The Boner doesn't understand what the average American has to go through. He's completely bought and paid for by Big Business and Big Oil. Lets not forget, he wanted the American taxpayer to pay for the spill in the Gulf. To all Republicans, regulation is a bad thing. It keeps their pals from exploiting the system. They honestly believe that the system can police itself. We've all seen what happens when the police themselves now haven't we.

Disgusted-in-PA.

I would like to say that you could not have put it any better. Thanks

Ron,

Now I understand why he's that 'color'... he's 'pickled' lol

And to the righties earlier whining about President Obama playing golf - it was widely reported last year that Agent Orange's PAC spent $83K on golf outings...

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/test-8

Feisty, have ya ever noticed how much he looks like Pinocchio? Large nose from his lies and all and his painted appearance, Like, how can you get that tan in the Senate Chamber?

Heya all, got up at the crack of noon today instead of 6 in the morn like yesterday. Pain, meds and a random sleep schedule sorta does that, lol

Oh, I get it now! I was not sure who you guys were talking about for a minute. Agent Orange is in the house!

Interviews you may soon see:

"Hi, I'm J.. J... John B... Boehner..... uh.... you can drink, and drink, and drink...... and...yuh STILL get drunk.... er, something....."

Good to see you B.Honest... wanted to commend you & Retired Vet for your hard work last night playing whack a troll over on the Kagan thread! Nice Work!

I did put out a call to the gang to get over there and help out a bit! ;0)

Thanks Feisty, it was my, well, pleasure doesn't quite say it, but it was my duty and I admit to having had some fun with it anyways. I am hoping that some of those yesterday whom we whacked actually learned something...but am not going to hold my breath on that.

I did notice some names I had not seen before doing some real hard hitting in there too, was glad to see it, is nice to have a few more batters in the line up, knocking them over the wall. There were a couple of real Grand Slams in there too!!

Well that's explains why Matt wasn't on The Today Show this morning! lol

Willie Geist as a fill in.... really?

Thanks Pat for posting that, wouldn't I love to have been there and they won too!

John A. Boehner has an opponent this fall.

Justin Coussoule Dem. Is there anyway we can help him win?

Sandy, (and anyone else for that matter)

Yes you can help Justin win! Go to his web site http://www.coussouleforcongress.com/ and send some cash. Even $5 will pay for a yard sign. We are working very hard to get his name on the lips of everyone in this district. Become a fan of him on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Justin-Coussoule-for-Congress/322643228645 and get recommend him to all your friends.

This district is made up primarily of independents, not republicans as many would have you believe. We are tired of Boehner ignoring us! Let's make him really campaign for his seat for once!

The interview in question, regardless of how you feel about working until age 70, simply shows how detached Boehner is. I want my representative to present him or herself in a more professional manner! The people of Ohio's 8th congressional district deserve better than John Boehner.

Justin Coussoule will properly represent the people of Ohio 8.

Still making it up as you go, NJ? Do you think he uses a teleprompter? That'd be a REALLY big deal!

So, you're BACKING Boner and this brain-dead drivel?

John,

PLEASE don't tell her that other people actually write the speeches and other people put it on a teleprompter. The President is a fraud! Someone wake Glen Beck!

Well no joe, if you had any smarts at all you would know that the current economic crises that is not just a national problem but a major global problem is driven by forces outsdie of any Presdient's control. The U.S. market fell yesterday. Why? Because of the reaction to the poor showing of those economies in Europe, Greece and now even China. Want Obama to fix those economies too no joe? In light of what really drives (past and future) economies, ours and the worlds, I would say that hoping it will change is d*m good idea.

Flummoxed - good word to describe republicans. McCain was flummoxed when he suspended his campaign to go to Washington and do what? Oh yeah slay an ant. Is McCain flummoxed when he campaigns for years as the "Original Maverick", then claims he has never been a maverick. Sarah Palin is flummoxed by anything that can't be written on her "Palm Pilot". The hard hitting investigative reporting style of Katie Couric flummoxed Palin (bimbo spice) with no holds barred questions like "what newspapers do you read". Are the Gulf Coast republicans flumoxed when they tell you they hate big government and it needs to stay out of our lives, but then whine and cry for their big government mommy to come change their diapers. Mark Kirk is flummoxed about serving in combat in Vietnam or played "call of duty" video game he is not really sure. Every stinking republican senator to a man must be flummoxed when they say they are for family values but will allow millions of families to lose everything because 35 billion for the unemployment extension and jobs bill is too much money. Now we know how much they value families, evidently there is not 35 billion worth of value there. There was more than 35 billion paid out in bonus money to executives of the banks and wall street firms that received the 700 billion + bailout, so don't be flummoxed about who and what the republicans serve and protect. Flummoxed is a synonym for republican.

Great post Forrest. Voted.

nojoe,

I know that you probably know this already, but don't take all of the criticism you get here personally. You have to realize that this is largely a liberal sound board and that anyone who displays an opinion that is in opposition to theirs or the President's is obviously the result of listening to some Republican talk show. Because the only one who can truly have free thought are those that stand behind their party and continue to push on their parties talking points. You just have to keep speaking your mind and realize that most of the people here are going to deride you for it.

Personally I find it appalling that anyone can so quickly dismiss someone else's thoughts or ideas without ever having spoken to them or knowing their background, but that is the problem with the anonymity of the Internet, you can whatever you want and wont be help accountable for it..... Whatever.

And, just so you know I am neither democrat or republican, honestly I want to see both parties brought down. The two party political system is killing our country, and dividing it's citizens at a time when more than ever we need to stand together.....

Just another dismayed, uninfluenced, independent thinker.....

Brutus,

Thank you for a well spoken, thoughtful, and lucid post. Perhaps I can encourage you to post more and to engage in an actual debate and proper discourse of the issues we face. I understand why you posted what you did in defense of No Joe; however, please allow me to provide some background info. Many of the regulars here (myself included) have attempted on multiple occasions to engage No Joe in a thoughtful discussion of facts, opinions, and perceptions. Unfortunately, No Joe has chosen to cherry pick and ignore the more lucid, polite, and thoughtful posts meant to elicit an intelligent debate and has instead continues to post inflammatory rhetoric that (I am sorry if you feel this characterization is harsh or somehow inaccurate) clearly has been fed to her by the likes of Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, et. al. If No Joe was willing to HAVE an intelligent discussion here, I am sure that there are many that would welcome that exchange of ideas.

The problem is, when someone comes in here and posts something confrontational, inflammatory, and emotionally charged without any support for their position, it is disingenuous at best and counter to the best interests of America at worst. If you TRULY love your country, stop attacking people that might disagree with you and engage them in a discussion of WHY you feel the way you do and what you believe should be done to fix it. Coming to a blog and simply spewing your personal opinion and not being willing to justify it is what is dragging us all down.

When we have people that are more concerned with thinking up a good dig to throw at "those darn libbies" or the "Grand Oil Party" are doing themselves AND their country a disservice. Instead of trying to out insult each other, how about you engage a little bit of that cerebrum and let;'s figure out how to solve the problems we face TOGETHER? If there is any hope, we need to realize that it is the PEOPLE that make America great, not the corporations. Until we get those priorities back in line, America is in for a rough ride I fear.

Are you an anteater, NJ????? Just askin...

I may be sarcastic or "grumpy" in my presentation, but I know what I saw, I don't make things up, the things I say happened, did happen, the things I said people said, they did say. The recent voting record of the republicans is not a liberal talking point it is a fact.

Disgusted - have you ever actually tried to hold an intelligent conversation with a right-winger? They want to insult, spew, out-talk, talk louder, talk longer, their talking points memos from the right-wing section of nuts. We all just gave up on it. And NJ is either a right-winger, stating her little talking points, or a tea-bagger, stating her little talking points. And it's not just NJ, usually ITM, and Bill, and some of the fly-by-night righty bloogers, as well. If you choose to not believe your own eyes, ears, brain, and become part of the great upwashed masses that just don't want to take the time to look up, research, or think about anything, then it is just a waste of time, and that's all any of us are trying to tell NJ. Either bring it, or give it up.

Cathy,

I will agree that there are many on BOTH side that tend to spew a bit more vitriol than is really needed or helpful. As far as ITM goes though, I will have to defend him a bit (at least based on MY interactions with him the last couple of days).

Unlike people like NJ or JoAnnaSmith, at least ITM has agreed to set aside the ad hominems, hate speech, and name-calling in favor of a reasoned and cogent debate on the issues. While I am fairly sure I will never make a "libbie" out of him (as I am pretty sure he has little confidence I will adopt HIS philosophies), we have been able to conduct a lucid and intelligent discussion of the issues. And, whaddyaknow? We found out that, with but a few points of disagreement, there is vastly more that we agree on than I would have guessed just last week.

Because of this I am still hopeful that we CAN, in fact, return to a calm, less emotionally charged debate and discussion of these vitally important issues. If we can do that, perhaps we can be reminded that we ALL live here, suffer the same problems, and have a lot more in common than either side is apparently willing to accept. We need to find the common ground and work TOGETHER to keep this country from self destructing. Calling someone a socialist or an idiot or a marxist or a corporatist or any other "ist" or "ism" is NOT going to solve our problems. It will only drive the wedge further and ensure we will NOT solve our problems.

Cathy M-

You really are a pathetic hypocrite. You stated "have you ever actually tried to hold an intelligent conversation with a right-winger? They want to insult, spew, out-talk, talk louder, talk longer, their talking points memos from the right-wing section of nuts."

have you actually read the comments on this board from you and your fellow liberals. There is not a single factual, intelligent comment to dispute or rebut Boehner's comments. All i saw was personal insults gainst Boehner, the GOP, beck, Fox, etc. or arguments based on completely inaccurate and false assumptions and lies. For example:

No republican has defended BP' actions, nor claimed that they should not be liable for all damages or inferred that the US taxpayer be stuck with any portion of the cleanup bill.

You claim republicans don't take the time or effort to research facts or look up issues. I would argue that it is the left that believes everything they are told and refuses to verify facts. I defy you to find a single legitimate source showing republicans claiming that BP was not liable and that taxpayers should foot the bill.

Republicans are not against regulations, it is the excessive amount of regs and bureaucracy which chokes growth, innovation and efficiency that is targeted. Notice how liberals always claim the financial meltdown was due to eith the lack of regulation or bush's deregulation of the industry, yet when i ask for specific examples and how it actually contributed to teh meltdown i get nothing.

How Did bush deregulate the oil industry or how did cheney's secret oil meetings cause the current BP disaster?

Anyone claiming the republicans have no ideas or are nothing but the party of no simply prove that they are not looking at facts and instead just mindlessly repeating empty liberal rhetoric. The GOP did have a HC reform plan that was even scored by the cbo so how can the left claim they had no ideas? I challenge you to find a single republican claiming to be against health care reform. You guys manage to twist opposition to your particular view into opposition to the entire topic, which is flat out disingenous.

Lastly, the favorite whine from the left is that the bush tax cuts went only to or just benefitted the rich when a simple google search of the actual data shows that the rates were cut for everyone, millions of people were removed from paying any federal income tax and that the largest % cuts in tax liability went to the bottom half of tax payers.

I will debate you on any topic and challenge you to limit your answers to factual data and try to debate without bringing up references to bush, palin fox, beck, etc.

BTW Bonus question since you think you are so much better than anyone who disagrees with you. Which high ranking memebr of the democrat party and former clinton administration official stated on camera that he hoped president bush fails as president?

Econ101

Boner is always screaming the banks need less regulations, screaming the oil industry needs less regulation. Your right about one thing, the Republicans did have a plan, but it left more people uninsured and cost more. You forgot that part. Also they want to get rid of Social Security, you remember Bush wanting to put it in the stock market right? Just imagine the chaos that would have resulted when crash happened and how many senior would have lost everything. They despise Medicare and the plan that Ryan presented included getting rid of it. How do you think the seniors would have like that?

Its not that the Republicans don't have ideas, its just that the ideas that are being presented are the same ones that got us into this mess. And as for Cheney, we don't know what happened in that meeting because the former Vice president won't tell us. Remember this is the same man who stated he was not part of the Executive Branch of the government when he was being confronted about this and claimed he's part of the Senate, and then claims he part of the Executive when it suits him. He led us into the Iraq war by cherry picking intelligence that suited his ends, but never once admitted that there was a endgame. Gave Halliburton and its spin-offs all of the contracts in Iraq, Odd, wasn't he once head of Halliburton?

The man has no honor or shame. He sends his daughter out to spew garbage and falsehoods when everyone knows exactly what it is, cowardice. Remember this is the same man who got 5 deferrments to avoid going to war in Vietnam, did you expect leadership when he threw this country to wolves in the name of profit?

Wrong, but at least you admit that the republicans do have a plan, unlike most of the liberal zombies blindly repeating the lies that they have no ideas

The cbo scored the plan as a fraction opf the cost of the current one, which seems to keep rising from the original amount (and excludes the doc fix) but it does cover less. That is by design as it is designed to lower costs and make insurance more affordable for everyone, not simply tax one group to pay for another. Obama's plan does NOT control costs or bring down premiums, according to both the CBO and head actuary of medicare. In fact, the medicare actuary stated that the gov't spending for health care under obamacare will be $300 billion more than if we did nothing. Not exactly what i would call reform. The true number of people who can not afford insurance is closer to 12-15 million, not the 47 million, which includes illegals, people between jobs and those making $75K+ who simply choose not to spend the money. (all data from kaiser permanente reports).

Like most, you completely miscategorize the bush social security plan. It was to allow idividuals to choose how THEY wanted to invest their own contributions. No one would have been forced to put it in stocks but anyone currently under the age of 40-50 who would prefer social security over investing the equivalent amount in the market (stocks, bonds and money markets) would be foolish. SS payments don't even keep up with inflation and it is nothing more than an interest free loan you are making to the gov't vs. a pot of money that has averaged an 8% annual return over the past 75+ years and which would go to your heirs at death.

Cheney oil meetings aren't much different from obama's secret meetings with unions and pharma companies and you didn't bother to answer the question of what rules were changed that led to the spill.

And if halliburton is so eveil then why did they receive yet another no bid contract just last month? And if he was cherry picking data, why did the UN come to the same conclusion using the same data. And why did democrats call for the removal of saddam and raise concerns about wmd's as far back as 1998.

Lots of people avoided vietnam, including clinton, but the point is completely irrelevant to the discussion.

medicare actuarithe all, not simply be a massive tax increase to create another ent because its objective is to

Delusional to partly crazy.

"Delusional to mostly crazy."

There. Fixed for ya. :)

With a 100% chance of BS!!

100% chance of BS with occasional turd blossom flurries!

*** Attention!! ***

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe BS Storm Warning for the USA. Doppler radar indicates that masses of BS are hurtling through the airwaves on various forms of media targeting individuals of the Republican persuasion. Early victims have described a sound that was much like that of a crying man, gibbering hysterically. Others have reported mild tremors on the Richter scale centered near the headquarters of a large and prominent right wing national radio host.

The National Weather Service advises anyone reading this to immediately take precautions to protect their brain and ability to engage in independent thought. To increase your chances of success, it is recommended that you switch off the TV, Radio, and Computers and screen all cell phone use to voice calls only. Under NO circumstances should the elderly or young, impressionable children be exposed to these cryptic rantings as it could well cloud their minds and prevent independent thought later in life.

For those already afflicted, the National Weather Service is saddened to state that there is little else that can be done for these poor souls and suggests that they consider moving to the Gulf states or Texas where their state governments are well versed in these issues and can provide the support services these poor souls need so desperately.

This Warning shall remain in effect at least until November of this year.

Love it, Disgusted. LOL

You could be a FOX news weatherman!

Good one, Disgusted. LOL

Ohhh snap!!!! Time to pack my bags and head for the hills. Maybe the Bush Administration will help me out like they did Nawlins' during Katrina. Wait...What's that? You mean HE'S NOT IN CHARGE ANYMORE? Well, who is? WHADDYA MEAN "THAT ONE'S IN CHARGE?" AHHH, HELL NAW!!! I WANT TO BE ABANDONED!!!! I WANT MY GOVERMENT TO DE-REGULATE WALLSTREET AND THE EPA AND CREATE THE WORST FINANCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL DISASTERS THIS NATION IS FACING NOW!!!!! I WANT TO INVADE A COUNTRY THAT HAD NO CONNECTION TO 9/11!!!! EVEN THOUGH I'M BLACK, I WANT TO JOIN THE TEA PARTY (Falls on knees, praying that the membership is NOT full yet) AND SAY THERE'S NOTHING WRONG ABOUT HOW THEY TALK ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA, CBC, AND THE REST OF THE DEMOCRATS!!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

--Scene cut to me running through concrete walls, jumping out of a window, landing in the arms FILLED with punji sticks of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sara Palin, Michele Malkin, Michael Steele, Alan Keyes, Michelle Bachmann and the rest of the RNC.

Voice Over: " BIRTH OF THE NATION II: THE CONVERSION AND TAKEOVER"

--COMING SOON TO A VOTING OFFICE NEAR YOU!!!!--

--Movie trailer Ends--

AND NOW, YOUR FEATURE PRESENTATION

Boehner handed out tobacco lobby checks to his GOP corporate hacks on the house floor in 1995. And today, he wants to limit BP liability to $75 million (M). That means Boehner is ready to give another Wall-Street bailout to BP with your tax dollars.....

I'm still waiting for Congressman Barton to apologize to Britain for George Washington's strong arm tactics.

Worse yet Nash, the willingness to pretend that GWB was a great President and insist that he'll be vindicated by history while at the same time insisting that the Obama inauguration represents some sort of "reset button" that wipes the societal memory of everything that happened before...well, at least everything bad. Anything good that happens Bush still gets credit for.

They are creating jobs, just not in the U.S., tax laws in the U.S. actually have incentives to ship jobs out of the country, of course you will never hear Boehner or any one else in D.C. mention this point.

Because Jose Von Hussein, and as the figures speak for themselves, the wealthy have been busy padding their personal bank accounts rather than investing and/or lending to others that would in turn create new jobs. During this recession (to date) the ranks of millionaires has climbed 17% in this country with the cumulative wealth of the top 1% increasing by 18%. That's not free-marketers creating jobs, that's free marketers sitting on the bail out money and/or using the same to increase their personal wealth while watching people losing their jobs and their homes. And yet, many of the scams created by some of these folks to increase their personal wealth off the backs of others continue.

All this will break one day. With millions having their unemployment benefits cut off, millions with their life savings gone, many now living in tents or on the streets, and predictions of another major global recession just around the corner, the s**t may just hit the fan. And if it does it could get real ugly. Obama would have to bring the troops home from Afghanistan and from other parts of the world to patrol and provide security on our own streets.

Keep hitting them were their mouth is. I like your take!!!

Jose Von Hussein,

The idea of "trickle down" economics, the same drivel that Reagan spewed, you what it actually means right?

Jose Von Hussein

So very very right, however, the problem lies in the fact that the great majority of these super rich are Republican and so are playing the game of 'Let the economy 'fail' so that President Obama and the Dems look bad for the elections'. If there was a Repub in office they would happily turn on the money spigot, both in hiring and with loans to the small businesses from their banks. As it is they they are taking their game plan from the Rush/beck crowd and are actively stymieing the economic recovery, after all, it is not hurting Them in the least, they eat well and have no worries about being tossed out of their homes. The rich are not going to lose their offices, like the Repubs are looking to do with their actions (or inactions) and are hoping that it brings the Dems down.

Luckily, with the 24/7 news cycle, America can plainly see who is destroying them, and it is not the Dems, by a long, long ways. The Repubs are slitting their own throats on the font of public opinion and their lies are losing traction daily as more and more out of work Americans tap into the news to see WHO it was that allowed their benefits to end. The Repubs and their used teabags (dripping, soggy, weak and set aside) sycophants are headed faster and faster towards that cliff of NO return where they will become only a footnote in a history book as a lesson to future generations on how NOT to run a political party. If things really get too bad here, to the point where we have unemployed and homeless folks starving due to these Repub actions then we may well get to the point, like the French Revolution, where heads will roll, literally. I fervently hope not, but people are getting desperate and will actively look for who is causing their troubles, and there is PLENTY of proof that it is Not the Dems, and since the right wing cabal, led by the Rush/Beck/Hannity crowd has plainly STATED, time and time again, that they are using these tactics to bring down the Obama Administration, the public WILL know who to target for their ire.

You are absolutely right to point out that our rich are richer by far than ever in history, and taxes are at their lowest, and yet they are Not hiring and Not making the loans that the bailouts were supposed to be used for. At this point, the Uber Rich, their Banks and the Repubs are together in their conspiracy to break our government, and to my mind, this amounts to Treason and Sedition and the Dems need to start showing this, pointing it out publicly, time and time again so that they do not continue to get away with it.

I did the rough math, and if we were to confiscate all of the money from the richest 5%, leaving them up to $1B and divided the money equally amongst the populace that makes less than $200K/yr, then each person would receive a bit over $500K/ea! Just a little bit of food for thought on HOW much of our economy is tied up in these folks. Notice, the super rich are Left with 1 Billion dollars still, certainly enough to get by on. Now, WHERE ARE THE JOBS??

Wasn't it Tom Coburn, that Republican pillar who said "we're all incompetent, I don't see how we get anything done". Well, you called it Tom. The Republicans are all incompetent, and yet we continue to vote them in, the 24/7 media keeps extolling their talking points, and getting all excited about their changes in November. So, are we all just idiots that we accept "incompetent" governance. Go, President Obama, Go Dems! I just hope some of this stuff sinks in to the uninformed before it's too late.

And that is why he gets no respect! He is an Obstructionist period!

So your defense is "I'll bet they'd do it too, if the places were reversed!"?

Does that make it right when the American people are the real losers in this game?

DUH!

It isn't a defense of either party, it is a statement of FACT. The "American people" as you so correctly lament, are seldom considered by either political party in their gamesmanship, and the "faithful" on both sides just regurgitate the same old offal and spit it back out, depending on who is "in"...I know, it was much easier to see this as true when the other guys were in the majority, sorry...

Dangerfield,

Your solution then?

To what, politics?

Do you disagree?

Do you have a superior analysis?

Did I imply that there is a solution?

That idiocy, disguised as a retort makes no more sense than it did when the Bushies used it when he was "in" and frankly, proves my point...thank you

Philip,

You see Danger's solution right here. To solve the problem you log onto a blog and vomit your complaints with the world and lament that nobody is fixing them. Then you ignore pleas to provide an answer and find another blog to vomit on.

Throw your hands in the air and act like you just don't care...

So, you disagree that the two parties use the same tactics depending on which one is in in the majority? Do you have a different opinion/analysis?...I made this thing they call "a point", call it a "special comment" and maybe now you get it...

Or I could always mindlessly cheer lead for the current inadequate, failing administration and attack anyone with a different more balanced and intelligent point of view, as "vomiting", which again, proves my point.

You could be a republican on this board in 2007, and maybe you were, who knows. Your piling on snark certainly provides light and insight, and your characterization of my statements obviously opens the door to an enlightened discussion. When you got nothin', as they say...

I dunno, dangerfield. I don't hear a lot of complaints that Republicans are "treasonous" to oppose the President, except in sarcastic comments designed to point out that Republicans are hypocritical to change positions so casually. I hear plenty of Liberals who aren't happy to see the Patriot Act reauthorized. I'm certainly one of those. The Democrats aren't screaming "every nominee deserves an up or down vote" and threatening to change the rules to eliminate filibusters on nominations, yet the "unconstitutional" position of constant holds has become normal strategy for the Republicans. I see you're attempting to appear balanced, yet your characteristization of "the current inadequate, failing administration" belies that position.

Are Democrats and Liberals in general passionate in defending their positions? Certainly. The concept that "balance" is halfway between a fact-based if ideologically colored position and outright fabrication is poison to our society, however. Confidently stating "deficits don't matter" and a few short years later shrieking "deficits are the ONLY thing that matters" is destructive. It's what people away from the political world refer to as "lying".

"...threatening to change the rules to eliminate filibusters"....Hmmmm You stand corrected...you're welcome...

Some Democratic Senators Want to End Filibusters

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Filibuster – the parliamentary maneuver that allows senators to block bills that lack 60 votes – has become a dirty word in Washington. Democrats are especially furious about it, now that Scott Brown, the new Republican senator from Massachusetts, has deprived them of their 60-vote super-majority, leaving President Obama’s health legislation and many of his nominees in limbo.

Now two Democratic senators – Tom Harkin of Iowa and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire – are proposing to get rid of filibusters all together

Move to Kill Filibuster Gaining Steam Among Democrats
Jimmy Stewart made the filibuster famous in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," but Senate Democrats may make the filibuster history if they get their way.

At least three Democratic senators have floated ideas to reform the filibuster process and otherwise reduce the ability of Republicans to slow progress in the Senate. And Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday he will hold hearings on the issue in the Senate Rules Committee, which he chairs.

"Most of our Democrats are in support of seeing what can be done because the filibuster has slowed the Senate down to a crawl," Schumer said.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) intends to introduce legislation that would take away the minority’s power to filibuster legislation.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) intends in the next few weeks to introduce legislation that would take away the minority’s power to filibuster legislation.

A lot of things were said on both sides in that brief moment between Scott Brown's election and actually PASSING health care reform. So for a brief moment of time 3 senators raised it as a scare tactic. Did the entire party actually talk about it for years at a time, make it a talking point on the news, make up scary names like "the Nuclear Option" to describe a filibuster? No. Instead Republicans used the same term to describe TAKING AWAY the filibuster as they did for USING a filibuster.

I stand by my original statement. At this time there is no plan to take away the filibuster, nor has there been at any time except a brief moment as a trial balloon as Democrats tried to save their signature issue from the Grand Obstructionist Party.

Dangerfield

I was simply asking what solution you had to the gridlock and infighting. How would you eliminate the need for such methods and get our representatives to actually work for their constituents instead of their lobbyists friends. Both sides are guilty, there no doubt about that, what would you recommend as the solution?

I guess I'm supposed to sympathize with these people. It's gotta be tough making the Mercedes payment with these taxes!

Beverly,

Please show representative Boehner the respect his office dictates. In his case, it is a "Drunk Republican Minority Speaker of the House". :)

After all, ya don't have to be sober to say NO repeatedly.

HELL NO YOU DON'T!

Bloodshot eyes and orange skin? hmmmm

Tony

Right now Europe and the rest of the world are having to deal with the fact that the Banks and Corporations totally gutted the world economy. It is not a matter of socialist programs causing problems, it was the deregulation of banking rules and their super risk taking and gaming with other people's money for their own profits. ALL of the governments got soaked by it and it will take time to recover. The social safety nets in Europe have actually kept their populaces from falling into the much deeper hole than we are falling into presently and the banks and rich are trying their damnedest, through trying to impose austerity measures, to make sure that THEIR money does not go to help bail anyone out. Luckily, many governments in Europe, and our President, realize that there are serious deficiencies within the banking regulations and are trying to fix them, over the screaming complaints of those banks and their rich owners/beneficiaries. We can only hope that the world governments put some extreme limits on banking, investing and increase tax levels on these over wealthy crooks. These people hold literally trillions of dollars worth of wealth amongst the top 2% of the world population and refuse to do their part to fix world problems. It is NOT a matter of socialist programs ruining economies, the rich did that all on their own, yet are paying no real price for it, no matter how much they may have "lost" on paper. They are not hungry or homeless and seem to have forgotten the French Revolution...let them eat cake indeed!

This simply is not true. And, as you can see, it's also not working. The economists that I've read say that to stop spending in this economy WILL drive us into another recession. Greece, etc. are all cutting budgets which is making the economy so much worse. It needs to stop receding, plateau and then begin to climb before spending and stimulus stop.

By the way, are you a millionaire? Are you afraid someone is going to "steal from the rich and give to the poor"? If I was a millionaire like you, I would probably be out enjoying myself instead of blogging on here.

I noticed you avoided responding to my post, proving YOU have no ideas and prefer to spout the same bs talking points without actually understanding them.

You should read more economists than Krugman since many say the problem is overspending and in our case, spending stupidly on programs that do NOT help economic growth.

And if you are NOT a millionaire, maybe you should quit whining and complaining to like minded strangers on the internet and figure out how to improve your situation rather than waiting for the gov't to help you.

Sam-499819

Republicans for a third time have stopped Unemployment checks from being continued. Well let clarify, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and most of the Republicans have stopped the checks from going out. When people are on the streets, because they can't pay their mortgages or rent. They claim the want to be fiscally responsible, but they are the ones who really created this mess. Remember when the Democrats took the House in '06 and tried to push through S-Chip, Bush then becomes fiscally responsible and vetoes it. I'm not saying all Republicans are insensitive to the needs of the average American but it seems to me that the ones we have in the House and Senate don't really care much about you and me.