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AP
The Capitol is seen in Washington after dark. Work is intensifying in Congress to reach a deal on long-overdue legislation to finance the government through the end of September and avoid a government shutdown.
From NBC's Shawna Thomas, Kelly O'Donnell, and Carrie Dann
As talks continue on an eleventh-hour budget deal that could forestall a government shutdown, House Republican members have been given guidance to stick around this weekend rather than leave Washington for their home districts, a House aide tells NBC News.
The instructions mean that House leaders could be planning for a weekend session of Congress to pass some form of compromise legislation to keep a potential government shutdown from spilling into the work week next Monday.
But, while House and Senate aides say that talks are still ongoing, a concrete plan to avoid a shutdown is far from in place. The administration and congressional leaders scuttled a potential White House meeting this morning until after further negotiations.
The president, who is traveling to Philadelphia and New York today, may call congressional leaders back to the White House late tonight, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told NBC News.
House Speaker John Boehner and Obama spoke by phone this morning. During the call, which lasted about three minutes, the speaker told the president that he "remains hopeful a deal can be reached," according to Boehner's office.
Reid also spoke to Obama shortly before noon today.
Reid told NBC that there could be room for compromise on the issue of policy “riders” – Republican add-ons to the budget bill that have proved sticky for negotiators trying to reach a deal.
Democrats could be amenable to riders related to the maintenance of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and a scholarship program for D.C. schools favored by House Speaker John Boehner, Democratic aides say.
But, Reid reiterated, GOP riders that would defund Planned Parenthood or pull funding for the implementation of the health care law are still flatly unacceptable to Democrats.
Even as the details of a deal continue to be hashed out, it’s unclear what form a bill to keep funding the government would take.
There appears to be no movement on one previously-floated idea on the House side -- a two or three day continuing resolution that would keep the government running for a handful of extra days as talks continue. Republicans have also not determined whether or not to bring a proposal to the House floor that would cut $12 billion from current levels – an offer that was rejected by the White House earlier this week.
The current government funding measure runs out on Friday, April 8.
*** UPDATE *** NBC's Luke Russert reports that House GOP leaders, accusing the president of "not leading" on the budget, now say that they will call for a vote tomorrow on the one-week budget extension that cuts $12 billion and extends DoD funding for the rest of the fiscal year.
Leave a Comment:
Will Obama actually be there?
No, he'll be on his ranch in Crawford, Texas...
Nope. Early tee time. Followed by a fundraiser.
All right Ursula - you agree: Obama = Bush - haircut.
These is tough times to be a libbie.
"You know, Paul, Reagan proved deficits don't matter. We won the midterms (congressional elections). This is our due." --- Dick Cheney, December 2002
Spank-eye,
Where did you think he'd be on Mars?
Who cares. He doesn't do anything other than repeat Dem talking points. It's time for the Reid and the Senate to actually put some legislation on the table if they don't like what Reps have offered. That is the way the system is designed to work.
Ursula,
Neither Bush nor any other Republican has any bearing on the complete incompetence of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi and their utter failure to even offer budget legislation last year.
Why? Should Obama hold their hands? Congress has the constitutional authority to fund the government. They need to stay until the job gets done. I would suggest that their salaries be suspended during the shut down period. Maybe that will help them negotiate in good faith..
The House GOP members need to stick around. The House Democrats can leave, they just get in the way at the coffee machine.
actually the LIAR-in-chief obama, after initially claiming he would be there to have meetings; announced today that he will leave for new york to join THE RACE-BAITER al sharpton to discuss race implications with his up-coming re-election. again showing he doesn't care about YOU, me or America. JUST HIMSELF!
Yes, he'll be there. Let's see how much other crap the Republicans will throw on with riders.
Oh yeah! In the modern world a president cannot multitask. He must be chained to the Oval office waiting for Republican approval of his every move in order to be effective. Oh lawd Baggas! Puh-lease! We sympathize with you whining ninnies who complain about Obama's every move since, for eight years, you became accustomed to accepting a leader whose dulled mental capacity limited him to a singular task at a time. The world is smarter. Obama is smarter. Now get over your biased, neanderthal, regressive selves! Nuff said!
Eric,
The article above says that he won't be there. He's going to be traveling. You know it would be a shame if he put campaigning on hold for a day or two.
Can't Obama just issue an executive order to fund whatever he wants? He seems to do what he pleases on other things. Why not just pose an executive order mandating no debt limit, and also mandate that the amount of debt we have be printed up so we can pay it off in a day or two. Just issue 1 billion dollar bills and all is good. While he is at it, he can just deem anybody who disagrees with him an enemy of the state. This would get rid of the opposition party issue he seems to have been struggling with since he took office. I'm sure he is sick of trying to get his opponents to approve everything he wanted since day 1.
He (Obama) is a smart politician. Not worth a crap as a businsessman or leader. Oh, I forgot.....he excelled as a public organizer. The country, or I should say the democrats and the liberal media, need to figure out that this president has NO true experience in the real world and includes ours. Obama is now in campaign mode. Anyhow, as the whole world knows except for the democrats, the budget is late on his watch. It's part of his pay grade to handle such issues. Print more money, while we can still afford the paper.
he won't be there he's to involved in his begging for campaign funds to run the country, odd I don't see a ball game goin on in philly why would he stop there, it don't matter anyway his lack of knowledge and experience when it comes to money and economics aint worth a *uck. now he wants to play war with lybia, a place we should have never even touched. worthless-the lot of them, I've an idea for them all, just go home and stay there, we're better off without you ripping us off and embarassing our countries name.
Sparky-1028,
You mean put legislative suggestions on the table just like the Republicans did for the last two years! Have a dose!
So Obama goes down to Crawford, and Bush puts him to work chainsawing some old trees down on the back 40. After a few hours, Obama returns to the main ranch and he is just exhausted. He tells Bush "Something is wrong with that chainsaw, it takes me forever to cut through anything!". Bush looks perplexed at Barack because he knows that chainsaw cuts through trees like they were butter. He takes Barack back to the trees he was cutting down, sets the chainsaw down, pulls the handle and starts the chainsaw. Barack jumps back all surprised and exclaims "What's that sound?"
Could someone please explain how a "Rider" to the budget is saving money? Ohh, Rider must be the new slang for "Pork Barrel" spending. And which party wants to keep adding them, perchance? The 2 party system started as 1 party, seems to me they are ending that way, also. I can't tell the difference except one party likes guns and the other doesn't.
They should all go hide out in another state like the morons in Wisconsin. They are taking a page out of the Pelousy play book, make them stay until they agree, even if it's Christmas or Easter. Pathetic. Doughbama is ticked, he is in campaign mode (still) and he doesn't want to have to mess with governmental stuff.
Since we pay federal civilian employees about $20 Billion per month, and if about half of them are 'non-essential', perhaps a 3 month 'furlough' would close the $30 Billion gap between Republicans and Democrats.
We may even find out that many of the 'non-essential' employees could be permanently 'furloughed' (laid off), and save hundreds of $Billions.
Maybe we'll see soon.
scram,
Dems controlled congress by wide margins and they had the white house. If they didn't accomplish something, they have only themselves to blame.
Doing multiple nothings does not count as multitasking. Has electing him caused anything but issues? Who's idea was he anyway? And what country do they live in now?
Obama can handle this from 40,000 feet on Air Force One while chowing down on a shrimp cocktail on his way to an exotic land with his family and friends with noooooooooo problem.
He was elected by the majority, he is our president and no one with any honor or respect would willingly trash the man in charge for adopting a company that was trashed in the first place.
He ordered the personnel to stay at their posts, he isn't required to be there on the spot...
he is the executive chief in charge..and is more "in place" than Bush screw up Jr ever was
He ordered the worthless GOP'rs to stay close to their job.
They would rather see our country shut down just to get their own way and as time goes by, day by day, more Americans are realizing this.
The GOP'rs ordered their personnel to leave office and jobs in case of a shutdown or face termination.
Even to turn off governmental blueberries so that communications would not work to their afflicted offices and departments, but they say the shutdown is purposed by the DEMs
They openly defend tax cuts to the rich and push for cuts on the poor and the elderly with no regard of the majority vote of the elderly and disabled that will turn a tide come 2012 on medicare, medicaid and social security issues.
Just like the oil magnates they serve, just like the food price increases, just like the banks, they are making as much profit for their lords as good servants should as they can while they can.
I never believed Obama stood a chance for re-election, but now I hope the GOP'rs continue...
if only the "smart" populace of America can see them for what they are worth or rather..worthless...
Obama may stand a chance of serving another 4 year term and actually pursue his dreams of turning this country around
dis him all you want
you won't quit until the republicans get another man in office...
and we have already seen what Bush jr did in office
they will trash this country, make their windfall profits for their gods
and sit there sipping tea while they claim duty to their country
or rather again
their version of it
defend them as you wish too
what comes may very well be one of the first major eye openers America has needed for a long time
with their stupid way of openly manipulating the government now, wait to see what happens in 2012,
then two years later, see who leads the House and the Senate?
JoAnnaSmith1,
at 1.17, THAT WAS HILARIOUS, and sadly accurate! I would bet any amount that obama has never started a chainsaw, swung an ax, ect. ELITIST like him will be the death of America.
obama has never "worked" a day in his life and it shows on a regular basis.
You rightwing scummies should be knocking qrange face Boehner and the jerks of the teapublicansthat are destroying your and your childrens future. Yet you racist bunch lowlifes are degrading Obama,a man that is trying to help. Thump your chest and get brave to each of you worthless piece of skunk dung.Now put that on a rider.
The GOP whines and moans about how the Dems won't "compromise" with them despite the fact that $8 billion has ALREADY been cut from this year's budget in the 2 continuing resolutions that have been passed. The Dems have offered another $33 billion, but the GOP (who says they'll "cooperate but not compromise") are holding out for 100% of the $66 billion they insist on getting.
And just about every program they want to cut is money that flows to the lower and middle class. For example, $390 million from the LIHEAP low-income energy assistance program. Yet Paul Ryan wants to cut the top tax rate from 35% to 25% for the wealthy and corporations.
When are Americans going to wake up and realize that the entire GOP platform is nothing more than "give us your money or else"?
"President Paul Ryan" God that's got a nice ring to it. It's been years since I've seen someone as smart and as charismatic come out of the GOP since probably Ronald Reagan. Carter gave us Reagan. Obama seems to have given us the Rock Star from Wisconsin - Rep Paul Ryan! Another 5 years and he should be more than ready to lead. It will be quite a primary run between him and Christie. Kinda hate to see either lose but with either one the country will be in good hands.
The republicans want to defund Planned Parenthood / Education / Medicare etc. etc. everything to do with the middle class and lower class but - read this
"maintenance of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and a scholarship program for D.C. schools favored by House Speaker John Boehner"
As usual hypocrisy prevails - Republicans = The party of the Rich and Corporates
GE pays ZERO taxes this year / and so do many corps - Google's tax rate is 2% ! None of us have the ability for offshore manipulation or tax shelters but all these bigwigs do and on TOP of that they get permanent tax breaks !
Go ahead vote republican - pretty soon you will be working till August to pay Uncle Sam and then sthere might be something left over for you !
scrambolo, that is so childish it makes me sick. We are talking about running a country not a playground. If you think it was a shame when the Republicans did it then it is still a shame for Democrats to do it, plane and simple.
So Reid is willing to shutdown the govt to protect PP and NPR? Not what I'd call good priorities. And of course obama is leaving. He's from the party of GO.
bs--the true BS is your Republicant's attempting to do your NeoCon social legislation in a budget resolution. Stop muddying the waters and pretending this is about a budget and admit you are trying to pass things you cannot get through congress by holding the nation hostage.
TeaReps SHESSHHHH
geez bob hall, take your meds! Typical libbie ranting and raving- are you worried they are taking away your freebies or not going to share the wealth?
It's the Republican mode of operation...
they will never show responsibility, and thus their supporters are affected by the same virus
they are well aware of how Bush Jr screwed the country up when he was in office and the GOP'rs had their way...
now Obama is there and they will quickly point the accusing finger at him for their own adulterated way of managing our country
their shame should rest all the way back to their mother's hips, their ideals and their sense of honor
adulterated towards the advance to the common good of our nation.
they are worse enemies here within our own borders than any terrorist or extreme Islamic threat could ever be to our country
I LOVE it... roll out the cots and order some pizza's! lol
Give em hell Harry & stand firm!
Still waiting for someone tell fill me in on WHEN & WHERE the Teapulicans have compromised, like bat sh!t crazy Bachmann asserted this morning...
Anyone...?
No more of these week long band-aids!!! This is no way for our country to be governed. Do your jobs and pass a budget. Keeping Americans hostage to these political games is bullsh**!
I know the wossie Democrats who had control of the House, Senate and White House when this should have been done last fall are to blame, but unfortunately, it is now on the plate.
SB,
Who is Ge's CEO snuggling up with these days?
Who did they support in the 2008 election cycle?
The answer to both questions is Obama. Even if that wasn't true, the Dems have had four years to change the tax laws to prevent that. In two of those years they also controlled the White House.
DJDREW,
Obama ddin't order Republicans to do anything. He doesn't have the authority. We have three seperate and EQUAL branches of government. Obama can only wish that he becomes a dictator.
If the gorvernment is going to be shut down, those so called law maker don't need to paid either. Those people have salary and health care for life. Their salaries and health cares are paid with tax payers money, us!!!! Their salaries, their pensions and their health benefits need to be cut off just like how they are trying to do to working class people!!!!!!!!!! Trillion of Dollars were spent for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and there were no government shut down. And all the jobs are shipped in Asia, and China the communist country and human rights abuser is on the top of the list. Those so called representatives have shares in those companies that are doing business in Asia. Do those who are posting non-sense comments bashing this administration, had think about all of that or it's just hating the person in charge of the country. People you need to see what is going on around the world, people are fed up with their governments taking advantage of working class people. Any industrial country's economy is mostly based on factories, and farming not only on the banking system and housing where those bankers are stilling from working class people and are protected by the right wing politicians.
Republicans agenda is to make sure that middle class American become slaves to Corporate and work for lower wages while they and their rich supporters enjoy the tax money from middle class....Please people WAKE UP and vote for the Govt. that would like to spend your tax dollars on your health care, kids education and keeping the jobs in USA.
"Fox News has repeatedly attacked General Electric (GE) for paying "no taxes" in 2010, using GE's actions to attack President Obama. However, records show that News Corp., Fox News' parent company, also paid no federal taxes for at least several years in the past two decades."
Two wrongs don't make a right but you need to spread the righteous indignation around to all who deserve it.
Upwards of 65% of US corporations pay little to no federal income taxes.
reguardless of who is president, or members of congress is. It is there duty to make sure that everyone recieves there money needed for the year. I never quit my job in the military to filler busters or bs for the next election. I have seen congress give themself"s 4 pay raises to our "taxpayer" 1. Enough BS and get the job done!
Shut it down! If the only way to stop government spending is to shut the government down, so be it. States rights!
@ Mad in CT - quit be part of the problem and help with a solution. The entire problem is that they are trying to complete a "DEAL". Heck with the "DEAL" making, run this country. Obama and Reid are more into making "DEALS" to get what suites them best they loose focus on the American People. It is a shame that our government has turned to lifetime politics. Shame on them, yes you too Harry Reid from Nevada and your thoughts that armor for our troops is not a high priority in 2004 when we Soldiers were being blown up in soft sided hummers running down Tampa! Somthing that a Soldier never forgets is how his government has taken NO interest in their concerns, when the Soldier is just doing what is asked. - Our country was formed by being run by leaders within the people, not life time politics. If we wanted lifetime politics, we should just go back to the castle days!
Oh.... the Reps will be there. They don't go scurrying out of the state like some Wis. Dems.
Eli A,
So you want us all to think like Greece. Everybody should get hooked and suckle on the government until it goes bust. Then whine and cry when we don't get our allowance. Sorry, no thanks.
VWT,
Could Obama be getting smacked with this because he whines about corporations not paying their fare share on one side and then snuggles up to a corporation that doesn't pay taxes and gives him lots of support on the other side?
As far as GE or Newscorp not paying taxes, they are taking advantage of the system that they have been given. If Dems don't like it, they need to work to change it. Judging from the reaction that the Rep plan for 2012 has received, they have no stomach for it and they'd rather keep the status quo.
I keep reading with interest how the Dems didn't make the changes they could have made when they had control of the House, Senate, and White House. What critics seem to conveniently forget is that while they had a Senate majority, they did not have a filibuster-proof majority. So the Republicans had the means to pretty much kill any legislation they didn't like with the mere threat of a filibuster. The one issue that tends to irritate me the most is that we keep hearing that we need to provide tax breaks to the corporations and the wealthiest because they are the ones that provide the jobs. What jobs? The ones being shipped overseas? When did wanting to see your country have a strong, vibrant economy take a back seat to blatant greed? Or has it always?
It would seem that there are the usual high group of teabagger republican conservatives out in force today trying to shill, spin, lobbing BS for their masters even at the expense of themselves, their families and even their grandchildren today. Hmmmm
The problem is that they - the teabagger republican conservatives or TRCs, want to make the rest of the USA population to be as delusional as they are imo.
These TRC cultists want the rest of the peoples of the USA to suspend their ability to think, reason etc for themselves and rather to buy the illusions that these cultists paint of serfdom and slavery in the 21st century as a good thing and the way to go, just because these TRC cultists feel comfortable kneeling at the feet of their wealthy Lords and Masters awaiting their owners words.
This has to be a cult, because it is hard to imagine that anyone would give up their rights to privacy, unlawful search and seizure etc, vote against their best interests, agree to more tax breaks for the wealthy, still believe in trickle down economics even although it has been proven to not work, believe that corporate welfare ie subsidies to corporations with billions of dollars in profits year over year is a good thing, that corporations are people, and that a global corporation with over 60 thousand employees worldwide and paying no taxes are mom and pop shops.
It has to be a cult because no one in their fulling functioning mind would believe that outsourcing jobs overseas is good for the citizens of this country, the rich and corporations paying no taxes and that smaller govt is best, because govt has no role to play in meeting our societal needs.
These cultists are about getting rid of govt by any means possible even if it is by getting rid of rules/ regulations that protect us all. They have been defunding the govt departments that carry out these functions to protect the citizens from foul/contaminated/poluted air, water, food, medications/drugs etc, protect their monies and investments from crooks/thieves con artists etc, protect our borders, protect our citizens from fires etc, education our children, provide up to date safe and cost effective/affordable healthcare and other social services etc.
These TRCs imo want us to believe in their regressive theories and if we don't then they are going to force us to believe/ascribe to them. These regressives have even gone as far as to decide that women can't make decisions for themselves thus they -the TRCs- must do so, by taking away a woman's right to chose, or have control over her own body, or use birthcontrol etc.
These regressive TRC cultists beliefs are going to be the ruin of this country imo.
On the other hand if we end up being a 4th world country, we can exercise that one freedom we will have left that they agree that is ok, to have as many guns and bibles as we want. LOL
I LOVE it... roll out the cots and order some pizza's! lol
Give em hell Harry & stand firm!
Still waiting for someone tell fill me in on WHEN & WHERE the Teapulicans have compromised, like bat sh!t crazy Bachmann asserted this morning...
Anyone...?
Your boy obama will cave like he did on gitmo, ksm, libya, tax cuts for billionaires. It's all he knows. Get ready for that kick right in the teeth AGAIN, there feisty.
How sad that some people see compromise as a weakness...
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL
that goes to show you where the Gopers/teabaggers interest is. Cut and later eliminate all programs favored by dems while imposing their mystic way of life on us.......
you never lose with very hot spicy wings.
Wow name calling Daryl. Very inventive and enlightening. Say hi to Larry and your other brother Daryl for me.
This is the same Senate and president who did not pass thier budget last year when it was supposed to be finished? Oh that is right it is the same criminals who did not even attempt to do a budget when they controlled the whole mess in Washington. Now that they failed all they can do is bad mouth the party who is try to get a budget passed that makes more sense than anything the Liberals can do. Why did the liberals and Progressive not pass a budget???? It is because they would all been thrown out last November. That's right elections have consequenses. All you Liberals bneed to go stick your heads in the sand since that is where you all keep it.
The root cause is not the Republicans...
The Democrats did not pass a budget last year and because of that, this is a direct result.
Well said Daryl. They absolutely cannot defend the logic of cutting Planned Parenthood, PBS etc out of "budget concerns" when they won't touch the gifting to Big Oil or tax breaks for the richest people in the world. They can attack Planned Parenthood, Medicare, SS, PBS out of ideological differences - but they know they need to make it a "budget" thing to maintain their thin veil of sanity. And, watch, the only response a GOP'r or Tea Party person will make to this argument - is name calling and changing the subject. If that fails to be effective they will simply deny reality.
The last Tea Party rally had all the supporters chanting "Shut it down".
I love Teapublican logic . . . it makes perfect sense.
We need to cut the budget, so the Teapublican answer is to shut down the government. However, all essential agencies will remain open (police, fire, homeland security, defense, etc.) So, we will continue spending money of these agencies, but the shut down will result in zero revenue coming in.
Can a Teapublican explain to me how zero revenue while continuing to spend money will help reduce our budget? Anyone . . . anyone at all . . . Bueller? Bueller?
The politicians aren't leaving to go home...... their wives better join www.CheatersRx.com ..... there will be lots of fooling around going on in DC.....lol
Thoughts from Reality:
How about stop spending money that is not yet earned? Live within the means. Its something I teach my children.
You liberals must be the one's who use those balance transfer checks that the credit card companies offer.
Thoughts,
You might want to realize that colletion of taxes and other income would not stop if government shut down. It is an essential function of government just like public safety.
Perhaps you are Bueller's school skipping buddy or girlfriend and that is the reason you didn't know that.
charles -
You did not answer my question. What's wrong, too afraid of the answer?
I agree that we need to cut, no liberal is arguing that. Stop listening to Fox and listen to the people on the other side . . . YES, WE NEED TO CUT.
Now, answer my question. How will a government shut down help? The government will not be bringing in money, but they will STILL SPEND MONEY on essential agencies?
Do you teach your children that if they need to pay off their debt they should stop working and just spend less?
Man up and answer the question.
If the Republican'ts wanted a budget, they would stop trying to use the budget to pass social agenda items.
If they whine about why a budget had not been passed last year then why don't they just vote for the one that was proposed last year? Would they be happy if it had passed? NO So they whine that a budget bill they strongly oppose was not passed?
This is posturing for the Teabaggers, the Rep party is scared they will put up one of their freaks who will siphon votes, possibly even get the nomination then go down in flames in November. They need to quietly feed them so they just sit and chew thier cud, pacified oput in a poop filled field somewhere.
And I love the Republicant's who call Obama Bush...so if he is Bush you must be damn happy with him and cannot wait to vote for him, right? NO? Really? Then he must not be Bush.
Why do we give subsidies and major tax breaks to Oil Companies who are the most profitable companies out there? Because they contribute so much $ to Republicant's thats why.
Disclaimer, I own stock in Total Oil, Conoco Phillips, Spectra Energy and Halliburton as well as some Electric Utilities.
Chucky
Did Bush 'live within his means" NO
Did Reagan "live within his means" NO
In fact the ONLY president to do so in recent memory was Clinton in hsi last 2 budgets
So don't pretend Republican'ts are what they have NOT been
Sparky -
You are Republican, right? So you are pro-business, right?
Good, let's talk economics. What happens when thousands upon thousands of people stop receiving a paycheck? Do they have money to buy goods and services from business? That is called DEMAND.
Now, considering supply and demand models, what happens to supply when demand goes down? What happens to business activities and balance sheets with an excess of supply?
Now consider the long-term ramifications. Let's say your Tea Party get's their way and you cut off many of the government agencies you don't like . . . so you force thousands upon thousands of people to be laid off. (How kind of you) What happens to demand when thousands upon thousands of people are laid off? How will lower demand and less money in the economy affect private companies?
So . . . to recap, YOUR Tea Party plan.
Phase 1: Shut down the government. Thousands do not receive a pay check, demand for private business goods and services fall.
Phase 2: Cut government agencies that do not agree with your social agenda. Thousands upon thousands of people are laid off. Again, demand falls further.
Phase 3: Lower demand reduces the money flowing into private businesses, thus private business can not stay profitable.
From here, it spirals downward. More lay offs lead to less demand. Your party will call for lower taxes on businesses to help them stay afloat, pushing your failed trickle down theory which reduces government revenue even further, thus increasing our debt. Then you will call for more cuts, and it starts all over again. See a problem yet?
What do you mean no revenue? We still have to pay our taxes!
Thoughts,
So your theory would be that we continue to increase the size of government and the amount it spends to keep the private sector afloat?
In effect we take more and more money from the private sector to pay government workers to give the money back to the private sector.
Why not skip the government middle man and just get government out of the way so that the private sector can grow on its own?
Is it so terrible that a current government worker might have to go out and get a job in the private sector?
As far as the government shut down, that is the plan of YOUR liberals and Democrats. They have been talking about it for months now and they haven't done anything meaningful to prevent it. But, you can keep pounding out the talking points just like Obama - who is taking a day off to campaign rather than have any input in this situation.
Frankly,
You should realize that congress, you know the people who tell government what they can spend, was controlled by Republicans at the time "Clinton balanced the budget".
When doughbama crammed the healthcare bill down our throats there was NO compromise- he did an obligitory meeting and shut every idea from the other side down and pretty much said "we won, get over it" well, now the shoe is on the other foot! Defund planned parent hood, we know it is used for nothing more than free birth control, and their obamacare should cover birth control pills right?
Defund Congress entirely until they get their s**t together. Let's take a vote.
The only people that I have seen deny reality are dems. But I guess you would call that name calling.
Sparky -
There you go again, completely ignoring my questions and then putting words in my mouth.
Not once did I say we should increase the size of the government . . . NOT ONCE. You are using a weak and pathetic debate technique, desperately trying to avoid the questions I presented to you.
I have stated more than once that we need to cut spending (preferably in the subsidies and breaks we give oil, corporations, etc.). I agree with the need to cut spending. However, cutting jobs is not the answer . . . again, look at my previous post and tell me how laying off more people will help.
As for your question, I will do what you can not do . . . I will actually answer it.
Simple, the growth you speak of does not exist. America is no longer an industrial country, it is a service based country. The private sector will continue to outsource, as they have done over the past decade. And technology has replaced MANY American jobs . . . jobs which will NEVER come back. Remember music stores? All those jobs gone, forever. Replaced with instant access to music online. Remember video rental stores? Maybe you still see of few of these relics, like decade old ruins trying to stay upright in a world of instant access. Remember when the newspaper came to your doorstep each morning? Thousands of jobs involved in paper, printing, binding, stacking and delivering . . . replaced with a small team that puts the news online. Remember the yellow pages that you used to sit on as a child, when your mother was not looking up the local plumber? Do you know how many people were involved in the creation of those forgotten directories? You still see bookstores, but enjoy them while they last . . . they will be the next to fall. It has already started, with many declaring bankruptcy.
You see, the growth you speak of is in technology . . . and the ability to do the same job with less people. Businesses will not step up to create jobs that are not needed. So, again, the issue of additional lay offs in public work becomes a primary concern.
If all the government workers get laid off, as is your wish, where will they go for work? In a world where technology and outsourcing is replacing jobs, where will all these people go? If there are no jobs for them, what happens to the demand for private business goods?
And once again, we are back at my original question, which you ignored.
I spend most of my time on this site reading post that resemble those of a 3 grade class who've been given a home work assignment. Yes Bush didn't do a 100% perfect job, Nor has our current president, but my friends, this is a real time world we're living in. Yesterday is old news, tomorrow may not come, we live in today. For all those who work (not spend the day posting on some B.S. site) when you lay your head on the pillow at night, I hope you can say I did good today. I earned my day's pay. For the rest, I'm sure the worrying of "My welfare check making it if the Government shuts down". I learned in Boy Scouts and I know it's true for the Girl Scouts .... BE Prepared.
Nice attempt of a positive spin Feisty. Laugh about the Republicans on cots......you fail to mention that any budget issues are due to Obama/Pelosi/Reid NON-ISSUE on passing a budget in October.
Wouldn't you agree that if your leadership did their jobs, we would not be discussing it today? Or, in your case, we wouldn't be listening to your rant about Republicans.
By the way, why no comments about the ObamaWar? Going fine for ya?
(comment 2.2)
And you wonder why rational people see the Teabags as racist?
rorschach
You can smell a real racist by how many "racist" meanings they can make up from a conversation. After all, a racist is anywhere and anyone the left wants them to be. People like you ARE the reason for this "progressive" definition of the word itself.
Government shutdown? Everybody say it with me "Yes we can! Yes we can!"
You mean like an orange skinned Jersey Shore castaway?
You really need to be careful for what you wish for. I believe that if the govt shuts down, everything except the ilitary should cease operations and let the idiots begin to feel the pain. It should shut down air travel, no law enforcement, no social security checks, nothing. That is what you all need to realize what an idiotic thing it is that you want.
Problem is: with a government shutdown, it's not Congress that will feel the pain, but all of us who work for the federal government. How many do you think can afford time off without pay?
IPPSTER..and CCHANCE...failed lib's fail try GOOGLE sometime before you type.
Based on history, here is how a long-term government shutdown might impact some government-provided public services.
I've been listening to dumocrats and tea baggees for months now. It's boring. Spend spend spend, that's all doughbama knows how to do. He spent his whole life sniffing out the money, the rich Pakistanis in school, Chicago slum lords and Valerie Jarrett's checkbook, community organizing, etc. etc. He is a wanna be rockstar with no talent.
Crystal-569996,what are your talents,being a racist? I bet you are a real darling on Sat night around the trailer park. Yep, you are mad as hell about that comment. Bet I was much closer about your talents than you were about Obamas.I could ask you a few more.
@vineswine
Thanks for the sympathy to those of us who depend on our paychecks from the federal government to pay for our mortgages, groceries, gas, utilities etc.
@vineswine
Thanks for the sympathy to those of us who depend on our paychecks from the federal government to pay for our mortgages, groceries, gas, utilities etc.
bob hall- how predictable, pulling out the race card. I didn't buy the presidential election like doughbama did. Everything he has done has failed and it's not my fault you feel like you need a nanny to take care of you. Put your binky back in.
@justme, this is what happens when politicians only think of their wants and needs. This should show all they (both sides) don't give one cent about the people. I'm guessing you work for the Govt since SS checks and food stamps would still go out.
Ok so 80 students from my son's 8th grade class are leaving for DC this weekend. 80 parents who spent $2300 to send their children to tour all the museums and monuments and they may all be closed? Guess they get a real read of our government. Think the government will refund our money? Lol
THE FEDERAL DEFICIT sorry about the caps but wanted your attention. The first thing the repubs did when they got back in power was pass a tax break for the rich adding millions to the deficit. Now they want the middle class and poor to pay for it. Just like wisconson saying the treachers are to blame and the sad part is some people believe that. The answer is taxs to get our deficit in order. When you lose half the tax payers to unemployment you lose a lot of income and add the tax breaks for the rich we just go deaper in debt.
@ everyone that has commented, If you want the government to shut down think of ALL the men and women serving our country that will not be compensated for that service. Meanwhile, Congress will continue to recieve their pay right on schedule.
My husband is active duty Army and he will not be paid if the government shuts down. He WILL have to continue to do his job WITHOUT pay. My husband, myself and our children sacrifice for our country only to be told he will not get a paycheck. I am worried how we will support our family, as I stay at home so that I can raise our children. There are no jobs in our little town, so I cannot help supplement our income. My husband is THE sole bread winner.
So please think about each person that could be affected by this shut down. It will not be just the people that are recieveing "government handouts" that will be affected. It will be hard working men and women who put their lives on the line each and everyday so that WE have the right to be here posting on boards like this. Call your local Congressperson or House Representative and ask them to come to a resolution. This shutdown does not have to happen.
How petty to call someone criticizing the president a racist. I think the real racists are the ones that think Obama shouldn't be criticized because of his race.
Here we, as voting citizens and adults, tend to forget that the government works for us. How many of you have written to your congressperson and voiced your concern? THAT is your given right....use it! Sitting back and complaining about the problem isnt going to fix it.
It shames me to no end that race, creed, religion etc have been plastered all over this forum. Seriously we need to step back and look @ the real problem....no one wants to compromise or bend.
this is so true...except the part that no one wants to compromise or bend... for 2 years Obama has tried to work with the "no" party...they are so focused on making Obama a 1 term president that they don't see what they are doing is showing themselves for what they really are! If it wasn't such a sad thing that shutting down the government may happen and all the lives that will be hurt by that.. if would almost be a blessing...showing what they really want is to strip this country of a middle class. If they get all the cuts they insist on..our Seniors, Children, Teachers, Firemen, Police, MILITARY will suffer...especially when they continue to give more and more tax breaks to the rich... all in the name of "big business creates jobs"... BULL... WHERE ARE THOSE JOBS?? They don't create anything but unemployment! The recall votes have begun.. starting with Wisconsin...it will continue until all the liars people voted for are gone... I don't know if it's possible for the President to enforce a NO PAY for Congress if there is a shutdown.. does anyone know? I hope there is... that would guarantee no shutdown would happen
as far as I have been told the military will still receive paychecks just like the SS recipients. However if you filed your taxes this year and are due a refund then you won't be getting it if the government shuts down. But on the other side if you owe on taxes then you need to send that in cuz they want to process that.
dont let the govermont shot down. what wil me do for food. and wil me cell telephone stell work i needs to call me anti so he can get to go gets her food stapms.
Uh-OH... we all know what happened when the RepubliCONS got all teary-eyed and huffy when they thought that Christmas recess would be cancelled if they didn't clear up open bills on the table..... they grabbed all the microphones and teevee cameras they could stick their ugly faces into to tell everyone that the Dems were acting like "scrouges", for not letting them go and open the presents that Santa brought 'em.
And NOW... they are being told that they can't go home to play at the "wet 'n wild" slide parks, miniature golf or go fishing in them real nice big boats (paid for with salaries from tax payers) or now they can't go out into the woods and play paint gun fights or jackstones.... NOW with these possibilities hanging over their heads, maybe - just MAYBE this will give them the incentive to compromise and pass a budget deal.
PACK 'O JACKASSES!!!
This whole messed would have been averted if the President and the democratic controlled House & Senate did there job last fall before the elections and passed a budget for the current year, like they were supposed to do.
Republicans where filibustering it (just like they did everything else since Obama took office).
check the congressional record, the facts don't agree with you.
I would like to remind of something else...Filibuster...remember that?
Yes, it would have been nice but you ignore the fact that it was the Senate Minority GOP that prevented that from happening. It was the GOP who requested one postponement of the budget debate after another all summer and into fall. It was the GOP which filibustered, blocked, denied and real debate on the budget. While it is nice to live in utopia and believe it had to have been the democrat's fault, the facts do not support that conclusion.
Fact: If all the Bush tax cuts were allowed to expire, the budget deficit would be reduced by half.
I was wondering: Why didn't the GOP pass a law cutting the budget by $6 trillion when they controlled the House, Senate and Presidency? Seems to me that it would have sailed through back then. Is it possible they have another motive?
let's try to stay in the present - for one thing they are now the obama tax cuts. i remember watching him sign them with his fancy pens.
And it's obama's economy - he stated that publicly. Oh, and they are his wars too.
Clotho,
The same reason that Nancy and Harry didn't pass a budget last year when they had huge majorities. Don't want to take political blame for doing things that people don't want.
Jody,
You know as well as I do, that Nancy could of called for a vote at any time. You all keep blaming the Republicans for everything, yet, our President compromised and extended the tax cuts for all Americans. I bet you aren't paying extra this year, considering your taxes did not increase by 5%--which every other tax bracket would have done--but the so called "rich"--it would have gone up only 3%. Who would have been hurt the worst? And once 100% of all working Americans are paying their income taxes, complain. And even if the Bush cuts had expired, Obama and Dems still would be a $1 trillion dollars over in their budget.
Spend what we don't have. Gotta Love the liberal thinking.
Gee! I guess your memory is as good as a Fox "news" correspondent. As I recall, the republicans used every trick in the book to block any significant legislation for the past 2 years. They are the one's who held out on extending unemployment benefits to keep tax breaks for the wealthiest 2%. They even blocked the president's staff appointments. They are the party of NO! No compromise! No caring about the consequences of their actions.
The Tea Party has threatened to disassociate from the Republican Party if they don't get all that they want. If this were to happen we would have a three party congress with the Democratic Party in the majority. It's all about ego and control now.
Rob in ma, we ARE staying in the present. The taxes, the wars, the economy, belong to ALL of us.
The kind of denial and misrepresentation you are trying to put forth is what got us into this. If the Republicans continue to deny their responsibilities, block legislation, refuse to compromise we are ALL in trouble.
It's obvious that the Republicans' current agenda is to ruin the country at any cost just to ruin the President and hope that they can gain more control in the long run. Nice try. We are on to this ruse.
BigBear62:
"Spend what we don't have. Gotta Love the liberal thinking."
Isn't that how Bush funded the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Just wondering how it is "liberal thinking". And don't start with the name calling....I'm college educated independent that thinks for himself instead being a sheeple.
You mean Obama won't order the Republicans to flee to a different state just like he told the Wisconsin dumbocrat senators to flee to Illinois? SHOCKING!!!
daryl... you left out one part...
After the Obama signed the extension of the tax cuts (which is ALWAYS a good thing to do just before an election) the dems decided to postpone debate over the budget (and necessary cuts) until AFTER the election.
Hmmm... can you say politics? Dems were looking at the oncoming freight train and decided to give some money to the people (both rich and poor...) in the form of tax cuts in hope of buying some votes, and then chose to ignore the budget cuts so as to not impact any votes they may have just bought.
GO FIGURE! No... you can spin it any way you want talking about filibusters... but we ALL know that this budget thing is a democratic failure.
Everyone seems to forget that the Republicans in the Senate kept saying NO even though the Democratic Congress did pass a budget. So now the Republican Congress gets a dose of NO from the Democrats in the Senate. Boehner needs to learn to eat a little crow now. It's not so easy when you have to try and lead (Not that I consider him much of a leader).
U R soooooooooooo Right.
daryl...Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. AND Bush's unfunded Medicare part d. And Bush's unfunded 2 needless wars got us to this point.
Cut taxes and increase spending doubling the debt...Reagan and Bush. (Reagan actually raised some taxes but, no one believes that).
St. Ronnie had clay feet and was a fiscal moron.
Neither side wants to cut anything....this is a game.
What? Harry Reid is willing to shut down the Government unless we continue to fund the abortions at Planned Parenthood. Good grief Charlie Brown.
Conversely, the Republicans are willing to shut down the government unless Planned Parenthood and Corporation for Public Broadcasting are defunded. To the thinking taxpayer and citizen, both positions are unthinkable and untenable.
--mark d.
defund Obamacare
More lies from the right, but it's really no surprise.
Again neither side wants to cut anything.....this is a game and we are the pawns. If they really wanted to get it done they would.
Now the Democrates are the party of "No!"
they say no because the slimey Republicans will not back down on trying to slide in defunding of planned parenthood, ACA, medicare, ect. Why do the Repubs think that they can get what they want without compromise? Because they are sucking up to TEABAGGERS. Those vicious, insane, unscrupulous people who think they are the new game in town. All Republlicans need to be taken out of office. Put these idiots out of our lives forever.
I don't think any Democrats should criticize any plan to cut the budget when we consider that all they want to do is sweep everything under the rug until the US completely collapses. Don't think we don't get hurt by ignoring the problem . At least anyone that has a suggestion deserves credit, whether you agree with it or not. We can argue about where to cut, but to argue there is no problem is ridiculous.
One small problem with that argument. Democrats pay for what they spend (those "tax and spend" liberals) while the GOP puts things on the charge card and has for 30 years. It began with the great Ronald Reagan--cut taxes and spend like crazy. That's fact, check the records.
Neither dems or repubs have been paying for what they spend regardless of what cute little nicknames you all assign to them. The govt has been living high on the hog with the credit card for decades.
Stop assigning blame to only one party. Both of them have @!$%#ed us.
Really Jody? Did you REALLY just say that?
What has our deficit done over the last two years?
Come on now... be honest... and dont go blaming it on GWB... your boy and his homies have been in charge during what is the largest deficit growth in American history.
So dont tell me the democrats pay for what they spend. OUR GRANDCHILDREN PAY FOR WHAT THEY SPEND!
Jody - at one point in history, Democrats may have paid for what they spent, but that's not the case anymore. Both parties "borrow and spend". (and, yes, Republicans "borrow and spend" also)
bush inherited a surplus.....enough said
In defense of Jodi, let's remember who took our country from a surplus to a deficit and supported deregulation of the Banking industry who's practices sent our economy into a tail spin. Funny, but back when Dick Cheney was in power, he said that "deficits don't matter". But now that the White House has changed owners, they're suddenly a very big deal? The fact is that for the past 10 years, under the Bush administration, almost no money was invested in the infrastructure of our economy. The last 2 years has been an effort to combat the effects this negligence has reaped upon our economy. Want to balance the budget and pay down the deficit? Instead of cutting off funding for health care and education, why don't we eliminate tax loopholes for industry, tax corporations that outsource jobs so that it is too expensive to do so, eliminate tax cuts for the rich and....Oh! How 'bout we end some wars!
Our deficit has responded to GOP policies. There is a lag. There is a hole to plug. The Obama amin. contribution is firefighting. The GOP contribution is the fire.
"We the people, in order to form a more perfect union,establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity..."
How the hell does funding Planned Parenthood accomplish ANY of the things listed in that statement?
Get REAL people! The government was not created to be a FREE_RIDE for those that wish to exploit the kindness of others. As responsible adults we still have an obligation to work hard and to stand on our own two feet! You want something... GO EARN IT! You make a mistake... YOU PAY THE CONSEQUENCES! Quit acting like vitims and and get on with living your own life! Don't begrudge someone that has something you don't have. You all act like the 'rich' personally stole what they have from you. GROW UP!
So, let me see if I have this right. We should shut down government and put all non-essential federal workers (which does not include Congress) on unpaid furlough rather than compromise on a budget. As a federal employee, I'm pretty fed up with all the politicians. My salary is barely enough to cover my bills. I'm not sure where the pundits get their figures for the "average" federal worker, but no one in my entire building makes $120,000 a year, and most of us are well under $50,000. My organization struggles with an insurmountable workload because we don't have enough people to do the work, and yet we have had our cost of living increases frozen for the next two years, with a real possibility of that being extended into 2015. Does anyone stop to think that putting that many people out of work will adversely impact the economy? I sure won't be out spending money on frivolous stuff like groceries and prescriptions. Please stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of the working people.
@Jody LOL....
In regards to the surplus I believe that was because of SS that they are allowed to factor in. I would have to go back and read again but that is what I remember so yes there was a surplus but go read on how it happened.
banks were deregulated in 1999...hmmm...who was president then Bethany? Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 was repealed in 1999.
Hey dummy - both wars werent on the books until 2009 due to them being funded by emergency appropriations so you can kindly assign a few trillion back to dubya. The Bush tax cuts were debt inducing (whilst going to 2 wars).
Take a look how much debt was accumulated the first 3/4 of the 2000's... then take the few trillion for the wars back and tell me who presided over the biggest explosion in debt. Not to mention the largest growth in government.
More reading - less Fox News.
Clintons last budget ended in September, 2001..HIS budget....with a deficit of 133.29 billion. President Bush took office in January 2001 and his first budget took effect October 1, 2001 for the year ending September 30, 2002. Clinton's "lack of deficit" so to speak, was Washington double speak and smoke and mirrors. The public debt went down but the "intragovernmental holdings" went so the total nationaldebt (which is public debt + intragovernmental holdings) went up. When it is claimed that Clinton paid down the national debt it really went up every year. What Clinton did was pay down the public debt. But he paid down the public debt by borrowing money in the form of intragovernmental holdings ( Social Security) instead of the public. SMOKE AND MiRRORS
Let me see if I get this right, Personal entitlement (SS, Medicaide, Medicaire) BAD, Corporate and Rich entitlement (tax breaks and subsidies to farm, oil, and timber) GOOD. Is that it GOP/TPers?
sparklystar
Fact: Clinton had a budget surplus that last few years he was in office but our deficit did increase.
Mike..yes...the budget surplus came from borrowing SS. That's my point.
Can We the People make Obama stay in Washington? Every trip he takes cost us way too much money.
And I'm sure Bush never left washington either.....
Spoken like a true moron.
@Shawn - Oh please. You just want to criticize anything the man does, period. If he didn't go on trips, you would be complaining he's lounging around the White House.
Shawn..are you serious? He's the leader of the free world and you want him to prune the roses in the WH rose garden perhaps? Throw the ball to Bo in his backyard? Maybe he and Michelle can bake cookies together.
When Boehner calls for a shut-down...and gets standing O...I defy anyone to tell me the GOP isn't looking forward to chaos.
Or, maybe some people feel the only way to address the deficit is to take drastic measures like a government shutdown.
Kind of like a temper tantrum. What are we all, two years old?!
Historically speaking, government shutdowns don't actually address deficit issues since all of the spending still occurs. If you recall, last time the government shutdown they ended up having to give back-pay to those that were forced to stop working. If people feel like a government shutdown will actually save money as opposed to making the deficit problem worse, they're dumber than the bricks their trailer home stands on....
A government shut-down won't effect Congress's pay. You think people are vocal now - take paychecks away from us veterans who've worked for a living, served our country, and got an education; just to be used as political pawns. So my $20 an hour is bankruptiing the country? Please. This constantly-moving continuing resolution deadline garbage is proof that we're witnessing political theater.
Guys, can't we all just be friends? :(
Um, the problem is Obama didn't pass a budget last year BEFORE the election when it would have sailed thru b/c Dems ran the House and Congress. Since he didn't do his job then, he is claiming it is the GOP causing problems. NOT! AND, why should Planned Parenthood get tax dollars? I'm pro choice, I don't care who has an abortion, but I don't want to pay for it.
GM is right...both parties are at fault, and they need to start acting like mature adults and work towards a solution that benefits the country and stop focusing on politics.
Daryl, Teabagger name calling. Interesting. That is a nice way to avoid my point OR make it. obama DID NOT pass a budget last fiscal year. You sound like a broken record with bush cut this, teabagger that. Admit your god failed the American people last year, else this budge would NOT be an issue.
Can we all be friends?
Mmz-1447801
That would just be to simple, there always has to be one who oppose. While we are busy arguing, setting our minds on this, Both parties could be throwing the wool over our eyes. A man is yet, but a man. Still can lie, cheat and steal... no matter the party. No matter what! We get hurt. While we are thinking they are losing sleep, but in fact we are. Everything that goes on affects us, out here. While we are arguing about who is paying for the lunch or dinner.....they may be eating lunch and dinner together, while we are continually divided. There really needs to be a watcher on the wall, that is considering all people. And, I'm not sure if either of them are thinking about us.
daryl..your childish name calling certainly effects your credibility in a very negative way. So, your opinion is that the "tea baggers/repugs" aren't compromising? Some people would view it as the democrats aren't compromising. I guess it just depends on what side of the fence a person sits on. I gather your idea of compromising is "shut up and do what I say". And as far as compromising, the democrats did a great job of compromising on the health care plan ***sarcasm***. BOTH parties stink and are childishly playing with the future of our country. Their only goal is to play the voters and try to keep their jobs and their pensions.
I'm surprised the GOP/TP is willing to give up it's week vacation after working three in a row. Oh, wait, they were off on spring break after they passed the last extension so maybe it won't be so bad.
Memo to Speaker Boehner: It's time to tell the Tea Party to buzz off and work with the republicans and democrats who want to actually govern and lead instead of make noise. There's nothing worse than being Speaker of the House "in name only" when it is so obvious to the People that the tea-drinking elephants are yanking your tail.
Geez - maybe the tp's are threatening to cut off the weepers booze and sun tan salon allowances......(I was gonna say something else - but we are in mixed company :)
When W was President he spent 37% of his Presidency in Crawford, TX.
Really Jody? REALLY?
So only GOP and TP were off during 'spring break'? All the dems stuck around twiddling their thumbs waiting for the GOP to return?
You are a total idiot!
Why do I feel a shutdown of government benefits the GOP? Oh yeah, just like deregulation.
The U.S. is currently borrowing .40 cents of every dollar it spends, the cuts the republicans want for the current year amount to about .03 cents of spending, meaning the U.S. will still be spiraling into debt. Try running a budget at home like these experts.
We must spend more then we have. We have to debt our way to prosperity.
Don't forget then turning around and giving more than that .03 to the wealthiest in the nation...
daryl..for the same reason they are not going to participate in the democrat driven national healthcare.
The last congress would not do their job and now this one wants to at least act like they want to do theirs. would the adults in the crowd please take control of their bickering children before this county has to file bankruptcy?!
I hope the Conservatives hold to their guns. Obama will run us into the ground with his spending. I blame Pelosi, Reed and Obama. This is their economy...monster and it has to be killed.
.
So there was no spending before 2008?? IT was debt free?? Really??
Sorry, but that dog won't hunt and you know it. The economic problems are the result of Bush and the GOP's unfunded spending for six years, and two unfunded wars and the facts prove it. The country went into depression in Dec 2007, before Candidate Obama was even the democratic nominee. The economy crashed completely in Sep 2008 before Obama was elected. Deficit and Debt spending: Reagan 189%, Bush 41 55%, Clinton 39% and Bush 43, another 89%. Add those numbers up and then tell us again that the massive debt is the fault of President Obama, Reid and Pelosi.
If you're going to make a comment, make one that matches the facts.
Judy, And what are Obama's numbers?
And the 4 trillion in debt created since Jan 20, 2009 isn't the fault of the dems?
Once again, stop trying to blame the side you don't like for the problems we have. BOTH parties are at fault for this and they way they are ALL acting, we are truly screwed.
But go ahead and play the blame game all you want if it makes you feel better.
SHAWN-1387469
I'll answer for Judy,
What are Obama's Numbers??
Nov 2012
Several trillion of that was the Iraq and Afghan wars going on the books - actually appearing in our debt. So... try again glen beckian curr.
A budget could have passed months ago before the November election. I place the blame squarly at the feet of the foot dragging democrats for delaying this for so long.
Please reread post #4.5
can you say filibuster? The GOP certainly did last fall. Now who is dragging their collective feet?
delays trying and succesfully putting it off until after the election. Politics as usual and now the same game and the election is a long way off.
Democrats had control of Congress last year, and they couldn't pass a budget. NO EXCUSE.
Paul, maybe you should read how it all works, the congress and senate have the right to fillabuster if they have the support. Bills cannot be passed without a certain number of votes. Yes Democrates had the majority but they still did not have the votes to pass a budget simply by dem vote. I do believe something like a budget requires 2/3.
@paul-440967
and the Republicans used the filibusterer record times during the last Congress to prevent it, and over 400 pieces of House passed legislation, from coming to a vote in the Senate. NO EXCUSE.
The Tea Party (read Republicans) have converged on D.C. in a giant swell of two hundred people carrying signs that say "Shut it Down." I haven't seen one sign carried by a Democrat demanding the same. The ball is in their court. So here are the possibilities:
1. The Republicans want to shut down the government.
2. The Republicans cannot control two hundred protesters from their own party and the wildcard freshmen congress people that feed the tea party fan base.
3. All of the above.
This is still America, the government doesn't control it's citizens who want to carry signs in protest.
And half those Tea Party protesters was the press covering the rally.
Democrats had control of Congress last year - and Failed to Pass a Budget. That's why we're in the
situation today. Its clearly Democrats' fault; Its Harry Reid.
I don't think its smart at all for Democrats to shut-down government for 2.6 Cents to the Dollar...that's all the cuts amount to.
Very foolish move.
Teacher Trish: after the ugly debacle in Wisconsin, I hate to say it, but I don't hold the same high opinion of teachers as I used to. I've even had a few teacher admit lately that they're "socialist"...
Our kids deserve better than having to witness ugly teacher behavior in Wisconsin. Most Americans have taken pay cuts when asked to; many are paying 100% of their healthcare, too.
And no one, repeat, no one who's not unionized -- and that the vast majority of Americans, has collective bargaining.
Teachers and public employees have not been living in the real world. You've been influenced by
the unions, many of those union leaders are socialist too.
I, for one, will not be sending my kids to public schools anymore.
Paul - where to begin?? Anecdotal evidence is garbage, as I am sure you know. Stories of "admitted socialists" is laughable. You must take the rest of us for morons.
"Most Americans have taken paycuts when asked"... WTF?? Can you please provide one shred of evidence to back that up??? What spurious conjecture.
Arguing that private sector employees without collective bargaining means that others shouldn't be able to is one the stupidest arguments I've heard. You are actually arguing for WORSE working conditions. Instead, you should acknowledge that unions have RAISED working conditions in the private sector because they had to compete. That is a fact. You should be trying to get better working conditions for yourself in the private sector, not trying to to wreck it for other people. Unbelievable.
Paul, just make sure that you fund these private schools with your money and not government vouchers or subsidies.
The first Tea Party in Boston was run by the wealthy who did not want to pay taxes. Again, the Tea Party wants to make sure the middle class and lower class are again stepped on as long as they get what they want. We pay taxes and they write their stuff off as a business expense.
Let the housewives show this pack of intelligentsia how to balance a checkbook. Large numbers small numbers they can do it better.
Yes - those horrible people excercising their constitutional rights - standing up for themselves.
Let me guess - you were watching fox news and you thought you were watching the WI protests while they were trasmitting the CA protests.
I blame the plummeting of our education system on parents like you.
Paul, #15.5, so you are not going to send your kids to public schools any more....... good. LOL
Less crowding in the classroom. LOL Less children that the teacher will no longer have to be Parent to also.
whatever the negative outcome americans diserve it for having elected gridy repoblicans
And all these dickheads just got off a 10day vacation. The rest of america can't take vacations when important work needs to be done, so WTF?
Our gov't can't afford to spend as much as it wants. Everything needs to get cut down to a size we can afford. "Balance the F$$$ing budget!"
Why not do it by closing the tax loopholes and ending subsidies to big business? During an economic recovery, it is important not to cause greater harm by defunding programs that help people.
Jody, why do you believe that increasing the cost of doing business in this country will benefit the average person? The businesses affected won't choose to decrease profit margins, they will choose instead to raise costs to consumers, to move more jobs out of this country, and to decrease the number of people employed in this country. Businesses don't exist to benefit anyone except themselves. Those that have the means to do business elsewhere will choose to do so if the costs are lower somewhere else. Ending subsidies to oil companies will only result in higher energy costs paid by all individuals and businesses, which in turn will place a higher demand on government services like unemployment, foodstamps, healthcare, heating assistance etc. Maybe what we need in this country is to decrease the role the government plays in our daily lives, and instead encourage people to volunteer their time and money locally to help take care of our own communities like we used to. We have become so polarized into an "us against them" mentality that we refuse to consider the other side, and our own responsibility in causing the current situation. Both political parties have ideas worth considering, and until we start electing people instead of politicians or parties, government won't function in a way that is beneficial to the average individual. The only hope for truly helping people in this country is to help our neighbors ourselves.
Why does planned parenthood get money for abortions? I mean I don't care if you elect to have one, I don't think it is a form of birth control but pay for it yourself! Yet, as with most democrats, just keep giving away money we don't have. Too bad Reid wasn't aborted.
Planned Parenthood does NOT get money for abortions--the money they receive from the government covers health screenings for women. The existing federal law does not allow tax dollars to be spent on abortion--that's a fact.
Perhaps you can explain why republican House Representative, Cliff Stearns, introduced legislation that would allocate Government money for the Crisis Pregnancy Centers, an anti-abortion group. 20 of the 23 centers were found to provide false information about abortion to its patients. If Planned Parenthood cannot be funded to provide preventive health screenings to women, why should my tax money be given to a group that lies to its patients based on ideological opposition to abortion.
30% of their funds go to abortions - FACT.
Planned Parenthood should be renamed Planned Abortion. As far as "screenings", what are women being screened for? I have never heard of anyone being encouraged to plan their delivery to help countless couples waiting to adopt.
For more history of this operation:
Planned Parenthood does a lot of things besides perform abortions. The whole operation shouldn't be defunded because of abortions.
Only 3% of their budget goes to abortions. The rest goes to contraception, treatment of STDs, cancer screening and prevention.
I've personally known many women who go there for:
Cancer Screenings
Gynecological exams (especially when out of town and something odd happens with their health in that general area)
Vaccines (Such as the Human Papallova [sp?] virus shot)
Even health treatment (my ex found out she was suffering from iron deficiency from them and got proper care for it)
It's mostly not just for poor people as well, many people from my alma matter relied on planned parenthood because they were fast, efficient and offered services (such as vaccines, HPV shot, and health screenings) that the University didn't offer(as well as having another option outside of the debacle of a health insurance industry, and the crappy nurses we had there).
The fact you keep pulling out abortion (a service not offered at a large portion of these clinics, and kept on a seperate budget) tells me you really just don't like the idea of the clinic. This is really just areligious fanatical way to continue their war on women, constant amounts of hate have been spewing on the right about anything PP does since before it even did abortions (for modern times see the law requiring women who have a miscarriage, which might be prevented by proper testing from PP for several diseases if not just a natural phenomenon, to be put to death).
But really? You'd rather people go do a doctor? Have you ever tried to find a specific doctor? Many aren't covered under your plan, and women have to have that doctor inside of them for an undisclosed period of time... then the insurance doesn't cover certain medications (because they aren't partnered with that company) no matter if one drug does help and another makes you violently ill.
This is really just an attack by christian activists who don't believe in birth control/women's health veiled behind something they know a lot more people agree with them on: Abortion.
Well now they won't have to because they have obamacare right?
End the tax exempt status of religious organizations while you're at it, that should save some money, and I'm tired of my tax money subsidizing people who are going to use it to fund anti-gay rallies, picket abortion clinics, and otherwise promote their religious agendas.
Any signs of a U.S. (and, by extension, world) recovery could be thrown off track in the next two to three months as Congress wrangles over raising the country's debt limit. In 1995 - 1996, a partisan Congress under Newt Gingerich refused to raise the debt ceiling which resulted in a shutdown of government and a massive impact on the United States economy.
Here is an examination of the issue showing just how frequently the debt ceiling has been raised in the past decade and how the entire situation has reached the point of absurdity under both Republicans and Democrats:
http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2011/01/united-states-debt-ceilings-whats-point.html
I don't see the Michele Bachman's of the world cutting congress's federally funded health and pension plan. what's with that?
Now were getting to the real problem. Teapublicans and Democraks are all alike. Show leadership by eliminating pensions for those that are elected and have health care benefits end when they leave office. If COBRA is good enough for the rest of us, it's good enough for them.
For the most part this is some of the dumbest comments I have seen.
All of you are so damn blind by your own allegiances you fail to see the big picture. Anyways this is a sad thread with no real discussion.
Grammar? Spelling? English?
Both parties claim to want some sort of cuts but it doesn't include cutting their own pay and benefits. You can bet they also want to keep their own self serving programs or "perks" to keep them in office and popular with their constituents. What a bunch of crock. Nothing new here here just politics with children bickering among each other as usual. Looks like we're headed for a shutdown.
that would be a great first step. Cut their pay, cut their "lifelong" Health, pension (even a one termer). If they do not get to work and do the job they are getting paid for then they need to be Laid Off, or fired and denied unemployment. They need to know how it really is and they should live the same way we do, day to day, paycheck to paycheck...
Sounds like Duffy and Boner should get together for their own pity party. Boner could bring the booze, since he makes more money, and Duffy could bring the tissues. They could drink and cry all week. They're sure as hell not doing anything else worthwhile.
yeah, I kind of teared up. I felt really bad for Duffy, it was almost like he was going to have to live as we plain Americans do. Hell those guys are better than that!
too many living brain donors in gop
Too many potential recipients on the left...
Do the right thing, congress. Put our nation on fiscally sound territory and cut out the petty political games...
Couldn't we just lock them all up and throw away the key instead? Then we could get some work done in Washington.