This really is a defining moment for President Obama. All those who worked hard for him, who were inspired by him, are on pins & needles. I even noticed last night on MSNBC. There wasn’t the usual lightheartedness we’ve become used to at certain moment during the primetime shows. Even Bill Maher looked a little out of sort, a man who is never out of sorts.

So yes, I believe today’s speech will tell us a great deal. This is the speech Democrats are waiting for. This is the speech that will define this presidency I believe. President Obama’s speech should outline why we as a Nation voted for a Democratic.

Watching Ed’s show last night, the GOP cuts are atrocious. What in hell are we becoming, a third world country?

We’re at a crossroads today, April 13, 2011. So we’re going to either take the easy road and give in, or we’re going to take the hard/high road – together as a Nation - and challenge ourselves as Americans to do better, much better.

And leave no one, no one behind. This Administration has worked tirelessly to get people back to work. This is not the time to be cutting jobs.

This is not the time to give up or give in. This is the time to come together as one.

I agree LouisJ. They have nothing better to do with their lives than to try and sprinkle hate everywhere. What a waste of life.

I'm with you on that Pat, I look forward to President Obama addressing the world tonight (notice I said world because that's the effect he has... worldwide) and giving some clear perspective on what's next. I'm sure it will be a message of improvements that will swiftly take place.

Now the specifics of the slash & burn the poor & disadvantaged agenda of Teapublican policy are starting to come to available:

– Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children(WIC): $504 million

– State and local law enforcement: $415 million

– Community oriented policing services (COPS): $296 million

– Green jobs innovation fund: $40 million

– Community health centers: $600 million

– Dislocated worker assistance: $125 million

– Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration(SAMSHA): $45 million

– Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): $49 million

– IDEA (special education): $16 million

– Infectious disease prevention: $277 million

–http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/12/budget-deal-cuts/ National Institutes of Health: $260 million

While the Tea Bagger Queen Michele Bachmann is in a feeding frenzy at the public trough!

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) — so fond of accusing the Obama administration of foisting socialism on an unwilling America — has apparently been the recipient of about a quarter of million bucks in government handouts.

Liberal site Truthdig links to an Environmental Working Groupanalysis of federal agricultural subsidies and found that the Bachmann family farm, managed by her father-in-law until his recent death, received $251,000 in farm payments between 1995 and 2006.

Bachmann’s financial disclosure forms indicate her stake in the Wisconsin farm is worth up to $250,000. Her income from the farm has grown from $2,000 a year a few years back to as much as $50,000 for 2008.

Truthdig calls her a "Welfare Queen":

Bachmann's family farm received $251,973 in federal subsidies between 1995 and 2006. The farm had been managed by Bachmann's recently deceased father-in-law and took in roughly $20,000 in 2006 and $28,000 in 2005, with the bulk of the subsidies going to dairy and corn. Both dairy and corn are heavily subsidized — or "socialized" — businesses in America (in 2005 alone, Washington spent $4.8 billion propping up corn prices) and are subject to strict government price controls.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush

Welcome to Conservative Land - land of the ridiculous and home of hypocrisy!

Pat:

Excellent analysis and post. It sure is good to see you on thread 1. Your voice needs to be heard.

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

– Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): $49 million

Ok i guess the government is not too concerned about mine and construction accidents.

Ron Indiana

Pat:

Excellent analysis and post. It sure is good to see you on thread 1. Your voice needs to be heard.

Pat, Boston: This really is a defining moment for President Obama.

If you think so, be prepared to be disappointed. Again.

Great post, Louis. Feisty, there's much symmetry to the Ryan plan. It's a great way to redistribute $3 TRILLION dollars upward to the top 1%. Yes, the cuts in services and tax increases on 70% of Americans almost exactly balance the giant tax cuts that would be received by the top 1% and large corporations.

Conservatives attack on the middle class has been elevated to an all out war.

Thanks Ron. It's a bit of a stressful day today leading up to the president's speech.

Feisty, thanks for the information. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds. Honestly.

Ron Indiana

Pat:

Excellent analysis and post. It sure is good to see you on thread 1. Your voice needs to be heard.

I agree before shooting from the hip it would be better to wait and see

And shock of all shocks: the PCCC is already threatening to “withhold support” from the president they’ve never supported, out of pure OUTRAGE if the president continues his rank capitulation!

Please give me a break, there is no republican who would follow the Republican playbook i.e. drain the economy and put forth fake Christian values.

But if this is the action thye'll take I hope they understand Karma.

Ok i guess the government is not too concerned about mine and construction accidents.

Quit the complaining Jeff - all that matters is they GOT theirs! *insert snark*

You?

Well, you're expendable!

@ Pat, Boston & JohnB - You're welcome! ;o) It's astonishing what's happening in this country!

Why is it... it's US who have to bring these truth's to light?

We don't have a revenue problem, we have a problem with uncontrolled and completely undisciplined spending by the federal government – spending driven by the demands of a welfare state which insists on providing for every imaginable need of its citizens. That corrosive mindset has not only undermined the vitality of the citizenry that state purports to serve, but has also pushed us to the brink of fiscal Armageddon. But the left doesn't give a damn about that, they're too caught up in the fantasies fueled by their bogus class warfare narrative.

Obama has become this timid little man, not that he wasn't one to start with. Starting a war in Libya, and running away. Punting on his 2012 Budget Version 1.0, and coming out with a nothing but fluff plan for his 2012 Budget Version 2.0. Being passive to the point of letting the Republicans define the agenda and lead him around by the nose. Rolling over and playing dead on the 2011 budget cuts. Gitmo is to be closed, now Gitmo is to stay opened. Taxes were to stay the same, now taxes should go up. The 2012 budget should have a $1.65 trillion dollar deficit, now the 2012 budget should have less of a deficit. As a Senator, Obama votes against raising the debt ceiling, as President he wants a 'clean bill' to raise the debt ceiling. The man has no core beliefs, the man is a total phony.

Bill, Fairfax, VA: But the left doesn't give a damn about that, they're too caught up in the fantasies fueled by their bogus class warfare narrative.

The Left continues to bicker that "Rich must pay their fair share". Okay, the richest 10% pay 70% of the federal taxes, while making 46% of the income. So Lefties, how much more do you want them to pay?

You can never get a straight answer out of the Lefties on this issue, they prefer to wallow in their hatred. Maybe Obama will point his skinny finger out at the speech today and blame the rich for all the countries problems.

Bill, Fairfax VA

We don't have a revenue problem, we have a problem with uncontrolled and completely undisciplined spending by the federal government – spending driven by the demands of a welfare state which insists on providing for every imaginable need of its citizens

See Fiesty's post #1.4 - Wed Apr 13, 2011 9:19 AM EDT

Truthdig calls her a "Welfare Queen":

Bachmann's family farm received $251,973 in federal subsidies between 1995 and 2006. The farm had been managed by Bachmann's recently deceased father-in-law and took in roughly $20,000 in 2006 and $28,000 in 2005, with the bulk of the subsidies going to dairy and corn. Both dairy and corn are heavily subsidized — or "socialized" — businesses in America (in 2005 alone, Washington spent $4.8 billion propping up corn prices) and are subject to strict government price controls.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush

Don't forget Exxon, GE, Bank of America, Wal-mart, and the Koch brothers are all sucking off the tit of government subsidies.

So like by GF says..

Welcome to Conservative Land - land of the ridiculous and home of hypocrisy!

Oh I proved this Welfare Queen of the poor and minorities is bonk yesterday. It was a lie and fig newton of the decrepit mind of Reagan.

Some of you may know that I am a CPA---I take breaks between returns to check in here. One thing that I don't think people know about our tax rates---interest, dividends and capital gains are taxed at 15%; earned income in brackets that go up to 35%. This is what Warren Buffett talks about---does it make sense for him to pay tax at 15% on interest from a bank account while his assistant pays tax at rates up to 35% on her wages? Seems to me it is backwards.

Bill, Fairfax said: We don't have a revenue problem

What does this statement even mean? FR just said, taxes are lower in America than at any time since since the 1950's. But Bill can't abide raising them to pay for Bush's policies. I guess to the Republicans, a perfect system is one without any taxes. How you accomplish that AND have the strongest military in the world, public education for all, functioning infrastructure and a healthy population, is a puzzlement. The Greeks made a national hobby out of tax evasion, and look what happened to their economy. Republicans seem completely divorced from reality and are not taking responsibility for the costs of two wars and the tanking economy. This is not my father's Party. In his day, Republicans were the realistic ones, and Democrats were idealists.

@Amy

We don't have a revenue problem

What the issue is is that even a return to the Clinton tax rates will only cover around 30% of the current deficit. So, unless we are to raise taxes substantially above the Clinton rates we have to cut spending. That is why it is not a revenue problem.

JoAnnaSmith1

Pat, Boston: This really is a defining moment for President Obama.

If you think so, be prepared to be disappointed. Again.

Nothing could be worst that having Republi-clowns refusing to pay their fair share of taxes Georgie boy gave them from the Clinton surplus. Or stupid Republi-clowns wanting to slash & burn the poor & disadvantaged agenda as outlined by my GF Fiesty in her post #1.4 - Wed Apr 13, 2011 9:19 AM EDT

Worse, these idiots want the President to repeal his signature Healthcare reform which the CBO says will "Reduce the Deficit".

Steeler Fan-380417

One thing that I don't think people know about our tax rates---interest, dividends and capital gains are taxed at 15%; earned income in brackets that go up to 35%. This is what Warren Buffett talks about---does it make sense for him to pay tax at 15% on interest from a bank account while his assistant pays tax at rates up to 35% on her wages? Seems to me it is backwards.

Exactly, Steeler Fan even Warren Buffet and other billionaires have said so and are willing to pay more taxes

What kind of country do YOU want? I keep asking that question and apparently, the answer from the "teabaggers" is that they want a country that attacks the most vulnerable, redistributes wealth from the poor to the top 2% of the nation's earners, and then pontificates with serious faces (laughing at those they have lied to) about sacrifice. There IS no sacrifice from those who are screaming "I got mine, and by God, I want YOURS too." None. This is not new by the way, Republicans and the "teabaggers" who have gone by different names through the generations have been doing this since FDR's New Deal. They have made it their goal since that time to deconstruct those protections, setting up two classes in America. The very rich...and everyone else. They would have us to believe that in this time of economic insecurity, that the patriotic thing to do is to abandon those protections that keep people from starving...and give it to the rich because they allege, "that's who creates jobs."

Except they haven't.

They have simply demanded more, with the same full throated temper tantrum that you get from a 2 year old.

In Eisenhower's time, he had a short and succint answer to that same group of people who wanted to get rid of Social Security and unemployment. He said those people were "stupid."

Wonder what Eisenhower would say to those of you who are buying this hook, line and sinker? Would he call you stupid, or would he use a stronger epithet?

Stupid does not begin to describe those of you who are buying into these lies. What you are doing is evil, and could destroy the country and the world economy.

What kind of nation do YOU want?

Neither Obama nor Congress have a choice. IF - and this is a very big if- a balanced budget is as important as many seem to think, balance can only be achieved with a combination of spending cuts, revenue increases, and an overhaul of Social Security and Medicare.

While job creation seems to be uppermost in the minds of most Americans, reducing unemployment below 8% is in my estimation, a pipe dream. Too many jobs have been off-shored, American manufacturing continues to move to robotics and increased productivity with a smaller work force. Still, new jobs will be added simply as a function of increasing population. There's not going to be much help here raising tax revenue or in stimulating the economy.

There are plenty of cuts available in the budget. The sacred defense cow must be butchered. Mucho pork!!!! If we are willing to accept incremental budget cuts in every single area of the budget, we could easily handle 100-billion-dollars in cuts in 2012, probably more. Once on that path we can always find more efficiencies, and serious, but gradual cuts should be our goal each and every year.

Raising revenue is quite easy, but noisy. Simply raise the rates on the rich and clean up the tax code. There is no question - NONE - that the rich are getting richer. The current tax structure is not hurting them one teensy-weensy bit. No amount of screaming and whining can change the fact that the rich are doing just fine thank you, and have actually benefited from current policy. We must also institute a serious estate tax. If protecting estates for children of the rich is so damned important, the wealthy can start giving their kids their estates this very instant.

As far as Social Security, I'd bet that FDR and the folks who gave us this fabulous safety net never imagined it would have morphed into its current incarnation. Is it safe right now? Yes, but it won't be for long and we have played this game since I was a kid. We keep pretending to forestall Social Security's inevitable failure with bubble gum and baling wire. If this is to be a lasting program, we have to get the actuarials to work and we have to re-examine the intent of the program.

As far as Medicare, it too needs a serious check-up. Ryan's program is a cruel hoax. We should be looking to the medical folks for help on this. They are the most important component. They deliver the care - NOT private and/or public insurance.

We cannot forget education. We don't have to spend another dime above where we are now. In fact, it seems likely that we have room to cut costs even as we improve student performance. We must come to grips with the fact that compulsory school attendance does not guarantee an education. We must understand that we are sacrificing our brightest students on the altar of "mainstreaming" - a fraud of the first order. We must accept the fact that graduation rates are meaningless.

Finally, we must find a way to finance elections with public funds. Our entire electoral process is up for sale and in the hands of corporate America. This is extremely unhealthy, and virtually guarantees our decline into third-world status.

Time, for the third day in a row, to call "BS" on the persistent lie from the GOP/TP: "We don't have a revenue problem, we have a debt problem."

THE UNITED STATES IS NOT IN OR FACING A FISCAL "CRISIS," AND TEH REPUBLICAN CLAIM OF IT IS A LIE. jUST TO MAKE SURE THIS GETS THROUGH, HERE IT IS AGAIN: LIE, LIE, LIE.

The country is not in any sense in crisis, as posted yesterday and the day before. The ONLY "crisis" that might occur - in the sense of a present or immediate fiscal breakdown - would happen if the debt ceiling is not raised, forcing default on public obligations.

THE LIE ABOUT A FISCAL CRISIS IS USED TO JUSTIFY UNACCEEPTABLE ULTRA-RIGHT-WING ATTACKS ON LONG-HATED PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS.

As far as the Libertarian-driven Tea Party ideologues are concerned, any strategy, any tactic, no matter how reprehensible, that helps them achieve their despotic objectives is fine with them. When public policy is made on the basis that "the end justifies the means," the country is a terrible risk - just ask the oppressed in Germany of the 1930's, or the Egyptian people of the 2011's.

Sensible, calm, thoughtful work to sustain the fragile economic recovery, protect and promote formation of more jobs, develop a more advanced and competitive manufacturing sector, increase foreign markets, continue efforts to enable economic and social stabililty domestically (e.g., as much as possible aid the jobless to survive and stay in their communities, etc.), patiently improve public education and develop a superior workforce of highly-educated young people with hope for their future, and address significant issues of environmental degradation are certainly the priorities the President should address. And, by golly, that IS his policy platform.

But the GOP/TP seeks to tear it all down. They are literally "the enemies of the people."

The President has already proposed a program of deficit reduction and a pathway to paying down the national debt.

But the GOP/TP instead sees an opportunity, in a manufactured "crisis." to chase down policies that are not in the slightest relevant to the reasons they won voter support in 2010, and that voters still do not support on April 13, 2011. Why?

Because the GOP/TP accurately fears they will lose strength in the next election and the dream of an ultra-right-wing lifetime will be gone.

THE RIGHT WING LIARS ARE TRYING TO CHEAT THE NATION AND MOUNT A COUP D'ETAT.

Good grief, for all of you who don't understand the statement "we don't have a revenue problem" I've posted this data several times before, and I'll keep on posting it to defuse the lunacy of the left that the answer to all our problems is to just raise taxes.

CBO has projected that under the policy proposals in Obama's FY12 budget request revenues will rise to 19.3% of GDP in 2021. That compares to the historical average going back to 1970 of 18%. At the same time, spending is projected to rise to 24.2% of GDP in 2021. That compares to the historical average of 20.8% of GDP. So over the next ten years both revenues and spending are projected to rise, and in 2021 as a percentage of GDP both revenues and spending will be higher than their historical averages.

But the inconvenient truth is that the gap between spending and revenues persists, even though revenues will be RISING from where they are now. Closing that gap by raising taxes would require a hefty one-third increase in aggregate taxes in relation to GDP as compared to the forty year average. That's a lot, at least most normal people who do the math would think that's a lot. And oh BTW, raising taxes to that onerous level would only fix the budget deficit problem, not the debt problem.

Then there's the issue of how taxes are a drag on economic growth. Maybe a tax bump up here or there wouldn't do much economic harm in the grand scheme of things. But we're not talking about little tax bumps, we're talking about major bigtime tax increases in order to match our major bigtime spending problem.

We don't have a revenue problem, we have a problem with uncontrolled and completely undisciplined spending by the federal government.

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/121xx/doc12103/2011-03-18-APB-PreliminaryReport.pdf

More Kool-Aid anyone? Barack Obama is lost. He doesn't get it. He's never signed the front of a paycheck, and has no idea what the REAL world is like. His "deliberative" "academic" approach simply means he hasn't got a clue. How do you go from proposing a budget that increases spending to almost breaking your arm patting yourself on the back for the largest spending cuts in history? I'd say he was talking out both sides of his mouth, but it smells more like it's coming from a different orifice.

Obama is cobbling together his own plan because he is, once again, behind the curve on an issue of major importance to the electorate.

No Jo - While I will admit that deficit reduction is an important issue to discuss and try to address, I disagree that it is the main issue challenging us right now. I think that the major issue is still the economy. For those millions who are out of work, I don't really think that they care about the yearly deficit or the astonishingly large national debt, that is truly hard to comprehend and grasp. The primary discussion within the government should still be about job creation.

To make a point about the tax cut extension deal back in December it was stressed then by the GOP and Dems that it was needed to strengthen the improving recovery. If the Ryan plan cuts and solutions are put into place won't the economic recover weaken? Won't the services and safety nets that people need be lost right at the same time as all the job/budget slashing cuts? My point is, isn't the economic recovery too fragile to try to implement massive cuts?

I believe that tax reform is needed and that reasonable cuts (non idealogical cuts) should be made. The debt commission Obama created has spoken, Ryan has presented his plan. I will wait to see what Obama says and hope that he is not swayed by the rhetoric of the extreme right. I hope he understands that he still needs to lead and project a vision that all of us can accept.

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

Ok i guess the government is not too concerned about mine and construction accidents.

Quit the complaining Jeff - all that matters is they GOT theirs! *insert snark*

You?

Well, you're expendable!

Yea, for we both know that the next non union mine blast that traps and kills 20 guys (god forbid) the republicans will say, Oha the president cut OSHA, he does not care about the american worker.

Some of you may know that I am a CPA---I take breaks between returns to check in here. One thing that I don't think people know about our tax rates---interest, dividends and capital gains are taxed at 15%; earned income in brackets that go up to 35%. This is what Warren Buffett talks about---does it make sense for him to pay tax at 15% on interest from a bank account while his assistant pays tax at rates up to 35% on her wages?

________________________________________________________

Steeler fan: I am really, really happy you are NOT my CPA.

Anyone that knows the first thing about taxes and interest income knows it is taxed at the same rate as wages, not 15%.

Are you formerly of the Arthur Andersen CPA Enron audit team??

Back in 2009, the New York Times calculated that 37% of the deficits were due the economic downturn, 33% were due to Bush's policies, 20% were due to Obama's extensions of Bush's policies, and another 10% were due to Obama's policies like the stimulus.

Oh but to hear conservatives tell it, President Obama is responsible for all 14 trillion of the debt. Sure, we need to work on getting that debt down. But as others have already posted, we DO have a revenue problem.

The article states that taxes have never been lower since the 1950s than they are now. We've been talking about how the corporate tax rate is 35% but in reality only 6.6% is paid. Even the Deficit Commission recommends at least $1 in revenue for every $2 in cuts. And no, the "starve the beast" argument is fallacious--obviously since there have been times of surplus. Can anything penetrate the conservative cone of silence?

Overall the US pays less taxes than much of the world, combined with the largest defense budget in the world. Defense needs to be on the table just as much if not more than entitlements. As for entitlements, if people on Medicare can be moved to the Exchange in 2014, that could be a solution there--but Republicans would have to admit that HCR is something we need to keep--heaven knows they couldn't do that.

I hope the President can turn this debate toward one of reason.

Bill, Fairfax VA: Good grief, for all of you who don't understand the statement "we don't have a revenue problem" . . . .

Bill, let the Left run with what they think is a revenue problem. To do so puts them in the box of defining on who they will raise taxes on. Obama and the Democrats were too timid to even consider letting the Bush Tax Cuts (now the Obama Tax Cuts) expire on Jan01/2011. In fact, a heavily Democratic Congress went out of it's way to vote for those extensions, plus Obama threw a one year tax holiday of 2% payroll tax reduction for Social Security on top of it for good measure.

So if the Democrats want to raise taxes, let them tell us where they will raise them to close the budget gap as much as the Republicans have proposed. I think the Liberals will see those taxes will affect the middle class much more than they could ever imagine.

All GOP/TP should use the John Kyl disclaimer concerning abortion statistics at Planned Parenthood!

re: My statement "not intended to be factual"!

At last, admitting to lying!

Beverly, did you happen to see our Governor last night with Chris Hayes? They were talking about the celebration Governor Patrick held yesterday in honor of Romneycare, complete with cake and candles. LoL.

A co-worker came by this morning to invite me to a book signing by our Governor. I am so proud of him. He's quiet, never one to be all over the airwaves, but he's competent and as nice a man as you would want as a Governor. Dignified, polite, educated. And oh so handsome.

I wonder why he wrote a book? He's not running for re-election so there is a great deal of speculation going on - some are suggesting the Supreme Court.

After witnessing what the R Governors are doing across this Nation, we feel so fortunate to have him as our Governor.

Correction to the above -- I meant Medicaid (not Medicare) -- moving the poor to the Exchange. IMO we should all have Medicare.

Our taxes don't make any sense. It takes accountants to figure out anything more complicated than a 1040EZ form, just ask Gietner! We need a new tax system, one that is fair to ALL tax payers. No more tax brackets, just a flat tax rate that applies to everyone. If that isn't fair, then lets completely do away with all federal and state taxes and go to a pure consumption tax. That way, the people who spend more money will pay more in taxes, and EVERYONE will have to contribute to the tax base. Just think of the money we would save by doing away with the bulk of the IRS!!

All I really know is I paid a bunch in taxes last year, which I don't mind, but the guy sitting next to me got back more than he paid. How can you get back MORE than you paid? I read that only half of us actually pay federal taxes, while the rest don't pay any or get more back. How is THAT fair?

This isn't a Dem vs Republican thing, this is a Congress & Senate thing that doesn't get better no matter who is in power. It only gets better when there's a balance of power. Clinton losing both houses resulted in balancing the budget (altho Congress and Senate passed it and Clinton just signed it - both were Republican controlled after Clinton's first 2 yrs ending in mass voter revolt).

Cutting defense is a sugar coated word for more layoffs. That's MY job you're talking about. I don't have a teachers union backing me, but this is EXACTLY the same thing. Politicians are talking about mass layoffs in spending cuts.

newdayDAWNING10

Stupid does not begin to describe those of you who are buying into these lies. What you are doing is evil, and could destroy the country and the world economy.

What kind of nation do YOU want?

========================================

That's easy newday

These idiots are spinning out of control and are so paranoid and hung up on being extinct. I saw this (no kidding) on Hannity last night. They contend they want to exalt their privilege because they think they built America. I guess? It just sounds so t-baggerist to me so they want to take back their privileges. Dunno

Teachers Attend 'White Privilege' Conference on Taxpayers' Dime

http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/hannity/index.html

Also, Hannity scores once again in his bigotry; this time under the guise of his anti-tax rant.

"THE UNITED STATES IS NOT IN OR FACING A FISCAL "CRISIS," AND TEH REPUBLICAN CLAIM OF IT IS A LIE. jUST TO MAKE SURE THIS GETS THROUGH, HERE IT IS AGAIN: LIE, LIE, LIE."

Wow, talk about a totally out to lunch loon. You might want to take a look at what CBO has to say about this issue. You could start with checking out the charts in Figure 1-1 on page 5. Then mosey on over to the chart in Figure 1-2 on page 14 and maybe the graph on page 16. Then if you get really ambitious you could stop looking at the pictures and actually read the words. Like this tidy little blivet from page 20-21:

"…higher debt could raise the probability of a fiscal crisis in which investors would lose confidence in the government's willingness to fully honor its obligations, and thus, the government would be forced to pay much more for debt financing…. If interest rates on government debt spiked, the value of outstanding government debt would fall sharply. That decline in value could precipitate a broader financial crisis by causing large losses for mutual funds, pension funds, insurance companies, banks, and other holders of federal
debt. Experience in other countries suggests that resolving such a crisis would require fiscal policy changes that would be far more drastic and painful than if policies had
been adjusted sooner to avoid a crisis."

So, explain to all of us again just who is doing the lying here?

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/115xx/doc11579/06-30-LTBO.pdf

We Americans cannot address the deficit issue without looking at and cutting foreign spending. Take ALL domestic programs off the table. Look at programs that send money out of the US and then divert that money to paying off our debt making sure we can become strong again without beggaring our own population. Bring our troops home and out of harms way.

Savings, no more danger pay.

Savings, no more transportation cost for maintaining the supply line.

Savings, no more lost American servicemens lives due to combat.

JoAnna Smith - "Polls don't matter in this case"??????? Come on. The American people clearly don't want their Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid touched by a margin of 67%!! How much plainer can the people speak. Let's just put this in perspective JoAnna......Bush tax cuts (two of them) and two wars have pushed the deficit to unsustainable levels......High growth in Clinton years with a tax increase on higher earners......the obvious answer is to roll back the Bush tax cuts and draw down from the two wars that are sucking money out of our economy. I agree there needs to be adjustments in Social Security and Medicare and President Obama's Health Care Act started that process for Medicare. For Social Security it's easier......lift the cap on earnings from the current $116,000 up to say $250,000 or more. The age at which someone can start to collect full benefits is already rising and will continue to do so until it reaches the age of 67. The Republicans have tried to cut taxes so much until they have compromised the programs that most Americans don't want touched. The the Republicans claim....we have to cut spending and these programs because we don't bring in enough revenue....well Duh!!!! Talk about cynical slight of hand by the Republicans. They need to be called out for their mismanagement and lies on this issue.

Alan, NJ Thanks for the succinct explanation of Bill's "Revenues are not the problem."

What the issue is is that even a return to the Clinton tax rates will only cover around 30% of the current deficit. So, unless we are to raise taxes substantially above the Clinton rates we have to cut spending. That is why it is not a revenue problem.

Perhaps a better way to put it is "Revenues are not the solution." Clearly, cutting taxes while promulagating two wars contributed to the enormous jump in the federal deficit, so in fact, low taxes during the Bush error were most definietly part of the problem.

John A: "THE UNITED STATES IS NOT IN OR FACING A FISCAL "CRISIS," AND TEH REPUBLICAN CLAIM OF IT IS A LIE. jUST TO MAKE SURE THIS GETS THROUGH, HERE IT IS AGAIN: LIE, LIE, LIE."

Bill, Fairfax, VA:Wow, talk about a totally out to lunch loon

Because the Liberals have been cornered on the debt/deficit issue, they can either 1) Agree with the Republican plan 2) Counter with their own plan or 3) Deny there is a problem. Because 1) and 2) require the Liberals to think, they instead choose 3). It's just easier saying there isn't a problem. If you don't believe that, than you have to actually take a stand on how to fix the problem.

So now for the economy and the debt/deficit problem, it's come down to Put Up or Shut Up time for the Liberals. Either that, or just continue to whine about it.

Pat, Boston, MA

Beverly, did you happen to see our Governor last night with Chris Hayes? They were talking about the celebration Governor Patrick held yesterday in honor of Romneycare, complete with cake and candles. LoL.

Yes, I saw your Governor. I too think it is Hilllarious

A co-worker came by this morning to invite me to a book signing by our Governor. I am so proud of him. He's quiet, never one to be all over the airwaves, but he's competent and as nice a man as you would want as a Governor. Dignified, polite, educated. And oh so handsome.

I am too. Your Governor is from the Robert Taylor Homes Hhousing projects on the South Side of Chicago. I think they are torn down now. You know gentrification. LOL You can imagine how I beamed. We have some great politicos from Chicago President Obama, Carol Mosley Braun, and Rahm In Governor Deval, President Obama, and Carol Mosley Braun they were ordinary people without a lot of money who put their noses to the grindstone and worked hard. They shattered the myth. I think Rahm's family has a little money.

I wonder why he wrote a book? He's not running for re-election so there is a great deal of speculation going on - some are suggesting the Supreme Court.

After witnessing what the R Governors are doing across this Nation, we feel so fortunate to have him as our Governor.

That would be great Supreme Court Justice to cancel out Thomas and Scaila.

What I find amusing, as another poster mentioned, is the time of day he is giving this speech. Why during the day? Then it hit me. Because the tax paying citizenry will be at work, working to pay their taxes. While Obama's base will be at home watching TV. Go figure!

Hi, Beverly! We are on the way to losing our souls, don't you think?

laurie: JoAnna Smith - "Polls don't matter in this case"??????? Come on. The American people clearly don't want their Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid touched by a margin of 67%!! How much plainer can the people speak. Let's just put this in perspective JoAnna......

So the People should just continue to vote for pols that tell them what they want to hear. And when those programs aren't reformed and they fail, . . . . , oh well, that's just too bad.

laurie: the obvious answer . . . . .

Lets see if Obama's 2012 Budget Version 2.0 agrees with the "obvious" answer. I doubt Obama has the guts to actually take a stand on the budget though. He hasn't yet, no reason to think he will any time soon. Plus it's just so easy for him to demagogue the Republicans and Paul Ryan's plan, he'll probably choose that route.

Todd - If that isn't fair, then lets completely do away with all federal and state taxes and go to a pure consumption tax.

Pure consumption based taxes or sales taxes alone don't work. Just ask Texas.

Everything is bigger in Texas, including deficits. The sales tax revenues and low franchise business taxes couldn't generate enough to cover basic services. Reduced property taxes ensured that our school systems will gradually decline.

In fact, despite earlier warnings property taxes were lowered to unsustainable levels that caused huge shortfalls to school budgets. With no state income tax, the sales taxes in the recession and now the fragile recovery will be unable to pay for our basic state services. Unfortunately the people hit hardest will be those least able to weather the cuts, the elderly, the poor, low income students and the mentally ill.

___________________

Debate on committee substitute to HB 1 began on Friday, April 1^st. The Republican majority chose to cut deep, and threatening the infrastructure of Texas by reducing funding by 21% to public education and higher education, eliminating the Texas Grants financial aid program for incoming college students and reducing nursing homes’ funding by 33%. Some estimates have up to 80 % of the nursing homes in Texas closing due to the cuts. The Legislative Budget Board (the state’s non-partisan body that analyzes the budget and its impact) also estimates that this budget would eliminate over 355,000 public and private sector jobs in the next two years.

Medicaid is by far the largest health care program in the state. It accounts for over 25% of the Texas budget. HB 1 cuts funding for Medicaid by $ 4.7 billion for FY 2010-11 levels, and is $13.7 billion shy of requested funding to account for enrollment growth and cost increases. Texas already ranks 49th in per capita spending on Medicaid, barely offering the basic services to those eligible.

Other cuts in HB 1 assume that two state hospitals will be privatized. One State Supported Living Center will be closed, while funding for community services for those with intellectual disabilities are cut by 33%

_______

What happens to those not able to pull themselves up by the bootstaps or be responsible for themselves I don't know.

John A.:

I wish I could disagree with your post, even the tiniest bit. Unfortunately, you are correct in every particular. I would add this point to further buttress your argument about the debt. Social Security funds are used to buy treasuries. However, bookkeeping counts that lending as debt, thus adding to the "deficit". Actually, we could reduce the debt overnight simply by changing the accounting to reflect the fact that SS is not in deficit.

I do have a question. Only a very small number of people are actually driving this insane budget argument. The minions controlled by the wealthy have no grasp of arithmetic, however by virtue of their numbers and decibel level they lend legitimacy to the utterly false premise(s) of their masters.

If the filthy rich are able to hijack the debate and can actually continue to amass their unneeded wealth, what will they do when their idiotic supporters have been reduced to an even greater degree of servitude and they realize they've been had?

Bill Fairfax

I do hear what you are saying now, that raising taxes isn't a solution, in itself, to the deficit crisis, however 30% of the gigantic number we owe is still a gigantic number. It isn't honest to say that raising revenue won't help reduce the deficit.

President Obama increased spending during the initial phase of the Recession in order to pull us away from sliding into a Depression. Increased government spending to stave off collapse is actually a pretty orthodox strategy, from what I understand of economic theory.

As the economy recovers, spending can be dialed back. I see that. But what burns my butt is making seniors, unwed mothers and poor people out to be the "cause" of our deficit, and cutting services to them the "solution." I have heard Paul Ryan's budget compared to Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland From Being a Burden to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Public.

Batman- By fighting over there we give the enemy an easier opportunity and venue to fight us. It would be far more expensive to fight them over here.

Bev, this is from yesterday and it's awesome.

Governor To Veto Barnstable Sheriff Money

Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts announced today that he will sign off on millions of dollars to Massachusetts sheriff offices... but that he will veto the $104,000 destined for the Barnstable Country Sheriff's Office.

Patrick snuffed the BCSO's money shortly after they appointed disgraced cop/pol Jeff Perry as "special sheriff" for $110,000+. "They obviously don't need (the money)," said Patrick.

The state legislature wrote the money back in, but Patrick vetoed it today. "I'm going to sign all of it except the appropriation for the Barnstable sheriff. By all accounts, including his, he has the resources he needs for his operations. We don't have extra money to spread around," Patrick said.

Perry was hired by friend/campaign contributor BC Sheriff Jim Cummings. Cape Cod screamed in outrage. Perry resigned in shame from his last law enforcement job, as a Wareham police sergeant.

Multiple incidents went down where Jeff Perry looked really, really bad. He failed to see a child being attacked by a molestor/cop while 5 yards away, and later ran interference when the same cop attacked a second child.

Perry was defeated by Bill Keating when he ran for the 10th Congressional District's seat in Washington. Despite pledging to attack graft and wasteful spending, Perry had a hack job waiting for him after the voters denied his candidacy.

http://www.capecodtoday.com/blogs/index.php/2011/04/11/governor-to-veto-barnstable-sheriff-mone?blog=233

New Day Dawning, David Walker, John A: Great posts all! Thank you

Well, for the most important speech the President has made in his 2 1/2 years in office, one has to wonder why it is scheduled for the middle of the day? Last time I checked, taxpayers work for a living and the standard work week is Monday - Friday. So who exactly will he be addressing? Who among us has the ability to sit home and watch television all day every day and still have someone else pay our bills? Why isn't this being done in prime time? What is he afraid of, low ratings?

Nice shell game being played by the president and the democrats in congress. They are ONLY talking about entitlements and defense. What about all the other excess spending?

Will Obama talk about reducing government pensions? Will he talk about scrapping his pet projects for the good of the nation (high speed trains, zero emissions coal plants, etc)? Will he talk about cutting foreign aid? Will he talk about Libya and the billions we're projected to spend there? Will he talk about the financial drain illegal aliens put on the US economy? Will he talk about correcting the trade deficit with China and India? Will he talk about cutting the US sponsorship of the UN?

My bet is no. He'll just tell everyone that the republicans are trying to take away their savings...utter fear mongering BS from this inept community organizer who is afraid to lose the support of his campaign contributors.

Pat, Boston, MA

Did you see this Pat?

Not yet mayor, Rahm Emanuel helps turn struggling kid’s life around

[snip]

“I was being given a tour of the school, and there was a little boy sitting by the library, eyes like to cry, a disoriented look on his face,” remembers Owens. “I said, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ He said, ‘I hate school.’ ”

Owens asked who the boy was.

Owens instructed the boy to find a smile and bring it to her office the next morning. There, the University of Chicago graduate and the seventh-grader talked — he told her he is interested in government, and Owens told him she was a volunteer at Rahm Emanuel’s Hyde Park campaign office.

“He said, ‘Honestly? Are you for real? Do you know Rahm Emanuel is going to make my neighborhood safer?’ ” says Owens. “He literally ran off Rahm’s platform for me. I was completely floored. He knew more about Rahm’s platform than I did.”

DeJuan had heard Emanuel’s campaign promises on TV commercials.

“He would be on TV,” says the 13-year-old. “He would talk about how he was going to change the city of Chicago.”

Owens asked if he wanted to visit the local campaign office that Saturday.

“He was like, ‘Oh, my God, yes, yes!’” Owens says. “I told him to meet me there at 9:30. He was there at 9 o’clock.”

When Rahm walked in, DeJuan was very shy,” says Owens.

“I was kinda nervous,” says the teen. “I didn’t know what to say at first. He asked me my name, and I said, ‘DeJuan Brown.’ He asked me if I wanted to go canvassing, trying to get some votes.”

“Rahm said, ‘If it’s OK, do you want to knock on doors with us?’ ” says Cooper. “DeJuan really lit up.”

It was a cold, snowy day, and they began ringing doorbells in the neighborhood.

“Mostly Rahm said nothing,” says Owens. “This kid rattled off his platform. Rahm stood back, amazed.”

Ever since, Emanuel occasionally phones DeJuan, or his mother, or the school.

“Rahm checks on him, sees how his homework is going,” says Cooper.

Fast-forward to April,” says Owens. “DeJuan has not had one suspension, his grades have gone up, he’s a student leader, he loves school, he’s excited. Everyone walks around the building amazed at how he has turned this kid around, a complete 100 percent transformation.”

“My son is dyslexic,” says Covington. “Rahm motivated him to overcome his obstacles. The stars are the limit.”

On Friday, DeJuan got another call from the mayor-elect.

“He says, ‘DeJuan, how you doing?’ ” says the teen. “I said, ‘I’m doing fine.’ ”

And?

“They want me to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.”

At the May 16 mayoral inauguration?

“Yes.”

Anything else?

“He said I could come by the office.”

What advice will he give the mayor?

“Just to stay motivated — like the advice he gave me,’’ says DeJuan Brown

http://www.suntimes.com/4767814-417/not-yet-mayor-rahm-emanuels-helping-kids-succeed.html

================================================

Isn't that a lovely story? It reminds me of the little 2 yr old kid who was crying because he wanted to help Gov Crstie in NJ

Typically, the blinders worn by the right wing prevent them from even reading well. I've posted the past two days a detailed definition of "crisis" and used an abbreviated form in today's post - but some folk don't bother with the specifics. "But, but, but ..." they splutter - and all that does is get slobber on their chins.

The one-note Johnnies ignore the actual conversation and just try to spin it back to their talking points. Phooey - they are simply irrelevant and they defend the lies!

The ONLY "crisis" facing the country right now is posed by a hypothetical question: What happens if the debt ceiling isn't raised?

Well, here's the answer, from http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/03/news/economy/debt_ceiling_faqs/index.htm?hpt=T1 :

In short, if lawmakers fail to raise the ceiling this year, they will have two choices, both awful.

They could either cut spending or raise taxes by as much as $738 billion just to cover the period from April 1 through Sept. 30, which is the end of the fiscal year. Or they could acknowledge that the country would be unable to pay what it owes in full and the United States could effectively default on some of its obligations.

The first option would be impossible to execute without negative economic repercussions.

And the second option could cripple the economy and send world markets into a tailspin.

"Not only the default but efforts to resolve it would arguably have negative repercussions on both domestic and international financial markets and economies," according to the CRS.

At a minimum, a default could hurt U.S. bonds, the dollar and investors' portfolios. "Our bond market and stock market would crash," Penner asserted.

From the same article, an interesting revelation: the REASON the debt ceiling is being approached is because the Congress and president agreed to the tax cuts and spending that requires the increase. it is a cynical ploy that the GOP/TP use to basically try and further cut current revenues and try to undo what they previously accepted - but that's the devious, untrustworthy right wing way, anyhow:

How is the ceiling determined? Based on policies in place, such as the $858 billion tax cut compromise passed in December, lawmakers have already committed to incurring the obligations that require them to raise the debt ceiling.

"Congress has already passed and the President has already signed legislation that increases spending or decreases revenues. Those decisions have already been made," said Susan Irving, director for federal budget issues at the Government Accountability Office.

In that sense, much of the political rhetoric is misleading because the money has already been committed and lawmakers are arguing over whether to pay the bill, according to former Congressional Budget Office Director Rudolph Penner.

David Walker for President! I am enjoying your posts. I didn't know that about Social Security :

Social Security funds are used to buy treasuries. However, bookkeeping counts that lending as debt, thus adding to the "deficit". Actually, we could reduce the debt overnight simply by changing the accounting to reflect the fact that SS is not in deficit.

AmyB - Ryans plan, just like obamas plan or the debt commissions plan or gang of 6 plan should be looked at what is says in writing not what someone elses opinion of it is. Of course if you chose to accept someone elses opinion that would be your perogative.

Regardless no plan is perfect, and I doubt any plan will be approved without debate and modification.

Anyone that knows the first thing about taxes and interest income knows it is taxed at the same rate as wages, not 15%.

Maybe you need a different CPA;

Which tax rate the dividends qualify for depends on what the regular tax rate on the dividends would be. This is determined by your tax rate on earned income.

• -Dividends qualify for the 0% rate (tax-free) if you fall within the 10% or 15% tax brackets.
• -Dividends qualify for the 15% rate if you fall within a higher tax bracket. There are exceptions, so see IRS Publication 550 for more information.

http://www.1040.com/site/FederalTaxes/Income/Dividends/tabid/185/Default.aspx

Hedge Fund managers (the folks who crashed our economy) in fact worked really hard to protect that sweetheart deal when President Obama wanted to end it. Fortunately their Conservative friends were happy to look out for the interests of the wealthy elites.

After tense moments in the great tax debates of 2010, two important tax breaks for hedge funds and investment managers survived repeal efforts from Congress and the White House. Although Democrats tried hard to repeal “carried interest” tax breaks for investment managers, along with a related repeal of the S-Corp self-employment (SE) tax reduction breaks for professionals (including investment managers), Republicans saved the day with a successful filibuster blocking cloture on tax increases.

http://blogs.forbes.com/greatspeculations/2011/02/14/new-tax-law-strokes-hedge-fund-managers/

@Amy

Perhaps a better way to put it is "Revenues are not the solution." Clearly, cutting taxes while promulagating two wars contributed to the enormous jump in the federal deficit, so in fact, low taxes during the Bush error were most definietly part of the problem.

Without a doubt. Nobody in history started two wars and then lowered taxes. But if we agree that Bush was an economic basket case why is Obama following the same playbook? He raised the number of troops in Afghanistan and then agreed to an extension of the Bush tax rates. HCR is already costing more than projected (shock) which is no different than Bush's unfunded Medicare-D. At least the stimulus was a one off and is now winding down.

I do not think that poor people caused the financial crisis but the entitlement programs and deferred benefits such as pensions simply cannot be paid for in their present form. If you look at liberal democratic states such as California, Connecticut and New York they are raising taxes and cutting benefits. If you want a projection of the future look at San Francisco where the pension requirements are now equal to the operating budgets of the same departments. I realize that this is not social justice but if we do not cut these benefits then as the CBO predicts the austerity imposed by a spike on interest rates will be much much worse.

newdayDAWNING10

Hi, Beverly! We are on the way to losing our souls, don't you think?

I think it has got to be something in the food and water? I mean I just have never, ever. in all my years on this earth seen such a mess.

I talk to people in their 80s & 90s and the majority of them say the same thing. Did you see Barbara Boxer on MSNBC say too in all her years in Congress she'd never seen anything like this?

Thanks, fielden for the compliment. Beverly: it takes me back to the 1950's and the Red Scare. The Republicans are being the same kind of reactionary fear mongers that they were at that time. But, current research, using MRIs, (and would one of you come up with the name of that study, I can't recall it.) shows that conservatives have a very large area in their brains that makes them fearful. Liberals have a large area in their brains for complicated information. We are simply smarter.

We do have a revenue problem. It’s simple, money in and money out. I don’t know what’s so hard to understand. The Republicans –Tea Baggers are lying when they say other wise. Raise Taxes on the top 2% and stop corporate welfare.

Also, the Ryan plan is a disaster that will die in the Senate or face the President's veto.

Job1

We do have a revenue problem. It’s simple, money in and money out. I don’t know what’s so hard to understand. The Republicans –Tea Baggers are lying when they say other wise. Raise Taxes on the top 2% and stop corporate welfare.

Raise taxes on top 2% to Clinton rates = 70B. Stop Corporate Welfare (including R&D credits?) Well the rest of the discretionary budget is around $1.3T so if we get rid of everything then yes you can balance the budget, but no cabinet level departments will have funding. Is this what you're advocating?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_federal_budget

interesting sidebar! The Republican's/Tea party defunded a request by the IRS for the additional personnel and logistics required to go after tax cheats. The IRS estimated that last year (in just one year alone) that this Country lost 310 BILLON, let me repeat that - 310 BILLION - let me repeat this again - 310 BILLION to intentional either fraud and or erroneous fillings. This is TEN TIMES - let me repeat this - TEN TIMES more then what was cut from the budget. This wasn't even a change to the tax code just a request for manpower that would have realized 310 billion in revenue. If the REpublican's ran this country like a business we would all go broke except for the CEO and his cronies (you know Golden Parachutes). Oh that's right... they already did!

The ONLY "crisis" facing the country right now is posed by a hypothetical question: What happens if the debt ceiling isn't raised?

Good grief, you are so far off the mark it would be laughable if it weren't so pathetic.

You may have missed what Erskine Bowles had to say about the debt issue a week or so ago: "I think we face the most predictable economic CRISIS in history." You do know who Erskine Bowles is, don't you? Former Clinton chief of staff and co-chair of Obama's debt commission. So he's not exactly a poster boy for purveying right wing rhetoric. And he wasn't talking about your hypothetical scenario, he was talking about the real scenario of the large long term debt that is staring us all in the face.

The only lies on this issue are coming from the left.

I don’t understand why everyone thinks throwing money at the problem is going to work. Look at how well the stimulus project worked. I don’t see more jobs being created do you and for those that follow unemployment numbers don’t be fooled those numbers are based on how many people are receiving benefits but what about those that no longer can receive benefits but still have no job. Everyone is also quick to want to raise taxes on the uber rich. Which is cool but remember this these rich folks are not going to take a cut in their profits. What will happen is they will raise prices on goods that the middle class and poor use to make up for the difference. To me this should be very apparent to those that criticize the tax cuts. Now I do believe they need to cut the loopholes that these people use to get out of paying the already slashed taxes.

Top earners are the target for new tax increases, but the U.S. tax system is already highly progressive. The top 1 percent of income earners paid 40 percent of all federal income taxes in 2007, while the bottom 50 percent paid only 3 percent. More than one-third of U.S. earners paid no federal income tax at all.

http://www.heritage.org/budgetchartbook/top10-percent-income-earners

So to all the people on here making crap up the uber rich do pay taxes and they pay a good chunk of them too.

I am sick and tired of dirty politicians. I will also be pissed if they mess with people on SS. If the greedy a$$ government would stop borrowing money from it to balance their very delusional budgets we wouldn’t be in this mess. They want people who worked their whole lives and paid into the system to get even less money than they do now. That is bull$h!t. I know at least 3 people that are old and they have to deal with Medicare which they are already struggling to pay their co-pays on meds. now i hear discussions of cutting benefits more and raising co-pays and maybe the retirement age. This is nonsense. I think they need to make all these congressmen pay for their own health care like the rest of us. Hell they make more than us and they think it is perfectly fine to mess with our healthcare so make them deal with the same crap of a system they created.

Then he wants to cut defense budget. Is he going to bring our kids home or is he going to continue 3 wars and make them work with less. I would like to add that our soldiers already don’t have enough equipment to keep them safe.

Also I think it is funny that the government wants to go after our social programs but doesn’t want to address all the money we send to foreign countries to assist them. They want to short the American people but continue to pump our hard earned money into countries that don’t even like us. I was reading about how we just gave a Brazilian oil company 2 billion dollars to build their company and create jobs for Brazilians. Obama banned companies from drilling in the gulf and in Alaska but he is going to let the Brazilians do it with our money. This is stupid, why not let an American oil drilling company do it so they can hire fellow Americans to create Jobs for Americans. Then he said he wants to be their first customers to by oil from them. OMG!!!!! Lets shift our foreign oil dependency to yet another foreign country while they tap oil from our shorelines.

I have a question What happen to the Financial Reform Billl signed by Obama last year.

What happen to the consumer protection agency, federal oversight authority, executive pay guidelines?

Obama - We all win when consumers are protected against abuse. And we all win when folks are rewarded based on how well they perform, not how well they evade accountability."

So, do we have protection and oversight or what?

I don't understand Republicans . . .

First, they call Obama Care socialism. THEN they support Romney Care which is the EXACT SAME THING. Furthermore, they also support Ryan's plan, which takes Obama Care one more step and cuts Medicaid.

So when Obama passes health care it is socialism . . . but when Romney or Ryan does the SAME THING, it is good for our country. WTF?

Second, I hear Republicans on here yell about FACTS, every single day. Then REPUBLICAN John Kyl makes an outright LIE, and admits that it was not intended to be factual. So you republicans want facts, but support a liar who ADMITS to making stuff up. What is wrong with you?

Hey . . . remember when Planned Parenthood, Unions, Teachers, Health Care, and low-income people bankrupted the economy and threw us into the worst recession since the Great Depression? Ya, me neither.

So as I read through this mismash of oh about 14 or so liberal posters I see............ a lot of butter laden popcorn being eaten and your BMI going throught the roof. As here in Michigan us Independents are still center to right on this. I know your all going crazy because you dont understand why the MAJORITY with an I next to their names dont see things your way......but we dont. This is obviously something that you just dont get....... because I see it over 60% of your posts! You dont have to GET it, you just have to understand that it is what it is!

So, do we have protection and oversight or what?

Working on it thetotas, though Republicans continue to do everything possible to keep it from happening. Even getting someone to lead the team required the President to appoint the brilliant Elizabeth Warren as an "interim" director due to their intent to filibuster any official nominee. More information about the status of this effort here;

http://www.treasury.gov/initiatives/Pages/cfpb.aspx

I'll get off of my increase revenue through tariffs bandwagon for now, and jump on the "Before we increase anyone's taxes, shouldn't we first tax corporations that made 15B in profits, but paid zero in tax? And not allow them a 3 Billion tax credit?"

Since Obama hand picked the CEO to be on his business council to create jobs, I'm sure he can propose that at the next meeting.

That, or just go ahead and increase taxes on small business.

Anyone that knows the first thing about taxes and interest income knows it is taxed at the same rate as wages, not 15%.

Maybe you need a different CPA;

Which tax rate the dividends qualify for depends on what the regular tax rate on the dividends would be. This is determined by your tax rate on earned income.

___________________________________________

Sorry John B: INTEREST on a bank account, which is what Steeler Fan referred to in her post and DIVIDENDS which you refer to in your post ARE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF INCOME FOR TAX PURPOSES. Interest is taxed at ordinary income tax rates up to 35%, the same as wages. dividends are taxed at separate rates up to 15%.

For a so-called CPA to state "This is what Warren Buffett talks about---does it make sense for him to pay tax at 15% on interest from a bank account while his assistant pays tax at rates up to 35% on her wages?" is moronic incompetence and her preparing and signing tax returns is professional malpractice. Your lame attempt to support her and confusing interest with dividends is just FUNNY!!!!!!!

If you read the links you'll see that the loophole in question is one that allows executives (especially hedge fund managers) to be paid in capital gains. SF and I were both accurate. You're attempting to confuse the issue.

John B: Sorry, pal. SF ONLY mentioned "interest from a bank account" being taxed at 15% and she is dead wrong on that issue. Go back and read her post SLOWLY. You, may think she mentioned "that the loophole in question is one that allows executives (especially hedge fund managers) to be paid in capital gains.", but, all that proves is that you have a reading comprehension problem or are delusional, or both.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JoanneSmith makes up more unrealistic, undocumented, unsupportable statistics than 98.7 per cent of the right wackos on the internet.

The speech many lefty liberals wish Barry would deliver this afternoon:

Good afternoon. As we all know, America has been facing an economic crisis and, while my solutions have helped us put the country back on the road to recovery, it has taken too long and too many of the American people, other than the top two percent of the richest American’s, are suffering. It is now time for bold action.

Today, I’m proposing two fundamental changes in the way America’s tax system and the economy works. All those thousands and thousands of pages of tax laws, and rules and regulations, and forms will be eliminated and be replaced by one simple three line form that will be filed by every taxpayer whether they are individuals, families, corporations, partnerships, etc. This graphic shows my new federal tax form 44, named after my presidency:

1. Enter the amount you earned:
2. Subtract $250,000
3. Make out your check to the IRS for this amount:

If line 3. Is a negative number, meaning you earned less than $250,000, you will be entitled to a federal voucher for the difference from my new cabinet level Department of Free Lunches. There will be at least one office in every zip code in the nation.

My second initiative will refocus the way America views high unemployment. Rather than wallow in dismay at the current high unemployment rate, I ask you to welcome and embrace it. It is a well known economic fact that every $1.00 spent on unemployment benefits returns a $1.60 in economic activity. Today, I am proposing that a major portion the trillions in new revenue from my tax reform plan be used to achieve the goal of 50% unemployment by the time of my inauguration on January 20, 2013. I call my plan “Prosperity Through Unemployment”. With a $1.60 to $1.00 economic growth factor, under my plan the American economy will be the strongest and fastest growing in the world.

Thank you and may God bless America.

FR: Expect the president to use Ryan’s budget as a foil. Heading into next year’s election, if the two plans are Ryan’s and Obama’s, that’s a fight the White House thinks it can win.

Sure. Who wouldn't vote for $1.5 trillion dollar deficits for years to come?

Obama is so far out of his depth, everything is political for him. Pundits say politicians can't "Touch the third rail of entitlements", but yet Ryan and that Republicans are, Ryan and the Republicans have solid plans for controlling government spending, and the party is flourishing for doing so. Mr. Change, Barack Obama, though still advocates the status quo. So go ahead Obama, attack Ryan, attack the Republicans. Think that will show great leadership on your part?

Great in depth coverage Navy. I'm sure the president will address many of these issues within the next year or two. The party of No will vehemently deny they are not attempting to destroy us. But when you stand against the president and him doing what is right, then you obviously stand for what's wrong and that is what the Republican Party is doing.

"Cantor tried to make the argument Bush did create a strong economy during his administration."

At this point, it's time to change the channel. Bush can never be defended.

Giggidy

(:^o)

JoAnnaSmith1

Obama is so far out of his depth, everything is political for him. Pundits say politicians can't "Touch the third rail of entitlements", but yet Ryan and that Republicans are,

Yes Joanna because the republicans could give less than 2 sh*ts about old people, poor people, you say that Obama is all about politics, well honey we just saw the republicans try and use a political issue to shut the government down. wow talk about politics. but why do they care, most will never grow old and all will never have to worry about health care if they grow old. right Joanna, i guess you one of them.

Sure. Who wouldn't vote for $1.5 trillion dollar deficits for years to come?

Most Sane politicals who are up for re-election, and most sane politicals who know if we balance the budget on the backs of poor and old people while the upper 2% feel NO pain, will burn in hell. If your a religous person and Joanna from all your post, i see you have not been to church in 20 years.

Nice post Jeff. Evidently JoAnna didn't see the chart Ed Schultz has been showing that clearly indicates the competence of our President when it comes to the economy.

The GOP lost 500,000 jobs with the Bush tax cuts. 500,000.

President Obama has been tenacious in trying to dig us out of this hell hole that JoAnna's party created.

Pat, Boston: President Obama has been tenacious in trying to dig us out of this hell hole that JoAnna's party created.

Ahh, we're back to blaming Bush, in bold letters too, so I guess you really mean it. You really need to update your talking points to exclude blaming Bush (Getting a little stale, no?), and substitute blaming Paul Ryan. A good editor will allow you to do a global replace with little work.

Obama has demonstrated no competence on any issue. Just what has he improved? You talk about job creation (pathetic at best), but you neglect Obama's world record spending. So who do you expect to pay for the $4.3 trillion Obama has added to the debt? Oh, I know, the "rich". It's always someone else that needs to pay for the mores of Liberals. Just as long as you get yours, and you don't have to pay for it, you don't care, correct?

Keep cheerleading your guy Obama Pat. He is just sooo "smart".

Pat, Boston, MA

President Obama has been tenacious in trying to dig us out of this hell hole that JoAnna's party created.

Pat you know darn well that the republicans are all incent in this LOL, according to joanna its the democrats fault for allowing the republicans to screw up everything. come on Now, you should know better than that!!!! Joanna is your typical out of touch, low information voter, nothing is ever the fault of the republicans. their perfect,

see she is on the don't blame Bush stuff, see i was right.

What the hell is happeing to the celtics.

What the hell is happeing to the celtics.

The Celtics, The Red Sox. Oh man. Lol.

I wonder how this goonish republicants think.

you want to cut spending to grow the economy and not raise taxes to generate revenue.

isn't that asking china for more cheques.

US Navy,

Good synopsis on some of the debt commission's (DC) main points. I would disagree with you on some of your positions about their tax reform ideas however. I agree with the DC that all the Bush/Obama tax cut extensions should be eliminated. The 2% cuts estimated to be $70 billion a year are just not enough, the rest of us nearly walked away with $400 billion a year. I also think that their idea to cut deductions out of the tax code would be a great source of revenue. The mortgage interest deduction although beneficial to me for the first ten years of home ownership, don't use it and don't miss it now as it is not beneficial (been paying more principal then interest for years).

I believe the DC agree with a more stringent form of the estate tax and encourage broader taxation of business. Their ideas on social security reform is to gradually raise the age to retire with some provisions for hard labor intensive jobs. I can buy off on that to generate savings more willingly then to see Ryan turn medicare into a voucher or HSA type program for the wealthy.

I just sat and listened to two millionaires talk about the Bush tax cuts the Republicans/Koch Bros etc just had to have and Ryan's great idea of no tax hikes for the rich. What a refreshing and sane conversation it was for a change.

Morris Pearl who is a managing director with BlackRock, one of the largest investment management firms in the world (very wealthy) and Dennis Mehiel, chairman, CEO and sole sharholder of the Four M Corporation, Fonda Group, Box USA (U.S. Corrugated, (very, very wealthy.)

Both gentlemen agree that the Bush tax cuts need to go and the rich need to pay more taxes. They said they cannot understand how the wealthy can accept the Bush tax cuts while the middle class is expected to shoulder the worst of everything. They said they want to see the tax cuts go and they are willing to pay higher taxes and are encouraging other wealthy people to do the same. They said it does not make sense to continue these cuts while crushing the middle class. It was wonderful to listen to these two very wealthy, and intelligent men discuss the irrationality of Bush tax cuts and Paul Ryan's plan to burden the middle class while rewarding the rich once again.

nwnative - excellent post. The main reason why some of the more 'intelligent' rich people are sounding the alarm about taxes is because they KNOW that their business depends on the middle-class. It makes no sense to bankrupt and remove the ones that are making the money!! It makes better sense to make sure the 'worker bees' have SOMETHING - so that they continue to buy the products that are being sold.

Yesss Sir, Pietro, the middle class carries the economy because they are the majority and do not have all the write-offs & financial sink holes and loopholes the rich pigs have as they pay NO taxes! The rich pigs don't pay a fair share of their taxes because they have all these diverting tax shields! The Repubs are brainwashing Americans regarding giving the rich pigs a tax pass. Clinton taxed the rich pigs and look where this took America!

Duh, if we learned anything from the rat sinkhole of Iraq, then Obama should get us outta the financial rat hole of Afganistan ASAP! Go after the rich pigs and all of these financially draining wars and skirmishes, save entitlements and give breaks to the economy carrying and spending middle class. How much money did the middle class divert [by spending] into the economy when Clinton was prez?

Clinton inherited a debt, helped the middle class and erased the debt. And, he went after the rich pigs. No rat hole wars, help the middle class so they can spend, spend and zap the Americans most able to pay and assist in this crisis, the wealthiest. And save entitlements for the elderly and the future.

US Navy Disabled Veteran - Retired,

I love your posts! My biggest concern as a Progressive, Liberal, Democrat and an American is that Obama is not the brilliant strategist we hope him to be. This opportunity for him to realize common sense "Economic Populism" (and which it appears a clear majority of American are bitting at the bit for) is not only in his best interests politically... ethically... morally... as an exercise in fairness but the best way to balance the budget in a relatively short period of time. Unfortunately, he is so busy triangulating and going after Independents (Swing Voters) that he can't see the forest for the trees. Honestly, I think this man may have a deep seated, pathological and self defeating need to be like by his enemies!

Yellow Dog:

Thank you for your post and I agree with you. I also have outlived the usefulness of the mortage deduction as well but I hope other people do use it though but as you said it is pretty much a temporary deduction as sooner or later you are paying more in principal than interest and the benefit just is no longer ass great if at all. Great post and you have a great week. I always look to see what you are saying.

Tank: Thank you as well. Your post hit it square on the head, Kudos my friend and have a great day. Look to see you post more often I like your style.

The President just gave a solid speech.

Way to make up conversations. Comeon people, you know your in the minority and your trying to make up stuff to bolster your angry hurt feelings. Sorry but until the spending is cut radically there will be no tax increase. Im a director level employee in a Major global corp. I talk with C levels all the time, make up all the stuff you want. Its humorous to some extent.

Enjoy the Vine, but finding JoAnnaSmith extremely tedious and wonder why those of you who are clearly of far superior intellect waste your time feeding her tiresome thoughts. I'm sure she is a lovely person, with a good heart, but her politics is incredibly lame. And for those who insist on calling President Obama "Barry", and using any other clever little word play names, stop it. The biggest problem this country has is the inability to have intelligent dialogue, discussion without sarcasm, and willingness to think beyond the sound bytes.

Skor154,

What your anger is really asking for is to eliminate tax shelters and deductions. I pay 33% to federal and 8% to state. The only deductions that I take are mortgage interest and taxes I paid to the state (on my Federal). Since I pay the highest % allowed, I don't agree that it is "fair" that you raise my taxes, and not yours, simply to pay my "fair" share.

If you thing the "ultra rich" pay less % than the middle class, either eliminate deductions, or fight or higher dividend taxes. Neither of which belongs in the raise the rich taxes, but ignore the rest of the equation camp.

And you are right about Clinton inheriting debt, and having a surplus. But you forgot to add "With a Republican Congress"

I would like to see everyone pay their fair share, too.

Maybe we can start with the FOOs- Friends of Obama- like Immelt and Geithner, then move on the all the White House aides who owe back taxes.

Then, we can address the issue of the fact that almost half pay no income taxes, but, instead, get welfare from the rest of us. If you have no skin in the game, you have absolutely no place dictating what the rest of us pay for your services. I do not care if it is only $10- any amount will do. It is completely unacceptable that half of the country rides on the earnings of the other half.

As to cutting the budget- start with the GAO report, which outlines $200 billions in waste and duplication. We taxpayers paid for that report, let's implement those cuts immediately.

Then, let's have a look at the debt commission report we also paid for- we may not implement all of it, but I am sure that there are many policies we could implement. These commission members cannot all be stupid, now, can they? I mean, Obama appointed them, did he not?

I am under 55, and I think Ryan's proposal to make Medicare a voucher program for my generation and those that follow is a good one. For those not adept at navigating the insurance market, he built in time to learn.

As to Social Security, I saw a plan, ( forgive me, I do not remember the author), that would allow those of means a choice: take your and your employer's contribution as a lump sum at the Social Security retirement age, or opt to wait ten years for a re- evaluation of your financial situation, if you believe that you will need monthly checks at that time.

Please note that nothing in this, or any other, plan forces Warren Buffet or Bill Gates to accept their Social Security checks. They are free to forego those payments in the interest of putting their money where their mouths are.

no joe, no bo, nj

I would like to see everyone pay their fair share, too.

No you don't No Jo, all your past post tells everybody here that the budget must be balanced on the backs of people who can't afford it. Nice try

I am under 55, and I think Ryan's proposal to make Medicare a voucher program for my generation and those that follow is a good one. For those not adept at navigating the insurance market, he built in time to learn.

No Jo Ryan's plan does not allow for inflation so as health care cost go up at the rate of inflation again his plan fall short, it gives about half of what it takes to buy free market health care, it will also cause states to pick up what the persons insurance does not cover. it also does not address, what do we do about people who still have no health ins but shows up at the emergency room (illegals). its a half ass plan that passes cost down to pike, in the end some one will have to pay for what Ryan's plan is short on.

On meet the press Ryan was asked if the Republicans will try end mortgage interest deductions, no answer and he changed the subject.

Jeff, I had a conversation this past weekend with no joe about "everyone paying their fair share".

She told me I was envious of the rich. You just can't make this stuff up.

Pat, Boston, MA

Jeff, I had a conversation this past weekend with no joe about "everyone paying their fair share".

She told me I was envious of the rich. You just can't make this stuff up.

Pat, I think the shoe is on the other foot, she is the one who idolizes rich folks, she thinks they can cure cancer, carry our ecomony(not) create jobs for every american (LOL) and pay no tax. i bet if she crossed paths with a rich person she would drop to her knees and kiss their hand.

Not to mention, but Ryan's plan is nothing but another windfall for insurance companies. Remember that insurance companies are the "middle men" in the business of making profits--not providing money for health care. Our huge, ever increasing premiums are the result of healthcare for profit. People complain about the high costs of medical care--it is not entirely due to the doctors--much has to do with the ever increasing "overhead/administrative" costs that are charged by inurance companies. Before anyone says "but they have such a small profit margin--1-3%" I would like to point out that this translates into hundreds of millions of dollars--dollars we pay for health care that they do NOT pay out in benefits! Medicare has a small administrative cost of around 6-7%, health insurance companies have administrative costs around 20%. That is money we pay for exhorbitant upper management salaries, perks, and bonuses!

"Republicans and Democrats alike said Tuesday that failing to raise the debt limit would invite catastrophe. But many said they could not in good conscience authorize more borrowing unless Obama agreed to cap federal spending, adopt triggers to force rewrites of the tax code and entitlement programs, or accept some other binding mechanism for bringing the debt under control."

From "Lawmakers urge Obama to accept mandatory restraints on spending"

-By Lori Montgomery and Zachary A. Goldfarb, The Washington Post, 4-13-2011-

Good luck Mr. President, if all you intend to offer today are vague, broad guidelines accompanied by platitudes as a means of addressing the nation's debt problems.

If so, you're behind the curve.

We're way past that.

It sounds as though members of both parties intend to use the issue of the raising of the debt ceiling to wring a comprehensive plan out of you.

You want bipartisanship?

Looks like you're going to get some, Mr. President.

My dear Pat, everyone is NOT paying their fair share.

47% pay NOTHING, but get back money they never paid in, from the 53% of us who DO pay taxes.

This is unfair.

If yup are a friend of Obama, you, also, pay nothing- or very little. He has aides who owe back taxes- should they not pay their "fair share"?

I called you out on your obvious hatred of those who earn more than you- the root of that hatred is envy. You should do something about that.

I, personally, contribute more to charity than the vice president. I say this, not for congratulation, but because it is important to point out the hypocrisy of the left, who seek to steal- that's right, steal- from those who produce in order to keep a permanent underclass to exploit.

I have nothing but contempt for those like Buffet and Gates, who moan about tax rates, while sheltering their wealth in tax exempt foundations, and who, by the way, could easily, and with much fanfare, pay more than the government says they owe in taxes, but prefer to talk, rather than act.

Do not get me started on Immelt- who is the biggest thief in the gang of thieves who people this administration. Suffice to say I object to making him wealthier on my dime. By the way, care to comment on the lackmof media feeding frenzy about his place in the administer

Sorry- I cut myself off. Care to comment on Immelt's role in the administration? If this were a republican presidency, it would lead the news nightly. If this were a Clinton administration, the same would be true. Why the crickets?

You do not think the media has a stake in this administration, do you? In direct violation of their constitutionally protected role?

For the Social Security issue, I say take away the max rule of incomes 107,000-116,000 amounts that have the Social Security tax. If you make 5 Million a year, you should have the 6.2 Percent of the 5 Million paid into social security. However, I would not require the business to pay the matching past the 116,000. Problem solved.

Yeah, you have to watch him to get a good dose of reality. Not gonna find it on any "news" outlet. But just try and get any of these conservative posters, Im talking to you JS1 and Spinky. to try and admit just how those cuts added to the problem.

Just cutting spending only means you are not adding to the debt total. Increasing revenue will play the part of paying down the debt. Anyone who thinks we can pay off this debt by only cutting spending, as in take what revenue we are getting and continue to provide the services we must have and pay off the debt is absolutely not someone I want in charge

FrankH, Louiville,KY

Have you noticed Republicans try to make this an argument about social services, when the fact is we are in debt because of two wars and the tanking economy? The Republican strategy is to stir up people's distaste for lazy, alchoholic losers living on the public dole, to distract the public from seeing them OK subsidies for oil companies (oil companies! the richest industry in history) and spreading pork in their own districts. The lectures from the Right about self reliance get under my skin, not because they aren't true, but because services for the poor aren't what's driving the deficit.

Liberals watching comedians for their news what a joke!

yes I have seen it, Amy. And it sure sure seems to be worse now than ever before.

And obviously viknat (?) has never watched Stewart. He is one of the most informed, honest people out there. By your definition, any Republican (and there have been many) that appears on his show must be a joke, right?

When did Comedy Central start becoming news and Fox News start becoming comedy?

Truly, the satire of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert is a wonderful source of both entertainment and truth without the propaganda.

Viknat: Liberals watching comedians for their news what a joke!

Comedians are among the smartest people out there. They have to understand what is going on in order to satirize it.

The Daily Show is one of the highest rated programs on TV. You should try watching some time, Viknat. The joke is on you.

When did Comedy Central start becoming news and Fox News start becoming comedy?

Fox News started out that way. It took Comedy Central a little longer to make the transition.

the last thing I need to see another jew trying to give financial advice. The recession was caused by idiots like Jon stewart. And BTW while I understand Democrats for attacking Obama for cutting their precious free government programs its hypocritical for any Republican to attack Obama for bringing up ways to cut the the deficit.

Big Oil is not the richest industry in history, Finance is! Large banks make more in profits every year than Oil companies do. That being said, I don't want you to think I am defending Oil subsidies. Subsidies to all industries should be stopped as the very first step to reducing the budget.

the last thing I need to see another jew trying to give financial advice.

Is it time for another FR debate over whether the GOPTP panders to racism?

DaNoid: LoL!!!

Perfect.

Da Noid - very smart!

Forget that chicken feed, Noid. We got abortion to worry about! What next- seeing the word 'damn' in a comic book??

We got abortion to worry about!

Or a mother painting her sons toenails pink!

I hear that's all the 'buzz' over on Faux & the Conspiracy Freaks!

I missed that, Feisty. I guess I must have been at Walgreens getting a pap smear. ;-)

@ AM - What I'm hearing is, Walgreen's is the new 'one stop shop' for all your health care needs!

Although, I'm not sure what kind of 'colonoscopy' training they'll be offering to their cashiers! ;o)

Back to the purported toenail propaganda:

The mailer is offering something much more sinister than free shipping, says Fox News – it's pushing its own transgender agenda and liberal politics onto its unsuspecting customers.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/fashion/2011/04/13/2011-04-13_j_crew_ad_shows_boys_painted_toenails_fox_news_decries_brands_transgender_agenda.html#ixzz1JPm2qmEi

Great post, Nash---I like your "fire" analogy--people need to understand that the President did what he and his advisors felt was needed to prevent a Depression like the 30s. That doesn't mean he particularly wanted to do it but it was a crisis---remember how scary those days were.

The fact of the matter is that President Obama took office in a time of extreme financial crisis caused by actions which occurred in the prior 8 years and took measures to address the crisis--with ABSOLUTELY no support from the Republicans who helped create the crisis. Now that the crisis is finally easing, we all want to address the growing deficit and entitlement issues. But we want to do it in a way that does not jeopardize the financial recovery and does not leave those with the least resources at even more risk.

Cheers to you, Nashville, perfectly said.

Thanks for the kind words Steeler Fan and Jody . . . much appreciated!

How about me paying subsidies to farmers who are already making in the hundreds of thousands in income or subsidies to corporations that don't pay federal and local taxes?

Why do you always choose healthcare and education as the scapegoat? Speaks volumes about you.

We really need a candidate from the private sector who does not want to be a career politician.

That won't happen because of...

1) The cut in pay.

2) Those guys son't subject themselves to the scrutiny of a campaign.

Yes Definatley cut farm subsidies. That is one of the worst welfare abuses in the history of the country. I'm ok with cutting subsidies to other businesses as well. As long as they are really subsidies. Don't confuse increased taxes with subisdies. Make sure you know the diffrence between Government Revenue and Government expenses.....

ROTFLMAO!

So even if you are standing in a pile of your own poo, "knowing where you stand" is a virtue, eh?

Oh brother.

Palin/Bachmann 2012! I can't think of a better way to quickly marginalize the GOPTP.

Thanks for proving my point.

Keep thinking it, J-numb.

Bob-1887910

Back in the real world, does anyone believe that Obama is only 10% to blame for the deficit , other than the brainwashed moonbats?

Beyond the stimulus package, which is being phased out, what expenditures asked for by Obama that put his share of the deficit above 10%? According to the CBO projections, Obama's contribution is less than 10%. A lot less:

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/263031/DEBT-DRIVERS.jpg

I see still no answer from Bob about the actual amounts of money that Obama's initiatives have added to the budget to support his claim that Obama's share is more than 10% despite analyses by people who know what they're doing that indicate it's a lot less than 10%.

As with other right wingers, what Bob types are "not intended to be factual statements."

The federal tax rate for individuals is at its lowest rate as a percentage of gross pay than any time since 1950.

Revenues are also at their lowest level due to the great recession and lower tax rates.

The Left's talking points, now matter how debunked, always find a good home at MSNBC.

As Steven Colbert once said, facts have a liberal bias. It's a fact that tax revenues are the lowest percentage of GDP that they've been for the past 60 years. Too bad for you.

"Ryan's Road Map to Ruin", is an almost EXACT copy of OBAMA'S own fiscal commission.

But you wouldn't know that, would you?

Instead, because it's a Republican that says we can actually lower the deficit and have a balanced budget NOT by raising taxes, but by lowering spending, people like you automatically condemn it.

Show's real intelligence there Houston.

It is funny how how the media keeps asking democrats if the President will compromise with the conservatives. Maybe someone needs to tweet Chuck and other pundits the definition of compromise. Thye seem to confuse it with capitulation.

Cheryl. Yes I want those who made out like bandits while the majority of Americans suffered, to pay more.

CherylLM

"Ryan's Road Map to Ruin", is an almost EXACT copy of OBAMA'S own fiscal commission.

Baloney. The commission wanted substantial tax increases to go along with spending cuts. Ryan's atrocity contains only tax CUTS for the wealthy. Alice Rivlin, a member of the commission, criticized Ryan's plan and disassociated herself from it after he started referring to it as the "Ryan-Rivlin" plan to mislead people into thinking it was somehow bipartisanship.

Cheryl. Yes it is about the rich, and their unwillingness to share in the sacrifices that need to be made, and the republicans who put the greed of the few before the needs of the many.

And Cheryl......have all those off-shore accounts of the ubber rich been found!

Tax evasion at the highest level.......and no one seems to care!

The rich...Cheryl...paying 40% of the taxes while controling better than 80% of the wealth.....and the republican lawmakers who can't remove their lips from the butts of those fat cats.....THAT has to change. THAT is the change I voted for and THAT is the change that must take place.

You are a blow-hard if you say democrats ONLY talk about taxing the wealthy....democrats know that painful cuts are in store also....republicans on the other hand...and Boehner said it again this morning...call any tax to the wealthy a "non-starter". Everyone will have to pay more taxes and everyone will get less benefits in the future. It's class warfare upon the middle-class to suggest that taxes for the wealthy be cut again per Ryans budget proposal.

Hey Houston, since Planned Parenthood was founded by a woman that believed in eugenics (that would be selective breeding and the aborting of the babies of the poor and minorities) why do you support it at all? 75% of of their clinics are in minority communities. Blacks make up 12% of the population but 35% of ALL abortions in America are performed on black women. Do you see a trend Houston?

And if Planned Parenthood is so damn wonderful, why isn't it COMPLETELY funded privately? Why should the taxpayers of this nation be footing 40% of their costs?

If you check Planned Parenthood believes that your CHILD should be able to get an abortion without you ever knowing about it, and without your consent. Planned Parenthood believes in "partial birth" abortion, which is NOTHING more than inducing the birth of a child that COULD live outside the womb, and when the baby's head comes out, popping a needle in it's skull and scrambling it's brains. Planned Parenthood OPPOSES teaching abstinence when it comes to sex. Planned Parenthood OPPOSES ultrasounds, something that ALL prospective mothers should get when they are pregnant.

The CEO of Planned Parenthood said that if funding was cut mammograms would not be available to women all across the nation....oooops....Planned Parenthood does NOT provide mammograms. Planned Parenthood provides contraceptives, morning after pills, and abortions and provides absolute MINIMAL HEALTH CARE beyond that.

Planned Parenthood is about ABORTION. They are the largest abortion providers in the nation and that is a fact.

Then don't need MY money to provide abortions. If you think they are so damn wonderful, GIVE them yours instead of demanding that I pay for it.

Should we also have a system for those who do not believe in war to opt out of paying the military, Cheryl? Whatever Sanger's beliefs were at that time, and she was a creature of her time, her goals with Planned Parenthood were simply to teach women how to have control of their reproductive health. It wasn't Eugenics, that is a myth from the ignorant. Since Planned Parenthood has as it goals, screenings for the poor and contraceptives, you I am sure, do not object to the little bit of support that they get. Unless it is your belief that poor women should be punished for being poor by not having the necessary screenings to stay healthy.

Cheryl seems to be deliberatly missing the point about Kyl and his LIE about Planned Parenthood!

Typical of a GOP/TP believer!.....so 'not intended to be a factual statement' .......

.....TP Lies.....and it's OK!

Stephen Colbert's Monday night show talking about Kyl is one of the best shows he's done in a long time. All day Tuesday, Colbert was on Twitter with the hashtag #NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement, tweeting the funniest statements about the man.

Reason enough to join Twitter.

CherylLM, your either the most misinformed person in the would, or your just a liar. I'd take the latter.

M0-681343

CherylLM, your either the most misinformed person in the would, or your just a liar. I'd take the latter.

As with most of the rightwingers who post here, what Cheryl writes is "not intended to be a factual statement." (Of course, that means the same thing as lying).

CherylLM

Hey Houston, since Planned Parenthood was founded by a woman that believed in eugenics

Hey Cheryl, the United States of America was founded by people who believed in slavery. Let's defund that, too, while we're at it.

If you've read CherylLM much at all, you know she is the best at spewing misinformation and perpetuating lies. And it's done deliberately.

Cheryl ILM:

Then don't need MY money to provide abortions. If you think they are so damn wonderful, GIVE them yours instead of demanding that I pay for it.

Okay, deal. And oil companies and the Chamber of Commerce and Blackwater and Halliburton don't need MY money. If you think they are so d@mn wonderful, GIVE them yours instead of demanding that I pay for it.

See, a la carte government works for me, too. And I can guarantee you that I'LL be a lot better off financially than you will in this deal.

cutting Social security will not help the budget one little bit . it just want help it . Social security is not part of the budget . it has its own expenses but don't come out of the budget. When are you idiots going to get it through your heads that Social security is not part of the problem. You guys pay for Social Security separate from income taxes. I paid Social security for 51 years and I don't want the GOP touching my SS at any time for anything. I paid Medicare for 45 years to pay my hospital insurance and I don't want Paul Ryan touching it . If it is touched I want a Democrat to do it not a GOP. to be honest WE pay for most of our Medicare if our government would run it not let it be run by the insurance companies. the insurance companies have to make a profit and if it is run by our government it don't just break even

So true, james c shrum...too bad the so many people are immune to facts.

Anna Molly:

Great post! It's always interesting to hear what's happening in Wisconsin. Is it about 8 months from now that Governor Walker can be recalled? It would be worth living in Wisc to sign that petition.

AM, I saw that last evening on Ed Schultz......Walker should be indicted and removed from office!

I wonder what the 'love fest' will be on Thursday when Walker meets with Daryl Issa for the 'big' oversight!

The irony is that, under the terribly destructive Citizens United decision, he could have legally just donated unlimited funds from his corporations or paid for ads, rather than reimburse his employees from the company.

By the way, I see that voters in Madison, Wisconsin have voted against Citizens United, calling for a U.S. Constitutional Amendment declaring that "only human beings, not corporations, are entitled to constitutional rights."

While terribly sad that we actually have to put that in the Constitution, I hope this gathers momentum and becomes an issue in the 2012 election.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/07/964188/-UPDATE:-84-Vote-against-Citizens-United!-Same-votes-nationwide-will-help-Dems-win-in-2012-

Yes, indeed, Ron and Clotho. It's still sane -- and definitely worth living -- here for a lot of reasons. The other part that I recall being on that ballot, Clotho, was declaring money not to be speech. I was proud to connect the dots for those two things. Living in the suburbs wasn't nearly so much fun, at least from a political point of view.

Chilled -- I fully expect the outcome of Walker meeting Issa to be that Issa starts investigating ME. ;-)

Good luck with that Meh! From what I've seen some of the regular poster's on FR are the most hateful people I've ever seen anywhere else on the internet.

Do your spending number reflect only the outlays? or do they include the amount of money spent, yet recouped in bailout funds?

Ted, those spending numbers are correct. We have spent more in the last 2 years, than the last 4 years of Bush. And the Deficits are larger than Bush's last 4 years.

We have a spending problem.

You sir, need to go back to civics class and learn whatrights are guaranteed to every American citizen, regardless of income or class association. Your statement that the poor should not have the right to vote is one of the scariest, offensive, and down right un-American thing I have ever heard. And I don't toss around the adjective "un-American" too often.

Suck up almost all the tax dollars? IN 2010, 18.74% of the budget was DOD with another 1.48% going to the VA, 4.63% goes to interest payments, ie. 25+% goes no where near the general public.

Social Security takes up 19.63% and Medicare takes up another 12.79%. Your statement about half the people paying no federal taxes is inaccurate as everyone is paying taxes into these programs and the statment only comes close to true when discussing income taxes. The thing I don't know is how much of this amount is coming from income taxes. That is another third that goes to the people who paid in. At 52, I have been working and paying these taxes for 40 years, do you really think I am not "entitled" to benefit from my contributions?

The parts of the budget that do go to people who aren't paying taxes are for things like Unemployment/Welfare at %16.13, which in 2010 was probably higher than normal because of the economy and 100% of that money would be spent and put back into the economy. Then there is 8.19% that goes into Medicaid and insurance for children. My father is on Medicaid, he paid taxes all of his life until Parkinson's disease disabled him in his 70's. Your position seems to be that this is some sort of free ride, I can assure you it is not a ride he signed up for.

Most of the rest goes for things we all use somehow, such as transportation, education, departments like justice, energy, homeland security, etc.

Also unsaid in that talking point about 47% not paying federal income tax---22% of Americans are senior citizens. Right there is the biggest chunk of those not paying income tax. How dare those losers retire after a lifetime of hard work!!!