Yes,,

Stand Firm Harry......

The American People are seeing that the Democrats dont think the over spending by Govt is a Problem..

Stand Firm. until 2012 please..

Do you think "Droopy" Reid is wishing he hadn't let Nancy Pelosi pussywhip him into not passing a 2010-11 budget last year???

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Poor Boehner. Wanted that big ol' gavel and that shiny new job.

I think there ought to be riders....end corporate subsidies and welfare for the filthy rich. Trying to balance the budget by breaking the backs of the middle class and the poor while reducing taxes for the rich to the lowest levels ever is a sin.

Think Progress:

If the government shuts down on Friday night, all government functions deemed “non-essential” will be stopped in their tracks. But “non-essential” describes a wide variety of important government functions, which, if they stop, threaten to harm the nation’s fragile economy. Here are some of the economic consequences that will occur under a Tea-party inspired government shutdown:

– SLOWER ECONOMIC GROWTH: According to analysts at Goldman Sachs, a shutdown “could shave 0.2 percent off the growth of Gross Domestic Product for every week it continued.”

– HOUSING MARKET THREATENED: During a shutdown, the Federal Housing Administration, “which insures and guarantees a large number of single-family mortgages and even more rental and multifamily properties,” would cease operations, blocking home loan and insurance applications.

– BLOCKED TAX REFUNDS: A shutdown would “delay $42.1 billion of refunds to about 14 million U.S. taxpayers,” the majority of whom are middle-class or low-income.

– INCREASED DEFICITS: By increasing the costs of funding the debt, a shutdown could actually increase the federal deficit.

– SMALL BUSINESS LOANS BLOCKED: During the shutdown, the Small Business Administration’s processing of loan applications is halted. The SBA approves about $50 million in small business loans per day.

– INSIDER TRADING INVESTIGATIONS HALTED: At the Securities and Exchange Commission, the shutdown would stop most investigatory activities, “including routine sweeps and examinations of investment advisers and broker-dealers and most work on in-progress enforcement cases.”

– SOCIAL SECURITY ENROLLMENTS SLOWED: While Social Security checks still go out during a shutdown, applications for new enrollment will be processed more slowly and “a huge backlog of applications for Social Security disability benefits would grow even larger.”

– WORKPLACE SAFETY INSPECTIONS STOPPED: At the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which polices workplace regulations, only “‘imminent dangers’ to life or property could be investigated,” leaving 95 percent of workplace complaints unanswered.

– TOURIST INDUSTRY AROUND NATIONAL PARKS HURT: National parks close during a shutdown, while “tourists spend about $32 million a day in the communities just outside the parks,” according to the National Park Service.

– 800,000 FEDERAL WORKERS FURLOUGHED: A shutdown would force the furlough of about 800,000 federal employees, and “leave the Treasury owing them $174 million a day in back wages.”

– STATE BUDGET WOES EXACERBATED: If a shutdown occurs, “the federal money that helps states pay the administrative costs of their stretched unemployment programs could dry up, forcing states to advance the money to keep the programs running.”

_____________________________________

And still the Tea Partiers say - Shut 'er Down! Screwballs.

Lest we not forget, this was the job of the 111th congress...not the 112th. We are here due to a failure of leadership on the part of the POTUS and the 111th congress for not doing their job last year. This is what happens when you kick the bucket down the road. Problems are left to future leaders/citizens to deal with the failures of past leaders/citizens.

Perhaps the POTUS and Mr. Reid needs to bite the bullet for failing all of us last year....this should be a good lesson for them.

Republican "standing firm" due to riders they pledged to eliminate as a tool. Who among us is shocked by this development? The symbol of the GOP should not be the elephant but Janus, the two faced god.

So you are as disappointed in Feisty as I.

I sure did think she actually stand up for herself. Oh well.

But do continue with the name calling. It really suits you.

If you have a bunch of uneducated anti-government Tea Party babies stomping their feet while they demand we eliminate every program they dislike, not much can happen. These children are new to government and will not grow up until they are exposed for what they really are.

Notice how these Tea Party children insist on being paid by the government they propose to hate and want to eliminate? Hypocritical much? They demand the end of pay for everyone but themselves. The Tea Party is a bunch of disgusting hypocrites.

Sending tax dollars to a liberal propaganda machine like NPR is also ideology. Where did liberals get the idea that their $hit dont stink.

Jemma77

Notice how these Tea Party children insist on being paid by the government they propose to hate and want to eliminate? Hypocritical much? They demand the end of pay for everyone but themselves. The Tea Party is a bunch of disgusting hypocrites.

In addition to that I've noticed they have no idea how the bicarmel government works in the US or what is written in the Constitution.

Republicans are the first to vote for TRILLIONS to the massive fraudulent filled Military Industrial Complex or the Wall Street Gangsters and they quibble over a relative paltry amount (60 billion, less than TWO WEEKS of theft by the Criminals of the M.I.C. (Military Industrial Complex). They're the first to scream for more fraud and blood money by the REAL criminals (not your neighbor trying to make a living).

For shame, America, for shame...

The sad truth is, the Dems have multiplied this fine countries dept times 4 in two years. I wish that I could spend more to stimulate my economy, run up my credit and magically it come back....Give me a break, the government spending is out of control. Stop those a holes paychecks and see how quick this would get resolved.

Dems had the house, senate, and presidency for two years before it changed. Not a damn thing done, except Obama care, which was a Ted Kennedy pet project, which has been used to Bankrupt Massachusetts. Great job, push something for idealism, not becasue it works.

The American public is like a bunch of sheep, beleive everything you read in the media, don't do your own research, and then sit back and whine when we are being pummeled in the nose by our own government. Idiots.

Beverly in Chicago

That would be grand if this shutdown had ANYTHING to do with the 'tea party'. It has to do with the failure of the 111th DEMOCRATIC congress. They failed to produced even a PROPOSAL for a budget. To this day not a single DEMOCRAT has a budget proposal. They were too scared in September to propose a budget because it would have for sure cost them the election.

This is the failure of the Democrats. Plain and simple. Spin it as you want - but you can't run from the fact that you support failures. Full, coward, failures of elected officials. Grow a spine, Democrats.

OK John, if this budget battle really isn't about 'ideologies' then drop the 'policy riders' and let's have a vote!

With the policy riders in place and considering Boehner's recent declaration that "there isn't a bit of daylight between me and the Tea Party' does he really expect us to believe him??

65 policy riders? . . . 65 POLICY RIDERS!!!!!

You Repubs were against riders a couple months ago, and NOW you FORCE them on us. What is wrong with you?

Do you embrace hypocrisy so much that now you don't even try to hide it? Is it now considered the founding principle of your party.

bs detector

Sending tax dollars to a liberal propaganda machine like NPR is also ideology. Where did liberals get the idea that their $hit dont stink.

You need NPR 365 DAYS a year 24 hour and 7 days a week. Still it would be enough if you are an illiterate right winger; which is the impression I get

The NPR audience has a relatively balanced political outlook, with almost an equal number of people classifying themselves as liberal or conservative. According to 2008 MRI data, the audience divides itself roughly into thirds with 27% reporting themselves as conservative, 26% as middle of the road, and 34% as liberal. (The percentages do not add up to 100%; not all participants answered the question or replied within the parameters reported here). While NPR does have a slight left lean this does not translate into all NPR listeners’ being die-hard liberals. The graph below compares the U.S. population’s political identifications with those of the NPR audience in a more granular form then mentioned above

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww304/kcrnko/Picture1-1.png

FYI: While NPR does not receive any direct federal funding, it does receive a small number of competitive grants from CPB and federal agencies like the Department of Education and the Department of Commerce. This funding amounts to approximately 2% of NPR’s overall revenues. The largest share of NPR's revenue comes from program fees and station dues paid by member stations that broadcast NPR programs.

http://www.npr.org/about/images/aboutnpr/unrestricted_rev_by%20cateogry.jpg

Moreover if you really want to eliminate a lying propaganda machine you might Fox News which is not news

No Fox News for Canada

Opinion by MarkBryan
(March 03, 2011) in Politics

They don't allow liars to broadcast the News.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/no-fox-news-for-canada

Sir John of Orange Boehner is the biggest liar ever in the history of the Congress. All he wants to do is take money away from the Disabled, poor and Elderly and give it to his big wig business masters.

On election day, in 2012, Remember what Liars like Boehner have done to us and vote Democrat and lets kick the Tea Baggers out of all federal, state and local governments.

Harry Reid did not WANT to pass a budget last year with the biggest deficit IN HISTORY in order to win reelection and NOW he want to BLAME Republicans?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Schumer caught off mike revealed the Democrat strategy BLAME EVERYBODY ELSE

The party of no said no, remember?

The Repubs filibustered the budget last year, THAT is why it was not passed.

Seriously . . . I know Repubs are the uneducated class, but this is just ridiculous. Do you really not remember what happened a year ago? Is your memory THAT bad?

Hey, Jess, lest YOU forget, the Democratic Congress DID pass a budget, forwarded it to the Senate and the minority Republicans pulled the old filibuster end-around - and wouldn't even allow the budget bill to be debated. This impasse is all about Teabagger politics, and the American public knows it! Here's that rope, keep hanging yourselves. BTW - all you Pubs might want to check that budget you're wanting forced through - how many $$$ in NEW tax cuts for the rich are included????

My grandma used to say, " Give the devil enough rope and he'll hang himself". Some of y'all gave the Republicans a lot of rope last fall. A bunch of them are already swingin' away and don't even know it. Unless you've got a secret potion to bring back the dead, 2012 is gonna look like a Super Bowl where only one team shows up and the other side is putting their water boys in uniform.

Sorry, Cali. Looks like we both posted the same thoughts about the same time - funny thing about FACTS - people can simultaneously access them any time they want. No excuses for not knowing these things.

Boner: Money IS your ideology!!

Come on Mr. Boehner, show people that you aren’t a coward and quit running scared from the Tea Baggers.

tanainkc -

Ya, I just don't understand it. A year goes by and suddenly they all completely forget about everything that happened.

On top of that, the Repubs flat out LIE to us . . . hoping that we don't remember.

For all you Righties with long term memory amnesia who want to simply blame the Dems for not passing the budget in 2010, it's quite convenient to forget that the GOP *fillibustered* attempts by the Dems to pass a budget the Dems wanted so the Dems gave up. The GOP wanted it so bad, now they have it and we see what their intentions were/are.

The GOP loves to decry tactics that they are more then eager to employ when it suits them.

The Tea Baggers *want* to shut down the Federal Government. I am glad the Dems finally found a backbone (but wish the Prez would take a more proactive approach to these issues). Looks like they may get what they want, which brings to mind the saying, "be careful what you ask for, you might just get it".

Opinion will *quickly* turn against the GOP as the impact of the shutdown spreads and the Dems continue to offer most of what the GOP was asking for...

The bickering and finger-pointing on this sight is worse that Washington. If there is a shut-down, it is because both parties are sticking to their guns. One can argue that party A is conceding more than party B, but both are to blame. Not just one or the other.

And the argument is valid stating that spending is out of control, and cutting spending is political suicide, but needs to be done. And what they are fighting for will not change our course. Very, very deep cuts are coming.

In my experience when a person says they are "Fiesty" it is a euphamism for "obnoxious pushy loudmouth"

cdahl -

Name one thing the right has "conceded" to in this budget debate . . . just one thing.

I'll wait.

tanainke...

Then why didn't they 'compromise' and find a solution LAST year? After all...isn't that the word of the day for you libs? "Why won't the GOP "compromise?" Yeah...that's what I thought. Its not so funny to ram through partisan legislation when the shoe is on the other foot, huh? You reap what you sow...enjoy.

The budget cuts are a great start. They can and should provide a great foundation for future cuts. Maybe when we get really serious, we'll take a look at the defense budget.

The riders are manifestations of the sick minds of the modern day witch-burning crowd. This is one of those sad moments when I regret being an atheist. If I believed in God, I'd be praying 24/7 that Mike Pence - Puritanical hypocrite extraordinaire - would get pregnant.

Once again the Republicans say they are doing what the American people want. What the hell planet are they on? NPR and Planned Parenthood should not even be an issue as far as shutting down the government. Keep digging that hole Republicans, keep on digging.

Thoughts from Cali,

You are too caught up in the politics and your ideals and it is clouding your ability to be neutral and seeing the truth. Since these budget meetings are closed doors, all you can quote is what you are spoon fed by your party. The answers will come to light once the budget is out in the open.

It is one reason that I supported the Democrats idea to have open meetings, drain the swamp. Too bad they didn't pursue that campaign promise. It would have given the potential of eliminating this neighbor against neighbor battle that you see on this sight, and around the US.

cdahl -

I agree, there should be open door meetings. However, Repubs are holding fast and saying that they will not compromise, and that is not something I like to see in my leaders. I would prefer they work together like adults. Instead, they prefer to go the "my way or the highway" route.

Cali,

Agreed. Any information now that is coming out is what each party wants to come out. And use to persuade us to befriend their owned objective, be darned the truth. That is what I object to. The truth will come out in the end, but hopefully we haven't all been blinded in such a way that we can actually see the truth. And I absolutely do not appreciate the "my way or the highway" approach. Even if it is my best interest. That method does not lead to long term answers.

In reality, I hate the republicans. But I am fiscally conservative and am disgusted by out of control spending.

Take care, and keep up the good arguments. I don't have to agree with them, but I do like appreciating them.

Beverly in Chicago Comment collapsed by the community

Spanky-

So that's the extent of your righteous indignation Feisty? You showed them they can't mis-treat you by not commenting on two articles?

Oh My? So much for being Feisty. So much for standing up for yourself or free expression.

You shall hence forth be known as Slappy the red headed stepchild.

Look Blue Moon; I have lost most of my tolerance today for people in your element going around collapsing and deleting posts.

If Fiesty is "Slappy the red headed stepchild" then I'll call you a" Koch brother @aa Swiper"

derek.hinch

Beverly in Chicago

That would be grand if this shutdown had ANYTHING to do with the 'tea party'. It has to do with the failure of the 111th DEMOCRATIC congress. They failed to produced even a PROPOSAL for a budget. To this day not a single DEMOCRAT has a budget proposal. They were too scared in September to propose a budget because it would have for sure cost them the election.

This is the failure of the Democrats. Plain and simple. Spin it as you want - but you can't run from the fact that you support failures. Full, coward, failures of elected officials. Grow a spine, Democrats.

You don't even know you are in the spin cycle because your repbuli-clown/ t-baggers have you in blinded. When the time comes to take you out; they won't. Just like the Congress did by saying "Hell No' not only to the budget but every damn thing else.

You stupid righties believe every bug-ga-boo the repbuli-clown/ t-baggers spook you with. You know that budget had everything to do do HCR and midterms so conservative couldn't say yes as long as the Koch brother payed fools to put fear in the air.

You don't even know the issues so learn something before you speak; fool.

Keep up that fine name calling, Bev. You cut and paste, but offer nothing other than name calling as your retort to any opinion challenging yours.

How's that Obama war coming along for you Bev?

Have you actually found and read the Republican budget proposal yet, rather than read talking points on a libbie blog? Have you read the independent commission report on the methods required to produce a workable budget? You know, the one Obama initiated and rejected.....

Just what can you offer Bev? As for the Koch Bros manipulating government, a theory you just can't seem to shake, haven't the Soros organization fed you the kool-aid for years? Want to comment about George and his organizations?

the very reason the there was no budget last year was the GOP kept filibustering the bill that was in the senate so they could do the budget their self now you got it now what are you going to do with it . you wanted it . are you still going to say no. you did all last 2 years . now say no .

Of course Pat - we all love Pelosi now. Look at all the fun she has provided.

But seriously Pat what is the approval rating for insolvency? What is the approval rating for borrowing $.43 of every dollar spent?

So are we going to be Portugal or Greece?

Pat you should really focus on the issue, not polls, but hey what ever gets you through the day.

Cause the days will be very long - it's all budget and deficit. all the time now.

Worrying about poll numbers is what's wrong with this debate...it's all about politics and not what's best for the country.

America is different than socialist. Even though America has programs for those folks in need and those who need it maybe once maybe every now and then have it but have to pay there own share of the percentage. Some programs sometimes for some people are free as well. We do this not because we yearn for socialism. We do it with the mind that people your brothers and sisters and neighbors and so on matter. They should and do matter. In THIS country we show compassion and we help those who need it even when they don't ask. ;] We have a government that needs retooling by taking the ignorance of debate out of the house. Such tea bagging antics are nothing more then shenanigans played by children. In this case children posing as adults.

You see you were sent there to use your minds to make better a problem and problems but instead you have caused more in finance civility and cause. Furthermore you have mistakenly taken your own corporate corruption for what the American people want or need. You are acting in the party of the right in such an odd manner as of late. In doing so most of the independent thinking minds of the country has been left to wonder if you all are smoking dope in the shed down by the river? What does make since as one has pointed out to me is the fact that you are acting in the collective for profit interest of your party's caucus. This is why even though every person knows know one agrees all the time on everything your caucus actually goes against reality to prove you do and will. Now in the form of capitalism not democracy you make since. But we are a democracy FIRST. Not the other way around and you know it.

So your criminality perpetrated on the people has been forthright and knowing. By doing so you have set about on camera and tape by those in your caucus to NOT do the will of the people but to enhance your own agenda as a group to strike power from Obama and more then a few of you have been caught saying so. Now this racketeering of the NATIONS budget NOT your own is upon us. So much so that we the people stand in disbelief that republicans even put such a suggestion into play in the first place with such a faltering economy. The republicans are well aware of the economies situation but have gone fourth in a rage for power of the rich in tax cuts and the cutting of the funding for groups and organizations that cater to the poor and middle class in the attempt to strike there word there ideas from power themselves. They wish by there own actions and words to turn this country's democracy into a dictatorship or something new or probably old as Rome once was. You see this country is MEANT for compromise. It is meant for us ALL to be represented EQUAL.

Democrats have been more then fourth coming as well as compromising in the interest of all. Republicans want the PEOPLE who disagree with them to suffer NON representation. Just as taxation without representation existed under the King so to do the Republicans yearn for the peasant class again because they have ran out all of the illegal immigrants. Irony is not lost upon the name tea party. It is purposeful in its construct made by those with Purpose. By these actions thus far you have left me NO choice but to awaken those I see fit to lean upon your stance until its foundation is rot with dried inertia. My friends you are owned on the right. You are beholden and all the folks need do is ask themselves would this be you? Is this how YOU would react if you were guilty of wrong? What you know of corruption and liars and thieves are these not the actions of those with more then an angle to play when we live in AMERICA a DEMOCRACY?

Cheers

I leave the thread for a few minutes...

And just LOOK at what happens!

lol

That's the ticket. Democrats..good, Republicans...bad.

the 2010 election never happened! The Democrats did not get a shellacking!

Wake up morons you lost. The Republicans got voted in to do exactly whay they are doing. If the govn't shuts down its lays on the Democrats lap. 2012 they will understand better!

Mowdy5gs,

You, as spokesman for rather strange group, have presented a very rambling and confusing point of view. I take it that you do not like Republicans, members of the Tea Party, or anyone who raises issues which you may disagree with you. In my attempt to follow your eloquently phrased diatribe, you totally ignore the issues. One of your statements "You see you were sent there to use your minds to make better a problem and problems but instead you have caused more in finance civility and cause " sums up your keen insight. These huge problems with our country's debt were exacerbated during the past 2 years by a Congress and President who wanted to change America. The enormous costs of these mostly unwanted programs and unfunded programs were rammed thru a Democratic controlled administration. As I watched the meeting with Obama and Congress which was to be an open discussion of ways to improve our nation's health care adminstratively, there were some very understandable points raised...none of which were discussed after the meeting and adopted. So please, don't dribble on about how the Republicans only care about big business. Ryan's budget proposal is most sensible presentation from Congress since Abe Lincoln's adminsitration. Please think what you want to say that is based on reality, think it through so it make sense, and make another try. Cheers.

I do not care for those who play politics with peoples lives or above all else. I do not care for republicans tea baggers or democrats. What I care for is people being represented as a whole. What does that mean? I will tell you. It means we all get represented. It means the right does not get to control the debate or put a government shut down on the table when it is there parties wars housing bubble and wall street collapse through there own deregulation and as for there tax cuts they are responsible for the LACK OF TAX INCOME to run the budget. Now you say you wish to prejudge me? All you had to do was ask if I belong to a party or not but you assume to much. That is YOUR problem as well as the problem of the afore mentioned party's of the right.

What YOU seem to gloss over quite nicely is why we are here in the first place. Your simple minded and one sided. Here is why. I recognize Obama and the dems have not gotten the economy back to where it once was. At the same time I KNOW why we are here and that is eight years of a republican president and to much conservative republican game playing with DE regulation patriot acts two un funded wars as well as cutting taxes for everyone. You may chose to say "well how could you say that are you for taxes"?

Of course I am because ANY good business needs income or it fails. The republicans keep trying the same insane innate things over and over again when they have clearly never worked. Also besides not standing ever for anything they claim to unlike democrats republicans lie about who they are and what they want. Democrats on the other hand tell you what they are trying to do and if you disagree then so be it. It is clearly republicans who have in a world of limitless possibility chosen to give the American people a two choice ultimatum. How much do you think gas will cost when the governments shut down and know ones regulating? So you see if you make provisions for certain aspects of who still gets paid, well why shut it down at all? Ask yourself that? ; ] Or are you unable to ask yourself honest questions?

YOU continue to insinuate you and yours represent the American people. YOU DO NOT! You represent some of them and that is fine you need representation as well. But do not assume the role that it is only your party who should lead anyone anywhere. It is not the case. Your feeble attempt at trying leaves you lacking. As far as you all being all on Ryans self loving self lols ; ] Read his plan without scew as I have. It is not funded tax cuts more tax cuts by the way for the rich at the expense of medicare being turned into a technical welfare? Hmmm Its sooooo good huh? Come off it. A non starter is just that. What would be brilliant is a COMPROMISE that represents the NATION as a whole. ; ]

The REALITY is republicans always want to take you back. Lets go back they say. Back to the times of old. Back gets you know where. Look forward my young friend. Westward and beyond. You should KNOW history before you wish to speak of it. If you knew any you would do well to be on the correct side of the argument. You are not and history once again will prove me right as you cannot clearly see who your enemy is. You cannot even foretell if I am a democrat or not or what I stand for. Be weary my friend for you follow simple backward minded people who wish to walk you down unworkable paths. ; ]

Cheers

You're completely correct he is a liar and can't be trusted.

Common Sense-3035081

I agree with your post. Ryan lost all credibility with me when he proposed cutting taxes for the wealthiest at the same time he slashed Medicare and Medicaid.

I'm fine with bashing Republican (or anyone's) proposals so long as an alternative solution is proposed. What I see now is one party that is proposing a fair amount of detail (Ryan's budget plan), and the other is just bashing it with no valid counter-proposal. Both parties need to quit playing political games and start doing what's best for the country.

vineswine, another dupued sap that can't see the forrest for the trees.

All these rich people - MLB, NFL, NBA players; Rock & Roll Bands - all out there creating jobs like crazy.

Beverly in Chicago & Common . You keep blaming Republicans and calling them names along with the Tea Party. What you have to remember, that this budget was suppose to have been passed last year. The Democrats FAILED to do their jobs and pass a budget when they were the majority in both houses and White House, last year when this budget should have been completed. Where was Obama yesterday morning, out campaigning, instead of doing his job in the White House. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes on another one of his vacations to a foreign country. Obama attacks another nation, when the country was no threat to the USA. And where does he go - On Vacation with his family.

You can also blame the Democarts, going back to Carter, for the finicial mess we are in today. The Republicans and President Bush warned congress back in 2002 - 2007 about Fannie and Freddie and the housing market, but what did the Democrats say. "There is no problem with Fannie or Freddie." Well they were wrong and Taxpayers are now made to suffer.

One thing about Japan is that there was no riots in the street or thefts from stores. Unlike New Orleans. The people, there destroyed the city, more than the flood damage. Rapes going on and no one lifted a finger. But they were in line for hand outs by the Federal government / Taxpayer.

So stop blaming Republicans and the Tea Party for attempting to correct the mess that the Democrats have gotten this country into. Tell ol Charlie Rangel to start paying his taxes... There is someone that needs the money.

Wineswine: WTH? are you talking about? Nobody rich ever made this country great. Tell me one: The Koch bros? Haha. What has made this country great is the blood, sweat and tears of the middle class. The people who make things, design things, sell things, and ideas.

The truth is both parties are responsible for this mess. It started under Reagan with the financial controls over banks being slowly removed, accelerated under Clinton with Janet Reno threatening Florida banks with lawsuits if they didn't lend to less qualified people, and went completely under in the last year of Clinton's term when the Glass Steagall act was gutted at the behest and connivance of both parties, especially the dude from Texas. That allowed the financial gunslingers to really create their house of cards, along with stupidity by the Feds (the follower of Ayn Rand) and the rampant corruption of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, both now bankrupt and bailed out. The taxpayers own, through the treasury, all their toxic assets. Then came Bush II who claimed you could cut taxes for the wealthy and still spend, spend, spend, especially on wars of no sense. He and Clinton have been serial disasters and now we have a total incompetent in the White House. But, we get what we vote in, so the ultimate responsibility lies with we, the people. Or, sheeple. Our core problem is our educational system is so dumbed down the few people have learned how to THINK, how to reason, how to question, how to think through ideas to their logical conclusions. Our test scores show us getting dumber and dumber. That should upset us but it doesn't. Totally unconscious. Only interested in the game scores, American Idol and who is messing with who, not to mention getting 'text thumb' from babbling every inane thought to enter the kid's heads.

If you doubt that we punish people who do the right thing, what happened to Bush I when he, correctly, raised taxes despite having campaigned on "Read my lips, no new taxes"? He did the right thing at the time and created the environment for the surpluses incorrectly attributed to Clinton. But, the sheeple didn't like their taxes raised so they threw out the only guy who understood what needed to be done and had the courage to do it, to have the courage to change his mind. Perish the thought that we should change our position in the face of evidence. We are paying that piper now and it is going to get very much worse, folks.

As noted earlier, we cannot long continue to borrow 43 cents on every dollar spent. The world will begin to reject dollars. It will reject the dollar as the world's reserve currency, which is the only reason we have been able to live on cuff for so long, others are buying our debt. China is beginning to reduce their holdings of treasuries by converting them to solid assets like oil companies in South America, mining companies in Australia and Africa, anything to get rid of dollars. We have an inflation coming that will rival that in Germany's Wiemar Republic. We are printing trillions, literally trillions, of dollars. How long do you think that can go on?

So, what to do? What has to happen is that we have to raise taxes on EVERYONE, most especially the high income earners, we have to take the pharmaceutical folks and everyone connected with healthcare and shake their eyeteeth---why should our drugs cost two to ten times as much as they do in Canada and elsewhere in the world for the exact same thing? We have to solve the social security mess, which is only going to get worse, much worse. We will have to "means test" it because the current level of payouts is unsustainable. We have to stop government salaries and pensions from their outrageous climb. In other words, we have to get off the drug of deficit spending and cut up our credit cards. We have to, all, learn to live within our means and learn to save, save, save. This is the dose of castor oil we all have to take, as a society. AND, we have to get control of our borders and get out of these damned wars that are draining our treasury AND creating long term, serious health and rehab expenses for the poor souls going over there to fight, die, get seriously wounded and come back with serious PTSD. It's just crazy what we are doing.

I hear the piper warming up in the next room and folks, it is going to get very, very bad. 'nuff said.

Chuck H,

01-02 Senate 50 - 50 Even Split House 258 - 176 Majority Republican

03-04 Senate 48 - 51 Majority R House 205 - 229 Majority R

05-06 Senate 44 - 55 Majority R House 202 - 231 Majority R

07-08 Senate 49 - 49 even split House 233 - 198 Majority D

You're saying that in the 4 years when Republicans had majorities in the House and the Senate, and they had the White House. They were crying out that something had to be done and couldn't get anything done? Show me the legislation that was put forth to take care of the problem.

Wringing your hands and saying "somebody's got to do something about this" when you've got the majorities in both bodies is not really good enough. The Rebublicans don't have the Blue dogs from the south that hold back agendas either. They are a lot closer to voting in lockstep than the Democrats.

YOU can blame the Democrats, but you'd be wrong to say that. They are both at fault and they are both just working for the ultra-wealthy and the Corporations. None of them work for the people anymore.

but the Democrats want Zero spending Cuts............ They are being Forced to accept Some

So $35B = zero.

Interesting math, Steve.

Steve,

There you go lying again..The Dems want cuts, just not in areas that we can least afford them, like education. How about Defense Spending? How about Clinton era tax brackets? This would surely reduce the deficit.

I'm interested in the definitive link proving that "Democrats want Zero spending Cuts."

Really, really interested.

Actually, almost half of the budget cuts the Dems want are considered phantom cuts, not all.

Democrats are pushing to add as much as $6 billion more to the GOP's proposal, bringing the CHIMP total to as high as $16 billion.

That's too much, Republicans say, since it would account for almost half of the tentative $33 billion target.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/04/ap/politics/main20050616.shtml

This is why the founding fathers wanted most power at the state level. If the state's screw up like this, it doesnt hurt the whole country. And if they do it often enough, people start leaving. Now that's accountability.

Sounds eerily similar to the WI situation where Dems agreed to everything except cutting bargaining rights, and republicans stood their ground.

I don't even understand exactly where the disagreement lies. Reid says it's over defunding Planned Parenthood, Boehner says it's something else. So what is it? Why don't the politicians want us to understand what the issue is that is preventing them from passing this budget?

You are so right...and you seen what happened their the past few days with the elections there. It doesn't make since for the Speaker of the House to keep demanding more after getting yur demands met. Thats like you agreeing to buy my car for 20k, then I say no 30k and you say ok then I say no 50k...its like WTF?

@Amy, its alot of things, The Speaker is lying though, its about abortion, EPA, and other ideology that Republicans believe in, they are putting it into the budget, and now they are using the military troops as a hostage, by saying ok you have to pass the C.R with the military being funded for the rest of the year and $12 billion in cuts, just for a week...but the Democrats see right through that plan.

dem ideology is about those same things just the opposite side. Dems are trying to force THEIR views about these things on people too.

sean-1917979

I see the Republicans using the military as human shields so to speak. If they truly believe Planned Parenthood, NPR and the EPA should be defunded why don't they make that case publically? Why hold the soldier's pay checks hostage? It's got to be all about trying to make the country blame the Democrats.

@BS DECTECTOR...heres the hole in your arugement...THE DEMOCRATS ALREADY AGREED TO THE REPUBLICANS PROPOSAL....but they are now adding more to it...TWICE...so how are they trying to force their views?

And Boehner has said that he is with 'his peoples' not wanting to fund abortions w/ Federal funds, though that by law does not happen, let alone in any amount of significance.

@Notso...Thats the purpose of the Hyde Amendment of 1976...it bans federal funds for abortion, so why are they still trying to fight a 35 year old fight thats already been settle and is law?

Any excuse is a good excuse for these boners, even if it is clearly a lie.

I think that you just gave America an inside view of the mentality that drives the lunatics in the teabagger party. 2012 can't get here fast enough to send those nutjobs back under the rocks that they crawled from under. The country realizes which party is to blame for the shutdown. They still think that their tactic of saying "No" to everything will still work after the midterms. Well guess what? It won't because now since they control 1/2 of 1/3 of the government they have to produce. We can vividly see that they are not up to the task of governing effectively or realistically. Give the "Democrats didn't pass a budget last year" lie a rest. The Dems did put forth a budget but the gop filibustered everything that came along. Our collective memories aren't that short that we don't remember the hundreds of filibusters that McConnell threw up to block legislation and appointments.He must be feeling really low about right now because he's not getting any press anymore.

hey, if they spend all their time fighting over 1-week budgets, they're sneaking laws through the back door on us. Gridlock is a wonderful thing!!!

Let me guess: you are a white, middle-to-upper-middle class guy who likes golf (you know, the $100/day "sport" that lots of people can't afford, but you can). You might attend church and perhaps even belong to a church group or two. Of course your interpretation of the values Christ spoke of (the compassion, mercy, hanging out with the pariahs and poor folks and of course and moral wisdom) is justified. It doesn't hurt to throw a few bucks in the offering plate or to tithe. It's a good way to ease the conscience and the hard-heartedness plus it's a good tax write-off. Please forgive me if I sound judgemental or critical. Actually it is my perception of most tea baggers. Other than greed and fear that someone else might get or have something they don't, I fail to understand how they develop such a hard bark.

To offer you some food to criticize me for being one of those "liberals", I offer you this: I am a service-connected disabled Vietnam veteran (1 tour, couldn't do more after our chopper got shot down), college was not an option growing up--no money, no scholarships, low draft lottery number and had to work two jobs to help the family get by. I returned to college several years after being honorably discharged because I could no longer do the manual labor I was doing. Manual labor and long days were the only trades I knew. I lived in the North St. Louis projects going to college because I couldn't afford any other housing and at age 27 and hving lived in barracks, bunkers, and on a carrier I did not want to live in a dorm with "kids" who were in a much different place emotionally in life than I was. I graduated with degrees in Geology and Political Science with minors in history and sociology. And yes I could be considered a "leach" by tea baggers" because the government help pay my way through college. I feel I not only earned it, but seriously bled for it and now carry the weight every second of every day with no assistance from the government. Didn't get a kiss or a thank you for it either.

I challenge you--and any other fiscal conservatives or tea baggers--to volunteer in places--any place--where the homeless, the mentally and physically handicapped, the abuse and rape victims, and others whose funding you choose to cut are. Look them in the eye. Listen to what they say and what life is like for them. For many, would you hire them? If not you, then who? How are they supposed to live? I've been on the down side of "trickle-down" economics. What trickled down on me was wet and smelly. I had lots of company there. Rich folks can hire lots of down town lawyers to help them find loopholes to get out of paying taxes. In some states they pay no taxes (I live in one where businesses and large corporations that do not do business here do not have to pay state taxes yet receive lots of state and municipal tax rebates). I did social work for 2 years in the projects, then lived-in on a 24/7 basis as a residential counselor with several mentally challenged teens and adults for 2 years. I did child and adult protective services for the next 18 years. I see 1st hand and have lived the life of folks and programs you want to cut. Have you? Oh, I am back doing my other love now: geophysics and building physics. I am a state employee. My wife works for one of the largest insurance companies in the the world. I know what I could make in the private sector would be substantially more than what I make as a public employee. I have great benefits that I pay for (my family plan costs me $300 +/month and I put in to my retirement fund just like my wife and most other people I know. And yes I suck the govt. tit by receiving service-connected disability that I bled for and earned. As I get older (I am 60) I am grateful for the assistance because otherwise I am sure I would have a "pre-existing" condition and would be uninsurable. Perhaps you, or your kids or grandkids, will be in a place someday where they have no insurance and seriously need help. But hey, maybe a large corporation will help them. Good luck with that.

With all due respect, I hope you consider and hear what I am saying. I'm just a guy trying to make it a day at a time like everyone else. I implore you to seriously tak a look at what you and the so-called fiscal conservatives and their tea-bagger hateful friends are demanding. A government that turns its' back on its people cannot survive.

Thank you for your time.

Astrome01...

Not sure who you are addressing specifically or just all conservatives in general. There are several things to address with your post. Anyway, I'll reply...

1) First and foremost, thank you very much for your service. Without the courage of people like you, myself and the hundreds of thousands of other former/current service people, we wouldn't be having this debate...at least not in English. :)

2) Thank you for the heart felt and well written post.

3) No one...including moderate or extreme conservatives wants to see anyone suffer or do without the programs they need. This is an issue of not enough revenue to cover the staus quo. If money weren't and issue, everyone here would be for keeping these programs. I know...I know...raise taxes right? Well that worked out jsut peachy with Obama, GE, and the zero in taxes they paid....nice.

4) Who says that conservatives don't volunteer? I personally volunteer for a low income children's clinic and I donate a little over $1,000 a year to them. Sure that's not much, but then again I don't make much. Try not to silo people into jsut one camp or another. There is a huge rainbow of people that fit into more than just one myopic view that the main stream media tries to pain conservatives in.

5) The government and people can survive on a lot less than you think. The problem is that people have grown so accustom to thier way of life that they think doing without a TV, phone, car or computer is a "hardship". I can tell you from personal experience...that's nothing. I've been a homeless drug addict. I beat it. I learned a skill. I worked my way through college...took alot longer at $8 an hour...but I manned up and did it. So I know EXACTLY what it takes to do so.

First of all, a teabagger is a filthy term. And I wonder that you don't care about the monies sent to places like NPR and Planned Parenthood, who make millions performing abortions, not only here, but all over the world. They've done their jobs well. So much so, that the elderly far outnumber the 18 year old teenagers in this nation. We've wiped out an entire generation of children, while people called it a right to murder their own flesh and blood. How did that affect all of us? Well for one, the social security system, set up by liberals many years ago under Roosevelt, depended upon the next generation being the source of funding for the aging one. Little more than a Ponzi scheme, but it worked, until we began allowing the murder of children. We're running out of money for the care of our elders, even though they supported the last generation, and paid into that fund faithfully. Now President Obama wants to eradicate medicare...there is no money. But you seem to think we have money to pay Planned Parenthood who already makes millions of dollars. Planned Parenthood IS one of those multi million dollar corporations you're so fond of denigrating.

The problem is that the democrats have found many ingenious ways of buying votes, using taxpayer dollars. Yes, Planned Parenthood has a thinly disguised health aspect, which allows them access to children who get into trouble. Parents have been so demonized by your political party, that our children can go to these people and perhaps psychologically damage themselves for life, when they end the life of their children...not to mention the fact that whoever or whatever those babies are, they are somebody's grandchild too and they have no right.

So now we have your political party in our schools, influencing our children to mistrust their parents and to indulge in what we teach them not to...and we pay for those programs. And we pay taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood to give our children those abortions too. That money goes right back into dem/lib/socialist coffers, as Planned Parenthood is one of their pet projects.

How about NPR? I don't care which way it's slanted, though I happen to know it's more liberal than not. It's not something we need to be paying for. Why don't you care about that money not going to the poor? If a newspaper or a radio program doesn't make money, it needs to go out of business. That is simple economics.

I've never heard of anyone objecting to student loans. However, now the student loans aren't going to be a source of income for an private banks. Student loans will be loaned and repaid to the United States Government. When did the Government get into the banking business? What was the necessity? I too took student loans to go to school and I'm presently working on my Masters in Business and accounting. I dont' apologize for it, and I'm repaying them. I also receive social security disability. I'm older and I'm becoming more ill. But you're reading things incorrectly. I DON'T want our government changed, nor do I want our government bankrupt. So yes, if they close down the government, my check will be late. But they might just begin to unravel this democrat web that funds their political party and has nothing to do with whether or not the poor are taken care of. The Dem/libs have no care for whether we're cared for or not. They are power mongers, and they're using our tax dollars to obtain more power, and to destroy our government and our economy.

If we have discovered nothing else, we have discovered that there is a disparity between salaries and benefits in the private sector, which is paid for privately and has nothing to do with our taxes; and state and federal workers, which are paid for by tax dollars. I do not believe that we ought to be paying state and federal workers more than their counterparts in the private sector, and neither do I believe that all those extra benefits ought to be being paid for by taxpayers. Perhaps those monies would go better towards helping the poor and needy...but that isn't what's happening.

State and Federal workers have unionized and in many cases, been granted what they call collective bargaining. Collective bargainiing is taking place between Congress and the workers, but it's taxpayer dollars who are paying those salaries and extra benefits. In Wisconsin, the governor stated outright that workers could maintain their collective bargaining status when it came to their salaries. Bt they lost them when it came to benefits. When we began looking at the benefits, we saw teachers pensions paid for by the state meaning taxpayers. We saw that we were going to be paying lifetime benefits for people who got to retire at age 50. You might not object, but I don't think I want my tax dollars to pay that kind of thing without any kind of money paid into that retirement fund by the employee themselves. All he wanted was 12% and most of us pay and always have paid 20% for medical and more of a percentage of our pensions. That is a tremendous disparity between the public and the private sector. While you're crying that the poor are going to suffer, try and figure out exactly where that money is going.

The unions take a very large percentage of those particular occupations and we've only just seeing a few. Then they donate all those fees to the Democrat party, who in turn, lets them have more and more and more benefits. And the taxpayers have had no say in the matter....why were they not asked? Are they not a part of the collective...at least the part that pays? AND the unions guarantee their brotherhood's votes to the democrats. So here is another huge corporation....UNIONS ARE LARGE CORPORATIONS. Check them out.

As far as Conservatives being ignorant...most conservatives that I know are well educated, hard-working, middle-class people. I don't know if any of them play golf, but if they did, why would you care? We work hard, pay for our homes and do what we can to help by volunteering, some of us tithe to help the poor, and some of us work in soup kitchens, nursing homes, prisons, hospital visitations, we are teachers, mechanics, students, nurses, doctors, housemaids, housebound people....but most of us are AMERICANS. We don't want our country to go bankrupt so that there will be no programs. We don't want socialized medicine, so that the state gets to determine who of our loved onces are valuable enough to receive medical care. And we are Repubicans, Conservatives, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents. We're a little tired of being called your filthy name...we are not crazy, we are your neighbors. Try acting like it. We understand where you're coming from, we're there too. Try to understand the words..."THERE IS NO MORE MONEY." Our economy is floundering and most of it is because of the very politicians who created a housing crisis with their greed. It's not about Wall Street...there will always be opportunists is whatever business...even if it's a communist/socialist government, they will only succeed in creating a black market. And those who can buy their way into a special doctor practice will have medical care and the rest of us can go fly a kite, to name one problem.

Let the Republicans try to work it out. Let them get the mess untangled. Watch and wait. And stop namecalling your fellow Americans.

Look up the Hyde Amendment of 1976. It proves you have no idea what you say in your very first sentence. Defending Americans against being called names is all well and fine, but you do know your group helped name itself as teabaggers, don't you?

I personally do no use the term, as it invokes someone having balls in their mouth. I guess your brethren did not know or care when they were Teabaging for Jesus.

http://ebroodle.typepad.com/ebroodle/2009/12/teabagging-4-jesus.html

Good post, finally an intelligent person posted on here, like your name also

That is a fact! Our representatives are supposed to represent all of us, not just one political party. And our taxes should not be being used as political funding. The can't do it directly, so they figure out schemes to get the monies from taxpayers. No wonder Democrats fight so hard to stay there no matter what.

No wonder Democrats fight so hard to stay there no matter what.

Swing and a miss.

That is a fact! Our representatives are supposed to represent all of us, not just one political party. And our taxes should not be being used as political funding. The can't do it directly, so they figure out schemes to get the monies from taxpayers. No wonder Democrats fight so hard to stay there no matter what.

In fact I think I would rather a political party that was dependant on taxpayer money than one that was dependant on big business. At any rate this is such a case of the Pot calling the Kettle black that it's astonishing you could even consider posting it with a straight face. It's a case of the Witch leading the Witch hunt. Have you no shame sir?

As for the OP he is absolutely right, and in fact that's why the Republicans have lost their moderate base. When you put your political party above America, while our laws don't call it treason (and because of the way such a law could be abused, this is a good thing) it is. Republicans and Democrats both need to vote for our country, not for their party's. This is why the two party system is failing and needs to be elimininated.

Fred what does taking money from those of us who wirk for a living and giving it to those who choose not to work FOR NOT WORKING make a person?

The correct answer is a democrat / socialist / progressive / liberal / no name --- take your pick

Larry, Boner's comment was - "Money is not an ideology". Which is of course blatant spin. If he shows himself to be dishonest, then everything about his character then effectively goes down the toilet. Let him continue his rhetoric for the Baggers, they'll believe anything. I value the little intelligence I profess to possess.

Larry,

First of all "work" is w,o,r,k..Not w,i,r,k. I see education helped you..You are correct, to a degree. Money is being taken away from people, but, it's going to the wealthy, not the poor like you think. We have the largest wealth inequity ever. You are just not smart enough to know it or understand it..It's time to wake up..

And detracting from the fact that Military Industrial Complex spending and subsidies are much more of a factor in our debt than welfare dollars is exactly what both parties are doing, especially the RepublicansBoth sides are beholden to the graft of the system.

We sit outside throwing words and protests, with very little or no power to change anything, obviously, including through our voting power.

Yes Fred, and your party's attempt at taking from the rich and giving to the poor (Wealth Redistribution)...or making this nation a communist/socialist nation, is also an ideology.

As opposed to taking from the poor to give to the rich?

and Maine. Don't forget Maine. We're fighting the Tea Party here too.

that's why we have uprisings in Wisconsin, Michigan,Ohio,Indiana,Florida

As I read quotes from both sides yesterday, it seemed as though the Right was trying to legislate morality by insisting that organizations like Planned Parenthood and Public Television lose their funding.

I also can't help wondering if the Republicans are trying to force a government shutdown to make Obama look bad and to assure that the Republicans win the next election.

If either of these suppositions are correct, the Republicans should be ashamed. Their strategies may be good for them but will cause untold hardship for the most vulnerable Americans. That's a shameful was to work the democratic process. I hope the public gets wise and the strategies backfire!

Are you kidding, Helena? Of COURSE the Republicans are trying to force a shutdown to make Obama look bad. Mitch McConnell announced on Nov 4 last year that the GOP's number one priority was not jobs, not education, not the economy, but making sure Obama is a one-term President. That's the #1 priority of the Republitea party. Not you, not me, not our country--they want the power.

Amen, amen amen

Uh get a grip people they have been pushing trickle down economics since the 80's and it has never worked but the repukes/teabarfers still push it i guess they like be the rich peoples toadies

When did you think Republicans and Conservatives ceased to be working class people? For people who keep telling everyone else not to generalize, you do more generalizing than any other people I've ever met. Weren't you the ones that told us that kind of thinking led to racism? OH, that's right...democrats are racist...they just like to pretend they aren't.

As soon as they are elected to high office, nkorb1. Both Parties. Yours is not a Party, but an extension of the Republicans for the most part. The typical Scott Walker and Rick Scott Tea Party darlings are making sure their business choices benefit those of their own ilk and those who have paid into their campaigns, just like either of the other Two, except they have no qualms of taking programs benefitting those less fortunate than themselves or those Corporations they pave the way for.

So far, at least Marco Rubio has done nothing to call out or commend. He appears to be positioning for a VP bid down the line, not governing except to follow Republican Party Lines. We expect nothing less. Or more, unfortunately.

The amount of oil in the Alaskan ANWR area or elswhere in Alaska for that matter is a drop in the bucket so to speak. We will undoubtedbly drill there someday when things get really crazy, yes even more crazy than today, but it won't make that much of a difference. We need a brand new energy policy that incorporates every possibility to a large degree.

This stunt by the GOP and their tea-party puppeteers in including many GOP idealogical provisions in the budget is disgraceful! I can't wait till the next election when all of these teabaggers get fired!

the democrats are stopping us from drilling for our own oil.

Our own oil? You are one of the delusional that thinks any oil that is pumped out of American land/deas belongs to us and will reduce gas prices. Bwaaaaaahaaaaaaaaa

It's absolutely amazing how many people actually believe that oil drilled in American waters is not sold on the international commodities market.

And they NEVER LEARN! It is sad to see the discounting of so many realities by so many on these forums. The long term damage to the educational system has long reared its ugly head...

It appears "Are You Smarter Than A Third-Grader?" is the new norm for standards.

Plus the fact there is no where near enough refinery capacity to do a damned thing with ANY new source of domestically obtained for the World Crude Oil Market Supply. At least not in America/USA.

A bill was passed under Bush to allow three oil wells where only one was allowed before. So they drilled like crazy, then they capped the oil wells to wait for more profitable times. Blame the oil companies for profiteering. There's enough oil, they just aren't uncapping the existing wells and using the oil.

Dear Left: What it means is that companys that pollute will not have to answer to anyone. Welcome to the land of dirty air and water. Not one square inch of our country will not be drilled on, but down, polluted, and possibly made radioactive because nobody will be in charge of monitoring our 104 nuclear plants.

I would think so. The EPA appears to be loaded with left wing nutcases who care more for a spotted owls than they do people. Yeah, get them out of there and we'll find a way to drill. We need solutions, not temporary stopgaps. The dem/libs are trying to get another 7 day extension on the budget they didn't want to take care of while they were entirely the ones in power. Now it's all the Republicans fault. What hypocritical liars.

The EPA appears to be loaded with left wing nutcases who care more for a spotted owls than they do people.

So much for not calling names, eh?

This could have been prevented if the Democrats (when they were the majority in BOTH houses) had passed a budget. Strange that they were able to pass health care and the republicans were unable to stop them yet they could not/would not pass the 2011 budget when they were in control. There is enough blame to go around and BOTH parties are accountable for the mess we now have.

sam4ever

This could have been prevented if the Democrats (when they were the majority in BOTH houses) had passed a budget.
************************************************************************************

They did pass a budget in the House. It was sent to the Senate where the Republicans filibustered it. But hey, just keep on spouting that Frank Lutz talking point. We know you Right Wingers truly believe the saying "If you just keep on repeating a lie, it becomes the truth eventually."

Sayitaintso, How did they manage to pass health care reform? They kept at it filibusters and all because it was important to them. Passing a budget was unimportant to them because it would show the voters that they were spending even more money that we didn't have if and when it was passed. I am far from a right winger, it is laughable that you spout that talking point every time someone criticizes the Democrats spending addiction. Both parties are hosing us over constantly.

Sam4ever - Blame that on the Republicans in the Senate. Check out filibuster 435. Any budget bill that was put before them from the House was filibustered and therefore never was voted upon and sent to the White House. Put the blame where it belongs.

Tutu...the problem is that the dem/lib/socialists are more afraid of the teapartiers than the GOP is. They tried denigrating us, calling us names, and all manner of things, until they realized that teapartiers are not just Republicans and Conservatives...we're also members of the Democrat/lib party. We're all sick of the shenanigans.

Democrat/lib party

No such thing.

When did these filibusters take place? How about some dates and web backup on them. They did not introduce budget bills, they took the easy way out and just did the CR's. They avoided the budget since it would show them for the frauds that they were. They also managed to find an end run on the health care bill by piggybacking it onto a budget bill. The budget was at least as important in the grand scheme of things.

Yeah Wilfred, just what is Obama going to do about GE? Immelt is afterall, Obama's boy.

Wilfred, why does Obama favor tax cheats?

Spanky,

He must have learned it from the Republicans! And learned it well!!

winfred, I agree that the Republicans should give up on the riders. They won't pass them and would be better off to win the more important battle of being seen as the only party that is actually trying to address the budget cuts. Their "all or nothing" mentality is going to leave them with nothing as usual.

Well spanky...if you knew anything you'd have realized that GE has been doing the same thing for the past 30 years. Reagan attempted to stop them but his own republicans allowed tax loopholes to remain in existance.

On the contrary...NOW is exactly the right time. Tax loopholes exist to assist businesses who have been strong-armed by politicians into doing things they can't do financially. You obviously know nothing about business at all, but you know when you don't have a job. I really think they ought to cut out the extensions on unemployment. Maybe a few people can actually see what happens when there is no more businesses supplying jobs, or being made to pay unemployment. Perhaps your attitudes would change.

Pence is the typical gop nitwit. All mouth and no brains. He certainly put his foot in it with that statement.

Bet he got b-tch-slapped a few times at the club that night.