Time to end Norquist’s death grip on tax policy
Mitt Romney lost big on election night and has continued to take a beating from his fellow Republicans ever since. The lack of affection toward Romney is no surprise, but the post-election response has also revealed an absence of basic respect for the man among conservatives. It is hard to recall a candidate so thoroughly and quickly repudiated by those who just a few days earlier were touting him for the most important job on the planet.
Karl Rove, who wasn’t even on the ballot, has also lost big in the days since the election, suffering a hit to his reputation from which he may never fully recover. However, the biggest off-ballot loser of the season may turn out to be Grover Norquist, the one-man keeper of the GOP’s no-tax-hike-ever-ever-ever-under-any-circumstances-whatsoever pledge.
I must say, it couldn’t happen to a nicer, more deserving guy.
As Dana Milbanks reports, Norquist continues to put on a game front. Just this week, Norquist told a gathering at a Washington think tank that “he sees no chance of Republicans going squishy” and allowing tax hikes to pass as part of a budget compromise.
“The Rs are holding,” he announced at a luncheon Monday of the Center for the National Interest.
“The fantasy is that the Republicans would cave on marginal tax rates — they’re non-negotiable,” he added.
In fact, Norquist maintained, if you think there’s any erosion of support for his Pledge, which forbids any net increase in taxes, Norquist would like you to know something. “You’re mistaken,” he said. “The entire Republican leadership has been elected on that commitment in the House and the Senate.”
I think Norquist is wrong, and that he knows he’s wrong. Most of the signals coming out of Washington suggest that in the end, the final budget deal will include a higher marginal tax rate on the wealthiest of Americans. If that happens, if the Norquist pledge is broken en masse, as seems likely, his bizarre source of political power disappears as well.
That said, a lot of Americans have yet to be convinced of the GOP’s willingness and ability to compromise. According to a new Gallup poll, 65 percent of Americans believe that President Obama will make a sincere effort to reach bipartisan compromise. Only 48 percent say the same about congressional Republicans. Among independents, only 43 percent believe Republicans are sincerely willing to compromise.
As the chart above demonstrates, those numbers are down significantly from four years ago, when 62 percent of Americans had faith that Republicans were interested in compromise. Somebody out there has been paying attention, which gives Obama and the Democrats considerably more leeway in the negotiations ahead.
– Jay Bookman
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620 comments Add your comment
Stevie Ray
November 20th, 2012
12:26 pm
JAMVET
Keep Hopelessness Alive.
Classic…What about keeping change-lessness alive?
Mick
November 20th, 2012
12:27 pm
josef
You’re nothing but a fence sitting troublemaker! Take that!!!
getalife
November 20th, 2012
12:28 pm
Can’t you liberals get along?
RF
November 20th, 2012
12:28 pm
“BTW, who all caught the Ken Burns’ one on the Dust Bowl? Gives you something to think about”
Been watching for them storms, and we’ve had a good bit of drought this year. It will be interesting to see if nature turns ugly during this economic struggle like it did during the Depression. My granny, who lived through that as a middle-aged mother, said it was God tryin’ to tell them money-hungry fools somethin’. She also said before she died back in 1980 that too many of them was forgettin’ those lessons.
Stevie Ray
November 20th, 2012
12:30 pm
Does anyone here really think anything is going to change in the next 4 years…for the better that is? Will unemployment go down, will deficit go down along with debt? Will spending cuts actually take place or will they be staggered starting at some later date?
Anyone think we will be spending less than 30% beyond our means?
Just asking..not an argument for either dopey party..an argument that the incentives in DC will actually change in the voters favor?
stands for decibels
November 20th, 2012
12:30 pm
Can’t you liberals get along?
Well, there’s a first time for everything, they say.
southpaw
November 20th, 2012
12:30 pm
Brosephus @12:18
I did read the entire link. While I realize that he doesn’t pay 102% on a lot–maybe most–of his income, he pays 102% now. That means if he makes another $2,000,000, he pays another $2,040,000 in taxes. He may have the extra $40,000 from saving money he hasn’t already had to pay in taxes, but making ANY more money is still a lousy deal for him.
josef
November 20th, 2012
12:30 pm
Common Sense
Ah, it wasn’t from lack of effort on my Granddaddy’s part…L-rd knows, he tried, but even he knew a lost case when he was looking at one…
SUE ELLEN
Oh, my…mite tetchy, aincha? It must be all that White Rural Southern DNA…
alex
November 20th, 2012
12:32 pm
@ Mick:so what’s YOUR trick, partner?
@ stands for, didn’t get the tongue in cheek, but reasnable, personally, I think we need to raise the age for Medicare and SS and if you want consider a means test, we have way too many people for way too long on medicare. The world and medicine have changed in 70 years, we need to adjust
as for education, too many kids going to college for what a degree to get you to McDonalds, we need more a european(german) system with tests for gymnasium acceptance, etc. There are a lot of manual labor jobs in Indiana that cannot find candidates because of lack of training,Why go to college to sell cars. It. the liberal education model , is long due for an overhaul…
Joe Hussein Mama
November 20th, 2012
12:35 pm
alex — “There is most definitely differing opinion as to the culpability of Fannie Mae in the mortgage crisis, but your insight did adjust my perceptions and for that , thanks, but keep the edge,…I’m checking on what you write ,as I would hope that you do for me!…..”
Given the shrieking exclamations that FNMA/FHLMC and regulations *caused* the financial collapse, I wish someone on the cons’ side would explain exactly how the UNREGULATED subprime mortgage industry and the UNREGULATED trade in derivatives like CDOs managed to cause the collapse that they blame *over-regulation* for.
Plus, if FNMA and FHLMC are so responsible, then they must have been more powerful than anyone ever knew — because they apparently caused the collapse of not only the US housing market, but also the collapse of the US commercial RE market (which they didn’t trade in) as well as the collapse of the residential and commercial RE markets of about a DOZEN OTHER COUNTRIES where FNMA and FHLMC don’t even do business.
I recognize the mistrust that conservatives have for government regulation; I was a Republican myself for over 20 years of my adult life. That said, the facts clearly refute the notion of any individual players (e.g. Barney Frank or Chris Dodd) or government regulation *causing* the market collapse. If there were some uniquely American set of circumstances that caused to happen *only here,* then the cons might have a point. But the fact that it happened in a dozen-plus countries *at the same time* is solid evidence that US government regulation wasn’t the culprit.
FWIW, I wish I’d paid more attention to what I saw going on at FLHMC, though even today I don’t feel that I actually saw anything illegal or unethical taking place.
Soothsayer
November 20th, 2012
12:35 pm
If you haven’t seen this yet, I think you’ll get a big kick out of it! Enjoy!
getalife
November 20th, 2012
12:37 pm
stevie,
The answer to your question is change is slow.
Mick
November 20th, 2012
12:37 pm
alex
I rest my case
Stevie
Once all the inventory of the housing debacle is settled then things will start to bounce. New construction has been in a depression, we are getting near the end, two more years, then the economy should start moving…
josef
November 20th, 2012
12:38 pm
MICK
Jus’ doin’ my job, Mon…
*******
The Burns special…I though it was excellent..I do wish, however, he had done at least a cursory overview of the contributions of the Okies in Diaspora…of course, there’s a whole ‘nuther story there…
TiredOfIt
November 20th, 2012
12:38 pm
Bring the top tax rates back to the Reagan era and cut the DOD by 50%. We are not the worlds policemen.
Brosephus™
November 20th, 2012
12:39 pm
southpaw
He’s not paying 102%, and the article even stated that his total tax as a percentage of his adjusted gross income was 20%. There’s a bit of tap dancing going on by his tax attorney, regardless to what he ends up paying. Life is full of choices, and those choices won’t always get you a song and dance welcome by the Lollypop Guild. Given the tax structure of New York, I don’t understand why he would live there. Then again, my perspective is vastly different from his. As I said earlier, I’m content with my 5 figure income in the Southeastern US. I don’t need or want much. My wealth comes from things that can’t be measured by currency.
Mary Elizabeth
November 20th, 2012
12:41 pm
Mick, thanks for your post. I recognize that what you posted at 12:21 pm is correct, but I thank for posting it. My patience simply finally ran out. I appreciate Jay Bookman’s allowing me to post what I think in these personal terms, which is not generally my style. However, I have experienced some catharsis in being able to state what I really think of a very few on this blog who have continued to malign me, over time.
Btw, for the large bulk of my educational career, I evaluted other teachers and taught jurniors and seniors in high school, not middle schoolers. And, as most know, teachers in grades pre K – 3rd are probably the most important teachers in affecting students’ future success in life.
josef
November 20th, 2012
12:42 pm
ALEX
Your point on the rehaul of the educational system vis a vis preparing for the real world is well made.
RF
November 20th, 2012
12:42 pm
Soothsayer: That’s blatant SOCIALISM, and proof that the Obamanation is taking over!!! That lazy momma bear shouldn’t have all those dang cubs she had to send scavengin’ through a dumpster so she could sit back and nurse her bad habits. She shoulda got up off her lazy arse and climbed in and got ‘em herself, like every hard working individual in this country would do, without any help from anyone!
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
November 20th, 2012
12:42 pm
1) 11/20/12 – “The intelligence community assessed from the very beginning that what happened in Benghazi was a terrorist attack.” DNI spokesman Shawn Turner tells CBS News.”
2) 10/17/12 – “The premise of the entire debate is false, because the attack on our consulate in Benghazi was not an act of terror.” Jay Bookman
josef
November 20th, 2012
12:44 pm
SUE ELLEN
” I have experienced some catharsis in being able to state what I really think of a very few on this blog who have continued to malign me, over time.”
Likewise, I’m sure…
Joe Hussein Mama
November 20th, 2012
12:46 pm
RF — “Soothsayer: That’s blatant SOCIALISM, and proof that the Obamanation is taking over!!! That lazy momma bear shouldn’t have all those dang cubs she had to send scavengin’ through a dumpster so she could sit back and nurse her bad habits.”
Wait, wut?
So cons are the dumpster and the mama bear is all liberals? So what are the bear cubs? And most importantly, does a liberal crap in the woods?
Maybe the daddy bear go laid off, you don’t know. And if the bears are Catholic, then that’s how they have all those babies. If we just gave free condoms to bears, your world would be a MUCH better place.
/snark
liberal hack
November 20th, 2012
12:47 pm
Yea, lets raise those tax rates on those wealthy earners and cut defense spending. (Btw, I favor defense cuts as long as Democrats quit starting wars, yes I said Democrats, Korean, Vietnam, and Bosnia started by meddling liberals, both parties get our troops involved in to many foreign affairs) all democrats want is more revenue to grow the scope and role of the federal gov’t. Hey remember ole bill clinton, he said the gov’t was better at spending money than the citizens….so we “cons” just need to shut up, let liberals raise taxes, expand gov’t because they are the only ones who knows whats right and best…..
getalife
November 20th, 2012
12:47 pm
HBO is running a Oliver Stone’s version of history that is not kind to our country like the history books tell you.
RF
November 20th, 2012
12:48 pm
Here we go again with Behghazigate….sheesh, you guys just won’t give up on the fact that the CIA didn’t release that information, even to the WH, until they had time to verfiy what they “knew” and the repeated reports that it did start out as a demonstration like the one in Cairo. Petraeus may have “known” it was a terrorist attack, but he had get the facts before he allowed information that could cause more problems to be released. The CIA had to have time to do its job and actually verify intelligence, instead of making it up like Cheney and his henchmen were known to do…
alex
November 20th, 2012
12:49 pm
i don’t perceive that cons are shrieking that Fannie and Freddie and DoDD/Frank and regulations caused the collapse, if so those that do are ignorant. There was no one thing , greed and gluttony,UNregulaed.. You know better than me but it was as much the increasing innerdependency of the financial world that contributed to the bust and this has NOT changed(too big too fail)
@mick, I’ve got some tulips to sell you, REEEL cheap.
Sad Sack
November 20th, 2012
12:50 pm
Who names their kid Grover??
Mick
November 20th, 2012
12:50 pm
0311
Not everyone here might understand this but are you a broken record? How many times must you repeat that quote???
stands for decibels
November 20th, 2012
12:50 pm
but reasnable, personally, I think we need to raise the age for Medicare and SS and if you want consider a means test, we have way too many people for way too long on medicare.
We’re already doing that. I see no reason to accelerate these schedules to try to work out some Grand Bargain with the 2012 losers. Mind you, I’m not *militant* about lowering eligibility ages (particularly for SS), it’s just that I find it astonishing that so many Americans seem to think that this organization just never saw life expectancy trends coming, when in fact it’s been baked into the system from the beginning.
And I’ve already been back and forth with some of the hippie-libs on means testing. I don’t think it gets much at all in the way of actual fiscal savings. I see it rather darkly as a right-wing trojan horse–it is supposed to be “progressive” (hey, let’s get rich people to pay more of their share!) but it will probably serve only to make more Americans cynical than they already are about the efficacy of SS/Medicare.
also, we already do some means testing for some of these benefits; I don’ tknow all the ins and outs, but I did see this…
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/04/10/461429/americans-support-means-testing-medicare-dont-know-its-already-in-place/
josef
November 20th, 2012
12:50 pm
SOOTH
Thanks for the video…so many lines, so little time…
Erwin's cat
November 20th, 2012
12:51 pm
ME…maybe if stop talking down to us like some HS juniors and seniors…you might not be “maligned” so much….The most influential teachers I ever had were at a university level…K-3 not so much
The most influential people in my life are/were my parents…school was for books not morality or ethics
getalife
November 20th, 2012
12:51 pm
hack,
President Clinton and President Obama won their wars they started.
Anyhoo, cut to defense is low hanging fruit like big oil welfare that congress refuses to cut.
Lets blame congress for spending and cuts and stop giving them a free pass.
southpaw
November 20th, 2012
12:52 pm
Brosephus @12:39
I got the reference to 20% of adjusted gross income, both from the article and from your earlier post. To use my illustration above, maybe the 20% goes up to 23% or 24% if he earns another $2,000,000 and pays another $2,040,000. As long as his MARGINAL tax rate is over 100%, his best bet is not to make any more money. Am I the only one who thinks something’s wrong with that picture?
For what it’s worth, my perspective is pretty similar to yours. I’m content with an income that sounds pretty close to yours, and most of my wealth isn’t monetary. I’m doing without a lot of it for a few weeks–that’s another story. Maybe I’ll be more appreciative after those few weeks are over.
RF
November 20th, 2012
12:52 pm
“And most importantly, does a liberal crap in the woods?”
PUHLEAAASE, when there’s all those socialism offered bathrooms in the state parks (which are part of the A21 plan for the evil “sustainability” as the truth-seekers have now discovered).
Mick
November 20th, 2012
12:52 pm
alex
I prefer gardenia’s myself, get back to me in May…
stands for decibels
November 20th, 2012
12:54 pm
oh, forgot to address this, from alex:
we need more a european(german) system with tests for gymnasium acceptance, etc.
I think that would be a tougher sell in the US than you realize. It’s my understanding that the Krauts determine at a very early age just what kind of educational/career path you should take. I think a lot of Americans would revolt at the notion that their 13-14 year old kid wasn’t “college material”.
of course, my commie approach to softening that blow would be to advocate strongly for workers rights, so that a “mere” vo-ed graduate would assume that he/she could earn a good income from a trade. but, again, this would mean trying to change a lot of attitudes in a very short amount of time.
barking frog
November 20th, 2012
12:54 pm
Who names their kid Grover??
………………………………………..
Families named Norquist.
josef
November 20th, 2012
12:55 pm
RF
“, when there’s all those socialism offered bathrooms”
Well, the conservative toe-tappers have occupied them, ya know…
RF
November 20th, 2012
12:55 pm
“Who names their kid Grover??”
I bet there’s a love-child out there somewhere from Miss Piggie and Kermit…hmmm, I wonder if Norquist eats bacon…
getalife
November 20th, 2012
12:56 pm
The ladder in Sooth’s video was socialism.
josef
November 20th, 2012
12:56 pm
SFD
@ 12:54
Point well made…it requires a change of cultural world view back to, well, the Isaac Harby model…
The other half of your brain.
November 20th, 2012
12:56 pm
getalife
November 20th, 2012
12:51 pm
hack,
President Clinton and President Obama won their wars they started.
Getaclue, Actually Clinton didn’t. Check your history.
Anyhoo, cut to defense is low hanging fruit like big oil welfare that congress refuses to cut.
Getaclue, True, the dems owned Congress for O’s first 2 years and didn’t cut squat.
Lets blame congress for spending and cuts and stop giving them a free pass.
liberal hack
November 20th, 2012
12:56 pm
Get a life, I’m cool w/ ending oil subsidies, I really am. But I’m also a supporter of ending corn subsidies, NPR, “green energy” congressional pay as well. How come those well to do entities can’t receive cuts. Have you seen the price for corn futures? The don’t need any federal assistance.
Both parties are guilty of unwillingness to cut spending….
RF
November 20th, 2012
12:57 pm
“Well, the conservative toe-tappers have occupied them, ya know…”
NOW I know what that was all about the last time I went into the stall at the park… I never did get that whole code thing personally.
Banderson
November 20th, 2012
12:58 pm
Stevie – spending cuts and increasing taxes will both throw cold water on the economy. Spending cuts will hit it the quickest, but, even this lib will admit that tax increases will have an impact as well. Tax increases on the top tier would affect investment and consumption rates, but, in the words of Willie Sutton, that’s where the money is. Of course, if pols think that cutting the deficit is job one, and not making sure the economy has recovered from the recession, then that’s a risk they’re going to take. IMO, they ought not to go too fast. You can be sure there will be as many big biz lobbyists trying to stop spending cuts as there are trying to keep the marginal tax rates down. Maybe more.
josef
November 20th, 2012
12:58 pm
getalife
Them l’il black bears should’ve lifted themselves out by their own bootstraps…
barking frog
November 20th, 2012
12:58 pm
getalife
i think the dumpster is socialism..
alittlecommonsense
November 20th, 2012
12:58 pm
I think both sides should compromise like usual. Rep’s allow higher taxes in return for future spending cuts. Dem’s promise future spending cuts, which never actually happen. The future generation who will have to pay for the debt remains blissfully ignorant. People out of a job get foodstamps. Everybody’s happy!
getalife
November 20th, 2012
12:58 pm
Why is the gop bowing down to one lobbyist instead of listening to their voters?
The only pledge is the one they swear to on the Bible.
stands for decibels
November 20th, 2012
12:58 pm
really gotta leave the time-suck. later…
getalife
November 20th, 2012
12:59 pm
“i think the dumpster is socialism.”
Food stamps.
JamVet
November 20th, 2012
1:00 pm
Well, SR, the more things change….!
…a cursory overview of the contributions of the Okies in Diaspora…
For the culturally literate: “Can I have a rabbit, George?”
RF
November 20th, 2012
1:01 pm
“i think the dumpster is socialism..”
And them librul bears just climbed right in without a thought in the world about what they were doing to themselves, blissfully happy with all the guvment gifts that waited for them.
RF
November 20th, 2012
1:03 pm
“For the culturally literate: “Can I have a rabbit, George?””
What you got in your pocket, Lenny?
Madge From Accounting
November 20th, 2012
1:03 pm
I like reading Mary Elizabeth’s posts. They are always well written and well thought out. If there are any people opposed to what she writes, I have a solution to that:
Just
Scroll
Past.
Ta Da!!!!!
It works everytime!
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
November 20th, 2012
1:04 pm
“How many times must you repeat that quote???”
Until the person who stated it admits he was wrong.
Mick
November 20th, 2012
1:05 pm
Newsflash*****it’s really not over!!!!!Romney can still win!!!
http://www.joemygod.blogspot.com/2012/11/tea-party-leader-romney-can-still-win.html
josef
November 20th, 2012
1:05 pm
ZamVet
I was thinking more this contribution…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEszTzdUMcY
LUCIFER
November 20th, 2012
1:05 pm
Ann Coulter said a Republican decision to run Mittens as the party’s presidential nominee was doomed to failure. She was right: YOU GO GIRL!!!!!
Brosephus™
November 20th, 2012
1:05 pm
As long as his MARGINAL tax rate is over 100%, his best bet is not to make any more money. Am I the only one who thinks something’s wrong with that picture?
We all live by the same laws, and we all have to face the reprecussions of the choices we make. All too often, people try to talk about the bad choices made by the poor. Well, now you see they are not the only one facing f**ked up choices.
getalife
November 20th, 2012
1:05 pm
“Both parties are guilty of unwillingness to cut spending….”
You don’t cut after a collapse or you go back to a recession like Europe.
They are talking about future cuts when our economy can handle them.
This is the correct way to deal with our deficit.
We did it before and can do it again but the gop can blow it again.
So, balancing our budget should not be done unless there is a law to stop the gop from blowing it again if they ever win again.
alex
November 20th, 2012
1:06 pm
Gardenias are lovely, will put on the list….
@ stands, perhaps parents might learn to get their child the best education at an early age, to improve their chances of getting into college instead of leasing that new lexus..
as for the KRAUTS ( abit dated and condescending-I happen to like sauerkraut), boy they seem to have figured it out- if not for them and left to the French(see Economist, this week), Europe would be back in the dark ages…
josef
November 20th, 2012
1:06 pm
madge
Why? That’d take all the fun out of it…
getalife
November 20th, 2012
1:07 pm
“Until the person who stated it admits he was wrong.”
You cons never admit you are dead wrong so why should Jay if he is wrong?
getalife
November 20th, 2012
1:09 pm
Did the bear cubs get an Obamaphone?
Mary Elizabeth
November 20th, 2012
1:10 pm
Erwin’s cat, 12:51 pm
“ME…maybe if stop talking down to us like some HS juniors and seniors…you might not be ‘maligned’ so much….The most influential teachers I ever had were at a university level…K-3 not so much.”
The most influential people in my life are/were my parents…school was for books not morality or ethics.
———————————————————————
Erwin’s Cat, I don’t consider that I talk down to “us.” If you perceive that, then I think that that is your challenge to overcome, not mine. And, I do not think that I am “maligned so much.” I do not feel myself to be a victim. I just recognize arrogant j*rks when I see them. It has been obvious to all that Josef has kept a running negative about me for months with rare comments being made to check him on it. Alex has shown his “true colors” recently. I do not consider those two examples to be indicative of the fact that most on this blog feel that I talk “down” to others or that I am maligned by many posters. I do not feel that way.
I needed to address those two posters, only, directly and forcefully today, and I did, for which I am grateful that my posts were allowed to be posted. I try not to generalize beyond those particulars.
Btw, I prefer to be called Mary Elizabeth rather than ME. I have noticed a telling trend among those who always refer to me by a name other than Mary Elizabeth.
About teachers’ values, when I referred to the fact that early primary teachers were the most important to determine a child’s future success, I was stating research and I was referring to skill content mastered by the students, not ethics nor morality. And, I was not referring to parents.
RB from Gwinnett
November 20th, 2012
1:10 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL-a-r7iJIU&sns=em
And you STILL keep asking why we get pissed off about funding these programs for the “less fortunate”.
Mick
November 20th, 2012
1:10 pm
0311
We all fall short of perfection, why keep beating that dead mullet???
Grasshopper
November 20th, 2012
1:12 pm
What an idiotic graph.
Of course Republicans are seen as less likely to work toward a compromise. They are the opposition party – that’s their job. Duh.
stands for decibels
November 20th, 2012
1:13 pm
as for the KRAUTS ( abit dated and condescending-I happen to like sauerkraut),
alex, ancestrally, I’m mostly Kraut, so’s the mrs. — I kid because I love.
/drive-by
getalife
November 20th, 2012
1:13 pm
Mick,
They want scandals for our President but all they got was a gop general cheating on his wife.
Erwin's cat
November 20th, 2012
1:15 pm
ME…I prefer the fewer keystrokes…and I’m sure it is everyone else
getalife
November 20th, 2012
1:15 pm
Now they are posting Judge Judy.
Hilarious
Regnad Kcin
November 20th, 2012
1:16 pm
Mary E. – While I have not always agreed, I have always found your posts worthwhile.
BTW – Spelling out you name is kinda long – nor disresoect intended..
RF
November 20th, 2012
1:16 pm
“Did the bear cubs get an Obamaphone?”
How do you think they got the guy’s wife to bring ‘em a ladder?
@josef: I just think Mitt should get Ann to sing this one to the party folks mad at Mitt right now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4wcNVbYOQ
getalife
November 20th, 2012
1:16 pm
cat,
Too much reading for your tiny brain?
josef
November 20th, 2012
1:17 pm
“Sure I got sins. Ever’body got sins. A sin is somepin you ain’t sure about. Them people that’s sure about ever’thing an’ ain’t got no sin– well, with that kind a son-of-a-bitch, if I was God I’d kick their ass right outa heaven! I couldn’ stand ‘em!”
–Tom Joad, a great Okie
Regnad Kcin
November 20th, 2012
1:18 pm
“What an idiotic graph.
Of course Republicans are seen as less likely to work toward a compromise. They are the opposition party – that’s their job. Duh”
=========================
I disagree. Why do you think the opposition party should be less open to compromise? It seems to me that being the “out of power” party is an indication that they do no represent the majority – perhaps they should be MORE open to compromise?
Mary Elizabeth
November 20th, 2012
1:18 pm
Madge From Accounting, 1:03 pm
Thank you, Madge. I appreciate your comments.
Mick
November 20th, 2012
1:18 pm
getalife
Yes, you are correct, benghazi and the americans who lost their life there? Incidental collateral damage, the main goal? Try to blame the president for something and see what sticks…
RF
November 20th, 2012
1:19 pm
getalife 1:15- maybe they should put Jduy on the ticket in ‘16. Imagine her and Chris Christie together!!
JamVet
November 20th, 2012
1:19 pm
Ann Coulter said…
rags will not be amused, but I love that woman.
As much as any other single woman in this country, she has wrecked the GOP brand.
Speaking of craven talking heads busy with their circular firing squads, boy howdy, Rush is running away from ANY responsibility for the most recent Republican beatddown like the spoiled brat that he is.
Not such good times in the Excrement In Broadcasting world these days…
southpaw
November 20th, 2012
1:20 pm
All too often, people try to talk about the bad choices made by the poor. Well, now you see they are not the only one facing f**ked up choices.
————————————————————
So what should we, as a society, do about those choices? Try to mitigate the consequences, or let them deal on their own?
josef
November 20th, 2012
1:20 pm
ERWIN’S CAT
Welcome to the club…you pitiful thang, you! Now, go to the principal’s office and I’m calling your Mama for a conference…
getalife
November 20th, 2012
1:21 pm
rush is a lib mole.
Erwin's cat
November 20th, 2012
1:21 pm
get…you do know the difference between reading and writing don’t you?….besides, try pounding on a keyboard w/o opposable thumbs
alex
November 20th, 2012
1:21 pm
Pass the strudel, put on some Wagner, there’s gonna be a party tonight!
as for ME, goodness Mary Elizabeth, man get over it…we’re also grateful your posts were posted, HURRAH…
Mary Elizabeth
November 20th, 2012
1:24 pm
Regnad Kcin,1:16 pm
Thank you for your comments, also, Regnad. Much appreciated.
Btw, please continue to call me “Mary E,” or “Mary,” if you prefer. Even to be referred to as “ME” is ok with me, with the majority of posters. I can tell the difference, in intent, among posters.
RB from Gwinnett
November 20th, 2012
1:25 pm
“Now they are posting Judge Judy.”
Dunce Didn’t even notice the other people in the video. Those are your peeps, getaclue, don’t be dissenim’ like that.
getalife
November 20th, 2012
1:25 pm
I encourage all Americans to post here .
Doggone/GA
November 20th, 2012
1:25 pm
“besides, try pounding on a keyboard w/o opposable thumbs”
Ummmm…it would only be a problem because keyboards are designed for a species WITH opposable thumbs. If we didn’t have those, the keyboards would be designed differently.
Grasshopper
November 20th, 2012
1:27 pm
“I disagree. Why do you think the opposition party should be less open to compromise? It seems to me that being the “out of power” party is an indication that they do no represent the majority – perhaps they should be MORE open to compromise?”
Let me clarify; they are ’seen’ as less likely because of their job as opposition party.
Whether they actually should be less likely to compromise totally depends on the issue and their base’s stance on that issue. Taxes are still a very toxic issue for Republicans. If they start agreeing to raise them, their jobs may be in jeopardy. Even if it may be the right course to take for the country.
getalife
November 20th, 2012
1:27 pm
rb,
I stopped the video at Judge Judy.
What’s next?
Jerry Springer?
getalife
November 20th, 2012
1:28 pm
rb,
Do, who is the baby’s daddy.
That will go viral mon.
alex
November 20th, 2012
1:33 pm
ME as in I, I don’t like ME…..wierd,really wierd, more cowbell, I gotta fever-wierd
Now class, .class..CLASS….SHUT UP..thank you
williebkind
November 20th, 2012
1:45 pm
It does not bother any of you that Obama intentionally LIED to the American people and you are talking about Grover Norquist? That is why the conservatives should never compromise with liberals. If off the cliff we go then all I can say is Geronimooooooooo……
williebkind
November 20th, 2012
1:47 pm
“t seems to me that being the “out of power” party is an indication that they do no represent the majority – perhaps they should be MORE open to compromise?””
But the minority should always get what they need/want. Its just American!
middle of the road
November 20th, 2012
2:34 pm
“The wealthy among us know the old rule that capital goes where it’s welcome and stays where it’s treated well: And if it ain’t treated well in the USA, they’ll take it somewhere else.”
So what does it matter if a profit (capital gain) is made on investment here in the US or on investment in China? Does capital gains from investment in China not get taxed at all? I don’t think so; my understanding is that when you bring that money into the US, it becomes taxable.
middle of the road
November 20th, 2012
3:21 pm
So why did the Republican presidential candidate lose the election:
“I am gay and I used to be a Republican, but now…”
“I am pro-choice and I used to be a Republican, but now…”
I am Hispanic and I used to be a Republican, but now…”
Mama says
November 20th, 2012
3:41 pm
Nice bias perspective once again Jay.
The fact is that it takes two to tango. Why haven’t you called on the democrats to cut spending? Seems you think the only issue here us republicans not doing what the democrats want them to.
By the way conservatives couldn’t care less if libs like Rush or Carl. It means nothing to us that you don’t like what they say. You are less concerned about these stupid liberal talk show host. Tell you what you may indeed dislike Rush but he has a very valid point which I will get to in a min. As far as Carl Rove, the only reason you hate him is because you failed to beat Bush. Prior to Bush you nor the libs knew who Rove was. There is absolutely no difference between Rove and the current Obama team. If you dislike one you should, by fair standards dislike the other. But of course you don’t.
Now onto the truth. The republican politicians turned on Romney, as you know, because of the need to start reaching out to minorities. They annotate blame people and then ask for their vote. However I can state the very obvious truth cause I don’t care who votes for who. The truth is that Obama has made college loans easier on the young voting age kids. He has made home refis easier for those who signed contracts that required them to make payments they could not afford. He has made medical coverage more widely avalible to those up to 26 years of age, he has made free birth control a mandate that all of us pay for and he has made every member of the unions happy by putting companies in a position of having to follow union will. He has kept his old friends by giving them billions of dollars with which to run these experimental green companies and enrich themselves. So in truth Romney is right, Obama has given, via our money, to every group that he needed to in order to win the election.
Here’s the rub. I don’t hold that against Obama. I think it’s good politics, smart politics. The problem, which is the same problem democrats complained about when the money was going to cons special interest, is that all this is done without any budgetary though process. Obama has paid for every policy position with money that dosent exists. The same as Bush did with the wars, which you libs were all enraged about. Money is not a natural resource, it cannot be drilled for or grown. Obama has won this election fair and square but he did so by changing the impact of politics in this country. No longer will elections be won by playoffs to the corporate heads, oh that will also continue, but it will be a new strategy by which both parties us our tax money to pay off the special interest. In other words all Obama really did was manipulate the people with the people’s own money, house money I believe it’s called.
Remember this when cons adapt to the game, remember you libs always complian about the way cons play the money game ? Those more ruthless cons always win the money game. They just got beat on this new aspect of it.
We will all suffer from this new tactic, middle class libs and cons will foot the bill doing so.