Way too much inside the Beltway.

Instead, Congress ought to reconvene next week in a certain gateway city to have their heads knocked together by some sensible people for a change. How I would love to see that.

Here's the afternoon news from Wisconsin, just in case anyone thought that ol' grassroots movement was dead. It looks like there will be plenty of political work done here over the 4th of July.

From Green Bay to Fond du Lac, Oshkosh and beyond, those involved in the movement to remove their legislators who sided with Walker say it is their constitutional right to take action, and while they may not be hoisting signs and walking around the Capitol, they are working to change the makeup of those who serve within it. The Wisconsin Democratic Party and a coalition of union groups known as We Are Wisconsin are infusing volunteers and money into the recall efforts but the capital city is not driving the ground game, say activists.

“We are not requiring a lot of help from Madison,” says Jan Banicki, chair of the Democratic Party of Marquette County, who is coordinating with activists in several nearby counties in the recall against Olsen. “We have plenty of retired union people in Marquette County and lots of union workers from the prisons in Columbia County that have gotten involved in the recalls, especially in the southern portion of Marquette County. It’s farm country, but the people there have really taken the reins on the movement. They are willing to do whatever is needed, whenever it needs to get done.”

....

And while none of the six Republican senators facing recall elections are from Madison, and do not represent him, Schuster says their votes affect him just the same.

“Alberta Darling runs the finance committee. Luther Olsen is on an education committee,” says Schuster of two of the Republican senators facing recalls. “How these senators vote impacts all of us. These elections don’t just affect individual districts. They impact Wisconsin.”

These are the reasons Madison residents continue to volunteer and carpool on the weekends to work on recall efforts across the state. Niles says he hasn’t had a day off since Memorial Day, and is working 80 to 100 hours a week.

“Our goal is to take back the Senate,” Niles says. “What we are a part of is statewide solidarity.”

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/capitol-report/article_22927d8e-a1c5-11e0-9cd2-001cc4c03286.html

THIS is what democracy is all about.

It's a funny day when the democrats have a meeting to decide what to do when they know that the republicans are going to call them out on having a vacation in lieu of doing their jobs near Independence day. I wonder if they'll cry "undue hardship" over having to work next week. Heck, it's not like they are working any other week.

No debt ceiling increase TAKE AWAY THE CREDIT CARDS from these criminals

Feisty---the ones who live in their offices will already be at home! Maybe they'll take in boarders!

Madison - get educated.

Regarding the debt ceiling - the money has already been spent. The "card" has already been charged. Much of it by Republicans, by the way, but it doesn't matter because both parties were there when the bills were incurred.

What you are advocating is breaking the word of our country. Cheating our debtholders. Being a deadbeat. Screwing those who trusted us. Breaking our trust and our promises.

Are YOU a deadbeat?

Isn't that always the case? The house is waaaay to lackluster to get anything done professionally or in a timely manner. By rule of equation it is then the senate who must pay with their own time. Time they need not have spent as it becomes because Congress should be competent and capable of making happen matters of such gravity. The weight this country bares because of games of politics played by republicans is shown everyday.

Everyday we see the pain the joblessness the sick and hungry in our own streets. Mothers without husbands struggling to raise there child right. Soldiers gone. Houses gone. No where to turn. While those who are represented by republicans in the top two percent eat fat laugh without grace and continue to pile on simply because they can. Instead of THEM taking a stand against immorality they sit back and claim that they do it because the law says they can. Hmmm. Sad indeed. ; ]

There.I threew my juice on it.

mowdy5000 2011

weww.bacatit@ndstillapproved.comm

Madison From NY

No debt ceiling increase TAKE AWAY THE CREDIT CARDS from these criminals

You clearly didn't listen - raising the debt limit isn't about future spending - it's about what's already spent and paying for that.

Wonder how fast the potus and congressional reps would reach an agreement if their pay was withheld like the comptroller did in california.

Too stupid to make up -

Chris Hansen of "To catch a predator" get caught, on hidden video no less, cheating on his wife.

Stupid.

Hey AM - caught Rob Johnson's act. Loving that guy! Holding the senate to passing a budget? Huh, now who would have thunk of such a ridiculous thing?

Not Harry Reid.

Good and so mote it be. The GOP/Norquist/ALECK/Koch/Rove/Ayn Rand is a terrible brew.

Tired of mollycoddling the financial sector.

Tired of Republicans across the board getting around due democratic process with fear-mongering crises, cliff-hanging, extremism and displays of despotic power.

Democrats, we are equal bar none.

Yes and all of the animals are to be treated equally.

Except the ones that are treated better.

So Anna M - is that dirt bag Prosser in jail yet for bitch slapping Bradley? They called to police and all, right?

Anna Molly, thanks for posting the article from Wis. I am so proud to be from Wis. and my oldest son is on the board of directors of the United Wisconsin group. They are serious about this and are truly representing the best of what people can do when motivated and dedicated to what is right. We should all pay attention and follow Wis.' lead, people do make a difference when they work together. Too bad our Congress doesn't know how to work.

Spanky:

Hey AM - caught Rob Johnson's act. Loving that guy! Holding the senate to passing a budget? Huh, now who would have thunk of such a ridiculous thing?

Do you mean RON Johnson, Spanky? LoL That's exactly his problem. No one knows who he is. He's a total mockery of a Wisconsin senator. Approval rating to match.

http://uppitywis.org/blogarticle/new-poll-majority-wisconsinites-disapprove-walker-approve-obama

Maybe that's why he's suddenly trying to pretend he's doing some work.

But Russ Feingold is doing much better.

http://www.pollwatchdaily.com/tag/ron-johnson/

I don't think Johnson would win again today.

As for Prosser, they're investigating, Spanky. Both the sheriff and the Judicial Commission. After interviewing the entire court, the Capitol Police apparently thought there was enough there to turn it over for criminal investigation. Of course, conservatives whined that the Sheriff would not be impartial, so he did the honorable thing -- i.e., what Clarence Thomas apparently doesn't understand -- he excused himself and turned over the investigation to a subordinate officer.

Now, I wonder why conservatives would believe that a law enforcement officer would be biased against David Prosser? I mean, besides their GENERAL paranoia.

Any thoughts?

@ Michelle ~ Send your son my regards. I'm a former teacher, myself, and this hits home very hard. Tell him to keep up the good work, and good luck in the elections. We're all praying for a good result to put an end to our long Wisconsin nightmare and send the bullies packing.

You certainly are right about Congress.

If this were just about what "was already spent" then the borrowing would apply to the debt, thus lowering the debt balance.

No, you libbies are wrong, again.

This is about the daily OVERSPENDING going on in DC, without any regard to who will be responsible to pay for their IRRESPONSIBLE spending.

If they do not increase the debt ceiling, it does not mean that we default on our debt.

Many things can be done, including suspending the pay of federal government employees until this impasse is solved. Other measures can be taken, while servicing our debt responsibly.

The democrat leaders of our nation are lying again. The "sky is falling" lying liberals are now being exposed for their reckless words and behavior.

Don't misunderstand, the irresponsible Republicans have just as much responsibility to deal with these issues. And trust me, as a conservative, I have no problem closing some loopholes and restoring the tax rate for the upper 1%.

The problem with raising taxes is this - democrats want to punish specific activity. Enough of this BS - if we give companies a break for developing new business, exploration, hiring people, etc... then every company gets this break - or whatever the code allows.

The other problem is this - historically Democrats have agreed to cuts, only to not follow through. So they get more of our money, and NEVER reduce the size of government.

Our government is too big, too irresponsible, too big to manage, too screwed up. The only possible solution is to starve the beast.

My understanding was the local sheriff is no longer involved.

There was not enough evidence.

For the money these guys get paid they take wayyy too much time off anyway. Time to earn your pay guys.

I dont always agree with you Feisty but your right on point here.

@muffintop:

This is the last article on the subject from the local media.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_a954e5de-a1b4-11e0-8419-001cc4c03286.html

Here's an article from another source on the Judicial Commission investigation that also mentions the Sheriff Department investigation. As you can see from both articles, the Sheriff himself is not involved, but the investigation is going forward.

The Sheriff's Office and Judicial Commission will share interviews, reports and evidence collected, so that a justice wouldn't have to be interviewed twice for the same information, which should speed up both processes, WISC-TV reported.

http://www.channel3000.com/news/28388281/detail.html

If you have something else, I haven't seen it. Kindly share, please.

I have no links to anything, but the article I read said police chief Tubbs had met with the justices, but no criminal complaint had been filed by Bradley so that was it.

So I don't know if Tubbs is a police chief or Sheriff, but is looks like the investigation is over, and no charges filed.

Spanky:

If you intend of referencing a classic work of literature, it helps for you to have read it first so that you avoid misrepresenting the intended message of the passage being referenced. Here's an example of how to appropriately reference Animal Farm.

Muffintop1:

So I don't know if Tubbs is a police chief or Sheriff, but is looks like the investigation is over, and no charges filed.

No, your article was mistaken. Tubbs is the chief of the Capitol Police. They don't do criminal prosecutions. He turned it over to the Dane County Sheriff for possible charges. In conjunction with the Judicial Commission, the Sheriff's office is investigating.

Read the articles, Muffintop. They come from the local Madison press. Maybe this will convince you to do your own research and stop relying on the slanted garbage and misinformation you find on conservative blogs.

By the way, just to clarify, Bradley doesn't need to swear out a complaint for there to be a prosecution. At least not in this state. More misinformation.

The strategy of forcing political change through orchestrated crisis. The "Cloward-Piven Strategy" seeks to hasten the fall of capitalism by overloading the government bureaucracy with a flood of impossible demands, thus pushing society into crisis and economic collapse. Obama is doing just that with 5000 new regulations, another war, and outrageous spending.

Congress - all of them - House, Senate, Republican, Democrat - should come in and work on the 4th of July.

What a great way for these people to prove to the American public who put them there in the first place, that they take our country's problems seriously. In fact, it should all be televised, with comemtators, so the rest of us at home can get a feeling for what these boneheads actually are and aren't doing.

These are seriously troubled times, and I for one did not vote for my representatives to just breeze in, sell us out to their soulless corporate masters little-by-little, blame the other side for the blow-back, then kick the can further down the road so they could take yet another week off!... sorry, "District Work Time" (what a crock). In fact, I think it should be a new tradition that Congress members come in and work every 4th of July weekend while the rest of America (for the most part) has it off and gets to watch from the sidelines - and I think it would be fair to question the patriotism (to swipe a play from the Tea Party playbook) of any Congress member who decided not to participate.

Show some leadership and sacrafice for once.

Poor Babies. They have to work over a Holiday. If Both sides had done their job, we wouldn't be in this impasse. Perhaps we should do like California and Dock their pay also.

Well, There is no reason they should have to work. The dems have been negligent in trying to get anything done and in not wanting to work the last couple of years. Then when it gets down to the end, everyone should drop everything to help them get work done because they were irresponsible. Im sick of it. They do this last minute crap, and we get stuck with bad policies and things that they vote for but have not even researched or read. Then when bad things happen, they blame Republicans. The whole thing is a political ploy. If you fall for it you are an idiot!! It is just so disgusting!!!

Rh: The whole thing is a political ploy. If you fall for it you are an idiot!!

The Democrats certainly know their supporters. They know them very well.

JoAnnaSmith1

Rh: The whole thing is a political ploy. If you fall for it you are an idiot!!

The Democrats certainly know their supporters. They know them very well.

Yea, Lady Sniff that's why the President is standing strong since the GOP/ T-baggers have a deficit disorder.

Napoleon Linardatos

June 28, 2011 4:00 A.M.

The Greek Way of Sorrow

Thirty years ago this fall, on October 18, 1981, a charismatic academic with rather limited government experience and with a one-word slogan, "Change," was elected prime minister of Greece. His name was Andreas Papandreou. Greeks may now wish that 30 years ago they had had a Tea Party movement. Things could have turned out differently.

Thirty years ago, Greece was in an enviable position on the matter of national debt, with its debt just 28.6 percent of GDP. Few advanced countries can manage that kind of debt-to-GDP ratio. By the end of Papandreou's first term in office, that ratio had nearly doubled, with debt at 54.7 percent of GDP. By the end of his second term, the figure was in the mid 80s.

The 1980s in Greece were a time of dramatic expansion of government. Papandreou and his Socialist party created a new government-run health-care system, dramatically expanded employment in the public sector, nationalized failing companies, and increased government handouts of every shape and form.

It was a government expansion so large and many-sided that in the end it generated a revolution of expectations and attitudes about the role of government in society. No government since then has been able to reverse that revolution, no matter how willing it was or how pressing the circumstances.

It is in this detrimental position that the current prime minister, George Papandreou, son of Andreas, finds himself. A sorry state of affairs created by one generation to be dealt with by another, the sins of the father to be paid for by the son — this is the material that Greek tragedies are made of.

The statism of the Eighties got another boost when subsidies from the European Union started to pour in, and yet another boost in 2001 when Greece adopted the euro and discovered that she could borrow at very cheap rates. The euro and the subsidies played the same role in Greece that oil has played in the Middle East: the lifeline of an unsustainable economic system, the enabler of a demagogic political class.

Now the Greek government finds itself with a debt-to-GDP ratio somewhere north of 140 percent and quickly rising. Since May of 2010, that problem has also become the European Union's problem. Because Greece is a member of the EU and the eurozone, it is feared that her instability will lead to the destabilization of other weak members of the EU. Greece cannot go out to the markets to service her debt and finance her new deficits; that has become the care now of other nations' taxpayers across the continent.

The agreement between the EU and Greece stipulated that Greece would drastically reduce her deficits in return for European aid. That was to be achieved by budget cuts and tax increases. The Greek government since then has mostly intended budget cuts and vigorously pursued tax increases.

Such an approach is not surprising considering the political clout that government employees enjoy in Greece. One of every four working adults is a government employee. The government at the beginning made some across-the-board cuts in salaries and pensions, but since then it has basically tried to address the issue of public finance with tax increases.

The absolutely dismal results of those tax increases have not persuaded the younger Papandreou and his colleagues to reduce the size of government and its tax, regulatory, and corruption burden on the economy. The Greek government employs lots of people, even by European standards; the increase in unemployment since the crisis started has come exclusively from the private sector. Finland may have the best educational system in Europe, but its ratio of students to teachers is double that of Greece, which has one of the worst educational systems. In area after area of governmental activity, Greece has the most people employed per population but also the worst results: a way-above-average number of tax collectors but very poor tax collection; an above-average number of policemen but dismal public order; a record number of local courts but perhaps the slowest justice system on the continent; a record number of hospitals but one of the worst systems of health care.

There are hundreds of governmental organizations that employ thousands of people and no one knows what they do, how they do it, or indeed if they do anything at all. Recently it was found that there was a government agency for the preservation of a lake that was drained decades ago.

Then there are the companies owned or controlled by the government. One of them is the Railroad Organization, which has annual revenues of €100 million, pays annual salaries of €400 million, and each year has a loss of about €1 billion. Now the government pretends that it is cleaning up the Railroad Organization's finances by transferring the employees from the company to the central bureaucracy of the government. That kind of cleaning up would embarrass even an Enron executive.

On the other hand, the Greek government has no problem increasing taxes. Taxes on income and property, on sodas and swimming pools, on cars and natural gas, on corporate profits of years past, on everyone's electricity bill. The Valued Added Tax (VAT) for many goods is now at 23 percent.

The Greek government finds itself in a very difficult place. It cannot continue to squeeze the private sector for more euros. The Greek private sector, which has become a kind of new serf class, is very weak and rapidly shrinking. On the other hand, the public sector — with salaries two and three times that of the private sector, plum benefits, egregious pensions, and early retirements — is just too politically powerful to be messed with. There is a solution to the Greek crisis; the only problem is that solutions in Greece tend not be to politically viable things.

Greeks like me cringe when we hear people like Paul Krugman lecturing Americans on how a government takeover in a certain sector of the economy will facilitate in the future reforms that are necessary now.

There stands Greece today, a year after it was bailed out by the taxpayers of other countries, facing the choice of reforming itself or going to utter ruin, and it cannot make up its mind.

The thirty years of hardcore statism have destroyed not only the economy of the nation, but also its ability to do politics, to articulate choices and ideas for the crisis at hand. Everything seems already decided, pre-determined, and set in stone, like the annual government budgets with their immovable expenditures tied to vote-rich constituencies.

Back in the mid-Eighties I was a primary-school student. I didn't understand the politics, but I could feel the pathos of a country that had just "discovered" that there is a thing called a free lunch. Oftentimes, one is asked what one most missed having in one's childhood. I couldn't have told you at the time, but I can with certainty answer today: a Tea Party.

Beverly,

Yea, Lady Sniff that's why the President is standing strong.

Who put that crazy idea in our head? Obama and strong don't even belong in the same sentence. LOL He has always polled very poorly (upper 40s) . People simply don't like his policies. You sound like you get your news from K. Oberman or somthing. LOL If you do, get out of his crazy cult before you embarrass your self.

People the president does not spend money. Congress does. People give democrats credit for cutting debt but look who was in the house during those Democrat presidential years : Republicans. Who was in charge during Republican Presidents: Democrats ran the house. Democrats spend and spend.

No person agrees 100% with one or the other party lines. So lets starting voting American not by Parties, if you feel the other parties candidate has good ideas then don't just vote party lines like SO MANY people do vote for the other side. I don't believe in the government paying for abortions! just like I don't believe in big tax breaks for the rich and corporations.

For the people by the people!!! not for the Party by the Party!!

Realhope

Beverly,

Yea, Lady Sniff that's why the President is standing strong.

Who put that crazy idea in our head? Obama and strong don't even belong in the same sentence. LOL He has always polled very poorly (upper 40s) . People simply don't like his policies. You sound like you get your news from K. Oberman or somthing. LOL If you do, get out of his crazy cult before you embarrass your self.

LMAO

Just who do you think will be the “best” Republican opponent to beat PRESIDENT OBAMA ?

Hint: even if his approval goes to zero I can assure he will be re-elected. Here's the thing, No one in the GOP/ T-BAGGER merry go round has PRESIDENT OBAMA's multiple accomplishments, his intelligence, his common sense, or his brilliant political sense.

All of them on the carousel are spinning around in darkness

BTW: I pay no attention to the cracker jack polls that mostly poll right wing likely voters

"even if his approval rating goes to zero I can assure you he will be re-elected."

Another shinning Bevism.

Keep them coming Bev. Priceless and clueless at the same time. Awesome.

Spanky, darling, shining to enlighten you. Much obliged to take you out of the darkness and into the light; even if it takes millenniums.

People the president does not spend money. Congress does. People give democrats credit for cutting debt but look who was in the house during those Democrat presidential years : Republicans. Who was in charge during Republican Presidents: Democrats ran the house. Democrats spend and spend.

Then, by all means, please explain 2001-2006.

[Another shinning Bevism.]

Shinning?

Should we have a "Bevism" poll at the end of each week? Everyone could vote for their favorite one.

I am just not sure Beverly is in on the joke.

From the Urban Dictionary - definition of Muffintop:

When a woman wears a pair of tight jeans that makes her flab spill out over the waistband, just like the top of a muffin sits over the edge of the paper case.

Interesting choice of a screen name... lol

Well that is a well respected source.

Thank you for your interest. You could not be more wrong, but then again, my looks are really none of your concern.

Would you like to participate in the poll?

I think it would be fun.

Looks like the Senate needs to make up for lost time with them working on the DREAM Act all day yesterday. Maybe they can talk about some gay marriage and abortion laws next week? Those seem to be within the range of issues they want to discuss.

Think the Senate will ever pass a FY2012 budget, you know, like the House did months ago? Have they even started working on one?

Maybe Obama can submit to the Senate another one of his budgets, one that can get maybe get one Senator to vote for it this time around. There's always Hope.

They need to do some work

No kidding Tommy - the freakin house is on fire and the fire department decides to take a vacation!

They need to be reminded they WORK for us!

"They need to be reminded they WORK for us!"

No, they were HIRED to work for us. They most certainly do not WORK for us.

(Sorry- I ususally don't take exception to your posts, but me and some commies were sitting in a secret treehouse plotting against you, you know!)

Aw, look at Drive By thinking the congress works for him.

You just win the lottery of or something buddy? Strike oil?

Naw, drive by they couldn't care two Feistys and a Bev. about you.

THink about it bro. Obama cut my taxes last december. They all gave me a bunch of sweet tax deductions and loopholes, not to mention all the ones I get for my business.

Hell Drive By they literally gave me $25,000 when I decided to buy my auto-mobile. Suck on that "loophole." And Jody, cause I know you are a tax code scholar in training, look up IRC Sec. 179. Sweet, right? Hell yeah!

So Drive by, who is this "us" you are talking about?

Silly sparkle monkey.

You are correct about fewer mules -- a.k.a donkeys -- in Congress.

Standing in front to the cameras and babbling about their kids homework has nothing to do with getting anything done.

I think you mean we need fewer elephants in the room, Ursula. One never hears the expression about the donkey in the room, it's always the elephant or gorilla.

MCM: Yeah , but having petulant twits like Cantor and Kyl , who storm out and refuse to return like a 5 year old whose ice cream was taken away , sure are "getting things done" , aren't they ?

It's really time the Democrats sit in a quiet room by themselves so they can come up with their own plan. Obama was no help today, or any day for that matter, with his lofty, and empty, rhetoric. The Democrats in the Senate have come up with nothing but some ideas on taxing a few rich, and now something about "corporate jets". It's time now the Democrats come up with their plan, a real plan, on who they intend to tax, how much they intend to tax them, what budget cuts they want, and their plan for reforming the entitlements. Having the Republicans around just seems to confuse and upset the Democrats.

Lets see it Democrats. What's you plan?

Jody, I was actually referring to the stubbornness of the GOP when they're supposed to be negotiating. Some of our elected officials seem to forget that they represent ALL of us...not just the ones that donated and voted for them.

Ursula: Jody, I was actually referring to the stubbornness of the GOP when they're supposed to be negotiating.

There is nothing for the GOP to negotiate. To negotiate, you have a plan that is counter to the GOPs. None exists. The Democrats have no plan. And it's no accident that the Democrats don't have a plan, because if they did, it would show that their tax increase plans would either tax the middle class, or not bring in anywhere near the revenue that makes any kind of difference. The Democrats don't want to show that hand to the voters. What the Democrats really want to do is hammer out a deal behind closed doors, one that does raise taxes, even on the middle class, and then blame the GOP for the deal. Cantor and Kyl saw that one coming and left the talks so the Democrats can stew and come up with their own plan.

Well Golly Ursula - that is exactly what they just did in Cali.

And oh brother did that work out just awesome for us.

Ursula, we are going to really need a bug bailout, can you and you great state spare a few billion? Thanks.

And great idea. Making the same mistakes over and over is a great plan Ursula.

What is a "bug" bailout?

I do agree that the democrats going alone is a problem. In California they shut the republicans out and are nowhere close to a balance budget. I for one don't want a penny of y tax money to go to bail out California.

This has been bothering me for days, Congressional members and the Senate put their hand on the Bible to uphold the Constitution, what if they signed a prior pledge like a Grover Norquist not to raise taxes, let's bring this further what if in WW11 they signed a pledge to support Germany, what if JFK signed a pledge to abide by all of the rulings of the Catholic Church what would you call that "treason"?

I have wrestled with this what comes first the Constitution or Grover Norquist - any answer out there where is there allegiance to the Constitution? or Grover Norquist - if it is Grover Norquist than they have lied and not sworn to the Constitution - should they be removed from office - YES

Brittany,

You statement makes no sense. Those so called rich, that Obama loves to try to make everyone hate, are the ones the supply us with the jobs. Its not about raising taxes, we can keep raising taxes until everyone is broke, but if we dont stop the spending (both wasteful and good causes) we dont solve the problem. We are looking more and more like Greece everyday because of the Obama policies and the Democrates.

Realhope,

If I am a CEO and I want to hire some workers for my business, do I pay their salaries with my credit card? Of course not. I pay those salaries with investments and business capital. Money that millionaires save from tax breaks sits in a personal bank account, not a corporate one. The whole idea of tax breaks creating jobs makes sense on the surface...until you actually think about what that money does.

Of course, I'm willing to hear counter-arguements. But I don't think one guy making money for himself really does a lot except pull that money out of circulation. Ever notice how the distribution of wealth has been favoring the rich more and more since Reagan...especially during recessions?

right -- when clinton raised taxes, those capitalists sure were motivated to make more many -- ie-- job growth in eight years to some 200 mil!  bush gave the tax cuts/credits -- job growth in eight years -- 3 mil.  yeah sure, it pays off to give those wealthy people all those breaks!

With Congress, neither quality nor quantity is "Job 1."

hold the economy hostage, hold the jobs hostage.....

I mean really, if they really have been sitting on bills bipartisan bills that would have created jobs, shame on them and who the F do they think they are?

All over the country lots of regular working people will be on vacation next week----with the July 4 holiday on a Monday, they can get a week's vacation and only use 4 vacation days, saving one for a holiday or more likely a day care or other family situation. And yet Congress is having another recess---to be home campaigning for re-election after doing nothing. And they wonder why their approval rating is so low.

When anyone says the House or Senate works two weeks and takes one week off they are stretching it. The actual work accomplished during that two weeks would equal four hours of a ditch diggers week. Actually, that might even be stretching it.

Bev my dear schooling others on their choice of words. Hypocrisy is thy name convicted by your own words. Tsk, Tsk....

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/02/6773674-romney-drops-social-conservative-rhetoric-adopts-tea-partys?threadId=3142098&commentId=54715153#c54715153

Comment 8.13

ksw62118

Bev my dear schooling others on their choice of words. Hypocrisy is thy name convicted by your own words. Tsk, Tsk....

Ahhh, I see reading comprehension is not your forte.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/02/6773674-romney-drops-social-conservative-rhetoric-adopts-tea-partys?threadId=3142098&commentId=54715153#c54715153

Comment 8.13

Ahh but Bev it is. Just because you couch your speech with cutesy little symbols, the word still has the same meaning, It is deragatory and insulting whether you are calling a gay person that or a straight person. I repeat I am no fan of the group you were talking about but to quote you verbatim:

"Yes, I agree we shouldn't be censored. If any voices should be lost it should be those bleached blond monkey girls on FOX NOISE who hold their jobs down by showing their tails, smearing. and lyin.

Don't forget those weak fag---ts they call men like hannity and cry baby Glenn Beck"

Madison from NY

With all due respect, you cannot possibly have any idea of the truly terrible consequences that would result were the debt ceiling to remain where it is. The Republicans are playing chicken (or perhaps Russian Roulette) with the financial future of this country.

The Republicans came up with a plan to lower the deficit and fix entitlements Abe. I'd say it the Democrats playing chicken with the debt ceiling....

Abraham,

I respect the logic and reasonableness of your post (#16.1), but considering their intended effect (or should a say audience), remember the old saying about pearls before swine.

Madison,

You appear to know nothing about the debt ceiling other than what Faux News tells you. Read up on the consequences then come back and discuss. This is serious and requires serious participation on everyones' part.

here here! good summary

LBJ - Oh you mean the LBJ responsible for 58,000 American deaths in Vietnam. That LBJ?

Yes like Lincoln, responsible for 600,000 deaths...the Civil War was part of his presidency, but some folks think he did some good stuff too...you could look it up...:)

What was your point? LBJ was an incredibly competent leader of the senate and was as effective as any president in history at getting his policies implemented with bi-partisan support. He had the courage to "lose the south" for his own party to get legislation passed for the good of the entire nation.

We could use some of that now.

LBJ, or any other president for that matter, can't lock anyone in Congress in any room. The Legislative branch of government is a separate, but equal, branch to the Executive branch. The Legislative branch can do what they please when they please. Or, in the case of the Senate, they can sit on their butts all year until the situation gets to be critical and they need to work one day during their scheduled week off. Oh, the humanity.

I know dangerfield, but it sure was fun to read your outrage.

Obama does not and never has had the political courage that LBJ had, or pretty much any other president. He can lean on Harry Reid, but probably won't. This falls on Reids shoulders.

JS1

Read your history books...Johnson DID just that (figuratively and literally) and on more than one occasion...LBJ was senate majority leader and as president could sit down with his opponent, and FRIEND (those were the freakin' days, when politicians could beat each other up in public but put down the gloves and be PRAGMATIC in private.) Everett Dirksen in the oval office over a scotch or two, and work things out...

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

I know dangerfield, but it sure was fun to read your outrage.

Dude, you think I was outraged? Because I provided historical perspective? And you did it for amusement? That's really productive on your part isn't it? Lesson learned...

df: Read your history books...Johnson DID just that (figuratively and literally) and on more than one occasion

If LBJ had some strange power over Congress, and for some odd reason Congress feared him, it wasn't because Congress was forced by him to do it. It was their choice. The arrangement is clear, the Legislative branch and the Executive branch are separate, but equal.

Obama doesn't have the manhood to do such a thing. Where LBJ was a micro-manager, Obama is divorced from the entire process. He doesn't have the standing to tell Congress anything, especially after that exhibition he gave today at his press conference. Obama offered no direction.

From now on let's assume we both know the three branches of government and the concept of checks and balances, OK? Let's also assume that President Johnson did too.

Unfortunately for me, In your zeal to impugn the current president at every turn you've really missed my point and the actual history by a country mile...

LBJ used the CARROT and the STICK in his dealings with congress, and congressional leaders actually socialized between the parties. They talked to each other, drank and ate with each other, played golf, etc.

There was a LIBERAL/MODERATE "Rockefeller"wing of the republican party and a very polarized southern conservative wing in the democratic party that was soon to go republican.

The cultural dynamic has changed. Both parties have become more homogenous; there is no liberal wing of the republican party and few true conservatives in the democratic party. The members jockey for face-time on the networks, and the loudest, angriest or most partisan make the best entertainment. Politics has been called "show business for ugly people" and that has never been more true than at this moment in time and each party has it's own "entertainment network" to agitprop for their ideology. The calcified intractable positions of the two parties make legislating, for anyone, on either side, a Sisyphean endeavor....I fault the President for many things but I can't blame him for not being able to govern in 1966.

truman called congress out on the carpet, too

You mean Truman who killed hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians with nuclear weapons of mass destruction?*

wntrfrdscntnt

it's a theme...sorry

*Hi Kirby!

dangerfield

JS1

Read your history books...Johnson DID just that (figuratively and literally) and on more than one occasion...LBJ was senate majority leader and as president could sit down with his opponent, and FRIEND (those were the freakin' days, when politicians could beat each other up in public but put down the gloves and be PRAGMATIC in private.) Everett Dirksen in the oval office over a scotch or two, and work things out...

Pardon me for steering off topic and bringing up that ugly elephant in the room. The pretext LBJ is better than President Obama's is simply ludicrous. Those boll weevils are now Republicans and T-baggers who have an aversion to President Obama's skin tone. Yes, those same ones are now republicans/ t-baggers. I doubt it seriously if a real liberal leaves the party . Republicans used to compromise. Now they are driven by the continuous epithets of the birthers, T-baggers, tenthers, Trump, Gringrich, Hannity, and most of all Fox Noise due to their fears, inflammatory rhetoric, lack of integrity, and aversion to diversity.

Besides, President Obama doesn't need to twist arms, his cool calm collective aproach kicks ass. He got bin Laden didn't he while set back in the cut; and he didn't need to break it down to a bunch of talking heads and a petulant Congress.

You rightie LIARS can come up with epithets; but, the Prez kicks your a@@es so you have to take your mental jabe every time.

BTW: the street Obama can turn on dime too, put aside that intellectualism and put ya'll in perspective when he wants too. Remember that time at their retreat in Baltimore when he walked through you boys like they were even their?

I LOL when he embarrassed that Eric Cantor about his prop; the stacked up print- out of the healthcare bill.

Obama Goes To GOP Lions' Den -- And Mauls The Lions

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/29/obama-goes-to-the-gop-lio_n_442331.html

Bam, get 'em Mr PRESIDENT!! Good job.

Is the "street" Obama the one that did cocaine or the one that said it would be a failure of leadership to raise the debt ceiling?

I get confused, there are so many Obamas. He is a "blank screen" after all. Or was that just a Bevism. "Like they were even their."

It is hard to keep up,

Hey, thanks Bev and muffintop!

There was way too much sanity going on here.. now have at it you two cute little loons!...political "thought" at its zaniest!

No problem. This place is fun. Especially when the mean people go home.

Dangerfield LBJ's famous line I would rather have them pissing outside the room than pissing in - loved that man - he knew the Southerners would hate him but he did what was right and I loved Lady Bird's beautify America no billboards within x from your sight and then came the Republicans

I am an Independent voter and my plan to vote for a change is something I have never done, I will not vote for another republican until I see they are more for America and not their party. I take that back, I do plan to vote in the GOP primary for the biggest GOP/TP boob on the ballot... at this rate they have all lost my vote. If what the POTUS said was true about congress sitting on bills that would help create jobs and have not made those priority one, they are to arrogant to be where they are, in my humble opinion.

Robert, thank you for the service to your country and your vote.

Don't lose your common sense Robert. If Obama had any government bills to creat jobs in the private sector he would have had them on his desk when he had the Majority in the House and Senate. All you got was the added debt of the $trillion failed stimulus program.

bitter much????

UAW whatever - under Nancy Pelosi there where 200 bills all either blocked or phillibustered by your Republicans - don't give me your crap you know nothing the Rebulicans blocked every bill where the hell where you cloud nine

Jammajam - you are either ignorant or stupid - the debt ceiling under Bush was raised four times all it means is that the United States will pay there bills not paying it will collapse the economy, send Europe into a frenzy, cause havoc all over the world and most of all raise our interest rates so we never can pay our debt - what are you an eight grader who has no grasp of economics - if so open a book - and most of all do not come back here unless you have a grasp - this is not your private checkbook or your credit cards this is the United States of America defaulting on their loans

Yea Jammy, "All it means is the United States will pay it's bills". You act like this is real money like you would have in your check book or credit card! Get a clue! <---------People with common sense will see the sarcasm in this.....

Rural Washington - I live in Washington Pelosi had nothing to do with this Boehner is the Speaker of the House and Eric Cantor is trying to cut his legs off and become leader - this is an internal struggle

My lady Nancy Pelosi got 200 bills to present to the Senate and everyone of them was delayed by the Republicans - what did Boehner do? Same sex marriages - abortions - repeal Healthcare - Repeal Medicare - Repeal Medicaid - no money for Pell Grants - and boy if they could have cut off the legs of a cripple they would have done it OH wait that was already done - get rid of PBS - Planned Parenthood - need I go on or do you get the idea - anything but jobs