House GOP still hellbent on debt-ceiling showdown
The juxtaposition here is telling.
First, from Politico, an explanation of how House Republicans and their leaders are approaching the issue of a looming showdown over the debt ceiling:
“I think it is possible that we would shut down the government to make sure President Obama understands that we’re serious,” House Republican Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state told us. “We always talk about whether or not we’re going to kick the can down the road. I think the mood is that we’ve come to the end of the road.”
Republican leadership officials, in a series of private meetings and conversations this past week, warned that the White House, much less the broader public, doesn’t understand how hard it will be to talk restive conservatives off the fiscal ledge. To the vast majority of House Republicans, it is far riskier long term to pile up new debt than it is to test the market and economic reaction of default or closing down the government.
GOP officials said more than half of their members are prepared to allow default unless Obama agrees to dramatic cuts he has repeatedly said he opposes. Many more members, including some party leaders, are prepared to shut down the government to make their point. House Speaker John Boehner “may need a shutdown just to get it out of their system,” said a top GOP leadership adviser. “We might need to do that for member-management purposes — so they have an endgame and can show their constituents they’re fighting.”
That’s right: By the admission of top GOP officials, internal party “member-management purposes” may require them to force a shutdown of the U.S. government. Furthermore, House Republicans are out of the speaker’s control and even more intransigent than understood by the White House and the general public, which already believes them to be extremist.
Now contrast that with President Obama’s statements today at a White House press conference to close his first four-year term:
“America cannot afford another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they’ve already racked up. If congressional Republicans refuse to pay America’s bills on time, Social Security checks, and veterans benefits will be delayed.
We might not be able to pay our troops, or honor our contracts with small business owners. Food inspectors, air traffic controllers, specialists who track down loose nuclear materials wouldn’t get their paychecks. Investors around the world will ask if the United States of America is in fact a safe bet. Markets could go haywire, interest rates would spike for anybody who borrows money. Every homeowner with a mortgage, every student with a college loan, every small business owner who wants to grow and hire.
It would be a self-inflicted wound on the economy. It would slow down our growth, might tip us into recession. And ironically it would probably increase our deficit. So to even entertain the idea of this happening, of the United States of America not paying its bills, is irresponsible. It’s absurd….
Republicans in Congress have two choices here. They can act responsibly, and pay America’s bills, or they can act irresponsibly and put America through another economic crisis. But they will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the American economy. The financial well-being of the American people is not leverage to be used. The full faith and credit of the United States of America is not a bargaining chip.”
In the weeks ahead, the American people will have to decide which of those two narratives they find more appealing, patriotic and rational. But the GOP has already made its choice. They continue to insist, publicly and apparently in private conversations among themselves, that it’s “damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead” toward a government shutdown. Having whipped themselves into a fervor, convinced of the holiness of their mission, they will not be dissuaded from carrying it out.
The rest of us are just along for the ride.
– Jay Bookman
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1,012 comments Add your comment
Granny Godzilla
January 14th, 2013
3:33 pm
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am…
January 14th, 2013
3:27 pm
Adam
January 14th, 2013
3:20 pm
So at what point do we slow spending what we’ve already spent?.
.
.
.
As the administration has cut 2.4 trillion and we’ve only got 670 billion in new revenue….
perhaps you are barking up the wrong tree.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
January 14th, 2013
3:34 pm
Adam
January 14th, 2013
3:30 pm
Question with a question..not what I was looking for. Let’s say the trend continues and we find ourselves at $25, 30 trillion in debt with annual interest expense triple what it is today? Would that have you concerned?
Jhunt163
January 14th, 2013
3:34 pm
“There have already been significant cuts made, and significant job reductions at the Federals level.”
This is almost comical. There have been no real cuts, the $700 million taken out of Medicare was put back into Obamacare and the rest of the supposed savings were from leaving Iraq early. There have been no job reductions at the Federal level, only state and local.
ByteMe - Got ilk?
January 14th, 2013
3:34 pm
I don’t give a flip what Cheney said. It’s not remotely relevant to my quest…What is your number?
No, but it’s relevant to my answer, which was somewhere around 40% of GDP. Which was a long long time ago. In fact, back around the time Cheney was a Chief of Staff.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
January 14th, 2013
3:34 pm
I don’t give a flip what Cheney said.
And there’s your sign.
Regnad Kcin
January 14th, 2013
3:35 pm
The republicans subscribe to the dine-and-dash theory of governance: buy anything, but stiff the credit card company when the bill comes due.
Think they’ll raise our rates? You betcha!
Jefferson
January 14th, 2013
3:36 pm
Why does the house only work 3 days a week ?
barking frog
January 14th, 2013
3:36 pm
If a homophobe gets an obamaphone because he heard the herd
deserved one does it become a homophone ?
td
January 14th, 2013
3:36 pm
This is a false argument by Obama. Just because the debt ceiling does not get raised does not mean we “default” on our debt. There is still money coming in each and every month to pay for the debt and most of our bills. The difference is any additional spending over the amount we bring in would have to be offset by actual cuts to other programs. If Obama wants to cut the VA or SS instead of finding the money some other way then that is on him. The state of Georgia furloughed all of its non essential personal one or two days per month to balance the budget. Obama could have the same option or actually find the fraud and abuse in programs. Cut non essential travel? Cut all these meetings all over the country?
Here is a big one: Re write the regulations for entitlement programs back to the Clinton era regs that would require the agencies to actually verify such things as wages and resources before people are eligible for entitlements.
Keith
January 14th, 2013
3:36 pm
Freeloaders in this country are among the staunchest supporters of obama. He has earned his title as the Food Stamp President. Have more babies get more money. Obama is paying them to provide his party more constituents.
Buzzy
January 14th, 2013
3:36 pm
Where were the “debt-fighting” Republicans when George Bush was putting our country in the poorhouse?
Bush’s big spending ways and the tax cuts put us in the terrible position we are in today.
The Republicans are two faced and they are bad for our country’s fiscal health. Let’s hope that America continues to smoke out these Republican hypocrites like they did Romney.
getalife
January 14th, 2013
3:36 pm
The President sent the budget proposal but congress failed to pass it.
cons always gives failed congress a free pass.
Failed deflecterbation.
ByteMe - Got ilk?
January 14th, 2013
3:37 pm
There have been no job reductions at the Federal level, only state and local.
Would it surprise you the federal employment is right around where it’s been for the past 15 years? Even as our military commitments have increased and our population has increased?
http://www.opm.gov/feddata/historicaltables/totalgovernmentsince1962.asp
getalife
January 14th, 2013
3:37 pm
keith,
Your failed party are mooching on their bills.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
January 14th, 2013
3:37 pm
Granny Godzilla
January 14th, 2013
3:33 pm
Last time I checked, we are scheduled to continue to run deficits for the coming years of between 700 billion and a cool trillion. Where exacctly is this 2.4 trillion? Help me understand your math.
Also, assuming we got 680 billion new revenue (I didn’t think is was that much), how much of it do you think is already spent on PelosiCare and the like? Will this even make a dent in our unsustainable course in Medicare and SS?
Simple Truths
January 14th, 2013
3:38 pm
If we are paying down our debt, why do we need to take on more debt (raise the debt ceiling) to accomplish it?
ByteMe - Got ilk?
January 14th, 2013
3:38 pm
Freeloaders in this country are among the staunchest supporters of obama.
Yeah, that argument was tried by Romney. See how well that worked to get supporters? What was Romney’s final vote total? 47%.
Jefferson
January 14th, 2013
3:39 pm
” Southern made bacon will not burn “
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
January 14th, 2013
3:41 pm
Buzzy
January 14th, 2013
3:36 pm
What does the former adminstration have to do with fixing these issues? Those who think like you seem to press the “Bush was worse and the reason for all our ills…” blather when we have pressing issues….how much time have our idiotic cash infused WH and Congress wasted on assigning blame? What good does that do?
Oh I get it, that will influence next election and all things will get fixed…
Keith
January 14th, 2013
3:41 pm
Yeah, that argument was tried by Romney. See how well that worked to get supporters? What was Romney’s final vote total? 47%.
So you should feel good about a country that has 47 percent of the people supporting 100 percent of the people? Next time a candidate tries to get this countries finances in order he may only get 30 percent of the vote. Your side wins the elections but the country goes bankrupt. And thats something for you to be proud of. JFK would be so disappointed in you.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 14th, 2013
3:42 pm
JHunt163 — “This is almost comical.”
Yes, your misunderstanding certainly is comical.
“There have been no real cuts”
Wrong.
“the $700 million taken out of Medicare was put back into Obamacare”
You clearly don’t understand the first thing about where that $700M came from.
“and the rest of the supposed savings were from leaving Iraq early.”
Wrong.
“There have been no job reductions at the Federal level, only state and local.”
Wrong.
All your misconceptions have been debunked here time and time again. I suggest that you open your eyes and ears — and close your yap — so that you can be brought up to speed with everyone else.
East Lake Ira
January 14th, 2013
3:42 pm
Random GOP Pol: We must spend less and do things to limit future spending and waste!
Random Dem Pol: We are already doing all that and more what else ya got?
RGP: No we’re not!
RDP: Actually, yes we are and you voted for it.
RGP: Well, we need to do more!!!!11!!!
RDP: What would you like to do?
RGP: You tell me.
And around and around and around we go…
Move your 401K to cash ASAP.
Granny Godzilla
January 14th, 2013
3:42 pm
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am…
January 14th, 2013
3:37 pm
Granny Godzilla
January 14th, 2013
3:33 pm
Last time I checked, we are scheduled to continue to run deficits for the coming years of between 700 billion and a cool trillion. Where exacctly is this 2.4 trillion? Help me understand your math.
.
.
.
.
It’s readily available for your perusal via google.
It’s handy and fun!
Don Abernethy
January 14th, 2013
3:43 pm
Try asking your credit card company to raise you limit when you are already past your limit.
Tell them how you can’t buy groceries or gas etc unless they raise your limit. Gee I guess all the owners of the credit card companies must be GOP. Jay, you sound like the liberals in Europe who want the government to take care of them no matter if the government has the money or not. You liberals do not care if our country goes down the tube so long as you get what you want.
ByteMe - Got ilk?
January 14th, 2013
3:43 pm
So you should feel good about a country that has 47 percent of the people supporting 100 percent of the people?
No, I feel good about a country with 53% of the people who can see through that nonsense and vote for the better candidate instead of making excuses about why their losing party and losing candidate lost.
Granny Godzilla
January 14th, 2013
3:44 pm
ple Truths
January 14th, 2013
3:38 pm
If we are paying down our debt, why do we need to take on more debt (raise the debt ceiling) to accomplish it?
.
.
.
.
so sad, so badly informed.
no idea at all what’s going on
Dharma Bum
January 14th, 2013
3:44 pm
Stevie Ray, precisely… too many people simply default to the “Bush did it” defense, as if that somehow abnegates them from the problems inherent in what they are proposing. It was wrong under the Bush administration, and it is still wrong under the Obama administration.
Keith
January 14th, 2013
3:44 pm
obama wants to raise the debt ceiling while DECREASING tax revenue. Sure he wants to raise taxes but there will be fewer people paying taxes. obamacare for one mandates employers with full time employees and 50 or more employees provide health care. So A. Reduce the hours they work and B. Reduce the workforce to below 50. Less people paying less in taxes.
ByteMe - Got ilk?
January 14th, 2013
3:45 pm
Move your 401K to cash ASAP.
Deflationary politics like letting a debt default crash the market opens up opportunities. Be ready.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
January 14th, 2013
3:45 pm
Jefferson
January 14th, 2013
3:36 pm
Because they “have” to spend up to 35% of there time raising money…no joke. There is rarely floor debate with them only showing up when they need to vote. Also, we have a president who for some reason is too arrogant or simply aloof to spend any meaningful time on the hill working with members..
The issue you raise is at the root of all of our current problems. The incentives which used to favor us are now stacked against us in favor of re-election and special interest alliances..
bookman parrot
January 14th, 2013
3:45 pm
must be nice to be “perfect”, “ever tolerant”, “compromising” like the Democrats LOL
Adam
January 14th, 2013
3:46 pm
Stevie Ray: Let’s say the trend continues and we find ourselves at $25, 30 trillion in debt with annual interest expense triple what it is today? Would that have you concerned?
What would concern me is if there is talk of us losing the global reserve currency. THEN I would be worried because we wouldn’t be able to do all these gimmicks. I would also be a bit peeved that we got to that point because current projections are to be at $22T in ten years, and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says if we act now or near term to get $1.4T in more deficit savings (revenue and/or spending) then we would have solved the problem.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
January 14th, 2013
3:46 pm
Tell them how you can’t buy groceries or gas etc unless they raise your limit.
The false comparison with a household budget and the federal budget.
If I only had a ha’penny for every time that has been posted….
Adam
January 14th, 2013
3:46 pm
Stevie Ray: Link for my assertion: http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3885
bookman parrot
January 14th, 2013
3:46 pm
Democrats (libs) always seem to forget they are the party of spend, give, give, spend, who cares about debt ….
ByteMe - Got ilk?
January 14th, 2013
3:47 pm
Sure he wants to raise taxes but there will be fewer people paying taxes. obamacare for one mandates employers with full time employees and 50 or more employees provide health care. So A. Reduce the hours they work and B. Reduce the workforce to below 50. Less people paying less in taxes.
Sure because most businesses want to shrink.
Only losers think that way. Winners think that their business is going to grow regardless of their taxes.
Adam
January 14th, 2013
3:47 pm
td: Just because the debt ceiling does not get raised does not mean we “default” on our debt. There is still money coming in each and every month to pay for the debt and most of our bills. The difference is any additional spending over the amount we bring in would have to be offset by actual cuts to other programs.
I know you don’t realize it, but that proves you have no idea what you’re talking about.
ByteMe - Got ilk?
January 14th, 2013
3:47 pm
Democrats (libs) always seem to forget they are the party of spend, give, give, spend, who cares about debt ….
Sorry, we forgot that Republican meme that always seemed to excuse Republicans from spending without taxing to pay for it.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
January 14th, 2013
3:47 pm
It was
wrongapplauded under the Bush administration, and it isstillonly wrong under the Obama administration.Joe Hussein Mama
January 14th, 2013
3:49 pm
td — “This is a false argument by Obama.”
Actually, you’re advancing a false argument yourself with this post.
“Just because the debt ceiling does not get raised does not mean we “default” on our debt. There is still money coming in each and every month to pay for the debt and most of our bills. The difference is any additional spending over the amount we bring in would have to be offset by actual cuts to other programs.”
Your “stealth spending cuts” aren’t going to happen. Man up and work them out over the negotiating table.
“If Obama wants to cut the VA or SS instead of finding the money some other way then that is on him.”
SS funds itself. And you want to cut the VA after sending tens of thousands of troops to war for ten years? Are you serious? Here’s a thought — don’t get involved in wars of choice and then we won’t have boatloads of wounded and disabled servicemembers who need the services of the VA. Unless, of course, this is part of your idea to cut the military by discouraging enlistments and accessions. After all, when high school and college kids hear that the VA won’t be able to help them if they come back from a war less than whole, that ought to drive down the number of kids willing to suit up for military duty.
“The state of Georgia furloughed all of its non essential personal one or two days per month to balance the budget. Obama could have the same option or actually find the fraud and abuse in programs. Cut non essential travel? Cut all these meetings all over the country?”
You think Congress could apply any of those principles to itself, do you?
Christian Conservative
January 14th, 2013
3:49 pm
Come on Jay! A showdown would be wonderful for the American people. The gubmint would finally stop spending more than they take in……
Grasshopper
January 14th, 2013
3:49 pm
Just default already.
Who cares any more?
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
January 14th, 2013
3:50 pm
Granny Godzilla
January 14th, 2013
3:42 pm
I’d rather you explain it directly to me. So you are suggesting we get 68 billion a year in new revenues on top of 240 billion per annum in expense cuts? Ergo we theoretically get a 300 billion annual pick up? Wow, that would be a terrific outcome…
Could you be referring to the cuts as we wind down gulf war participation that was already factored in the numbers several years ago?
Dharma Bum
January 14th, 2013
3:50 pm
Kam, I don’t care who applauded it under the Bush administration. I am only responsible for my views. I have remained consistently critical of the profligate spending under the Bush administration.
Simple Truths
January 14th, 2013
3:50 pm
Granny,
I am informed what is going on. We have a SPENDING problem. This current argument is not about past debts. We can pay our past debts without needing to raise the debt ceiling. Increased future spending would be the reason why the ceiling needs to raised.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
January 14th, 2013
3:50 pm
Well, I don’t know about you but I’m dying to know what old Tom Price is hiding. You recall back when Clinton was getting them ;private visits from the Lewinsky girl and old Newt was blasting him while fooling around on the side. Well, old Tom Price must be using a leaf-blower to scatter money, seeing as how he’s blasting Obama as a big spender that can only be stopped with a guvmint shutdown.
And I hope old Tom and this Gingrey fellow are setting aside a ton of money the states are going to need to deal with all the appeals from convicted rapists that are going to argue that since the woman got in the Family Way they couldn’t of raped her and it meant she really wanted to or else her body would of shut down.
Anyhow, just thought I’d throw that out there. Have a good p.m. everybody.
td
January 14th, 2013
3:51 pm
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
January 14th, 2013
3:46 pm
Tell them how you can’t buy groceries or gas etc unless they raise your limit.
The false comparison with a household budget and the federal budget.
If I only had a ha’penny for every time that has been posted….
It is only a false comparison in your mind and that of other progressives that want to continue to fool the American voter as to how bad the debt problem really is. If the American people really realized how bad the problem is then the Dems would lose the Santa factor and could not win anymore national elections.
East Lake Ira
January 14th, 2013
3:51 pm
ByteMe – Got ilk?
January 14th, 2013
3:45 pm
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I gotta get some of my dotcom bubble money back still…
rightwingextreme
January 14th, 2013
3:51 pm
Lord Help Us
January 14th, 2013
2:44 pm
The banana republic crap is very unbecoming…
maybe you could pass that own to the dimlibs when they pass bills on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve without giving anyone the chance to read them as Bammy promised.
maybe Bammy could quit ruling by Executive Order…..
maybe this is why Bammy wants to take away all Second Amendment Rights…..that would truly make us a banana republic.
bookman parrot
January 14th, 2013
3:51 pm
To Kamchak
any budget is similar… you can’t endlessly spend more than you bring in in perpetuity.
if i only have a penny for every lib that doesn’t understand or care
that would be 52,000,000 *.01 equaling $520,000
that would be nice chunk of cash
Butch Cassidy (I)
January 14th, 2013
3:52 pm
F.Sinkwich – “I am proud there are so many willing to stand up to O’bozo and his radical euro-socialist policies designed to crater this great country”
Sooooo…..the GOP plan is to crater it faster? Nice.
Native Atlantan
January 14th, 2013
3:53 pm
@Southpaw — the Minister you reference elected to remove himself from the inauguration.
Jhunt163
January 14th, 2013
3:53 pm
JHM if the Federal Employment levels have dropped, how come it’s not shown in the OPM data that byte me posted? If there are truly $2.3 trillion in cuts, please list them for me. The only things I can find are addressed in the sequester that hasn’t happened and no-one seemingly wants to happen.
Mad Max
January 14th, 2013
3:53 pm
How about creating a formula where the debt ceiling is increased based on GDP increases? That way, we would not spend money unless we had it it coming in. Obama does not even acknowledge that the U.S. has a spending problem. This round of “negotiations” is starting out like all of the other Obama discussions. He spews insults and threats using a compliant media from the bully pulpit.-assigning blame on the GOP for $trillion deficits that he created.The next step will be to send in surrogates to do the dirty work. Today’s WSJ quotes an Oliver Wyman actuarial analysis of Obamacare stating that healthcare premiums for Georgia are going to go up between 65% and 100% in 2014. So we don’t have a spending problem, it’s a health care problem. This is the hallmark of the Obama administration: costs go up, quality goes down, bureacracy increases, blame the other guy through the media, and avoid direct negotiation.
Butch Cassidy (I)
January 14th, 2013
3:55 pm
Down in Albany – “I guess you are referring to the budget(s) that failed to garner one single solitary vote in the Dem controlled Senate? That “budget?””
Yes, THOSE budgets. The President is merely required to present the budget, VOTING for it is a separate issue.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
January 14th, 2013
3:55 pm
I have remained consistently critical of the profligate spending under the Bush administration.
Uh, huh.
And I will have a threesome with Anne Hathaway and Scarlett Johansson.
Tonight.
At the Holiday Inn Express.
After my date with Morgan Fairchild.
Yeah, that’s the ticket.
Christian Conservative
January 14th, 2013
3:56 pm
Why can’t Oblama seem to find any qualified women to work in his administration???
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
January 14th, 2013
3:56 pm
any budget is similar…
And there’s your sign.
larry
January 14th, 2013
3:57 pm
Funny how Repubs become concerned about the debt only when a Democrat is in the White House.
I say have an up or down vote on raising the debt ceiling.
Those who vote no , arrest them for treason under the 14th admendment.
booger
January 14th, 2013
3:57 pm
I heard Obama’s speech today as well. Then I went back and read his speech as a senator on his reasons for voting against raising the ceiling under Bush. He could not vote to saddle our children with additional debt, which would be financed by borrowing from other countries, when Bush showed no leadership in reducing our debt.
I guess it’s different now.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
January 14th, 2013
3:58 pm
Adam
January 14th, 2013
3:46 pm
I am quite familiar with what the CBO and other, alledgedly non-biased groups contend…let’s discuss how accurate CBO has been on 10 year projections…way, way off in almost every instance. The reason is that they can never anticipate what things are going to be sold to us..such as wars we don’t need to fight, stimulus spending that does not produce disputable outcomes, new healthcare infrastructure and liabilities….
I recall reading that the CBO projected robust surplus’s for this past decade…congress may make decisions based on what these folks say but the mathematical variables are generally not credible and leave absolutely zero margin of error..
I’m not surprised I get no numerical response to question about how much debt is too much…even the economists won’t venture a guess…how scary is that?
If the GOP were smart, they’d simply give BO another 10 trillion on the credit card to use as he sees fit. Would you trust he would drive an agenda suggesting he was a good steward with this bonanza of credit capacity?
Simple Truths
January 14th, 2013
3:58 pm
Kam @ 3:55
Dude! Take a picture!!
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
January 14th, 2013
3:58 pm
Jay, this is all a ruse to keep TV ratings up and newspapers selling.
What the heck are you folks going to talk about if they all come to agreement/compromise? Jodie Foster’s coming out speech?
td
January 14th, 2013
3:59 pm
Joe Hussein Mama
January 14th, 2013
3:49 pm
“Your “stealth spending cuts” aren’t going to happen. Man up and work them out over the negotiating table.”
The Republicans passed a budget and am still waiting on the Dems in the Senate to take up their budget and offer amendments to the budget and then negotiating happens. The Republicans have passed all their appropriations bills in the House and the Dems in the Senate has not taken them up. The Republicans have done their job and it is the Dems in the Senate that refuse to do their job. Those are the facts and can not be disputed.
Dharma Bum
January 14th, 2013
4:00 pm
Kam, quit embarrassing yourself. I know where I stand, as do most of the other people that post here. As soon as you turn on the snark, it is clear there is no solid ground for you to stand upon.
larry
January 14th, 2013
4:01 pm
The Repubs have been after SS for the last 80 years , after Medicare for the last 48.
They only care about hurting people.
Let them keep on doing this. Their party will be obsolete by 2016.
pogo
January 14th, 2013
4:02 pm
Shudder to think that anyone would have the nerve to disagree with Obama on anything, right Jay? I know you and your little band of toadies here don’t !
Somebody stated it best yesterday; why doesn’t the AJC just go ahead and hand over all editorial functions to Bookman and Luckovich since the paper has evolved into nothing but an Obama propaganda sheet anyway?
Granny Godzilla
January 14th, 2013
4:02 pm
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am…
January 14th, 2013
3:50 pm
Granny Godzilla
January 14th, 2013
3:42 pm
I’d rather you explain it directly to me. So you are suggesting we get 68 billion a year in new revenues on top of 240 billion per annum in expense cuts? Ergo we theoretically get a 300 billion annual pick up? Wow, that would be a terrific outcome…
Could you be referring to the cuts as we wind down gulf war participation that was already factored in the numbers several years ago?
.
.
.
.
You need to keep trying…..
Eventually, maybe, you’ll get it right.
600 billion in revenue, 2.4 trillion in cuts……
with a little study you’ll figure out the time frame.
eventually, maybe
Seriously Folks
January 14th, 2013
4:03 pm
So Simply Truth, why isnt it called a “SPENDING ceiling”?????? And spare us the “household budgets arent run this way” garbage…UNTIL our debt (i.e. bonds) are no longer attractive to investors (and believe me, people are still buying US treasuries by the billions) there is no need for hysteria….now..if you WANT to create that hysteria, pull this B.S. and see what happens….
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
January 14th, 2013
4:04 pm
Mad Max
January 14th, 2013
3:53 pm
Some of my actuarial collegues presented a report to Pelosi et al prior to the less than transparent PelosiCare debacle. It suggested that the law would increase the premiums for a typical family by 16-20K over the next 8-10 years…instead of considering this, she threatened to eliminate their anti-trust exemption..
This will be a disaster…and for those shouting “we don’t have a spending problem, we have a healthcost problem..” I say since we are don’t want to attempt to curb future obligations even a smidge, it is a spending problem…
Christian Conservative
January 14th, 2013
4:05 pm
Poor Jay… You just can’t seem to get any traction today except from your few far left followers….
Jhunt163
January 14th, 2013
4:06 pm
It appears that Senator Bob Corker can’t figure out what the budget cuts are either.
http://blogs.knoxnews.com/johnson/washington-watch-tennessee-del/
Georgia
January 14th, 2013
4:06 pm
Of course the GOP will cave at the last possible moment. But Bookman’s piece today is a reflection of the commercial side of debating the issues, of which our congress is well aware: you have to vogue red or blue all the way to the last moment, or it doesn’t sell as many newspaper ads and google ads and click click click. Nobody really believes a word of what they wrote above, the least of which is the JayKyles.
I understand that the most prodigious commenters here are employees of the AJC? that explains everything. People, Readers, Citizens of Georgia, lend me your ears: There are AJC stooges in the commenting peanut gallery here, who are actual employess of the AJC. Disclosure would be a groove here. You see, when Jay Bookman comments, it’s highlighted in a blue box, so we know it’s the editor. The stooges don’t get highlighted, so we’re not aware that their opinion is part of a commercially grounded loop of group think. This is supposed to be an open public forum, where the disenfranchised rabble is supposed to express true and unsolicited public sentiment
Well, as the most rambunctious of all the rabble in Georgia, I demand disclosure of any and all AJC employees on this comment board. The very idea………
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
January 14th, 2013
4:06 pm
Most of this countries debt was run up during Republican administrations.
Debt and deficits only matter when a Democrat is in office.
Then it becomes a useful political tool for the Republicans.
If Romney had won we wouldn’t be hearing a peep about the deficit.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
January 14th, 2013
4:06 pm
I know where I stand, as do most of the other people that post here.
It’s easy to take a “stand” four years after-the-fact with no record to back your claim.
Talk is cheap; whisky costs money.
TaxPayer
January 14th, 2013
4:07 pm
There will be no ransom paid to the cons. Pay your damn bill, cons.
Regnad Kcin
January 14th, 2013
4:07 pm
“How about creating a formula where the debt ceiling is increased based on GDP increases?”
How about creating a formula where the debt ceiling is increased based on congressional (governmental) spending? Anybody got a problen with that? The idea that we pay bills that we incur?
That Black Guy
January 14th, 2013
4:08 pm
Adam
January 14th, 2013
3:20 pm
Hey Keith/Mystery Meat: Guess what? You can’t goad Jay into responding to you. Besides, I answered your stupidity above.
_____________________________________
Name calling and insults?
Is that the way to have an *ADULT* conversation on a topic (even if you disagree)?
Climate change, gun control, and now the debt ceiling. Is there a topic that you can debate without “losing it”?
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
January 14th, 2013
4:08 pm
whisky costs money.
Then Boehner must be rich.
hiccup. “Come to order.” hiccup….
tireofit
January 14th, 2013
4:08 pm
If the GOP wants cuts, then there is plenty to cut in the DoD budget.
straitroad
January 14th, 2013
4:09 pm
What’s even more alarming is the manner in which Obama’s supporters are increasingly becoming blindly loyal and do not question anything he does.
Steve-USA
January 14th, 2013
4:10 pm
Adam – “But I don’t suppose my posting that will have any effect on the talking point repeaters now will it?”
Is POTUS against raising the debt ceiling now?
That Black Guy
January 14th, 2013
4:13 pm
East Cobb RINO, Inc (LLC)
January 14th, 2013
2:59 pm
TBG
1) Yes – On March 16, 2006, the Senate held a vote on a measure to raise the debt ceiling by $781 billion — the fourth such vote of George W. Bush’s presidency. Republicans controlled the Senate, and Democrats spent much of the debate railing against Bush’s spending. “When it comes to deficits, this president owns all the records,” said Reid. “The three largest deficits in our nation’s history have all occurred under this administration’s watch.”
Declaring themselves outraged by such spending, Reid, Durbin, Schumer, and Murray all voted against raising the debt limit. So did every other Democrat — including Sen. Barack Obama.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/top-dems-urging-obama-to-raise-debt-ceiling-all-voted-against-increase-in-06/article/2518344
2) No – so why the poutrage? Unless it’s political grandstanding (HINT: It IS).
indigo
January 14th, 2013
4:13 pm
Republicans are convinced enough of their delusional electorate will support a shutdown, no matter how economically painful.
We can only hope that, if they force a shutdown, the majority of Americans will vote them out of office, once and for all, in 2014.
Hey, is this a great country or what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pogo
January 14th, 2013
4:14 pm
Obama makes the statement that raising the debt ceiling has nothing to do with increasing spending. It is really about paying for the spending we have already committed to. And you people actually believe this bull-crap? What a bunch of dumba$$es. Of course most of Bookmans toads don’t care about deficit anyway as they will be dead or on life support within 10 years.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
January 14th, 2013
4:14 pm
GRANNIE,
I stil have no clue…it’s your submission. Love to see where agreement was made to cut 240 billion a year…
Joe Hussein Mama
January 14th, 2013
4:15 pm
td — “The Republicans passed a budget and am still waiting on the Dems in the Senate to take up their budget and offer amendments to the budget and then negotiating happens. The Republicans have passed all their appropriations bills in the House and the Dems in the Senate has not taken them up. The Republicans have done their job and it is the Dems in the Senate that refuse to do their job.”
Just FYI, Congressional Republicans don’t get to drive the train on the national budget. They can make up all the bulldada budgets they want, but they can’t force the President or Congressional Democrats to go along with them.
If you think that the presence of some bulldada GOP budget establishes some sort of imperative for the President and the rest of Congress to act, then I suggest that you bring home a brand-new sports car tonight and tell your wife that the household budget is now being cut in order to conform to the priorities you have determined for the household.
See if you’re not eating cold baloney sandwiches in the doghouse tonight. Or else taking that car back to the dealer.
“Those are the facts and can not be disputed.
DISPUTED. (pointing, laughing)
Regnad Kcin
January 14th, 2013
4:16 pm
Which is the most likely outcome?
A: If the government shuts down, voters will flock to the republican party.
B: If the government shuts down, the republican party is going to take a huge hit in the 2014 elections.
C: Other (please specify)
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
January 14th, 2013
4:17 pm
B
curious
January 14th, 2013
4:17 pm
From Wikiprdia.
“The debt ceiling has been raised 74 times since March 1962,[15] including 18 times under Ronald Reagan, eight times under Bill Clinton, seven times under George W. Bush and three times (as of August 2011[update]) under Barack Obama.”
So what’s new?
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
January 14th, 2013
4:18 pm
tireofit
January 14th, 2013
4:08 pm
You sure got that right. I say we cut 20% DoD and 5-10% of all others and/or implement a fraction of 1% transaction tax on speculative wall street investments…Too bad neither side has the nutsack to propose this…Anyone, Jay for sure, who tries to convince that there is not at least 5-10% waste in each dollar those dopes spend will find themselves on the wrong end of a spanking..
Jhunt163
January 14th, 2013
4:18 pm
“If you think that the presence of some bulldada GOP budget establishes some sort of imperative for the President and the rest of Congress to act, then I suggest that you bring home a brand-new sports car tonight and tell your wife that the household budget is now being cut in order to conform to the priorities you have determined for the household.”
Or as the left would say, tell her to get a second job because you need more revenue to pay for that brand new sports car
SPC
January 14th, 2013
4:20 pm
I agree with the old Obama.
“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.” …….. Senator Barack Obama
curious
January 14th, 2013
4:20 pm
Maybe the two parties should try to meet in the middle on spending cuts. Their plan of “my way or no way” doesn’t seem to be working so good.
Regnad Kcin
January 14th, 2013
4:22 pm
Obama owns the republicans, politically, on this issue. The republicans seem intent on walking into the trap. It’s kind of hard to watch…
indigo
January 14th, 2013
4:22 pm
F. Sinkwich
I must have missed the announcement by Obama that he was adopting “radical euro-socialist policies”.
Link please?
indigo
January 14th, 2013
4:24 pm
pogo
I’ts time to stop posting here and finsh your homeschooling work.
You do want to make it to the 10th grade, don’t you?
Regnad Kcin
January 14th, 2013
4:26 pm
“As Garrett attempted to ask another question, Obama cut in again. “This is the United States of America, Major! We can’t manage our affairs in such a way that we pay our bills?”"
The republicans say, “NO, the United States should NOT pay it’s bills. It’s sad, really…
Get Real
January 14th, 2013
4:27 pm
Obama has ZERO interest in reducing the country’s debt, he is “hell bent” on essentially bankrupting the country. Doesn’t that bother the libs on this blog…especially you Jay!!
I know Bush and others have spent more than we have taken in and I do not believe that that fact justifies what Obama is doing. We have to do something now to reduce the debt, that discussion includes entitlement spending and also the military.
If we do not raise the debt limit, all our bills will be paid first so the notion that we will default on our debt is simply not true. If the fight does not occur now then when? Again Obama has zero motivation to reduce spending….additional taxing only scratches the surface…
pogo
January 14th, 2013
4:27 pm
I bet that everytime Obama has to give a press conference or any other public address he tells himself, “I can tell my stupid 51% anything and they will believe me, for they think I am God”. And he is right on. Even the so-called “intellectuals” have become mindless followers of their master. Of course it is easy to indoctrinate the weak, isn’t it?