How did Heller vote on the Ryan Plan??

He'll be the only Senator that has voted on it at all.

Tom, he voted for it.

I know, that's my point. I'm sure that will help him get elected this next election cycle.

It looks like FR also got my point with there update above.

Where's the OUTRAGE?

@ Steve ~ One of your best posts EVER.

Just a side note: Why do so many Republicans like Sandoval (or Gov. Scott Walker, or Rick Santorum) look like used car salesmen? (My apologies to used car salesmen.)

A US salesperson is not required to speak the truth! Welcome Senator to infuse new blood into Congress----May be His Compassion & Integrity be the Torch Bearer to be Selfless to boost image of US Congress whose approval rating had been stagnant in Fgrade(F for Fantastic __Florida Schools)

Two of your best posts EVER. ;-)

problem is he will be dead in 6 months if he dont meet mobs demands. everyone from 15 to 99 yurs olds old learn this

Bev, have you read Ryan's plan?

Bev,

Where is the job plan from the democrats?

Can't answer for Bev, but YES I have read Ryan's plan and it is based on many unrealistic assumptions, does not reduce the cost of health care for seniors merely transfers it to private insurance where he doesn't need to worry about increasing costs or lack of care for the elderly and he doesn't care because he has his guaranteed health care and pension and so do the other 234 who voted for his plan--they didn't cut their own benefits. It privatizes social security and medicare; it gives block grants to states for medicare and the states are on their own. It increases military spending while cutting spending on education, infrastructure, renewable energy, and other investments in the country. It gives another 10% tax reduction to the top tax bracket wage earners while cutting spending on the backs of everyone else. It adds $5.5 trillion to the debt and does not balance the budget for 72 years. Courageous, my foot.

Where is the job plan from the republicans? They promised jobs, jobs, jobs. They voted against every job-creating bill democrats presented in 2009 and 2010, and there were many after the stimulus. Over 400 democratic bills passed in the House and filibustered by the GOP in the Senate. Try asking Boehner, Cantor and pals why they haven't kept their promises.

JFK, I have read Ryan's plan. Leaving out the wildly unrealistic assumptions (2.9% unemployment by 2021! Tax revenues increasing as tax cuts fall), it's the same warmed-over ideas Newt Gingrich served up in the 1990's.

By the way, do you know when the budget would be balanced under the Ryan plan? How's the late 2030s grab you?

At least there is a date to balance the budget. The DEMS have nothing! Income redistribution; get more people dependent on the government - et al. Who is going to pay for all this? There aren't enough people to pay for the Boomers Social Security let alone the DEMS addition to the deficit. Get your head out of the sand and think. If your expenses rise faster than your income - what do you do? Oh yeah, probably ask the government to pay your bills so you don't have any responsibility.

The ignorance of how the economy works by many in government is amazing. It should be a requirement for office that you have had to meet a payroll. Ever hear of stop spending?

Jody, Iowa

Can't answer for Bev, but YES I have read Ryan's plan and it is based on many unrealistic assumptions, does not reduce the cost of health care for seniors merely transfers it to private insurance where he doesn't need to worry about increasing costs or lack of care for the elderly and he doesn't care because he has his guaranteed health care and pension and so do the other 234 who voted for his plan--they didn't cut their own benefits

Thanks Jody

Just curious;I wonder did they?

if so to the why would they agree to forfeit their entitlements to the rich I'm sure they worked towards?

Where's the OUTRAGE!!!

Massachusetts voted to do away with collective bargain for public employee union members?

We need to organize a Capitol sit in. This can't be happening in Massachusetts, can it?

See MSN Post earlier today!!!!

Jody

What job creating bills were proposed by the Democrats in 2009 and 2010??

I would like to know so I could do some research. I can't seem to find any such bills on the House of Representatives or the Senate web pages.

"The DEMS have nothing!"

Actually, they do. The budget proposal forwarded by the Congressional Progressive Caucus (and accessible through their website) would balance the budget by 2021 - a full ten years before Ryan's proposal would come into balance.

Daryl

The Republicans weren't in charge in 2009-2010. Those are the years that Jody and I are talking about.

Daryl

The Filibuster can be circumvented by Reconciliation remember??? Harry broke the Reconciliation Rule to pass the Heath Care Bill. He could have done that again if he wanted. Seems to me that the Budget is off-limits to Filibuster since 1970's.

Reconciliation can only be invoked if the House agrees to it by concurrent resolution.

Actually, Reconciliation only applies to bills dealing with certain financial aspects of the government. It can't be used for a good percentage of bills.

slodon: to say the Republicans were not in charge is to simplify the issue to the point of silly. They filibustered, delayed and held bills in record amounts. As for which Democratic bills were passed by the House and never made it to the Senate floor for a vote, look it up yourself, we're not your daddy.

A US divided Congress in 21st century is responsible for US Deficit/Economy/Unemployment.Frankly speaking,US House under self proclaimed "servant" Speaker had the opportunity to present & pass a balanced budget but preferred to present R-plan -pospponining the issue for another ten years.

In fact,Republicans were voted to power to solve the economic problems & create jobs--not for procrastining till 2012 election.Ryon is good enough to admit that neither plan from both parties, is honest.China & India are progressing & uplifting their poor citizens throgh huge investments into education ,Infrastructural & Industrial multipurpose projects but US has no Highspeed Rail & Solar projects---that is why Unemployment persists and US Citizens below the poverty line has been incresing & continues to be increasing now----Please awaken from party politics & work for USA as

"ONE NATION UNDER GOD" for the welfare of all Americans! Act now as Time waits for none!

I'm confused on why people are talking about the impact of Ryan's plan on SS...the plan specifically omits SS changes (although it says they do need to be dealt with).

Also, for all of those bashing Republicans for how Ryan's plan deals with social programs...at least they have a somewhat detailed plan that can be evaluated. The current approach is not sustainable. If no changes are made, everything in the budget is going to take a huge hit and all of us are going to have large tax increases. I'm not saying I agree with everything in the plan, but I wish the Democrats would either offer constructive comments or produce a plan of their own. I was hoping Obama would come out with a realistic plan for discussion, but in my opinion, his plan was just empty campaign rhetoric.

Hopefully the gang of 6 plan will at least get an honest evaluation from both parties...

Lots of great post from Beverly and Jody and a few others. As for the redistribution of wealth all of the Republicans are screaming about. I really think we Democrats need to own up to it. After all the redistribution of wealth that has been going on for the last decade or so where all the money is headed up the Corporate ladder and not going down needs to be discussed. We have seen a long and drawn out shift of wealth away from middle America and straight up to CEO's. This has got to change. I used to work for a Telecommunications company who's CEO would still get his bonus every year and his paycheck every week even though the company was handing out layoff notification every 3 to 6 months.

Sandavol will just use the special election as another reason to further decimate our educational system -- he needs the money. If he was really serious about the state's economy he would have elected someone else.

Another Gibbons -- just with a prettier face.

How does this help Republicans take over the Senate. Ensign IS a republican. Surely you can tell that from his hypocrisy.

Ummmmmm How many times do I have to repeat this....... Its pretty easy and from the attitudes I see here everyday. God I love telling new Independents to come here. But I digress, the real left are the minority as are the real right. So that being said, us independents will select the next president. I know I know that piss's off everyone, but hey as my grandfather said all the time...."it is what it is!" So I know the left call any independent that is currently leaning right a tea***er, but not me! I do how ever love this site, you liberals make my day. Wont vote for your guy, but your still pretty funny!

Most folks who track polling will tell you that a large number of voters that say they are independent really lean left or right. jollyoldsoul1 is a GOP leaning voter. True independents are a small number.

Jody

The situation in NV. didn't start until 2007-2008.

What planet are you from, slodon? Tourism has never fully recovered from 9/11. Small businesses have been fleeing the state since Kenny Guinn was governor, and the tax structure has been broken since Bob List was in charge.

Oh please. Harry Reid has been the Senate Majority Leader for almost 5 years. And the unemployment rate just keeps getting higher. How is that Ensigns fault?

You want to blame someone, then blame them all.

Being Senate Majority Leader in a chamber where any 1 member of the minority party can throw sand into the gears is like being the best one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. You'll work very hard, but won't get much done.

Spotts

If you look up the Unemployment history and the Housing Market History in NV. you will see that thet started having problems in 2007-2008.

Since you live in NV. I'm surprised that you don't know this.

slodon, considering I live here and have been enmeshed in local politics for most of the last decade I feel confident telling you that you have zero clue what it's like here.

You can quote statistics from now until doomsday, but you are completely ignorant as to the facts on the ground.

Fact: Tourism never rebounded following 9/11. This precipitated Kenny Guinn (R) proposing a tax increase in 2003 that had to be settled by the Nevada Supreme Court to cover declining revenue in the gaming and hotel sectors.

Fact: The tax structure in Nevada is fundamentally broken. Over the last 10 years, mining companies have extracted $4 billion in gold from Nevada land without paying 1 red cent on it in taxes (thanks to a Constitution that allows mining to pay taxes on net profits instead of gross income). Newmont Mining and Barrick Gold report record profits to their shareholders, then turn around and claim that the cost of getting that same gold out of the ground often exceeds the value of the gold itself.

Fact: Despite having no corporate income tax, no business gross receipts tax, and no personal income tax, small businesses have been fleeing the state since well before 2007.

Fact: The Nevada budget is 47th in the nation in spending per capita, has the fewest state employees per 100,000 citizens, and is ranked at or near the bottom of every quality of life survey. These are not problems that magically materialized in 2007.

I think the sooner Angle takes her sideshow somewhere else, the happier Nevada Republicans would be.

Actually, the happier Nevadans in general would be - watching her is like watching a slow-motion car crash.

Right on - Who's the only Senator (to be) that has already voted to end Medicare as we know it???

Who is Dean Heller.

Yes Jim, but Heller still has to run on his record, unless he's all of a sudden willing to leave Medicare alone. Doubt that, so he's toast.

Heller will go down in the landslide of repudiation of the candidacy of Donald Trump.

jim, I happen to live in Dean Heller's district. He has done nothing but be a benchwarmer. He insults his own constiutents at town halls, is tone deaf to the needs of the people who elected him, and basically uses his office as a stepping stone to the next one.

The only reason he keeps winning office is that the District is heavily conservative (except for Washoe County and Carson City), and most people in the "cow counties" would vote for a tree stump before voting for a "Democratic" (read: Blue Dog) candidate

Those who don't live here don't understand what we've been going through -- both due to the general demise of the economy and the politics.

Pork that may or may not create jobs in Nevada at the expense of my tax dollars and jobs in my state. Just because it benefitted you does not mean that it was/is the correct or legal thing to do.

Shelley Berkeley has a outside chance, but frankly she's a very conservative Democratic Congresswoman so it won't be much of a change.

If Ross Miller (Secretary of State) or Catherine Cortez-Masto (Attorney General) got into the mix, the odds would be a little better.

But a lot of it depends on whether Sen. Reid will make the same deal with Rep. Heller that he made with former Sen. Ensign - "I won't campaign with your opponents if you don't campaign with mine." That detente pretty much assured that neither had been seriously challenged in re-election battles until this last go around.

Thanks for a more local take. I do hope the voters there get it sorted out.

And exactly WHAT make Angle a "stupid nut case" SJC? Because she's conservative? Because Democrats took statements that she made and cut them so that it looked like she was saying something else?

It just couldn't be because she told some Hispanics that they looked Asian, seeing as YOU never had a word to say when Reid basically said Obama was a nice black boy.

The STUPIDITY is in people that say things with NOTHING to actually back up their claims. The STUPIDITY is when you are so full of your own political ideology that you actually back corrupt people like Harry Reid and denigrate HONEST people out of nothing more than politics.

I guess you'd rather us just go 10 more Trillion dollars in debt, keep the unemployment at 9%, drive even MORE companies out of the country, and watch the nation turn into a giant "social justice" project than you would actually have a decent country to live in. Now THAT'S stupidity.

"And exactly WHAT make Angle a "stupid nut case" SJC?"

Nobody has to do anything to make Sharron Angle look crazy. She does a very fine job of that by herself.

Only ONCE in the last 10 years has she won a majority of votes in an election - and that was in a State Assembly race that she won by 162 votes. She LOST to Dean Heller in the 2006 Republican Primary for the District 2 Congressional Seat (which was an open seat after Jim Gibbons decided to run for Governor). She LOST to incumbent Bill Raggio in the 2008 Republican primary for the Nevada State Senate. She LOST to Harry Reid in 2010, despite Reid being horrifically unpopular in Nevada.

Face it, she's not electable. If you can't even win against the most unpopular man in Nevada politics, then you can't win period.

You are absolutely correct. Something is approaching. Its called bankruptcy. Obama and his progressives have added over 6 trillion dollars to the debt since 2008 when the dems took control of congress. If they don't stop spending China's money we will all have to learn Mandarin. How stupid are liberals anyway.

Republicans plan is to throw middle-aged Americans off Medicare and into a voucher system that does not adjust for medical inflation (and if you believe an insurance company will cover any American at age 65 of their own free will, you must be smoking something pretty heavy), turn Medicaid into a "block grant" program (which means 50 different states coming up with 50 different rulebooks), cut taxes for the wealthy AGAIN (how many jobs did that create the last time?), cut the corporate tax (which on paper is 35%, but in effect is around 20-25% when all the loopholes, exclusions and protections are applied), and leave defense pretty much untouched (which immediately throws the whole plan under suspicion because there are ways to cut defense without impacting readiness or power-projection).

And the plan assumes that unemployment will be 2.9% by 2021 (a number that NO economist that isn't a party hack says is realistic), and won't balance the budget until 2039 or so.

That's not a plan - that's the heftiest bushel of bushwa I've seen.

According to you then we should all quit our jobs and live on the teat of the government.

If you got that from what I said, you're an idiot and I don't see why I should waste any more of my time explaining it to you.