Sequester will test GOP’s cut/cut/cut strategy
Unless Congress comes to an unlikely and very quick agreement, most domestic federal spending must by law be slashed by an immediate 8.2 percent on March 1, with only Social Security, Medicaid and veterans’ benefits exempted.
According to estimated from the Office of Management and Budget, defense spending will have to be cut by 9.4 to 10 percent, depending on the category. Payments to Medicare providers — doctors, hospitals, etc. — will be cut by 2 percent.
And because the law dictates that the cuts be across-the-board, rather than targeted, the impact is some areas could be severe. Agency directors have very little if any leeway in trying to protect particular programs.
James Clapper, director of National Intelligence, has warned that “the sheer size of the cut will create an immediate national security crisis situation” in the CIA, FBI and other agencies. Border Patrol agents will be laid off, as will federal prosecutors and airline security officers. (If you’re flying, you might want to double the time needed to get through security.)
On the social-spending side, to cite just a few specific examples, some 10,000 Americans will be cut off from the AIDS drugs that keep them alive; 70,000 children will be pushed off Head Start; 373,000 seriously mentally ill people will no longer have a means of treatment. The list goes on and on.
The overall economy will likely suffer as well. According to the Congressional Budget Office, that reduced federal spending will dampen growth and cut job creation by some 750,000 through the end of the year.
Unfortunately, there appears to be little to no hope in Washington that such cuts can be avoided, at least at first. Our leaders have come to the conclusion that no matter how much pain these reductions cause the American people, the political pain they themselves would suffer by having to compromise would be greater still. So instead of acting, they are preparing to blame each other when the outcries come.
The Republicans are basing their PR strategy on the claim that the sequester was actually President Obama’s idea, and they are correct: The Obama White House did propose the idea of a sequester back in 2011, believing that if the required budget cuts were painful enough, both sides would be compelled to compromise in order to avoid them.
However, the sequester — or “Obamaquester”, in the GOP’s strained terminology — was made necessary in the first place because House Republicans had made it quite clear that without a mandatory mechanism to slash spending, they would refuse to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, potentially sending the country into a disastrous default. That was back before the election, when House Republicans were so full of themselves that they seemed fully capable of doing just that.
(Just to refresh your memory — these artificial fiscal crises do tend to blur into one another by now — this particular confrontation in 2011 is the one that convinced Standard & Poors to lower the nation’s bond rating.)
In other words, the record shows that Republicans forced the crisis, and now want to blame Obama for proposing an escape hatch. I don’t believe the tactic is going to work, in large part because once again, the GOP has put itself into a position of trying to sell a hard argument. In this case, after stomping their feet, holding their breath and generally making public fools of themselves demanding harsh spending cuts, they are going to try to put the blame for spending cuts on Obama?
Good luck with that.
Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee and the GOP’s spending guru, is on record back in 2011 as lauding the sequester, and his fellow House Republicans voted 174-66 in favor of it. (House Democrats split right down the middle, with 95 supporting it and 95 voting against it). In addition, Ryan has promised House conservatives that he will soon produce a budget that will balance the budget within 10 years, and do it without new taxes. The magnitude of spending cuts required to make that happen will dwarf those being implemented under the sequester.
The sequester, in other words, can be seen as a mini test drive for the GOP’s overall fiscal policy. What happens to government services when we implement just a fraction of the massive spending cuts that the GOP is demanding? What happens to the economy when federal spending falls by a relatively minor $85 billion between March and the end of the fiscal year in October?
By already trying to put the blame on Obama, the GOP is in effect predicting that the results won’t be pretty.
– Jay Bookman
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897 comments Add your comment
Morality?
February 19th, 2013
12:13 pm
It’s obvious that Obama is a ta and spend Socialist. He has no intention of going against his financial supporters on the Socialist left – no intention of reducing the Dem’s socialist social programs. Indeed – his intent is to EXPAND the Socialist social programs like all Dems do. Obama has no intention of reducing the Fed debt……. he has no intention of EVER presenting a budget. Obama can’t be trusted.
barking frog
February 19th, 2013
12:13 pm
getalife
If I had an updated Windows 7, I would but factory
reinstall would require multi updates.
getalife
February 19th, 2013
12:15 pm
filky,
Your turtle will cave again.
Your speaker cried to mommy because the new CoS is too tough for him to even negotiate.
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:15 pm
@That Black Guy – you do realize that the old Confederate states are the red states now, that supported the tool Romney, right? And most of these Georgia good ole boy posters are what I would call Confederates – they are treasonous, anti-American ignoramuses combined with greedy Christian nutjobs….who hate Obama SOOOO much.
barking frog
February 19th, 2013
12:16 pm
Morality ?
Obama is not a socialist. He is a social Democrat thus
his weekends with Oprah and Tiger.
Rabbit
February 19th, 2013
12:16 pm
Of course there must be tax increases. It’s unpleasant and as a purely salaried employee, I’ll pay the highest percentage of any increases. But simple economics requires that shrinking government cannot occur suddenly without shaking the foundations.
All these so called ideologues who are castigating the President in this comment section DO NOT want the consequences of foundation shaking. If you’re young, plan to work for less (maybe part-time) and if you’re older, your retirement accounts will be in jeopardy.
Simple, folks. If you suddenly cut huge chunks of money (even gov’t money) out of the economy, GDP convulses, credit dries up. Remember 2007-8?
Go ahead, turn off that talking head and think for yourself with the common sense I know your parents must have taught you.
philosopher
February 19th, 2013
12:17 pm
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
10:48 am
philosopher:
Honestly when you have a government that spends trillions of dollars a year it don’t take a heck of a lot of logic to realize there’s waste somewhere. The left seems to think our government is efficient. No one in their right mind would believe that….
I absolutely agree…No one in their right mind believes that liberals think our government is efficient.
Paul
February 19th, 2013
12:17 pm
0311
“But the bottom line is Conservatives and Christians give more than liberals and athiests.”
Given the distinctions the good perfesser noted in how people see in the avenues to giving and how some try to shut down governmental avenues, which prevents an increased level of giving, not much can be made of that distinction.
And we haven’t even gotten into how much of ‘charitable giving’ goes outside the organization and generalized across the population, even when the groups to whom it goes do not subscribe to the faith goals of the church. But data on that is difficult to come by
You know of any Christian faiths that provide long-term food assistance to individuals and families, not just to those of their faith? Or provides support to third-world charities not of their faith so they can expand their services? Far as I can tell, it’s Mitt Romney’s religion. Looks like some other denominations have some catching up to do.
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:17 pm
I rest my case. These same ignoramuses accuse Obama of being a “socialist” as if that is a bad word (ask our socialist neighbors up north what they think of us down here as they bask in their strong economy, free healthcare, and are polled as happier than we are in general).
If Obama is a socialist, what was George W Bush? An uber socialist commie?
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:17 pm
Tax
the
churches
USinUK - former Girl Scout
February 19th, 2013
12:17 pm
“But the bottom line is Conservatives and Christians give more than liberals and athiests.”
and, again … when you take churches out of the equation, what would happen to that particular result (funnily enough, atheists don’t contribute much to those)
getalife
February 19th, 2013
12:18 pm
frog,
Yes the factory reinstall should go back to 7 and you wasted 40 bucks.
I would stick with 7 until they stop doing updates.
Darwin
February 19th, 2013
12:18 pm
So the GOP and tea party folks are for reduced government spending. But when it actually happens it’s called Obama..something! Geesh!
JamVet
February 19th, 2013
12:18 pm
I’m sure there are lots of really great Republican Christians around this country; men and women who try to quietly follow the teachings of Christ in their lives and words and deeds, as best they can.
People who care deeply for and try to help the poor, elderly, sick and children. (Or as Christ referred to them – the least of these brothers and sisters of mine). Who are not bigots and racists obsessed by riches and racial/ideological purity.
Who do not have reprehensible men and hate-filled philosophies as their champions and who don’t collectively abhor ethnic diversity and other non-Christian cultures.
Who have stood up to the unashamed avarice and evil promulgated by TV charlatans and frauds wearing $3000 Italian suits.
Alas, it is pretty clear that none of them blog here.
Rabbit
February 19th, 2013
12:19 pm
Of course there must be tax increases. It’s unpleasant and as a purely salaried employee, I’ll pay the highest percentage of any increases. But simple economics requires that shrinking government cannot occur suddenly without shaking the foundations.
All these so called ideologues who are castigating the President in this comment section DO NOT want the consequences of foundation shaking. If you’re young, plan to work for less (maybe part-time) and if you’re older, your retirement accounts will be in jeopardy.
Simple, folks. If you suddenly cut huge chunks of money (even gov’t money) out of the economy, GDP convulses, credit dries up. Remember 2007-8?
Go ahead, turn off that talking head and think for yourself with the common sense I know your parents must have taught you.
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:19 pm
Starving your government and its effects:
http://www.businessinsider.com/us-infrastructure-behind-developed-world-2013-1
The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for 2012-2013 exposes that U.S. infrastructure compares unfavorably with that of most advanced countries and even some developing nations.
The report investigated the quality and availability of roads, railroads, ports, air transport, electricity, and telephones.
In terms of overall infrastructure, the U.S. ranks 25th, behind nations such as Oman and Barbados, and only one spot ahead of Qatar.
THANKS, CONSERVATIVES
RB from Gwinnett
February 19th, 2013
12:20 pm
“but they don’t acknowledge that we spent 700 billion plus dollars (close to three quarters of a trillion dollars) in 2011 (in one year!) on defense which is more than the next 11 countries COMBINED”
And you didn’t acknowledge that we are the military for most of our allies whose liberals have decimated their own military budgets to the point they couldn’t defend themselves without us. Both from a technology and a presence standpoint.
But don’t worry, we’ll be there soon enough and will have to rely on our “big brother” ally to protect us too; just like you liberals want. Oh, wait, we don’t have a “big brother” ally??? That could be a problem. Not just for us, but for our allies who can’t defend themselves. All we need is a good ‘ole fashioned peace loving liberal in the white house to bury their head in the sand for a few years while it happens. Wait for it….it will come.
barking frog
February 19th, 2013
12:21 pm
getalife
I upgraded for the browser but it is crappy too. I’m
considering Chromebook and deserting Windows
forever.
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:22 pm
So, Christians tithe to their churches so their pastor can upgrade to a BWM? How is that charitable? These churches don’t even pay taxes. The Roman Catholic Church owns some of the most valuable land in the world, tax free.
TiredOfIt
February 19th, 2013
12:22 pm
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
10:07 am
Lets have an honest debate. If the sequester comes it will have absolutely no effect on me and my family. So that’s why I’m for it because we must stop spending money we don’t have….
++
It is time that the church to quite mooching and pay their taxes. We cannot afford it.
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:22 pm
RB, we could cut our military in half, get rid of outdated processes and ideas, modernize the military and be more effective, and still spend half of what we spend now.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
February 19th, 2013
12:23 pm
And the bottom line is that Christians and conservatives give more ………… sorry libs.
DannyX
February 19th, 2013
12:23 pm
“I got 98 percent of what I wanted.”
John Boehner
USinUK - former Girl Scout
February 19th, 2013
12:23 pm
” The Roman Catholic Church owns some of the most valuable land in the world, tax free”
… then turn around and do extra collections for St. Vincent de Paul …
USinUK - former Girl Scout
February 19th, 2013
12:25 pm
“……… sorry libs.”
you are.
but we don’t hold it against you.
getalife
February 19th, 2013
12:26 pm
frog,
I have not heard much about Chromebook but people love Windows 7.
After you do the factory reinstall, you will have to upgrade 7 and other programs but it should last for years until they stop doing 7 updates.
Shine
February 19th, 2013
12:26 pm
Alrighty. I voted for Obama. He got some tax increases. Now where is his budget? I dont have a problem witrh more revenue increases with some more cuts. Spending the new revenue and hollering “wont increase the deficit” when talking about new spending aint getting it.
barking frog
February 19th, 2013
12:26 pm
0311
Aren’t Christians obligated to donate 10% of their gross
income to the charitable organization of which they are
members ?
alex
February 19th, 2013
12:26 pm
@ getalife, compromise and play it till 2014, Dems left with explaining the deficiet to an increasingly agitated public…Gop will argue they tried to get the house in order, but dems would not compromise by looking at entitlememts…Repubs will keep the house and expand on the Senate, UNLESS the president looks the dems in the face and we have to put some spending on the table……aw yes, circular room, NO corners in this game
RB from Gwinnett
February 19th, 2013
12:27 pm
Steve, “RB, we could cut our military in half, get rid of outdated processes and ideas, modernize the military and be more effective, and still spend half of what we spend now.”
And where in all of King Obama’s rhetoric is that proposal????
getalife
February 19th, 2013
12:27 pm
update not upgrade.
Doggone/GA
February 19th, 2013
12:28 pm
“And the bottom line is that Christians and conservatives give more ………… sorry libs”
And that says it ALL. There are NO Christian “libs” in Scouts narrow little world.
Well sorry, Bud…but “Christians” encompasses BOTH libs and cons
Itchy Finger
February 19th, 2013
12:29 pm
TiredOfIt
Lets have an honest debate. If the sequester comes it will have absolutely no effect on me and my family. So that’s why I’m for it because we must stop spending money we don’t have….
++
It is time that the church to quite mooching and pay their taxes. We cannot afford it.
It is time that the church to quite giving out food, clothing, healthcare, education and housing to the poor? The nation couldn’t afford that. But again I ask. Talk to your elected representatives about taking away churches tax exempt status….
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
12:30 pm
TiredOfIt:
Why don’t you spew your non-sense to all the children churches help feed and cloth….
Doggone/GA
February 19th, 2013
12:31 pm
“Now where is his budget? ”
Chuckle
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:31 pm
RB, how is Obama “King” when your dufus President called himself “The Decider”? Really?
(and note that GWB pronounced “nuclear” as “noo-cue-ler”, brainiac that he was)
Doggone/GA
February 19th, 2013
12:31 pm
“Aren’t Christians obligated to donate 10% of their gross
income to the charitable organization of which they are
members ?”
No
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
February 19th, 2013
12:31 pm
Paul:
“Among the more visible organizations …………… is Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. In 2005, volunteers responded to 166 named disasters, prepared 17,124,738 meals, repaired 7,246 homes, and removed debris from 13,986 yards. All assistance is provided to individuals and communities free of charge. SBC DR volunteer kitchens prepare much of the food distributed by the Red Cross in major disasters.”
If you want to do the research the list of other Christian organization is endless.
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
12:31 pm
Doggone/GA
“And the bottom line is that Christians and conservatives give more ………… sorry libs”
And that says it ALL. There are NO Christian “libs” in Scouts narrow little world.
Well sorry, Bud…but “Christians” encompasses BOTH libs and cons
Its true… Libs believe in a secular society… Do you bother to read the tripe by your ilk posted on here?
USinUK - former Girl Scout
February 19th, 2013
12:32 pm
“Talk to your elected representatives about taking away churches tax exempt status….”
talk about the new third rail …
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February 19th, 2013
12:32 pm
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getalife
February 19th, 2013
12:32 pm
alex,
I am not sure if the dems can win the house because of gerrymandering but Americans know congress can’t do their basic job of a budget.
I think the deal maker is the turtle so they will cut a deal at the last second like last time.
Then they will cut another deal on the debt limit.
A horrible way to govern but it is the gop so that is to be expected from the gop.
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:33 pm
“U.S. stocks moved higher Tuesday, with the Dow and S&P 500 rising to new 5-year highs”
OH I hate that Obama soooooo much!
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
February 19th, 2013
12:33 pm
Doggone:
But alas you do err.
I am talking about who gives most ……….. not who is a “Christian”.
Doggone/GA
February 19th, 2013
12:34 pm
“Libs believe in a secular society”
A secular society can be, and IS, composed of religious people, as well as non-religious.
You DO know, don’t you, the “secular” does not mean no religions exists? Don’t you?
RB from Gwinnett
February 19th, 2013
12:34 pm
Hey, tiredofit, here’s a list of the shelters run by churches just in the city of Atlanta you’ll need to replace when you take these evil Christains tax exempt status away so they can no longer afford to run them.
Honest question…How many of the people in these shelters are you personally willing to take in or pay for?
RB from Gwinnett
February 19th, 2013
12:34 pm
http://www.bing.com/search?q=atlanta+church+shelters&form=CMNTDF&pc=CMNTDF&src=IE-SearchBox
Forgot the link…
barking frog
February 19th, 2013
12:35 pm
Itchy Finger
Talk to your elected representatives about taking away churches tax exempt status….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
I am satisfied with the current church tax situation as
it keeps them from participating as organizations in
politics, except that it is a violation of the freedom of
religion, something it seems the churches are not too
concerned about.
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:35 pm
If people gave to the Red Cross, or real charitable organizations that are accountable for what they spend instead of churches (who do Lord knows what with that money), then we’d see results.
Doggone/GA
February 19th, 2013
12:36 pm
“I am talking about who gives most ……….. not who is a “Christian”.”
Then you are including all Christian “libs” as well..and OF COURSE Christians give more, they are BY FAR AND AWAY the biggest group in this country. So it’s, at best, disingenuous, to say they “give more”…of course they do. The outnumber everyone else.
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
12:36 pm
USinUK – former Girl Scout
“Talk to your elected representatives about taking away churches tax exempt status….”
talk about the new third rail …
If your not happy with tax policy that’s what you do…. Don’t pout about it…
RB from Gwinnett
February 19th, 2013
12:37 pm
Steve, “And where in all of King Obama’s rhetoric is that proposal????”
I repeated the question for you since you apparenlty overlooked answering it the first time.
Where is the proposal?
Itchy Finger
February 19th, 2013
12:39 pm
barking frog:
I’m glad your satisfied with current tax policy but their members still have free speech rights…
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
February 19th, 2013
12:40 pm
Doggone:
It’s very simple:
In general (with exceptions):
Christians give more than non-Christians.
Conservatives give more than liberals.
Therefore:
Conservative Christians give more than liberal Christians.
See how easy that was ?
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:40 pm
Who is King Obama? I’ve not heard of him.
Paul
February 19th, 2013
12:40 pm
JamVet 12:18
Amen.
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:41 pm
0311 – give what? money to their tiny churches?
barking frog
February 19th, 2013
12:42 pm
Itchy Finger
I’m glad your satisfied with current tax policy but their members still have free speech rights…
…………………………………………………………………………..
So do stockholders but the Corporation can participate in
politics also.
Doggone/GA
February 19th, 2013
12:43 pm
“But alas you do err.”
Not enough information
Peadawg
February 19th, 2013
12:43 pm
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
12:06 pm
And multiple people told you that link didn’t prove anything. Lazy.
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:43 pm
Indeed, the cuts on non-exempt areas will be broadly felt. Food inspections, border security, weather monitoring, medical research, disaster response, education programs and Meals on Wheels for seniors would be compromised.
Federal workers at different agencies would face furloughs. They may be told not to come to work one or two days every week or every pay period until September. And they won’t be paid for those furloughed days.
Will the sequester hurt the economy? Yes, if it stays in effect for the rest of the calendar year.
The CBO estimates that it could reduce economic growth by at least 0.6 percentage points and reduce job growth by 750,000 jobs.
Coupled with this year’s payroll tax cut expiration and the higher tax rates on high-income households, the CBO estimates growth will be curtailed by a total of 1.5 percentage points.
And make sure you get to the airport 2+ hours before your flight as long lines will await you at security…
Thank you, austerity conservatives.
Doggone/GA
February 19th, 2013
12:43 pm
Oops! Ignore that last…page hadn’t finished updating!
Steve
February 19th, 2013
12:44 pm
“The only thing we need to know, congress left on vacation without solving one of the biggest crisis facing our government in decades. No wonder congress commands such fantastic approval ratings when they prove over and over they’re capable of letting their voters take a hit for their inability to solve problems. This case is especially offensive. Congress created this problem because they weren’t willing to deal with it when they should have. Whatever made them think they would be able to deal with this problem in the future? This delusional behavior alone is an amazing display of incompetence.”
anonymous
Paul
February 19th, 2013
12:44 pm
0311
That’s a good link for disaster relief.
I was going more towards not just one-shot events, but ongoing events that have quite an ongoing financial commitment.
“And the bottom line is that Christians and conservatives give more ”
I’m really getting a kick out of reading you say that ‘my group is better because we spend more than you cheapskates!”
You sound an awful lot like a superduper liberal Democrat, you know that?
I love irony….
Doggone/GA
February 19th, 2013
12:45 pm
“Christians give more than non-Christians.”
And once again, OF COURSE THEY DO, the OUTNUMBER non-Christians
“Conservatives give more than liberals”
Harder to prove. As as a for instance, no survey that professes to “prove” this one way or the other will include my giving…because I don’t answer surveys.
clem
February 19th, 2013
12:45 pm
when is dick cheney going to jail….watched part of hubris last nite on maddow. this clown needs to go and obama’s crowd needs to be examined closer too.
Jefferson
February 19th, 2013
12:45 pm
Any president, numbers. Nothing to do with party. You like the smell.
getalife
February 19th, 2013
12:45 pm
scout is a lib.
Jefferson
February 19th, 2013
12:46 pm
or anyone too.
Fred ™
February 19th, 2013
12:46 pm
RB from Gwinnett
February 19th, 2013
12:37 pm
Steve, “And where in all of King Obama’s rhetoric is that proposal????”
I repeated the question for you since you apparenlty overlooked answering it the first time.
Where is the proposal?
+++++++++++++++++++
Who the f is King Obama. We have a Republic, dummy, therefore we have no king. Your insipid question is invalid through sheer stupidity.
USinUK - former Girl Scout
February 19th, 2013
12:48 pm
““Libs believe in a secular society””
yep. I believe that religion should be kept faaaar faaaar away from as many public institutions as possible.
you want to go to your church and believe in god – do so in your own time
Fred ™
February 19th, 2013
12:48 pm
Wow. Talk about petty. Arguing about how much Christians give to charity over some other group? Talk about deep in the Who cares category……….
I give what I give and to whom I give it too and it’s no one else’s business.
Fred ™
February 19th, 2013
12:49 pm
You also believe in the sanctity of keeping your olive oil brand secret it would appear USinUK………
Joe Hussein Mama
February 19th, 2013
12:49 pm
0311 — “But the bottom line is Conservatives and Christians give more than liberals and athiests.”
I don’t think you have any data at all about what and how much atheists give.
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
12:50 pm
Peadawg
And multiple people told you that link didn’t prove anything. Lazy.
And multiple people told you that your opinion is irrelevant.. Lunacy.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
February 19th, 2013
12:50 pm
Doggone:
We’re talking individual efforts and percentages.
But ………… think what you like.
Got to run …………. everyone be nice !
straitroad
February 19th, 2013
12:50 pm
I realize that most of you don’t care but the issue here is credibility, or lack thereof. Dropping a million dollars of our money on a weekend golf trip and then telling us we can’t make spending cuts is not good leadership.
USinUK - former Girl Scout
February 19th, 2013
12:50 pm
“If your not happy with tax policy that’s what you do…. Don’t pout about it…”
I do many things … pout isn’t one of them.
however, I am first and foremost a realist – just as tinkering with SS is the kiss of death, overhauling the tax code to prohibit the tax-free status to churches is kicking a hornets nest with both feet.
and it’s YOU’RE … not your.
getalife
February 19th, 2013
12:50 pm
The church has a pedophile problem so folks don’t pay much attention to their politics anymore.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
February 19th, 2013
12:51 pm
Mama:
Please see the ABC news study I posted earlier.
Have to run !
TaxPayer
February 19th, 2013
12:51 pm
If you take away a Republican’s charitable contribution tax deduction, their churches would have to shut down.
Paul
February 19th, 2013
12:51 pm
Fred
“Wow. Talk about petty. Arguing about how much Christians give to charity over some other group? Talk about deep in the Who cares category………”
Some people just can’t feel good about themselves unless the can put themselves above others.
barking frog
February 19th, 2013
12:52 pm
Joe Hussein Mama
I don’t think you have any data at all about what and how much atheists give.
………………………………………………………………………….
Clearly atheists would not be charitable as they are
not affected by ‘Christian charity’.
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
12:52 pm
USinUK – former Girl Scout
““Libs believe in a secular society””
yep. I believe that religion should be kept faaaar faaaar away from as many public institutions as possible.
you want to go to your church and believe in god – do so in your own time
In my own time.. Hmmm.. Your intelligence must have sprung a leak…..
TiredOfIt
February 19th, 2013
12:53 pm
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
12:30 pm
TiredOfIt:
Why don’t you spew your non-sense to all the children churches help feed and cloth…
++
The church has a history with children, just not in a good way. Not to mention trying to indoctrinate them with some very bizarre ideas.
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
12:53 pm
USinUK – former Girl Scout
Still no capitol letters….
Christian Conservative
February 19th, 2013
12:54 pm
USinUK – former Girl Scout
And you forgot the period… I guess your brain can’t keep up with your fingers….
Peadawg
February 19th, 2013
12:54 pm
“And multiple people told you that your opinion is irrelevant”
Besides you just now, how else said that? Using ‘ctrl f’ to search the blog, I see irrelevant used 4 times, and only 1 (you just now) said it to me.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 19th, 2013
12:55 pm
0311 — “We’re talking individual efforts and percentages.”
Exactly my point. You don’t have data on atheist contributions, and I think your definition of ‘charity’ is strongly tilted toward religious groups and charities. FWIW, I don’t think that tithing or money in the dish on Sunday = ‘charity.’
getalife
February 19th, 2013
12:55 pm
cons are reaching for something to make them feel better about themselves.
Their ideology and party failed so they are depressed.
Fred ™
February 19th, 2013
12:55 pm
I guess Paul thanks for the explanation. I don’t have that problem since I KNOW I’m superior to everybody in every way
Sometimes it’s hard to figure you mere mortals out……….
Dekalb comments
February 19th, 2013
12:55 pm
@Christian Conservative – multiple postings
I am a Christian but notice that on social media persons of other faiths never post their religious affiliation – I see no HinduBob or MarytheMuslim or JacktheJew.suggests Jesus’ admonition against trying to “brag” about your faith is potentially at play here.
When it comes to charity, I fully support the ability of people to contribute to their church, synagogue, mosque, temple, etc. I do not, however, believe those contributions should be tax-deductible. What purpose does that serve? It serves the purpose of you getting a tax deduction for a contribution to a church that may advocate death to homosexuals, imprisonment of non-virgins, etc. Why should we as a matter of public policy subsidize personal, individual beliefs. I say tax them all!!!
When it comes to caring for the “least among us” as Jesus requires…..what do you suggest? Are you thinking that every community will have a job bank, a food bank, a health care bank, etc. to meet their needs? I think that idea may have held sway in the middle ages but hardly now.
We recognize that in a complex, advanced society, many of the functions of charity MUST be driven by government policy. Trust me, administering food aid or unemployment aid, etc. to those in need by the government is vastly more efficient than 150K churches, synagogues, etc.
I appreciate your views on charity but think that in the “big picture” they fall short of realistic.
I would be happy to have a Bible study with you. Are you more of an Old Testament (don’t eat shellfish) or a new Testament (give all your money to the poor) Christian?
BlahBlahBlah
February 19th, 2013
12:55 pm
An 8% cut in TSA should not double wait times at airports. Bookman’s got his hyperbole machine cranked up to 11 again.
USinUK - former Girl Scout
February 19th, 2013
12:55 pm
“In my own time.. Hmmm.. Your intelligence must have sprung a leak…..”
yes.
your
own
time.
stay out of our schools.
stay out of our government.
TaxPayer
February 19th, 2013
12:56 pm
Still no capitol letters….
How ’bout A-T-L-A-N-T-A, for one. I could come up with 49 others just here in the states if you need.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 19th, 2013
12:56 pm
0311 — “Mama: Please see the ABC news study I posted earlier.”
Saw it; it was nonresponsive on the point I’ve raised.
USinUK - former Girl Scout
February 19th, 2013
12:56 pm
“Besides you just now, how else said that? Using ‘ctrl f’ to search the blog, I see irrelevant used 4 times, and only 1 (you just now) said it to me.”
(maybe the others are the voices in his head)
Joe Hussein Mama
February 19th, 2013
12:57 pm
B. Frog — “Clearly atheists would not be charitable as they are not affected by ‘Christian charity’.
I’m sure the organizations I donate to each month will be troubled to hear that they aren’t actually charities.
USinUK - former Girl Scout
February 19th, 2013
12:57 pm
“Still no capitol letters….”
no. I don’t know how to do capitOl letters.
capitAl letters, on the other hand, that I know how to do.
Vet
February 19th, 2013
12:58 pm
Democrats hated Bush just like Republicans hate Obama..nothing changes..just plenty of hate all around! Bring on the cuts…they must be made and more severe or the country will go broke!