Paul Ryan erases Ayn Rand from the picture

With his new-found high profile, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan is now on the “oft-mentioned list” of potential vice presidential candidates. Not coincidentally, he also finds himself trying to defend brutal cuts in services to the poor and others in need that he has proposed in his “Path to Prosperity” budget.

So, in an interview published Thursday in National Review, Ryan made it a point to dismiss as “urban myth” the notion that he draws inspiration and guidance from Ayn Rand, the libertarian philosopher-queen who celebrates the self over all else and who dismisses the very notion of a social contract.

Ryan was pretty explicit:

“I reject her philosophy. It’s an atheist philosophy. It reduces human interactions down to mere contracts and it is antithetical to my worldview. If somebody is going to try to paste a person’s view on epistemology to me, then give me Thomas Aquinas. Don’t give me Ayn Rand.”

I find urban myths a fascinating phenomenon. For example, you could write a book about all the urban myths that have popped up about Barack Obama, from the “whitey tape” and the birth certificate to “see India on $200 million a day.” If you try to trace them back to their source, as you would trace a creek back to its source, you often find yourself peering into a dark, dank swamp of fear and fabrication.

So which vile soul started this urban myth about Ryan’s supposed affection for Ayn Rand? I think I have found a clue:

And then there’s this:

“I give out Atlas Shrugged as Christmas presents, and I make all my interns read it. Well… I try to make my interns read it.”

And:

“Ayn Rand, more than anybody else, did a fantastic job explaining the morality of capitalism, the morality of individualism, and that, to me, is what matters most.”

And:

“The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand.”

That’s all Paul Ryan, folks.

Now, as to this Thomas Aquinas fellow to whom Ryan suddenly and conveniently pledges such allegiance. If the budget chairman truly has begun to study the works of St. Thomas, such as his 13th century classic Summa Theologica, that’s great. He will have much to gain from the experience.

Regarding this alleged “urban myth,” for example, Aquinas might remind Ryan that “A lie is evil … it is unnatural and undue for anyone to signify by words something that is not in his mind.”

And as to that budget?

“Man should not consider his material possession his own, but as common to all, so as to share them without hesitation when others are in need.”

I can’t wait to see such lessons reflected in Ryan’s politics, can you?

– Jay Bookman

358 comments Add your comment

Lord Help Us

April 27th, 2012
12:28 pm

And the cons will buy it….

saywhat?

April 27th, 2012
12:29 pm

chick, chick, BURN!

Well done Jay. Did you dig this up yourself, or did you run acoss it elsewhere?

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
12:33 pm

This calls for the “tried and true” Doobie Bros classic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7-BBADPAvE

Guess someone must have told Ryan that she was an atheist as well as a meth head……………..

He might have forgiven the meth……………

hahahahaa

Lord Help Us

April 27th, 2012
12:33 pm

The more I see of Ryan, the more he appears to be fluff…He has someone gotten himself annointed as the ‘budget/numbers guru.’

Once the onion peels back one layer, he appears to be just another suit…

Jay

April 27th, 2012
12:34 pm

I saw his quotes elsewhere but found the video, Say.

You may recall I wrote on this earlier: http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/03/30/paul-ryan-budget-seeks-ayn-rands-america/

FrankLeeDarling

April 27th, 2012
12:35 pm

I read Rand in college,complete rubbish.

getalife

April 27th, 2012
12:37 pm

It is fiction not reality.

willard will probably flip flop on the ryan plan.

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
12:37 pm

do these angry christian conservatives ever think about anything other than punishing the poor?

USinUK

April 27th, 2012
12:38 pm

thanks, Jay – your post gives me a chance to dust off this classic:

There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
12:38 pm

Good grief Paul Ryan is all over the place.

*In the Chandler Bing voice* Could he be any more confused?

USinUK

April 27th, 2012
12:39 pm

“do these angry christian conservatives ever think about anything other than punishing the poor?”

beat them with their bootstraps???

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
12:40 pm

why does it seems that every rightwinger is a constitusional expert all of a sudden? its amazing the education they get from hate{talk} radio

redneckbluedog

April 27th, 2012
12:40 pm

“Giving people back more of their own money” sounds AWESOME…….HOWEVER…..GW Bush and the Tea Party have tried that over the past 11 years…..AND IT HAS FAILED…..

With these HUGE deficits….Now is not the time to try a RECKLESS AND RISKY TAX CUT SCHEME…!!!!

What we need is a good, sound, proven, responsible tax policy, like the one under President Clinton, to restore this country to FISCAL DISCIPLINE…!!!!!!

If United States citizens do not understand this and vote in November to continue reckless, risky, and irresponsible tax policy (that has created NO growth nor jobs), we will be forced to resort to Socialism in order to sustain the economy…..

USinUK

April 27th, 2012
12:41 pm

P’dawg – I think that would be “could he BE any more confused” ;-)

Aquagirl

April 27th, 2012
12:42 pm

Anybody remember the name we settled on for a group of Rand followers?

Union

April 27th, 2012
12:43 pm

“raises hand”
waffle.. its not just for breakfast anymore.

jay..
on your pretty circle chart from the previous post.. it shows military spending from around the world it shows chinas budget to be @ 8x’s smaller than the us. any idea how much labor is factored into this? given that the chinese pay @ 20x less in labor cost?

no biggie.. just didnt know if that was something you knew off the top of that big skull.

larry

April 27th, 2012
12:43 pm

Ryan is the perfect VP canidate for Romney. Both of them are flip-flopping worse than a fish out of water.

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
12:44 pm

USinUK
April 27th, 2012
12:41 pm

Awesome..that made my day. I’m glad someone knew what I was talking about.

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
12:45 pm

What light through yon hypocrite’s window doth flicker!

I do think young Ryan is auditioning for Veep by sharing his Etch-A-Sketch.

getalife

April 27th, 2012
12:48 pm

Raise military spending paid for by cutting food stamps.

Ending Medicare.

Radical rw ideology.

larry

April 27th, 2012
12:48 pm

“do these angry christian conservatives ever think about anything other than punishing the poor?”

Well, if Romney wins and adopts the Ryan budget plan , you can add punishing the elderly to punishing the poor.

In fact , the only segment of society( And you can include the military) that will not get punished will be wealthy. The only thing Ryan will cut of theirs is their taxes.

Tall

April 27th, 2012
12:49 pm

“…Not coincidentally, he also finds himself trying to defend brutal cuts in services to the poor and others in need that he has proposed in his “Path to Prosperity” budget…..”

Mr. Bookman:

At the rate the Federal is adding to the budget deficit, there will be no programs for anyone. A token raise in taxes on the “rich” will not cut it.

Brosephus™

April 27th, 2012
12:49 pm

The video is a fake!!!!!!!! It’s an attempt to discredit a fine and upstanding member of Congress who’s trying to do what’s right for America.

Just though I’d get that one out of the way for Rag n ‘nem. :)

Mick

April 27th, 2012
12:49 pm

“Rand underwent surgery for lung cancer in 1974 after decades of heavy smoking.[80] In 1976 she retired from writing her newsletter, and despite her initial objections reluctantly allowed Evva Pryor, a consultant from her attorney’s office, to sign her up for Social Security and Medicare”

Do as I say, don’t do as I do…

mm

April 27th, 2012
12:52 pm

The etch-a-sketch party.

Oscar

April 27th, 2012
12:52 pm

Darn these pesky video tapes and people that write down things I say.
– Paul Ryan

USinUK

April 27th, 2012
12:52 pm

DannyX

April 27th, 2012
12:54 pm

Republicans sure love their Etch-a-Sketch toys.

They used after Bush and got addicted to the darn things.

Shake it up Republicans!

mm

April 27th, 2012
12:54 pm

“A token raise in taxes on the “rich” will not cut it”

And a token raise in taxes on the poor won’t cut it either.

So the middle class will continue to carry the load until corporations start paying their fair share.

Rafe Hollister

April 27th, 2012
12:55 pm

do these angry christian conservatives ever think about anything other than punishing the poor

Yeah right, in any other country in the world the poor would stand in long lines for days to be punished like we “punish” our cell phone absorbed, obese, American Idol following poor.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
12:55 pm

Dear Both @ 12:34 downstairs, good afternoon. Ayn Rand does not need my “defense” – unlike leftist thinkers, her writing stands on its own, does not require a cheerleader. She will continue to be read 50 years after people have forgotten the name “Noam Chomsky” (I suppose he is the last leftist theorist standing?)

When I had my then-middle-school sons read “Atlas,” I counseled them that the book was brilliant but not perfect in its thesis, and later explained its ethical limitations in language they could understand. Ryan – and almost any other thinking conservative – probably sees it that way too. Leftists do not routinely engage in critical thought, more of a “four legs good, two legs bad” level of analysis.

larry

April 27th, 2012
12:56 pm

The etch-a-sketch party. And at that party , they were probably playing this…………..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgZOYt5kH9Q

getalife

April 27th, 2012
12:56 pm

I still can’t get over the gop putting their radical agenda on paper.

Most of the gop running for election are throwing ryan under the bus knowing it is a sure loser.

Mr Right

April 27th, 2012
12:58 pm

pretty typical, the party of NO BUDGET criticizing anybody that proposes one!

getalife

April 27th, 2012
12:59 pm

I don’t think rag can determine fiction from reality.

mm

April 27th, 2012
12:59 pm

Wow Rags, you had very liitle credibility as it was. With that last post, I think you are now in the negative.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
1:00 pm

Rag

“Mary Had a Little Lamb” and “Little Red Riding Hood” has been read millions of times as well and will be for years and years……. Does that make it true based on number of times read?

Why is Ryan attempting to deny Rand? It is not the “left’s” words, but his own

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
1:00 pm

@ragnar

and 50 years from now people will still read TUPAC SHAKUR too, whats your point?

Mary Elizabeth

April 27th, 2012
1:01 pm

As I have mentioned before, FDR had spoken of a “Second Bill of Rights for all Americans.” Eleanor Roosevelt modeled her own message, entitled, “Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” of which she spoke and advocated throughout the world via the United Nations, upon her husband’s Second Bill of Rights proposal for all Americans.

Their visions, for America and for the world community, contrast with Paul Ryan’s views and with the social agenda of most other current day Republicans.

Please view that part of FDR’s message from his last inaugural address, which is commonly referred to as “FDR’s Second Bill of Rights Speech,” on YouTube in the link, below.

What American would not support what FDR proposes? Roosevelt’s last line: “For unless there is security here at home, there cannot be lasting peace in the world.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EZ5bx9AyI4

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
1:01 pm

why are these “less government is best” politicians getting free government healthcare?

getalife

April 27th, 2012
1:01 pm

mr, wrong,

Our President proposed budgets but after they passed w’s budgets to give us our huge deficit, they will not pass our President’s budget so they can fight over it

congress is to blame as usual.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
1:02 pm

“Leftists do not routinely engage in critical thought, more of a “four legs good, two legs bad” level of analysis”

That is exactly why I mentioned for you to come upstairs

If any one can provide a one sided, myopic view of things………….. you came to mind

No offense, but your past postings will have to suffice has my proof at this time

mm

April 27th, 2012
1:02 pm

“the party of NO BUDGET”

Q. Why don’t you cons grow up and stop with the lies and nonsense?

A. Because if you did, nobody would vote for your party.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
1:04 pm

The free loader needs to pay back those two years of the SS benefits he’s received.

Because it’s those very kinds of immoral attacks on individualism that are killing this country.

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
1:04 pm

if government is soooo bad {according to gop} why does MILQUETOAST MITT want the top government job?

carlosgvv

April 27th, 2012
1:05 pm

Looks like Ryan’s “path to prosperty” budget should read “more prosperty to the rich” and “fewer crumbs to the middle-class”.
It’s no accident Ryan can now say “I reject her philosophy”, knowing this is a complete lie. He knows the Republican electorate will now believe anything they are told by their politicians, no matter how false. How did Republican voters come to be this gullible?

Mr Right

April 27th, 2012
1:05 pm

hmmm, when was the last time the senate even tried to pass a budget?

ZoSo

April 27th, 2012
1:06 pm

Finn McCool (Class Warfare === Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)

April 27th, 2012
1:07 pm

Ryan for VP
Don’t you have to be older than 12 to be VP?

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
1:07 pm

am i the only one tired of the faux individualistic bs spouted by career rightwing politicians? these career bs artists have been on the government dole for decades while telling everybody how bad the government is.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
1:08 pm

I read Rand in college,complete rubbish.

Franklee, I bought Anus Shrugged in paperback years ago and tried to read it. Twice.

It was so insufferably awful that I could not get past 50 pages either time. Seriously…

Union

April 27th, 2012
1:09 pm

mm..

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/18/usa-congress-budget-idUSL2E8FHJNB20120418

NO BUDGET NEEDED?

“Senate Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Conrad himself, have said for months that a budget resolution was not necessary because fiscal 2013 spending levels were already set by legislation to end last year’s debt limit standoff.”

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
1:10 pm

carlossgvv 1:05

PUBLIC ENEMY has an album called FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET!…lol

getalife

April 27th, 2012
1:10 pm

I don’t read fiction.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:10 pm

Dear mm @ 12:59, you err in your assumption than any conservative cares about “credibility” with leftists.

Dear Both @ 1:00 and 1:02, one perceives you have not read Atlas – otherwise you would understand my post. I think almost any conservative would agree with what I wrote, save those whose egos are so weak that they think they have to pander to leftists. I do not assign such to Ryan in his critique – sounds like my thoughts too.

Finn McCool (Class Warfare === Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)

April 27th, 2012
1:12 pm

Path to Prosperity

Shouldn’t that be “Path to White Middle-Age Male Prosperity”?

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

April 27th, 2012
1:12 pm

From Conserva wiki whatever pedia

“Ragnar Danneskjöld (born 1980), in Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged, was a philosopher who became a privateer. Alone he defied the might of the United States Navy and of all the People’s Navies of the world to be, as he famously said, “the friend of the friendless.”

Our wittle pirate!

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:13 pm

Dear Liberal @ 1:00, your note calls to mind one of the funniest blog posts I ever read, on a music site. Some obviously teen-aged girl was marveling at the orvre of someone named Eminem and queried – seemingly seriously – whether people would still be listening to his music in 300 years, as with Mozart.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:14 pm

Apologies, typo spoiled the laugh, “ouvre”

King of Everything

April 27th, 2012
1:14 pm

The attack on the “Moral Foundation of America’ is currently spearheaded by The Republican Party who always side with Private Sector over Gov’t, and side with Gov’t over people, who believe that people should not be paid fairly for their work, and also that people should not be taxed fairly according to what this great country has allowed them to earn. Nobody loves a handout more (from campaign contributors) than your Congressmen and Senators.

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
1:14 pm

99% of rightwingers never read RANDS book, they just repeat the gop talking points. just like the “constitutional scholars” that have cropped up since a black man took office in the white house.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:15 pm

Dear Granny @ 1:12, good afternoon, long time no chat, I do it just for you!

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
1:15 pm

“NO BUDGET NEEDED?”

Now you’re catching up! A federal budget is just out outline of intentions. It has no power and no force. What REALLY matters are allocation bills.

getalife

April 27th, 2012
1:15 pm

It is ignorant to form domestic policy on a book of fiction.

What is next?

Forming foreign policy on My Pet Goat.

Lets dwell in the real world rag.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
1:15 pm

Rags

I have Atlas and what the world will become if all the “producers” are taken away or somehow no longer “producing”………..

Your point about how many time it was read or for how many years……. was pointless

One can point to all sort of books for any designation you pick and say the same.

And just an FYI….. the world is not just made up of conservatives………. just so you know

You know as well as I that Ryan is being a fool to back peddle and surely looks like a fool

Looks no different than any pandering, flip flopping politician in any political party

I do hope he is Romney’s VP choice

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
1:18 pm

Rags..

One more for you…….

You are more then welcome to make all the inferences you like from her book and attempt to apply them the real world, but in the end it was a work of fiction, written to push one’s own economic views…… Let’s get real here

Nothing more, nothing less

But you have a great weekend

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
1:18 pm

rags, you forced your middle-school sons to read that tripe?

Jeebus!

You should have been giving them Swift, Verne, Johann David Wyss, Robert Louis Stevenson, Tolkien, Twain and Kipling.

Lemme guess, you made them read Flannery O’Connor too…

My Party has ALL the answers. Your party is full of poopyheads! (formerly That Black Guy)

April 27th, 2012
1:18 pm

Jam, I answered your question downstairs.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:19 pm

Dear Both @ 1:15, your post still sounds like a cliff’s notes version, does not reflect acquaintance with the first 600 pages, which for me is the heart of the book. No offense intended.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:20 pm

Dear Both @ 1:18, thanks, agree to disagree, have a great weekend.

Oscar

April 27th, 2012
1:20 pm

JamVet – Stay ignorant, my friends…

April 27th, 2012
1:08 pm

_______

Good move. I read the whole thing and all it did was get worse.

TM

April 27th, 2012
1:20 pm

and our President’s mentor is Robin Hood, steal from the rich and give to the poor.

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
1:21 pm

AMZN is up 16%. I think investors like what they saw. The Interwebs is definitely still the place to be for growth.

getalife

April 27th, 2012
1:22 pm

rag,

Do you know what fiction means?

getalife

April 27th, 2012
1:23 pm

“House Passes Student Loan Bill That Cuts Women’s Health Program” Aol.

No war on women?

Yeah, right.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:23 pm

Dear Jam @ 1:18, you don’t know anything about Rand. “Make them” read the book? How un-Randian, compulsion is the tool of a leftist. Silly goose, I told them there was a $100 bill on the last page, and I made good on the promise, of course.

Oscar

April 27th, 2012
1:23 pm

mm

April 27th, 2012
12:54 pm
“A token raise in taxes on the “rich” will not cut it”

__________

Nobody ever said that was all that is needed. But it will help. Together with cuts in defense and reducing waste in medicare.

scrappy

April 27th, 2012
1:23 pm

“Yeah right, in any other country in the world the poor would stand in long lines for days to be punished like we “punish” our cell phone absorbed, obese, American Idol following poor.”

So, you are admitting that the GOP will not be happy until they have destroyed the middle class, turned us into a class-based poor society like India, fighting for enough food to eat?

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:24 pm

Dear Getalife @ 1:22, good afternoon, “Do you know what fiction means?” Sure, “hope and change.”

getalife

April 27th, 2012
1:25 pm

rag,

They took the hundred but did not read your fiction silly.

Mighty Righty

April 27th, 2012
1:25 pm

Jay must know something I don’t know. He states that Ryan’s budget will result in brutal cuts in services to the poor and others without mentioning a single example. Please Jay, enlighten us with your grasp of the facts. Just how much in dollars will be cut from the current cost of the programs you claim the Ryan budget will cut. Please identify the programs, the dollars to be cut, and exactly when the cuts will take place. Otherwise the are just urban myths.

getalife

April 27th, 2012
1:26 pm

rag,

You don’t know what fiction means?

It is not real and ignorant to form domestic policy on fiction.

Mick

April 27th, 2012
1:28 pm

ragnar

What a sterile life it must be if you need to pay someone to read a book…

getalife

April 27th, 2012
1:30 pm

It is child abuse rag.

Social Services should pay you a visit.

Mighty Righty

April 27th, 2012
1:31 pm

TM… “President’s mentor is Robin Hood, steal from the rich and give to the poor”

Actually Robin Hood took from the King (read government) and gave to the over taxed poor. If Robin were here today, he would raid the IRS, the Fedral Reserve and the White House..

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
1:31 pm

It is amusing that Rags would call someone else a tool, while he goosesteps in a perfect line behind his own ideology….. He either doesn’t know it or worse yet like a good “tool” he knows his purpose and proceeds without question…….

At least that is what his blogging persona seems to portray……

hahahahahahhaa

He does crack me up………. I must admit that

To each his or her own

Out for awhile

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
1:32 pm

i didnt read RAND growing up but i did read HUSTLER magazine. are they similar?

Union

April 27th, 2012
1:33 pm

Oscar
April 27th, 2012
1:23 pm

“Nobody ever said that was all that is needed. But it will help. Together with cuts in defense and reducing waste in medicare.”

in addition to cutting waste all over the place.. but no one has the cajones sp? to do that. just read the article on the recommendation that dekalb needs to cut some school jobs because they have so many redundant positions.. they wont do it though.. as its a jobs program.. not an education program.

scrappy

April 27th, 2012
1:33 pm

TM – that is actually a pretty good example. Robin Hood stood up to and fought back against those that tried to impose onto the poor their taxes & their values, while creating a no-way out situation for the poor & beliving that such things shouldn’t affect the wealthy.

GOP & the robin-hood story evil king of england have a lot in common.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
1:34 pm

(formerly That Black Guy), thanks.

I’ll get down there later. (Multitasking now, as it is…)

Mary Elizabeth

April 27th, 2012
1:34 pm

Paul Ryan, and many other Republicans, have drawn a false dichotomy for Americans. Ryan writes, “Ayn Rand, more than anybody else, did a fantastic job explaining the morality of capitalism, the morality of individualism. . .”

One can be both an individual, and even a leader in innovations that express one’s talents, and also be the beneficiary of society’s social programs, which benefit all. Being the beneficiary of social programs, which enhance the human rights of all, does not mean that one is less free to express his or her “individualism.”

Moreover, the people, themselves, should decide, through their votes, what they want from their government and what they want their government to be. They are, in fact, their government – a representative government. As Jefferson had said (paraphrased), “When the people change, the laws (and even the Constitution) should be changed to accommodate their emerging sensibilities.”

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
1:34 pm

wheres are all the jobs the millionaires are supposed to be creating? afterall the reason not to raise taxes on the rich is because theyre job producers right? so wheres the jobs?

Bruno

April 27th, 2012
1:34 pm

More evidence that we need to do away with hate crimes laws:

http://www.ajc.com/sports/detroit-tigers-outfielder-delmon-1427181.html

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
1:35 pm

TBS – Interesting that you accuse someone of “goosestep[ping]…behind his own ideology.” Ummm, isn’t that what we all do? Follow our own ideology? I mean, it is how I live my life. If not your own, who’s do you follow?

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
1:39 pm

ir(rational)

No everyone in life doesn’t go with the flow…… some do question even their own ideology

Try it sometime……………

I was referring to the left / right paradigm that many on this board, Rags being one of those on the right, who can’t see outside that prism or elect not too……… yet will call someone else a “tool”

What other clarification do you need?

Will respond when I get back

James Thomas

April 27th, 2012
1:40 pm

Great hatchet job on Paul Ryan…well deserved..He can’t have it both ways….

Still waiting on the same journalistic diligence on Obama’s connections and support of Derick Bell, James Cone, and Rev. Wright. Probably shouldn’t hold my breath though.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
1:40 pm

ir(Rational)

I will make it simple……….. “pot calling the kettle black”

peace

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
1:41 pm

Dear Jam @ 1:18, you don’t know anything about Rand.

And you make uninformed, foolish statements.

Paying youngsters to read that drivel? How warped.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:41 pm

Dear get @ 1:25, the younger one can still quote long passages from the book by memory. Scary, except that his photographic memory is on display daily with the Navy also. We can agree that a leftist would have merely taken the money – that is not a conservative trait.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
1:42 pm

“Still waiting on the same journalistic diligence”

Journalism is on the NEWS pages. THIS is an OPINON page.

James Thomas

April 27th, 2012
1:43 pm

LIberalefty

Where are the jobs? Well I’m working one right now….So’s my wife.

Now you answer…Where is the cutting the deficit in half we were promised? The new most transparent government ever? Hmmmm Hmmmmmm…..?anybody

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
1:43 pm

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:44 pm

Dear Both @ 1:31, we will agree that a “foolish consistency the hobgoblin of little minds” but you may not understand that phrase if you think it condemns intellectual consistency.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
1:44 pm

TBS – I’m seriously confused by you thinking there is a problem with someone following their own set of morals and ideology. I’m not arguing with the fact that it is basically the pot calling the kettle black with him, I’m just saying your post doesn’t make much sense. If you had said he was following someone else’s ideology, or the Republican ideology, or something like that then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I follow what I believe, and question myself as needed, but even when I do, I’m still following myself.

After Zimmerman's website raises more than $200,000, prosecution asks judge to raise bond

April 27th, 2012
1:44 pm

The prosecution in the second-degree murder case against George Zimmerman asked a Florida judge Friday to raise Zimmerman’s bond in light of recent revelations that a website for his defense raised more than $200,000.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/27/11427416-after-zimmermans-website-raises-more-than-200000-prosecution-asks-judge-to-raise-bond?lite

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

April 27th, 2012
1:46 pm

James Thomas

Go ahead and hold your breath.

Thyra

April 27th, 2012
1:46 pm

actually there is a good “liberal/socialist” novel that is a MUST read. It is Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle (1906). It exposed conditions in the U.S. meat packing industry, causing a public uproar that contributed in part to the passage a few months later of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
1:47 pm

JamVet – My parents paid my sister and I to read when we were younger. Although, we typically got to chose our own books, if there was something they thought we should read, they would suggest it. Their philosophy and a lot of others I know is whatever it takes to get kids to read.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:47 pm

Dear Mick @ 1:28, we can agree that leftists think the right of free contract would be a symptom of a sterile life. I made an offer to my kids for an intellectual exercise, they accepted. Only a leftist would condemn teaching children principles of business law.

I'm a "con" and a vet. STOP SPITTING ON ME!!! (That Black Guy)

April 27th, 2012
1:47 pm

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
1:00 pm
Rag
Why is Ryan attempting to deny Rand? It is not the “left’s” words, but his own
_________________________________________________________________________

Because he is a politician and have read the polls that say America is not behind the extremes in the party.

He has to dial it back.

He has an R after his name, so some will buy it.

Have fun on your Lupus walk tomorrow.

My SIL thanks you again.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
1:48 pm

“It would be hard to find such a display of grotesque eccentricity outside an asylum. Galt is really arguing for a dictatorship.” — Adam Kirsch, The Los Angeles Times

“Perfect in its immorality” — Gore Vidal

“Longer than life and twice as preposterous” — anonymous.

“Makes well-poisoning seem like one of the kindlier arts” — anonymous.

mm

April 27th, 2012
1:48 pm

“steal from the rich and give to the poor.”

Examples please.

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
1:49 pm

@james thomas

i’m working too, but i bought up jobs because the gop is complaining that the unemployment is somehow the presidents fault. and who cares about deficits? thats just a number and we dont even know if its true or not…the deficit could be trillions or it could be zero. we only know what they tell us.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
1:49 pm

And apparently the film was just as abysmal…

Passionate ideologues may find it compelling, but most filmgoers will find this low-budget adaptation of the Ayn Rand bestseller decidedly lacking.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:50 pm

Dear Thyra @ 1:46, I respectfully disagree. “Jungle” was poor journalism, and mostly untrue. A better reflection of old-school “liberalism” – and one I similarly encouraged my sons to read – was Sinclair Lewis’s “Arrowsmith.” A Nobel prize winner no longer on reading lists, but it accurately and sympathetically presents the desirability, and potential heartbreak, of a compassionate soul.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
1:50 pm

This is HILARIOUS. I guess even Paul Ryan realizes Ayn Rand is toxic for the level of Vice Presidency, or even as a leader of either major party.

I'm a "con" and a vet. STOP SPITTING ON ME!!! (That Black Guy)

April 27th, 2012
1:52 pm

JamVet – Stay ignorant, my friends…

April 27th, 2012
1:08 pm
I read Rand in college,complete rubbish.

Franklee, I bought Anus Shrugged in paperback years ago and tried to read it. Twice.

It was so insufferably awful that I could not get past 50 pages either time. Seriously…
______________________________________________________________________

Your good to get to 50 pages.

I stopped around 25.

It reminded me of when you ask someone “is it raining outside”? and 15 meandering minutes later they get around to saying “yes”.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
1:54 pm

“JamVet – My parents paid my sister and I to read when we were younger”

Funny. My parents had to pay me to STOP reading.

James Thomas

April 27th, 2012
1:56 pm

You know… The curse of being President is you get the blame for things beyond your reach. But you also get credit for things you have nothing to do with. It’s part of the job no matter who is in office. The current administration and liberal supporters just seem to be a bit more thin skinned than administrations in the past…….Whatever happened to the buck stops here. That sign must have been lost over the years.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:56 pm

For the record, I bought four copies of the well-done “Atlas Shrugged Part 1″ one for myself, and one as gifts for friends. I attended the movie with a friend who had no acquaintance with the story, and the friend marveled at the quality of the production and the performances. Impressive scenery work, assume it was CGI. I was impressed to see Rand’s “mediocre” dialogue performed credibly – I did not “hear” it when I first read the book. I was never wild about the “John Galt Speaks” chapter, but I look forward to it now, which I assume will be “Part 3.”

Penny Pincher

April 27th, 2012
1:56 pm

The left keeps saying the rich need to pay their fair share, can you please quantify what that fair share would be?

carlosgvv

April 27th, 2012
1:57 pm

liberalefty – 1:32

Both Rand and Hustler are filled with wishful thinking and fantasy.

Mighty Righty

April 27th, 2012
1:58 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqHL404zhcU

The above is a link to an “urban myth” when Obama matter of factly states that under his energy plan energy cost will sky rocket. This is the same Obama who says, with help from his suporters, that he can’t control energy prices! In this clip he estimates that his policy will cost the average household around $3900 per year. Well Mr. President, your oil policy has us about half way there.

Don't Forget

April 27th, 2012
1:58 pm

Bob Dylan to be one of many Medal of Freedom recipients this year.

Awesome!

Doubt I’ll be at FNM tonight, yall have fun.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
1:58 pm

Doggone – I figured out how to “scam” the system early. I love reading, and feel somewhat lost when I run out of books to read, so I never had to be “bribed” to read. My sister, she would read now, but nobody pays her.

carlosgvv

April 27th, 2012
1:58 pm

Penny Pincher – 1:56

Their fair share is the same tax percentage the middle class pays.

I'm a "con" and a vet. STOP SPITTING ON ME!!! (That Black Guy)

April 27th, 2012
1:59 pm

TM

April 27th, 2012
1:20 pm
and our President’s mentor is Robin Hood, steal from the rich and give to the poor.
______________________________________________________________________

Wrong

Robin Hood stole from taxman and gave BACK to the taxpayer.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
1:59 pm

(ir), man o man o man.

I came up in a different era.

Paying kids so they can fake some sort of intellectual curiosity?

Get rid of three of the four TVs in the house. Toss their precious iPhones into the lake. Burn the game consoles. And limit their computer time to an hour a day. And no vapid and vacuous movies except on the weekends and even then occasionally.

They can then either contemplate their navels or pick up a good book – not that bilge water from the comic book author from Russia – and read it.

And for other cheap entertainment they can go outside and ride their bikes and play baseball…

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
2:02 pm

“so I never had to be “bribed” to read.”

Me either. I did sometimes have to be bribed to stop reading and go outside and play. Then I figured out I would ride my bike clear across Harrisburg, PA to the state library to get REALLY interesting books…so did both in one fell swoop!

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:02 pm

Union: NO BUDGET NEEDED?

“Senate Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Conrad himself, have said for months that a budget resolution was not necessary because fiscal 2013 spending levels were already set by legislation to end last year’s debt limit standoff.”

Do you deny the truth of his statements?

Penny Pincher

April 27th, 2012
2:02 pm

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
1:07 pm
am i the only one tired of the faux individualistic bs spouted by all career politicians? these career bs artists have been on the government dole for decades while telling everybody how bad the government is

I fixed this for you

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
2:03 pm

The left keeps saying the rich need to pay their fair share, can you please quantify what that fair share would be?

Warren Buffet paying something more than a17.4% effective annual tax rate versus his secretary paying 35.8%.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:04 pm

99% of rightwingers never read RANDS book

Here’s a quote from Ayn Rand: “Damn conservatives.”

Speaks volumes I think. Oh, and Saul Alinsky? Right wingers like his tactics more right now than left wingers. Just sayin. The GOP, aka Party of Psychological Projection, needs to look in the mirror.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:04 pm

JamVet – Yeah, it was more for my sister than me. I read everything. If it is something I like, I’ll read it multiple times. Having said all that, if I took your post seriously towards me, I would respond by saying, we had one TV and no cable, cell phones weren’t really around until I was older, didn’t have any type of video games until I was in college, you got me on computers (I’ve always been a nerd), didn’t watch too many movies, but my dad made sure I saw the important ones (Porky’s, Animal House, ect.), but of course, only when my mom was out of town. As a child, I spent all my time reading or roaming through the woods around my house. Then I got a canoe, and spent all my time in it.

Casual Observer

April 27th, 2012
2:05 pm

Looks like more bad news for Obama (GDP growth). I think that by November, the electorate will be so tired of all the negative headlines about Obama and his administration, he could lose by a landslide, much like dems did in the mid-terms of 2010. Not so much a vote for Romney than a vote against Obama.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:05 pm

Doggone – I just took the books to the woods and would spend the afternoon chilling on a fallen tree, reading. :)

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:05 pm

House Passes Student Loan Bill That Cuts Women’s Health Program

Still trying the same old tricks to pretend they are for something when they are really against it, by extracting some other thing from Democrats (or trying to) in a “deal.”

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
2:05 pm

Excuse little old me. Those rates above are not effective tax rates…

Fred ™

April 27th, 2012
2:06 pm

There was a time right after I read Atlas Shrugged for the first time, that I thought it was the end all and be all of of political and critical thought. Of course that was before puberty so I didn’t have much life experience.

It didn’t take me long to see that Ayn Rand was pretty much shot out and living in fantasy land. Of course at that time I didn’t know it was METH LAND.

I always find it quite amusing how the God and Goddess of the NEO-Con movement are two huge f’ing drug addicts……… Rushie and Ayn……….. The Upper and the Downer. The yin and the yang as it were lol. Just goes to show that it takes a kook are a drug addict to think like they do……..

Oscar

April 27th, 2012
2:07 pm

Penny Pincher

April 27th, 2012
1:56 pm
The left keeps saying the rich need to pay their fair share, can you please quantify what that fair share would be?

_____________

Forty five per cent of all income earned in excess of one million a year sounds about right.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:07 pm

Great hatchet job on Paul Ryan…well deserved..He can’t have it both ways….

To be fair, this story is popping up EVERYWHERE. Because just about everyone knows he’s a liar on this one.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
2:07 pm

“Their fair share is the same tax percentage the middle class pays”

I would have said “Their fair share is AT LEAST the same tax percentage the middle class pays” – because I actually think their fair share is MORE than the middle class pays.

Casual Observer

April 27th, 2012
2:07 pm

JamVet – Stay ignorant, my friends…
April 27th, 2012
2:03 pm

Here is an idea. Instead of raising taxes on the rich, why not lower the taxes for everyone else.

Penny Pincher

April 27th, 2012
2:08 pm

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
1:24 pm
Now that was funny!!

Mad Max

April 27th, 2012
2:08 pm

Can each of you here borrow $200,000 for every living person in your household and send it to the feds since that is your fair share of the debt and you all think the current admin has it right. You will still owe some because by the time they receive and process your check, it will have gone up.
It’s not about punishing the poor, it’s about sanity and living within our means. While Bookman smears the only guy who at least has the guts to offer up a plan, our debt continues to spiral out of control. And the guy in the White House wants to speed up our descent over the cliff and the Reid Senate refuses to put forth a plan so people can see where they are taking us but this is good according to the great seer who writes this blog. Our debt probably increased by a billion dollars while he wrote this column. Yeah, that makes sense, just keep to the course even if we don’t know where we are going.

Just my opinion.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:08 pm

James: Now you answer…Where is the cutting the deficit in half we were promised? The new most transparent government ever?

Ok we didn’t get the deficit cut in half by the end of the first term. Transparency? I think we got a good bit of that, especially considering just how much MORE you know about THIS administration’s activities than you did about any other previous admin while they were in office. Would you deny you can probe much deeper into the ins and outs of this admin versus the others during their time?

Fred ™

April 27th, 2012
2:09 pm

Me either. I did sometimes have to be bribed to stop reading and go outside and play. Then I figured out I would ride my bike clear across Harrisburg, PA to the state library to get REALLY interesting books…so did both in one fell swoop!

LOL Not me, either one. I would play until forced to come in then read until forced into bed. At that point I did the flashlight under the covers thing. Of course I had 6 or seven hours of good reading time everyday that school was in session. I used my class time to read books.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:09 pm

TBG nails it at 1:47p

Gale

April 27th, 2012
2:10 pm

Fabulous. Never read the book. I just love how politicians explain away earlier protestations when the wind changes. I love more how people like Jay catch them doing it and tell the world about it.

Fred ™

April 27th, 2012
2:11 pm

Oscar

April 27th, 2012
2:07 pm

Penny Pincher

April 27th, 2012
1:56 pm
The left keeps saying the rich need to pay their fair share, can you please quantify what that fair share would be?

_____________

Forty five per cent of all income earned in excess of one million a year sounds about right.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I disagree. I think the same percentage as everyone else pays (sans deductions and other chicanery) is sufficient. And I mean ALL income. Not just “wages.”

Common Sense

April 27th, 2012
2:11 pm

Always nice to see folks criticize that which they cannot grasp.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:11 pm

Mighty Righty: The above is a link to an “urban myth” when Obama matter of factly states that under his energy plan energy cost will sky rocket

And also leaves out that he wasn’t talking about gas or oil energy, but another specific type of energy. I’ll leave it to you to research which one.

Matti

April 27th, 2012
2:12 pm

I was ten or eleven when I read Herman Wouk’s “The Winds of War” for the first time. Wow. While it was historical fiction, the author did a great job of putting the reader into many pairs of shoes to show how personal war can be. Self-serving politicians start them. Other people’s lives are forever changed.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:12 pm

Adam – I realize it is somewhat silly to ask you this, but did you bother reading the article attached to that? It cut funding from part of the ACA, not specifically to a part that funded women’s health care either. Well, not a part that only funded women’s health care. It was for a preventative health care fund that was for cancer screenings and what not. Having said that, it isn’t much better, but it isn’t the “war on women” that it is being portrayed as by certain news outlets. Also, what exactly is wrong with paying for something before you “buy” it, or finding a way to pay for it?

Mad Max

April 27th, 2012
2:13 pm

JamVet – Stay ignorant, my friends…

If Buffet’s secretary is paying 35%, she is a very well paid secretary. I think you pulled that one out of the air.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:13 pm

Looks like more bad news for Obama (GDP growth). I think that by November, the electorate will be so tired of all the negative headlines

One supposedly negative headline out of hundreds of others that show positive economic news?

Casual Observer

April 27th, 2012
2:13 pm

And it looks like Obama has not impressed the SCOTUS with his incredible wisdom yet. Maybe they didn’t see him on Kimmel the other night?

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
2:13 pm

the gop believes in less government, except when it comes to a woman’s womb. they obviously think women are incapable of making tough decisions and need men to make decisions for them.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
2:13 pm

“I just took the books to the woods and would spend the afternoon chilling on a fallen tree, reading”

Well, that wasn’t so much an option for me. The only woods nearby (I was raised a city girl) weren’t safe for girls to be in alone.

Fred ™

April 27th, 2012
2:14 pm

Common Sense

April 27th, 2012
2:11 pm

Always nice to see folks criticize that which they cannot grasp.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And whom are you accusing of doing such a thing? Can you be specific?

Union

April 27th, 2012
2:14 pm

adam…
the no budget needed comment was in response to a previous post..

second…
still waiting on where you came up with the reason obama won the nobel prize.. a few posts yesterday that you never responded to.. in summation.. the noble committee was vague to say the least.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:14 pm

Fred: Your take might help explain the seeming fervor of Ron Paul supporters…. But I do happen to think it’s a bit hyperbolic. It certainly does seem like Ayn Rand/Ron Paul/Paul Ryan people all focus in on a single philosophy and try to bend reality around it, though.

Casual Observer

April 27th, 2012
2:15 pm

Adam,

We are talking credible news sources here, not HuffPo and Media Matters.

Recon 0311 2533

April 27th, 2012
2:15 pm

Of course there’s always the story of Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats who this Sunday will have gone three full years avoiding a budget vote. Maybe they’re working on “The Path To Bankruptcy” budget. Nice diversion from the growing evidence that the ongoing weak recovery is now reversing as we see an unexpected drop in GDP from 3% down to 2.2%.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
2:15 pm

“Always nice to see folks criticize that which they cannot grasp”

And it funny to see folks touting that which they cannot grasp.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
2:15 pm

Funny essay, we know how leftists look at us normal people:

hollywoodreporter.com/news/ann-coulter-america-hates-hollywood-317007

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:16 pm

Here is an idea. Instead of raising taxes on the rich, why not lower the taxes for everyone else.

Because that does not help increase revenue. It in fact decreases it and gives the right more of a reason to attack the other programs that help reduce poverty and hunger.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:17 pm

Doggone – Yeah, I grew up in the “sticks” so, I had plenty of nature around to hide in. There weren’t any neighbors to play with though, so I had to find ways to amuse myself. I either read, built things, or blew things up. Life was good as a kid. :)

Union

April 27th, 2012
2:17 pm

Adam
April 27th, 2012
2:13 pm

“One supposedly negative headline out of hundreds of others that show positive economic news?”

you mean.. several negative facts.. out of hundreds of news opinions?

Mary Elizabeth

April 27th, 2012
2:17 pm

Moreover, I suspect this false dichotomy myth, i.e. capitalism and individualism vs. social programs based on human rights (socialism?), has been deliberately perpetuated in the minds of average Americans to benefit the financial interests of those who run major corporations. Social programs, which lift millions of Americans, will not serve their purposes. They wish to control government as much as possible, through legislative contacts, to use our government to serve their mercenary ends. They do not support social programs, from the government, that would serve the human rights’ welfare of ordinary Americans. They do not want THEIR “individualism” restricted by the government. What they want is monetary advancement for themselves, personally, and for their corporate interests.

The government was designed to be for the masses, not for the few. Do not be fooled by these asserttions of the “moralilty of individualism and capitalism.” I smell propaganda that will not benefit average Americans, including the level of their wages.

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
2:18 pm

Where is this blog’s ombudsman?:

theatlanticwire.com/technology/2012/04/what-kind-klouchebag-are-you/51655/

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
2:18 pm

“still waiting on where you came up with the reason obama won the nobel prize”

Why do you even care? The money didn’t come out of YOUR pocket, did it?

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:19 pm

Mad Max: It’s not about punishing the poor, it’s about sanity and living within our means

Our means are adjustable, very much UNLIKE any analogy you can come up with. It’s one thing to say we shouldn’t spend tons of money on nothing. it’s another thing to declare any and all government programs that the poor depend on as having little to no value, and therefore need to be cut, all the while proclaiming the added value of even further tax cuts for the rich and corporations, and sometimes EVEN suggesting we raise taxes on the poor.

Personally, I would be fine with either rolling back all of the Bush Tax Cuts, OR having a hard line policy of “No New Tax Cuts.” The latter is a “well, if one side can’t RAISE taxes, then the other side isn’t allowed to LOWER them either.”

Penny Pincher

April 27th, 2012
2:19 pm

Warren Buffet paying something more than a17.4% effective annual tax rate versus his secretary paying 35.8%.

You are talking about two diffent taxes. Warren is paying capital gains tax, his secretary is paying income tax. If his secretary reports capital gains, she would be paying the same rate as Warren on the capital gains she reported.

Fred ™

April 27th, 2012
2:20 pm

ragnar danneskjold

April 27th, 2012
2:15 pm

Funny essay, we know how leftists look at us normal people:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You aren’t a normal person. Normal people don’t espouse the trash that you espouse, not even Republicans. Normal people aren’t supportive of child, slave labor. Normal people find the notion of starving folks to death while others feast on caviar repugnant.

You really SHOULD read the tripe you write and evaluate it’s content. If you are no more “normal’ than Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Kaczynski.

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
2:20 pm

the gop slogan should be; BACK TO THE FUTURE….the good ole days when women and minorities knew their place

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
2:21 pm

Obama’s threatening to veto the student loan bill now? THIS is one of the reasons I’m voting for STABILITY and not necessarily for Obama (damn he gets on my nerves sometimes) in November.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-veto-republican-student-loan-bill-says-white-160233278.html

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
2:21 pm

“You are talking about two diffent taxes”

Yep. And that’s what needs to be changed. Income is income, regardless of it’s source and the rates should reflect that.

Union

April 27th, 2012
2:22 pm

Doggone/GA
April 27th, 2012
2:18 pm

“Why do you even care? The money didn’t come out of YOUR pocket, did it?”

just showing a pattern of ignorance..

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:22 pm

Union: Facts are neither negative nor positive.

That said, the unemployment rates (plural, as in U-1 through U-6) given by the BLS have been dropping steadily for the past year. More and more people believe the economy is improving. Businesses believe it enough to start hiring and stop laying off workers. What is negative about any of that?

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
2:24 pm

“THIS is one of the reasons I’m voting for STABILITY and not necessarily for Obama (damn he gets on my nerves sometimes) in November.”

And hell if if vetoes this student loan bill I may not even vote for him seeing as it affects my wife and I directly.

Working Man

April 27th, 2012
2:24 pm

Jay,
Why do all you liberals want to take money away from people who work for a living and give it to the poor? Why change a good thing? I love the poor just the way they are.
Thanks to the poor, I can ride around town and point them out to the younger members of the family as examples of misspent youth, wasted educational opportunities, products of government social programs, drunken excess and drug use, political reasons for higher taxes, and Obama constituents.

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
2:24 pm

Stop the war on college students, Obama and Senate Democrats. Vote for this bill and DON”T veto it!

Fred ™

April 27th, 2012
2:25 pm

There weren’t any neighbors to play with though, so I had to find ways to amuse myself.

You SO left that teed up, but I won’t drive it down range……. I won’t drive it down range, nope I won’t…….. well I tried to be good…….

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=South+Park+masturbation&oq=South+Park+masturbation&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=youtube.3…32591.40158.0.40350.23.23.0.4.4.0.54.617.19.19.0.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:25 pm

(ir)Rational: I realize it is somewhat silly to ask you this, but did you bother reading the article attached to that? It cut funding from part of the ACA, not specifically to a part that funded women’s health care either. Well, not a part that only funded women’s health care. It was for a preventative health care fund that was for cancer screenings and what not. Having said that, it isn’t much better, but it isn’t the “war on women” that it is being portrayed as by certain news outlets. Also, what exactly is wrong with paying for something before you “buy” it, or finding a way to pay for it?

I was not aware of ALL the specifics, but I knew it was an ACA cut. It’s still extracting something from Democrats in order to get something they want, which in this case is an attack on the ACA.

Nothing wrong with wanting to fund something. HOW you do it makes a load of difference. Do we not value preventative care enough to fund that? Do we value tax cuts for the rich and the Department of Defense MORE than we value safety net programs that help reduce poverty and hunger? I would like to think we do not have the latter value, but it seems the GOP DOES have that value judgment based on their votes and proposed policies.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:26 pm

Peadawg: Obama’s threatening to veto the student loan bill now?

You’re not seriously falling for the political game that the GOP played on the student loan bill are you?

carlosgvv

April 27th, 2012
2:27 pm

Doggone/GA – 2:07

The easy part is saying they should pay at least the percentage the middle-class pays.

The next to impossible part is finding politicians with the stones to make them pay it.

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
2:28 pm

“You’re not seriously falling for the political game that the GOP played on the student loan bill are you?”

You mean by paying for it by cutting something that Obama wanted to cut in his own freakin’ budget to begin with? Obama’s better than that…atleast I thought.

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
2:29 pm

@working man

yeah WARREN BUFFET is definitely broke

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:30 pm

You mean by paying for it by cutting something that Obama wanted to cut in his own freakin’ budget to begin with?

I would like to see evidence the cuts are the same please.

carlosgvv

April 27th, 2012
2:30 pm

For anyone who is thinking about going into a military combat unit, I would strongly suggest reading All Quiet On The Western Front first.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:30 pm

Yeah Fred, I did leave that one out there. Whoops.

Adam – What exactly does this have to do with reducing poverty or hunger? They’re working to dismantle ACA, which EVERYBODY knew they wanted to do when they were elected. Somehow people are acting like it is a surprise. And last time I checked, that is typically how things in politics work. You want something, I get to take away something else you want (less?) in exchange for giving you what you want.

I'm a "con" and a vet. STOP SPITTING ON ME!!! (That Black Guy)

April 27th, 2012
2:30 pm

Mick

April 27th, 2012
1:28 pm
ragnar

What a sterile life it must be if you need to pay someone to read a book…
________________________________________________________________________

I used to pay my daughter $5 for every book she read over the summer.

Now, she goes through about 4 books per month.

Mad Max

April 27th, 2012
2:30 pm

Adam – I agree they are adjustable to an extent. However, there has to be accountability and when you run without a budget, you are doing just that. I also believe all of the Bush/Obama tax cuts should be rolled back including the payroll tax. And how about a NO NEW SUBSIDIES regardless of whose vote you are pandering for? And if one expires let it expire. We hear all the talk about student subsidies and how doubling the student loan rate might cost them a $1,000. Just add it to their share of the debt. So now they owe 201,000 instead of 200,000. There is no right to a college education so why are we subsidizing it. Isn’t that taking money that could be used in more direct help to the poor. What about the boondoggle at GSA, didn’t that take money that could be used for the poor? That’s what happens w/o acountability. No different in business, if you don’t set expectations and budgets, you’re almost guaranteed an overrun.

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
2:31 pm

Union

April 27th, 2012
2:31 pm

Boeing will reveal its first 787 Dreamliner built at a non-union plant in Charleston, South Carolina….

actually got one out the door.. shocker

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:32 pm

(ir)Rational: Compromise is what politics is supposed to be about, not blackmail. There IS a difference.

Now, if as Peadawg says, the cut is one that Obama proposed in his own 2013 budget, then I do wonder what his objection is. It might just be political games on his part, and then he’ll sign the bill anyway, if he’s already getting two things he wants.

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
2:34 pm

Adam, all I got is this from the article:

Boehner – “”The president is so desperate to fake a fight that he’s willing to veto a bill to help students over a slush fund that he advocated cutting in his own budget.”

Then later in the article,

“Obama’s budget, unveiled earlier this year, calls for tapping into the same fund to cover other programs.”

Don’t make me bring up reading comprehension….again.

Recon 0311 2533

April 27th, 2012
2:34 pm

Working Man@2:24, Why waste the gasoline? You can just bring up the blog and point them out to your younger members from the comfort of home.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:34 pm

Mad Max: I would agree with you if it was applied universally and some of the subsidies that are actually considered permanent are axed. That might be more reasonable. As it stands, right now it’s students, education, and health should all suffer while we continue to keep large subsidies and tax cuts for wealthy people and large corporations. Nothing in that scenario is “shared” sacrifice.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:35 pm

Adam – Politics is all about blackmail. You can call it compromise if that makes it more palatable for you, but a rose by any other name is still a rose. I wouldn’t really be surprised if it is all political games though, EVERYTHING seems to be a game to the idiots in Washington.

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
2:35 pm

Adam – http://www.preventioninstitute.org/press/highlights/713-proposed-cuts-to-prevention-fund-are-unacceptable.html

“President Obama has proposed $3.5 billion in cuts to the federal Prevention and Public Health Fund as part of the President’s Plan for Economic Growth and Deficit Reduction.”

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:36 pm

Peadawg: It’s fine to assert that in an article but that’s not evidence. I mean what does it mean to cut into the same fund, and what proof is there that is really what’s happening?

Also reading comprehension only applies when I actually READ something, so… I read a different article on the subject than you did and this was not mentioned.

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
2:37 pm

Adam, Obama needs to STFU and sign the bill.

Union

April 27th, 2012
2:37 pm

adam..
with the exception of government and union employees.. us out in the real world depend on those big evil companies for some of our retirement plans.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:37 pm

(ir)Rational: Politics is all about blackmail. You can call it compromise if that makes it more palatable for you, but a rose by any other name is still a rose

I maintain there is a substantive difference between blackmail and compromise. I mean, even most people in good relationships will tell you that.

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:39 pm

Union: us out in the real world depend on those big evil companies for some of our retirement plans.

First of all, I am not calling big companies evil. Second, I work for one of the big oil companies so I already know about all that. Third, what exactly is your point in bringing this up? I don’t know what you’re responding to at all.

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
2:39 pm

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/white-house-threatens-to-1426690.html

“Republicans noted that many Democrats had voted earlier this year to take money from the preventive health fund to help pay to keep doctors’ Medicare reimbursements from dropping. Obama’s own budget in February proposed cutting $4 billion from the same fund to pay for some of his priorities.”

Mad Max

April 27th, 2012
2:39 pm

There no good relationship between parties anymore. I think that all stopped w/LBJ and Vietnam.

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
2:40 pm

Obama’s better than this “it’s ok if I do it but not the other side” bs….I thought.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
2:40 pm

If Buffet’s secretary is paying 35%, she is a very well paid secretary. I think you pulled that one out of the air.

Of course you do.

And if, I too had never done the tiniest bit of research, I would be equally misinformed and confused…

But take it up with the horses and their mouths themselves…

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2012/01/warren-buffett-and-his-secretary-talk-taxes/

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
2:41 pm

@union

government does create jobs…our war industry provides jobs for millions of workers at LOCKHEED,BOEING, etc. whoever saiud the government doesnt create jobs are a lie

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:41 pm

Peadawg: I am all caught up with what you posted, and I agree he should sign the bill and not make a big deal out of it since h proposed the exact same thing. All I can think is he’s making a political game out of it. Wouldn’t be the first time.

liberalefty

April 27th, 2012
2:42 pm

Peadawg

April 27th, 2012
2:43 pm

“All I can think is he’s making a political game out of it. ” – After barkin’ about student loans for the past week and he tries to pull this sht…in the words of Chris Carter – “Come on man!”

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
2:43 pm

I think we already have default tax hikes and spending cuts in place thanks to the bipartisan efforts of our leaders. Don’t they kick in starting in January.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
2:43 pm

Here is an idea. Instead of raising taxes on the rich, why not lower the taxes for everyone else.

Fine.

But to what end?

To take your idea to it’s natural conclusion, the end game is that nobody pays any taxes.

That would make for one helluva utopian USA huh?

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:44 pm

Adam – I meant in politics there isn’t any real difference between blackmail and compromise. In real life, there is.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
2:45 pm

ir(Rational) @ 1:44

No political or economic system or ideology is without flaws. Politicians just make it worse, but that is another story.

With that said, Rags loves to post on a regular basis as if what he says on politics and economics is without flaw. Is he wrong all the time? No. But there are many times he will just ignore something that debunks what he posts or doubles down on his pompous, “I’m smarter than you” condescending attitude…. He has never been wrong……… Just ask him.

One can not be as blind as he appears to be for his own political / economic ideology and also call someone else a “tool” at the same time….. Well one can do it, but it is foolish and stupid to be honest. He ought to look in the mirror when he resorts to name calling……… which in itself is pretty weak for someone who attempts to comes across his superior intellect

As for you being “seriously confused”, you are more than welcome to pass me by if you do not agree with something I post

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:45 pm

(ir)Rational: I meant in politics there isn’t any real difference between blackmail and compromise. In real life, there is.

LOL that seriously made me laugh!

Adam

April 27th, 2012
2:46 pm

Peadawg: Yeah. After reading all this stuff I am definitely thinking “Come on man” on this one.

Mick

April 27th, 2012
2:48 pm

Dear ragnar

If you are looking for a good three part movie may I suggest the godfather 1 & 2 excellent, 3 is OK or back to the future 1,2,3 – not bad for the entertainment value…

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
2:48 pm

He lashed out at assertions from many Republican leaders that the “Buffett rule” is class warfare.

“If this is a war, my side has the nuclear bomb,” Buffett said. “We have K Street. … We have Wall Street. Debbie doesn’t have anybody. I want a government that is responsive to the people who got the short straw in life.”

Word.

There are several excellent ideas out there, but you programmed 1% asskissers LOVE carrying water for the super-rich in the hopes that you will get trickled on.

This one NEVER gets old…

http://tinyurl.com/7odemw4

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:49 pm

TBS – I was only confused as to why you were suggesting that someone shouldn’t follow their own ideology. Like I said, if you would have added in a qualifier to the ideology, calling it Republican or whatever, I wouldn’t have been confused.

Adam – I call it like I see it.

Mad Max

April 27th, 2012
2:49 pm

Jam Vet – then she’s a very well paid secretary that puts her in the upper middle class who hasn’t learned a thing while sitting at the feet of the master. For her to pay a federal rate of 35.8%, she would have to be making in excess of $250,000 so I’m very skeptical of that number.

mm

April 27th, 2012
2:51 pm

“Stop the war on college students, Obama and Senate Democrats. Vote for this bill and DON”T veto it!”

Don’t blame the dems. The cons put a poison pill in the bill (as usual).

Thulsa Doom

April 27th, 2012
2:51 pm

“Leftists do not routinely engage in critical thought, more of a “four legs good, two legs bad” level of analysis.”- Ragnar

Bingo. I don’t know what it is but libs just hate the economic freedom of the individual concept. They hate it they do.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
2:51 pm

rational

Got you

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
2:51 pm

“The next to impossible part is finding politicians with the stones to make them pay it”

No argument there

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:52 pm

Max – That is what has been widely reported, but I would venture a guess that she also pays a bit of that 17% rate also, cause nobody working that closely for Buffet isn’t investing. I mean, if I worked for Bobby Flay, I would be eating all the time, same concept (to me anyway).

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
2:54 pm

“The cons put a poison pill in the bill (as usual).” – The SAME poison that Obama put in HIS budget and Democrats voted for.

Mad Max

April 27th, 2012
2:55 pm

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:52 pm
Are you saying you can’t believe everything you read or hear.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:55 pm

Pea – Give it up, you can only tell them the truth, you can’t make them understand it.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
2:55 pm

“I meant in politics there isn’t any real difference between blackmail and compromise”

Sure there is. I’m amazed you even typed that. Compromise is saying “vote for this bill and I’ll vote for that one” Blackmail is “vote for this bill or you’ll never get anything you want through”

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
2:55 pm

The House blocked a Democratic alternative that would have paid for the student loan bill by taking away tax subsidies for oil companies.

Republicans are not really interested in closing loopholes.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
2:56 pm

ir(Rational)

To make it much quicker, I should have just said………… his blogging persona at least, maybe not him in “real” life. appears to confuse intellect and wisdom

much, much different…………… And he is intllegent

Oscar

April 27th, 2012
2:56 pm

A progressive tax is what we should use. Those with higher incomes have profited more from the system, have more to protect, and have the abillity to pay the tax.

A regressive tax just puts an inordinate burden on those with the least abilty and the least benefit.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:56 pm

Max – I believe nothing.

Jefferson

April 27th, 2012
2:57 pm

Nancy will get some things done next year when control goes back to the right hands.

barking frog

April 27th, 2012
2:57 pm

Ayn would have engineers
run the world. Your
government would be
as dependable as your
car, your computer, your
phone. She is WINNING !

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
2:58 pm

TaxPayer
April 27th, 2012
2:55 pm

Obama should happily vote for the student loan bill seeing as it CUTS THE SAME THING OBAMA WANTED TO CUT IN HIS OWN FREAKIN’ BUDGET.

This should be a done deal. Period. No arguing. No threats.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
2:59 pm

Doggone – Like I said, I call it like I see it.

TBS – Yeah, I wouldn’t have even responded to that. It didn’t concern me. I was just trying to clear up some confusion for myself.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:02 pm

“Like I said, I call it like I see it.”

Yep, you do. Pity you can see when what you “call” it is incorrect.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
3:03 pm

For her to pay a federal rate of 35.8%…

Max, where did anyone say anything about a federal rate?

You seem to miss the obvious – payroll taxes vs. dividends and capital gains among many other contrived “laws” that tilt the American tax game heavily towards the wealthy.

In any given year there almost a half of a million American households that make between $100,000 and $500,000 and pay ZERO in federal income taxes.

And the REALLY great news – 18,000 American households make $500,000 or more and pay nothing.

How may times has that happened to you?

Scooter

April 27th, 2012
3:04 pm

Are any liberals concerned about the looming collapse of entitlement programs? I ask because so many want to demonize proposed solutions and offer no solutions of their own… just more classist demonizing and unsustainable promises to the recipients of spreading the welath around. We as a people need to get serious and realize a solution must be honestly debated. or politicians will monetize the debt. That will devestate the purchasing power of all of us!

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
3:04 pm

Doggone – So because we disagree on semantics, I’m unable to see when I’m wrong? Whatever. :roll:

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
3:05 pm

Peadawg,

If you want to accept Obama’s budget in its entirety, I’ll go for that. Otherwise, it’s politics as usual and I do not agree with your conclusion that he should accept this offer by the Republicans. The Republicans want to cut more from the ACA in order to fund the student loans while the Democrats want to cut subsidies to oil companies such as Exxon. Cut the subsidies.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
3:06 pm

TaxPayer – So Obama shouldn’t accept the cuts he proposed? Interesting.

Jefferson

April 27th, 2012
3:07 pm

SS should be in a lockbox.

too little time

April 27th, 2012
3:07 pm

As a conservative… I think that it is a HUGE mistake (the Ryan proposals) to cut entitlements without touching defense!

On a personal level, it means that Ryan is telling me that maintaining bases for those thankless SOBs in Europe is somehow more important than my retirement healthcare. Or, that some defense contractor’s bottom line is more important than the fact that my knee needs replacing.

It’s never going to fly. Cutting the size of government does not mean cutting the size of government EXCEPT . That kind of partisan picking and choosing is what polarizes our country and relegates the GOP to a “was” party.

If Ryan wants to cut the budget, then EVERYBODY must share the pain. That means cutting Medicare…AND the defense budget… AND the tax breaks that Apple/GM/big Oil use to avoid taxes… AND refundable Earned Income Tax Credits. The cuts have to be non-partisan. If everyone is not participating, then the target of those cuts will seek retaliation against the party that invoked them.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
3:07 pm

“I ask because so many want to demonize proposed solutions and offer no solutions of their own…”

Did Obama not propose a spending cuts and tax increases to the House?

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:07 pm

“So because we disagree on semantics, I’m unable to see when I’m wrong?”

The difference between compromise and blackmail is more than semantics…whether in the “real” world or the political world.

Obama is over

April 27th, 2012
3:08 pm

The WSJ quotes the AP today stating that 53% of bachelor degree-holders under the age of 25 are currently unemployed or underemployed. That is the cold cruel reality of Obama’s economic policies and frankly lack of any comprehensive plan moving forward. Obama’s strategy is to vilify his oponents on anything he can dream up while avoiding specifics on his programs because they simply do not stand up to scrutiny. At least Ryan has a plan. It may not be perfect, but at least it is a place to start. All we get the past few months from the WH are a series of snafus: the open mic situation with the Russian President implying that what he had to say would be so offensive to Americans that he would not be re-elected (on top of dissing Netanyahu in an open mic last year); attacking the Supreme Court because they were “unelected” officials; attacking the Catholic Church because they did not support subsidies for birth control; Biden and Wasserman-Schultz alleged that the Catholic fight was part of a larger war on women while female employees at the WH make 18% less than their male peers and Hillary Rosen decrees that Mrs. Romney’s experience of surviving MS, breast cancer, and raising 5 children didn’t qualify as work; let’s not forget the Secret Service and the GSA; failure and completely unrealistic economics of the Buffet rule; disastrous energy policy based on technology that will not be viable for at least another 25 years; consistent 8+ unemployment; and $Trillion deficits with no detailed plan on how to address them. All of these recent activities add up to an inept Federal government being run with no accountability because Obama has been running for office for the past 3 years. It should come as no surprise that WSB reported last night that one of the Obama bundlers that hosted a fund raising event here in Atlanta is being investigated for fraudulently winning a $300mm airport vending contract by pretending to be a disadvantaged minority. In the meantime, all we are going to get is more nasty mud slinging, the blame game, and more campaign distractions. Basically anything to avoid taking responsibility for the past 3 years and offering any detailed solutions for today’s issues at hand. Too bad Obama didn’t go to Boulder for the 420 party. Then he could have really had a meaningful conversation about Rand with the college students and avoided boring them with his stale soak the rich/blame Bush/weapons of mass distraction speach. I agree with Obama on one thing: it’s not fair to have 53% unemployment/underemployment for recent college grads. We simply can’t keep going in the same direction of the past 4 years and need to get someone who understands how to grow the economy in the White House.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
3:09 pm

too little time

Those are some good points

Jefferson

April 27th, 2012
3:09 pm

dude, you copied that from somewhere.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:10 pm

“I do not agree with your conclusion ” – Of course you don’t.

Republicans saying we can do it but you can’t = bad (obama/romney care)
Obama saying I can do but you can’t = politics as usual

barking frog

April 27th, 2012
3:10 pm

Jefferson
SS is in a lockbox but
the lock has been picked.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:11 pm

Finally have a moment to take a deep breath and think about this: “House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan is now on the “oft-mentioned list” of potential vice presidential candidates”

Personally, I think it’s a good idea. Get him out of Congress and into a nice ceremonial job where he can look pretty and talk nice.

ZoSo

April 27th, 2012
3:12 pm

The 10% of households with the highest incomes pay more than half of all federal taxes. They pay more than 70% of federal income taxes, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

I guess 70% just isn’t enough?

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:12 pm

“SS is in a lockbox but”

Where did you get that idea?

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
3:12 pm

Doggone – I still maintain, that in the political world, there is no difference. But you think what you want, I’ll think what I want, and we can both be happy. Well, at least I can be.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:12 pm

“I guess 70% just isn’t enough?”

What percentage of the country’s wealth do they control?

I'm a "con" and a vet. STOP SPITTING ON ME!!! (That Black Guy)

April 27th, 2012
3:14 pm

Jefferson

April 27th, 2012
2:57 pm
Nancy will get some things done next year when control goes back to the right hands.
_________________________________________________________________________

The house is on fire, but you are mowing the lawn.

You got something done, but did it help?

barking frog

April 27th, 2012
3:14 pm

doggone
it’s a trust fund.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:15 pm

“Well, at least I can be”

Well, it’s easy to be happy when you’re delusional.

ZoSo

April 27th, 2012
3:15 pm

Why does it matter? People on the left love to demonize these folks but they pay the majority of the taxes. Let me know when you come up with a fair number.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:16 pm

“it’s a trust fund”

But it’s not in a “lockbox” – that was proposed, but never passed.

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
3:16 pm

TaxPayer – So Obama shouldn’t accept the cuts he proposed? Interesting.

irrational,

As I said, you don’t get to pick and choose. Take his budget in it’s entirety or return to the game of politics (I’m more than happy to just wait for those defaults to kick in by the way). The Dems are willing to pay for the student loans by cutting those oil company subsidies. And please do not go down that silly path of trying to put your words on my post. You’re an educated person and should know better than to stoop to such a ploy.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
3:18 pm

ZoSo, just because you have a net worth of over $8,000,000 and an average annual income of $350,000, all of us in the 99% don’t.

No wonder you are so fiercely protective of your own turf…

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:18 pm

“Why does it matter? People on the left love to demonize these folks but they pay the majority of the taxes”

And so they should. They have the greater proportion of this country’s wealth, they should pay a greater proportion of what it takes to protect it.

Mad Max

April 27th, 2012
3:19 pm

JamVet – Stay ignorant, my friends…

I believe that Buffet is stating his federal rate aso I assumed that his secretary would state it in the same terms. I may be wrong but, regardless she would still be fairly well paid and not very agressive in taking care of her future (401k, health insurance before taxes, etc) in order to hit that rate. Should we feel sorry for her because she is to timid to do anything? And shame on Buffet for not directing her, not very generous from a man who wants to even the playing field.

In regards to capital gains and investment income, you have to be careful what you ask for. We have an “Amelia Bedelia” type government and we have millions of folks retiring, or getting near retirement who have saved and planned for their retirement and they will be depending on those types of investments to live on or do you not care about the elderly? Who defines what amount of money in retirement ages is too much? Remember for the vast majority of those folks, every dollar taxed will be withdrawn from the economy.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:20 pm

“The Dems are willing to pay for the student loans by cutting those oil company subsidies.”

The Dems were PERFECTLY willing to pay for what THEY wanted w/ the SAME cuts that the Republicans want to make now to pay for the student loan bill. Do the Democrats not really want to freeze student loan rates or something?

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:21 pm

“Republicans want to make now to pay for the student loan bill”

I don’t understand what needs to be “paid for” in the student loan program. It’s not like we’re paying student to take the money. They ARE paying interest on it, after all.

I'm a "con" and a vet. STOP SPITTING ON ME!!! (That Black Guy)

April 27th, 2012
3:22 pm

Adam, I answered you downstairs.

I'm a "con" and a vet. STOP SPITTING ON ME!!! (That Black Guy)

April 27th, 2012
3:23 pm

Jay, what say you on the Student loan veto threat?

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
3:24 pm

Doggone – I never knew I was delusional. Thank you so very much for informing me of this fact. Is it something I should consider working on? I mean, it seems to be working well enough for me now, so would I really want to change?

TaxPayer – Unfortunately, for you and for everyone else, they do get to pick and choose. The president can only propose a budget, he can’t force it to be considered or passed. If he proposes cutting something in his budget, then it is passed and cut in another bill, he shouldn’t be complaining, it is what he already went on record as saying he wanted. I have no idea what you’re talking about, with me trying to put my words into your post. I only responded to what you were writing.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
3:24 pm

“Remember for the vast majority of those folks, every dollar taxed will be withdrawn from the economy.”

Well………. not exactly

Ask Boeing, GE, etc who as a corporations and individuals are reliant on TAXES dollars via the contracts they have with Uncle Sam………. Just using those two as smaller fish, but could go on and on

I can vaguely see your point out on the horizon……. but in the end it isn’t exactly true

That money will get back into the economy…….

You could argue not fast enough, not in the right hands, etc, etc but “withdrawn”…….. no no no

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:24 pm

“I don’t understand what needs to be “paid for” in the student loan program. ” – I’m guessing to recoup the money that would have been made if the rates doubled. Kind of like paying for tax cuts?

Mad Max

April 27th, 2012
3:24 pm

Doggone/GA

We are borrowing money to give to them and then we pay a higher rate on the money we borrowed.

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:26 pm

“We are borrowing money to give to them and then we pay a higher rate on the money we borrowed”

So did we for the Iran and Iraq wars…so what’s the difference?

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:26 pm

Oops! Iraq and Afghanistan wars!

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
3:27 pm

ir(Rational)

The right via Newt, the Heritage Foundation and several others prominent Repubs were on the record for mandates…….
What is the problem now that they are in the ACA?

In principle isn’t that what you are saying or are you restricting that to budgets and bills?

Mad Max

April 27th, 2012
3:27 pm

They BOTH – you lost me when you brought up Boeing & GE?

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:28 pm

You would have a point, TaxPayer, on the oil subsidies if Obama hadn’t proposed the same cut that the Republicans want to make.

Jefferson

April 27th, 2012
3:29 pm

The 1% don’t worry about clean water, they drink bottled water.
The 1% don’t want to pay for public education, they send theirs to private school.

It wasn’t communism that took all the money from the rich in 1917 in Russia, it was just a change from too many poor people. Is that what the rich want, to have nothing because they wouldn’t let the trickle run ?

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
3:31 pm

TBS – I don’t restrict it to anything. I wasn’t aware they spoke for everyone on the right, but I learn all kinds of new things on here all the time. However, I will say there is a difference between something said 10-15 years ago (I’m guessing, I really don’t know) and something proposed as a budget a couple of months ago.

JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...

April 27th, 2012
3:32 pm

I believe that Buffet is stating his federal rate…

Then you are incorrect.

I may be wrong but, regardless she would still be fairly well paid…

Then you would be incorrect again. Even by Omaha standards.

Do some basic research and find the facts that countermand the ones that I have provided you. And then post them.

Those two rates that I listed are clearly before exemptions, deductions, credits, losses, etc. Even after ALL of those, her rate is still higher than his.

I’m certainly no accountant but I have one and I do have some basic working knowledge of these laws.

BTW, my tax rate before deductions, etc? 38.3%.

My effective tax rate? 21%

Four to five percentage points higher than Buffett’s.

This isn’t rocket science…

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
3:32 pm

Mad Max

Just used them as examples……. They have contracts with the government………. They government uses our tax dollars to pay them (or the money we borrow, but that is another story)…..

In essence tax dollars are not “withdrawn” from the economy……..

Once again you could argue in the wrong hands, doesn’t get into the economy fast enough, taxed too much……. but that money isn’t “withdrawn” per say………. We know Uncle Sam doesn’t save @hit………. so that money is getting back into the economy…….

The most efficient way….. now that another story

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
3:33 pm

irrational, peadawg, et al,

We’ll continue with the politics as usual then.

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

April 27th, 2012
3:33 pm

Peadawg

If the student loan bill is paid for from healthcare funds, somebody is going to go with out preventative care.

That too could hurt you and your wife.

Do you really think a subsidy for an oil company is more important that
preventative care for YOUR WIFE?

Think deeper.

(Note see the numbers from Chevron just released)

josef

April 27th, 2012
3:33 pm

So, are the Ayn Randists now the Albigensians? Quite frankly, I think all in all I’d take a Randist over a Dominican….

Mad Max

April 27th, 2012
3:33 pm

Doggone – it’s money we don’t have regardless of what we spend it on. That was your question. To repeat what I said earlier, every living person in this nation now owes over $200,000 as part of the national debt. Where does it stop? At 500,000, 1,000,000, 5,000,000, 100,000,000 per person. At some point it will become obvious to all but the diehards that default and/or drastic overhaul is necessary.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
3:33 pm

ir(Rational)

Welcome to the world of politics………

No more than the President can dictate to Congress can they dictate to him…….

Were you for Obama’s budget?

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:35 pm

Granny Godzilla – Union Thugette
April 27th, 2012
3:33 pm

You’re a little late to the party. Like I’ve told TaxPayer and Adam, Obama proposed the SAME cuts in his own budget. You’d have a good point about oil subsidies otherwise. Obama, Reid, Pelosi, et al needs to stop playing some twisted political game w/ student loans.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
3:35 pm

GG – OH NOS! Something that could affect me sometime down the line. But wait, I provide my wife and myself with private insurance, I don’t have to rely on the government for that. I’m confused, am I not going to be allowed to keep my private insurance? Am I going to be forced to go and beg the government to allow me to go to the doctor?

Also, as an aside, can someone please explain to me what the BFD is when companies make profits? Isn’t that what companies are supposed to do?

Doggone/GA

April 27th, 2012
3:35 pm

“At some point it will become obvious to all but the diehards that default and/or drastic overhaul is necessary”

And more than a few of us have known that for years now. My own personal opinion is that it’s time to start with cutting the DOD budget in half.

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
3:37 pm

You would have a point, TaxPayer, on the oil subsidies if Obama hadn’t proposed the same cut that the Republicans want to make.

The house Dems made their proposal to cut oil subsidies. The house Republicans have to deal with the house Dems. Obama proposed a budget package — not something for Republicans to treat as some sort of shopping list where they get to pick what they want. They did not like his budget proposal. Fine. Deal with the house Democrats. Then, deal with Senate. Then, give Obama a bill and see if he signs it. I’m good with that.

UNCLE SAMANTHA

April 27th, 2012
3:38 pm

i hear Joe Biden is enamored with Obama’s BIG STICK

Butch Cassidy

April 27th, 2012
3:38 pm

Obama is Over – “We simply can’t keep going in the same direction of the past 4 years and need to get someone who understands how to grow the economy in the White House.”

I agree, it’s to bad that the GOP couldn’t find a candidate that could achieve that goal.

Jay

April 27th, 2012
3:40 pm

“We are borrowing money to give to them and then we pay a higher rate on the money we borrowed.”

Mad Max, untrue. The 3.4 percent we’re charging them is about what Uncle Sam is paying on T-bills. Doubling it to 6.8 percent would mean that we’re making a good chunk on the students.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:40 pm

TaxPayer
April 27th, 2012
3:37 pm

That paragraph of rubbish you just wrote shouldn’t even have to happen on something as simple as taken a Obama-proposed cut and using that to pay for the student loan bill.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
3:40 pm

TBS – I’ll be honest and say I haven’t read the whole thing. From the broad outline I have read, no. It doesn’t do enough to curb spending for my tastes. Then again, I doubt I’ll see the budget that does enough for my tastes.

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

April 27th, 2012
3:41 pm

Peadawg

If this is your idea of a party….

What exactly did Obama propose to pay for with ACA funds?

Why do you continue to defend oil subsidies?

Ayn Rant

April 27th, 2012
3:42 pm

Jay, you’re the best investigative journalist in Christendom!

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
3:43 pm

Rational

Thanks for the reply…….. That was my whole point…. The House is attempting to cherry pick something and expect the Pres to be happy…………

It is a two way street………..

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:43 pm

“What exactly did Obama propose to pay for with ACA funds?”

Go back and read the links to story I posted earlier like Adam did. I posted 3 or 4. You’re a big girl. I’m not re-posting them just for you.

“Why do you continue to defend oil subsidies?” – Show me where I’ve defended them. Please oh please oh please.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
3:45 pm

TBS – Sometimes you just gotta be happy with what you can get. Especially in a case like this where there is about a 0% chance of the entire budget ever getting passed. By either the House or Senate if I remember correctly. But I do understand the point you were making.

They BOTH suck

April 27th, 2012
3:45 pm

Rational

And as you know it is election year so I wouldn’t expect too many comprises of any significant consequence from either side

Sad but true

UNCLE SAMANTHA

April 27th, 2012
3:46 pm

jay
why don’t you INVESTIGATE all the books, people and sources that Obama was raised to believe in and let us know who they are

Jefferson

April 27th, 2012
3:47 pm

Be out of the market by Thanksgiving.

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

April 27th, 2012
3:48 pm

Peadawg

You are defending them when you think it’s better to take dollars from preventative care than oil subsidies.

Your wife is more important to you than Chevron isn’t she?

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
3:50 pm

TBS – From the way things have been going in Congress for as far back as I can remember, I wouldn’t expect much even if it weren’t an election year.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:51 pm

“You are defending them when you think it’s better to take dollars from preventative care than oil subsidies.” – Again, never said that. Show me where I did or stfu.

The GOP is using cuts that Obama himself proposed. Period. End of story. There should be NO votes against this bill. Stop playing political games and stop w/ the threats to veto.

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

April 27th, 2012
3:53 pm

ir

ACA requires certain preventative are to be free.

what’s your co-pay?

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:54 pm

You want me to vote for you, Obama? Don’t raise the rates on my wife’s Stafford loans.

Tom Middleton

April 27th, 2012
3:55 pm

Well, if he’s out to prove that he’s cut from the same character cloth as Mitt Romney, you know, so he can be the VP pick, then he’s done it. We now know absolutely that Paul Ryan can flip-flop as well as Mitt for political office!

Now it we can just get Rush Limbaugh, who called Ayn Rand “brilliant,” Rand Paul, who called himself “a fan,” and Ron Johnson, who called “Atlas Shrugged” his foundation book, to do the same, we might have a political party that at least looks like it believes in God.

From an interview the late great Mike Wallace had with the atheist Ms. Rand:

Mike Wallace: You are out to destroy almost every edifice in the contemporary American way of life – our Judeo Christian religion, our government modified regulated capitalism, our rule by majority will, (while) other reviews have said that you scorn churches and the concept of God. Are these accurate criticisms?

Ayn Rand: Yes

I did say, “looks like” it believes in God, didn’t I? Good, because that’s all I meant. I mean, “brilliant,” Rush? Really?

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

April 27th, 2012
3:55 pm

Sorry, Peadawg, but you don’t get to period end of story this.

It’s above your paygrade.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:56 pm

The GOP is using cuts that YOU proposed yourself, Mr. President and cuts that DEMOCRATS voted for.

And now the GOP wants to use the same ones to pay for this bill and you threat to veto? That’s one way to reeeaaally get me angry.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
3:58 pm

Granny, you’re defending Obama while he plays a sick political game w/ student loans. I can period end of story this (in the Teddy KGB voice from ‘Rounders’) whenever the f*k I please.

(ir)Rational

April 27th, 2012
3:58 pm

GG – My copay for preventative is, oddly enough, $0.00.

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
3:58 pm

Paragraph of rubbish, Peadawg. I see you have reduced yourself to that now. Is that your way of “winning”?

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
4:00 pm

I see another part of that healthcare legislation requires insurers to return one billion to the insured. Good show.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
4:01 pm

TaxPayer – my 3:58 goes to you too, sport.

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
4:02 pm

Peadawg must be angry at the house Dems for offering to cut oil company subsidies in order to pay for the revenues that the Republicans will lose by not raising interest rates on their kids that attend college on loans. Take your ball and go home then, Peadawg.

Thulsa Doom

April 27th, 2012
4:04 pm

“The 1% don’t worry about clean water, they drink bottled water.”

Sometimes a lib makes a point that is so asininely stupid that you just have to edumucate them. Middle class and even poor people can afford to drink bottled waters. Because of poor water systems back home the immigrants from central america here largely drink bottled water.

And the dumbest point of that is that the 1%ers have to bathe in tap water and when they go to restaurants some of their food is boiled in or made with tap water. Gawd ya’ll say some really dumb things.

I'm a "con" and a vet. STOP SPITTING ON ME!!! (That Black Guy)

April 27th, 2012
4:04 pm

Adam

April 27th, 2012
1:52 pm
TBG: Touche. It appears that “failure” is in fact an antonym for “accomplishment.”

As a point of note though, how can one reasonably call things that DID pass, but didn’t achieve greater than stellar results, as failures? For example, the stimulus.
______________________________________________________________________

When have I done that?

I’m sure you are not asking me to justify what SOMEONE else said, right?

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
4:05 pm

TaxPayer
April 27th, 2012
4:02 pm

Nope, I’m angry at Obama and the Democrats for playing political games and being 100% hypocrites and threatening to not vote for and veto this bill just b/c the GOP proposed a cut that OBAMA HIMSELF PROPOSED.

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

April 27th, 2012
4:05 pm

Tax Payer

Sick stuff indeed.

stands for decibels

April 27th, 2012
4:12 pm

I know the party’s upstairs, but…

To repeat what I said earlier, every living person in this nation now owes over $200,000 as part of the national debt

Unless there’s some new math I missed, 14 trillion divided by 300 million ain’t 200 grand. It’s around 47 grand.

And frankly, carrying a 47 thousand dollar principal amount on a debt that’s financing the whole country? That doesn’t sound all that scary to me.

(Sorry Peadawg, I know you think this is “loony” talk.)

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
4:14 pm

No, Peadawg. You are either playing the part of the conned exceedingly well or else you have been conned. If you really cared about those student loans, you could just as easily say to your fellow Republicans, you know we don’t really have to make all that money off of students or you know, we could let the oil companies chip in. The funding that the GOP seeks most certainly does not have to come out of the healthcare legislation as you seem to think.

Mitt Zombie

April 27th, 2012
4:15 pm

Outstanding work Jay, it reminds me of the skewering The Daily Show administers to duplicitous politicians. I hope they will piggyback on your research and also expose the charlatan.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
4:19 pm

TaxPayer
April 27th, 2012
4:14 pm

If OBAMA really cared about student loans, he would stop playing games. I’m not saying where the funding comes from is ok. What I AM saying (and what you and Granny seem to missing) is that Obama proposed the EXACT SAME CUTS in HIS budget. And now he’s being a little b*ch b/c the GOP are proposing the same cuts. Why is that so hard for y’all to grasp?

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
4:24 pm

No, Peadawg, you do not get to take Obama’s proposals out of context. He proposed a package of items and the Republicans refused. You do not have the luxury of referring to bits and pieces as though they were offered as such. The house Republicans can now return to business as usual. Pass your house bill and then work with the Senate to agree on a final bill and pass it up the line to Obama. That is your option. You can continue to claim otherwise to your heart’s content I suppose for what good it will do you. Have fun with that.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
4:26 pm

“you do not get to take Obama’s proposals out of context. ” – How am I taking it out of context? He obviously was fine w/ the cuts when he proposed them. And now he’s not b/c the GOP is proposing them.

You can continue to defend Obama playing political game w/ student loans to your heart’s content I suppose for what good it will do you. Have fun with that.

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
4:43 pm

Peadawg,

Take up your concerns with the House Dems and the Senate Dems. Get your bill past them and on to Obama. If you really care about making sure those kids have affordable loans, that’s where you should have your efforts focused. If Obama likes what he sees in the bill, he’ll sign it and if he doesn’t, then we can compare notes. Til then, this exchange is rendered moot.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
4:49 pm

Again, TaxPayer – You can continue to defend Obama playing political game w/ student loans to your heart’s content I suppose for what good it will do you. Have fun with that.

Hypocrite.

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
5:01 pm

From your link, Peadawg:

President Obama has proposed $3.5 billion in cuts to the federal Prevention and Public Health Fund as part of the President’s Plan for Economic Growth and Deficit Reduction.

Again, Peadawg, trying to take Obama’s proposals out of context will get you nowhere with me. Obama made his proposals as a part of a package deal. You do not get to pick and choose no matter how much you want to. Just like you do not get to walk into the grocery store and open up a product and take the part labeled “10% more at no added cost” for free. Finally, calling me a hypocrite is really silly, Peadawg, unless you can back it up with some proof. You’re grasping.

Reagan Man

April 27th, 2012
6:46 pm

If Ryan said it, then it’s true.

You leftists are just trying to make a good man look bad by misquoting him in the past.

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

April 27th, 2012
6:50 pm

You leftists are just trying to make a good man look bad by misquoting him in the past.

Someone didn’t watch the video provided, I see.

Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

April 27th, 2012
7:06 pm

Lets run through the same drill for Emperor Nero. You have got to have Karl Marx front and center, although he does show some fascist tendencies – who can we compare him to on that front? He gives a much better Muslim testimony than Christian – who is his muse there?

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
7:07 pm

TaxPayer
April 27th, 2012
5:01 pm

“unless you can back it up with some proof.” – You’re defending Obama and Senate/House Democrats on being hypocrites, which makes you one also. Live with it, son.

Jay

April 27th, 2012
7:11 pm

Sure Vast. Sure.

As soon as you post the video in which Obama lauds Marx or Mohammad as the moral leader for out times, you’ll have a point.

Otherwise….

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
7:33 pm

You’re defending Obama and Senate/House Democrats on being hypocrites, which makes you one also. Live with it, son.

I asked you to provide proof that I am a hypocrite and you claim it is so based on your claim that Obama and the Democrats are hypocrites and I defend their hypocrisy.

Hypocrite – a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.

Cite my words that satisfy the definition, Peadawg.

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 27th, 2012
7:43 pm

“Hypocrite – a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.”

Obama proposes a cut in his budget – good.
GOP proposes a cut to the exact same program in the student loan bill – bad

That’s a contradiction.

Damn you’re dense. We can go around in circles all you want but the fact remains, you, Granny, Pelosi, Reid, and Obama are hypocrites on the issue. Atleast 1 Democrat agreed w/ me earlier (Adam). Can’t the same about you and Granny, sadly.

See everyone Monday!

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

April 27th, 2012
7:45 pm

Peapup melt-down.

TaxPayer

April 27th, 2012
7:49 pm

Actually Peadawg,

Republicans had voted earlier in the week for a budget that allowed the rate to go up, but under public pressure offered a plan Wednesday to preserve the rate by cutting the Prevention and Public Health Fund created in President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.

So, I think if the Republicans come out now claiming that they wanted to maintain those lower rates all along, then they would be the hypocrites (or just outright liars), not Obama.

Further, you did not cite anything I posted that supports your claim that I am a hypocrite.

independent thinker

April 28th, 2012
9:43 am

And Willard now says his campaign is based on “fairness” and that Obama is guilty of “unfairness.”
That is a typical Turd Blossom (Rove) trick of calling the other side what you areand lying about your true beliefs. After all George W. was a comapssionate conservative wasn’t he?

Lets see some of the unfair things Obama has done that Mr. Fairness and his cohorts would not have done:

1. Bail out the states when their unemployment funds ran out;
2. Bail out all the banks so their balance sheets improved;
3. Helped homeowners avoid foreclosure;
4. reduce payroll taxes;
5. end a highly unfavorable war in Iraq and bring all the troops home;
6. kill our top enemy Osama Ben Laden and others;
7. bail out GM and Chrysler making them highly profitable again;
8. give insurance to people who were unisurable due to preexisting conditons;
9. let the rich continue to have huge tax breaks given to them by “George w.etc. etc.
All of these are highly unfair aren’t they????????????????????????
I guess Ben laden would agree with Willard.

Sick-o

April 28th, 2012
10:12 am

Ryan has created God in his own image.

Kathy H

April 28th, 2012
10:42 am

So Ryan seems to have re-written the gospels in his own image, creative but definitely a detour from the lessons from Jesus Christ. I do believe in separation of church and state, but politicians seem to drag their faulty personal interpretations of Christianity in to solidify their un-Christian positions. They need to write the gospel of GOP- it would be an eye opener. On the other hand, it’s been a LONG time since any of them have read their bible. Next, I understand the concept of being broke . . . but are we broke? If so, more revenue is absolutely necessary, but cutting spending when we’re pulling out of a recession is crazy. Wisdom is in short supply, and blind ideology rules the GOP. To me, they have built their house on sand, and now it is starting to crumble under all the rediculous ideas they have foisted on us. Reagan and both Bushes spent so much money, shooting our deficits way up. Clinton eliminated the deficit and left us with a surlus o $5.6 trillion. And they blame Obama????? Analyze this: Bush spent 5.6 trillion, then added another 5 trillion by the time he left office. So who is the drunken sailor here?

blogenfreude

April 28th, 2012
5:36 pm

Tweet @RepPaulRyan and ask him if he has a Mittens Etch-a-Sketch too!

Peadawg - Obama wants to play hardball with student loans? I'm game.

April 29th, 2012
7:21 am

“Further, you did not cite anything I posted that supports your claim that I am a hypocrite.”

If you refuse to take your liberal blinders off, that’s your choice. I tried to help you see it but oh well.

Sho

April 30th, 2012
4:54 pm

Perhaps he’s pulling a “d’anconia” and not telling the truth for a purpose…

dbm

April 30th, 2012
5:11 pm

I see a number of people seized the opportunity to bash Ayn Rand. Did any of them say anything that hasn’t already been answered elsewhere?

dbm

May 1st, 2012
1:45 pm

USinUK

April 27th, 2012
12:38 pm

OBSESSION with ANYTHING is destructive. A fourteen-year-old is usually more vulnerable than an adult to falling into the trap of obsessing with one thing or another.

It is a very good thing to be inspired by an Ayn Rand hero.

It is a very good thing to emulate an Ayn Rand hero on a fundamental level.

It is s very good thing to agree with Ayn Rand’s ideas.

If you disagree, how about offering some rational argument?

Real Athens

May 1st, 2012
6:14 pm

It’s funny that far right the base of the GOP would all of a sudden fall in love with Rand. Besides her atheism she was the ultimate hypocrite. She took methamphetamine daily for 26 years to control a “weight problem”. Does anyone here know what 26 years of meth use does to you and your ability to think rationally?

Here, Georgia GOP, is your VP hopefuls greatest influence as interviewed by Mike Wallace in 1959 in an abridged and full version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TxCWbTqz9s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ooKsv_SX4Y&feature=related

[...] Paul Ryan erases Ayn Rand from the picture | Jay Bookman Quote: I find urban myths a fascinating phenomenon. For example, you could write a book about all the urban myths that have popped up about Barack Obama, from the “whitey tape” and the birth certificate to “see India on $200 million a day.” If you try to trace them back to their source, as you would trace a creek back to its source, you often find yourself peering into a dark, dank swamp of fear and fabrication. So which vile soul started this urban myth about Ryan’s supposed affection for Ayn Rand? I think I have found a clue: __________________ In an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal, Lawrence B. Lindsey, a former economic adviser to President George W. Bush, wrote that Frank "is the only politician I know who has argued that we needed tighter rules that intentionally produce fewer homeowners and more renters." This space no longer for rent. . – GA_googleFillSlot("usmb-728×90-bottom"); [...]

[...] this one, still unanswered. Meanwhile, in the world of newspaper news, Paul Ryan cannot run fast enough to get away from his past infatuation with Ayn [...]

Steve

May 3rd, 2012
5:55 pm

I would be interested in what are people’s objections to Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism? Please leave the straw men out and attack the ideas and not the character of Ayn Rand. Where’s the flaw in her arguments?