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Subscribe to RSSHouse Speaker John Boehner announced Friday that he will forego pay in the event of a government shutdown, joining a growing list of lawmakers who say they will donate or return their paychecks if federal workers or members of the military are denied theirs by a funding gap.
“In the event of a lapse in appropriations for fiscal year 2011 causing a government shutdown, I will return any and all compensation that I would otherwise be entitled during such a lapse in appropriations,” Boehner said in a letter to his House colleagues.
As NBC’s Luke Russert wrote this week, unless legislation passes today to suspend members’ pay, lawmakers will still receive their paychecks as scheduled. Most members of Congress make $174,000 annually; those in leadership positions make more.
That contrast is proving unpopular, as members of the military and many “essential” federal workers would have to report for work but only be paid retroactively if there's a federal funding gap.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, has introduced legislation that would ensure members of the military get their paychecks on time. The measure appears to have enough support to pass in the Senate but it has not yet been brought up for a vote.
NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports that a source inside a Democratic caucus meeting said that Reid is seeking a way to protect military salaries before the end of the day. "We will not leave here today until we take care of the troops," Reid said, according to the source.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., circulated a letter to senators earlier this week to urge them to return their pay to the United States Treasury in the event of a shutdown. Other members, including Rep. Michele Bachmann and Sen. Orrin Hatch, have said that they will donate their pay to military families if a budget deal isn’t reached.
On Friday, Boehner instructed his members that they may volunteer to return their salaries via the committee that oversees day-to-day operations in the House.
“Should you desire to have your compensation returned to the United States Treasury, you may do so and House Administration Committee can assist in executing your decision,” he wrote.
Leave a Comment:
Are...Any of the Teabagger 'shut it down' group volunteering to forgo their salaries!
TeabagEEs- not TeabaggERS. Big difference. One gives, one receives.
What a difference Boehner makes progressive democrats (communists) only offer to give away OTHER PEOPLE'S money
Yea, like Bush did for wall street
but, but Madison, me thinks that WE, the taxpayers pay their salaries. No?...
It's the Tea'ers who think they are the ones who should receive......give Nada, Nothing, Zip!
hey 82 this is 2011,over.........
How many want to live in a country ruled by Corporate greed and Religious intolerance ... our founding fathers came to and started this country to escape ... religious ... government ... oppression & tyranny
"Williamsburg?! Williamsburg, Virginia!!? Uh-uhh, not a chance!! Even with a government shut-down!!"
Quote from Michelle Obama when told where her next vacation was going to be.
President of the United States, and he has to vacation in Williamsburg, with the common people.
Madison From NY
What a difference democrats only offer to give away OTHER PEOPLE'S money
Boo hoo hoo, if were you, I'd be crying about that money given to those who got your money and didn't pay their taxes.
The Top 7 Corporate Tax Evaders
1.2 billion of Wal-Mart Stores' taxes are international.
None of ExxonMobil's income taxes were paid in the U.S. In 2008 the company's income tax bill was $36 billion. N
CheChevron paid $19 billion income tax in 2008. Of this year's taxes, just $200 million were paid in the U.S. one o
GE Capital, keeps the overall tax bill so low. Over the last two years, GE Capital has displayed an uncanny ability to lose lots of money in the U.S. and make lots of money overseas, where tax rates are lower
Sales: $152 billion
ConocoPhillips paid $13 billion in taxes in 2008.
Sales: $123 billion
AT&T's executive officers are eligible to bill the company $14,000 a year for their own income tax preparations.
Bank of America
Sales: $120 billion
Tax rate: N/A
How did Bank of America not pay any taxes on $4.4 billion in income? Because of deductions like $860 million in tax-exempt income
http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/01/ge-exxon-walmart-business-washington-corporate-taxes_slide_2.html
The left cares while the right laments.
Hey, chilled!
Nope! Snouts deep in the Federal trough.
We forgo too much of our salaries every pay day. Stop the wasteful spending now!
Ps. This wouldn't be an issue had the Dems, when they had complete control, would have passed the 2011 budget last year like they were supposed to do.
drive-by-observer
TeabagEEs- not TeabaggERS. Big difference. One gives, one receives.
dbo, your familiarity with the nomenclature is very telling.
Hey Bev,
how are those dollars for the Obama War coming along?
How's the Libya thing coming along, period?
TO: RealAmericansFirst who wrote:
Here are the riders the GOP put on the continuing resolution bill:
Prohibits funding for the Wetlands Reserve Program.
Prohibits funding for the Conservation Stewardship Program.
Prohibits funding for the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act.
Prohibits funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program or the State Energy Program.
Prohibits funding for various environmental projects in California.
Prohibits funding for a climate change czar in the White House.
Prohibits funding for EPA efforts to regulate greenhouse gases.
Prohibits funding for the EPA to change a rule regulating water.
Prohibits funds for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Prohibits funds for the EPA to implement regulations to designate coal ash residue as hazardous waste.
Prohibits funding for the IRS to implement health care reform.
Prohibits funds for a White House Director of Health Care reform.
Prohibits the District of Columbia from using its own, non-federal funds to pay for abortions beyond the very limited circumstances in which federal funds are currently available (in circumstances of rape or incest and to save the life of a pregnant woman).
Prohibits funding for needle-exchange programs.
Prohibits funding for sections of the Public Health Service Act.
Prohibits funds to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., or any of its affiliates.
Prohibits funds to pay any employee, officer or contractor to implement the provisions of the health care reform law.
Strips funding for any provision of the health care reform law.
Prohibits funding for the US Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, UN Population Fund, or for foreign NGOs that use their own non-U.S. funds to provide abortion services.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That does it! Shut it down until the Tea Bagging Republicans take that crap out of our budget!!!!!
If in fact that is true, it looks like a good start. Not one single one of those items is something the Federal Government has any business supporting financially. It is simply not within the purvue of the Constitution.
TEA Party & Republicans = Tax Evading Americans Party.....if you think this is bad wait until next year when they take Medicare away and kill your Grandma & Grandpa, and everyday middle class Americans for that matter...TEA Bagger always says, 'Thats why we sent them to Washington", remember this in 2012 when you go to the ballot box....TEA Party & Republicans = Tax Evading Americans Party shut down the goverment and took their toys home and cried to mommy!!
It's easy for these congresspersons to say they're going to give back their pay, but how does anyone ever prove that? About the only proof I'd find satisfactory is if Boener went down to the unemployment office and threw his salary's worth of dollar bills up into the air for all of the unemployed.
Kevin Q
You can say that with this current administration? TAX EVADING AMERICANS = Obama administration.
And the dems all over the country are the whiners right now. Whine and run and hide. You lefties are not fooling the average American anymore with you assinine talking points. If you can't win in BLUE Wisconsin you better realize your going to lose in many other areas.
All of Congress should return pay if there is a shutdown and any that accept pay should be exposed for the hypocrites they are. I don't care if these Tea Party GOP congressmen are new, they are the ones driving the shutdown. They should especially not receive pay.
I agree with Don -that's a damn good start. And end funding for NPR and Planned Parenthood. You want to let you 13 year old screw, then you pay for her abortion, or not, and if not, you pay to feed, clothe and house her and her screw-up. Either way works for me, as long as I'm not footing the bill any longer.
Don, you are correct. The list looks like a good start. But it's only a start!! We should not be spending money on those items anyway. However, it's always easy to spend someone else's money and tell them how much you are doing for them.
Disabled FR User - True
I hear the "coalition" dropped a bomb on a ....wait for it......Tank held by REBELS today. Now, we are just dropping bombs on anything that moves.
---
Wait for it..... dork...... the "rebels" hadn't been using tanks up to that point and didn't inform NATO they WERE using them! Honest mistake. I'm sorry, you must have missed the past 10 years of friendly fire incidents during the Bush years...wait for it...
Joanna- Got a link for that quote? I'm doubting it.
I wonder if Michelle Bachman will give back her salary.
"Honest mistake. I'm sorry..."
lol
I agree with Don, and Patricia it's bad enough Women get abortions for selfish reasons I think they should have to pay for it themselves. You did the deed you pay the price.
Included in that: they got to claim the repayment of their bail-out funds (i.e., OUR tax dollars) as a tax deduction.
I just heard military who die during shutdown, their family can't collect on death benefit of $100,000 to assist with funeral and everything else. Please donate your paychecks to them first senators!
DrDr: here is the Williamsburg news story on Obama vacation. Obviously there were some freedoms taken with Joannas quote. Likely an attempt at humor.
Well, link won't work here but it was at a usa today page titled "
Shutdown would close down Obama's get-away plans"
Bingo We have a winner it is....American Girl 724855! Slam dunk & I thank you for it. The tea Pots want to shut it down right? I say bring it on then. I 'm cool. I'll get what I need see I know how. But then there is my 20 year old son who is USMC cop with a wife. I spoke to my Marine last night & I sang a little song. They say they want a revolution well ya know. Momma let me tell ya what's gonna happen...Go K...AWOL like crazy. I going to a @!$%#in slave too. Yes my son I know this. He said well Momma 1st check I can do. #2 I could do. #3 we gonna have a problem:) At that very moment in time his wife ran into the house with their dog having just been bitten. He said those finances we was talking about the dog ain't gonna make it. Go take care of your wife son. by
Patricia... the Fed. Govt. DOES NOT pay for abortions at Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood does, however, give cancer screenings and mammograms to women... do you want women NOT to have the opportunity for pre-cancer screenings? Oh, and just so you know... NIH is premier in cancer research and screenings... that will also be shut down in the govt. shutdown... it is under the US Department of Health and Human Services.
I wonder how much good it does for all of us, whether I agree with you or not, to continue to write here. I would think we have some cathathis attached to our comments.Yet, how can we express our discontent? I can see how each and every one of us have many valid points. BUT when we elect these BOZOS , R or D, it matters little! They all are very adept at obfuscation! ..Have faith America! The alternatives are not very pretty!
Kevin - I'm aware of the planned W'burg trip. I was calling out the made-up "quote."
Planned Parenthood is not just abortions. As a matter of fact, any government funds that go to them are not allowed to go towards abortion, it's already law!
I have known many women growing up who were responsible enough as teens and young adults to go to Planned Parenthood for their birth control. They did not go there for abortions! I personally have never chosen abortion in my life, but respect the rights of personal choice.
Now the part I don't understand, realizing sexual intercourse is normal human behavior, if you are against abortion, why not teach birth control and let these clinics keep doing the wonderful job they have been doing for so many years?
Common sense says, better education in birth control would only mean one thing, less abortions! If this is your goal, why are you against funding birth control?
So my question to all the "Pro Life" people, would you be willing to actually fight for your cause with a little more common sense? If you truly cared about saving lives through having less abortions, why not fight for birth control education?
That is what you call compromise, like the old saying goes, "you'll catch more bees with honey", I think the same would apply here.
still at it I see beverly, the last time you presented the argument of exxon mobil paying no income taxes you provided the link to what exxon-mobile actually paid the feds in other taxes and fees. I am sure that any exxon-mobil board member would have jumped at the chance to pay the income taxes you say they got away with vs the taxes and fees they did pay.
Thank you bev for showing me how much they really do pay. and your source was straight from the congressional record.
You people don't get it. FEDERAL MONEY IS NOT USED FOR ABORTIONS BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD.
Only a small portion of their entire services even go to performing abortions. The numbers I've seen range from 3 to 10%.
The fact remains, THIS PROCEDURE IS LEGAL!!! If you don't like the procedure, make it illegal. Oh that's right, you can't. So, you are going to say to the one place where poor women go to get medical care "nope, sorry, we can't fund ANYTHING that helps you there because they also perform abortions." Well guess what, all hospitals do abortions. They call them other things, but they are aboritions (d&c, whatever.)
Are you planning to remove medical funding across the board? That's right, removing all funding from all medicine for the poor and middle class is on the Republican agenda. Medicare and Medicaid are next.
I am perfectly fine with taking funding away for NEEDLE EXCHANGE!!! Why does the military get half pay but a bunch of junkies get clean needles? Let them all get their own clean needles or die because of the bad choices they chose to make!!
@overt39: your statement just points to the reality of the situation for most Americans. We just want to feed our kids, keep our homes, make sure the family is healthy, and take care of the dog.
We don't care about planned parenthood, big oil, big farms, the middle east or anthing else.
This entire debate taking place in Congress is no different than the fight taking place in the NFL. We really don't care who wins, we just want to sit down and watch the game.
PS., thank your children (both your son AND your daughter in law) for serving ALL of the country.
Where do you get this stuff? Seriously. Heres a suggestion, if you think its so easy to get an abortion why dont you get pregnant and go find out. Guarantee the govt aint gonna give you a dime. Planned Parenthood doesnt give out abortions like its a new form of birth control as your suggesting.
Oh btw, how much does PPH get from the federal govt? Is it anything close to what the corporations mentione above are getting in tax breaks? Is it anywhere close to the military budget? But thats ok, you tea partiers are not here to push your personal views onto other people, your here cause you want to support fiscal responsiblity right? Isnt that what this is supposed to be about?
@American Girl,
Now I can get behind this without question. The environmentalist policy out here is killing business in favor of irrational programs.
School systems were forced to spend thousands of $ per bus to provide electronic filters to reduce polution. OK, so the schools spend the money, and it now requires the filters to be replaced weekly, or on some buses daily, while electricity is used to reenergize (clean) the filter for 8 to 16 hours. Now school maintainence programs must spend more money for additional filters, spend more money for the electricity to clean then, plus the labor of the mechanics to remove and replace them daily.
Great job and regulations EPA. If it is a wacko thought, CA will enbrase it, cost be damned.
Boner give your pay back anyway. You are worthless!!!
My last thought on this subject is: If the house and senate can't get together and pass a simple budget, they should all lose their government paychecks, permanently.
THEY SHOULD ALL BE VOTED OUT!!!
When money gets tight at home, we have to give up some things, maybe things we could use or maybe even need. We find a way to adapt and overcome. This is where our country is at, we've got to cut the spending and cut out some of the funding for some agencies. I don't like to tighten my belt anymore than the next person, but it must be done. This game of chicken isn't over just Planned Parenthood, it's about cutting some of the funding to agencies that can and probably will survive. Lets stop arguing with each other and balance this budget. Will each party lose some of its voters, yes, but our country will be fiscally stronger for it.
Im with you conster, we need to get the budget under control. At the same time though, look at what the tea-partiers want to cut. Not their prescious military funding, which accounts for how much of our budget?
There not going for fiscal responisblity, they are going after any organization that the demecrats support. Why no cut backs on the military? Why no cut backs on the war on drugs? Why do they keep giving large corporations huge tax cuts?
I could see it being called compromise if both sides were giving things up, but for the GOP to say the Dems have to do all the sacraficing and keep all their projects going is not a compromise.
Boehner will give up his pay for the days Gov. is shut down. BIG WHOOP! John Boehner like the Majority of members in the House and Senate are Millionaires. They will not feel any financial impact unlike the working class families who rely on their pay checks. This is meaningless symbolism.
Drive-by,
Thank you for making the distinction on the meaning of Teabagger. The failure of everyone on this site in understanding what a Teabagger is drives me Nuts. I can't blame anyone for hating some one else that has slapped a set of sweaty ones on their face though, so I guess the phrase works either way. Regardless it is clear that everyone has jumped on the bandwagon of a phrase that they don't understand. Now that they know what it means will they still use it?
Reliant,
Symbolic or not, everyone in these discussion boards has been screaming for congress not to accept their pay if they can't handle their basic job of passing a budget. I think they all should forego their pay, since they clearly are not earning it.
Chilled,
To answer your original question, which appears to be more of an attempt at an insult than a legit question. Tea party members are giving up their pay. The article actually covers this, but apparently you didn't read it in your haste to be the first post.
Thanks American Girl. I had been wondering.
I COMPLETELY SUPPORT THE REPUBLICANS except I'm debating about the cutting of funding for Planned Parenthood. When I was working temporary, I went to Planned Parenthood and was grateful for the low-cost service.
Does anyone know the definition of Family Planning? That seems to be what is funded by the feds for Planned Parenthood.
I always thought family planning was a married couple deciding they wanted to have children. Why do we need someone to help us decide?
I don't understand family planning.
The rest of the list - I am totally OK with it. LET'S STOP SPENDING THIS MONEY WE DON'T HAVE ON INCONSEQUENTIAL AND ONEROUS PROGRAMS.
Madion in NY - I'm not certain you understand. Boehner is not pledging OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY, he's pledging HIS OWN MONEY.
Frankly, I think we need a law that our legislators DO NOT GET PAID if they can not pass a budget.
Do you realize that they are the only ones that will get a check if the government shuts down?
I am glad that Boehner is willing to give up his salary. It shows how serious he is about this.
WE NEED SOMEONE TO BE SERIOUS. REID'S IMPASSIONED PLEA THIS MORNING REALLY HAD ME WONDERING until the talking heads told me what Planned Parenthood funds.
Frankly, I am tired of paying for other people's stupid decisions and everyone needs to pay for their own family planning.
Just FYI on Boehner and his lovely suggestion. The Dems sent a bill to the House, that was passed in the Senate, which made it so Congress and the President would not get their pay in the event of a shut down. Want to guess what happened to that bill?? Well the GOP voted against it of course...LOL. Now this tool is trying to save face, perfect..
Again it's the stupidity of the right wing conservatives holding back the rest of the country for their own petty reasons. Planned Parenthood does not fund abortions, and it is illegal for tax money to be used for that purpose. This argument is an attack by extreme right wings nuts on any social programs to help the unfortunate and disadvantaged. I am continually amazed and disgusted at the sheer ignorance of the right wing extremists like the tea party activists, and their slack-jawed glassy eyed followers.
tammy - care to share the bill number?
Common Sense and Reasonable Discourse
I think it does matter if it is a meaningless gesture to Boehner and the rest. They should all sacrafice for this stupidity. But when then give up something that does not mean anything to them, that they will not even notice in the least, don't give them too much credit.
I know it has been said before, but here it is again, if the Dems had done their job last year we wouldn't be in this mess we are in now.
On the other hand the Reps have already put out a budget proposal for FY 2012. Granted there are big issues to be debated about in it, but it is out there. Where is the plan from the Dems or the White House, thought so, there is none. So blast away at the plan if you want to, at least there is something to blast at.
Tammy, Bohener is in the house, not the senate. And the no vote in the senate was bipartisan.
The military has already been funded. If they do not get paid, it will be because the Commander in Chief ordered their pay withheld.
Save money ; close bases in Japan, and Germany. The war ended 56 years ago. Bring the troops home and put them on the borders. Seems to me a certain President promised the troops would be out of Iraq by 2011. Now it's maybe 2014. Gitmo closed in 1 year. Now indefinite.
Corporate taxes: No exemptions. Any bonus in excess of annual salary; taxed at 90%. Stock options taxed at market value. If you make a profit, you pay taxes on it. Businesses can deduct expenses before profit is declared; citizens are extremely limited in what expenses are deductible.
Hmmmm,
I wonder what liberal social program was attached to the bill to stop the leadership pay. The Democrats would get a lot more republicans crossing the isle if they would just send a pure bill, with no attachments for those wonderful, vote buying social programs.
You wanna talk about adding crap to a bill so it will get voted down go talk to Bohener. The republicans are notorious for adding loopholes and earmarks to bills for their corporate puppet masters. Why do you think the republicans are taking away any social programs they can with the budget, but not any mention of military cutbacks.
wdwalker- Ya weve all heard that stupid comment, so what? You sound like your republican complaining that the Demecrats didnt pass the bill when they could have had it their way. Yet now the republicans are holding things up, you blame the dems for not passing it earlier. As a Republican, wouldnt you rather have it this way so you guys have some say in the budget? I dont get the right wings arguement that the budget should have been passed without their input. That shows how irresponsible you are and it also shows that your party is just trying to make waves for the upcoming elections.
Boeghner never answered the question ...i saw them ask him !
Speaker Boehner is offering us a nice piece of toffee. Meanwhile:
GOP/TP Dismantle and Privatize Agenda:
Part I: Trash America.
Part II: Corporations to the Rescue.
Part III: Run the country for short-term profit at the expense of everything to do with human and civil rights.
Part IV: Return to the late nineteenth century of an industrial elite and a deeply impoverished working class.
Exactly
Yeah, right. Bone Boehner.
The budget should have been passed by Oct...in my position if I did not have my budget done on time I would get fired....hmmmm let's see who was in power last year?? The situation this Country is in, is the American peoples fault. Not Bush, Not Clinton, Not even Obama (which I have to admit I think is the WORST President we have had. He is on vacation a lot, but never goes to Camp David. If the Government shuts down it is us the American peoples fault, we do not want to make any kind of sacrifices, but we want our budget to be get under control. Stop blaming the teapartiers, the Republicans and the Democrates and start taking responsibility for yourselves and seeing what you can do to help the economy..Obama needs to stop going out and campaigning (at all black venues) and maybe stay at the White House and do some real work.
JoAnnaSmith1
"Williamsburg?! Williamsburg, Virginia!!? Uh-uhh, not a chance!! Even with a government shut-down!!"
Quote from Michelle Obama when told where her next vacation was going to be.
President of the United States, and he has to vacation in Williamsburg, with the common people.
And that leaves you breathless JoAnnaSmith1????
At least our First Lady as elegant as she is doesn't mind being among commoners. Unlike you, JoAnnaSmith1, our First Lady Michelle Obama is not a snob.
In other words, a snob like you and lazy t-baggers feel if you can delay Government business, you get to stop the President from doing anything?
Sorry Dolly, it's just not like that!!! Why do think he's called "No Drama Obama?"
@American: yea, yea, yea, your right, it should have been passed last year. We all know, we get it. The fact that the Dems would not put the cards on the table is one of the reasons they lost the HOUSE.
And President Bush should not have lied about WMD's, whatever. It does not matter TODAY.
Today we are talking about HR-1 and the riders in the bill. The real impasse is the riders.
Why doesn't the House give up on trying to defund the government (except those portions they like, such as the military) and get to the point of governing?
They were elected to defund the government. Plain and simple. A shutdown accomplishes that goal. Thats just good governing. A government shutdown is probably the stupidest cards opposition can make to people who want to defund.
The whole thing about defunding the health care reform bill is that it has already been ruled unconstitutional in a couple of courts and will ultimately be ruled so by the supreme court so it should not be funded anyway.
JoAnnaSmith1
"Williamsburg?! Williamsburg, Virginia!!? Uh-uhh, not a chance!! Even with a government shut-down!!"
Quote from Michelle Obama when told where her next vacation was going to be.
President of the United States, and he has to vacation in Williamsburg, with the common people.
Well Bev, I really don't think the First Lady is as elegant as you state. The high-waist belts need to go. And as a First Lady, her manner of dLATEress is not consistant with what normally associates with the wife of POTUS. Rid herself of the little-girl sweaters too.
And "NO DRAMA OBAMA" is not an accurate statement Bev. Everything the man does is drama for his image. As stated in one article from MSNBC, even many Democrats are annoyed with the LATE attempts by the Prez to move forward with policy or to become involved in the affairs of the Nation.
For anyone who keeps asking,"why didn’t the Democrats pass a budget when they were in control."
Okay, once again, it’s very simple. At the time the Democrats did not have the 60 votes needed. When you don’t have 60 votes in the Senate the Republicans can filibuster. In this case they filibustered every single time the budget talks were brought up.
Jobs1,
Keep spinning bud! You may actually have someone believe you.
Job1: Okay, once again, it is very simple. The senate CANNOT filibuster on budget reconcilliation or budget resolutions. The house does not have filibuster.
Job1, How dare you speak the truth and expose everything Fox has poured into empty heads as lies. Glenn Beck's chalkboard is their Bible. It's blasphemy, I tell you, blasphemy!
A lie is a lie regardless of the source.
Mr. Speaker,
Please do not give your salary back. Please accept it because we know it is only a token payment of what Wall Street pays you. However, please resign for failing to keep your oath of office. Shutting down the Government of the United States of America for ridiculous anti-social issues is not "protecting and preserving the Constitution of the United States of America". It is hack politics played to the level of the basest elements of what once was a proud and effective political party. It is time for our party, the Republican Party, to return to the concepts of Abraham Lincoln, and not Barry Goldwater. Eliminate the so called tea party (read Rush and his little Brother Shawn) from the Republican Party and let them be associated with Ran Paul and not what once was Republican competency. And please, Mr. Speaker, though you are not one of them, please go join them since you have proven to be a follower...not a leader.
Hey Bachouse
Did'nt you mean...
Dems: Dismantle America and Socialization program:
Part I: Trash America, destroy the industries and big business. Screw the milllions of jobs lost and the tax revenue they created. Make seaching for jobs, or moving to better working states impossible by destroying our own fuel production capacity and causing fuel prices to rise.
Part II: Sociallize everything: Pay for anything that can keep the jobless masses minimally sustained while keeping them from getting jobs by raising more business taxes.
Continue destroying future tax revenue by inexpensively destroying the next generations in the abortion factories. (This has been very succesful since the 1970's)
Create more laws, as we did in the 1990s, that force financial institutions to make more home loans to people with no long term capacity to pay them. Make the financial institutions the villain, not the liberal law makers.
Part III: Run the country for long term social programs that take money from any entity that still has a capacity to make profits. Support Unions, especially Government Unions, and use them to control the voters/tax payers and local government. Use force if nescessary.
Part IV: Return to the late nineteenth century (Eastern Europe) where the illusion of so called civil rights becomes the great equalizer. Use the impoverished unemployed, who we support with our social programs. Keep their votes with the promise of some future government job or greater benefits taken from the evil rich.
Surrender hard working conservatives...resistance is futile
Wow a politician offering to give away his OWN money is this a FIRST?
Madison- wasn't April first LAST Friday? what the....???
say what you will but i finally have something i can respect him for doing. hopefully they all give their salaries back if there's a shutdown. after all, they didn't do their job.
This wouldn't be an issue had the Dems, when they had complete control, would have passed the 2011 budget last year like they were supposed to do.
If Boehner is so sincere, why doesn't he bring the senate bill that passed to the floor of the house that states that during a shutdown congress and the president won't be paid. I guarantee that the majority of these politicans who claim to return all of their pay wont....
You mean the budget the GOP filibustered when the Dems did not have a super-majority? You mean THAT budget? But you're right. The Dems should have kicked it through anyway. Then they could absolutely point at the GOP as the reason the budget was not passed. Now we just have to listen to both sides blame each other for the problem that both sides caused.
Republican politicians have no hearts, Democrat politicians have no spine.
the democrats had a supermajority untill way way past the time the budget was supposed to be done (first of October) the newly elected Senator that broke that supermajority wasn't elected until November.
Democrats didn't have even the possibility of a supermajority until Al Franken was seated in July 2009. Then in August Ted Kennedy died, leaving his seat open. Paul Kirk was appointed in September until the special election in January of 2010. So again, this vast years-long supermajority idea is just false. There was the possibility of a supermajority for a whole four months total, and only in the Senate.
.
Reading the Republican posts on this board is nothing unexpected. They totally forget that Bush - I can do anything I want - got us into this quagmire. But, hey, they got what they wanted so no problem. Now that someone is trying to fix this mess the GOP is crying foul!!! How typical. And, yes Boehner - return your pay - for your entire term.
Truth be told members of congress of BOTH parties and former Presidents again of BOTH parties have been leading us down this trail since the mid 60s when the idea that everyone could get something for nothing was first hatched in the Great Society Debacle that has been running for all of this time. The whole point of this exercise is that this country is not going broke it is already broke and the only reason it is still afloat is that the printing presses have been running non stop printing money. That is the reason all the prices are rising the U. S. Economy can only justify so much money in circulation and that amount has been exceeded by about threefold, we owe (treasury bills and other debts) so much money that over half of our current tax receipts go into paying interest on loans (including those to the Social Security Fund) in any household in the country this would have them running to bankruptsy court wake up and smell the coffee people we can't continue down the road that we have been going down forget all of the tags we have been using to each other.
I agree with you. We are now being asked to pay the piper. We have been living on the belief that we can spend three times what we receive in revenue each month and then spend more. My bank account won't allow me to do that. It is time the American public realizes that why we would like to give everyone everything, we do not have the revenue to do so. When we get the interest bill from China, we will be going under. Think Greece, Portugal, Ireland, and Spain.
The first thing that needs to be cut is their pensions...let them start contributing..let them have a vesting period
Exactly
Members of The House and Senate do have to wait 5 years to be vested. When they do retire their monthly retirement equals about 60% of their annual income averaged over their last 5 years. They still keep their Health Care Plan and they still have their monthly premiums deducted.
If a member of the House only serves two (2) terms totalling four (4) years and do not get re-elected then they do not qualify for a lifetime retirement because they would not be vested.
BS, we'll never be able to prove they actually do it.
Boner, Is getting his money from the Corpocracy anyway. This is an empty gesture to say the least. I'm sure he will again be handing out new bonus checks on the House floor to the teabaggers after the dust settles.
john-1190955 - right on! Bone Boehner.
Besides, he always has his night job with the Orange Man Group!
flbikerchick, hee hee. That tickled my funny bone. Thanks, because I could really use a laugh!
ORB 1943 You forgot to add the HEAD to that "BONEHEAD BOEHNER"!
Hey Minnesotan-1652556
I was using 'bone' as a verb. As in (say) Newt had a dream that he was boning . . . (fill in any one you wish provided it is not his currrent spouse)
BFD! So the millionare republicans in congress are giving up pay during the shut down! What an empty gesture. Instead of trying to avoid all that pie in your face with this nonsense, try putting aside your own ideological interests that have nothing to do with the budget, and do what's right for the country.
Really....there's no millionaire Dems? What are they doing? I don't see them offering anything do you?
Chris ...There have been lots of Millionaires includeing Clinton and Warren Buffett that say they dont mind chipping in to help the country... many repubs have said the same thing ... the Koch brothers and there ilk say no ... so they get people with brains the size of a tea bag to fight for them while they laugh all the way to the bank
timewonttell, sorry there are a lot of Republicans that give back to the Country......it was Obama that bailed out the banks that are giving out the big bonuses so don't tell me how great the Clintons are because it is a crock of @!$%#....just ask the state of Arkansas.
@American: Exactly. And what about NAFTA? Isn't that giving away (jobs)? Thanks Clinton.
NAFTA was passed under duress so that Clinton could pass the other legislation that gave us a surplus, not a deficit. Thanks to GW1 and GW2 they have destroyed all the good under the Clinton Administration. The new tax cut on Medicare is a crock. They say that they cut the medicare tax from .625 to .425 right well look at your check because they reaised your federal tax!
Quit the fighting or go home. The people of this country are tired of the back biting. Kick them all the hell out of Washington, and let the people vote on what stays and what goes, Majority rules. These politicians are supposedly speaking for the people who elected them, personnally I see it as they are voting their opinions, and not what there voters want!
Um, that was Bush. Obama was responsible for the "stimulus" bill.
The last time there were any figures released there were more millionaires in the Democrat party than there were in the Republican including the richest of the members of congress.
More millionaires, And smarter too!
Thank you for this update, Carrie. But you need "forgo," not "forego." Easy to confuse these two words.
Please somebody tell me what does planned parenthood have to do with this. Why not just cut 12 billion in subsidies that's given to the oil companies and call it a day. Go figure!!! It's not algebra, Oh, but then you can't cut the rich cause they don't have enough already.
Exactly
vada - good point. we should cut both. Why are we paying for either? It's time to start trying to cut the other sides "interests", otherwise known as pocketbook or voter generation branch, and cut all of them.
Planned Parenthood is not a government program and therefore should not receive any funding from the government.
It is a government program jackoff that is why is part of the disscussion.
Well, it's a start. All Reid has to do is sign the House passed CR and he "saves" the troops he so dearly loves....until the next war when the Dems can demonize the troops and cut their funding. Let's shut it down for a month and really let everyone see what we need to keep and what we don't miss. If we don't miss it.......immediately cut it.
We pay them $174K to do that standard of planning? Please
I know, lets pay them what the average Amercian worker is paid and see if something gets done then.
How about we pass a constitutional amendment that they have to follow all of the laws that they pass and see what comes of that for a start.
I think most people agree that our govt 'Servants' should get no better benefits or pay than our enlisted soldiers and that they shouldn't get retirement benefits. That would get rid of the lifelong politician and help limit the lobbyist ties(on both sides).
I'd vote for anybody to run on that platform.
Republicans cry for smaller government, less intrusive. Then get the H&*) out of my home, my intimate relationships, and stop trying to take away a woman's right to choose.
Get your job done, or the People will put you out of office - on both sides.
KenVa -
how is cutting funding trying to take away any rights? All they are saying is we don't want to pay for it and PPH really doesn't need it anyway..... before you say it, cut oil subsidies and all the republican "crap" as well. It's time to realize that all of these little fundings that govt shouldn't be involved in need to stop.
And I agree, but on the otherhand, planned parenthood is a good program and it helps teen moms and womens health issues, which I may ad can be a even bigger problem for healthcare if defunded.
The whole point of defunding Planned Parenthood is that it is the start of the Republican's attempt to kill the poor. We start with removing funding for PP (which, generally, is primarily utilized by poor and minority groups.) Next, they eliminate medicare and medicaid (there go the elderly and disabled - two more groups that are not wealthy.)
Next on the chopping block will be the section 125 deduction for health care insurance, and health savings accounts.
Anyone who is wealthy enough, so that health care insurance costs don't matter, they are the only ones who the Republican's are not targeting. Everyone else, the Republican plan is to make health insurance, of any type, so expensive its cheaper to die. Once the poor are dead, they can't vote (except in Chicago, of course.)
After the existing poor are dead, the existing middle class are made poor and the cycle continues.
Vada -
how much money does PP get from the govt? yeah, not much as a % of total. They really don't need it, like a lot of other programs(again, on both sides) they get a small % of their total $$ from the govt and they can survive without it but the 1000's of programs we do this with are killing us. If we get a balanced budget then we can start to refund these items, until then let's cut from both teams.
dirp101-
Do you know how much money PPH get's from the govt? Again it's not going to cause it to stop operating, it's just a little less money. Nobody is trying to kill the poor....but if the country defaults on its loans because we can't spend within our means, the vast majority of us will be poor. Then if the vast majority of us are poor, and the POTUS gets his way we will have a global govt. If that happens how poor are you compared to many millions of people living on $15/month!! Yup all of a sudden you are the RICH and then you get to be taxed at 45%!!!! Ready for that?
we need more than a prayer with that so call bunch in the white house. poor - try broke !! they need to start cutting the amount of momey they get -that would be a good start. there are so many ways they spent out hard earn money that could be saved . they'll have health care paid for as long as they live .big checks - not one up there could live a farm girl life stlye we live on a budget a short one too! well we want new blood in the white house. so how do you like him now .......he's not what he said he was -fair from it . and he wants to run again - give us a break we're broke now because of you!!!!!!
style
Patti
The worst part of the amount that they make is that the no longer even have to vote on it and therefore be on the record of having given themselves a raise. The average government worker has been told that their paychecks have been frozen at their current rate for three years the congress and president on the other hand will be getting raises in each of those years when the cost of living goes up at least 1%, and oh yeah Social Security checks will not be given a cost of living adjustment either. Thanks Dems under I believe Carter for that one with Reps collusion of course.
As I said earlier, "Here he comes to save the day". Wow, that is going to make a big difference! Now we can finally all calm down and wait for him to make the announcment that he and he alone brought the Dems. to their knees and they will finally see that he is a real saviour.
your talking about obama right
Not good enough, John. Simply refuse to accept it and you won't have to make any refunds. Oh, by the way ~ your staff can hardly be considered "essential government workers" so furlough them without pay during any shutdown. That should apply to every Senator and Representative. And that "charity" promise should not be allowed. This entire impasse is allegedly over debt and spending. Keep the money in the Treasury and not cycled thouugh some charity in hope of it reappearing as a campaign contribution in 2012.
Actually, staff workers ARE furloughed along with the rest. There is only enough staff on hand to cover the work necessary during the shutdown. It does go by seniority however. So in this instance, Boehner may keep most of his staff while osme of the newly minted representatives will likely lose 90% plus of their staff.
My own take is that the entire congress should forfeit their entire monthly pay AND health benefits AND pension contributions for any part of a month that the government is shut down. This would include staff as well. It is totally unfair for these people to make others suffer when they get pay, health benefits and pension contributions no matter what the consequences of their lack of results to do the job they have been entrusted to do is. I don't think they should get retroactive pay either. If even one day of a certain month is shut down, congress forfeits permanently all pay and benefits for that particular month. That should go for the various state legislators as well IMO.
Democrats should agree to de-fund Planned Parenthood ~ but their proposal should demand that all recently approved tax reduction extensions be repealed, all subsidies to oil and agricultural interests be repealed, and that the cap on wage earner's Social Security contribution be lifted to include every dime of earned income anyone receives. Do a total on that and sent it across the hall, It would make the $33-billion look like chump change and if Teapublicans are truly in favor of cutting spending, they would jump at the chance to pass such a bill.
I almost feel sorry for Speaker Tan-man. He's in so far over his head it's laughable.
Well we can all see where this is going.
The Democrats failed to Pass the Budget for 2011 before Oct 1st 2010, which is Congress's #1 duty, when they had control of the House, Senate,and White House, so they need to deflect, deny, and divert (notice they all start with "D") from the fact they failed to fulfill their Obligations over 6 months ago which is why we are in this crisis now. As usual keep kicking it down the road until it becomes a crisis. After all isn't that the Dems Mantra? "A crisis is a terrible thing to waste!"
exactly!!! God I can't even talk about this without my bloodpressure shooting up.
Keep repeating the same exact message and maybe once you've said it enough some percentage of people who read your bull will believe you...What are you going to do now that Beck is gone...like this...just keep repeating the talking points he gave you last year...get an opinion that doesn't sound like a parrot...
Truth passes through three phases:
— Arthur Schopenhauer
Its OK we understand you can't get past phase one and we have compassion for you.
A true bunch of idealists that are arguing about abortion to shut down government.... losers all
Well said David
Blame it on Pelosi! What did they accomplish in THEIR 100 days when she was speaker? NADA! So I don't think all the blame is on the Republicans. Democrats are just as bad at not doing their job.
If it was "Planned Parenthood" then there would be no need for Abortions would there? Now if they want to change there name to "Unplanned Parenthood"...
Isn't the Health care reform bill supposed to reduce the cost of health care and force everyone in the United States to have health insurance or face fines and penalties? So why does American taxpayer money have to still be used to provide free medical services?
Is the health care bill going to work or NOT?
Why should the American people have to support Planned Parent hood when were spending 1 trillion dollars just for ten years on health care reform? As usual the Dems want to continue to pay for a duplicate service thats no longer needed. If we were to assume that HCR was actually going to work.
So the Dems have no faith in their own health care reform otherwise why are they so worried about defending PP?
"Isn't the Health care reform bill supposed to reduce the cost of health care and force everyone in the United States to have health insurance or face fines and penalties? So why does American taxpayer money have to still be used to provide free medical services?"
Because that part of the law (and it is a LAW now, thank you very much) doesn't take effect until 2014.
Jeez, keep up, will you?
It was the party of NO with a filibuster in the Senate that stopped the budget from passing last year......
David
The reason they have to fund Planned Parenthood is because they know that their healthcare reform act is unconstitutional and will be overturned so will not go into effect in 2014. Given that fact how can people not be held responsible for their own acts if there is no planned parenthood???
EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM SHOULD GIVE BACK THEIR PAY! This is an embarrassment! Like toddlers fighting over a damn ball. Bickering like a bunch of teenagers.. anything but acting like adults.. this country is going to the toilet.
This is a "heroic act of sillyness" in a game of brinksmanship that Boehner is playing for the Tea Party
We need to ammend the Consitution regarding Congress. Our Congress reminds us of the Soviet Union Politburo more than the Government of the People. If we don't do this, our Republic will collapse for the same reason the Soviet Union collapsed. The spending for Defense DWARFS all other spending.
I suggest the following:
**************
In the event Federal workers, including the Armed Services, are not paid because Congress has not sent a Budget to the President that is signed by the President, Congress shall not receive ANY compensation for a period of 4 times the amount that Federal employees do not receive compensation.
Congress shall not have a separate pension and healthcare plan. They will have a pension at the same rate as a Citizen covered under Social Security and health care plan comparable to a Citizen under Medicare.
**************
Wait a minute that would mean they would be just like us and have to live under the laws that they pass or don't pass. Could the country exist like that????
I should point out that the government workers who are furloughed usually get all of their back pay whether they work or not and they get overtime to "catch up" on the work that didn't get done while they are out.
why dont we just go with the budget the dems passed when they controlled the house, senate and white house?
What budget?
Sounds as if he is having fun at the expense of the Democrats, who are clueless. They have no grasp on what reality is, yet they certainly love to give us their version of it.
They did propose a budget.
because the republican in the senate filibustered everything and would not let it come to a vote. the house passed a budget!
the dems held a filibuster proof majority in the Senate until well after the budget should have been passed, the problem was they didn't have time to take up the budget because they couldn't get their own people to sign off on healthcare reform bill that was fatally flawed and is unconstitutional.
"the dems held a filibuster proof majority in the Senate until well after the budget should have been passed"
Nope.
perhaps reid, pelosi and barry can give the bribe money they got from trumpka and soros to charity.
what an idiotic statement
Step 1) The government shuts down.
Step 2) All members of the Legislative Branch and Executive Branch are asked to step down immediately without further compensation for their inability to create a budget in a timely manner.
Step 3) There shall be an emergency election held to put all new people in the empty seats of the Legislative Branch and Executive Branch. No one who has held office for at least 1 term will be allowed on the ballot.
Step 4) These Newly Elected Officials will take Oath to serve the people of this nation. They will put politics aside and create a real budget that takes out any wasteful programs and spending, pays salaries to themselves at half the rate of pay their predecessors were paid, and takes 10% of all citizens income tax and puts it toward paying off the debt this country is in. Not increasing our tax by 10% but rather 10% of the tax we already are paying then working with the other 90% to budget for good use.
And they lose all the neat benefits and have to live on Social Security like the rest of us
Correction. No one who has ever served shall be allowed to run.
Great idea EXCEPT - no fed employess - how are you going to hold an election?
Works for me guy, but can you imagine a legislator volunteering to step down? Why, that would take them out of the power game they have held onto for years.......they enjoy leading the sheep to slaughter.
I don't understand what everyone is worried about. Haven't you folks watched Bonner in action - he is gutless. He will end-up settling for a small percentage of what he originally asked for once he faces President Obama. President Obama has more guts on a bad day than Bonner does on his best day so don't worry about a thing - this is nothing more than a joke the media wants you to believe is serious. Just watch.