supporting folks in their old age.

It’s another case of ‘follow the money’ and it seems so obvious.

So thanks again.

• Link
• Report this comment

Dave R.
January 28th, 2011
6:40 am

“Where was your sacred compromise when ramming through HCR…”

When HCR was based on REPUBLICAN principles (Romney’s MassCare)…when Republicans voted AGAINST their own ideas (especially the insurance mandate!)….I’d say that the Democrats had compromised enough!!

• Link
• Report this comment

I think a fair compromise would be for the democrats to abolish all Federal spending, and for republicans to abolish all Federal taxation.

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s another case of ‘follow the money’ and it seems so obvious.

So thanks again.

I will give partial credit to someone I heard describing that SS revenue stream as being an “irresistible” resource, which might have inspired it somewhat. If I could only remember who that was.

• Link
• Report this comment

So, did the Illinois SC slide in some more of those unintended consequences in the recent ruling?

To be a resident in IL, all one needs to do now is leave some closes in the closet when they rent out their property……..the new “landlord” rule. New can of worms for future elections, and don’t we all just know someone out there is going to test it……………..

• Link
• Report this comment

Paul, you might be interested in this interview transcript with James K. Galbraith, who makes the case for temporarily LOWERING the age to qualify for SS, along with a lot of other stuff people oughta hear…

http://majorityreportrecap.tumblr.com/galbraith_text

Here’s a tidbit:

—

Seder: I would like to get into the writing you’ve done in terms of the “false fear” that people have of a… or I should say the unjustified fear people have of the deficit and debt in this country, but we should reiterate at this point that Social Security does not in any way contribute to the deficit. It’s fully self-funding and so faced with what you just described in terms of the economic situation for Americans in this country, you have proposed the notion of actually lowering the minimum age in which people can fully retire, is that right?

Galbraith – What I would like to see is recognition of the fact that the crisis has cost us about 11 million jobs relative to what we ought to have right now. And even if we had the most brilliantly enlightened and aggressive policy we’re just not going to be able to create 11 million additional jobs in a very short period of time. So a great many people, particularly older workers who have been very hard hit in the crisis and suffering very high unemployment rates are facing under present conditions many years of filing for unemployment insurance, looking for jobs that they’re not going to get. It doesn’t make any sense for people who would ordinarily and would like to be able to retire to put them under this kind of pressure to stay in the labor force.

So what I’m suggesting is that what we should do is create a window, for say three years, in which people who choose to retire at age 62 or higher could do so without any loss of Social Security benefits and let those people, if they wish to, take that opportunity and leave the labor force. In that case you would be opening up employment for younger workers for whom it’s a much more pressing priority; people who are about start families, just finished school, for whom the 4 or 5 years of job searches is a very big blot on the work history that will damage them all their lives.

Why not try and fix this problem of the large number of people who have been hit by this recession and give them a bit more comfort and stability going forward and at the same time open up jobs for young people who are blocked at the moment because everybody who has a job is holding on to it for dear life.

—

why not, indeed?

• Link
• Report this comment

clothes………..dummy.

md, I thought maybe you meant “closers.” Seemed impractical to find prized relief pitchers who’d agree to do such a thing, but you seemed to know what you were talking about.

• Link
• Report this comment

Most progs are?

Not sure who you’re hanging out with jt. My experience is radically different. (But then I love my life.)

Projection?

OK, off to be a good capitalist. Enjoy your Friday, all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvepbxq03Xw&feature=fvst

• Link
• Report this comment

When are the oil rich countries in the middle east like Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia going to step up to the plate and pay us back the nearly 1 trillion dollars we spent since the gulf war protecting them, getting rid of the mad dog dictator, cleaning up their neighborhood and rebuilding infrastructure? Why are the repubs not screaming about that? Maybe because they are in bed with the Arabs and oil companies. Anyone ever here of Halliburton or Carisle Group?
You do not pay for a war with tax cuts!

• Link
• Report this comment