So … this is Obama’s fault?

This is what total annual federal spending, adjusted for inflation, looks like. The chart is from the FRED database — Federal Reserve Economic Data — maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis:

spending

Blaming federal spending and the deficit on Barack Obama, as Republicans did last night and have done for years now, is like a scene from an old movie. You know the one: The bank robber comes barreling out of the bank, gun in one hand and money bag in the other, with cops hot on his trail.

“Here, hold this for me,” the crook says, handing the bag to someone and then trying to make his getaway. In this case, that “someone” designated to take the fall is a tall, thin black man.

— Jay Bookman

424 comments Add your comment

TaxPayer

February 13th, 2013
9:12 am

Thirty jobs bills just sitting there. I wonder how many jobs they contain and why they can’t get out of Congress and to the President’s desk. hmmmmm. I doubt itchy has any details to share.

Peadawg

February 13th, 2013
9:13 am

“a tall, thin black man.”

Did Cynthia come back and write this column for you, Jay? What does that have to do with anything?

moonbat betty

February 13th, 2013
9:13 am

Yes, the cons don’t like “thin”, “tall” or “black”.

It’s the NBA’s fault!

TaxPayer

February 13th, 2013
9:14 am

According to Republicans, tax cuts pay for themselves. So… as soon as the Bush tax cuts pay for themselves, I’m all in favor of more tax cuts.

N-GA

February 13th, 2013
9:14 am

Here is what we have always been told. When times are good, pay off debt and build a nest egg. When times are tough, cut non-essential spending and tap your nest egg, if necessary.

bucket

February 13th, 2013
9:14 am

@ mbtc – I will agree to Clinton era tax rates when the POTUS agrees to Clinton era spending rates. My favorite part of the SOTU was when the president urged the Congress to put aside party politics and pass a budget. BTW, when is the Senate, led by Mr. Reid, going to get around to passing a budget? How many years has it been since the Senate passed a budget? The House has passed a budget, why can’t the Senate? Also, isn’t the POTUS required by law to present a budget to the Congress on the first Monday of February? Where is it? I sure hope it’s better than the one he sent last year that was voted down 100-0 in the Senate. We have a spending problem in this country and we have debt issues. Both parties are responsible for those problems. How are we to have confidence that these problems will be addressed adequately when the people we have elected can’t even pass a budget?

DannyX

February 13th, 2013
9:15 am

“There’s over 30 jobs bills sitting in the Senate that Reid won’t put up for a vote…”

Why don’t you give us your analysis of those jobs bills Itchy? Tell us what wonders they will do.

DownInAlbany

February 13th, 2013
9:16 am

curious

February 13th, 2013
9:09 am

And, yet, Valarie Jarret said that the President has not (bothered) to talk to Congress about sequester. How does that line up with your reasoning?

Keep Up the Good Fight!

February 13th, 2013
9:16 am

Call 911. Peadawg is missing a sense of humor

Peadawg

February 13th, 2013
9:17 am

Racebaiting = humor.

Hhhmmmmm……..

Kevin

February 13th, 2013
9:17 am

The chart gives data on spending, not DEFICIT spending. What about revenue since 1970?

stands for decibels

February 13th, 2013
9:18 am

Geez, I just realized something.

Trillions are Trouble, because they start with “T” and that rhymes with “P” and that spells “pool.”

/drive-by

Fred ™

February 13th, 2013
9:18 am

Whatever

February 13th, 2013
8:55 am

stands,

Japan endures with over 20 years of major economic issues. How about we lead the world by getting out of debt instead of imitating those how haven’t done it well?
+++++++++++++++++++++

Is Japan the new FOXBOT/talk radio darling? First it was Ireland and no corporate taxes…… untiol they defaulted, then it was that third world country Greece with it’s whooping 253 billion dollar GDP, and now for the last two days I hear the hoodwinked screaming Japan over and over like they just discovered sushi.

Oh wait, I know. You ALL just had the same thought in the same time period……….

I’ll tell you what “Whatever.” Why don’t you explain to me what caused the Japanese crash, why their economic model was doomed from the start, the role that Gov’t had in the Corporations and the Corporations had in their Gov’t, what they did and didn’t do to end their fiscal woes and how in the HELL there is any parallel between them an the US.

Oh wait, you can’t. Fox/talk radio hasn’t explained any of that because it would show how stupid the “Japan” argument is.

Christian Conservative

February 13th, 2013
9:19 am

curious

“If obama thinks the sequester is so bad why did he sign it into law?”

He let the Republicans pick their own poison. Apparently, the Republicans thought it was a good deal. Party leaders, the White House and most members of Congress supported the debt-ceiling deal:

It passed on a 268-161 vote in the House, with about one-third of House Republicans opposing it. It passed in the Senate, 74-26, with 19 Republican senators opposing it.

Most Republicans voted against it. Obama, Reid, and Pelosi pushed this out….

godless heathen - owner of many things he does not need

February 13th, 2013
9:19 am

But, but, but Congress controls the purse-strings.

Fred ™

February 13th, 2013
9:20 am

that’s right Stands, we got trouble…….. right here in River city………

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI_Oe-jtgdI

Itchy Finger

February 13th, 2013
9:22 am

TaxPayer

Thirty jobs bills just sitting there. I wonder how many jobs they contain and why they can’t get out of Congress and to the President’s desk. hmmmmm. I doubt itchy has any details to share.

Read the article… Harriet reid won’t bring them up for a vote….

barking frog

February 13th, 2013
9:22 am

That flattening line on the chart is partly Obama’s fault but
the fault of Congress also. It is also partly why jobs are so
hard to find and job training and retraining is not happening.
Were that line continuing upward as before unemployment
would be lower, roads would be better. more college funds
would be available and other infrastructure such as
telecommunications networks would be better. The debt
of the USA is hard to reduce because the holders want
to keep it. They consider it an investment and the stupid
in government cannot understand that.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

February 13th, 2013
9:22 am

Is there a dance routine that I am missing?

DannyX

February 13th, 2013
9:22 am

Republicans supported the sequester because they were able to change the terms when Romney was elected and Republicans took over control of the Senate.

Whoops.

Itchy Finger

February 13th, 2013
9:23 am

Kevin:

That’s what libs do Kevin. try and deflect away from obama abysmal record…..

curious

February 13th, 2013
9:23 am

I thought he was addressing Congress.

If there’s a problem with sequestration, then Congress should speakup. They voted for it and Obama signed. There would not have been anything to sign if Congress hadn’t acted.

stands for decibels

February 13th, 2013
9:23 am

christ, you’re making it hard to bow out gracefully…

Oh wait, you can’t. Fox/talk radio hasn’t explained any of that because it would show how stupid the “Japan” argument is.

Dude. I brought up Japan. I pointed out, correctly, that their debt/GDP is a LOT bigger than ours (208% vs. 73%) and yet somehow they haven’t become Zimbabwe, or even (shudder) GREECE, y’know?

gotta leave the time-suck. Stop sucking me in, you crazy people.

JamVet

February 13th, 2013
9:25 am

jhunt, that is your response??

Hard working American, non-Republican people of conviction and moral courage are no longer going to just sit around and take the stale crumbs and lousy jobs that are doled out to them.

They are going to fight back. In the streets and most importantly, at the polling places.

Millions of us threw up when that coward from Massachusetts said that corporations are people.

When did the GOP simply decide to give away OUR – as in the real we the people – sovereignty?

Occupy that.

DannyX

February 13th, 2013
9:25 am

“Read the article…”

We are waiting for Itchy to tell us why the Senate should pass the House jobs bills.

Itchy take a time out, go do some goggling and and get back to us.

willie lynch

February 13th, 2013
9:25 am

Help me understand why as a nation we need to pay our debt?

TaxPayer

February 13th, 2013
9:26 am

What’s wrong itchy. Are you unwilling to simply tell us what those thirty bills contain in the way of estimated jobs that each will create and why the GOP has been incapable of presenting a believeable sales pitch to the Senate. Surely they have something that would make their case.

DownInAlbany

February 13th, 2013
9:26 am

More fact-checking from Politifact. Does anyone on here really care?
“Corporate profits have rocketed to all-time highs – but for more than a decade, wages and incomes have barely budged.” Wages and incomes may not always be the best measurement, because they leave out benefits, which have increased overall compensation over several decades. Regardless, Obama chose his timeframe carefully, because over the past four years, middle class income has actually declined.

“In 2011, Congress passed a law saying that if both parties couldn’t agree on a plan to reach our deficit goal, about a trillion dollars’ worth of budget cuts would automatically go into effect this year.” Obama is referring to the sequester. He omits the fact that he (or his White House) proposed the sequester, and he personally signed it, with the hope of using it to push Republicans into passing higher tax rates on high earners.

“Over the last few years, both parties have worked together to reduce the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion.” Both Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Read have used this claim, but it’s not true. As FactCheck.org noted recently, the figure includes over $1 trillion in spending cuts that “have yet to materialize.” It also includes $500 billion in projected reduced interest–not spending cuts or tax increases–and deficits remain high.

“Already, the Affordable Care Act is helping to slow the growth of health care costs.” The cost of health care has continued to grow, albeit less quickly–but the recession is a big part of the story. People are spending less because they can afford less. Obamacare has already made health insurance premiums more expensive, and Obamacare does not change the fundamental incentive problems that drive costs in U.S. health care.

“Let me repeat–nothing I’m proposing tonight should increase our deficit by a single dime.” This is a repeated promise (as well as a repeated metaphor: Obama also used the “single dime” phrase to in describing tax cuts in his stimulus). Obama broke that promise most spectacularly in Obamacare, which only “balances” due to accounting tricks and is almost certain to cost more than originally expected–net as well as gross.

“We have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas, and the amount of renewable energy we generate from sources like wind and solar – with tens of thousands of good, American jobs to show for it.” As I demonstrated in my recap of Obama’s 2009 address, the supply of renewable energy sources in the U.S. rose only about 10% in Obama’s first three years in office–very far from doubling.

“Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and floods–all are now more frequent and intense. We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science – and act before it’s too late.” Or we can call it “weather,” which is far closer to the truth than this scary story.

“That’s why my Administration will keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits.” In order to “keep” doing something, you have to have been doing it already. As Mitt Romney argued very ably in the presidential debates, the Obama administration has tried to slow oil and gas permitting on public lands, while taking credit for (or obstructing) much of the energy boom that has taken place on private lands.

“But taxpayers cannot continue to subsidize the soaring cost of higher education.” The fact that taxpayers continue subsidizing the cost of higher education is part of the reason that the cost of education keeps rising. Obama did not mention the crisis in student loan delinquency, which increased support from the government for tuition costs has not been enough to prevent. The fundamental problem is youth unemployment.

“[M]ore boots on the southern border than at any time in our history, and reducing illegal crossings to their lowest levels in 40 years.” Many of the “boots” Obama deployed to border states did not actually go to the border, less than half of which is actually secure. Illegal border crossings have decreased–but it is almost universally agreed that the cause is our poor economy, not enforcement–which Obama has effectively gutted.

“And I ask this Congress to declare that women should earn a living equal to their efforts, and finally pass the Paycheck Fairness Act this year.” This is a rather amusing promise, since Obama’s support for the Lily Ledbetter Act in 2009, which was meant to have guaranteed “equal pay,” was a major boast in his re-election campaign. Did he fail to make pay equal when he said he had? No–he just needs the issue to boost support.

“Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9.00 an hour.” That means, of course, that fewer people will be working full-time, or even part-time. Hiking the minimum wage is at odds with increasing jobs, and hurts minorities and young people worst, damaging their future employment prospects significantly.

“We’ll give new tax credits to businesses that hire and invest.” A rather vague promise that sounds like a good idea. It’s not a factual mistake by itself–except that it likely contradicts his earlier promise on tax reform: “The American people deserve a tax code that helps small businesses spend less time filling out complicated forms, and more time expanding and hiring.” That means fewer special rules, deductions and tricks.

“Today, the organization [Al Qaeda] that attacked us on 9/11 is a shadow of its former self.” It takes a special kind of chutzpah to say that, five months after a terror attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that claimed the lives of four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador. Obama acknowledges that the threat continues–it is “evolving,” he says, in a curious use of the word–but to declare victory, without mentioning Benghazi?

“The regime in North Korea must know that they will only achieve security and prosperity by meeting their international obligations.” Since when has the North Korean regime ever cared about prosperity? This marks the third State of the Union address in which Obama has mentioned North Korea (he did so in 2010 and 2011 as well)–and each time Obama has congratulated himself for his administration’s policy on the issue.

“As long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, we will do whatever we must to protect those who serve their country abroad, and we will maintain the best military in the world. We will invest in new capabilities, even as we reduce waste and wartime spending.” Even before the sequester, the Obama administration has slashed defense, reducing our military capabilities to the point where we can no longer plan to fight a two-front war.

“That’s why, tonight, I’m announcing a non-partisan commission to improve the voting experience in America.” Not the accuracy or fairness or transparency of the process, but the experience. The chances that Obama’s commission will recommend photo ID for voters, or that such a recommendation would be adopted, are zero. In fact, the Obama administration has stridently opposed states’ own efforts to improve voting in America.

“Police chiefs are asking our help to get weapons of war and massive ammunition magazines off our streets, because they are tired of being outgunned.” These terms suit Obama’s gun control agenda, but they are grossly misleading. So-called “weapons of war”–i.e. assault rifles, machine guns and the like–are already banned, and proposals on the table to reduce magazine size target relatively small clips, not “massive” ones.

Fred ™

February 13th, 2013
9:26 am

dB: Alright, but yesterday Japan was brought up and trotted out like Greece lol. I didn’t read every post here. I missed soem while I was working.

I’m out too. I’m going to try to unindoctrinate a far left wing fanatic and I need to prepare………..

alittlecommonsense

February 13th, 2013
9:27 am

You see, the difference is that most of us on the right have been critical of Bush spending too much also.

You libs only criticize Republicans when they spend too much. When your guy does it, it’s ok.

Your party right or wrong, you stand by them.

stevie ray

February 13th, 2013
9:27 am

Jay

The very first thing out of his mouth was utter BS. The state of the union is tenuous, dysfunctional, corrupt, and ever distant from our original values.

No one deserves more blame than the other. Too bad this guys legacy will be defined by how successful his blameless campaign will continue to sell..

joe

February 13th, 2013
9:28 am

No Jay, it’s not Obama’s fault…poppyc0ck! Who’s been mining the store over the last 4 years? How long can you blame others for the decisions or lackthereof his administration has made? Nothing so blind as those who cannot see…

Jay

February 13th, 2013
9:28 am

“adjust from nominal to real dollars and or adjust to % of gdp and that chart makes obama look like crap

bookman data manipulation”

By “adjust from nominal to real dollars,” our friend jm means that if we adjust for inflation, the chart would make Obama look like crap.

As in, “This is what total annual federal spending, adjusted for inflation, looks like,” which is the very first sentence of this blog post.

I just have to get a better quality of critic.

TaxPayer

February 13th, 2013
9:29 am

Trillions are Trouble

Dang it. I thought you were doing a lead in to a Star Trek episode. “Trillions of Troubling Tribbles.” Or something like that.

curious

February 13th, 2013
9:30 am

Christian Conservative
“Party leaders, the White House and most members of Congress supported the debt-ceiling deal: It passed on a 268-161 vote in the House, with about one-third of House Republicans opposing it. It passed in the Senate, 74-26, with 19 Republican senators opposing it.
Most Republicans voted against it. Obama, Reid, and Pelosi pushed this out….”

Using your figures, 2/3 of House Republicans voted for it and unless the Republicans held only 38 Senate seats, a majority of Republican Senators voted for it.

Itchy Finger

February 13th, 2013
9:31 am

DannyX
February 13th, 2013
9:25 am

“Read the article…”

We are waiting for Itchy to tell us why the Senate should pass the House jobs bills.

Itchy take a time out, go do some goggling and and get back to us.

I did… Perhaps you should call someone over to read it to you….. You fav Senator Reid won’t bring them up for a vote… Pesky Facts…

TaxPayer

February 13th, 2013
9:31 am

I just have to get a better quality of critic.

We do try to offset the effects of the cons but there are just so many of them here and they are soooo–how did Jindal put it…

Jefferson

February 13th, 2013
9:31 am

If the GOP is crying, that means they lost again.

barking frog

February 13th, 2013
9:32 am

Jay
I just have to get a better quality of critic
……………………………………………………………
Well considering the current crop, good luck with that.

UNCLE SAMANTHA

February 13th, 2013
9:32 am

WHAT DOES A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER DO???? KILL WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — A NATO airstrike in eastern Afghanistan late Tuesday killed 10 civilians, including children, an Afghan government official said.

The strike succeeded in killing three Taliban commanders who were targets of the attack, said Wasifullah Wasifi, a spokesman for the governor of Kunar province. But it also claimed civilian lives, he said.

The 10 civilians killed included five women and four children, Kunar province Gov. Fazelullah Wahidi said.

Christian Conservative

February 13th, 2013
9:32 am

curious

Christian Conservative
“Party leaders, the White House and most members of Congress supported the debt-ceiling deal: It passed on a 268-161 vote in the House, with about one-third of House Republicans opposing it. It passed in the Senate, 74-26, with 19 Republican senators opposing it.
Most Republicans voted against it. Obama, Reid, and Pelosi pushed this out….”

Using your figures, 2/3 of House Republicans voted for it and unless the Republicans held only 38 Senate seats, a majority of Republican Senators voted for it.

Your correct but an overwhelming majority of Dems voted for it and Obama pushed for it… The ball is in their court. If Obama and Reid want it changed they better get busy…

Butch Cassidy (I)

February 13th, 2013
9:33 am

Wow, if the Right Wing is unhappy now, just imagine how upset they’ll be in two years when they realize that Obama will still have two more years in office.

Itchy Finger

February 13th, 2013
9:34 am

UNCLE SAMANTHA

WHAT DOES A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER DO???? KILL WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — A NATO airstrike in eastern Afghanistan late Tuesday killed 10 civilians, including children, an Afghan government official said.

The strike succeeded in killing three Taliban commanders who were targets of the attack, said Wasifullah Wasifi, a spokesman for the governor of Kunar province. But it also claimed civilian lives, he said.

The 10 civilians killed included five women and four children, Kunar province Gov. Fazelullah Wahidi said.

It was the GOP… Oh wait.. No It was George Bush… Wait.. It was the Generals on the ground… Wait it was Chris Dorner.. Yeah that’s who it was..

kayaker 71

February 13th, 2013
9:34 am

Putting it all in perspective…… If you sat down and started counting from one to 16.5T, it would take you 507,000 years to complete the task. That’s a hell of a lot of money.

godless heathen - owner of many things he does not need

February 13th, 2013
9:34 am

BO: That’s why, tonight, I’m announcing a non-partisan commission to improve the voting experience in America.”

A box of chocolates and a soothing massage at the voting booth, maybe?

stevie ray

February 13th, 2013
9:35 am

Downinalbany

Pretty much covers it. When has a president not post an unachievable and u sustantiated agenda during this useless excercise to use stewardship pulpit for shallow crap like this

DownInAlbany

February 13th, 2013
9:35 am

DannyX. Not itchy, but, try this link…or you just make fun of the choice…up to you

It will at least give you a list of Senate-blocked legislation…http://www.offthegridnews.com/2012/01/06/harry-reid-%E2%80%93-the-bill-stops-here/

DannyX

February 13th, 2013
9:35 am

“I did”

No, itchy, you ran away. We are still waiting for an answer. Tell us about all those wonderful House jobs bills. Or just admit you have nothing.

Itchy Finger

February 13th, 2013
9:35 am

Butch Cassidy (I)

Wow, if the Right Wing is unhappy now, just imagine how upset they’ll be in two years when they realize that Obama will still have two more years in office.

Yes but having control of the House and Senate will be nice so they can hold back oabam’s current path of destruction he wants for this country….

mm

February 13th, 2013
9:36 am

“Raising the minimum wage to $9 is just one example of complete disconnect.”

You cons just can’t seem to get it through your heads. Consumers create jobs. People are not consumers if they have no spending money. Spending money comes from jobs, which could easily be created through infrastructure projects. And adjusted for inflation, minimum wage is a joke compared to what it was in the 60’s and 70’s.

Itchy Finger

February 13th, 2013
9:37 am

DannyX:

Here is a sample of some that would pass right now with bipartisan support. But Reid won’t bring up for a vote… You do he’s Senate majority Leader don’t you?

http://www.gop.gov/policy-news/11/10/27/summary-of-jobs-bills-stalled

Itchy Finger

February 13th, 2013
9:38 am

DannyX:

What exactly is obama proposing to create jobs?

BlahBlahBlah

February 13th, 2013
9:38 am

Are you sure that’s adjusted for inflation?

F. Sinkwich

February 13th, 2013
9:38 am

“We buy…less foreign oil than we have in 20…years.”

- O’Bozo last night

How did that happen in spite of O’Bozo’s war on fossil fuels? Tax credits for solar powered windmills? The enormous popularity of the POS Volt? Solyndra-like investments? Nope:

“The Energy Department has cited a host of reasons why foreign oil imports have declined, noting the main reason was “a significant contraction in consumption” because of the poor economy and changes in efficiency that began “two years before the 2008 crisis” — in other words, before Obama took office.”

The war on fossil fuels continues, sports fans…and we can’t get back to properity until it ends.

stevie ray

February 13th, 2013
9:38 am

Kayaker

And that is not the real problem, counting trillions. Its Accounting for trillions that will, oddly enough, it left to what most agree is a dysfunctional enterprise.

curious

February 13th, 2013
9:39 am

Christian Conservative
“The ball is in their court. If Obama and Reid want it changed they better get busy…”

Isn’t it disappointing so many Republicans voted for it? Gullibility factor?

You may need to do a better job of voting for your Representaives and Senators. At least Paul Broun is fighting the fight.

DownInAlbany

February 13th, 2013
9:40 am

mm

February 13th, 2013
9:36 am

“Raising the minimum wage to $9 is just one example of complete disconnect.”

You cons just can’t seem to get it through your heads. Consumers create jobs. People are not consumers if they have no spending money. Spending money comes from jobs, which could easily be created through infrastructure projects. And adjusted for inflation, minimum wage is a joke compared to what it was in the 60’s and 70’s.

But, it just goes out of one pocket into the other. If McDonald’s has to pay $9 an hour to flip burgers, guess what happens? The cost of the BigMac goes up to compensate for the increased cost of production.

DannyX

February 13th, 2013
9:41 am

“DannyX. Not itchy, but, try this link…or you just make fun of the choice…up to you”

I could care less about your dumb links. If you can’t explain what they will do without running off to googleland then just admit you know nothing about them.

Yes, the Senate hasn’t voted on them, we get that! What is in the bills????

Drudge

February 13th, 2013
9:42 am

What does the fact that he is black have to do with anything? Why do we always wind up there? And why do we always wind up looking back at the Bush years?

Expenditures are usually congruent with GDP growth. Now show the debt chart as % of GDP and I will stop laughing at this cherry pick.

Common Sense

February 13th, 2013
9:42 am

Common sense would tell you that after watching Obama’s speech last night that he honestly has no clue what to do. He’s not willing to work with Republicans. That much was clearly understood. Rubio on the other hand said he’s willing to reach out. Why won’t dems work with the other side?

Adam

February 13th, 2013
9:43 am

Hey Jay, what’s that FLAT LINE at the end there? SURELY Obama the biggest spender with the worst scandal in history (Benghazi) could not have SLOWED spending, therefore this must be false. After all, they are GOVERNMENT numbers.

Is my tin foil hat on right, or do I need to start saying something about climate change, evolution, and “Christian Nation” also?

Itchy Finger

February 13th, 2013
9:43 am

DannyX:

If you can’t read them and understand them for yourself you shouldn’t even be in this debate….

Regnad Kcin

February 13th, 2013
9:43 am

“It passed on a 268-161 vote in the House, with about one-third of House Republicans opposing it. It passed in the Senate, 74-26, with 19 Republican senators opposing it.

Most Republicans voted against it’

By your own statements, 2/3 of republicans voted FOR it. Oh, you silly republicans and your “unskewed math”! :)

DannyX

February 13th, 2013
9:44 am

“Rubio on the other hand said he’s willing to reach out.”

And he proved it to. Grabbing that water bottle political history.

UNCLE SAMANTHA

February 13th, 2013
9:44 am

LIBERALS DONT WANT CHILDREN TO DRINK DIRTY WATER OR BREATH DIRTY AIR

THEY JUST WANT THEM TO DIE

thats what happens when they BOO GOD at the DNC!

they have no shame

Itchy Finger

February 13th, 2013
9:44 am

DannyX:

I suppose when you drive you have to have someone along to explain street signs for you???

F. Sinkwich

February 13th, 2013
9:44 am

“What exactly is obama proposing to create jobs?”

- high taxes
- high energy prices
- windmills
- high healthcare costs
- stifling regulations
- income redistribution / class warfare
- punish job creators
- etc.

Thanks for asking.

DownInAlbany

February 13th, 2013
9:44 am

DannyX

February 13th, 2013
9:41 am

“DannyX. Not itchy, but, try this link…or you just make fun of the choice…up to you”

I could care less about your dumb links. If you can’t explain what they will do without running off to googleland then just admit you know nothing about them.

Yes, the Senate hasn’t voted on them, we get that! What is in the bills????

I admit that I DON’T KNOW what’s in the bills! Feel better now?
The point is, you folks demonize the pubs as the party of NO and Reid is the one saying NO. Explain how anything the President outlined last night will improve anything. I’ll wait…

Grasshopper

February 13th, 2013
9:44 am

If the tall thin black man takes the bag from the bank robber and runs with it, then YES, it is his fault.

guy

February 13th, 2013
9:44 am

The main thing is that we are ALL being hurt by spending in Washington. It is sickening that all of these politicians have no intentions of cutting spending. This is a serious matter. Pelosi says we don’t have a spending problem but that we have a deficit problem. Can you believe it?

Erwin's cat

February 13th, 2013
9:45 am

designated to take the fall is a tall, thin black man

Wilt the stilt?

barking frog

February 13th, 2013
9:45 am

DowninAlbany
But, it just goes out of one pocket into the other. If McDonald’s has to pay $9 an hour to flip burgers, guess what happens? The cost of the BigMac goes up to compensate for the increased cost of production.
………………………………………………………………………………………
However the bigmac has already gone up without a corresponding
increase in wages.

Adam

February 13th, 2013
9:45 am

“If obama thinks the sequester is so bad why did he sign it into law?”

You owe me a nickel. Pay up.

Class of '98

February 13th, 2013
9:45 am

A perfect liberal “column” by Bookman.

Lots of blame for Republicans. No solutions offered.

mm

February 13th, 2013
9:46 am

Well, well. The US government posted a 3 billion dollar surplus in January.

Where’s all that spending you cons are lying about?

stevie ray

February 13th, 2013
9:46 am

Jay

Why arent more liberals defending your guy this morning? Its not like rubio said anything new at least he performed in acrobatic fashion eh?

Adam

February 13th, 2013
9:46 am

It’s cute how Sinkwich thinks the same nonsense that LOST the election for Romney is going to work somehow.

Christian Conservative

February 13th, 2013
9:46 am

Regnad Kcin:

Did Dems not vote overwhelmingly for it?

Bill Orvis White

February 13th, 2013
9:46 am

What about $20T in new ObamaDebt? The fact is that “he” added this debt to what was being paid down by the honorable Pres. George W. Bush and would have been paid down with a rightful successful President McCain, fact. Last night’s “speech” could have been presented by Greece’s president-making promises for huge big gov’t programs that WILL EXPLODE THE DEFICIT and inflict taxe$ on all achievers. Senator Rubio presented a fresh vision THAT WILL fix the mistakes that this incompetent “administration” has pushed down our throats. Amen, Bill

UNCLE SAMANTHA

February 13th, 2013
9:47 am

here is why liberals like killing children

they dont like god
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUJE9YfsbNQ

mm

February 13th, 2013
9:47 am

“Lots of blame for Republicans. No solutions offered.”

When will the cons offer a solution other than “tax cuts”?

stevie ray

February 13th, 2013
9:48 am

Mm,

Where are all the spending cuts? We could use a scorecard. You know, kind like the debt ticker

Keep Up the Good Fight!

February 13th, 2013
9:49 am

It sure does make for a lot of ugly cons during the entire day as the GOP falls apart, the weakness of their ideas and silly attacks are exposed and America rejects their radicalism and supports the President.

DownInAlbany

February 13th, 2013
9:49 am

barking frog

February 13th, 2013
9:45 am

DowninAlbany
But, it just goes out of one pocket into the other. If McDonald’s has to pay $9 an hour to flip burgers, guess what happens? The cost of the BigMac goes up to compensate for the increased cost of production.
………………………………………………………………………………………
However the bigmac has already gone up without a corresponding
increase in wages.

And, many things contribute to that. Including the rising cost of corn (see: ethanol). Cows eat lots of corn! The point is, the rising costs of production (regardless of reason) is passed on to the consumer.

barking frog

February 13th, 2013
9:49 am

Seems like I read somewhere that, when you’re
lying, your mouth gets dry.

UNCLE SAMANTHA

February 13th, 2013
9:50 am

mm

February 13th, 2013
9:46 am
Well, well. The US government posted a 3 billion dollar surplus in January.

Where’s all that spending you cons are lying about?

====================================================================

ITS CALLED A TAX INCREASE EINSTEIN……. THE PAYROLL TAX INCREASED AND THE BUDGET DID NOT HAVE THE INCREASE ACCOUNTED FOR

JUST LIKE EVERYTHING IN WASH DC……. ITS ACCOUNTING TRICKERY

St Simons - he-ne-ha

February 13th, 2013
9:50 am

oh, this ‘chart’ has the typical liberrral bias.
It wasn’t featured on Rush
and where’s bengaaazi on this graph? huh? clerverly left out, yeah
and its adjusted for socialism
probably got it off an acorn teleprompter somewhere…

Partisay

February 13th, 2013
9:50 am

“The war on fossil fuels”

Is that anything like the war on Christmas?

DannyX

February 13th, 2013
9:50 am

“I suppose when you drive you have to have someone along to explain street signs for you???”

You have know idea what those House jobs bills are all about. You just thought you would throw it out there like all of the others. You got called out and ran away. The House jobs bill crap has been brought up many times here and not one of you could explain them or tell us what good they would do. Running off to googland is a big fail.

Adam

February 13th, 2013
9:50 am

To those who are trying to point fingers at the other side for the sequester: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Seriously, the whole thing was a bad idea. Everyone in the beltway thought that the sequester would never happen, and that’s why they voted for it. They were foolish and hindsight is 20/20. Each tried to play political games to “force” the other side to accept their way. And now Congress is running from the consequences of disagreement by continually delaying the sequester.

In this case, a pox on both their houses. While I agree more with the idea of cutting defense and not cutting domestic programs, and I agree that the ideas the Democrats had to cut spending and raise revenue are more reasonable, I still think they both played too many games for anything to be agreed upon. Not that it would have mattered if they were more serious about it – there still were never enough votes for agreement in the first place.

Adam

February 13th, 2013
9:51 am

here is why liberals like killing children

You mean like insisting that gun rights override a child’s right to a safe and non-prison-like school environment?

stevie ray

February 13th, 2013
9:52 am

Mm,

Three billion. Well snatch me up baldheaded. Lets go buy us something nice! Why not divide that number into annual spending divided by twelve?

Adam

February 13th, 2013
9:52 am

UNCLE SAMANTHA: THE PAYROLL TAX INCREASED AND THE BUDGET DID NOT HAVE THE INCREASE ACCOUNTED FOR

Thank you for your admission that tax increases create surpluses. :D

Itchy Finger

February 13th, 2013
9:52 am

mm:

obama’s SS tax kicked back in… This is easily explained away if you inform yourself…

January’s budget benefited from an estimated $9 billion in extra revenue from higher Social Security taxes. .

Lord Help Us

February 13th, 2013
9:53 am

If there is a ‘war on fossil fuels’ why are my energy stocks soaring? VLO is the bomb…

DannyX

February 13th, 2013
9:54 am

“The point is, you folks demonize the pubs as the party of NO and Reid is the one saying NO.”

DownInAlbany, you are defending something you know nothing about. You are just trying to score political points.

barking frog

February 13th, 2013
9:55 am

DowninAlbany
And, many things contribute to that. Including the rising cost of corn (see: ethanol). Cows eat lots of corn! The point is, the rising costs of production (regardless of reason) is passed on to the consumer.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
and the consumer has no way to offset that except to buy
fewer bigmacs which is not good for the economy thus the
rise in minimum wage allowing the purchase of more bigmacs.

jhunt163

February 13th, 2013
9:55 am

Hard working American, non-Republican people of conviction and moral courage are no longer going to just sit around and take the stale crumbs and lousy jobs that are doled out to them.

OK then go on the Welfare roll that you seemed destined for. Business owners hire people that add value to their company. If they can acquire labor for 1/4 of the price, then they have added value to their company. The only way to side step this is to acquire a set of skills that are in demand and make you competitive. You can say you have no skills and are hard working (a choice you chose to make) and take it to the polls, and I do agree that you have won 3 of the last 4 presidential elections. Get mad, put more regulations on businesses, cut revenues. I promise you in the end it is going to turn out real peachy for everyone, but especially the people on the bottom tier. If you think the deficit is bad now, just wait until the Fed allows interest rates to rise.

St Simons - he-ne-ha

February 13th, 2013
9:55 am

bf – Seems like I read somewhere that, when you’re
lying, your mouth gets dry.

yeah, there’s like 8 signs, and mrsstsimons can spot em all.
In like the first 8 min of an intake interview , she can tell more about
a patient than they know about themselves.

stevie ray

February 13th, 2013
9:56 am

Adam,

Truer words rarely spoken. They are all politicians operationing in a system where underachievement is status quo