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The first session of the 112th Congress is ending essentially where it began: in a political stalemate.
Earlier this year, it took the Republican-controlled House, the Democratic-controlled Senate, and the Obama White House until the last minute to avert a government shutdown, which would have furloughed much of the federal workforce.
In the summer, those three bodies battled over raising the debt ceiling. And while they eventually raised it -- again at the last second -- the process led Standard & Poor's to downgrade the United States' credit rating.
And now they're now engaged in a political food fight over extending the payroll tax cut, which expires on Dec. 31.
This constant brinksmanship -- over people's employment, the U.S. credit rating, and Americans' tax cuts -- isn't endearing itself to the public.
According to the most recent NBC/WSJ poll, 42% called this Congress' performance "one of the worst" ever, the highest percentage on this question that dates back to 1990. Another 33% called the Congress "below average." So that's three-quarters of the public giving the Congress unsatisfactory grade.
What's more, 69% said they disapproved of the job that Republicans in Congress are doing, while 62% disapprove of the job Democrats are doing.
And asked what the public considers most disappointing about the current Congress, 28% cited partisan disagreement and not getting anything done; 17% said the GOP leadership is unwilling to compromise with Democrats; and 13% agreed that not enough is being done to fix the economy.
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The 112th Congress;
Equal Opportunity to piss off the public!
Nuff said!
Happy Holidays to ALL!
In two TV interviews today, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney refused to take a stance on the biggest issue in Washington today: the extension of the payroll tax holiday. A huge bipartisan majority in the Senate passed a two-month extension of the cut, but the House rejected that yesterday.
He blasts our President for not getting involved, not leading while at the same time Mitt won’t step up and take a position. Is this just too controversial for him to take a stand, too fearful voters will judge his opinion?
Happy Holidays, Feisty, and to everyone.
Don't forget to watch the Packer and the Bears on Christmas night.
May the best team win. ;-)
Oh, he'll have a position, all right -- the day AFTER the deal gets done.
And another one the day after that.
And the day after that.
And the day after ....
Only after consuming copious amount of egg nog! lol
It's so bad around here a car dealership is offering FREE cars if the Bears shut out the Packers! lmao!
The right's determination to destroy the President is amazing. I have seen a lot of political game playing in my day - on both sides - but this takes the cake!!!!
@Feisty
Happy Holiday, GF!!! Give that girl of yours an extra hug from me!
@Anna Molly
Willard will wait several polling cycles after the deal is done for his first point of view.
And that game will be a nail biter. The Pack has proven they are vulnerable.
@Dennis
Happy Holidays! You got a great gift in Urban Myers. Give you 3 years, and THE Ohio State University will be national champs!
phine,
Thanks for the good thoughts.
Urban is hiring some of the best coaches in the country but I think it will take longer especially since the NCAA took away nearly half of our scholarships for the next 3 years – down from an average of 21/yr. to 12/yr. (-9). It is difficult to attract the very best players when you can’t offer some of them a free/full ride.
The general News narrative leaves out why Democrats are DISGUSTED with Republicans:
GOP/Koch is trying to shaft the American people with more pollution & cut safety nets.
And speed up the Keystone Pipeline.
PAYROLL TAX: Dems are accepting a stop-gap agreement that will get us past Jan 1/12. The one-year can be negotiated if ever GOP will let it come up for a vote.
Boehner was against the 2-month extension. He didn't let it come up for a vote because he was afraid it would PASS in the HOUSE. Then he put it into committee headed up by GOP members who already voted against the payroll tax cut.
Now Boehner says it is not LONG enough. Why on earth would we now believe that Boehner is shooting for a year long extension?
To add insult to injury, Boehner just sent the HOUSE home for the holidays.
Mark Murray,
Only 13 %, that can't be right.
Please go back and check how the question and the response was actually presented and recorded.
There is no way in hell that only 13% agreed that not enough is being done to fix the economy.
I think you inverted either the question or the response.
@Dennis
Having watched him in action here, the force of his personality - and his ability to put together winning teams just might get those players.
Red must be hard to complain about the Bush Tax cuts,then cry for tax cuts at the same time.When Joe Biden is claiming the Taliban is not our enemy and are just killing us for practice?????????? Where is the Democratic Budget we have been 3 years and yet the Democrats can not pass a Budget? come on common sense needs to kick in,we need to get our government back into the hands of the people and away from the career politicans.
The only reason he's even talking about a yearlong extension is so he can have a chance to jam all that extra has-nothing-to-do-with-this-bill-but-we-want-our-right-wing-social-engineering-anyway through along with it.
Worst. Congress. Ever.
Happy holidays, Feisty!
My New England Patriots will beat the Packers in the Super Bowl...doing Bears fans a favor.
Does Romney really think blatant lies are going to help his candidacy? Obama told congress that they could not recess the congress until this payroll tax issue had been settled. Obama has been continuously saying that the middle class needed this extension while Romney as usual takes no sides on anything. Seriously Mr. Romney, you are as weak as the spineless Boehner. Hats off to McConnell for handling this in a bipartisan way, even if it was more of an effort to save his job than real concern for people.
Happy holidays everyone, no matter what side you are on!
Same to you Bob!
Have a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous 2012!
I will be rooting for them all the way!
The conflict was inevitable.
The Democrats want to keep on spending without regard for the Deficits, and the Republicans want to reign in excessive spending.
The rest is mere political rhetoric, with Democrats claiming the Republicans are 'heartless' for wanting to cut spending, and the Republicans claiming the Democrats are driving us towards bankruptcy with out-of-control spending.
The voters will have to decide which they think is more important in 2012.
I would counter that we may actually be seeing Congress working together for the first time since the Tea Baggers rose to power. The snaky Canter may actually be up against Boehner/McConnell with the help of the democrats.
The way this picture is being painted, it is the TP that refuses to bend on the tax relief bill. Senate GOP and Democrats agreed, Boehner agreed, and House Democrats agreed with the bill. Now it is time for the House GOP to peel itself away from the TP. When the American public decides to play the "blame game", I suggest that the House GOP, Senate GOP and Senate Democrats will all be pointing the finger at the revolting Tea Baggers.
So, giving the wealthy tax breaks to go on spending lavishly on things like say fake weddings like Kim Kardashians is great, but giving the middle class tax breaks when more and more are falling below the poverty line is bad. I see Roy. I have no issue with keeping invested money and small business taxes as low as possible, I have no issue with keeping taxes low to create AMERICAN jobs. I do take issue with this argument when that isn't what is happening.
Also, this isn't about spending, spending needs to be slashed across the board and that includes bringing our troops home and ending the wars. Which by the way there is only two candidates that advocates ending the wars Huntsman and Paul.
I agree, its time for Boehner to grow a spine and stop being held hostage by Cantor and the morons in the tea party.
Roy, have you forgotten that the demigod of some on the right, Ronald Reagan, said that deficits don't matter. The Bushies agreed. Now all of a sudden deficits matter?
Who is supposed to pay for Bush's wars? They weren't put into the budget and they didn't sell bonds to Americans to pay for it like other wars. Now we have a huge deficit following a surplus left by President Clinton.
Republicans in the time of President Eisenhower were willing to negotiate, to compromise not like the pig headed "my way or the highway" extremists we have controlling that party today. Crying Johnny Boehner is weak and can't control his party. The Teapublicans are in charge. A minority is in control of the House of Representatives. No wonder their rating is so low.
P&P - obama is doing quite well in not even coming close to delivering on "hope and change" why shouldn't the right help him leave?
Government today isn't about working for the people they represent, it is only about re-election, power, and money, other peoples money.
Many who first enter office are people of means, but they have no concept, being the 1%'ers, with the plight of the common American. Others, enter office with a medium income, and as the years progress, gain more new worth than they would out of office. Just look at their required filings from the time they entered public service to the present.
The good life in Congress is acquired, and so is the funding necessary for re-election. And the special interests contribute to this for future considerations by the person the special interest bought.
Along with seniority comes more committee appointments, which equal more power, which equals more special interest money, which equals more time in Congress to make money for themselves.
I'm sure this isn't what the founding fathers had in mind when Congress was a public service from people from the general population. It would be impressive to have term-limits, no lobbyists, no pork, and legislators who would work for the people, rather than create power for themselves and their individual party. But no professional politician would enact such legislation.
Heck, if terms were imposed, pensions and perks eliminated, with legislation proposed without riders and submitted and reviewed on a timely basis, we may find a goverment that is again responsive to the public.
But while I find this on my wish list, I know it is just a pipe-dream without ever finding its way.
It is truly disappointing that people that call themselves "leaders" have failed to show any leadership in this Congress. There are many things they could have done that would help the economy improve and provide immediate relief to those who need it at this time. And they could do so (from both sides of the aisle) without angering everyone in their base, but this would require some innovative thinking and sadly, that seems to be in short supply within the ranks of the current 535 members of Clowngress. I humbly submit that we should consider "reasonableness" and "sense of priority" as traits to receive more weight in our next crop of elected officials, and place less importance on "adherence to ideology".
Reddev - time for you to take your meds. Be glad for the teaparty for trying to break the old school political thinling of "deficits don't matter". Interesting that they campaigned mainly on the economy and fiscal responsability and won representation because of the lack of it by their opposition. Now you think that they have such political influence because you don't agree? Seems that they are attempting to follow what their constituents voted them into office for. The most consistant policy is change.
It's just sad how completely gamed our entire political system has become
And equally so, I can't stand how during debates, no one, not even the moderators EVER call the candidates out on their lies and BS!
I would love to have an actual economist call Ron Paul on his nonsense. Hey Ron? You think companies are capable of self-regulation? HAVE YOU EVER READ A HISTORY BOOK? Care to revisit the business practices of Andrew Carnegie, JP Morgan and JD Rockefeller? Do you know WHY the Sherman Anti-Trust Act was enacted?
All the GOP contenders want to remove the EPA and gut the FDA (further)? Would any of you like to discuss how companies left to their own devices have completely ignored ethical practices in the pursuit of increased profits? Have any of you fools read "The Jungle" and understand why that created such an uproar? Do you think China, with its near complete lack of regulation is a country that we should emulate?
Yeesh!
In any sense, these morons running for POTUS, and the geniuses in Congress are just election insurance for Obama.
@American .. speaking of meds:
Please give me ONE example of where the tea party (notice no capitalism there) has changed policies of 'deficits don't matter". Did they have that idea when democrats suggested a millionaire tax to pay for the tax relief bill? The answer is NO.
The tea party ran on JOBS, and since taking over, they have not managed to get through one job enhancement bill. Rather, they have stopped any bill that will improve the creation of jobs and the economy. All we got from the tea party were plans to abolish Medicare and ideas to increase government oversight over individual citizens. In my way of thinling, the TPers deserve no respect. They are ideologically, the party of Dead Beat Walsh daddies.
ROY WILSON-336103
The conflict was inevitable.
The Democrats want to keep on spending without regard for the Deficits, and the Republicans want to reign in excessive spending.
I think that is a useless and misleading post. Does anyone really think that Democrats or anyone else, are "without regard for the Deficits?"
And, does anyone (who pays attention) believe the Republicans want to "reign in excessive spending?"
It is clear, the only goal of the Republicans, is to make Obama a "one term president." That means, they will do:
1) the opposite of what is good for the country
2) the opposite of what Obama wants, even if they used to be for it
It seems I feel the same say about most of Roy Wilson's posts -- shallow and misleading.
The extension of the "tax holiday" is rob Peter to pay Paul. It is taking needed funding from Social Security at a time when more and more Americans are reaching age 66, to keep pocket money for consumers who, themselves, will soon be age 66.
Wherever Congress keeps this money it is the peoples money either way, spending money now or Social Security income later. All of the political bantering on this subject changes nothing.
Congress should spend their time creating growth. That means turn natural resources into jobs. A sandpile with no oil is worthless.
Of course we're not happy about the brinkmanship. Been going on since day one of this administration, 3 freakin yrs now. Unbelievable and historic. Guess would be ok if it was rightous brinkmanship. It is not tho. It has no honor it. It is a show of shame. Rightousness does not reside within this brinkmanship. Americans voted for hope and change, republicans have no honor. Simply deplorable.
The extension of the "tax holiday" is rob Peter to pay Paul. It is taking needed funding from Social Security at a time when more and more Americans are reaching age 66, to keep pocket money for consumers who, themselves, will soon be age 66.
Wherever Congress keeps this money it is the peoples money either way, spending money now or Social Security income later. All of the political bantering on this subject changes nothing.
Congress should spend their time creating growth. That means turn natural resources into jobs. A sandpile with no oil is worthless.
Low-information voters may clump both Parties together, or right-wing propagandists (some of whom we see here in FR) who try to apply equal blame with their usual fallacious arguments will have some affect. But the majority of Americans have begun to blame the Teapublicans in particular.
This started with the debt ceiling debacle and the GOP/TP nearly causing a default on our good faith and credit, which resulted in the S&P downgrade of our credit rating (which Teabaggers cheered--go figure). Polls show approval of congress going down overall, but also show approval of the Tea Party plummeting, and approval of the Republicans lower than the Democrats. Most recent polls show more trust in Democrats on taxes, which is not what Dems are normally given credit for.
It is true that elections are local, and people tend to support their own congress person regardless of approval for congress overall. Teapublicans are no doubt counting on this along with the poor economy (which they caused as well as blocking recovery efforts). However, if the Dems are very organized they can flip the 2010 results.
First, general elections have much higher turn out than mid-terms, and hopefully Occupy will bring out the young voters again. Unfortunately the Dems will have to help voters overcome registration and voting obstacles put in place by Teapublicans in several states. They will need to repeat the 50 state strategy and ensure the best candidates (e.g., Elizabeth Warren) and make every district contested (despite gerrymandering).
Aside from the fact the GOP/TP presidential candidates are "unsatisfactory," all the Dems have to do is run ads with video of all the Teapublican presidential candidates raising their hands against a 10 to 1 spending cuts to revenue ratio, or Paul Ryan trying to kill Medicare, and Teapublicans campaigning on jobs in 2010 that they never produced, the Tea Party downgrade by S&P, and so forth. The voters just need to be reminded of all this crap right before they go to vote.
That's what I can't understand, Scott. What kind of moron would cut off the only source of Social Security funding, when that program is going bankrupt?
Keep convincing yourself, Patriot, because you're not convincing anybody else. Obama is in deep s**t and his reelection is very unlikely.
It's a sham the TP House is trying to pull on the American people to try to make Obama look bad - at the expense of the American people!!!!. They have no intention of passing a 2 month or a 1 year extension. When the 1 year extension comes up we'll go thru the same process with Obama giving in and TP adding stupid pork to the proposal, only to NOT pass it at the end over some stupid technicality they'll blame on the President!!!
Tea party need to go BYE BYE bigtime in 2012 and beyond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Democrats could stay in town and confer at least in good faith to get the deal done. Why are they gone home? They have a job to finish.
The Congressmen (and women) can call home on Christmas and wish their families good luck.
If we want to see internal growth, we need to get serious about our fiscal policies.
The strong dollar approach needs to be retired. It killed American Steel, it killed American Textiles, it killed American Electronics, it has almost killed American IT and American manufacturing, and actively killing automotive, aerospace and construction equipment.
The strong dollar helped the US build up its mighty armies through incessant borrowing during the Cold War. In exchange, we incentivised 2 generations of talented individuals out of the hard sciences and engineering and into the financial sector and banking by literally drying up the non-government jobs in those fields and allowing the private sector to utilize the strong-dollar to pay for cheap labor in other countries.
It's time to stop this idiocy.
Raise the Fed Rate, bring taxes back to 1960's standards, or at least Clinton Era. If you want to bring back American jobs, it's going to require that the US dollar reflect US real-GDP. America can export again, America can manufacture and retail to meet its own demand, but it's only going to happen if we stop kowtowing to the demands of multinational corporations and the likes of China/India who've made their entire living off of raping the American middle class for its jobs with relatively minute payoffs to the eager executives drooling to offshore them
If the Congresspeople miss Christmas maybe they will be a little less wide on Monday and thus this is an oportunity for Congress to lead by example and reduce obesity and diabetes in the Nation.
You are right Scott. They should have a biggest loser contest in Congress. Diabetes will wipe us out financially in a couple of decades.
President Obama has said that about 80% of the bailout funding has been paid back with interest. Was the money that was paid back used to cash out some of the Treasuries paper in the Social Security fund? Is that why the administration thinks it is not only OK to extend the Social Security tax holiday but also increase it to from 33% to 55%?
Originally this was supposed to be a wash because the tax cuts for the top 1% were supposed to expire, or at the very least, create a millionaire surtax in its place until a newer tax code can be ironed out.
In either sense, we know who the GOP works for, and they'd much rather use the middle class's money than dare pay any greater taxes than the ~15% they are stuck with on the majority of their income (and that's the individual, not the corporations, the corps pay even less, if any).
The President has assured me about 80% of the bailout money was paid back.
But I checked and the national debt continues steadily upwards. Shouldn’t here be a dip when money gets paid back?
So, what happens to the paid back money?
With interest, over 100% of the $700 billion has been paid back. But it was paid back slowly over the last 2+ years.
Your thought process would appear to be good but with an annual deficit of $1.3 trillion a year all the repayment did was slow the increase of the National Debt. Barely noticeable
Hell is freezing over because I agree with Fiesty! :)
Merry Christmas!
Most members on FR are well aware that you don't understand a heck of a lot. Social Security is NOT going bankrupt (and does not contribute to deficits) so stop parroting the squawking point LIE. You can spout this propaganda on FOX Noise forums, but not here.
Social Security is solvent for many years, and could be made solvent overnight simply by up-dating the current cap at $106,000 up to $500,000, or at least $250,000 in income. We ALL know people the richest 5%, and even many of the richest 2% factor Social Security into their retirement. If they want to collect an SS check, then they should contribute to FICA on all of their income like the 95% do.
As for funding Social Security, this has been funded and the current fight in congress is in large part about how to continue funding it, which is only a temporary measure to help the working middle class and the economy. A question to YOU -- why does it need to be funded? Doesn't the payroll tax cut pay for itself?! It's the Teapublicans who are morons, and they've just been busted for it.
Why would Romney car either way about the tax cut? It only affects payroll taxes and the one percenters like him make most if not all of their income as dividends at a 15% tax rate if they even pay that. The very wealthy, in general, just don't get it when it comes to the middle and working class. They don't understand why a pittance like a thousand dollars over a year is even an issue at all. That's chump change to them.
I don't have anything against wealth itself and I'm sure I could fine plenty of things to spend it on if I had it, but regardless of how much I was worth, I'd never want to forget where I came from and not be there to help some of the people I knew who fell on hard times due to no fault of their own. That's the problem we have with the rich in a nutshell. Being rich is fine. Being greedy and heartless just because you have it and others don't and exploit that income gap to not pay anywhere near your fair share isn't.
Anyone running to be POTUS and leader of the free world should care about major issues of the day. Silence from GOP/TP candidates only shows lack of leadership.
Merry Christmas to you & yours as well, AlexM!
Scott, it isn't just the Dems that went home for Christmas. The entire Senate as well as most of the house went home also. Only Boehner and his hand-picked committee and Obama are still there as I understand it. And as far as I'm concerned, the Senate should be home. It's the house that screwed the American people, the Democrats, the Republican senators, and themselves. They should all be there trying to fix this mess on their own!
"In the summer, those three bodies battled over raising the debt ceiling. And while they eventually raised it -- again at the last second -- the process led Standard & Poor's to downgrade the United States' credit rating."
Nice try, NBC, but Standard & Poors said they needed a cut in the Deficits of about $4 Trillion over 10 years to avert a downgrade, but Obama only agreed to a $1.2 Billion reduction, for which the Republicans were called 'Terrorists'.
Gee, I wonder if NBC might be a little 'biased' in their coverage?
"And asked what the public considers most disappointing about the current Congress, 28% cited partisan disagreement and not getting anything done; 17% said the GOP leadership is unwilling to compromise with Democrats; and 13% agreed that not enough is being done to fix the economy."
That leaves about 42% of reasons missing. Could that 42% have something to do with the Democrats in the Senate refusing to even talk about the 20 odd jobs bills passed by the Republican House?
Why is it that some conservative posters cannot resist the urge to post lies on this site. The direct cause of the downgrade, per S&P was:
Sited from: http://www.politicususa.com/en/s-and-p-downgrade
RedDev, you'll have to put that in Fox speak or Beck language for Roy to understand. Could you possibly dumb it down a bit for him?
Thanks LA9999 .. I forgot. How's this. S & P downgraded its rating because republicans are too dumb to get out of bed. Mmmm, that doesn't work because it doesn't contain an I hate Obama or liberals are lazy non-workers comment.
We can do it
Why care when you can successfully blame a Republican!
First
According to financial experts, is to write a budget. Without a budget to guide spending, you always spend more than you bring in. Democrats in the Senate have not written or approved a budget in THREE years. The House, now run by republicans, passed the first budget in three years. The Senate Run by Democrats won't even let it be talked about at the committee level.
Second
What cuts have Democrats proposed other than cut defense spending - well less than half of the federal spending. The only things I'm hearing is raise taxes on the rich, the republicans are taking from senior citizens, starve children, defunding education, want you drink polluted water, and breath dirty air. Translation - we cannot afford to cut anything.
Third
The Democrats started a budget system in the 60's called baseline budgeting. They set the budget to increase at 8% per year when the average revenue increase is about 6.5%. Our nation averages about a 2 - 2.5% annual increase in population and increase in GPD of 2.5 - 3.5%. Why should the government grow faster than the Country? Any reduction to the 8% automatic increase is termed a cut and they and the media promply rant the same refutation in point Two.
Fourth
If you want to increase federal revenues the best thing to do is allow jobs to be created. This group of partisans doesn't really want to let the Keystone Pipeline project to go through too bad. They say they want jobs, well keystone is expected to generate over 10,000 jobs. That is 10,000 families that don't need handouts and 10,000 more people increasing tax revenues. That is just for constructing the pipeline and does not consider the increase in drilling and processing oil that would and distributing more products that would require more people to be hired.
If ATT and T-Mobile would have merged there would have been another 110,000 new jobs for up to 10 years. Yes, we would have been down to 3 major wireless companies would be a problem, but we were told that having only 3 major carmakers would be a problem too, but that never proved to be the case then. Yes, smaller companies could be edged out and those jobs lost, but that would be in time, we could use the new jobs now.
Fifth
The democrats were the geneouses that make all funds go into and out of one federal account. What you see in the Social Security is the money that is supposed to be there. But it is not really there, it is one big IOU. Why did the Democrats do this when accountants want seperate accounts for general business payments, payroll, and tax payments? To hide how much over the great society was going to make our budgets.
Dennis,
Wrong!
Only $341 Billion of TARP was ever lent. Frank-Dodd cut the maximum amount reserved for TARP from $700 Billion to $475 Billion. $68 Billion came back in repayment in June to August of 2009, but that was delayed 3 months by The Obama administration because they increased the asset to debt ratio to new levels. These were banks forced to take the money, yes I said FORCED to take it. As of mid 2011 $190 Billion has been repaid at a profit of $4 billion.
There are a number reasons why this money has not been returned.
Some may not be returned because the banks went bankrupt, some because the increased federal mandated asset to loan ratio was increased greatly, some because they were in pretty bad shape, and some (PNC BANK) because at the fed's insistance that they use the money to buy up bad banks, bought up a bad bank group and now are struggling to stay in existence.
True Patriot
The Social Security numbers you see are nothing more than promisory notes. There is no money in those account it is what is owed to you by the Fed. All funds go to the US Treasury, and any time someone starts drawing their social Security, those checks are issued by the US Treasury per The Social Security Administration's request on your behalf. All the account tells them is that they are getting enough revenue that if Social Security was indeed independent it would be funded.
No LA BOTH should be there if this legislation iw so important.
According to the US Constitution, the Protocol of Congress is that when the houses pass different versions of a bill, that bill goes to conference committee to get a compromise. Once the compromise is reached, then under most circumstances, the bill goes back to both houses and needs to be passed by both houses before going to the White House for the President's signature.
What happened is the Senate is trying to strongarm the House, and place the blame for this failure when they are simply refusing to negotiate in good faith. Basically it is pass our version or it's your fault.
There have been proposed (and enacted) cuts by the Democrats and Obama to eliminate fraud and wasteful spending in Social Security and Medicare, which certainly constitutes as non defense spending cuts. When unemployment lowers significantly (difficult to do with Republicans filibustering everything), it will be viable to trim unemployment reliefs and raise taxes. For now, cutting defense spending and removing tax cuts for the richest Americans is all we can do without damaging a recovering economy. For this reason Obama chose to make a deal with Republicans over the Bush Tax cuts in 2010 rather than end tax cuts for all income levels.
You wanna cut the deficit?? You wanna reduce the debt WHILE helping the economy?? I've got a Christmas present for you to do ALL of that.
1. Deficit Reduction Package over 12 years:
2. Economic Plan (paid for by a 4% surtax on people who make over $1 million).
3. Reform Government.
I am open to all suggestions and would like some feedback on this plan.
What's more, 69% said they disapproved of the job that Republicans in Congress are doing, while 62% disapprove of the job Democrats are doing.
=======
The 62% dissapproving of the job Democrats are doing I find quite humoruous since I recall that it was not quite that long ago and the minority GOP in the House would constantly speak as to how they were kept out of everything and they had no ability to do anything when the House was under Democrat control and yet 62% dissapprove of the job they are doing, when according to standard GOP speak, they aren't able to do anything.
28, 17 and 13...where is the othe 42%?
Allen this is just a reflection of the overall disgust with congress, and while people find fault with them all, more blame is placed with the republicans at this point. They should all be worried about their jobs next year.
@ Jan-21270
I hope so, but the problem is that the nation as a whole doesn't vote for Congressional reps, it's done down at the local level and broken up into horribly gerrymandered districts.
Out here in CA, there is often times NO ONE running against our councilmen and congressmen every cycle! F'ing Ridiculous! In my state's case, I hope the redistricting does at least a little to improve things, but since it's not automated, it just requires that the same pukes just bribe a different set of hands to put their stooges in power
I hope that the districts will turn against their respective Congress reps and the House can be cleaned...but considering that Congress has had a dismal approval rating for multiple cycles, I don't see much happening...or at least, not enough
It would be interesting to here viewpoints from those who criticize both Democrats and Republicans over this.
@ Mr. Anon
You can, I'm one, and there are others on this vine as well with the same opinions.
I am sick to death of the Whiner-in-Cheif trying to get the stupid people of the U.S. to believe it's OK for him to keep on spending more and more of our grandkids money by diverting attention over this stupid issue. Well. it's not stupid that we should have a tax break.
He's on TV right now, and I want to PUKE!!!!!! He has NEVER had to negotiate or legislate in his entire career! He was running for the Senate and never did any thing in the Legislature. He was never in the Senate when he was a Senator. He's a total failure and is becoming a caricature.
Harry Reid ... get your boys to a meeting and act on this!
So you want to fight the Tea Party now, Mr President? I have two words ... UP YOURS!!! YOU rammed unpopular legislation home in your first two years. YOU didn't give RAT SPIT about anything other than YOUR collectivist POV. Once upon a time, I might have supported a Democrat. Indeed, I have in the past! No more! You and your Left wing, finger pointing, incompetent, socialistic, A-holes. So, MR 'I'm on the little guy's side' ... how about that $4.00 gasoline? Whay don't you get off your A$$es and build the pipeline NOW! Drill here. drill often, drive those foreign oil prices down!
Some of us have a memory, and November is coming! You are sooooooo ... going enjoy your trip home to Chicago!
@ Astonished-655682
Wow! angry much?
I think you might want to do a little research instead of just frothing at the mouth. You don't strike me as someone who's ever voted Democrat in a national election.
I wont argue about your complaints about Obama's inability to rein in his own party let alone get things done with the other...that is indeed a major failing...and like you, I despise the fact that he wasted ALL of his political capital on Healthcare Reform, which is anything but since he didn't clean out the lobbyists and expose the corruption like he first promised.
Anyway...onto your other comments.
Do some reading. The US is sitting on a glut of surplus oil that's already been extracted! There are two reasons why gas prices are expensive, and neither of them have to do with the supply of crude or the demand from the entities that utilize it.
Gas at the pump is high because
Now, onto building the pipeline to increase volume and hopefully reduce price. It's still not going to materially effect oil prices, it may only stabilize them because it makes the cost of supplying refineries in Texas with crude a little cheaper, more consistent and will compete with oil from the Gulf. The question regarding price is the competition. How many different suppliers will there be in the market. THAT is what will effect price. Right now, there are two oligopolies, OPEC and the oil companies like Shell and Exxon.
If we want to lower prices, we need to break apart these vertically integrated giants and allow for more refineries to be built if we want to lower the price of the distillates materially.
Seriously ,
It's the economy stupid!!!! It's about that three letter word 'JOBS'. It's about a larger central government and the Dems picking and choosing winners! It's about bailing out big business and systematically screwing small business! It's about this class warfare! It's about run away regulations by the EPA to regulate that which you can't legislate. It's about using the NLRB to create labor laws relavent to union formation that could not pass in the congress. It's over reaching regulation.
In the late 60's and early 70's I was for the Clean Water Act. But this use of the EPA as a defacto legislative body is nothing that I ever wanted, nor would ever support. Today, it should be reconstructed (maybe destructed ...). In the 70's I was in a teachers union. I left when the NEA took over after the Education Department was formed. Never, will a union make me pay dues to campaign for something I am opposed to. Never!
Basically, he's killing the economy ... and you're darn right I'm angry! And FYI, You might be surprised at my political leaning and who I voted for in the past. I'm probably closer to an independent than hard right. This guy is neither!!! ... and he's totally out of his skill set.
This Democrat party is not my father's Democrat party.
Obviously you do not know much about Econ 101.
Congress stinks, and the GOP representatives reek even more so.
What a bigotted, fiscally irresponsible, and incompetent group. This is not your grandpa's GOP.
Commonsense ...
There you go again ... someone that disagrees with you must, by definition, be biggoted. And to the charge of 'fiscally irresponsible', how can anyone that has see total ineptitude of the 874 billion stimulus (that wasn't) even mount the word with any souce of a straight face.
sJ,
Ahhhh the superior mind of the intellectual left ... how egotistically arrogant of you.
let me see ... why is it the Exxon and Shell would NOT build refineries in the US these last 30 years? Well, Mr 'econ 101' there are a couple reasons: 1) there are foreign markets to serve and 2) it's easier and more profitable to build the refineries there than it is in the US. DUH!!! If they were able to make more money by building it here, there would be no force of nature that could stop them. Maybe it would help if guys and gals like you got the heck out of their way!
So what are the factors? Labor ... maybe but not the real issue. The U.S. labor force is still one of the most productive in the world. It's the litigation, regulations ... both environmental and industrial that lengthen the build time, delay a return on investment for many extra years, and the fact that corporate taxes are lower overseas than they are here. Basically, you can't control where the markets are. Labor is an issue to manage. But the radical ecological left wants to kill anything that involves industry.
They don't build because they can't make money on it here. So here we have an opportunity to make it economical to refine and/or export (you know, the plus side of the trade balance equation), and you was to screw it up.
This is a Democrat problem not a Republican, Middle Class, or Independent issue. They all get it, it's the Dem's who don't consider this venture one of their 'winners'. Here's a thought ... let's just do it. People will have jobs, Speculators will finally see the U.S. is serious about energy independence, and OPEC can sell their oil to someone else at a fair market price (which will be very much less than what it is now).
doesn't take an economics course ... just some years in small business.
@ Astonished-655682
I'm more than happy to chat economics with you. I'm waiting for you to actually talk about economics yourself.
It's about jobs? Obviously. What policies do you think will create more jobs? Which GOP candidate has given a coherent explanation to fix this? Lowering taxes? To what end? Companies in the US are showing record breaking profits and efficiency is through the roof...how much higher do their profits need to be to start hiring Americans?
Democrats picking and choosing their winners? The GOP does the same thing. The GOP chooses the nuttiest, most inept, most insane among its upper echelons to run for office and then tries to spin them as moderates! If the GOP wanted to put a qualified person in as POTUS, Giuliani would have won the primary, McCain would be flushed, Newt would be imprisoned, Bachman, Perry and Palin wouldn't be given the time of day, and Ron Paul would have an economist correcting his insane rantings with something that has support.
Class warfare? It's coming from both sides, I hate to break it to you. The GOP supports the super-wealthy and multinational corporations, not the American middle class. They've been trying the same crap with Trickle Down Economics and it's not creating jobs. It has however allowed most of the largest profitable businesses from paying almost anything in federal income taxes and the exceedingly wealthy to cut their effective tax rate to near 15%. The Dems are just as guilty of class warfare, they support the wards of the state and illegal aliens. The one thing that both the GOP and Dems agree on? Get rid of the middle class. Both are taking action to erode it.
Ok, so you don't like our regulatory agencies. Do you think getting rid of them would solve anything? Sure there's a ton of cronyism to go around...getting rid of them however will only serve to roll back the clock to when enterprise could get away with all sorts of unethical and irresponsible crap to save a buck. China is a country with lax regulation, do you think we should emulate them? When are you going to move next to a powerplant and send your kid to the factory?
And the GOP is a shadow of its former self. They need to get back to brass tacks, because their most vocal constituency makes their political promises hypocritical. You can't have a small and unobtrusive government that:
You are not a moderate, you are probably a disenfranchised Republican at most. You keep parroting all of the GOP slogans and inaccuracies as gospel, so you either haven't done your reading yet, or you are being disingenuous with us and merely trying not to catch flak for being another GOP mouthpiece.
Where do you get your facts - From thin air - Like the rest of the libs - LOL - what a bunch of fools
Seriously,
Aside from another round of your 'holier than thou', 'we're smart ... your dumb' prattle which are meaningless, I'll answer your four points:
1) massive military blah blah ... So ???? Not a problem.
2) Wars of ideology (drugs) ... If the alternative is to allow a free flow of drugs by criminal elements, sure!
3) Spending large sums yet fiscally responsible ... Well here I would say that this is where 'working with the other side' has gotten us. Didn't work for Reagan. Didn't work for Bush 41, and neither did it work for Bush 43. Me personally? I'd pass a balanced budget ammendment, get it through the states, and shut the government down every time they needed to to balance the budget.
Now if you think that's pretty strong, let's focus on the 'budget' snipe. Gosh, Harry Reid probably can't even spell the word anymore. After all, it's only been almost two years since the Senate even VOTED on one. There certainly is zero will on the part of the Dems to reduce spending nor reduce the size of the federal footprint. I'll back the first person that recognizes that 'reducing spending' means that if I spent a dollar last year, I spend less than a dollar next.
4) The snipe on Roe v Wade, etc. - Actually, I'm personally opposed to it, and against the others but don't think the discussion is part of the federal goverments business other than DOMA which is a federal tax issue. That said, I don't want the other side telling me what I can put on my CHRISTMAS tree, when / where I can pray (if and when I choose to), and lastly I don't want someone telling me I have to care whether Joe loves Harry or Susie loves Betty. Just don't say I have to approve of it, pay for it, in any way endorse it, have to actually like Joe, Harry, Susie or Betty.
what's funny about it? nothing! over 900 days the demos haven't passed a budget!
only OBOMBOcare, more regulations, fake tax cuts, stimulus, bailouts, OBOMBO
vacations, big union payoffs, fast n furious which got an officer killed! how's his family
going to enjoy christmas this year? tell Holder and OBOMBO to go to hell! the killed
this man just as if they pulled the trigger! Pelosi's brother in law bailout! Pelosi and
Kerry healthcare stocks! Corzine, Illegal amnesty! high gas and energy prices cause
of his radical green agenda! that's only the start! you libs are so into your socialist
utopia you can't see that change was for them not YOU!
Ah...so it's ok if we continue to spend on the military like we're at the height of the Cold War while we let our infrastructure crumble to pieces, glad you've got your priorities in order.
So short sighted. Are there criminals running tobacco and coffee from south of the border? How about bootleggers from Canada? No? Well why is that? Care to explain to me why Amsterdam and Portugal have some of the lowest instances of drug abuse AFTER they legalized and put money spent on enforcement and diverted it into treatment and clinics.
Scientific American - 5 Years After: Portugal's Drug Decriminalization Policy Shows Positive Results
But I guess you respond to fear and conjecture and not sound judgment or history. Criminal enterprises cannot compete with the legitimate private sector! How come the mob doesn't sell alcohol anymore? If we stopped the War on Drugs and treated these substances no different than alcohol or tobacco, the private sector would take up the production in a heartbeat, just like they did with alcohol after Prohibition was lifted.
But please, continue being irrational, obviously the law is the ONLY thing keeping you from taking drugs...plus, we've got to uphold our police-state now don't we? All those private prisons have got to make money somehow, and where would we put all of those government workers in the DEA.
Face facts, you're for a big and intrusive government, you just don't realize it.
HAHAHAHA, you blame the Democrats for Reagan's spending? Was Starwars force-fed to him? At least Bush 41 tried to balance the budget by raising taxes, his son decided to pull some accounting BS to keep his most insane spending plans off of the books. You'd shut down the government every time they needed to balance the budget.
...You're a Tea Party'er, not a moderate. We need a functional government, not a non-existent one.
I will be the last one to defend Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi, but you keep bouncing around pointing fingers. Talk to me about solutions, I don't care for most of the politicians in office; the fact that there is ANY struggle with trying to have the House and Senate bound by the same Insider Trading laws as the rest of America goes to show how corrupt and morally bankrupt these freaks are.
Well where are you going to cut spending then? Defense is your sacred cow, so is the War on Drugs and those account for hundreds of billions of dollars a year , with much of the latter being an utter failure while the former is largely unjustified and both require a gigantic government.
Anyway, you didn't answer my question before, taxes are incredibly low and profits are through the roof for businesses, where are the jobs? Where? How much less in taxes do these companies need to pay before they start hiring, how much more do their profits and productivity need to rise?
If you actually understood how business works, you'd know that businesses hire based on market demand and the need within their company to meet that level of demand. If you don't have the market-demand, then you don't hire.
You need to do yourself a favor and take some economics courses. At the very least above the 100-level so you can understand how businesses operate. You don't even realize how you're sticking up for those that are sailing you down the river.
That's perfectly fine. I don't want to ever have to go through getting an abortion either, but I'm not about to remove the ability from those that feel they need one.
Oh yeah...right...sure it is. So, explain to me the "tax detriment" from allowing homosexuals to marry. This should be interesting. So all of these homosexuals trying to marry each other is to be tax-cheats?
Agreed, if you hold onto this belief, then I sure hope that you are ardently against requiring prayer in public school and allowing Christian Creationism to be taught in anything other than a religion class.
No one wants you to care...that's why it's called "TOLERANCE". They just don't want you to prevent them from marrying just because YOU have a problem with it. There's a clear distinction between the two.
Be careful what religious ideology you allow to permeate into government. The more the line blurs between the separation of church and state, the greater the risk that it won't be your favorite religion running the show. And last I checked, religious institutions have no such notion of fair representation.
Clearly the voters did not vote for the old Establishment in 2010. They voted for the more conservative Tea Party-leaning because that’s what voters wanted to keep the wild over spending down.
It just does not make any sense to have the old establishment in leadership positions after that 2010 election gave such a CLEAR voice against it. Put a Tea Party Conservative at the helm, as Speaker of the House.
That’s what voters voted for! It’s not personal but we voted for the old ways of being a squishy establishment RINO to be over. Voters deserve to get the conservative leadership we asked for.
If we elect a clear majority of Tea Party Conservatives there will be NO further gridlock.
True, but then there would be NO COMPROMISE.
When will you Tea Partyers learn that in order to get what you want you have to COMPROMISE. The Tea Party has never compromised ON ANYTHING.
1. The debt deal: all spending cuts, sounds like the Tea Party won (even though slashes defense budget).
2. American Jobs Act: did not get passed, Tea Party won (2 million potential jobs gone).
3. Payroll tax cut: Got extended for 2 months, Tea party lost. America WON.
Freshieee - Glad you a cheering, but unfortunately the real middle class Americans lost, they just haven't realized it yet. Their congress gave them 2 months of reduced "payroll taxes" worth $160 to an average employee. And in return for that $160 windfall, anyone who takes out or refinances a mortgage, sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, will pay more on their monthly mortgage payment
A homeowner who takes out a $200,000 mortgage will pay about $17 a month more for their mortgage payment. That 2 month payroll tax extension translates into a cost increase of about $4,000 for a homeowner on their 30 year mortgage.
CURSE YOU DAMN TEAPUBLICANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You should curse every Republican and Democrat, who voted for the bill and Mr Obama who signed the bill. Perhaps they shouldn't known what was in it.
@ patriot_in_nh
explain to me how a payroll tax cut translates into higher costs for an FHA borrower?
To pay for the cost of the 2 months "payroll taxcut" the legislation that was passed included Mortgage Fees and Premiums to which will translate to increased costs to anyone who takes out or refinances a mortgage, sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
patriot you might want to catch up on the facts since that was in the house bill.....
Wolften - H.R.3630 aka known as the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 was the bill passed by the Senate.
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr3630eas/pdf/BILLS-112hr3630eas.pdf
The bill would increase guarantee fees charged by the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to lenders for assuming the credit risk on the loans GSEs purchase in the secondary mortgage market. In addition, the Senate Amendment would increase the guarantee fees charged by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) as well, which the House bill did not. The bill would increase these fees by 10 basis points, or one-tenth of one percent, over 2011 levels. These fees are in effect a premium to guarantee the repayment of principal and interest on those securities, insuring Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) investors from the risk that the securities will default. The increase is to be phased-in over the next two years.
Wolften - Even though legislation for the payroll tax cut extends for only two months, a small fee on loan amounts will be levied for a decade on all mortgages sold to housing finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which control about 60% of the nation's mortgage market.
Based on prevailing rates for a 30-year fixed-rate loan, a homeowner borrowing $200,000 would pay about $4,000 more if the loan were sold to Fannie or Freddie. That would raise the mortgage payment about $11 a month for the life of the loan.
Where are they going???? You Liberals are funny. I can remember the same thing being said in 2010. As a matter of fact "The Republican party is dead, The GnoP is no more, etc...." and look what happened.
Boy are you in for a rude awakening!
2010 turned out to be a huge mistake that will not be repeated.
the party of no taxes just gave the middle class a tax increase by their inaction
and by the way the grand helps out most families afford to pay their bills which keeps down their insurance and rent
Either you work for the people of this country or you get out and the republicans prove they only worry about themselves
you are delusional! Obombo brought change! radical progressive socialist
big spending big taxes big unions big healthcare rates big payoffs big
stimulus big bailouts big scandals big lies big LIE! Pelosi brought change
so she and her family could benefit off stocks on healthcare and tax payer
money for her brother in law! GE benefited with payoffs to OBOMBO then
got contracts and no TAXES! Republicans aren't perfect but neither is anything
in life! but liberals think all their lies about helping people while they spend more
raise taxes and create more people on the bandwagon and they benefit financially
while the sick stay sick and the poor stay poor! Republicans are for cutting spending,
cutting taxes, regulations, more oil, gas and coal for cheap energy! wow what radical
ideas! FREEDOM! there's a radical idea! sorry Liberals nobody is buying your lying
BS you bunch of hypocrites! Michael Moore should looks like he could give up a few
of his millions and FATburgers but NO! another big mouth hypocrite liberal!
NewtISAPIG, couldn't have said it any better...you hit the nail on the head! This DO NOTHING CONGRESS MUST GO!!!
Obama/Biden 2012
Rock On 99%
@ Ervin Cohen
You may want to get your info in order ^_^
Big taxes? Really? Where? The Bush tax cuts have been extended under Obama's term. He's requested removing the tax cut for the wealthy, and it hasn't once passed House or Senate.
Big spending? Last I checked, Obama has been saddled with 90% of the spending left over from Bush Administration policies. The wars, the bailouts, the stimulus bills, the 2nd round of bailouts. Obama isn't thrifty for sure, but you clearly need to get your numbers straight.
Obama to date has only passed one stimulus bill of his own and as much as you may lament his Healthcare Reform, 99% of it won't even come into effect until 2014. Go ahead and see how much the Healthcare Reform has cost taxpayers so far, very little if measurable.
Obama is forecasted to spend more than Bush over his presidency, that is quite possible, but that figure is still far from met.
Hopefully we have a whole group of moderate non-careeer politician Democrats, Republicans or Independents elected to replace the extreme left wing and the extreme right wing fringe that have created the deadlock in Congress.
@patriot_in_nh,
honestly, I think the deadlock is ALL Tea Party. The Prez and Dems are trying to make progress. The TPs just want Obama out at the expense of any kind of progress....
Sorry, but anyone to blame the current state of politics and the country soley on either party is just showing ignorance and the inability to face the truth.
The truth is both parties put us where we are, both parties are unwilling to give. This goes from the president (past and present) down through congress.
If we want any change of 'Hope', everyone from both parties (including the president) need to voted out.
When both parties realize that the citizens of this country stand together, regardless of party affiliation, race, religion, etc in wanting our country to go in a positive direction, that is when our politicians will finely start listening to the people that they are supposed to serve.
AlexM,
BALONEY. The president gives and gives. I can't believe TP has the nerve to call themselves Americans, they are so unpatriotic....
@ AlexM-2364525
Agreed
But alas, at least 60% of all registered voters hold onto their political party like their favorite sports team. They cheer them on even when they've lost their focus, they whine and howl even when they deserve a penalty on that foul, and they make excuses for their party's shortcomings by trying to divert responsibility to something unrelated.
While both parties certainly work for the lobbyists and big business, there is something fundamentally wrong with the system itself because there doesn't appear to be a way of running a viable 3rd party candidate, nor even a moderate in either circle...as long as the D's and R's are the gatekeepers to higher political office, they will continue to be the disgusting and shady middleman until some stronger force requires them to become more competitive for votes.
I'm a moderate, at this moment in time, I'm leaning towards voting for moderate Democrat policies and candidates because the GOP has completely left the reservation as far as I'm concerned.
Until the GOP is geared towards:
Until these 5 things (among many others) happens within the GOP, I find myself voting Democrat more often than not!
Seriously I agree 100%, I am an independent who is now leaning to democrats for those reasons. As Bush Sr so aptly put trickle down economics, its voodoo economics. It relies far too heavily on the people with the money to allow that money to trickle down, unfortunately it appears they would rather create a feudal system.
There is no fiscal responsibility when you cut taxes and continue to spend like money grows on trees, the only difference is, they spend it on war.
@ Jan-21270
Same, it seems that there's a lot more people like us out there lately. Registered "decline to state" voters are increasing in size while people who "associate themselves" as Republicans are slowly shrinking and Democrats are barely holding still, if not shrinking at a slower rate.
I think the GOP has painted themselves into several corners with regard to their constituency and they are going to be paying the price for quite some time.
1. You cannot have smaller government that is both a military powerhouse AND able to invade personal privacy to prevent them from: taking drugs, having abortions, marrying the same sex, etc etc etc.
2. You cannot have a functioning government that both cuts revenue AND increases spending.
3. You cannot have a consumer economy if you eliminate the group of people that support that type of economy in the first place.
4. You cannot have a government that stays out of your personal life if you also want it to advocate a specific religious ideology
5. You cannot cry for states rights, and then turn around and try to prevent states from enacting laws like decriminalizing various drugs, new pollution standards or allowing for gay marriage.
Anyway, regardless of all of these conflicting ideologies, it's interesting to see what the GOP is going to do. Either they will continue to listen to these extremists, lose credibility and support, thereby embracing oblivion, or they will need to cast out those that twist the party into unsuccessful directions by grooming loser-candidates or requiring such unpopular/irrational actions.
Seriously, great post. I too am independent. I became disenchanted with the Repubs during Reagan years, didn't get trickle-down economics. I became frustrated with the Repugs during the Clinton years when they first seemed to discover that they could tear down the Dems for frivolous non-political reasons and get away with it. Now, I am just plain disgusted with them. They will stop at nothing to win the game of politics. For the last few years, I have only voted for one Republican, Specter. Now that he is gone I have resolved to not vote for any Repub until they start representing us.
I'm guessing that the Bull Moose party or the Whigs will start representing the American people before the Republicans do. They have made far too many difficult promises to break, the Tea Party showed them that.
Problem is, people who simultaneously don't need a theocracy to sleep at night and aren't sociopaths who would let their neighbor drown if it saved them a buck cannot stick with the candidates that the above 3 groups insist must represent the party.
Look no further than Dede Scozofava or Tom Campbell and their political races under the GOP ticket compared to their more extreme running mates
Serious - from reading your couple of post hear Gingrich is closer than you think to what you want
@ DB Akron
While I do agree with Gingrich on those points, he's got some serious things going against him (for me) that are a deal-breaker.
He is fine with reinstating DADT and fighting to stifle Roe v. Wade further. Gingrich also makes many other overtures to the Religious Right which is 90% of the reason why I can't vote for the GOP 99% of the time (on a national level anyway).
While I appreciate that Gingrich can actually do math and is realistic about global warming, he doesn't make any mention that he would do anything about it. I foresee him, like any of the other GOP contenders working hard to gut US regulatory agencies rather than clean them out of corruption and put their staff in positions of both responsibility and accountability to protect the American people. If your town is overrun with crime and the police are bought off by the criminals, you don't remove the police department because you've still done nothing about the crime!
Gingrich can describe himself like TDR and Wilson all he wants, he still espouses trickle down economics just like his fellow GOP candidates and his ethical violations are unnerving.
Of all of the things I agree with Gingrich on, I won't vote for him no matter what because of his ethics violations. I don't care that he cheated on 2 wives (and perhaps 3), the fact that he abused his position of authority for personal gain rings far too closely to the other criminals in the House and Senate.
These are democrats in sheeps clothing. And just like democrats everywhere they are misleading you into thinking they want the same things you want. All they are doing is trying to lull you into a sense of false security so they can impose their will on you. It is democrats that are the ones imposing all the "social" laws.
@ Rick-312779
Really? ALL of the social laws?
Care to name them off and show how the Democrats are keeping those laws in place?
Last I checked it was the GOP that was trying to block the repeal of DADT, hold onto DOMA, stifle Roe v. Wade, stifle Net Neutrality, cast a religious twist against funding stemcell research, etc.
The areas where the DNC and GOP agree are on the Patriot Act, the awful addition of Executive-mandated indefinite imprisonment in the latest Defense Bill, SOPA, the War on Drugs, Illegal Immigration (whether they'll admit to it or not) and America Invents.
I'm not thrilled with the Democrats either, but the GOP has gone off of the deep end and they need to sort out their conflicting agendas before I will take them seriously!
Why Democrats are pissed about is that their leaders don’t call out the GOP enough on their Bull!
If you're pissed, vote by not falling in line but by using your head. It's evident that GOP go by falling in line rather than use their brain and think of what is practically workable and what's not hence, this brinkmanship.
Just like PolitiFacts, they're the biggest losers of this year.
A two month extension is NOT practically workable. A one year extension is.
The Republicans in Congress need to take all of the not-payroll-tax language out of the bill and then they can vote on the payroll tax like responsible adults and representatives. Until then, they are playing games.
Nice parrot p111. You repeated that verbatim just as you were told to. Now , please do explain what is "not workable" about an extension? Not workable implies well, that it won't work. I'll wait for your answer. hurry along now, see if Rush is on so he can give you a response. LOL
he left off the part it is not workable because the compinies that would have to make the software change do not want too...
After all providing a clean and repsectfully workspace free of sexuall harresment and racial and religious issues(regulations) and ensureing the safety of their products(regulations) already cost too much we should allow the same corp oversite China does on product safety(at least that is what the republicans want with little or no regulations in place)
We will not raise taxs according to the speaker of the house..... nope he will allow tax breaks that affect the most expire
Then why don't teapubs put forth the extension without the other crap? Why add things that have NOTHING to do with the bill? Too bad for them that everyone knows why their taxes will go up, and have fun next year trying to live it down.
Wolften,
Coming from some years in the software development industry, what those folks are saying is true. You should read up a bit more on it. It isn't just the time it would take to change the software, there is also the time waiting for the IRS to put out the new guidelines, testing, patching, etc.
That is only on the software side. There is also the accountant side, payroll per company side, etc, etc.
Besides, with the way Congress has proven themselves, does anyone around here honestly think two months is long enough for them to come to an agreement??? They need to start debating now just to agree on something after a one year extension passes!
Americans know how Republicans have been opposed to any tax cut to the middle class as was proposed by the Democrats.
When the Democrats initially proposed a one year extension, Republicans vigorously opposed it. Now that a two months extension has overwhelmingly passed the Senate, Republicans are now coming up with an excuse that they are now ready to debate a one year extension when they know that there is no time left to do that. THIS IS PART OF THEIR DELAYING TACTICS.
REPUBLICANS KNOW THAT WHATEVER IS BEST FOR THE COUNTRY IS NOT IN THEIR BEST INTEREST AT THE MOMENT. SUPPORTING WHAT IS BEST FOR THE COUNTRY IS LIKE SUPPORTING PRESIDENT OBAMA AND DOING THAT WILL MAKE THEM NOT ACHIEVE THEIR MAIN GOAL OF MAKING PRESIDENT OBAMA A ONE TERM PRESIDENT.
Merry Christmas Sam.
The GOP is hellbent on trying to not just beat, but destroy President Obama. The American people are collateral damage.
That's a lie. Republicans passed the one year extension BEFORE democrats passed the unworkable two month debacle. It is democrats that are obstructionist.
They need to vote on the extension with nothing else attached. No more game playing by the GOP.
p111, go back, read and learn. Then we can discuss.
There's that parroting again. p111 word of the day "unworkable". LOL He/She has no clue why it is "unworkable" he/she just knows they are suppose to constantly repeat it.
The one year extention would be great if theire wasn't the pipeline attached to it. Cramming their own agenda down our throats seems to be what the Republicans, particularly in the House, are all about.
The two month extension isn't perfect but it will give them time to negotiate a longer term extension.
Funny how on other issues the Republicans want an up or down vote but Boehner won't even let this hit the floor and get to the President's desk before Christmas.
That simply says it all. The Republicans don't give a rat's patootie about Americans unless they are in the 1%.
Sam - Well said for those who only parrot what they are told to say and think by the liberal left.
In reality few politicians, the majority of the rhetoric, and the gamesmanship by both major parties is/are in the best interests of the majority of Americans.
baldeagle: Agreed. The pipeline has nothing to do with extending the payroll tax cut and how to pay for the cut. The number of jobs that the pipeline will create has been inflated by the GOP, and an impact study must be conducted on the alternative route. However, extending the payroll tax cut is not a jobs bill; the Republicans have muddied the issue, which is why no legislation has been passed to extend the tax cut.
p111 IS the GOP at its core...
absolutely no idea what is real or the truth....
Senate worked out/voted the extension that the House would not....
NOT the other way around
WASHINGTON – The Republican-controlled House on Tuesday rejected a
Senate-approved two-month extension of a payroll tax cut and unemployment
benefits to millions of Americans, raising the likelihood that both will expire
on Dec. 31.
President Obama on Tuesday appealed to Boehner to take up the Senate's
short-term extension and continue negotiations next year. "Right now, the
bipartisan compromise that was reached on Saturday is the only viable way to
prevent a tax hike on Jan. 1," he said. "The issue right now is this: The clock
is ticking. Time is running out. And if the House Republicans refuse to vote for
the Senate bill … taxes will go up in 11 days."
p111 will never learn. He only stops over here between brain-washing lies from Rush and Faux News to observe the real world in person...... lol
first of all p111, it wasn't the Democrats that passed the 2 month extension, it was the senate. It was overwhelmingly passed by both parties, with the presumption from Boehner that the house would pass it also. Then Cantor or the Tea party or whomever got to Boehner and he changed his story.
Secondly, the House deal had all sorts of strings attached to it that they knew wouldn't get passed. They want to strongarm the President into approving the pipeline. They also wanted to change the rules for unemployment to include a requirement that to collect the person must be a grad or get a GED, and to include a drug testing policy to collect. I personally am all for requiring drug testing except for the small things such as how is all of that testing going to be paid for and how do we prevent the drug users from figuring out how to pass the test (which they always do). Then we are left with another worthless but expensive piece of legislation.
I'm quite sure if they just extended the tax cuts for another year and maybe extended unemloyment benefits, there would be little to argue about.
I'll pay more in taxes, I just hope the Dems don't cave this time!!!
first of all p111, it wasn't the Democrats that passed the 2 month extension, it was the senate. It was overwhelmingly passed by both parties, with the presumption from Boehner that the house would pass it also. Then Cantor or the Tea party or whomever got to Boehner and he changed his story.
Secondly, the House deal had all sorts of strings attached to it that they knew wouldn't get passed. They want to strongarm the President into approving the pipeline. They also wanted to change the rules for unemployment to include a requirement that to collect the person must be a grad or get a GED, and to include a drug testing policy to collect. I personally am all for requiring drug testing except for the small things such as how is all of that testing going to be paid for and how do we prevent the drug users from figuring out how to pass the test (which they always do). Then we are left with another worthless but expensive piece of legislation.
I'm quite sure if they just extended the tax cuts for another year and maybe extended unemloyment benefits, there would be little to argue about.
I'll pay more in taxes, I just hope the Dems don't cave this time!!!
One day, someone will Poll the public on How much the Carnival Barkers(formerly known as the MSM)contribute to the mess that is DC.
Mark & all the others here at MSNBC, along with CNN & FOX, think that pushing these Clowns onto the Public airwaves do nothing at all in Feeding the Fire. When yall stop letting Politicians off the hook when asking questions, then maybe the 4th Estate can regain some redeption among the masses.
Here's an idea when interviewing Politicians, when you ask a question & they steer themselves away from an answer, Cut to a commercial & tell'em politely, until you answer the question asked, No Airtime for You. Pretty simple from where I sit.
Merry Xmas & Happy New Year to E1 from:
Occupy SoggyBottom!
Rick,
Saw your post yesterday regarding your wife's loosing her "baby." Hope the iPad helped. We lost our terrier in April and went to the pound the very next day!
Cheers
I didn't see where Miss Daisy's 'baby' crossed the 'rainbow bridge' Rick!
Please pass along my sympathies - it's never easy!
Rick,
Sorry to hear about the loss. Give your wife an extra "cuddle" today. She needs it.
Merry Christmas
Rick:
Thank you for your insightful comment.
My sentiments exactly. I find myself screaling at the TV because the Media types refuse to ask hard-hitting questions and very rarely push the politician to answer the question just asked. They allow them to wonder all over the place and never answer to pointed questions.
It is just a shame.
Dan Rather used to irk me sometimes but he was no pushover. Same with Tim Russet. Russet was the master at getting the politcians to answer the questions and not change the direction of the line of questioning. Dems and GOP are guilty of flipping the script but GOP/TP have taken it to a whole new level.
You mean ask hard hitting questions about things like this?
http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/domestic-taxes/200309-payroll-processors-lobby-against-short-term-tax-cut
See, the information the House got after the Senate skedaddled made it clear that not only will this two month extension not work- it could actually cost jobs by raising the cost of doing business.
Not exactly the plan, now, is it?
Course, you'll never read anything like that here. They are still dazzled by "the presence" after their little coffee party at the White House yesterday. Got their talking points and everything.
Thanx E1, I called her the RCA dog(for those that can remember) because she had black around 1 eye(white everywhere else), & the IPad2 definitly helped.Mark, I had already prepared for the inevitable by letting her bring a Jack Russell/ Beagle mix into our Home about a Year ago. But as usual, only Time heals our pains!
For the Poll Dancing Hacker from Jersey(Donna, I think), keep ramblin on about Nuttin, because its your specialty. The Make Believe World that you live in,where Princesses are Real & HaterAid is your way to start the Day, keepup your Delusions & let the HATE Consume every fiber in your body.
Merry XMas & Happy New Years from:
Occupy SoggyBottom!
Chris Matthews is an exception to that prctice. Perhaps that is why few real right wingers go on his program. When are we going to stop merely complaining and start voting the incumbents out? Yes, we will toss out some good people, but collectively they have ALL FAILED! What is wrong with starting with at least 100 new members of Congress?
NB820: While Chris Matthews can be annoying at times, he does not let up on anyone until they answer his question.
Along this same line, we need to make sure to research the candidates before we vote. While I feel that many, on both sides of aisle should be voted out, we must not vote out of anger; rather, we must research the candidates and make an educated decision. Research includes reading newspapers and articles from respected publications and not mistaking commentary from liberal and conservative commentators as fact.
Ricky,
Sympathies for you and your wife's loss, definitely a rough patch to get through. When I lost my 10 year old rottie to bone cancer, it took about a month for me before I was down at the Humane Society getting a yellow lab. It helped get through it.
Your post is spot on too. While I don't support any Republican candidate (Independent here) I have found it quite humorous how the MSM has been steering the public towards one candidate...
It's quite amazing how much more real news one can find if they search out other non-MSM news sites!
In fact, MSNBC itself is pretty much only good for tormenting Fiesty occasionally ;)
Again with the no value post carrot top, when will you learn?
It is our laid back, avoid the issue president that is the failure here! Time to end that failed experiment and replace it with realistic hope and change!
Merry Christmas to all!
miked, Merry Christmas to you as well!
I hope the New Year will bring us good news about our beloved LA Dodgers! They've suffered enough, lol! What do you think about the rumors of Magic Johnson's interest in buying the team?
Truth is....
It's absurd that the Senate passed a 2 month pay roll tax holiday . That is equivalent to NOT doing the real work and postponing things for a later time. ....a later time.......AFTER THEIR LONG HOLIDAY VACATION !!
We need to get rid of Harry Reid and get down to the country's work !
Actually, Reid is doing a great job. Perhaps, we should get rid of the tea party people in the house that are controlling the Speaker.
job1, you obviously don't know H Reid very well! Take off your blinders.... lol!
The ABSURD Tom Coburn?
The ABSURD Marco Rubio?
The ABSURD Mitch McConnell?
Disparaging the majority of REPUBLICAN Senators, who believed they had a deal and got blind-sided/screwed by their own in congress shows a political naivety that is almost precious...
Mark from lake Tahoe,
Have you been following this debate at all? Congress said no to middle class tax cuts and when the senate said yes for two months then Boehner stated ok to 1 year but the poor, elderly, sick and disabled will have to pay for it. Get it now? Were have you been? I realize Lake Tahoe can get snowed in and very cold but you still have internet and TV.
That's a lie. The republican bill had the doc fix, unemployment extensions, etc. built in. Basically he called out Obama on everything he wanted just to prove democrats are the obstructionists and they fell for it. Expect this to be a GOP campaign add next fall.
Ana, I live in Nevada and have actually met Harry Reid several times. I'm about the same age as his sons and used to be a supporter until he learned he could be 'more successful' touting the liberal agenda! Nepotism and self indulgence has been his strategy for the last 2-3 decades!
Mr Reid is as close to a 'Chicago style' politician as you can be living and working outside of Illinois! Don't talk to me how great he is.... because the truth is much different!
With that said.... Merry Christmas to you!
p11, you're the one who refuses the truth. Obama gave the Republicans the concessions they wanted and they STILL voted it down. Go back and read.
Leona, why do we need to get rid of Reid, but not the 39 Republican senators who voted for the extension?
Mark, you are right about Dirty Harry! Coincidentally, it was reported just today, that Josh Reid, Dirty Harry's youngest son, was appointed to be the City of Henderson's new City Attorney... pulling down $190,000 a year without any legitimate experience! Sound familiar?
p111,
Faux News wants your brain back for more indoctrination..
You liberals need to understand that just because MSNBC is biased that it does not mean that all news sources are biased. You need to get out more often.
"And now they're now engaged in a political food fight over extending the payroll tax cut, which expires on Dec. 31."
Food fight? I think not. Food fights are at least middle school or high school level. The current carrying on reminds me more of a cranky toddler in a highchair who whines and kicks and throws stuff on the floor, spits their food back in the face of the person feeding them (in this case the voters), then plops their dish of oatmeal upside down on their heads just to prove they can, without the sense to know just how ridiculous they're looking. Then they get to go take a nap while their exhausted parents clean up the mess they left. All that's left is for them to try holding their breath until they turn blue. Or maybe in another year or so they can threaten to run away from home. And just like my Mom told my little brother when he did that one time, "Go ahead - I'll pack your lunch and drive you to the bus station!"
If only they would run away and we could elect competent, responsible people instead. Sadly, I am afraid that people have negative feelings about Congress but will still re-elect their representative.
Merry Christmas to my fellow Keystone State gal! Do you think our governor will get any fallout from the Penn State situation?
And Merry Christmas from here on the other side of the "T" as well, SF! As to Gov. Corbett and the Penn State mess, so far I haven't seen anything in it that would affect him directly - I think he's going to have a much bigger problem with his refusal to put even a token tax on all those Marcellus Shale fat cats, since even his fellow Republicans seem to be deserting that sinking ship lately - but I have a feeling that we've only seen the tip of the iceberg with the Penn State investigation so far and there's going to be lots more finger-pointing and coulda/shoulda/woulda's still to come, and no telling who else knew something and either didn't act on it or tried to downplay it or outright cover it up Stay tuned, I guess.....
Uh-ohh, there I go mixing metaphors again.....icebergs and sinking ships? Okay, this is going to be a "Titanic" mess before all's said and done!
Again, reading the WSJ, NRO, Redstate, PJM, etc...
This was/is a loser for the Republicans. They went to the well one time too many and the Democrats have stolen their rhetorical clothing..hubris...
When is the last time we heard from Minority Leader McConnell?
Happy Holidays, dangerfield.
All I am hearing from the esteemed gentleman from Kentucky is crickets!!!!
Merry Christmas...
If everything is a crisis, then nothing is a crisis - and that's where the American people are now. Just tuning it out. Especially in Christmas week. I'd like to say these congresscritters will pay the price, but with gerrymandering they won't. So what if the 8 percent approval drops to 5 percent?
Merry Christmas Paul
I still have that champagne on ice for when they hit 0%
The end of this normally very patient observer's rope is in sight. The tactics of the cadre of Congressional rookies are back-firing badly. So terribly short-sighted. The group of get-rid-of-Obama-at -any-costers are a disgrace, as are the members of the electorate who placed them in Congress for that purpose. Shame!
I could really care less about $1,000 a year, they can have it if they want it, but these continual "political food fights" have got to stop if our government hopes to function to the benefit of We, the People.
Signed,
Disgusted Conservative
Don't know if this makes it any better, Mark, but I hope you and yours has a very happy holiday season.
Mark in SoCal
"I could really care less about $1,000 a year, they can have it if they want it, but these continual "political food fights" have got to stop if our government hopes to function to the benefit of We, the People."
I'd rather it go to Social Security. Keep the XL pipeline routing decision and unemployment extension benefits out of the equation as well. Those issues deserve separate discussions and compromises.
Signed,
Disgusted Liberal
PS. Words in bold are my own.
Mark in SoCal - I agree with you. I bring home a HUGE 15k a year, but, if the 1k will help in ANY way, let them take it. Got to wonder if anyone in congress feels the same....ok, I wondered long enough, the answer is no. As disgusted as I am, I'll continue to watch.
Therein lies the problem kevin. You will only realize a 300.00 tax break. You have to make 50,000 to get the 1000.00. Of course if you are fortunate enough to make 100,000, then you will get 2,000. That is the way we work, the more money you make, the more our government will take care of you.
You all miss the point and with good reason. The Tea Party republicans were elected to bring back fiscal responsibility. Keep taxes down and eliminate deficit spending and that is what they have been doing. I guess you liberal democrats just can't deal with the fact that some elected officials actually try to do what they were elected to do. God knows that liberal democrats have never done that.
So who wants to pay more taxes, raise your hand. I am sorry Rick but you cannot run the county on ZERO.
Kick all these "BUMS" out.... everyone of them !
While I will not insult real bums by using that name for our worthless congress (not capitalized intentionally) , I completely agree with your intent. We complain that that our "leaders" have absolutely failed, but we lack the will to KICK THEM ALL OUT! Nothing will change until we remove all of the incumbents. A complete turnover is in order. Too much political baggage and too little concern for the average American.
This congress is simply working with the hand that is dealt. Gridlock is actually the best thing we can hope for with Obama still in office. Since the Republicans regained control of the House look at all the money that has been saved by simply "Voting No". Rejecting stimulus 2 saved about $480 billion, If they can get this payroll tax extended another year that will save tax payers $180 billion vs only the $30 billion in the Senate version. A half a trillion in savings just for voting "NO" to Obama's ridiculous policies... In 2012 we can elect a better leader and do more good for the country.....
I agree that gridlock is better than adopting the Democrats TAX and SPEND plans to bankrupt the country and go down the road Greece took.
You mean adopting the republican's TAX and SPEND plans to bankrupt the country; don't you LEONA?
http://zfacts.com/p/318.html
Republicans are masters of deficit spending, and a DEFICIT IS DEFINED AS NOTHING MORE THAN A COWARD'S WAY OF RAISING TAXES.
Right hon?
Knew you'd see it my way. :o)
Really?
And President Obama isn't????
Typical Republican double standard again.
Facts are that the President has actually done a GREAT job given the hand he was dealt - and regardless of the RNC spin and denial.
Refusal to recognize and admit Obama's accomplishments make them no less real, no matter how you guys try to spin it. I believe voters see through your silly games and know the truth... guess 11/12 will tell.
"Republicans are masters of deficit spending, and a DEFICIT IS DEFINED AS NOTHING MORE THAN A COWARD'S WAY OF RAISING TAXES."
That's a lie. The republican congress averaged $230 billion deficits, the democrat one is averaging $1.3 trillion. But you are right, "a DEFICIT IS DEFINED AS NOTHING MORE THAN A COWARD'S WAY OF RAISING TAXES."
With democrat deficits 5x larger than republicans you have pointed out who the real cowards are, thanks.
Facts trump leftist lies every time.
Polly p111 want a cracker? lol
p111:
http://zfacts.com/p/55.html
You are dead wrong. Not even close. Have a look at the above.
LEONA-2986819
I agree that gridlock is better than adopting the Democrats TAX and SPEND
Democrats tax and SPEND?? Funny how you teatards what everyone to forget that George W. Bush and his BORROW and SPEND Republican Congress ever existed.
I think they need to include legislation that puts costs in the budget when they are accrued, instead of passing them years down the road. That way we can clearly see who is really spending what. I know the wars as well as the tax cuts were written off until they were added to the books a few years ago. This should not be allowed. That way everything is clear on who is really spending the money.
Imagine you are paying the bills at home, and you go out and buy an expensive new car. But you get one of those deals where you don't have to begin paying it back for two years. Well after two years, your spouse takes over the bills. He/She is doing them when the bill for the car comes in. Now there is more of a debt than there was. Does that mean that he/she spent more money than you? Most logical people realize that isn't the case.
This is nothing more than the continuation of the standard teabag/gop(greedy old politicians) "circle-jerk" that the right wing extremist party has been engaging in since 2009. The ultra tan cry baby was teabagged by his own party - it's so obvious. The tax cut extension was overwhelmingly passed by both the gop and democrats in the Senate so why not let the house vote on it? Because the right wing extremists have no plan on extending a tax break for middle class americans for two days, two weeks, two months or even two years unless they can hold America hostage again by not voting for it unless the bill is stuffed with big oil koch corporate pork to appease the people really running the gop, the elite corporate puppet masters. The right wing party of extremists have no problem keeping the economy in the gutter as long as it gives them a whiff of a chance of stealing power in the 2012 elections. I've got a news flash, it's not working and never will. Americans are just not that dim. It's plain and simple to see why congress has the worst approval ratings in the history of our country..... The GOP!!!
GOPisextinct
Why did you choose a link that only goes through 2005. If you want to see some real deficit spending why don't you check out the present administration?
Where do you liberal idiots have your heads planted. don't you remember how Bush had to go to congress to get the wars funded? Now you are saying that Obama's 5 trillion debt is due to the wars. Where is your head?
Really? What is wrong with the other 58%?
The Regressive republikan party has shown a distressing willingness to destroy America to benefit the 1%. As I wrote yesterday; how is it that 1% of the people seem to have attained 99% of Congressional representation?
I think the Democrats show an awareness of who is supposed to be the boss here. If there is any confusion republikans should consult the first 3 words of the Constitution's preamble:
WE THE PEOPLE !!
This is supposed to be whom they work for.
"We the people" think Harry Reid needs to go!
He won't bring any of the Republican House bills up for a vote and he has the Senate passing a 2 month bill which is only kicking the can down the road.
Hey Harry, do us a favor, RETIRE now and don't come back from your long vacation!
We deserve a real leader in the Senate who wants to work to find long term solutions.
Merry Christmas GOPisextinct.
The other 58% - they were out drinking spiked egg nog.
And a very Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to you as well Phine!! A Merry Holiday nod to all my Progressive / Liberal friends here.
I've grown fond of a lot of you since you welcomed me last March to these boards.
Looking forward to putting a lot of RWNJ pelts on my wall in the coming year.
I had the same thought--GOPisextinct----how bad would things have to be for the other 58% to disapprove of this Congress.
They also aren't very good at math---I think that all Republicans think they are in the 1% when the true 1% wouldn't associate with them except to hire them to provide some service to them.
Bwahahaha!!! I know Steeler,....right?
I have this image of No Jo or Spanky showing up to a republican gathering expecting reward,.......... and then being given a tray of drinks and told to "circulate". LOL!! The funny part about it is that neither of them realize they are not "real" republicans. The "real" republicans wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire!!
Pardon me while I go bury my face in my pillow and laugh hysterically for a few minutes until the image clears.
BWAHAHAHAHA!!!
I'll be back in a few............
Republicans ran on repealing Obamacare, stopping the demorat spendfest, and making Obama a one term president and they won the biggest victory in 70 years. That's where the 58% are.
Those who ignore last Nov are doomed to repeat it.
Actually, they also ran on job creation. And instead of creating jobs, what they've done is taken their significant victory and overreached -- trying to end rights, salaries and jobs for middle class workers like teachers and law enforcement, they've tried to promote social causes and they've attempted to restrict voting rights, particularly for minorities and women. If they'd focused on jobs and created jobs they would still have that mandate. Instead they still hold the conservative base, but they are rapidly losing the middle, and issues like this payroll tax rigidity are only speeding up the death spiral.
Jobs are being created in spite of the liberal democrats.
The unemployment rate is now 8.6%. You would think the present administration would be shouting that from the roof tops. Could it be because they had nothing to do with it, that the rate was lowered without spending all the cash they wanted to spend. And the hell of it is the biggest drops are in red states.
Probably because they are filled with poison pills LEONA;........like, abolishing Medicare.
That's enough to make you vote "NO". I don't care who you are.
However I would looooove it if they could throw free-loaders like you and your ilk off Medicare when you reach the age of eligibility. I'd be for that.
Who wants to abolish Medicare. Post the link as to where ANYONE ever stated they wanted Medicare ABOLISHED. Don't try to pull an Ed Shultz by saying someone said this but they meant this........ I saw his fat butt on internet calling FactCheck a lie just because they said it was the biggest lie of 2011 (The Medicare destroy myth).
Please don't speak for me.
We think McConnell, Boehner and Cantor need to go.
And King and Kyl..
Sure "In the Middle" Airborne:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/opinion/06krugman.html
Its not a punch in the face Middle. It is a "metacarpal impact event".
GOP:
Stop making a jackazz out of yourself that link is to a frikken Krugman OPINION piece. I'm quite sure it is very unbiased and truthful. He doesn't even present an actual statement of abolish Medicare.
That is a str8 kick in the ass.....
And to add to that IntheMiddle,Tx, Krugman became an economist based on a science fiction series he read. I think he is still into science fiction with some of his articles.
I am so glad you democrats have joe biden on your side,saying the taliban are not our enemies,guess they just kill us for practice? Obama is such a fool it hurts to call him President,does he even know how much work and paperwork it would take to have a just 2 month payroll tax cut? Why was he complaining so much about the Bush tax cut then extending them himself????
No Stormer. Unlike you,.......Joe knows the range of your average AK-47. If the Taliban fires an AK-47 in Kabul, the slug has little chance of reaching you in New Jersey. Think it over.
No,....the real threats to America are people like you and the rest of the GOP. After all,....don't you want to destroy America in its current form? You people have admitted as much outright.
Progressives want to improve America,.....not destroy it.
A good start to improving America would be to remove as many republicans from Congress as possible,......starting in November.
REPUBLICANISM IS A DISEASE WE CAN CURE IN OUR LIFETIMES.
Dream on. Yet another Nov 2 denier.
GOPer, after reading your post, I think there is more to fear from people like you. You may want to re-read your post to see the hate.
I see very little difference in how our congress is acting (both party) and the posting on this web-page. It is funny how little of the postings have to do with the article and issues; most of the post is just to bash one party or the other, sounds like our congress and president..........
have a good week.
I read his post 3 times. It's perfectly fine. unless of course you are an illiterate, whiny teatard who incessantly plays the victim. Then I completely understant why it might hurt your ever so sensitive little feelings.
Those of you on the right need to take time to read statements and understand them in context rather than over-reacting to some sound bite and then quoting it falsely.
Hey Atlas:
I'm shrugging too.
At you.
The tea party is who is screwing over this country,until people wake up and see that and vote them out nothing is going to change!
No, they are just screwing the radical leftist agenda. If you thought last year was a shocker, be ready for some real shock and awe next year.
Shock and awe failed already. Then again, you parrots are fond of continuing failure expecting it to be different. LOL
Thanks Shellie!! xxoo
And yes I do "Hate" anyone (especially republicans) who is seeking to destroy myself and my family.
You'll find me full of fight to prevent it.
Opinions from the media are just opinions nothing else. As should be pointed out that the Democrats and the Repulbicans will not agree on hardly anything in a presidential election year. Also it should be remembered that Congress is elected by the people to represent them and not the media. Just like in football you can root for your home team all you want, but there is no guaranty that your team will always win. So as they say "show be a good loser and I will show you a loser".
The US is split, socially, economically and falling apart!
America has fallen so far, so quickly, the US lacks intelligent voters, to elect leadership, to lead us out of this mess!
I beg to disagree, voters are intelligent. Republicans started acting irresponsibly and democrats said they would be fiscally responsible so they were elected. Instead we got $1.3 trillion deficits that republicans said they would do their best to stop it, so republicans made huge gains.
So Americans make the best choices given the information they are provided. The problem is we no longer have news, we have for the most part leftist propaganda outlets. Luckily the lame stream media plays less and less a role in peoples lives and Fox can at least provide some balance to the leftist hegemony.
Fox?! Fair and balanced?! Fox is not "biased propoganda"?! Are you serious?! Do you read and listen at all?!
p111 is obviously a paid republican blogger. That is the only rational explanation for statements like "... and Fox can at least provide some balance to the leftist hegemony."
For those who question why the Senate sent back a 2 month extension as response to the 1 year extension sent to them by the House, I suggest you go to the Congressional website and read the language of the bill sent to the Senate. They may have asked for a 1 year extension of the payroll tax but it was not at the higher rate asked for by the President. They may have extended unemployment benefits, but they decreased the length of the benefits from 99 week to 59 weeks. Oh, and let's not forget adding a requirement that the President make a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline, even though the Governor of Nebraska (who is a Republican) is the individual who initially requested the delay so that an alternative route could be vetted; and even though the "20,000 jobs created" claim was debunked for representing in that number jobs that have already been created to date and the fact that the majority of the "jobs created", which has been estimated to be between 500-3000, would be short term employment.
p111 and others like him/her may want to get their facts from some other source than yaking pundits, infotainment celebrities, and/or right leaning news sources, books, and electronic media.
I can't even count how many times liberals have posted they would rather die than watch Fox News. Their handlers have told them Fox is biased and they don't have any choice but believe it because unlike everybody else MSNBC is their only News Source and they wouldn't know the difference if it bounced up and bit them in the arse.
The only ones screwing up this Country is the American voter. All These people were elected, you American Geniuses voted for them, and you'll keep voting for them if Fox News tells you to.
So Fox told voters to return Reid and Pelosi? Leftist propaganda is getting rather pathetic.
As are you.
They are elected to Govern...who calls this Governing....
Lets do a root cause of this whole matter...The Repobs campaigned on Jobs..one of their slogans was "We will focus on job creation like a laser"...ok! If they would let all those Millionaires create the jobs we wouldn't be in this shape ( WINK)...or if they would try to let Obama do his thing and it worked (This is the scary thought the Repobs have) it will work as it has in the past... then there would be jobs and therefore they wouldn't need to do all of this crap to try and save people...the tax base would rise and Washington could go back to what they do best!!! Spend spend spend.... got it?
That's a lie. It was Obama that said he would focus like a laser on jobs. Instead he forced Obamacare down our throats. Republicans did NOT campaign on jobs, they campaigned on repealing Obamacare, limiting democrats out of control spending and making Obama a one term president and won the biggest victory in 70 years. They focused on those three items because that WOULD be conductive to job creation.
p111, you seem intent on calling everyone else a liar. Do you really think you are the only truthful poster on this forum? Take a deep breath, read and learn the facts.
I think p111's tactic is exposed.
Take your opponent's talking point, turn it around 180 degrees and just say the opposite of truth.
At the very least it'll take your opponent some time to untangle the mess you've made.
Warping truth is his objective.
Yes, I've noticed a distressing tendency on p111's part to label anything that anyone other than him says as a lie.
Well, I suppose it's simple. Just copy and paste, and hope that someone will take him seriously.
Interesting how the President's re election strategy is to poison the public's view of the incumbent Congress.
Practically guaranteeing a GOP takeover of the US Senate in 2012.
So much for Party loyalty. What will at-risk Dem Senators do in response? Run away from Obama in their re-election bids.
This is something not much commented upon.
You ought to be ashamed of yourself for uttering such a load of bunk. Are you one of the paid-to-post "American Heritage" people or something?
The bill failed because at the last minute the GOP tried to attach it to the Keystone oil pipeway issue. Do you think we can't see it?
Bobble head is a Fox network junkie and troll.
Bob1887910 ... you should consider standup comedy, if you aren't working or happy with your current job.
This congress is the Three Stooges, the Keystone Cops and Laurel & Hardy all rolled into one bungling ball of idiots. Very few in the USA get paid these kind of salaries and benefits for doing nothing. Many of them will be "fired" for poor performance in November 2012. Yes, we do know what's going on. We don't like it and yes we do have a memory of these events that will be fresh in our minds in November. We're not as stupid as you seem to think.
Let's see...........This couldn't be because of the 2010 elections that brought in statesmen such as Joe Walsh and Allen West, could it?
Naaaah
No, it was Reid and Pelosi and other democrats refusing to acknowledge Nov 2 because they don't give a damn what the public wants.
And the Republicans are such caring people. They do exactly what the public does, right?
No one is gonna remember this in 60 days---let alone the election. Some new flavor will come along. Anyone remember the last almost shutdown? thought so.....The senate leaving town without having a deal is pletty lame. Take my deal or f' off is hardly a sporting way to work with others ! We pay these guys to do this work, not to f around 365.