The GOP/TP and President Obama have gotten together yesterday to discuss moving this country forward. What have we learned from their meeting? Nothing has changed at all. In fact the right is doubling down on their “DRACONIAN” ideology, period. They still are on the false premise that “Spending Cuts” funding almost entirely by the “Middle Class” is the only solution to our economic problems. This is incorrect. Yes we do have a spending problem but we also have a “revenue” problem as well. Until the right gets this, nothing will be fixed long term. The GOP/TP still refuses to address the issues that are causing Health Care Costs to increase by double digits every year. Instead of addressing the Insurance Companies, Drug Companies and the Medical Product Manufactures and Distributors Health Care Costs are still going to be the major drain on this country they are today.

Medicare under the Ryan Bill is a “Voucher Program” no matter how Ryan keeps trying to spin it. It destroys Medicare as we know it today, period. It gives a coupon to the beneficiaries and forces them to go to the “Private Insurance” companies to try and find affordable Health Insurance (Health Care). Most leading economists now say that the Ryan Bill will increase the average costs on those that can afford it the least by about $6,000.00 per year and will increase as time moves forward. The problems with Medicare are not solved, Ryan has just shifted the costs to the elderly, who cannot afford it, hence no Medicare for them.

The Ryan Bill will eliminate some of the provisions of the HCR Law that will immediately put back the donut hole costing $2.2 Billion Dollars; it does away with Wellness Visits which will increase Health Care Costs over time and does away with the guarantee that you can buy Health Insurance regardless of pre-existing conditions. Just about all the good stuff currently in the HCR Law is facing repeal by the Ryan Bill.

On Medicaid it rolls back the HCR Law provision that extends coverage to 34 Million Americans that currently do not have coverage and shifts the costs to the States via a “Block Grant” that again will cost more not less. See my previous posts on what would have happened if the Ryan Bill was in force from 2001 to now. Again, less people will be able to afford Medicaid as well.

The bottom line is that Medicare and Medicaid under the Ryan Bill will cease to exist for many people. Our Nation will be sicker and people are going to die just from the lack of proper and affordable Health Care. That is what the GOP/TP is offering.

The GOP/TP is not going to compromise on the Debt Ceiling unless this Bill gets passed including the record breaking tax cuts to the richest 2%. They are going to trash this Country and the Global Economy all in the name of politics and false ideologies that favor the 2% over the rest of this country. They are going to bleed the Middle Class dry of every last drop of blood and then throw us to the side of the road to fend for ourselves and beg the 2% for the most basic needs to survive. All the time while still denying they caused the problems for the most part and currently are trying their best to make matters worse so they can take over the “White House”.

They will try to blame President Obama for this and we as a Nation have to keep exposing this lie every day. It is the GOP/TP that has put this country on the path to destruction. In my opinion it is going to get worse before it gets better and we as a Nation are going down the drain. There will be no recover this time. Our Country will be gone and only a shell will be left.

Well, it appears that maybe the people are starting to wake up, in part. Look at all the buyer’s remorse that is starting to take hold. Almost 80% of the people are against the repealing/gutting of Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and over 50 Social Programs. They want everything to be on the negotiating table and they want everybody to pay a fair share in repairing the current damage to this country. The GOP/TP just wants to create more power and wealth for the few and the he!! with the other 98%. They are not concerned one iota with helping to move this country forward. Just look at their rhetoric as opposed to their deeds, look at their legislation and/or lack of, look at what they are in opposition to. We are in serious trouble and the GOP/TP is not going to help. The total collapse of this country is what they are counting on for 2012.

Now the Democrats are going to the White House and I want to see what they are going to do. We see the GOP/TP Agenda now I want to see the Democratic Agenda, and they better be ready to move in the right direction.

It was Hillaryous watching the MSDNC regular lefty liberals trying to cover up Weinergate last night!!!!

From Shemp Mathews to Joan Walsh to Cerk Uygar to whoever your favorite lefty liberal talking head is, they were all about “giving Weinerman the benefit of the doubt”, “waiting for ALL the facts to come out”, to trying to blame it on the demon Breitbart, and trying to change the subject back to the evil Rebublican’s. If he were a Republican, these same morons would have verbally ripped off his testicles and stomped on them with both feet. The only redeeming part of MSDNC’s Weinergate apologist efforts was that a couple of guests refused to go along with it. Luke Russert and AB Stoddard weren’t buying the MSDNC cover up efforts and said so several times after being pressed to toe the MSDNC party line.

Jon Stewart still had the best take on it from Monday night:

Former Weiner college roommate Jon Stewart pretty much confirmed that it wasn't Weiner's weener on last Monday's Daily Show saying his recollection was that he was more "Anthony" than "Weiner". And saying that the only thing Anthony Weiner and the crotch picture had in common is that they both lean hard left.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Politico:

Weiner fans flames with media blitz
By: Scott Wong and Ben Smith
June 2, 2011 04:51 AM EDT

Rep. Anthony Weiner built his national liberal brand by delivering zingers on cable news, a PR strategy that threatened to turn a Twitter flap into a full-blown scandal Wednesday.

And his fellow New York Democrats are shedding few tears for the man they see as a newcomer to liberal piety and a media hog.

Weiner’s TV-friendly style was on full display when he launched a media blitz to quell questions about a lewd photo that appeared on his Twitter feed last week.

When asked on MSNBC if he was the man pictured in the close-up photo of a man’s crotch, he replied: “You know, I can’t say with certitude.” He followed up with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer later in the day, saying coyly, “It certainly doesn’t look familiar to me.” Even when pressed by a group of reporters in a Capitol Hill corridor, he would say only: “There are photographs of me in the world, yes.”

Mitt Romney:

Probably the poorest kept secret in the political arena is that Mitt Romney is running for President. Most pundits view Mitt as the frontrunner, but I’m not so sure. It’s hard to claim being the frontrunner when poll numbers show you have the support of less than 20% of the Republicans.

The problem with Romney is that essentially he is a moderate, but within the GOP/TP culture one finds only conservative ideology. So Mitt veers hard right to placate the conservative element. The problem with that strategy is that conservative elephants have long memories. They don’t forget earlier comments and they are well documented on “You Tube” and the archives of news networks.

Consequently he comes across as a flip-flopper, a man who will say anything, depending on whom he is addressing. In short, he can’t be trusted by anyone. Actually, it is too late for Romney. Years ago he was given some bad advice by his handlers. He should have staked out the ground that he is a moderate, there are many Americans who are moderate; it is the moderates who are willing to compromise to keep the government moving. By not saying what he really believes will cost him dearly in this election.

He can be beaten by any Republican who is willing to stand by their convictions…even Sarah Palin

Leave it to the idiot from Albany to find some other dudes 'weiner' titillating!

Here's a 'public service announcement' for those who have young childresn! lol

MINNEAPOLIS (The Borowitz Report) - As a prominent child psychologist, I know the struggles that parents go through trying to answer their children’s most difficult questions. “What will
happen to me when I die?” “Why do people I love have to go away?” “If there is a God, why does he allow so much pain and suffering in the world?” “Could someone hack my Twitter
account and send pictures of my erect penis to everyone in the world?”

Anecdotally, it’s this last question that parents have been wrestling with the most over the past few days. As much as we try to shelter our children, they’re not immune to the pervasive influence of the Internet as well as the cable news channels, all of which have been broadcasting titillating details of the Anthony Weiner bulging underwear
scandal on a 24-hour basis. Understandably, this has a negative effect on our
children’s sense of security and wellbeing. Kids today live in a world that is
confusing and scary enough without throwing into the mix the fear of having
one’s erect penis secretly photographed and tweeted to the four corners of the
world.

Because I’ve dealt with this nettlesome issue so much over the
past few days, I thought it might be helpful to publish the following tips to
help concerned parents talk to their kids about Anthony Weiner’s
penis:

Could what happened to Anthony Weiner’s penis happen to my
penis?

No. Anthony Weiner’s penis has many followers on
Twitter. Your penis isn’t even on Twitter. Someday, when your penis gets much
older, it may be on Twitter. But that’s nothing to worry about, because many
people believe the world will end before then.

If someday my
penis is on Twitter and someone sends pictures of it to everyone in the world,
what should I do?

Most people go through life without ever
having their penis sent to everyone in the world. But if it does happen, just
say that the whole thing is a “distraction.” That’s a long word which means
it’s your penis but you don’t want to talk about it.

Could
Anthony Weiner’s penis hack my penis’s Twitter account and send pictures of my
penis to people?

No. Anthony Weiner’s penis is too busy to do
something like that.

If there is a God, why does he let so much
pain and suffering happen to Anthony Weiner’s penis?

God does
many wonderful things. He made you, and Mommy and Daddy, and the sun and the
moon and all of the food that we eat. But sometimes God gets bored, and that’s
why He made the people who invented Twitter.

And whatever you do - remind them NOT to take candy from idiots from Albany!

"A few years ago, Americans did something that was, actually, very much the sort of thing Americans like to do: We gave someone new a chance to lead, someone we hadn't known for very long, who didn't have much of a record but promised to lead us to a better place. At the time, we didn't know what sort of a president he would make….Now, in the third year of his four-year term, we have more than promises and slogans to go by. Barack Obama has failed America."

Wow Mitt, that's some pretty good material. The message is spot on and I'm liking it. You keep pounding those thoughts home day after day after day and you'll get your share of votes. And force me and others to rethink the viability of your candidacy in the proces. So keep up the good work.

BTW the coolest part about your words is they're absolutely TRUE -- and therein lies their power.

Feisty:

Very true and we are on the same page again. Right now spending accounts for 25% of the economy and revenues are a meager 15%. We need both "Spending Cuts" and "Revenue Increases". I and many here have been saying this for a very long time. I think we are at the point where we either move forward and forget the politics as usual or go bankrupt basically destroying this country now and for future generations. Thereis no redo this time around, we either get it right of pay the piper. And, the bill is one that the Middle Class cannot afford. The GOP/TP better wake up and see that this time everybody is going down with the same flush of the toilet.

If the Middle Class disappears it make no difference what else happens. They just will not be enough people in this country to afford products and services of the major corporations and they will fail as well compounding the cycle until there is nothing left. The USA will look like one big Ghost Town of the old west were the Gold was all played out.

THis is where we are headed, and we better wake up.

I am tired of hearing about the 35% corporate tax. This is BS, very few major corporations pay any where near the 35%. Most pay substantially less, hiding money in off shore accounts, etc. Same with the richest 2%, they do not pay 35% Income taxes either, it is much close to the low to mid 20's at the most.

Ron, Indiana: Consequently he comes across as a flip-flopper, a man who will say anything, depending on whom he is addressing. In short, he can’t be trusted by anyone. Actually, it is too late for Romney.

Romney?! Here we thought you were talking about Obama.

Bill...

This will be the interesting thing. In the 2008 election, we had no incumbent, so promises and pledges were pretty much the name of the game. But, once we have an incumbent, they will be judged on their record and are open to fairly simple forms of attack. It's basically the whole, "Are you better off now than 4 years ago" thing. Think of the campaign ads, you could make by saying simple things such as, since President Obama took office:

The price of gas is up x%.

The price of milk is up x%.

Etc.

Now are these necessarily his fault? Of course not. I've never thought any President, Dem or Rep, has had that much sway on the economy. BUT...nevertheless, those are things that hit home to most voters.

CTJ found that from 2008 to 2010, these major corporations earned $173 billion in profits put together. Yet these major corporations paid an average federal corporate income tax rate during this period of -1.5 percent, meaning they actually got money back from the Treasury in the form of tax benefits. ThinkProgress has assembled the average tax rates of these corporations over this period in the following graph:

Doesn't this cover the period when Democrats had complete control of the Government? Is this not the time they could have changed the Bush tax rates? What were they doing that allowed these companies to "exploit" the loopholes in the tax code? I know they were not producing a budget.

Oh that's right they were too busy with the HCR boondoggle (when they fought amongst themselves for a year) and paying off supporters through something called a stimulus.

So why should we expect something different if we elect the same clowns again?

Leave it to the idiot from Albany to find some other dudes 'weiner' titillating!

________________________________________________________

Nasty Redhead: Knowing my post annoys you that much makes me LMAO because it tells me that you know Weinergate is not going away and it "exposes" the hypocrisy of lefty liberals just like you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Mitt Romney:

We do not want you to be President. Please find a hobby and stop running.

Love,

America

Joe,

Last week you were up in arms when Ed Schultz called Laura Ingraham a "slut" on his radio show. Are you okay, then, when the Conservative blog "Gateway Pundit" posts pictures of women that Congressman Weiner "follows" on Twitter and accuses Weiner of having affairs with these women as well?

The blog essentially just did the same thing Ed Schultz did...called these women "sluts". Where is the outrage?

Ron (referring to Mitt Romney):

He can be beaten by any Republican who is willing to stand by their convictions…even Sarah Palin

Oh, sure, if Sarah Palin -- or any of the rest of them -- actually HAD convictions.

Bill, Fairfax:

The message is spot on and I'm liking it.

Ummm ... excuse me, Bill, but EXACTLY what's the message -- I mean, other than that President Obama has, in Mitt Romney's humble opinion from the cheap seats, failed? Doesn't EVERY candidate challenging an incumbent president say the same thing?

So, again, what EXACTLY is the message that you like so well?

Feisty:

The usual culprits who support a party of no ideas, no shame, no morals, etc keep trying to find a way to divert our attention away from a party that is on a mission to destroy democracy and the American Dream as we know it today.

Hopefully, if the ground swell we are seeing today gains momentum we may see this turn around. The stakes are now the highest they have ever been in this country. No one party is going to be able to pull us out of this spiral. They are going to have to work together period.

Those that continue on the agenda of "Obstructionists" will not win election this time around if they start reading what is really going on.

Ryan is mad because he is being help accountable for his Bill. Remember when the "Death Panels", President Obama not a citizen, he is a Muslim, etc, etc were leveled at him? That was OK, even though they were outright lies from the Karl Rove people. Now when his bill is exposed as a "Voucher Plan" (Medicare) he gets uppity. When his Bill is exposed for creating record tax cuts for the 2% he ignores it. When it is pointed out that his Bill is not a "Fiscal Responsible" plan but just smoke and mirrors that does not address any of the problems but does in fact shift the costs to those that cannot pay the bills, he screams we are being unfair and not describing his DRACONIAN agenda properly. Just BS from Ryan and the GOP/TP.

This party has lost its way over the last decade or so and the people are starting to wake up.

The blog essentially just did the same thing Ed Schultz did...called these women "sluts". Where is the outrage?

So you think relationships between consenting adults requires that the women be sluts?

If Congressman Weiner wishes to follow young attractive women on twitter that is between him and his family. What is causing the problem is his claim that "someone" hacked his account. A serious offence when the victim is a congressman. You think the Chinese hacking gmail accounts of American officials can reduced to pranks? The congressman has claimed that there was a crime but wants the world to ignore it, but his reasoning does not pass the smell test.

As to why the women involved are sluts in your mind is kind of creepy and you obviously do not have respect for women if that is your opinion.

Nashville_fan

Dear Mitt Romney:

We do not want you to be President. Please find a hobby and stop running.

Love,

America

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would consider voting for Romney if he had ran as an independent and had he not jettisoned his more centrist views to seek the nomination of head loon. I could never vote for him now though.

The usual culprits who support a party of no ideas, no shame, no morals, etc keep trying to find a way to divert our attention away from a party that is on a mission to destroy democracy and the American Dream as we know it today

That reminds me Navy - what the hell happened to all those J O B S that were going to be created when the uncertainty of the Bush Tax Cuts diminished?

Remember all the hollering about business couldn't hire UNTIL they got MORE tax breaks?

Let's see, were already handing the corporations 1.5% BACK - guess they're holding out for MORE!

Nasty Redhead: Knowing my post annoys you that much makes me LMAO because it tells me that you know Weinergate is not going away and it "exposes" the hypocrisy of lefty liberals just like you.

Welcome to ConservatiVille - where you are NOW guilty until you prove yourself innocent!

SHOUT OUT to Pat, Boston - if you're reading stop by and let us know you & yours are OK, will ya?

If Congressman Weiner wishes to follow young attractive women on twitter that is between him and his family.

No, it isn't just between him and his family, Alan. You're probably surprised to hear me say this. Last night Representative Weiner said on Rachel's show that he intends to stay on Twitter because that's how he conducts business. Those women, and in particular the woman to whom the picture was directed, were following Weiner solely because he's a Congressman -- that alone means that his position as a Congressman is involved here; why he follows those women is a different question altogether, but he wouldn't be in a position to do so if he wasn't a Congressman. What's more, if he did send that picture, it's clear that the woman didn't consent to it. All of this goes to Weiner's judgment -- if you believe he sent the picture. At a minimum, though, it goes to how he conducts his "business," and if it "exposes" anything, it exposes the real dangers posed by Twitter and other social media to people who somehow don't have the judgment to conduct themselves with proper decorum. In short, a man in Weiner's position ought to be above reproach, and certainly above something so tasteless and embarrassing. He put himself in position to be questioned about why he follows young women, and he evidently put himself in the even more unenviable position of not being able to flat-out deny that the picture is him. He made his bed, so to speak.

The women, of course, are NOT sluts, but Weiner still has some explaining to do, and not just to his family.

So, again, what EXACTLY is the message that you like so well?

Ummmmm...

Feisty...was thinking the same thing. Isn't there a regular poster from Springfield, MA? Or am I thinking of Pat? I need caffeine.

Make no mistake about it, the 2012 election will be a referendum on Obama's accomplishments. Obama's true successes can be traced to his foreign policy where his killing of bin Laden will top his accomplishments. But after that, his "kitchen-table" issues have proven to be a disaster for the country. Obama bet that his near trillion dollar stimulus scheme would be paying dividends by now, both with jobs, and with tax revenues. Instead, that idea of his has badly failed, and what we're left with is a huge debt load. From Obama's vouchers for cars and for houses, each has failed. His buy out of GM has cost the taxpayers billions of dollars and cheated investors of the company out of the same. ObamaCare, more than likely illegal, will cripple the country's economics for decades if the courts allow it to be implemented. Poor GDP growth has gotten even worse and a double dip recession is becoming a real possibility. The debt has expanded $4 trillion dollars since Obama took office, and his answer to that problem is to raise the debt ceiling so he can spend trillions more in borrowed money.

Even Liberals are angry with Obama, who allowed major corporations to make billions in profits, and still pay no taxes. The Democrats controlled the House, Senate and White House for 2 full years, and made no significanttax changes to the corporations tax structure. Obama created a Debt Commission that made dire warnings and recommended solid plans to fix the economy, and Obama ignored them. The Republicans have attempted to reform the entitlements, only to be met by demagoguery from the Democrats. The Democrats in their glee to demonize the Republicans, won't even put forth a budget or entitlements reforms for their own, instead choosing to be the populists and just be critical of the Republicans. Some leadership.

Romney is correct, Obama has failed this country.

"Leave it to the idiot from Albany to find some other dudes 'weiner' titillating!"

No kidding, Feisty. But give the guy credit for spending so much time on MSNBC- the ratings could always use one more regular viewer.

As to Mitt- I know the latest economic news is not good. IF Mitt wants to run, let's make sure we ask him what HIS solution is, and not let him get away with just saying how bad Obama is/has been like all the rest of 'em do. It's easy to point out what the situation is at any given point, maybe tougher to say how YOU are going to fix it.

Fairfax 'ME First' Bill- do you honestly think the economy was in good enough shape when Obama took office that it could be fixed in 3 years? Really??

CTJ found that from 2008 to 2010, these major corporations earned $173 billion in profits put together. Yet these major corporations paid an average federal corporate income tax rate during this period of -1.5 percent, meaning they actually got money back from the Treasury in the form of tax benefits.

Alan NJ: Doesn't this cover the period when Democrats had complete control of the Government?

Alan, it does. But the Liberals are now reduced to whining that their savior could not get the job done, both with corporate taxes and job creation. The Lefties whine about "How come the Republicans haven't created any jobs" is a backhanded admittance that Obama has failed to do so. In the Lefts desperation to smear the Republicans, they admit that Obama has been a total economic failure for the country.

@Feisty -- using it was someone else fault -- The Obama fiscal and economic policies of the last two and half years have been so devastating to the hiring climate it has made it virtually impossible for jobs to be created as soon as needed. Remember that the "laser" focus on jobs touted by Obama has turned into a pen light. LOL!!!!

Don't worry though. I hear the med cart coming down your hallway. They will give you double doses. LOL!!!!

JoAnna:

His buy out of GM has cost the taxpayers billions of dollars and cheated investors of the company out of the same.

Oh, my goodness -- cheating taxpayers out of their God-given right to receive dividends and make a profit on their shares ... a hanging offense, if ever there was.

But come to think of it, I heard only yesterday that the bailout will cost taxpayers only about a third of what was predicted. As for cheating investors, I do believe that GM made a very tidy profit last year, so I guess that took care of itself. And just how much do you suppose investors would have made off the deal had the company failed?

And just imagine how much more damage to the economy would have been done by throwing all those autoworkers out onto the streets into already high unemployment.

Or do you think that doesn't count? Why am I not surprised?

Frank,

Unless of course that Candidate Said that under his Plan Energy Costs would neccesaraly Skyrocket

As Obama Did.

I hear the med cart coming down your hallway. They will give you double doses. LOL!!!!

Benny - tell me, do you EVER have an original thought of your own?

You're a certified DITTO-HEAD Benny!

Fairfax 'ME First' Bill- do you honestly think the economy was in good enough shape when Obama took office that it could be fixed in 3 years? Really??

No. Just as I didn't think the Republicans would make a difference in the first six months. However, after the spending of almost $1T I would expect to see improvement with slow but steady increase in employment. The Feds QE program looks to have been a miscalculation and now we have had basically two years of monetary and fiscal stimulus. The overhang from these two programs will curtail growth going forward, and the growth they produced in the short-term was anemic to say the least. Now this may be a soft patch over the summer but the effects of the stimulus look to be temporary and fading as of this moment.

Governor Rendell suggested this morning a massive 10 year infrastructure program paid for by the reductions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. I don't know if this will work or whether the funds will be there as those wars are basically being paid for by borrowing so the savings are not really our money to begin with. Also, there is the corruption, favors and patronage that comes with such a large government program to be considered. I personally do not think there is a government solution as was shown how ineffective FDR's attempts were during the depression. I think the focus should be on getting our financial house in order by raising revenues and cutting spending.

JoAnnaSmith1

"Romney is correct, Obama has failed this country"

and what have you, JAS, done? you've failed yourself in observing the truth. if Romney is your idol, that's a man running away from his own success as ma gov. a flip flopper. did you ask yourself why he's claiming the success of the auto industry Obama engineered and yet Obama is a failure. who failed who....JAS.

DBO: IF Mitt wants to run, let's make sure we ask him what HIS solution is, and not let him get away with just saying how bad Obama is/has been like all the rest of 'em do. It's easy to point out what the situation is at any given point, maybe tougher to say how YOU are going to fix it.

I agree 100%. But also, lets hold Obama and the Democrats to the same standard.

"It was Hillaryous watching the MSDNC regular lefty liberals trying to cover up Weinergate last night!!!!"

When you start your reply with a deflection and childish name calling, people stop reading. Try to stay on topic please.

Hi Navy,

You are 100% correct. Most major corporations have so many tax loopholes that let them escape paying their fair share of taxes. Then of course we have the top 2% that reap all of the rewards and suffer no financial woes. The biggest problem we have is a revenue problem, in which the Republicans know is true, but they continued to lie about it.

To bring back the Clinton era take levels and quit playing these games would be the best step forward. Then do away with the tax subsidies that the tax payers give big oil and companies that ship jobs overseas. However, no Republican Tea person in the house is willing to do so.

Of course they say Democrats haven’t a budget plan. In reality there are so many pieces being put together by the Vice- President and his group with the President weighing in which will be much better than the plan Paul Ryan Medicare killing plan.

I say no cuts in the budget that affect the poor, middle class and peoples health. If you cut these programs now, we will pay later. It was proven by FDR that we have to spend money within our country for growth. So, where do you cut spending? To listen to the right it is Medicare, Social Security, social programs, such as Planned Parenthood and education cuts. We have the super rich and the dirt poor, with the middle class being pushed to the category of the dirt poor and well the rich get richer, with their perks and level low taxes they pay. Also, have you heard? The Republicans have a new Jobs Plan. That plan is to lower taxes again.

It's sad that the Republicans call their plan a budget plan. All his plan is an attack on the middle class. I know it's not President Obama's nature, but I would like to see him tell these Republicans Bastards to go to hell and force their hand at stalling the debt ceiling raise.

Then we would see who the chicken is.

Good grief, GM still owes us a bundle no matter how much the left tries to spin the "success" story.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/05/gms-bailout-has-been-a-huge-net-loss/238795/

@Feisty -- Just giving right back at you. You spout and quote D-baggers, DNC talking points, left-wing websites, etc. Where are your original thoughts???? Really. Seriously. Your first post is off point on FT, asks DNC talking point questions and is 75 percent quoting what someone else published. LOL!!!!

OHHH -- that wasn't the med cart I heard, it is the optician to change the prescription for your glasses so you can see better. LOL!!!!!!

AM: Oh, my goodness -- cheating taxpayers out of their God-given right to receive dividends and make a profit on their shares ... a hanging offense, if ever there was.

It's not the stockholders that were cheated AM. They bought the stock, and took the risk, and GM failed. It's the bondholders that were cheated. They had first dibs on being paid in a bankrupcy, and Obama told them they'd get next to nothing.

AM: But come to think of it, I heard only yesterday that the bailout will cost taxpayers only about a third of what was predicted.

And to you, this is a success case?

AM: As for cheating investors, I do believe that GM made a very tidy profit last year, so I guess that took care of itself.

GM was forgiven of all it's debt, screwing over the bondholders, the retirees, the original investors. The government gave GM a clean balance sheet and tens of billions in taxpayer bailout money. Many people were hurt by the government actions, but hey, the unions made out like bandits.

AM: And just imagine how much more damage to the economy would have been done by throwing all those autoworkers out onto the streets into already high unemployment.

How much damage is the ballooning debt making to the economy? Are you concerned about that? Or do you think that's "Free money"?

AM: Or do you think that doesn't count? Why am I not surprised?

Having conversations with yourself again I see.

Anna, You have certified that none of these "Wiener" women are well what you called them! ( I wont say it) Just curious did you certify that they are virgins also?

PIE: who failed who....JAS.

I don't look at any politician as an "idol" PIE, that's what Liberals do. And any company that gets the favor of the federal government, one that is spending trillions in deficit spending, and "invests" tens of billions of taxpayers dollars into it, all the while forgiving the companies debts, well, yeah, at some point that company may survive. Too bad it's the taxpayers, and not the poorly run company, that is damaged by this "investment". By the way, GM is trading at $30, 10% below it's IPO price. What do you want to do the next time this company fails?

But, But JoAnna -- It is a success story. One that will go down in history along with the success stories of Mother Goose, Grimms, Lewis Carroll and most importantly Carlo Collodi. For you D-baggers so you won't have to look it up, Collodi wrote Pinocchio.

Great posts, and thanks for pointing out that our 30 year experiment with Conservative economics is reaching a critical point. If we don't back away from the radical, redistributionist policies of the GOPTP we're reaching a point at which our economy could collapse permanently with the next recession, or the one after that. The evidence is how slowly the economy bounced back from the 2001 and 2007 recessions.

The 2001 recession was the first time since the Great Depression that median income never recovered to pre-recession levels before another recession began. At such points it's important to look at what's different from the previous several decades, and what's similar to the last time a similar event occurred.

It's all about concentration of wealth. Money is now concentrated in the hands of the wealthy elites at a level not since since just before the Great Depression. Simply put, the top 2% are not going to support the entire American economy, and so much money has been moved to them from the American middle class that the average American can't do much to help, either.

This is a direct result of the Conservative war on the middle class. The Republican budget would only accelerate this Conservative economic experiment that has significantly impoverished the average American to line the pockets of the rich.

This must stop. It must stop now. The future of the United States depends on it.

Joe,

Last week you were up in arms when Ed Schultz called Laura Ingraham a "slut" on his radio show.

______________________________________

Da hemorrhoid: If the above is directed at me, I have no idea what you are talking about. I never wrote any post like that. Regardless, Mr. Ed is generally a moron, always has been, always will be.

"I agree 100%. But also, lets hold Obama and the Democrats to the same standard."

A fair and reasonable request, to be sure.

I would never deny that the dems do things that are as dumb as what the pubs do. Both sides are greedy, blood sucking pigs but the difference here is that the dems never try to shove their stupid religious beliefs up the backsides of the voters. Nor do the dems don't try to pass laws forcing their "morality" onto the backs of the voters.

The pubs, however, love to stamp and shout about what good religious people they are and how the poor, unwashed masses are filthy sinners in need of moral regulation. The pubs love to blah blah blah on and on incessantly about how laws should be made based on their particular religion.

So, when a pub gets busted screwing some bimbo other than their wife, posting images of their naked body parts on the internet or they get busted for a myriad of other "sins" it makes them look much much more stupid and flawed than when the dems get busted doing the same thing so welcome to the world of your own creation, pubs. "Judge not lest ye be judged"

If you want to blow a horn about dems you have to hit them on their own personal tax paying record. Ironically, they want to raise taxes (and I'm fine with a fair, across the board tax increase and certainly the removal of the bush tax cuts) but some of them seem to have trouble paying their own. They get busted though and pay up, which is good, but I would have been in much more serious trouble had it been me.

Why is it that libs are so jealous? They want everyone to be poor. Instead of putting effort into helping themselves gain wealth, they have to tear down those who are successful. Seems to me that with that kind of attitude, they deserve their lot. Redhead is the perfect example of that. She has no clue on how to do anything other than criticize success and conservatives. As a conservative (fiscal, anyway), I've never put down anyone who has made it. If there is a company that I think is crooked, I won't buy their products, simple as that. The problem comes from the politicians. They have the real power and if they are crooked, their crookedness affects everyone. The stimulus bill is the perfect example. All that money taken from the American people and paid to Obama's cronies, some of which was used to pay their back taxes. Not one job was created by all that money. Just think, that bill was 25% more than the annual expenditure for our military, including all the wars. Yet unemployment continued to go up. The logical question, if you have a brain and aren't blindsided by the fact that the President has a "D" next to his name in the ballotbox, is "what happened to all that money?" That was enough money to put the entire American population to work for a year, let alone just 1 or 2 % (minor exaggeration, but it makes the point).

Based on redhead's and other lib posts, it looks like the only hope and change they were looking for is what they got. They hoped to take money from the rich to tear down our economy and the change has been put in place to make sure we are no longer the strongest, most vibrant country in the world. It's beginning to look a lot like the Soviet Union here, just what the libs were hoping for.

Ben: But, But JoAnna -- It [GM] is a success story.

Certainly if profits don't matter, and bondholders don't matter, and taxpayers don't matter, and the debt doesn't matter. If you ignore all those things, GM is a model company.

And AM, I read your post wrong. For some reason, I read "stockholders", not "taxpayers" in the following:

AM: Oh, my goodness -- cheating taxpayers out of their God-given right to receive dividends and make a profit on their shares ... a hanging offense

The taxpayer didn't have a say in the GM matter AM. They were dragged kicking and screaming to the deal. And isn't it the Democrats that keep talking about "investments"? Well, at some point investments are supposed to make a profit AM. In the GM case, the taxpayer will be forced to pay for the loss.

Joanna

The Lefties whine about "How come the Republicans haven't created any jobs" is a backhanded admittance that Obama has failed to do so

the left is whining about jobs, because the GOP guanteed they would do a better job, so far they have not.

so far Obama has created over 2 million jobs in the past 2.5 years. given the fact when he took office we were loosing 700k per month from in november 2008 till april 2009.

the 2 million he has created was a direct result of the stimulas no republicans voted for, even though the republican governors took the cash to help their stated bottom line.

Joanna you should be worried that the republicans have failed there main campaign promise to create jobs, or was that there intention, i believe there intention was to sit and do nothing but give tax cuts to gain favor with the rich doners, not the american people.

I don't know who the bigger liar or twit is, Romney or Palin. They are both professional liars and Palin is a media whore trying to follow anyone around who will let her, so she can claim the crowds are really there to worship her. She is a parasite.

NO, Mr. Romney, Obama has not failed. Bush/Cheney failed and now Obama has been working his a$$ off to clean it up. No one on this planet could fix this horrid mess in 3 years. Thank God another Republican adminstration did not get in, could you imagine where we would be now? And by the way, where was Romney, Palin and the rest of the hypocrite Republicans when Bush/Cheney were bashing the hell out of this nation? Not a peep, was there?

We do not need a crazy religious nut who has no character or dignity. Stand up for yourself Romney. Your healthcare lying is just sickening. I thought you are religious. Isn't lying a sin? You have nothing new to offer, you are dull and boring and people are sick of you. Running for 6 years? Do us a favor and quit.

Between you and Palin, you are both as irritating as a cloud of crazy gnats flying around our heads.

Actually, it was my typo. It was supposed to be shareholders. Mea culpa. But shareholders are not guaranteed a profit, JoAnna, any more than workers are guaranteed their jobs. They signed up for the risk. But the damage to the economy that would have been done by all those workers losing their jobs, and the additional outflow of a lot more people in supporting businesses losing theirs as well, far exceeds the damage that shareholders and bondholders suffered. I feel for them, JoAnna, but not as much as you do, evidently.

By the way, I believe that taxpayers are not footing the bill for GM anymore.

Romney takes center stage, (if Sara Palin will let him)

What is with MSNBC these days? Sarah Palin is in every story. If you stopped putting her name at the top of every news story, no one would be paying attention to her. If Sarah Palin will let him? Come on, lets get a little better in the news process.

Please.

AM: By the way, I believe that taxpayers are not footing the bill for GM anymore.

Well, at least some more T-Bonds were sold to the Chinese and that number was added to the debt. That's really how the GM payoff, ehh, bailout, was funded.

AM: But shareholders are not guaranteed a profit,

Apparently taxpayers aren't either. They made up the difference for GM's failures. Think we'll all get a Thank You card from the unions?

The damage to the economy is the additional debt load the taxpayers are responsible for. GM added it to it. ObamaCare added to it. The wars added to it. The ballooning entitlements added to it. I feel for the taxpayers Annie, but not as much as you do, evidently.

AM: By the way, I believe that taxpayers are not footing the bill for GM anymore.

Until the additional government debt the GM payoff, ehh, bailout is paid off, the taxpayer is most definitely footing the bill.

@ JoAnnaSmith1-

I have to give you credit, you have an explanation for nearly everything, and place total blame squarely on President Obama and the Democrats. But I have to ask you, do you honestly believe it? Do you really believe that President Obama caused all our nation's troubles, by himself, in three years? Do you really believe that when the Democrats had a majority in congress the Republicans allowed them to do whatever they wanted, and therefore the failure of congress to act is solely the fault of the Democrats? I'm not trying to rebut your posts; I truely want to know if you 100% believe the perspective you post so eloquently, that blames the Democrats for every problem.

Fiesty, what drugs are you smoking? "These 12 corporations earned a combined income of $173 BILLION dollars from 2008 – 2010 and paid a NEGATIVE tax rate of 1.5%"

So, the question is, WHO WAS IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF CONGRESS AND THE WHITE HOUSE from 2008-2010? Oh yah, your precious DEBTOCRATS!

Note that they rammed through Obamacare, but didn't care about Corporate Welfare? Your lying, stinking, liberal politicians are too interested in their lobby money to actually care about the little guy and would rather raise taxes on EVERYBODY than corporations. (note they didn't extend Bush Tax cuts on the middle class until the Repubs won the House and made them do it.)

Dave-2550157

I truely want to know if you 100% believe the perspective you post so eloquently, that blames the Democrats for every problem.

Dave the issues Joanna has is that times are real hard, on everybody, Joanna chooses to reach into superficial things that were part of the problem but not the main problem. we here try to explain to her the root of our problems we are suffering with today.

Joanna thinks because a president takes responsibility for the country's problems he has to be the root of why were are in trouble. she Ignores the greed that was escalated during the Bush administration. was the greed his fault, NO,

she chooses to think we are in debt all because of president Obama, are we in a way yes, before spending almost a trillion on a stimulus, he should have taken in to consideration the damage the 1.2 trillion in tax cuts did to us, the trillions on 2 wars, and the expanded government spending because of 911 and medicade part D a unfunded mandate that has caused 6 trillion in debt over the first 10 years since it was inacted. i'm a liberal all my life, but not closed minded to think liberals don't make mistakes. it was a mistake to spend a trillion on a stimulus, but the idea of stimulus was right. i don't blame Obama as much as the congress that put it together and the senate who sent it to the president and the president for signing it. 1 trillion was way too much.

Now Dave Joanna wants to ignore the success's of the Obama administration, success Joanna says are not there in any way shape or form, this is where she looses many people here on this blog, not all but many.

She ignores that the previous Administration could not draw down in Iraq, and escalate in afgan, and that they are the reason why Hamid Karzai's currupt goverment is why Afgan is a loosing situtation. we are fighting terrorist as well as the government. Bush also made a real mistake trusting the Pakistan's government, she ignores that we only killed Osama bin Laden because we stopped telling Pakistan what we were doing. that is not a Obama success as much as it does go to who ever made the decision to get Pakistan out of out intell loop.

everybody makes mistakes, we are human, Joanna chooses to down play the mistakes with the past Administration and expect the current Administration to be mistake free or correct past mistakes even when the guy in charge had nothing to do with it.

See Dave there are some of us who don't ignore, because when you Ignore, your Ignorance shows. Joanna in her mind thinks she is right and knows everything, but instead she Ignores and there for, all we see is her ignorance.

Has President Obama made Mistakes, yes, did Former president Bush make Mistakes, Yes .but she chooses to ignore the Past.

@ Jeff-1541632

Jeff, I don't mean to flame you, but I'm a little annoyed that you used my post to JoAnna as a pretext to criticize her. I read her posts, and am completely competent to form my own opinion of her. I don't require your analysis, thank you. You are free to whatever opinion of her you care to have, but the way your post both attacked her and stated your own opinions under the pretext of "explaning her" was distasteful to me.

Dave-2550157

@ Jeff-1541632

Jeff, I don't mean to flame you, but I'm a little annoyed that you used my post to JoAnna as a pretext to criticize her. I read her posts, and am completely competent to form my own opinion of her. I don't require your analysis, thank you. You are free to whatever opinion of her you care to have, but the way your post both attacked her and stated your own opinions under the pretext of "explaning her" was distasteful to me.

Dave this was not my intention and i apoligize for that, you made several good points about Joanna and all i wanted to do was expand on your great talking, i was talking to you, not joanna. again sorry for annoying youand you did not flame me up, joanna does that all by her self.

Navy wrote: The total collapse of this country is what they are counting on for 2012.

Even as GOP ran on job creation last November, Republican Congressionals and Governors have demonstrated every kind of cunning and deceit to prevent the economic recovery of this country.

And clearly, the same corporate masters have Ms. Palin under orders to generate one-statement-one-Big-Lie-per-week .

Louis J:

Nice post. We are now at that junction where BOTH parties have to stop the politics and do what they were elected to do. Provide leadership and move this country forward. We cannot afford the luxury of Politics as usual any more. That is a proved failure of a model. Both sides are going to have to give in. The GOP/TP is going to have to back off the Ryan Bill and seriously talk about increasing revenue. Cutting non discretionary spending alone will not work. Repealing Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security will not work.

Bottom line is we need Spnding Cuts and Revenue Increase if we are going to save this country. Spending is about 25% of the economy and revenues is less than 15%. This is wrong.

@LouisJ -- The FL law does not require everyone. It was in issue Gov. Scott ran on and fulfilled his campaign promise. Obviously the majority of Floridians wanted this. Personal responsibility when receiving government assistance. What a novel idea.

TALLAHASSEE --

People applying for welfare benefits must pay for drug testing under a bill Gov. Rick Scott signed into law today.

If they pass, they'll be reimbursed for the cost of the test. If they don't, they won't receive temporary government assistance. Scott signed the bill in Panama City along with another measure that bans the designer drug MDPV, which is sold as bath salts.

The drug testing bill was a priority for Scott and an issue he campaigned on.

http://www2.tbo.com/news/politics/2011/may/31/2/scott-signs-bills-requiring-welfare-drug-tests-ban-ar-233914/

I understand Rick Scott owns the drug testing company that will used to do the tests. This coming from a CEO of a company that paid million of dollars in penalties for stealing from Medicare. Sound as though Florida has wonderful man for Governor. NOT

I understand Rick Scott owns the drug testing company that will used to do the tests

Can YOU say conflict of interest! *shakes head*

@Seattle Sue -- Most definitely since he has divested himself of the company but the shares were transferred to his wife's trust fund, I would agree that company should not be used unless the welfare recipient chooses to use it. If it is the lowest cost drug testing out there then you wouldn't want them to pay more would you. Remember -- if they pass, they get their money back.

Drug testing sounds good to me, especially if I own the Drug Testing Company. Who are these clowns? LOL.

Rick Scott does not own the company that will do the drug testing, his wife does. Scott has decimated this state and has many more lawsuits against him.

TALLAHASSEE — The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit Wednesday in a Miami federal court challenging Gov. Rick Scott's executive order forcing state employees to undergo random drug tests.

It's the first of a number of challenges the liberal-leaning group anticipates filing against Scott and a wave of conservative legislation that just flowed from the Republican-dominated Legislature, warned ACLU Florida executive director Howard Simon.

Random drug testing for welfare recipients, abortion restrictions, new voting restrictions and a ballot measure that threatens to erode church and state separation are all targets in the coming weeks, Simon said.

"It's now time for the courts to step up and protect the fundamental rights of Floridians," Simon said.

In the suit filed Wednesday, the ACLU is representing the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and Richard Flamm, a 17-year employee of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

His suit challenges Scott's March 22 executive order requiring all state employees be subject to random drug tests.

A research scientist who has spent years studying the endangered manatee, Flamm said he feels his civil rights are being violated by Scott's order. Flamm also objects to the costs of drug testing more than 50,000 workers at a time when a budget crisis is forcing massive layoffs.

"There is absolutely no suspicion, based on my behavior at work, to suspect that I am a drug user," he said. "I just find that outrageous."

The suit argues that random drug testing, without reasonable suspicion, violates state workers' constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches.

Scott is willing to fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary, a spokeswoman said.

"There's an odd hypocrisy here. The ACLU supports all kinds of mandatory disclosures by public employees, but not the most important disclosure — whether or not they're fit to be in the workforce," spokeswoman Amy Graham said in an email response. "Floridians overwhelmingly support drug testing state employees because their tax dollars should support a safe, healthy and productive government workforce. "

ACLU attorneys say the question was already settled by the U.S. Supreme Court in a pair of 1989 decisions.

Scott's order went into effect for new hires on May 21. That date also started a 60-day grace period for existing workers. The order leaves the details of the new policy up to supervisors at the various state agencies that fall under the governor's control.

http://www.pnj.com/article/20110602/NEWS01/106020312/ACLU-files-suit-against-Scott-s-drug-testing-order?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

He has sold our state and it's resources to the rich and big corporations. I agree with testing welfare recipients. But the way the law is written, any citizen of the state could be randomly drug tested even if you are not an employee.

Drug testing? Does that mean if you properly identify the drug you get to keep it? Just currious....

I don't know what the fervor is about on drug testing for new hires. Heck, most of the car dealerships in our area require random drug tests for everyone -- even those just selling cars. There is no law written -- show the clause(s) you are referring to -- that would require random drug tests of citizens.

I agree his company should not be the one used if there are state contracts up for bid, but if a welfare recipient wants to use that company then so be it -- personal choice.

Also, how has Florida been decimated in five months??? What are your examples of your state and resources being sold to rich and big corporations?

I don't understand the issue with drug testing either. All major companies do it as a matter of course for hiring. It minimizes liabilities and supports a safe, healthy work environment. The way I read the law was that it would not deny benefits to minor children, a guardian could be named to receive the benefits. If we truly wanted to help citizens we would not continue to enable their drug habits. I do have a problem with the company being owned by the governor or his wife.

Louis J I dont know where you live, Rural or Urban! But I do know where I live (Im sure Anna will tell me Im lying) I live in the vicinity of 8 Mile rd and John R in one of Detroits worst neighborhoods. I see entire families that have been living off of every type of gov subsistence known to man kind. When I go the the mom and pop small store there are ALWAYS 3 to 4 people outside offering to trade "bridge cards" WIC or food stamps for 50% on the dollar or if you want you can trade for the fav on our city Meth! My favorite is the guy who claims to have the best high grade medical Marijuana. My neighbors son makes a living off of collecting "40"s cans in the area. And you dont think people should be tested to get free money and food?

I thought so....the loud screaming left on this blog cant dispute the damage the Democrats have done to Detroit. Its so bad that people are putting up warning signs about crack and meth heads destroying the neighborhood! These are life long welfare families that are destroying cities across America.....drug test them before we give them anymore money!

What do you do if they test positive?

If you are collecting welfare, they will withhold the money until you can prove that you are clean. If you are a state employee, you lose your job.

What happens to their children if they have any?

If they lose their job do they get unemployment?

Put the kids in a better place

What better place, will you have to build a place, or do you have an orphanage, Ironicoldsoul says there will be dozens from his block alone. How do they get from the better place to school and back. Who pays for that, it costs way more than the unemployment. Why don't you three get your heads togehter and work on this plan Gov Scott will need your advice. Better yet why don't all four of you get your heads together and make a rock pile.

Leave it to the GOP/TB to take a tragedy like the tornado in Ma. and insert Palin into it. Is there nothing these nuts won't try to exploit? Looks like their really getting desperate.

Dang those stoplights ... ;-)

@Mo -- I don't believe DaNoid is a GOP/TB as you put it. No one else has mentioned what you imply.

What is desperate is 0bama going to MO and making a campaign speech after the Joplin tragedy. Then I guess that is all that is loaded on the teleprompter. When 0bama goes to Mass. will he campaign or give the "I got Osama speech." Scared liberals at the 2012 "shellacking" that is shaping up.

Now the normal FR crowd can have someone to beat up on and then congratulate themselves for doing so. Yes that was a great comment Fiesty, Navy, Bev and I forget the rest of the names.

Wow black belt3, that has to be the biggest deflection I have seen in a while. Care to comment on the actual article now?

Mike - Nah ^_^

Blow it out your ear, "black_belt3"!!!

Last week, the Conservatives posting here DEMANDED that President Obama drop everything (the scheduled state visits to Ireland and the UK and the G8 Summit) and rush on out to Joplin.

Then when he does speak at the memorial service for the victims you merely accuse him of making a campaign speech?! Screw you!

black belt,

The President Obama speech in Joplin was nowhere near a campaign speech. You can see the speech on line. So, perhaps you should step out of your right wing haze and get your facts straight.

Also, can you tell us how many Presidents have not used a teleprompter sense it's invention?

Da Noid - right back at ya - and have a good day. Time to hit the links. (I wasn't even referring to you) I guess my sarcasm didn't come thru. When sarcasm doesn't come thru it bites you - I have been bitten.

black_belt3

Are you allowed to play golf? Isn't that one of the things you guys hate on Obama for doing?

I think that was Rudy, Groucho, who spent about $55 million for one delegate in Florida.

Funny, though, how they all blend together. ;-)

Anna Molly..

You're right...he got 271 delegates and spent, it is estimated, as much as $150 million in the primaries.

Thx for the correction.

He never lets the facts get in the way of his continued misinformation. Typical GOP/TP. After all, thanks to FOX and the courts lying is an American Virtue now. You can say whatever you want, fact or fiction, and there is no longer any accountability what so ever.

US Navy Disabled Veteran - Retired..

You can say whatever you want, fact or fiction, and there is no longer any accountability what so ever.

............................................................

You seem like a smart guy so you should know that politics is all about spin and mis-information. Both sides do it, just check out the campaign ads, et al. Why the surprise and why do you just blame Fox and the Republicans? Doesn't MSNBC and the democrats do the same thing? Be an equal opportunity hater when you see it. Perhaps it would help clean up the political discourse in this country if we all called out the liars and haters and crazies.

Groucho - when faced with Romney and 0bama on the ballot - the Christian right will get out and vote for Romney. Just like in 2010 - this isn't a referendum on anything the Republicans are doing or will propose. It is - "I don't want anymore or anything that is 0bama." Most of the time when there is an incumbent in the race it is that way - this isn't anything new. This time may be a little different because 0bama is so radical and has divided the country as a campaign strategy. I don't think the divide strategy will work this time.

black_belt3..

the Christian right will get out and vote for Romney..

....................................................

The Christian Right went for Huckabee in the 2008 primaries. They made him a superstar overnight.

Not sure if Romney picks up that vote with Bachmann, Santorum, etc., in the race. I think they're both crazy but the Evangelicals vote for Evangelicals and Bachmann got the "calling" yesterday.

Groucho - what I am saying is that whoever ends up being the GOP candidate will get the Christian Right vote because to them no matter who that candidate is - in their mind - it is better than 0bama. Unfortunately since Hillary isn't running the Dems won't have a candidate that I could vote for and I too will be voting for the candidate not named 0bama. I don't believe in Keynesian economics and the rest of his policies and anyone short of Karl Marx would be better than 0bama.

black_belt3..

I too will be voting for the candidate not named 0bama.

...............................................................

I'm still a registered republican but I don't think that anyone in the current field is qualified to be POTUS let alone Senators, Governors and members of the House.

I can never abide the Tea Party agenda as it so far out of my political thinking that I could never vote for a candidate that supports that agenda.

Me, unless there's a guy out there that doesn't combine fiscal and social conservatism into his platform then I may reconsider. Best choice for me is Obama.

Nice. talking to you.

@Groucho -- What Republican would you consider to be qualified? What is your criteria? Remember the person you currently support was a state senator, a community organizer and a part time U.S. senator before being elected.

Ben-636050..

I think George Pataki would make an excellent President. A fiscal conservative from a liberal state and and was reelected twice. Did a hell of a good job in NY. He is considering a run.

St. Elsewhere:

Agreed 100% and that is my point and always has been. I am sick and tired of the political crap from both sides. Somewhere in our short history as a Nation our Political elects seem to have forgotten about the people who put them there. We are at the junction now where politics as usual has to stop if we are to have any hope for this country at all.

I really do not care if there is an (d), (r) or (i) after their name as long as I see some JOBS, a stable economy, controlled spending and the American Dream left alone. I want to see everybody put something on the table and that includes all the powers to be as well. That is where I differ with some here in that I believe we all live in this country, take advantage of what she has to offer and now it is time for all of us to start acting like adults and anti up. Those that have more need to anti up more than those that do not. That is how this country always worked in the past.

Ron paul will fix this country , First he would he will end the fed back our money with gold again.

Out come, prices will drop and gas will be cheap again ,

Get the government out of schools let the state and local governments run their own schools ,School kid's know less now than they did 20 years ago ,75% of high school kids don't even know who the first president was .Let alone any common sense ,most the kid's coming out of school won't even work hard,

states know their kid's best

Bring our troops home ,If we keep this up this we will fall , all great empires fall ,we are the USA not the american empire ,

Stop the war on drugs ,dam we got people in prison for life over drugs ,lets get real here ,People need help not prison .You can't stop people from doing drugs they will stop when they want to .

Why are we giving money away to other counties when we are flat a$$ broke ,to the point were it could crash at any time .

Ron Paul has more sense than any other candidate ,Paul cant be payed off , He stands for the constitution ,and fights for your rights and liberties ,

Not a believer look him up ,There is a lot to learn

I'm starting to think people don't what freedom any more

The 154,000 cases under review account for less than 10 percent of the $7 billion that FEMA has given to victims of the 2005 hurricanes through its individual assistance program. The recoupment effort doesn't apply to other big-dollar disaster aid programs, like Road Home, which was financed by a congressional block grant.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/01/fema-to-demand-that-hurri_n_869584.html

Groucho:

So basically, the government is in a lose/lose situation . . . if programs are administered improperly, they are lambasted. If they make an effort to do better, they are lamabasted.

Bottom line is this, we are all human and fall short. If folks scammed the system, they should pay it back. This will not apply to the vast majority of aid recipients (only 10% according to link above), so I am sorry to tell you, this ain't gonna get Republicans off the hook! :o)

Where is the outrage on the $50 Billion in fraud just in 2010 on Medicare? How about the tens of Billions in fraud in the DOD as pushed on Americans by Government Contractors? What about the fraud in Medicaid? These are all things that "Our President" is trying to address. The GOP/TP wants to keep the status quo. Where is that outraged?????????

Nashville_fan..

this ain't gonna get Republicans off the hook! :o)

...........................................

Not trying to get Republican off the hook just trying to point out that with all the devastation and suffering that the people of New Orleans suffered, the fact that the 9th ward still looks like a war zone, that people have still not been able or want to return to their homes, that trying to collect $22 million dollars paid for 3 hurricanes over an extended period of time will cost how much and is it worth the effort and political capital wasted. What's next, auditing the fisherman of the Gulf to see that the bills for business lost were accurate. The Federal Government can make a a lot better use of it resources that this...like FEMA helping the tornado victims.

Mitt Romney will be a breath of fresh air to the entire business community.

I give even odds right now between Romney and Pawlenty for securing the coveted Republican nomination. I will be happy with either one of these fine gentlemen.

US Navy Disabled Veteran - Retired...

This isn't about the GOP or Tea Party, it's about common sense and decency.

FEMA should be in the tornado affected states trying to help those people get their lives back together not chasing down suspected over payments which amount to a fractional rounding error on our nation budget and debt. They better be sure that they get these tornado victims payments right so they don't have to come back 5 or 6 years from now and collect over payments to these poor people.

Don't you think that an organization -- which has been improved by the anointed one -- surely has the ability and different departments within the organization specifically charged with other duties other than the aid it provides??? Wouldn't it be prudent to have an auditing section within such a large and important organization to oversee expenditures?? They are just a little slow LOL!!!

While this is a very real concern to the people who are directly responsibility, I tend to focus more on a different issue when it comes to New Orleans. That would be the extent to which people who like to be referred to as "fiscally Conservative" are actually just wasting money through cheapness.

New Orleans is probably the best example EVER of this. Weather experts and the Army Corps of Engineers warned for DECADES that the levees of New Orleans would be overwhelmed by a direct hit from a major hurricane. A few billion dollars would be required to make the city safe from any hurricane likely to hit the city. Year after year "fiscal Conservatives" stopped the expenditure, considering it a waste of money.

August 29, 2005 1,000 people drowned in Grover Norquist's bathtub, and the damage to New Orleans was 100 times what it would've cost to keep one of the world's greatest cities safe.

How smart was it to do $100 damage for every $1 it would've cost to protect New Orleans? How smart was it to let one of the jewels of American life be largely destroyed because we were too cheap to do what the Dutch have done for centuries just because it works?

How smart is it to cheap out?

New Orleans?? One of America's greatest cities?? Come on. It's the next Detroit.

It is, now that the short-sightedness of "fiscal Conservatives" destroyed it. And here I didn't think you and I would agree on anything.

Great post, Nash. Wait til the Obama campaign takes the gloves off and goes after these folks. I'm looking forward to it. Let them cry "demagoguery" all they want---we'll see if they can take what they have so blithely dished out.

The GOP/TP is quick to cry foul when they see themselves losing the 'fight' that they start!

Instead of adding something positive they only name call then blame the Democrats when the truth is told calling it demagogue!

Priceless.....lets not forget 'Death Panels', 'Socialist', 'Marxist', 'Hitler' signs, 'monkey signs', 'Government Takeover'.....on and on.........The GOP/TP full of lying liars!

Nashville_fan

Not ONE pundit gave our President any “credit” for having a plan . . . hell, the President can’t even get any credit when the plan WORKS!

One thing that might cheer you up a bit is that a recent poll found that 54% of the population correctly blamed the bad economy on George W. Bush. Only 39% incorrectly blame Obama. And this was from the Republican-leaning Rasmussen outfit.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/may_2011/54_blame_bush_recession_for_current_economic_problems_39_blame_obama

A CNN poll in May got similar results.

There are going to be 30% of the population that will always blame Obama for anything bad that happens and credit Bush for anything good that happens even though he's been out of office for over two years. But it looks like the right wing punditocracy hasn't been able to manipulate public opinion as much as they'd like. That could change, of course, if the economic recovery continues to falter as it has been doing this week.

Just like a perverse Gilligan's Island Except they don't have anybody as smart as the professor, or as nice as Mary Ann.

Oh, well, now you're really getting to the heart of my fantasy world, Forrest ... ;-)

lol I knew she lived in a fantasy world!

True AlwaysFaithfull,

There are 22 Democrat Senators coming up for re-election this cycle. Republicans only need a net win of three seats to gain control of the Senate. I expect many more than that. The White House is really up for grabs. Anybody can beat Obama. Obama will drag down so many congressmen and women who are burdened with the dreaded "D" after their names.

It may become an insult to even be referred to as a "Democrat".....like being called an idiot.

The House isn't up for grabs - Repubs will pick up another 20 - 25 seats. The real question is whether the GOP has 60 votes in the Senate when all is said and done. One term 0bama will be in Chicago organizing for Rahmbo after Jan 20, 2013. The job that he does best! We all have our calling - his is community organizing, nothing wrong with that. We just don't need it where I live.

I said it before and most of the posts I read prove it...this is all just a game to most of the people I read posts from.You bunch of God damned idiots are killing america with subservience and stupidity. don't forget to tell your kids to tell their kids why they are paying for your screw ups. And no, this friggin clown isn't going to save the world either. He's another damned liar. Why Obama? because he's already there and there is nothing fit to replace him. THAT should be the message.

Mitt Romney does not have a chance of winning. The GOP better find someone before it is too late.

Medicare needs to come to an end - preferably by a plan we put in place instead of crashing down. The Dems have no plan - they haven't even put forth a budget in over 750 days and until Jan 1 2013 we don't have the Senate votes to pass the GOP one. (I guess I have to call 0bama's budget that lost 97-0 putting forth a budget) Ok - the Dems haven't put forth a serious budget in over 750 days.

Why would it matter who or if they worked for someone? Would that make the truth less truthful?

Do you think the day will ever come when you tell us all who you really work for?

I work for what's left of the middle class & disadvantaged... pro bono!

Feisty - Nice try.......now name the "entities" that you actually represent or are associated with as well as in frequent contact with and where you get your vast cornucopia of Democratic Party oriented information from.

Feisty & US Navy Guy - Do you think the day will ever come when you tell us all who you really work for?

Do you think the day will ever come that you grow up and start thinking for yourselves instead of just regurgitating Karl Rove etc.

You guys just cannot think for yourselves, your ideas have been exposed as anti-American and in fact are incompatible with democracy as we know it. You are just pissed because many of us are no longer buying your crap. We are interested in moving this country forward and being part of the solution. You and your fellow followers are the problem and you are too stupid to see it.

Who I work for is none of your business but it is not for this board or any other political outlet.

Feisty - Nice try.......now name the "entities"

I'm sorry - you must have me confused with someone who answers to YOU!

You're dismissed...

Alright Navy, I have to say that I see way more on the left that do not think about things for themselves (in a political sense). Granted, it definitely happens on the right too but I hear so much more of the same BS repeated over and over by the left.

Like the issue with showing photo ID to vote, I cannot even remember how many comments I read and heard from people on the left telling other people on the left that if they were not against the Photo ID thing, than they were not democrats. That does not sound like a party too concerned with letting people think for themselves.

Granted I do realize that is a lame argument and I'm fully aware that the right has it's full share of complete knuckleheads but as I am someone who always votes for the person and not the party, I can, in good conscience, say I think liberals seem to have more supporters that are not thinking for themselves.

If the Disclosure Legislation had passed, then we all would know who exactly the GOP/TP works for! That's what is really important, Faithful!

Then of course there is Citizens United ruling.....

Why are you concerned who people work for or what they think? Is it your turn to be Big Brother. If you do not like what they have to say, ignore them. Or are you not happy unless you are prying into matters you have no business in?

Who are you to demand personal information from anyone?

Brent, Not to mention the entire Union bastian where you would be castrated for not voting Democratic. I get the "finger" all day on the highways of Detroit with my NRA and Hope and Changy bumperstickers.

I don't see what one has to do with the other. Besides, balloting is a secret process whereas your bad attitude about teachers and firefighters is right here for all the world to see.

LtCmdr:

How true. I have no problem with showing ID to vote. I do have a problem though when one party wants to re-write the voter registration rules in such a way that they make it harder for citizens to vote knowing that the new rules will hamper one group more than another. This is rigging the vote and this is wrong no matter who does it.

You make an excellent point in that the rhetoric and deeds of all politicians are on the record. Those ideologies are what I attack and take issue with.

I also do not like bullies especially those who think they have a right to demand personal information that is none of their damn business to begin with instead of trying to be part of the solution.

I find them to be the most repugnant and I ignore them as they offer nothing.

You might also start collecting from the over 50% of the wage earners eligible for Medicare who pay ZERO into the system. We have 50% which is up from the 47% of 2009 who pay zero federal income taxes. They get Medicare deducted but after the Earned Income Tax Credit they get it all back plus another thousand or two the "actual taxpayers" have to borrow with interest.

What makes you think any system is not doomed where only half the people who collect an entitlement for over 20 years pay into it? It is insane to believe that can work in a country with over 300 million people who is growing with citizens but shrinking in jobs and taxpayers.

We also have the second highest tax corporate tax rate on the planet and Japan is lowering its corporate tax rate by 5% and we will then have the highest corporate tax rate on the planet. The jobs are leaving this place in droves and you want to tax them out of sight and cram environmentals down their throats that double their cost of manufacturing.

I am sorry but we need every job in this country right now or do you want 70% not paying into Medicare but collecting it? At what number of non payers do YOU actually see the system as completely failed or do we just endlessly chase jobs out of the country raising taxes on the shrinking minority left that can pay them?

Your numbers simply don't work with your moral judgments on what you "want" to do as opposed to having an affordable plan to accomplish it. Eithics, morals and charitable views don't pay bills but they do crash currencies and drive countries into horrible depressions.

Taking all the purchasing power away from the middle class by making them pay for everything is destroying the economy long before any of the things you mention will. But it does not matter they have not even considered raising taxes to see the real effect they are at 1960 levels, taxes have never been lower for the wealthy and corporations. We spend 10 billion a month on war, but the hell with Grandma we are broke, then what the hell are we protecting They won't budge on this, there is another trillion in tax cuts in the Ryan Plan, and guess who gets them. Well I won't budge on this I will not vote for anybody, democrat or republican who even remotely supports this type of plan. I'm not giving up Grandma, I won't budge. Like I said If the whole world is going to end unless I give up Granny, then I will just hold Granny's hand and we will ride this damn thing till the freaking wheels come off, and Granny said damn straight Forrest till the wheels come off.

Adams101..

You might also start collecting from the over 50% of the wage earners eligible for Medicare who pay ZERO into the system. We have 50% which is up from the 47% of 2009 who pay zero federal income taxes..

.......................................................................

Totally confused. My Medicare and FICA comes out of my paycheck. You're saying these people don't have those deductions from their checks? Seems like if you are using the EIC as a measure, then these are the working poor or unemployed and I can't see that as being half the taxpayers in America.

Please explain. Thanks.

The middle class is not being bled. The lower class is growing massively and paying nothing.

We "absorbed" the entire lower middle class into the "poor" tax classification so they could spend every single nickel. We went from 17% in 1984 to over 50% in 2009. We simply exempted the entire bottom half of the middle class from ANY federal taxation. Not only do they not pay anything for federal services, entitlements and defense but they use the lions share of all of them. You simply cannot have this much dead weight on the system. We can't have any more than less than 10% as charity cases on a free ride.

Your "charity by extortion" simply does not work. There are too many people not paying into the system and many more paying WAY less into it than they take out.

Thank you Adams for showing the gross growing expanse between the rich and the poor. Your timeframe coincides with the introduction of trickle down economics.

Just keep kicking the working poor in the teeth. Eventually they will revolt.

Adams101

The middle class is not being bled. The lower class is growing massively and paying nothing.

..............................................................

mmmm..so this has nothing to do with Medicare or Social Security.

It's just a rant against poor people or the unemplyed.

Thought so.

The growing class of poor was the middle class adams.

Another misguided and misinformed idiot who hates lower income people, many who are now classifeid as lower income people because of the failure of our economy under the last administration.

You people are hilarious. Nothing to back your point of view other than your emotional babbling about your meaningless hate and race card. This means as much in a financial discussion as taking your ball and going home. I would love to see your statistics on the lowering of incomes since 1984 on the people getting these tax breaks and exemptions but you can't produce those because all your "hate" spews from crap you hear on talk radio and TV shows with no statistical data to back it up. It is "assumptive" in the liberal party that every bad thing in the country comes from unsubstantiated conspiracy theories to destroy the middle class. Please provide your data on this lowering of income levels that directly correspond to those getting the additional tax breaks since 1984.

This expansion of the "poor" had nothing to do with people getting poorer. From 1984 to 2007 was some of the most prosperous years in our nations history. It was not from people making less money. It was from politicians buying votes by exempting more and more higher wage earners from federal taxation. It also put more money into corporate product purchases. Look at the statistics they bear out my point. We now have tens of millions of people making $35K to $100K that now have enough exemptions and tax breaks to not pay one dime in federal taxes. These are NOT poor people! Less than 2 million people are on welfare or disability. The other 48 million simply don't pay any taxes and choose to extort income from others to pay for their entire retirement and medical care right into the grave like someone owes this to them simply based on the fact they can't afford it.

Gee Adams, I presume you're prepared to take back your ad hominem attack on all Liberals in the face of the statistics you requested. Perhaps it would've been better had you asked for the statistics BEFORE attacking anyone with whom you disagree.

In the United States, wealth is highly concentrated in a relatively few hands. As of 2007, the top 1% of households (the upper class) owned 34.6% of all privately held wealth, and the next 19% (the managerial, professional, and small business stratum) had 50.5%, which means that just 20% of the people owned a remarkable 85%, leaving only 15% of the wealth for the bottom 80% (wage and salary workers). In terms of financial wealth (total net worth minus the value of one's home), the top 1% of households had an even greater share: 42.7%.

http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html

That establishes the extraordinary concentration of wealth to be found in the United States, but of course you're asking if that's changed over time. It has;

By the late 1980s, however, the wealth distribution was almost as concentrated as it had been in 1929, when the top 1% had 44.2% of all wealth. It has continued to edge up since that time, with a slight decline from 1998 to 2001, before the economy crashed in the late 2000s and little people got pushed down again. Table 3 and Figure 5 present the details from 1922 through 2007.

Tables don't cut and paste properly to this board, but the table described shows the bottom 99% of Americans holding 79.5% of wealth vs. 20.5% in 1979. By 2007 wealth held by the bottom 99% was down to 65.4%, the top 1% up to 34.6%. There are your statistics. Concentration of wealth is real.

Maybe you object to classifying this by wealth and you'd prefer income. The very wealthy are making out like bandits here as well;

The rising concentration of income can be seen in a special New York Times analysis by David Cay Johnston of an Internal Revenue Service report on income in 2004. Although overall income had grown by 27% since 1979, 33% of the gains went to the top 1%. Meanwhile, the bottom 60% were making less: about 95 cents for each dollar they made in 1979. The next 20% - those between the 60th and 80th rungs of the income ladder -- made $1.02 for each dollar they earned in 1979. Furthermore, Johnston concludes that only the top 5% made significant gains ($1.53 for each 1979 dollar). Most amazing of all, the top 0.1% -- that's one-tenth of one percent -- had more combined pre-tax income than the poorest 120 million people (Johnston, 2006).

But the increase in what is going to the few at the top did not level off, even with all that. As of 2007, income inequality in the United States was at an all-time high for the past 95 years, with the top 0.01% -- that's one-hundredth of one percent -- receiving 6% of all U.S. wages, which is double what it was for that tiny slice in 2000; the top 10% received 49.7%, the highest since 1917 (Saez, 2009).

Ah, but part of your argument is that nasty Liberals have imposed confiscatory taxation on the wealthy elites who are responsible for all the legitimate economic activity in America. You'd be wrong about that as well;

It is widely believed that taxes are highly progressive and, furthermore, that the top several percent of income earners pay most of the taxes received by the federal government. Both ideas are wrong because they focus on official, rather than "effective" tax rates and ignore payroll taxes, which are mostly paid by those with incomes below $100,000 per year.

But what matters in terms of a power analysis is what percentage of their income people at different income levels pay to all levels of government (federal, state, and local) in taxes. If the less-well-off majority is somehow able to wield power, we would expect that the high earners would pay a bigger percentage of their income in taxes, because the majority figures the well-to-do would still have plenty left after taxes to make new investments and lead the good life. If the high earners have the most power, we'd expect them to pay about the same as everybody else, or less.

Citizens for Tax Justice, a research group that's been studying tax issues from its offices in Washington since 1979, provides the information we need. When all taxes (not just income taxes) are taken into account, the lowest 20% of earners (who average about $12,400 per year), paid 16.0% of their income to taxes in 2009; and the next 20% (about $25,000/year), paid 20.5% in taxes. So if we only examine these first two steps, the tax system looks like it is going to be progressive.

And it keeps looking progressive as we move further up the ladder: the middle 20% (about $33,400/year) give 25.3% of their income to various forms of taxation, and the next 20% (about $66,000/year) pay 28.5%. So taxes are progressive for the bottom 80%. But if we break the top 20% down into smaller chunks, we find that progressivity starts to slow down, then it stops, and then it slips backwards for the top 1%.

Specifically, the next 10% (about $100,000/year) pay 30.2% of their income as taxes; the next 5% ($141,000/year) dole out 31.2% of their earnings for taxes; and the next 4% ($245,000/year) pay 31.6% to taxes. You'll note that the progressivity is slowing down. As for the top 1% -- those who take in $1.3 million per year on average -- they pay 30.8% of their income to taxes, which is a little less than what the 9% just below them pay, and only a tiny bit more than what the segment between the 80th and 90th percentile pays.

So much for not being able to produce statistics to back up our rhetoric. Let me know if you need anything else.

Don't worry about me pal I'm not looking to take heart, I'm ready to take heads.

srfnsnw100 - Actually they do....just listen to why the stock market dropped 279 points yesterday for a few clues.

drbbw...I'm wide awake, thank you, and disagree with everything you wrote. I feel that President Obama will go down in history as one of the best Presidents this country has ever had. He has had and will continue to have many successes, and instead of supporting him and our country, your twisted facts will do more harm than good for yourself and our country. Hope takes a lot less energy than hate does, and the rewards are many. Think about it.

That was profound. Oh wait, I just heard the mail truck, run and grab your check.

Pot, meet kettle.

First time in a political vine? It's what both sides do. To think one side does it more than others would be foolish thinking.

Fleet Mgr...

You know, if you stopped blaming everything on Obama and realized this started under Bush and was inherited by Obama who is trying to manage it, then maybe we can fix it as a unified people working to bring financial sanity back to our government.

He's not perfect but he didn't put us in this hole by himself.

The problem with Mitt bashing Obama, is that things are better than they were three years ago. The facts just don't support the rhetoric. I am feeling the same recession fatigue as everyone, due to the slow recovery. But anyone remember 2008, when Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers failed, and we were frighteningly close to a Second Great Depression? Watch "Too Big To Fail" on HBO if you need a reminder of how horrible things were.

Mitt reminds me a lot of John Kerry in 2004. As hard as they try, they just can't seem to connect with people. Watching Mitt try to talk about Twilight and American Idol in a desperate effort to appear humanized, was painfully awkward to watch.

The only way Mitt read the first Twilight book was to make sure it wasn't the work of Satan after he saw his grandkids reading it. Regardless, I think we all know Mitt will get the nomination, an uninspired GOP will stay home election day, and Obama will earn 4 more years.

Have you been listening to the financial experts. We are headed into a full blown depression if we do not get spending under control. Clotho....please remember one thing you are the minority. Us independents will elect the next president. And most of them are still committed to the voting process. We just dont think the "real" candidate is here yet! Remember this time in the last Pres. election who the front runners where Ms. Clinton and Rudy Giuliani! Theres a long time to go!

jolly- Those "financial experts" are probably partisan, possibly even hired by the Koch brothers or something. These days I believe what I see in front of me and that's about it. At the end of the Bush administration my parents were about to lose their house. Now their investments have stabilized and they're okay. Thank you Obama. That's all I've got to say.

Going to have to say "source require", JOS. None of the economic data I've seen supports a depression caused by an immediate debt crisis...unless Conservative Republicans create one as they've threatened to do.

Perhaps you should take the time to investigate how this country arrived at our present situation. The combined deficit racked up by Reagan, Bush Sr and Bush Jr amounted to $10 Trillion when Obama took office. The additional $4 Trillion dollars was incurred to prevent the republican recession from becoming a Depression.

Every time republican economic policies have been implemented, they have resulted in a recession. George W Bush was handed a balanced budget, a budget surplus and a thriving economy which he turned into the worst economy since the Great Depression nearly one hundred years ago.

Then there is this repubublican malarkey about tax breaks for the wealthy creating jobs. It is total BS. It has never happened, and certainly not under the disasterous Presidency of George W Bush, and yet republicans are espousing the exact policies that caused this mess in the first place.

Stop watching Faux News and do some independent research from reliable sources.