It's becoming more apparent with each passing hour WHO wants the Government shut down!

Hint: It's NOT President Obama & the Democrats that's for SURE!

"I firmly believe that by Friday a deal will be made," she said on MSNBC's The Daily Rundown. "I doubt that we'll see a government shutdown in the final analysis."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/04/06/6418522-bachmann-doubts-shutdown-wont-back-budget-compromise

And couple of hours later, where does she POP up:

At a Tea Party rally outside the Capitol on Wednesday, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) blamed Democrats for refusing to compromise on the budget, muddling the message of which side wants a government shutdown.

"It appears that they've decided that they're going to take two feet and put them in the mud and not move one tiddlywink," she said. "They've stated they want to shut down the government, and they want to blame in on you."

Taking her words as a cue, Tea Partiers, many of them holding signs advocating government shutdown, re-started a familiar chant: "Shut it down! Shut it down!"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/06/government-shutdown-looms-talks-continue_n_845383.html#44_tea-partiers-shut-it-down

I've never seen anything like this is my lifetime!

They want a FIGHT, they'll get one!

Pick a fight? With who? the little voice in your heads? Get a clue TP-ers.

I don't know Tunde, perhaps with the people spending $99 billion a week?

Tunde you are young and fresh, getting ready to make your make in the world. Are you at all upset with he current debt load?

How do you envision this goes in say 2019, when the debt is $20 Trillion and debt service is over $1.0 Trillion per year? Is that a problem for you, or we all good and should not cut back at all? Cause see Obama's "plan" was to freeze existing spending. The Dem have not come up with any plan.

So what say you?

Never seen nothing like this, eh? $223 billion added last month. Looks like for sure that'll be north of $300, if not $400 billion this month. That pesky new war is mighty expensive.

So how do you think this is going to go for the next say 10 years? Why allow me to give you the heads up, or the 411 as the kids say.

It's going to be all debt, all the time. And that's debt reduction. Get used to it.

At least we can agree to more cuts of tax rates. That really helps the deficit!!!

Can you TeaPublicans at least realize that a budget has two sides, revenue and expenditures.

Can you even admit that it does have two sides ?

Do taxes even exist in your minds ?

Ahhh dir101.

How about this? Why don't you tell me what the tax rates should be, at all levels to counter the debt.

In other words my man, please tell me what rates are required to counter act the $99 billion in new debt added, just last week.

If the Gov rakes in $2.2 trillion at current rates, what rates will it need to apply to get to the $4.0 Trillion the feds will spend this year.

Oh and what rate are you currently taxed at?

What you got dirp?

Spanky: How about this? Why don't you tell me what the tax rates should be, at all levels to counter the debt

Couldn't care less what dirp101 has to say about it (no offense dirp, it's nothing personal). I want to hear what Obama and Reid and Schumer and Durbin have to say about it. They really don't want to talk about it much. Lets hear their take on who they think the government should be taking more money from. For some reason, they don't want to offend anyone by saying "I'm taxing YOU!". Something to do about votes I guess. Easier just to borrow it I suppose. The Chinese say they don't mind, just as long as we don't tell them how to run their business.

Stop - we already know those guys ain't saying squat.

So come on dirp, or Bev. or Feisty or Amy, or Jody or Ron, or Navy. What you all got?

Oh, the Tea Baggers. What a bunch of IDOITS.

Good Evening Feisty.. I don't think either side is trying to shut it down but I don't think either side cares they both seem to be posturing for the blame game

It's time for the teabaggers to shut up and take a back seat! They are only hurting the American people with their stupidity! A government shut down will only cause more hardship for the middle class.

But on a welcome note GLEN BECK is leaving Fox! His ratings have dropped, finally people see the idiot for what he is!

"And like lemmings, the Republican party followed Bachmann over the cliff."

Funny...I've been calling you o'blemmings for two years. Hopefully there will be a cure for myopia and sycophancy real soon...

hopefully too late for you....

The republicans want it shut down they do not care about deficits or the American people its all about discrediting the president. Yes we need to take the tax breaks back these corps are not living up to their end of the bargain by creating jobs. They still using 3rd world countries to do the work Americans used to do. Its all greed and do not insult my intelligence that paying a living wage will make them go broke. If they can afford to pay these C.E.O.s the mind boggling wages plus huge bonuses they can either pay their fair share plus back taxes or bring back the jobs that people can live on.

God bless those guys.

No compromise. Debt is out of control.

So Bev what are your thoughts on QE3? Quantum Easing - $800 billion being dumped. Should be great, right? Did you like your savings account ?

Bev - QE3, what you got?

You are so right about them wanting a shut down and I think Democrats need to do the responsible thing with the budget if the government shuts down. Add the cost of the shutdown in revenue, about $1.5 Billion is the estimate, to the budget bill for 2011. The Republicans will get the message. . . or not since they are all about grandstanding.

$1.5 billion? That's nothing.

See we already incur $5 billion per day in interest. Oh and $99 billion in one week equals about $14 billion per day.

Now, would there be any costs saved - you know all those variable costs - if it shuts down? AnaB, any at all?

So Bev what are your thoughts on QE3.

She probably thinks you're talking about a big ship.

Of course she does.

That's why I love her.

Why would we want to be in a hurry to give up everything to some rich teabaggers they got to be kidding they`re are not losing anything still get paid too much, still have great benefits. They`re still allowed to vote themselves whatever they want just not right now. It did not stop Walker from hiring his buddy's son for a very decent living wage. Who all knows what else the corrupt jerks do. but take those foodstamps away no more will teabaggers pay for planned parenthood God forbid we have a healthy babies they would rather they starve and live in a car or under a bridge And let`s not provide education too much.

How about memory loss? We've seen this show before and we know the ending.

BTW, Job1, if you must call people idiots (and I'd prefer you didn't), could you at least spell it right?!!

Ok Jody, how about you tell us your thoughts on the viability and effect of QE3?

And while you are at it, how'd you like 1 and 2?

You like inflation? Think this might jack it up a tad?

@Spanky: as we have repeatedly been told, the Federal Reserve Bank is not part of the government and will not be affected by a "shutdown" of the government.

Now, if the government did truly shut down, it would be interesting to see what savings there could be. If the budget is 13trillion dollars, assume 1/2 is critical (security related) then thats still 6.5trillion or 17.8billion per day. If we "shut down" for a week, why don't we save the 124.6billion ? That's how we can give everyone, everything they want, just shut the governement down for a week a month. Supposedly, that would save over $100billion per month. If we truly shut down the non-essential services and pay nothing for those weeks, we could, on paper, save billions. Hey, maybe just shut the rest of the government down for the days Congress is not in session, that could save trillions.

Unfortunately, any shut down is not real. Everyone gets back pay (for not working) and there is no savings to be had.

They will quit due to cuts or cause we are insolvent and china stops lending.

What would happen if all the lenders stopped right now?

Who would, and who would not get checks?

I know, scary right? Welcome to the ghost of Christmas Future.

Spanky Are you employed ? You appear to sit at your computer all day. You must be getting some kind of benefits. Am I right ?

You bet - the benefits of hard work and clean living. But do telly ask me? Have I posted the most today? Is there anyone else you are concerned with? I do now have a warm and fuzzy feeling - someone cares. You do care, don't you CT?

CT, you wouldn't happen to be a white collar professional now would ya?

Some of us tend to sit around a computer most days.

So how about it CT what would happen if the lenders stop giving us more cash? Kinda be a problem, no?

Spanky

I think your full of crap, you never really say anything it`s all biting at everyone else. I bet you are not even a lawyer just an angry old man.

Spanky Sorry to disappoint you. Have been blue collar all my life. Now, will you answer my question? What federal benefits are you receiving ?

They should totally use Pelosi's plan from last year. Oh wait.

Nevermind.

Brutus:

Everybody has to sacrifice ... not just the rich ....

It sounds so good, Brutus. If only it were true. But the "rich" aren't sacrificing AT ALL, much less being the ONLY ones who are sacrficing.

Let me repeat this for you, more slowly this time: The people who can most afford the sacrifice, and whose greed created the current economic catastrophe, are sacrificing NOT AT ALL.

But you did get one thing right. It's a cluster f*ck, all right. Just not the way you're stating it. Exactly the opposite, in fact.

For heaven's sake, Brutus, WAKE UP.

AM: It sounds so good, Brutus. If only it were true. But the "rich" aren't sacrificing AT ALL

That is correct. The rich (top 10% of wage earners) are only paying 70% of tax burden. This while the bottom 50% of wage earners pay 2.7% of that burden.

So what do you say Liberals - kick that burden for the rich up to 80%? 90%?

AM: But you did get one thing right. It's a cluster f*ck, all right

Yeah, ain't it? Here we have Obama and the Democrats going to the mat over a meager $30 billion dollars over the next 5 months, while at the same time Obama spent $99 billion in deficit spending dollars just last week. Hardly seems worth it.

Ahh, come on AM is a hard working and therefore RICH atty.

She gets it, this is her way of supporting/giving back to all the little folk.

Say AM I know you have to be hating QE3, right?

The rich pay the highest percentage of their incomes in taxes to the federal government. Everytime taxes have been lowered on the rich, government revenues actually went up. Raising their taxes makes no sense.

The economic collapse was cause by a variety of factors including, yes the greed, but also the repeal of the Glass- Steagall Act under Clinton, the burst of the housing bubble created by rampant speculation, and the fact that the largest companies that were failing own so much of other companies that their failure would have caused a major economic collapse. Don't blame it all on the rich.

Finally, Brutus's claim was that Democrats are only calling for sacrifice from the rich and not from everybody. He is right in saying that everyone needs to sacrifice. All Republicans are not rich nor are they ignorant back-country hicks just like all democrats aren't lazy hippies. People from all walks of life are in both parties.

Thank you Anna,

for being the first take an honest, and simple unbiased line of thought and using it to insult someones intelligence. You must be so F'ing proud of yourself. And you did just what I was saying needed to be stopped, you went right to a talking point about the rich not paying their fair share. Maybe I'm not the one who doesn't get it. Let me explain it this way:

Brutus- Everyone has to sacrice, not just the rich, not just the poor, not just the elderly, everyone must make sacrifices.

Anna- But the rich aren't sacrificing, and they got us into this.

Your argument is noted, and still doesn't change the point that EVERYONE MUST SACRIFICE!

Is it clearer now?

Sacrificing across the board each as THEY ARE CAPABLE is fair. Neither side though, seems interested in asking this. I don't see a fair distribution of sacrifices in Ryan's bill.

What i do see is simply feeding the following parties while starving others

1. the health insurance industry

2. reduction in taxes on corporations and the wealthy

3. an open ended clause to dismantle social security when they can prove it to be insolvent

4. forcing more costs and decisions onto the state level by creating block grants that do not guaruntee health care to the poor.

5. reopening the doughnut hole on medicare prescriptions

What i see is more take from from the majority then give and more give to a minority then take. That really isnt Each as they are capable to me.

Do you tell your 4 year old to carry a 40lb load because your 14year old can with ease?

@JAS1: The bottom 50% of wage earners included 12.7% who were below the poverty level. I truly believe we should not be taxing people who are not even earning enough to get out of poverty.

I think your figures are otherwise exagerated.

How about all the illegals and tax cheats that pay no taxes at all?

What about the ones that paid little to no taxes, and then gets a refund?

dirp101: @JAS1: The bottom 50% of wage earners included 12.7% who were below the poverty level.

It also includes 37.3% who are above the poverty line. Think maybe they should pay a little something, you know, for using the roads or a tail fin on one of those Tomahawk missiles Obama keeps shooting off?

dirp101:I think your figures are otherwise exagerated.

http://www.ntu.org/tax-basics/who-pays-income-taxes.html

Anna Molly-

I submit President Obama's FY 2012 budget proposal.

$3.7 trillion in spending...$1.1 trillion of it deficit spending. Roughly 30 cents of every dollar spent is would be borrowed.

Over 10 years, President Obama's FY 2012 budget proposal tells us that $13 trillion in new debt will be added to the $14 trillion we already owe. President Obama's FY 2012 budget tells us that debt service payments will rise to $844 billion per year by the end of the projection period...nearly $1 trillion annually diverted from federal revenue simply to service the nation's debt obligation.

Wisconsin is but one of the 50 states of the Union.

What about the big picture, AM?

Are you a Wisconsin voter?

I know that you're a U.S. voter.

Where's the sanity in adding $13 trillion in new debt...and debt service payments approaching $1 trillion annually?

Aren't we talking about the nation's debt?

Why shoot AM, you all need to come on out to beautiful and sunny Cali. We ain't never met a public employee we didn't value enough to give guaranteed life time pensions and all sorts of other perks.

Yep, we got it all out here and we are doing spectacularly! You should aspire to be us.

That one beats me, too.

Or wait. Maybe they decided to turn the tables and become the party of "no" for a change.

And how do you like that, Bag Boy? Not so much fun when YOUR party is the one who has promised to fix everything, is it?

Anna Molly-

When you call Democrats the "Party Of No"...here, at First Read...

I have no response.

You've accomplished the near impossible.

I'm rendered speechless.

Until I recover, anyway.

AM: Or wait. Maybe they decided to turn the tables and become the party of "no" for a change.

Yup, that's what the country needs, and what its got. A President that says "Hey, not problem."

See you on the links Mr. President.

Hey Anna,

I refute your assertion that the Dems are doing what the Republicans have done for the last two years. Because even though the Republicans were against every piece of legislation that came out in the last two years, and did their very best to block that legislation. But, they also presented an alternative. The Democrats didn't like those alternatives and ultimately did things in a partisan way, but at least the Reps presented alternative plans for HCR and Financial reform, that's far more then we are getting from the Dems here.

And since when is governing like a spoiled child considered acceptable. Your assertion of, "Well we're just giving back what you gave for the last two years" shows how utterly childish this has become. It's ridiculous that you would find that approach acceptable. And no I did not find it acceptable for the Republicans to block everything that came out, I would have much preferred our legislature being able to work toward a COMMON goal, not just the agenda of one side.

Until people like you can place their hands firmly on their knees and cure that case Cranial Rectal Inversion that you suffer from, this will never end.

Dear Fred: Punctuation is your friend. Thanks.