June,

Boehner and Co. are requesting, on average, a 7% cut to all Federal Departments but has only asked for a 2% cut to the Congressional budget.

"So be it." What a caring, compassionate guy...who cries.

Boehner should cut his own job since he isn't doing it.

His flip response indicates his defensive posture. The Republicans have no plan for job creation, period!

The Republicans have no replacement for Health Care.....their plan was repeal, but where is the replacement!

The Republicans have no budget...but already know that they will not cut entitlements to the super rich (make them pay higher taxes or close loopholes). The super rich really are the 'Entitled'!

Sounds to me like the Speaker of the House is saying 'SO?' just like Dick Cheney did.

You gotta LOVE politics.

I say why not cut Congressional salaries since they only work 3 days a week when they're in town!

I say We first make the 47 percent that Pay NO FEDERAL INCOME tax pay their Fair share first. Before we ask others to pay more..

There goes Boehner, 200,000 job increase is really just 46,000. Just like Bachmann's estimate of Obama's last trip was 200 million a day when it was much less.

Hey Boehner, why don't you give up your job !!!

Start with no staff for Congress those CRIMINALS would pass short bills if they had to write them

I like the part of the quote where Speaker Boehner said 'We're Broke.'

But yet we STILL pay you, Speaker Boehner.

He said that we 'have to get serious about spending the nation's money'.

I guess we weren't serious about it before. Maybe the speaker was, especially when he was handing out lobbyist checks on the House Floor to his 'compadres'.

I also find it so fascinating that the same people who are telling us that 'We're Broke' are multi-millionaires and have made sure that they STAY multimillionaires SPENDING THE PEOPLE'S MONEY.

I'm just sayin.

Steve .. ref those who pay no taxes, do you mean like Exxon, the corporation that paid zero, I mean zero, Federal Income tax in 2010?

Steve-505729

What is the fair share of those who are retired and still don't make enough to have a federal income tax liability? What is the fair share for families working 2 or 3 jobs and still don't make enough to have a federal income tax liability. The outrage is not that 47% of American families don't have a federal income tax liability, it is that so many working and retired families have so little income. Because corporate America which enjoys a net federal income tax rate of 12%, (the third lowest in the world) have moved decent jobs out of this country so that they don't have to pay a living wage. Require decent wages and those people will have to pay income tax.

We NEED air traffic controllers. We NEED meat inspectors. We NEED the EPA. We needed, but didn't have regulators to control the derivatives market. Tell me exactly where the bloat is in the government.

Take your ideology and shove it. When you any data whatsoever to support your rubbish, get back to me.

Has to be what he meant, Bonnie. Right, Steve? I'd hate to put words in your mouth....

Better to raise revenues via higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, who often pay no taxes. Agree not all revenue increases nor the services cuts need to be at the risk who are already in the low or lowewr-middle class.

"So be it."

There you have it folks!

Boehner, ran around the country screaming at the top of his lungs 'WHERE ARE THE JOBS' for two years straight.

And now he has the audacity to actually mumble that BS?

What a bunch of SUCKERS!

Best place to cut is still the military budget. end the wars of choice and we accomplish the $100,000,000,000.00 savings that the republicans said they would do. this is without touching other programs which could also have some fat trimming done without throwing out the whole steak

Good, our government is bloated beyond reason. I hope they cut more.

ron of indiana, et al -- and obama is??? Didn't he say that his budget proposal had cuts that would affect the working private sector populace??

The private sector pays for the federal workers wage and benefit packages? Those that we employ should get a pass while many in the private sector have alreadygone beyond their 99 weeks.

If that is your idea of compassion you must really be sucking down on the government dole all while doing nothing.

Politicians are failing miserably at doing their jobs... maybe its time we miserably fail at paying them?

I couldn't care less about our "politicians". I don't think they should be given a crumb to eat until they pull their heads out of their asses and start making stuff happen. They should have to work for free until they do a good job.

"So be it" if lower income government workers such as myself are furloughed and without paychecks to pay our bills????? Bet he wouldn't be so quick to utter those words if it was him and his family living from paycheck to paycheck and faced with the choice of buying groceries or paying utilities ? What a moron.......

Charlie, the EPA is the last thing we need, but folks, most government jobs today are make - work. IBM offered the feds a way to save like 100 billion a year over 10 tears by automating and updating record keeping but were turned down. We need to close our borders to cheap imports and do away with the concept of "American Owned" companies, who make their products over seas, have their complaint lines over seas, pay no taxes and provide no jobs. When you pay some gov't worker 90K a year, and they kick some of it back in taxes, the rest of the money is still gone, and will not be replenished.

You weren't happy with Pelosi! Now you're not happy with Boehner! Make up your mind, folks!

IMO, politics is politics on both sides of the isle. One side wins one, then the other side. It vacillates both ways.

The only thing that concerns me personally, is the proposed mortgage interest tax cut. That will kill everyone who has ever wanted the American dream.

Bonny, no corporation pays taxes, we do via higher prices. There is no magic tax fund at Exxon, there is just an income and expense sheet. Taxes are just another expense like labor, buildings, electricity, HR, IT, etc. that must be covered by price.

Raise their taxes by a billion and they will raise their prices to cover it accordingly. If you think corporations can operate at a loss and just eat the tax, ask GM how that worked out.

I have no sympathy for government leaches, over half could be fired and nobody would know the difference. We need to get back to 2008 budget levels.

The weeper of the House - Boehner said "If Jobs are lost... so be it"

What has been a GREAT waste is having and ENTIRE ELECTED political (RepubliCONS) sit on thier DOUBLE-WIDE asses for the past 2 years, collect TAXPAYER paid salaries, and benefits, and do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but orchestrate Pres. Obama's failure by banding together like a pack of wild hyenas.. and VOTED "NO" ON EVERY IMITATIVE that the Dems tried to do to get this country back on track.

What has been a GREAT waste is that the American people ALLOWED the RELECTED RepubliCONS to get away with doing NOTHING in the past 2 years. How is that legal or moral or partiotic?!

What is needed is for the American people to DEMAND that the RepubliCONS pay their UNEARNED TAXPAYER PAID SALARIES and the cost of their wonderful UNEARNED benefits BACK - retroactive to Jan 20, 2009.

We as Americans should also DEMAND that the lousy ELECTED RepubliCONS show us ALL of the jobs that they promised would sprout up once they were in power of the House. Instead, they waste our time by trying to REPEAL all of the bills passed by Pres. Obama and the Dems - with no sign of jobs or the economy recovering in sight.

Well the American people says.... "We want all of the RepubliCONs to Repay ALL of their UNEARNED salaries and benefits which they have not earned since Jan 20, 2009. If that breaks their banks....."so be it" WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK THAT WE PAID IN REPUBLICON SALARIES AND BENEFITS!!

The nerve of this weeping, double-wide ass - jackass to mock the good people of this country who are struggling - through no fault of their own.... but COMPLETELY the fault of all of the the ELECTED official's "incompetent leadership."

YA ORANGE JACKASS YA!!

Teabagger ideology is a funny thing.

It's a lot easier to demonize the federal employee who has what we all should expect have--a decent wage and benefits for the hard work they do--than the Wall Street exec who got enough money from his Bush tax cut this year to buy another 2 or 3 private jets.

Maybe we can let the Bush tax cuts for the top 2% expire this year before cutting the jobs of those Americans employed by the federal government who inspect the safety of our roads, bridges, and food supply.

There are no easy answers for the mess we're in. But after reading all of your answers, two things come to mind. Our country is so politically divided that we cannot agree on anything that will help those that need it most. The corporations and politicians are in bed with each other and are so greedy they would allow poor people to starve too death rather than compromise. They would rather poor people die than give them healthcare. You (Conservatives) are always screaming about "hand outs" to the poor. Were you screaming at the corporations when they were taking the jobs out of the country? Give the "poorest" Americans jobs and we will pay our fair share. We can't afford what we don't have. I work with homeless veterans and you are even stealing from them. To the the conservatives, "why don'yt you call for a firing squad to kill all poor people and veterans." You may as well, you're killing us anyway.

Time for a poll asking people if congress should cut it's budget and pay first including it's own comprehensive medical insurance. Boehner, might want to consider which Americans pay the most in federal tax revenue actually collected. I would suggest he talk with them first since it is their money not his. Then again he'll probably tell you he knows better and that it's for your own good. He knows about these things just look at his voting record thus far.

where are the fu*king cuts in congress?? free lifetime healthcare, cola every year for retired congressmen, and salaries higher than the private sector......fu*k all these a*sholes, they're the ones that have put us in debt for the last 30-40 years spending social security and medicare taxes and now we're supposed to bail ourselves out?? what a bunch of fu*kin' losers...we paid for our social security, and medicareand you're damn right it's OUR entitlement, keep your hands off, fu*king a*sholes!! do you have to be a fu*king a*shole to be elected to congress, i think so!!

I can't wait til 2012 when we can get rid of this Failed President and alot more of the Democrats in Congress so we can get this country back on Track..

Make it so.............. errr. So Be it.......... err. Look at all the Pissed off Libbies............

Hey, Boehner- where are the brains?

Ha Ha Ha Ha...yer on record, now, Johnnie. Your party must be SO proud! Gonna take a guy even better that Rove to smooth this one over.

Liberals keep glossing over a few "laws of physics" regarding the budget, so I feel the need to remind them of a few FACTS:

1. Valhalla Phil has it right when he said businesses don't pay taxes, people who support the businesses do. So you think you can raise taxes on Exxon by billions and not feel it at the pump? Seriously, no one is that dense right? Higher business taxes = higher cost of goods and services.

2. There are ONLY 375k Americans who make over a million per year. in a country of over 308 Million that is a pretty small number to pay all the bills you liberals think they should. According to the CBO to balance the current budget would require that the upper tax rate exceed 90% and that it reach all the way down to those making 250k per year or more. Problem with that is (a) many states already have income taxes which would make the total tax for the well off, nearly 100%, and (b) at anything approaching that level the law of diminishing returns applies. We can all argue what the upper limits should be, but at some point the higher the tax the less the gov makes.

3. There are only 2 workers for every person on Social Security and at that level it is simply not sustainable. If you want to save it for those who should benefit from it then you need to do the following: (a) raise the retirement age for those 5-10 yrs out, (b) limit those who can collect due to disability to those TRUELY disabled. Currently there are 13.3 million Americans under the age of 65 collecting SS due to a claimed disability. Many of these people live normal lives and could work if they wanted. Further, many claim disability due to alcohol/drug dependency, depression, extreme obesity, etc.

4. Want to shore up Medicare, then you need to cut waste. We can start by not buying hoverrounds for all those disabled due to obesity. We should also require more of a co-pay for those living unhealthy lifestyles, and when a persons choices causes their medical condition, e.g. diabetes due to obesity. We should also not by buying anything that is not medically necessary, e.g. Viagra, penile implants for 80 yr olds, etc.

5. Before you spout off about how Bush's wars cost so much realize that the DEMS had complete control for 2 yrs. What did they do regarding the wars? Reduced trps in Iraq and added trps in Afghanistan. The current spending on the wars (now) exceeds the amount in 2008. As Commander in Chief Obama could have/can bring the trps home at any time.

6. END ALL foregin aid now! Obama is spending more on foregin aid than Bush did. See Haiti, and the massive amounts of money Obama and Sec. of State Clinton have pledged to rebuild GAZA after the Isreilies bombed it a while back.

7. Obama's budget proposal ADDS at least 7 Trillion to the budget (this is his paired down budget)

8. Obama and the Dems had a VETO PROOF majority for two years and could have raised taxes on the evil rich and corporations. If you don't like that BLAME THEM

9. HCR just like SS and Medicare is not sustainable. To make HCR appear to save money the DEMS removed the Medicare Dr Fix from the bill, and double counted Medicare cuts of 1/2 Trillion. Obama's current budget further postpones the Dr Fix (at a cost of billions) and will not make the cuts to Medicare that are required.

I could go on all day, but my break is over and I must get back to work paying for all the lazy Americans who feel the Government owes them a living.

I say We first make the 47 percent that Pay NO FEDERAL INCOME tax pay their Fair share first. Before we ask others to pay more..

You want those who make no money to pay taxes? Do you realize that the largest portion of that "47%" are children, disabled, and the unemployed who make no money? And what of those who can only find part-time or temporary minimum wage jobs and make less than poverty income, should they also have to pay taxes? Is it "Tax the poor so the rich can pay less"?

But there is one portion of that "47%" that I'd agree should be forced to pay taxes - the ultra-wealthy using unethical or illegal means to evade paying their share.

Boehner really needs to understand the numbers before he makes comments like that. He conveniently neglected to say the 200K jobs were actually new hires not newly added positions. Besides not adjusting for the census worker effect, he also apparently "forgot" about retirements and people quiting. His 200K number is not a "net" increase, which is the proper way to look at it. The real number is much lower and many are related to regulatory, oversight, and management of cleaning up the Bush financial mess caused to the economy.

How can we have confidence in Speaker Boehner when he's so far out of touch??

Obama said he is using a scalpel. We need a friggin chainsaw!

Rodney, excellent post.

Boehner's right- we don't need more government jobs that drain taxpayer dollars, we need more private sector jobs that increase the tax base and therefore the revenue to the treasury. The cost of goods and services has already increased to levels that challenge middle class American's. It only gets worse as corporate taxes are passed on to consumers. And I am so tired of the fear card played on this one- no one wants to take away granny's benefits or starve kids. For Gods sake, there is so much administrative bloat that can be trimmed we could probably INCREASE benefits without touching tax rates for anyone!

For Gods sake, there is so much administrative bloat that can be trimmed we could probably INCREASE benefits without touching tax rates for anyone!

Suzy - you would think that would be the case, but from a graph that MSNBC provided about the budgets for the past 10 years (on another thread), I really do not see JUST cutting costs/expenses as a way to fiscal stability. We have to bend BOTH the Revenue and Expenditure curves to be able to reach equilibrium.

Part of that 'bending the curve' will HAVE to be an increase in SOMEONE's taxes (and I have identified that it probably should be Corporate, since they pay 1/3rd less than the taxpayers do as a whole). That is without a doubt. Part of this 'bending the curve' COULD be that we have NEW Revenue sources.

Based on the graph that MSNBC has shown, the revenue stream has actually increased over the past 10 years. However, spending has increased as well, with the biggest spending jump on 2009.

Representaive Bohner is incorrect in saying we are 'broke'; we are not.

RN in Philly.....Not just the left ! Republicans have done more than their share to add meaningless non productive patronage jobs over the last six decades.

boehner is a coward that knows frustration will help him pin unemployment on obama. every person who loses his job is nothing more than political leverage for republicans. conversely, republicans know their story wont stick if people start finding work.

the way they see it is: do nothing and get their party into power or help the american people and remain a minority in congress and out of the white house.

Rodney, please educate yourdelf before posting. At NO time in the last 2 years has the Dems had a VETO proof Congress. They ahd decent majorities, but it takes 2/3s of both houses to be veto proof. At no pokint was there ever a 67 to 32 majority in the Senate. They had 60 votes until Kennedy died, then they only had 59. The oil companies are making record profits and the price of gas is skyrocketing again. They no longer need the billions in gov't. subsidies that we pay to them. Thw taxes on the rich werer only supposed to go back to the 2000 levels (39%), not 90%. You really need to do some more research before bashing those on SSI. Cutting waste on medicare and medicaid is not having the doctors make the patients take tests that they don't need as opposed to taking them for the sole purpose of adding to the doctor's bill for the gov't. to pay for. Maybe you should actually look at the figures of how much the Iraq war is going to cost in comparison to how much the one in Afghanistan is costing before posting. Cost of Iraq in the next budget is down to $10 billion, now that our combat troops are gone. Yes Afghanistan is costly, and Obama had always said that it was the correct war, not Iraq. Obama's budget only added half of what you estimated ($7 trillion?). HCR, SS, and Medicare need to be fixed, not eliminated. Please get real facts and not just what you got from FOX Noise.

Boehner promised to work on jobs, so I guess he is keeping that promise. Only thing is people thought he meant helping create more jobs, not more unemployed.

Yup, we don't need more teachers, firefighters, cops, new roads, bridges........... what we need are more soldiers and marines, more bombers, more guns. Hell with America. We need to protect foreign countries that most americans can't point to on a map.

Typical answer from Boner! These three words are a favorite of dictators! So be it!

Look at all these Pissed off Liberals. They must work for the fed govt and are getting their Walking Papers. I say. So be it. Good Ridence.... fairwell. will the last one of you please turn the lights out as you leave................

Valhalia Phil - we need to get back to the 2000 budget - before Bush had his way. And, Steve, the bums are the Republicans who do nothing but continue to help their rich buddies pay little or no taxes; help them move jobs to China; and start wars that aren't necessary. My guess is you're one of them. Please turn out the lights and please leave now!

Remember, this is what y'all Baggers and Party of Noers voted for.

Heck of a job, wingnuts.

Where did this idea that 47% of Americans pay no federal income taxes come from? I don't suppose maybe babies, small children, tweens, and others too young to work are included in that figure, right?

If somebody could clear this up, I'd appreciate it. Frankly, I don't believe it. This claim is, in my opinion, being made by bitter, jaded, ignorant imbeciles - many of whom pay far less than they would if they worked back in the sixties and seventies when taxes were much higher than they are now for working people. Back when we were putting men on the moon, building a state-of-the-art interstate system and other investments in outr infrastructure.

The fact of the matter is that we have a revenue problem as a result of the disastrous experiment in trickle-down theory that has, among other things (like deregulation) spawned greed on a scale that clearly stupifies me. That runaway greed is destroying this country while enriching the weasely Wall-Street types, bloated CEOs, captains of high finance, and other corporate bigwigs, and transferring wealth from the middle class to the greedy rich via a one-way pipeline. Actually, there are two pipelines - one from the middle class to the greedy rich and another from the middle class to foriegn countries AND the greedy rich who are enriching themselves by building up other economies at our expense.

Exxon Mobile doesn't pay income taxes to the United States. That doesn't mean they don't pay income taxes, they pay billions, just no to the US. So in short, we are getting screwed. I'm not sure who negotiated the deal with Exxon, but I hope they at least got their dinner paid for after the screwing the US public is getting over this deal. GE is another company that has got around paying taxes to the US. So, Phil you're wrong when you say we'll pay for it if we raise taxes because we are already paying for it and not seeing any of the tax money. Lose\Lose

D-Nice......Actually they got a check back from the US Government for a few hundred million last year . Supposedly they found some credits they were do from past years.

Chris,

I do not dispute your taxpayer breakdown. As a matter of fact, this was the way the system was supposed to work. A flat tax might seem more equitable, but would still leave a large percentage paying little or NO tax. No Congress would expect to collect 10% from a family of four with $15k total income. Many of those 47% non-payers simply don't earn enough to exceed their exemptions.

Taxation is like drawing water from a well. Draw to fast, and you risk washing salt and pollution into the water. Draw too much and all you get is mud. Draw from a dry well, you get sand. Of course, if you adhere to trickle down economics, I think you know what you get from a trickle down well...

"So be it, Jedi."

If the totality of the posts on this subject are typical of the breadth of American thought on the subject I fear we will not be able to escape our economic death spiral. Those who want higher corporate taxes, yet whine about corporations leaving the USA to set up shop elsewhere, seems to lead by about 4 to 1 those of us that comprehend that no firm, ever, has paid a dime in taxes it didn't first collect from its customers. How did we reach a time where our national economic literacy rate could be this low?

Worse, the claim about 47% paying no federal income taxes is true, but it is based upon those with incomes, not babies or young kids, and the like. This fact is a result of previous administrations, like the Vile Bush the left rants on and on about, having cut tax rates and created considerable deductions and credit to offset incomes. Our problem is both revenue related and spending created.

Now for what will really get the left's hackles up...corporations are doing us a favor by leaving. I know, they are taking our jobs, right? Well, if we want to claim we are free than we should be free to stay, or go. Corporations are not patriotic, and we shouldn't want them to be, despite their claims during the 4th of July sales. Their job is to earn the highest legal profit for their owners they can. So when we make the cost of doing business too high, whether through taxation or regulation, or whatever, them leaving is a signal to us that we are doing something wrong. Learn from it my friends, don't bash them for it. Here's a simple analogy...You shop at Firm A. Then Firm B offers you the same product for a lower price. You switch to Firm B. Why? Because it's the best deal for you. Overly simplified, I agree, but even with all its complexities in play the same calculation applies to firms deciding where to set up shop.

There is so much more to say, but this isn't a good forum to do it. Suffice to say that few federal jobs categories create a net increase to the GDP. And all federal jobs categories will, if too much hiring, or too much regulating, or too much extra-constitutionalism is at hand, cause a net decrease in GDP. If we are to take Obama at face value that the more than 600bn spent to save or create 3 million jobs, then let's ask ourselves a simple question. That amount to more than 200k per job saved or created, can we ever get that money back to the treasury? If we can never get it back, then the stimulus served to lower our wealth, not to increase it.

One last thing, this about morality. We've been living for about 50 years, maybe a bit more, well above our means. At first it was small relative to the budget of the nation, but recently it has become massive. Bush's deficits hovered around 3% of GDP. Obama's are hovering around 10%. It was wrong at 3% to continue them indefinately, it is more wrong to do so at 10%. Is it moral to steal the wealth from our unborn heirs 20, 40, 60, or more years out, so that we can live beyond our means today? Not in my opinion it isn't. So, could we please quit exonerating Obama by arguing that Bush did something similar, even if smaller by comparison.

We face massive economic pain, but we lack the spine to deal with it. We can do a great deal to expand economic opportunities, but tax and regulatory increases aren't the way. Never have been. We can do much to limit the ongoing damage too by cutting spending. Someone above mentioned to cut it to 2000 levels. The poster was to the left of the political spectrum, but I am ready to agree. Let's slash the feds by 45% starting today. Yes, it will result in massive unemployment. Entitlements will be defunded. Property values will plummet even further than in the past couple of years. Wages of those with jobs will fall. But we will stop having to steal from our unborn heirs.

If anything this economic crisis has created an opportunity for us, and we can learn from it if we want. Lesson One: You cannot create long-term economic viability and wealth creation by putting Washington, DC, in control of the economy.

Sorry Rick, more austerity measures isn't the way to go. Causing more harm to the economy for the sake of trying to balance the budget is counterproductive at best. If you need something to give you ideas about what can be done, please check out Paul Krugman at the New York Times. Then you can see what a Nobel Economist says can be done, and he is right. I have been following him for years and he has been spot on ever since we entered this economic crisis. If you need further assistance, try Robert Reich's books. Just an FYI.

Wow where do I start!!

1. There should not be one and I mean not one government employee that is a republican anymore. If you are then you are bitting the hand that feeds you and your getting what you asked for from the people you elected.

2. I love how when the republicans are elected with a smaller voting block than the president how they say they are follow the will of the people but when obama recieved way more votes in an election that had more people vote in it that he is somehow illigetment, or going against the will of the people. He spent his first two years doing what "HE TOLD THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY HE WAS GOING TO DO!!! WE VOTED HIM IN TO DO JUST THAT!!! IF YOUR ELECTION WAS THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE THEN SO WAS HIS!!! EXCEPT HE HAD A BIGGER MAJORITY OF THE CITIZENS WITH HIM!! Fact : fewer people vote in midterm elections!!! He is doing exactly what i voted him in to do, be the adult level headed president of the greatest country on the planet!!

3. If the teaparty was so worried about defict then they would have been against the bush tax cuts for the welthy. I just cant understand how they can fix their lips to say waste after that dumbazz move. Now we are spending to much and the government workers are the ones that have to suffer? B.S.!!

4. All republicans should give up pay and healthcare for themselves and family from the government they think is socialist!!

5. How much do you think the repubs, that have done nothing in the last two years to help america during one of the worst crisis in history of this country, have spent on staff and plane ride ect in that time frame? If all you do is vote "no" then your wasting my money. I want it back!!

"So be it." - John Boehner, USA

"Let them eat cake." - Marie Antoinette, France

We know how that worked for her, let's see how it works for him.

sorry brent - continuing to kick the economic can down the road will only result in a massive and complete future economic breakdown. I don't think that any economist is going to say that continuing spending way beyond our revenue is good.

We are in a global economy now, past economic theories are no longer viable, or if they are they are not practised.

A nation can only sustain itself and grow by having revenue exceed expenditures, Yes, short term (1- 2 yrs) spending is appropriate during times of recessions until revenues start to come back, unfortunately unemployment is not expected to fall sharply as in recent past recessions.

Government jobs should not be held sacred while many in the private sector have had to tighten their own belts.

reality101 (post 1.25) & mad in ct (post 1.31) - Are you naturally stupid or do you really, really practice at being stupid?

Pietro (post 1.40) - Whatever it takes for business to maintain a given net profit (% of revenue after taxes) will affect product cost and how much they charge for their product or service. Increase taxes and fees 1000 fold, it won't matter, it is just another debit against their net profit margin. The end user will be the ones really paying it or the investors will simply sell out and invest elsewhere.

the COLLAPSE COWARDS are at it again!! From earlier in the day...

ron of indiana, et al -- and obama is??? Didn't he say that his budget proposal had cuts that would affect the working private sector populace??

The private sector pays for the federal workers wage and benefit packages! Those that we employ should get a pass while many in the private sector have already gone beyond their 99 weeks.

If that is your idea of compassion you must really be sucking down on the government dole all while doing nothing.

Bonnie - Florida "Better to raise revenues via higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, who often pay no taxes. "

Yup- Gotta drive more businesses and jobs out of the country - That will teach them a lesson.

And when about 6 million people have lost jobs in the last 3 years in the private sector, why are we adding ANY federal workers? Where is the 'shared sacrifice'? Especially when studies have shown that federal workers are compensated more than double what privare sector jobs pay - for the same type of work, mainly for fat pension benefits.

Rodney-1111620

Liberals keep glossing over a few "laws of physics" regarding the budget, so I feel the need to remind them of a few FACTS:

2. There are ONLY 375k Americans who make over a million per year. in a country of over 308 Million that is a pretty small number to pay all the bills you liberals think they should. According to the CBO to balance the current budget would require that the upper tax rate exceed 90% and that it reach all the way down to those making 250k per year or more. Problem with that is (a) many states already have income taxes which would make the total tax for the well off, nearly 100%, and (b) at anything approaching that level the law of diminishing returns applies. We can all argue what the upper limits should be, but at some point the higher the tax the less the gov makes.

What you intentionally and maliciously omit from that bucket-o-tripe is that those 375K people control 80%+ of the wealth in the country.

The number of people is irrelevant. The disproportionate amount of wealth they control isnt.

ROY WILSON-336103

Yup- Gotta drive more businesses and jobs out of the country - That will teach them a lesson.

Raising taxes doesnt drive business out of the country any more than cutting taxes causes businesses to hire. Saying otherwise is pure conjecture.

If you actually look at the unemployment rate against the timeline when Bush instituted his tax cuts - unemployment actually goes up and then only starts to drop after the dems take control of congress.

Brent,

Rodney, please educate yourdelf before posting. At NO time in the last 2 years has the Dems had a VETO proof Congress. They ahd decent majorities, but it takes 2/3s of both houses to be veto proof.

Drunk much? You don't need to be veto proof when you have substantial Democrat majorities in the House and Senate and hold the freakin White House Einstein. It's called a veto override. If the Dems needed that to pass their agenda with President Obama Clown Head in office then they are more retarded than I thought.

BlackHillsLaura,

"Let them eat cake." - Marie Antoinette, France

Sorry Laura, Marie Antoinette never said that. At least you got Speaker Boehner's quote correct. I find his comment very apropos. Might want to look that word up. Here's a hint. It's French.

Hey June Fl,

Your right, lets just get rid of all members of congress. I could take their place. Then you'll see cuts you won't believe.

I think there are millions of federal "workers" that are truly not needed. Whole agencies that were never needed in the first place. The biggest "entitlement" program of all.

Robin Steele

We need to close our borders to cheap imports and do away with the concept of "American Owned" companies, who make their products over seas

And you think the Republicans are interested in changing that? really? You're suggesting regulation here. If you hadn't noticed, the Republicans lead the charge to eliminate regulations. They certainly won't be stepping on their campaign donors' toes by creating new regulation.

I have ZERO problem with Boehner's comment OR the fact that some people will lose their jobs.

I've worked in the entertainment business for over 25 years and mergers & acquisitions that produce MASSIVE layoffs are the norm.

I have learned how to get new jobs very quickly so that I can pay my rent.

I am CERTAIN there is a lot of DEAD WEIGHT in the federal government. They need to make it "a lean and mean fighting machine" (as one of my former bosses put it).

At that job, I was one of 15 employees retained when almost 200 employees were laid off.

"Let them eat cake." - Marie Antoinette, France

Sorry Laura, Marie Antoinette never said that.

Whether she said it not is beside the point becuase SHE WAS BEHEADED when the French peasants got tired of her and her husband (the King Louie whatever number) taking all their money AND FOOD.

I expect Americans to do the same (get rid of our government) if we continue to be taxed ad nauseum to pay for a whole bunch of people who don't contribute (ie, illegal aliens) or who are paid well beyond the market rate (federal workers).

Nothing new here IMBD. The usual cut and pasters have had this up since the article was printed, nothing of substance since. Maybe you can be the first one to cut and paste the next article.

"So be it". What other evidence do you need? This is a man who is callous to the plight of Americans, to the greater good of the nation, why? Because if the job numbers improve....the fortunes of the Republican party decrease. What else do you need to know Joe and Joan America? These people don't care about you, they care about enriching themselves and their corporate masters. Boehner, no intellectual light, has no understanding that if middle class America is not thriving, this nation will suffer. In his zeal to appeal to his corporate masters, he has it exactly backward. The rich, who have been enriched by this bunch, are not the ones that ultimately contribute to the public good. The middle class, seeing their way clear to better themselves, the poor, who can see a path to the middle class, that is what makes this nation thrive. It is long past time to ask Boehner and the rest of the Republican leadership this question. "Why do you hate America?"

IMBD - and former democrat presidential contender John edwards is finally awaiting to see if the justice dept will bring him up on charges for campaign improprieties. And he knocked up his then girlfriend

".........that if middle class America is not thriving, this nation will suffer.."

And there's the HUGE problem with that, New Day- It USED to be true. With emerging markets overseas now, the coprorations don't NEED our stinkin' money. But, the corporations here still cash in, still. Nice, huh. And the people that post in favor of the conservatives and right wing, and moan about Obama, don't seem to think they will be the next 'poor class'. Gotta admit- the right wing PR machine is effective, if nothing else.

Newday..."callous to the plight of Americans, to the greater good of the nation"

This nation is in a situation, that if not remedied, if it can be remedied, is going to strap future generations with an America that makes what we are experiencing today look like a walk in the park on a sunny day.

I agree with other posters that Congress needs to look at themselves as well reducing other parts of our already bloated, primarily self-serving, self-perpetuating federal government.

But here is a politician showing the fortitude to do exactly what he was elected to do, fix the problems with our country, short and long term, and half the people act like they want his head cut off.

I would prefer our generation to suck it up and make the sacrifices needed to turn America around before its too late. I really don't want future generations look back on ours as the worst in history because we didn't have guts to do what is right.

lol - ever notice that if a headline reads boehner or palin the FR liberals run to post like flies on shlt.

When someone is hired to work for someone, they are risking their health and welfare for that business owner. It is a trade-off. No one can operate alone. Business owners need workers and workers need jobs. It is a two-way street.

Thinking that the already wealthy need all of the tax breaks in order to bribe them NOT to hire in India is a problem today. THANKS NEWT.

American:

How many headlines DON'T have a Boehner or Palin on them???? The MEDIA is enamored with them.

Coomojoe, if we're not entitled to jobs, health or education--not entitled to a decent life and not entitled to anything at all. Why play nice then?

If there's no hope or incentive to live or try to earn a better life, everyone will be poor.

Drive by - as a conservative I do recognize that corporations are going to go where the market dictates and where taxes are favorable.

Many corporations are reluctant to bring back the cash made overseas to the US simply because the US government wants to tax that money.

Our middle class and those in poverty still want cheap goods and that any business that wants to generate profits for re-investing will go to where the product costs is such that Americans are willing to pay for that product.

For America to export more, we have to create products that both foreign and domestic markets want to buy. Aircraft, heavy equipment, agricultural products and technology exports will only go so far in todays competitive g;obal workplace

Propaganda is a radical left wing dream that they try to use in ignoring that growing product demand is the only way that businesses can create more jobs in todays global economy and that cost margins are what will drive that demand.

the feds added more jobs with GWB and the repubs in charge than in any time in our history now boehner wants cuts .....lets start with his and other congressonal staff being trimed ...then maybe he will have to actualy read a bill before a vote...and why doesnt the republican congressional members opt out of there ..government run health care.. if its no good for the average american it should be no good for congress or is it all just a show .... to get campaign funding from the insurance and pharma industry

When democrats took over congress they inherited 4.6% unemployment, now we've had a record 22 months above 9%. Democrats are clueless about running an economy.

If the more well off you are the more likely you vote republican and the less well off you are the more likely you vote democrat, it's logical that republicans would want to make as many people well off as possible while democrats would want to make as many people less well off as possible.

Proof? Take a look at the 12 years republicans ran congress, under Clinton (6) and Bush (6) then look what happened after democrats took over in 2007. Just saying! :<)

niteowlett - LMAO, how true. think the FR media and other media outlets gets a kick out of "stirring the pot?"

hs321: While I did enjoy your respectful response (which is becoming rare) I must as respectfully disagree with you. It is true that to fix the nations ills, we must ALL sacrifice. The current problem is that the sacrifice is being asked of the people who can least afford it, while those who CAN afford it are handed more tax cuts. How is the upper 2% exempt from the nations need to retrench and retool? This is a first for this nation, we used to know that you don't cut taxes in time of war, you pay for the nations wars. Where is the shared sacrifice for that? We have done tax cuts, has our situation improved? NO. The worst thing that could happen to this nation is to have a class of the entitiled, and a class of working poor. And that is precisely where we are headed.

american-2051576

"lol - ever notice that if a headline reads boehner or palin the FR liberals run to post like flies on shlt."

Welcome to the post, american.

True, newday, we are quickly becoming more and more like Mexico. The rich own everything, the poor work for the pennies the rich give them and the middle-class is becoming a memory.

Corporations dictate their own markets. Corporations bought off all of the Republican party years ago. During this time, they used political dolls to produce Free Trade Agreements and zero tariffs. So these corps moved to China to produce cheap products and reap massive profits. Now that the economy is collapsing their using their political dolls to reduce labor to nothing. They are also fostering the collapse of the USA, because business is best when blood is on the streets, and everyone else is in the poor house. The last nail in the coffin is coming. I hope your ready for what follows. Or you can revolt against big business and their political dolls, and end all Free Trade Agreements, Fix the Federal Reserve, Fix the financial services, Fix the health care system.

LOL!-3019515

LOL!!! The First Read Libs have now stooped to cutting and pasting the National Enquirer. I'd be embarrassed to be caught reading it much less quoting from it. Desperate much??? Hahahahhahahaha!

How's the Enquirer any different from Fox? One tabloid shock machine's as good as the next.

Dream on. the only losses you will see are more of the Democrats being handed their Walking Papers.

The Majority of American People have had enough

They have had enough with the government as a whole, not just Democrats. The R's won it because they were the other option in a mutliple choice exam. So far I see nothing different from this congress than I've seen from any other. Just talk, talk, talk. Corporatists entrenched firmly in both parties looking out only for themselves. We'll keep firing them, and they'll keep going on failing to learn. You really think these jokers we elected are going to do things any differently? Lie cheat and steal, same as always. Keep out of the kool aide, man.

American:

WHAT exactly do you think Democrats have done that have made this country WORSE OFF??? Please be specific, otherwise you are blowing smoke, nothing more.

Trillion dollar deficit's year after year, Obamacare, "profits are evil" attitude, etc. Shall I go on?

Sorry, Valhalla, your OPINION doesn't hold water. Back up this with some FACTS, and then we have a debate on our hands.

Valhalla Phil.....Just because Rush and Beck say it, does not make it true. Try researching and thinking for yourself sometime, you will be shocked by the truth !

Steve, the republicans had from 2000-2006 to try and fix the jobs problem in this country. They did very little, and had the lowest job creation since Herber Hoover, who had the Great Depression to contend with. Even Daddy Bush had more job creation in his one term in office that W. did in his two terms. They had the chance to fix taxes, instead they reduced the revenues, they started two wars, completely unfunded, passed the most deficit spending in recent decades, and basically threw napalm on a small brush fire where the economy was concerned. Nevermind the fact that, from a historical perspective, Democratic presidents have a had greater job growth than Republican presidents, and the Great Depression was also precipitated under Republican presidencies. Again, this is akin to when you blow up a car engine due to half-assed maintenence, it costs more to rebuild the engine, rather than you having just paid a little more to properly maintain the engine in the first place. This country's economy hasn't been properly maintained, the worst of it was from the past 30 years, and now it has blown up, and its going to cost more than we are willing to admit to, to fix the problem, and we have Boehner wanting to cut jobs, thus adding to the unemployment of this country, and making the situation worse. The problem is not just a spending problem, its also a revenue problem, and untill they address the revenue problem, in addition to spending(and contrary to popular belief, just cutting earmarks is going to solve the problem either, they account for 1-2% of the budget on average), nothing is going to get fixed. Right now, as far as Boehnor, and the Repubs are concerned, they are trying to turn this beast over, with only half the lube, and no cooling system.

I agree and now I want to see all of congress and the Senate and Governors take a huge paycut and cut their staff as well. All elected official are over paid. That would be a good start. If they don't like it "so be it".

niteowlett - (post 4.3) - care to elaborate? and do be specific.

Times are tough. If you want to support more government waste then I suggest you pay a little extra when you file your Federal Income return. That is if you pay any taxes.

If being financially responsible instead of creating government positions for long-time friends is "having no soul" I'll take no soul anyday.

Blanket accusations fly............out the window. No substance. Empty rhetoric does nothing to add to the discussion.

Back up negitive claims with something of substance, otherwise, LIES and MISSTATEMENTS don't hold water.

Any party that harms the middle class but fails to end expensive wars of choice and bring our bloated 'defense' budget into line with the rest of the world cannot be considered financially responsible.

Remember: our defense budget pays companies to research and develop more efficient means of killing people. Then those same companies sell the technology that we paid them to develop to us at exorbitant profits.

Same with healthcare. Our money is spent to fund research of new treatments for health issues. Then we the people who funded the research have to pay again to receive its benefits. All so that a few empty suits who have nothing to do with either the research or the treatment can make a few billion more dollars on the backs of people who actually work for a living. We talk and talk about a bloated government, but it is the bloated business world that is filled with the pointless bureaucrats that profit off of the rest of us.

The truth is that in a lot of cases, the government COULD do things more efficiently, and at less cost to the consumer. But because of the influx of money from the do-nothing sector of the corporations, the American middle class must be sacrificed on the alter of the free market.

Man you shouldn't have smoked so much weed during class. :<) You have it completely opposite. Governments create nothing, it is the private sector that creates all wealth. Are you typing on a government designed computer or a private sector one? How about your cell phone? TV?

I'm typing on a computer that was made possible by government investment in technology, such as the space race.

Here's the question you conservatives need to answer. You believe cutting all of the gov't. jobs is going to bring us some sort of prosperity, and balanced budget. So what happens to those people who lose theor jobs? They go on unemployment, or worse, they end up adding to the increasing poverty rate. Now tell me how increasing the unemployment and poverty rates are going to bring prosperity to the middle class of this nation, when it (the middle class) is quickly disappearing?

Brent-3019177.............So be it..................

( I can't find the sarcasm font )

Phil, the government helped finance research and development on the internet and cell phones. NASA and the military can be credited for much of our technology today. Basically the government does R&D for private companies using our tax dollars. I don't know why I even try, you sir are a lost cause. The problem is there are tons of people out there who think the same BS. Thanks Fox "news"..

Brent - Let's see...

Spending is exceeding tax revenue.

The first 26 weeks of unemployment is paid for thru employer contributions so that the individual can go out and find other work.

Cutting government paid jobs will only bring government spending more closely in line with revenue. I would imagine that just like labor costs are a big part of a companies expense so are the jobs in government.

As in business, government job cuts should be oriented towards those who are less productive or are providing a duplication of services with another agency. Be productive and prosper.

Balance the budget - hasn't been done in years, but it should be the first question asked when wanting to spend $$$. BTW, I think you will find that R or D either likes to spend when in power.

Disappearing middle class - easy credit with spending way beyond ones means hasn't helped them, but hey we all need another Iphone don't we? Or whatever trips your trigger.

The basic premise of job creation is to get people off of unemployment and to create opportunities for those entering the workplace. Recessions are a fact of life and occur frequently, this one was global in nature and quite nasty as well.

Obama has failed in his attempts at private sector job creation and has passed it off to small business and corporations to create jobs thru business incentives just as republicans will want to do. No mystery here.

Untill business can create an exportable product that both foreign and american consumers are willing to buy, job growth in the US will be slow. Yes job competition is tough, those lacking skills business wants are SOL.

No we need the 47 Percent that Pay NO FEDERAL INCOME TAX at all to pay their fair share first. BEfore we ask others to pay more

Steve, you can tell Grandma and Grandpa that the social security check is being taxed!

Steve: Wake up. Many of those 47% that do not pay any income tax make 40 to 60 thousand a year..but have write offs to keep their tax legibility low. That does not mean they are bums. You people that keep saying 47% pay no taxes try to make those people look like they are on the dole and that is not a fact. You want to pay less taxes, then get some legal write-offs. Until then, quit bitching. Those same people spend a lot of money that goes back into the economy.

Chilled, SS is already taxed. You can thank Clinton for that one.

Actually, you can thank Reagan.

chilled......So you thought that it was not taxed ? Welcome to the 21st Century.

I was thinking the exact same thing, Wayne. Boehner says "So be it", when what we are hearing as a nation is "Let them eat cake".

Let's see....the way I understand it, that phrase has been linked to Marie Antoinette, when asked what should be done to save a nation sinking in poverty. Her flippant and cold response mimicked that of our esteemed Weeper of the House...and you see what happened to her, right?

I'm telling you now....if the conservatives get their way, and the chasm that separates the "haves" from the "have nots" grows wider and wider, we might just have another French Revolution on our hands.

You actually believe that a few thousand people with Federal Jobs are the "have nots"?

This cuts government beurocrats and saves us money.

Much better than spending Trillions AND destroying jobs at every business in America (Obamacare).

pjam09.

You have no idea about what you are posting, do you???

I guess you MUST listen to Fox news to become so ill-informed. Try listening to a few more channels or research on your own. An education is a terrible thing to waste.

Our healthcare reforms will reduce our long-term deficits AND must create MORE jobs as MORE people will have insurance and seeing medical providers. GET IT??????

Sorry, that's a lie. The numbers they used were bogus, but the GAO must use what it's given. It will expand our long term debt exponentially because it covers more people without doing anything to control costs.

It is already destroying jobs, that's why everybody and their brother are asking for, and getting, waivers, including unions.

No, pjam09...I was looking at Boehner's (and most other right-wing millionaires) remark as his political party's views on any legislation meant to look after those who cannot make more than a few bucks in the corporate world. The cons want to eliminate jobs, be they in the private sector or the government sector. It's been proven by the economic prognosticators that any meaningful recovery from this recession will be a "jobless" one. It's the cons who are the CEO's of these big businesses who are still laying off workers, while trying to squeeze every last drop of production out of the workers that are left. And, all the while, they are raising the prices on the goods and services they produce. All of this falls to their bottom line, which "should" mean that raises will be large and happily given......lol....yeah right!! That fat profit goes right into the pockets of the upper management and execs, and large dividends paid out to already wealthy-beyond-belief stockholders.

This is what Boehner means when he says things like this. We hear him say "I got mine.....(by hook or by crook)....now it's up to you to get yours". I'm in total agreement that Congress ought to set the example, and have 30% of their workforce reduced, with a 30% pay cut to those left in office, and they should spend their own money in travel expenses and lose all the rest of their exemptions from "real life situations". Let them have just a taste of what the rest of America is going through. Let them feel our pain and our misery, our hopelessness.

You think he's a crier now.....wait until his house gets foreclosed on.

pjam09.....You still don't understand it do you ? It won't cost, it will save, and it won't hurt small business, it will help it. What it will do is force everyone to buy insurance. That increase in the risk pool is what makes it all work so that it does not cost more. If you have a problem with forcing everyone to buy insurance so that they do not get their care for free if they need it, that is a fair objection and deserves to be vetted in the Supreme Court, but there is no cost to Obamacare, quite the opposite.

java: As much as I dislike Congress, you are mistaken. They have refused their automatic raises for the last two years. So much for your theory.

Even the Teabaggers, who claim to be Constitutional scholars these days, would have to acknowledge that the number of senators and representatives in Congress is determined by... the Constitution.

Nice try.

Why don't we encourage the federal government to take over the entire private sector. Nancy said unemployment payments were the best way to grow the economy.

Boehner wouldn't know straight talk if it bit him on the butt. He quotes 200,000 new jobs under Obama, when it's really 46,000. He doesn't want affordable healthcare for Americans-his is free so what does he care? And he's covered for life. As for the private sector, see some of the posts above in reference to the jobs going overseas. You want to work for $2 a day? Like the folks overseas? I think not. And how about the areas where the public sector jobs have disappeared, and people can't afford to move. It would make you happy for them to go off and die in the woods? One wonders where you derive your income.

get rid of their union, salaries and benifits should be brought into line with the private sector, weed out redundancies and folks who just plain don't do sh!t all day. I'm sure there are plenty of those. In fact, every government needs to do this, Fed, State AND Local. Bring in the NON-GOVERNMENT efficiency consultants at every level and clean house.

When the straight talk amounts to "tough @!$%#", I'll be taking note come my day at the voting booth.

So will I. Anyone that wants to axe a bunch of government leaches gets my vote.

get rid of their union, salaries and benifits should be brought into line with the private sector, weed out redundancies and folks who just plain don't do sh!t all day. I'm sure there are plenty of those. In fact, every government needs to do this, Fed, State AND Local. Bring in the NON-GOVERNMENT efficiency consultants at every level and clean house.

Agreed. The company I work for did two 10% layoffs. The expectation (and the result) has been record profits and raises for the remaining hardworking employees. Implement similar austerity rules at the federal level including a 10% layoff of the dead wood, eliminate pensions, put them into a structured retirement savings (like 401k), cut salaries by 15% and watch the rats leave the ship. What you will be left with is a harder working, more efficient government.

You are such a sheeple You are going to need the Unions believe me when these wingers get done with you. All of you Jealous sheep who want everybody to work for 10 bucks an hour are going to pay. Not one of you understand economics. What ever Glen says is OK. wow

Well said David, too many here seem to forget the fact that this country was built by unions. Let me rephrase that, the middle-class in this country was built by unions.

David, Tampa

What ever Glen says is OK. wow

Apparently it must be, since Beck has now warned his sheep not to look for information via Google, since it's "infiltrated by the government".

Growing government destroys jobs, gutting government allows the economy to grow and create jobs. Boehner is doing great.

Congress has private health care. They can chose between a number of plans. Like many corporations, their costs are subsidized by their employer, that is NOT socialist health care. Obamacare stuck us with that one.

Congress has health care that I PAY FOR. Therefore, it is socialist.

Valhalla Phil

Congress has private health care. They can chose between a number of plans. Like many corporations, their costs are subsidized by their employer

The proposed public option that Boehner and the rest of you Republicans refused to consider would have given the rest of us the opportunity to BUY from the very same pool of private coverage that Congress enjoys.

Congratulations for cutting off your own nose to spite your face.

How can LIES be straight talk??? I dont' get it.

Really? Republicans are the liars!! All in it for the money for themselves...they are the ones that need to leave the US!!

It is the old scare tactic from the progressives. If we don't give them unlimited spending our streams will be polluted, the air will not be fit to breath, there will be no schools, no police, no highways and no food fit to eat. Oh, and gramps will have to start buying dog food.

According to Politifact.com, Boehner's numbers may be off on how many jobs have been added to the federal government since President Barack Obama took office. Counting temporary workers who were hired to conduct the 2010 census the federal government increased by about 379,000 workers, as of June of 2010. However, when you subtract those temporary workers from that figure, you get an increase of about 46,000.

Did you read the whole thing? 200,000 was an incorect number, that included the temporary workforce. the current number of those 200,000 jobs left was reported as 46,000 so in all actuality they have cut 154,000... I bet you bitch about obama not creating any jobs right? well the truth is the easiet way for the government to create jobs is to hire people themselves... now if we didnt give extend tax breaks to the top 2% in an attempt to create jobs even though that method has never worked in the past those 200,000 jobs would be more then paid for. I agree with those saying congress should freeze THEIR spending... imiediatly you ran for public SERVICE now serve us. While running a deficit you gave yourself a 5% pay raise in the last two terms? I am not saying that government organizations run effiecntly, they dont... but when there are billions of dollars being spent to develop a new engine to bolster our already globally supreme military and Oil companies paying 0 taxes while making record profits and polluting our oceans... eliminating jobs (that turn into tax revenue) is not the first place to go for cuts.

Sorry, Tom but as this article pointed out there were not 200,000 jobs added during the first two years of the Obama presidency. The figure is closer to 46,000 when you deduct the temporary workers who were hired to handle the census (I was one of them and grateful to have the job when I got laid off in 2008.) I agree there probably are job cuts that can be made but let us ask ourselves how many federal jobs were added during the Bush administration. Then I agree with others that representatives and senators need to start feeling the pain - they can cut staff and take a salary and benefit cut. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Further the defense budget should not be off limits.

Tom, did you even bother to read the article?? Of the 200,000 Federal jobs created, all but 47,000 were part-time jobs to complete the census. The remainder if you split it evenly by state would come out to 940 jobs. Hardly a huge increase if you break it down that way.

Also, where were Boehner and the GOP before Obama was elected? Were they screaming at Bush about jobs? We were already in a recession and losing jobs fast.

At this point, what does it really matter how many government jobs were added by Bush??? Obama is the president now....Cowboy up and do the job you were elected to do. Where is all the change from "Big Bad Bush" you promised??? Stop blaming and start "DOING" something about it. And I agree, there has got to be government cut-backs and if that includes employees who are "non-essential" , "then so be it". How many private sector employers thought the same thing when they couldn't afford to keep their workers?

The second thing we should cut is our money leaving this country that continues to keep these other country's afloat!! Will they ever be self-sustaining countries? NO, not as long as we keep paying them. Meanwhile, our own country is swirling the bowl. Absolutely ridiculous!!

To the many responders,

I appreciate the clarification that there were only around 46,000 new permanent Federal government jobs created in the first 2 years of the Obama administration. And I also appreciate it is easiest for the government to create jobs by hiring folks directly. I also recognize that causes government to grow. It seems to me that a lot of what the argument is about is the role and size of government. Lets have that discussion.

Personally, since it has been stated numerous times that government workers earned approximately 10 percent more than their private counterparts, what do you all think of cutting the compensation package of ALL government workers by 10 percent immediately? Would than not seem fair? I vote for that budget adjustment which I think would be significant. I would also cut all entitlements by the same 10 percent immediately. Just a note. I do have family members receiving entitlements from the Federal government. Perhaps I will personally just have to step up to the plate and support members of my family out of my own pocket. That does not seem that unreasonable. What do you think?

Bill, It is the old scare tactic from the progressives. If we don't give them unlimited spending our streams will be polluted, the air will not be fit to breath, there will be no schools, no police, no highways and no food fit to eat. Oh, and gramps will have to start buying dog food.

Jerry Brown is doing the same thing in California, only difference is gramps will have to buy cat food.

thetotas, you really just can't handle the truth, can you? Realize then, that discretionary spending is only 12 percent of the total budget. We spend about $700 billion each year on defense. China is 2nd in the world @ $29 billion, so yeah, we can cut some defense spending. In fact we could cut all of the GOPs promised $100 billion from defense and still be #1 in defense spending in the world, but hey, don't let me confuse you with the facts.

And GO BUCKEYES!

Bonehead is p****d because the healthcare act put a tax on tanning salons! this is his way of getting back at Pres. Obama - Look what happened to Marie Antoinette after she said let them eat cake - As I said yesterday - if a Dr. ever examined Bohenrs head he'd say there is nothing there.

Cutting government spending is "getting back at Pres. Obama" instead of saving taxpayer money?

Yes Obama has spent uncontrollably and Dems were thrown out in November but nothing gets back what he already spent, we can only work to lessen the expenses for the future, cutting unnecessary government jobs is a good start.

Love it!! I totally agree with you Ohio State Linebacker!!

To quote Steve Spagnuola at the 2009 NFL combine: "When was the last time a linebacker from Ohio State was worth a sh*t?"

Hey Jeff,

I never made it to the NFL. But we raised millions of dollars for all programs except basketball which was self supporting.

Millions in scholarships. Despite being well over 50 and joint pain would do it all over again.

Did it all so you no talent, beer swilling swine could feel apart of being on the "team." Had you red (scarlet) painted, fire truck size losers feel like you were somebody. Punk.

And yes, I did play for Woody and despite the tragic end, he is a hero.

Jeff, to answer your question.....A.J. Hawke. Might have heard of him, he just got a Super Bowl ring with the Packers. You did ask.

Angry-830595

What if the federal government in DC followed suit on what has been happening to the rest of the Americans............

Cut 20% of the jobs in the Congress, the Senate and the White House

Are you including the senators and representatives in that head count? There's this little thing called the Constitution that happens to determine the number of senators and reps. Just sayin'.

That darned Constitution, anyway.

They don't have health "INSURANCE" moron! They have what all of you don't want; MEDICARE! You wingers are so stupid! Go watch Idol or some other Fox BS

Obviously Sarah works for the Federal or her State government.

Never happen...as long as we fall for the cookie cutter version of politicians we get what we vote for. Make politicians obsolete. From school board to whitehouse. They care not for us, or about us, either party. People need to realize and react at the voting booth. Make them and all like them a thing of the past. Pull their teeth. Vote them out!

Hey doofus, the DOE only has 16,000 federal employees. The rest of them are contractors like janitors and security crews. Your figures don't look so good now do they? Morons.....

That's 16,000 government leaches too many. Dump them all.

Why no mention of illegals here, nothing. In California we are spending Billions of dollars and nothing, not a mention how to deal with it. Southern California should be called Cal Mexico.