An even greater gift would be seeing Obama booted out ....

Would someone just push Boehner off the cliff? As usual, he panders to the 1% that own him and the rest of the Republicans. What's funny is the 1% with integrity don't want the tax cuts. But, the Romney's of the world will always push for more money in their pockets instead of what is good for the country.

So where is the counter proposal? Have you seen what the expiration of the tax cuts will do to those at the bottom? Earned Income Credit will be gone. The 10% tax rate goes up to 15%. The whole process is a negotiation so lets start because there is a fiscal cliff approaching. Negotiate the millionaires tax rate. Ask for an increase in the dividend and capital gains rates. Stop demagoguing and start doing your f...ing job.

Would someone just push Boehner off the cliff?

Yes...perhaps you've heard of him...his name is Eric Cantor. I'll say it again, come January next year, one way or the other, John Boehner is not Speaker of the House.

I do believe it was Grover Norquist who said his devotees would impeach Obama, if "he doesn't extend the Bush tax cuts".

1. The President does not vote in Congress any more.

2. Norquist is a Wall Street Koch Lobbyist/Megalomaniac that rides herd on the GOPs in Congress and at all levels of US government.

and I'm sure Boehner is still working on the jobs he promised 2 years ago! (NOT).

We all know any such bill would die an ugly death in the Senate. Let's give the president a Congress he can work with so we can give the bush tax cuts a burial. No words need to be said graveside.

It won't happen "insane" the middleclass and 1% deserve tax breaks more than freeloading democrats deserve more money for handouts.

...and there, folks, is how the GOP intends to play out this election.

Once upon a time in 2004 Democrats were branded "UNPATRIOTIC".

Now, I guess, the GOP just wants everyone to believe that Democrats are all "LAZY", "FREELOADERS" and "JUST LOOKING FOR FREE STUFF".

A friend of mine who is a lawyer once said, "If the law is on your side, argue the law...if the facts are on your side, argue the facts...if neither is on your side, attack your opponent."

Well, Republicans, in the words of The Almighty Reagan, "There you go again!"

Let 'em expire! They were supposed to be temporary anyway. The current tax rates are way too low for everyone, but especially the top tiers. Move the tax rates back up closer to where they've been historically.

Next, get defense spending under control. Half our budget goes to defense and that's more than the next ten countries around the world combined. This is absurd, and a sign of nothing more than corporate welfare for the military-industrial complex.

Finally, put hard limits on welfare payments and end increases for additional children. End the generational dependence on handouts by supporting education and improved job opportunities.

Last, get medical spending under control. Not everybody needs every G.D. test that the hospital can think of ordering up, just so that they can pad their bills.

Do these things and we will be able to balance the budget.

End the Bush tax cuts for everyone. End the payroll tax cuts and extend the income to which they apply. Reduce our overseas military footprint. Enable some sort of mandatory, single-payer healthcare for the nation. Eliminate all tax deductions and credits.

All of these are hard. All of them are necessary. We all have a stake in this and we all must contribute to a problem that's been generations in the making.

And for god's sake, can the petty partisan bickering! So many of you sound like a bunch of children at recess arguing over the toys.

Oh, goodie - another installment of the Squeaker Boehner Comedy Show. John is up for reelection and he needs some face time to garner votes.

The Republican House cannot keep the promises they already made. Who is going to believe the new promises? A deal is a deal - a promise is a promise - unless you belong to the TEA Party.

The smartest thing to do is simply ignore the House until after the election. Unfortunately, with Senators like Schumer in the mix, this will be a bipartisan clown act.

Of course the TEA Party dipwads will make this about Obama - and - the LWNJ with play along.

AG99,

I agree with most of your points except single payer healthcare. I still want to give the free-market a chance. I agree that what we have now isn't working - it's basically the worst of both worlds - but I'm not ready to hand over healthcare to the government.

Also, there are a few deductions I think are legit such as loss carry-forwards...still, if given the choice between today's system and no deductions - I'll take no deductions.

Waaaait a minute. But where's the funding???

You know, the funding for the tax cuts that the republicons INSIST have to be there to continue ANY spending (college loan interest rate, anyone?)

I guess if it's for protecting their boss----errr, base (the haves and the have-mores), welllllll, we don't need no stinking funding.

The Democrats you see are not a serious political party. And would someone wake Harry Reid up, he seems to have dozed off again (1100+ days without a budget from the Senate).

Could that be because the budget originates in the house?

And yes the Republicans are serious, in fact they are "big business". I remember the Tea Party talking about needing a revolution in this country. If they keep up their drive to destroy the middle-class and devastate the poor they may get their wish. The outcome might be a little different than they were hoping for but what the hell?

The Bush tax cuts are history as of Jan. 1, no matter what happens. With the banking and investment houses back in trouble again, every penny will be needed to keep America solvent and operating. If the GOP insists on trying to ram an extension through, while America's credit rating sags on the world market, we'll have riots in the streets worse than what Greece and other countries have seen. The wealthy will finally get their tax cuts just as they're being laid into the guillotines. Boehner first!

O_D: Could that be because the budget originates in the house?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/us/politics/house-passes-ryan-budget-blueprint-along-party-lines.html

Could that be because the budget originates in the house?

Which they passed months ago.

@ldo -- I'm ready for the Obama 'bucks', as the TEA Turds call them, to run out.

But then, I'm not 'rich' - so I have less to lose.

You do realize the 'rich' are leaving the country and renouncing their citizenship at a higher rate AFTER the TEA disease infected the House?

@seeking s I would like to see Boehner and Jan Brewar of AZ hold hands to complete a circle around and electrical transformer. Summer is almost here and the crack of blood sucking mosquitos is a calming sound.......

As far as I am concerned they don't have to do anything. They all agreed there would be automatic cuts and the tax breaks would expire. Nothing to negotiate.

Bohner can go to heck along with all the rest of the Rethuglicans.

Why they are so bent on keeping the Bush tax cuts in place is beyond me. They obviously have not been the job creating machine they like to talk about. The Rethuglican's arrogance and partisanship is beyond belief.

Boehner can then lay out his plan IN DETAIL to pay down the debt - we'll see how quickly he throws the middle/lower class, the sick, the young, the old under the bus - they'll cut everything from education to medicare in order to get their wealthy owners a few more bucks for their off-shore accounts in the Caymans.

@Joanna Smith: Any possibility that the Republican controlled House is the reason you haven't seen a Democratic budget lately? Not that I wouldn't expect the same from Democrats given the positions were reversed (And they are, the exact same thing happens in the Senate to Repub legislation). In fact, didn't a bi-partisan budget get tossed by House Repubs?

Really seems like partisanship is our biggest issue right now, can't get much done with everyone so politically hostile.

ldo

Good grief....here we go again.....Democrats wants to spend, spend, and spend some more but do nothing about our escalating National Debt.

What exactly is the Republican plan to cut corporate welfare spending. What is their plan to pay off the national debt?

__________________________________________________________________________

I am a democrat, but I am fed up with this pointing the finger of blame at each other. Please, someone tell me what that accomplishes? How does this help us get out of the situation we are currently in? I am all ears for this one.

The issue here is economic stability, not pandering. If you accept that the economy is stagnant (just look at the manufacturing, purchases, etc. numbers and they are pretty flat) then you may realize that if you take more money out of the economy (AKA- purchasing power, liquidity) then you will have less moving around and changing hands for goods and services. This leads to less profit, less reinvestment, less job creation, etc. If you also accept that small/mid-sized businesses create the most jobs in this country you'll note that they are the first to feel the pinch of less money moving around. Who's going to your resturant if their food/living/gas/utilities, etc. go up and they can't afford to go out as much? Similarly small and mid-sized businesses are effected the most by changes in taxes and regulations, so if you raise the minimum wage they might not hire another person; you raise their taxes (small businesses tend to carry their business costs as personal incomes) then they have to make cuts, and so forth.

From what I've heard, if all of the breaks go away the AVERAGE taxpayer will pay $3,300 in additional federal taxes next year (don't forget those local/state taxes going up too, they overspent as well. Example- California; read what the Governor is saying). That's going to majorly sting the average person. I'm not saying "eat the rich" because if you've seen the numbers you noted that their entire wealth won't cover the government's costs for a few months so they aren't the only means to the solution. We've got to accept that we can't afford the Mercedes on the Toyota budget and start making cuts and changes to everything (SS, Medicare, Medicaid, government programs, etc.).

Mind you, if the federal government continues down the "raise the cap" path and keeps kicking the can of debt further and further, one day we'll break our foot kicking the can. That is, at some point someone else will decide that the US can't/won't pay them back and stop lending us money without significant interest or collateral.

I think it's lame to blame one party, they both failed us. Blah, blah, blah all you want but in the end it's coming out of YOUR hide and MINE. The politicians will come out just fine.

@ IAT - "Tax Cuts" my good person "Tax Cuts"....that and the GNOP will raise their little legs and let it trickle down.....

The Ryan plan was nothing short of a partisan bill. The current Republicans in the House will NEVER pass a bipartisan bill because they will never stand for tax increases. Nothing will get done until Norquist's toadies are thrown out. You have to raise taxes and cut spending to create a positive income flow large enough to do any real damage to the deficit and, via extension, the debt.

You could cut all Government spending down to bear bones stuff but be taking in less revenue since you just unemployed over 20 million workers. Government employees do pay taxes (for the most part) and the Government does employe many more people then the private sector does or can even support.

Republicans want to rush to a solution when rushing is only going to make things much worse. We will not solve this problem over four or five years under any leadership under any fiscal policies. It is time for the Republicans in the country that think electing straight R's to all branches of Government is magically going to make things better. It won't, just like voting all D's will not make things better either. In both cases it will be unequivocally worse. What we need are politicians willing to compromise with the other party to reach centrist solutions that demand that everyone cut back and sacrifice; everyone poor or rich, left or right, and everyone in between, if you live here you must make sacrifices to your life style.

Right now Republicans will never increases taxes, never close tax loop holes, never cut defense spending, never end subsidies, and never slap extra taxes on money laundered out of the country.

Right now Democrats will never accept spending cuts in social programs, they will not agree to changing to harsher immigration policy, and they will never agree to cutting some funding to unions.

Both parties will refuse to give up their uber benefits, never agree to reduce their salaries, and will never give up their ability to give themselves raises.

We need politicians that will do these things and more, not ignorant little babies that will not part from their useless and outdated and petty political ideologies. If there was ever a time to shed the dogma of both parties it was now because that dogma is going to drive us off of a cliff eventually. We need sane, rational, and realist people in office; Reid, Boner, Pelosi, Cantor, and McConnell are examples of what we do not need.

It does not matter if you think entitlements are required, it does not matter if you think the rich create jobs, it does not matter if you think higher taxes even with reduced spending will not get things done, it does not matter if you do or do not think defense spending has to be slashed. Cuts in all areas of Government and tax increases across all levels are required and the sooner both parties stop cock fighting over this the sooner we can get to real progress for everyone and not just whom ever each party is screwing with in bed.

The DEMOCRATS want to spend spend spend? I'm sorry but in this instance it is all the Republicans who want to spend. Republicans want to spend MORE on defense, they want to spend MORE on tax breaks for the upper class.

It's true, democrats often like to spend, just as the republicans do, but at least this time they're not trying to weasel out of a debt reduction deal that they proposed in the first place

Republicans will part with what was meant to be a temp tax cut some day won't they?

We can just relax. The house can vote to turn the coutry into a right to work, Chinese paradise, but the Senate will kick it right back to the house - after the election.

@JoAnnaSmith1 -- @Rocco-2976776 -- You do realize that what the House passed was NOT a budget. It is a non-binding resolution for future Congressional budget development.

The link points the House site for the 'budget'. The link opens a PDF file.

http://budget.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Concurrent_Resolution_Budget_FY_2013.pdf

A Congressional budget includes authorizations and funding levels for each agency, office, and function of government. The 'Ryan budget' provides non-binding guidance to the various House committees that actually develop a budget - if they can work around TEA time.

BTW, the Senate will be required to reject Ryan's piece of crap - because - the House does not have the authority to dictate procedure to the Senate. Even Mitch McConnell would reject this fluff piece.

The TEA nimrods are soooooo stupid - they believe that using the word 'budget' in the legislation and listing a bunch of numbers magically makes it a budget.

There is no thriving middle class there is just the rich and the poor and the coporations are driving what is left of the middle class to the poor house. I think it is you who have it backward.

Want to get rid of John Boehner once and for all? Have President Obama endorse him for re-election to the House of Representatives, along with a strong recommendation that Boehner keep his leadership position. Then sit back and watch Republican heads explode. I think that would be even more effective than publicly 'outing' him.

Alan NJ: So where is the counter proposal?

There have been several sensible counter proposals over the last couple of years which would lower the deficit and debt much sooner than Ryan's budget, without destroying the middle class. However we don't hear about them because the Republicans refuse to discuss them because they require the expiration of the Bush tax cuts and they require millionaires to pay more taxes. Google the Peoples' Budget, the Budget for All, and Jan Schakowsky budget.

Rocco only the House can create a budget. The power to do so does not rest in either the Senate nor the Presidency. Here in lies the problem, the House is Republican-run by freshmen-wannabe politicians that think compromise is a dirty word. They will not consider breaching their own principles because they just won't do it thinking that in doing so they have "integrity" (in quotations for added irony).

So they pass, without the need for many Democratic votes, a hyper-partisan bill. It goes to the Senate where Democrats have a slim majority. However any changes to this bill would require it to be revoted on in the House. Any changes to increase taxes or cut spending in Republican dairy cows will result in that bill being scrapped in the House.

Since the House is the only entity that can produce a budget we have a classic no-win situation here because these politicians are letting their ideologies and egos dictate their policies instead of what is in the best interests for the country. Until those uncompromising individuals are replaced or one side or the other takes full control of Congress nothing will get done.

This is regardless of the fact that it is an election year.

Boehner will be out after Nov. elections. So his intentions is to be as disruptive as possible before he packs his bags.

Here's a proposal: all capital gains on companies traded on US exchanges are taxed at regular income rates IN the US. If you sell your US company stock, you pay the US government tax on any gain. I guess Dubai will lose a few thousand new former US Citizens, but they won't be able to come here anymore, freaking traitors.

As to the Bush tax cuts, let them expire. Also, forget about passing an annual AMT fix and the annual fix that gives more Medicare money to doctors. And let the automatic cuts from the last debt battle go through. You want to balance the budget, get more revenue and cut defense and other areas. What is really funny is that if Congress does nothing, the deficit actually gets reduced. Its only when Congress acts that we end up spending more.

Now frankly, I'm a little tired of being lectured by Republicans on the deficit. We all know that Bill Clinton inherited the largest deficit in history from George H. W. Bush and then handed George W. Bush the largest surplus in history. And George W. Bush nearly doubled the national debt. He also handed Barack Obama the largest deficit in history. And, of course, my friends on the other side of the aisle controlled the Congress for most of those Bush years.

Now today, we're talking about how to get our economy going and keep deficits down at the same time. And what we're discussing right now is whether to restore the Clinton marginal tax rate on the very wealthiest of Americans. Now I remember when he raised the tax rate on the top 2%. Republicans said that would kill the economy.

Newt Gingrich. Remember him? On August 5, 1993, he said, "I believe this will lead to a recession next year. This is the Democrat machine's recession, and each one of them will be held personally accountable."

Senator Phil Gramm. Remember him? He said, "The Clinton plan is a one-way ticket to recession. This plan does not reduce the deficit...but it raises IT and it puts people out of work."

Governor-elect John Kasich said, "This plan will not work. If it was to work then I'd have to become a Democrat." Congratulations, Ohio, on electing a Democratic governor.

22.7 milion jobs and a giant surplus later, George W. Bush waltzes into office and says, 'Hey, we're running a surplus. The people deserve a tax cut.' Now let's recall what he said about his tax cut. He said, over and over again, and I quote, "by far the vast majority of the help goes to those at the bottom end of the economic ladder." Wow. That sounds like the bottom got a vast majority of the tax cuts.

They didn't. Actually, the bottom 60 percent of Americans got just 14.7 percent of the Bush tax cuts. And the top one percent got 29.5 percent of the tax cuts. Exactly double. Let me repeat that. The top 1 percent got double of what the bottom 60 percent did.

The results of this new policy? Massive deficits. Only one million new jobs over the eight years of his presidency. One million.

And now my friends in the minority want to go back to that discredited economic philosophy.

- Senator Al Franken

Alan, NJ

Which they passed months ago

Let me ask you this. If you're a straight male, when you're perusing magazines on the rack, how quickly do you pick magazines designed for gay men? My guess is - never.

Same deal here. Why would Harry Reid ever pick up a budget when it's DOA in the Senate and it contains so much filth that even Hustler would be ashamed. Ryan's budget was pandering loaded with cuts in essential services (you can argue that the EPA isn't essential - personally, I like clear air and water... but I guess, to each his own).

Oh Christ, can Ryan, Bohener and McConnell get voted out of office in November?! That would be my Christmas present early!

The sensible alternative to the Paul Ryan nonsense is the Simpson-Bowles plan.

The link opens a PDF.

http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/sites/fiscalcommission.gov/files/documents/TheMomentofTruth12_1_2010.pdf

Of course, the TEA Party rejected Simpson-Bowles in March (same day they rejected Obama's budget request, I believe).

Of course a real budget reduction plan was not rejected to make a political statement - the TEA Party rejected it on 'principles'. Someday, the TEA Party may actually grow some principles - for now they only operate on a deficit.

JoAnnaSmith1

The Democrats you see are not a serious political party. And would someone wake Harry Reid up, he seems to have dozed off again (1100+ days without a budget from the Senate).

Try this on for size you Republican misinformationist

Bob Jones - is that the best you got? Just goes to show that the TP/GOP is in real trouble when someone of that intellect is stumping for them. This will be a turkey shoot in November.

NOBO 2012

Politics, politics, politics! 24/7/365!! Disgusting!!!

Is anyone outside of Washington D.C. not entirely fed up with both the Republicans and the Democrats in Washington?

To paraphrase Dick, the butcher, in Shakespeare's Henry the Sixth:

"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers politicians"

As much as I lambasted President Obama for being a naive rookie in trying to deal with the Teabaggers, I now see that Boner is even more naive to believe that he and his party of Ayn Rand can prevail! He is a true dick head; I thought Ohioans were smarter than this.

So over the past year Boehner still hasn't gotten around to reading ALL of the Simpson-Bowles Committee recommendations.

The committee's findings and recommendations are as valid today as they were a year ago January, it will take BOTH spending cuts AND allowing the Bush/now Obama tax cuts to expire AND reforming the tax code including closing a host of loopholes and special carve outs to get the debt and deficit under control.

Clearly, since Boehner is sticking with tax cuts and spending cuts only there is some part of that formulation he doesn't comprehend. Until tax code reform is enacted AND the Bush Era tax cuts allowed to expire the deficit will continue to grow thus the interest we are paying will continue to grow which means that we will have to continue to raise the debt limit until we FULLY ENACT THE RECOMMENDATIONS of Simpson-Bowles!

Everyone of you libbies screaming no compromise...I have yet to see any form of compromise by the dems. Obama and his minions idea is my way or the highway. so it is no surprise that ANYTHING coming from the house will be shelved by Reid in the senate...well know fact. Do any of think that the tax cuts expiration will help the economy any at all...If I have 3K less to spend next year and ALL working people do...we won't spend more to stimulate the economy. It is a double edged sword no doubt...they should have never done it in the first place. Until REAL compromise is an actual ideal in D.C. nothing changes....both sides are hard headed to the max.

'Boner lays down' kinda says it all, but didn't that happen more than a year ago?

RedDevPS

Oh, well this should be fun .. let me guess, Boehner will unveil a new and improved Paulina plan sponsored by Ron Paul, Paul Ryan, Rand Paul consisting of the following:

1. Tax increases of 50% on the lower and middle class.

2. A woman tax of 5%, proceeds of which will be rebated to white men.

3. A 'shear away the gay' tax on LGBT to fight gay marriage of 5%.

4. Elimination of all taxes on millionaires and corporations

5. Elimination of all social/entitlement programs

6. Increasing the defense budget by 25,000% to build 25,000 nuclear weapons and 5,000 aircraft carriers.

That about covers the 'moral budget' of the GOP/TP.

Looks like Redev has some strange ideas (even for a liberal) for what taxes should be.

These are the Bush Tax rates for a single person:

• 10% on taxable income from $0 to $8,700, plus
• 15% on taxable income over $8,700 to $35,350, plus
• 25% on taxable income over $35,350 to $85,650, plus
• 28% on taxable income over $85,650 to $178,650, plus
• 33% on taxable income over $178,650 to $388,350, plus
• 35% on taxable income over $388,350.

Look back in history and find the biggest job growth years. You will find the top tax rate was around 70% the next largest growth top tax rate 50%. Cutting taxes doesn't create jobs......... It allows companies to give bigger bonuses for up lvl. The only reason a company hires people is to make more money if that is accomplished by lower taxes there is no longer and incentive to create a job. As far as Republicans spending less money it has never happened they just spend in different places. Both sides are to blame for this mess. However, jobs will be coming back in 2013-2015 from overseas. The only question is how much entitlements sorry tax breaks as incentives to build in your state? Yes there needs to be cuts in government programs start with the pay and benefits of are elected officials. After all lead by example right.

The teabaggers and republicans just continue to do their circle jerk on America. Watch with amazement as the jerk temporarily gets disrupted and out of sync (just for a second) as the Bush tax cuts(aka welfare for the one percenters)expire. And then we get to see that pussy Boehner cry us a little river. But be forewarned, Boehnor crying might also cause the circle jerk to wobble and can only be remedied by Grover Norquist jumping directly into the center of the jerk. This is way better than anything you can watch on TV and you just can't make this stuff up! Seriously!

Looks like Redev has some strange ideas (even for a liberal) for what taxes should be.

It never ceases to amaze me that conservatives are so humorless, the only thing they find funny is firing people, tying dogs to cars, and chuckling over hysterical high school pranks like cutting off the hair of fellow classmates.

Sarcasm - try it, you'll like it.

To those of you who drink the Kool-Aid and believe that tax cuts for the rich promote the economy. Please wake up! Taxing the rich does not take money out of the economy. It's already out of the working economy. It will probably go to China to keep some sweat shop working anyway. The best way would be to end the tax cuts and spend the money on programs in the US that pay a wage to a lower or middle class person. ALL the money will then be injected into the economy, paying for better food, a movie or two etc. Give it to the rich and it goes into a Hedge Fund or a swiss bank account.

justredd64

Everyone of you libbies screaming no compromise...I have yet to see any form of compromise by the dems. Obama and his minions idea is my way or the highway. so it is no surprise that ANYTHING coming from the house will be shelved by Reid in the senate...well know fact.

Oh, so Democrats are uncompromising now??? WE were the ones who stated that our number one goal was to unseat the GOP??? WE were the ones who held firm against tax increases and got 98% of what we wanted during the debt deal, even though it damaged our economy??? Did we now??? And you do realize that the GOP have filibustered more things in one year than in the past five decades??? This is insanity!!! Our democracy was designed to RESPECT the rights and opinions of the minority, not to CONCEDE to them.

Do any of think that the tax cuts expiration will help the economy any at all...If I have 3K less to spend next year and ALL working people do...we won't spend more to stimulate the economy. It is a double edged sword no doubt...they should have never done it in the first place.

It won't help the economy, but if push comes to shove, let them expire. Maybe it will teach Congress and the American people a damn good lesson...

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

Whoops - It's time for Obama and the Democrats to start demonizing the Republicans for daring to suggest that we address a critical issue.

I'm sure Obama's team is thinking "How can we use this against the Republicans in November?"

We'll have an answer pretty quick, I'm sure.

Paul S, NY NY "and I'm sure Boehner is still working on the jobs he promised 2 years ago! (NOT)."

Boehner did his part - passing about 30 jobs bills, but Harry Reid (D) in the Senate stuck them in his drawer and said "I'm not even going to allow a debate on these bills, because some of them might pass". Then he wouldn't be able to blame the Republicans for not getting anything done.

The process still requires the Democratic Senate and President to do something, and they still say NO.

Equating allowing the ill-conceived Bush-era tax cuts to expire with Mr. Boehner's statement, "Our bill to stop the New Year’s Day tax increase..." is as much a non sequitur as would be claiming that by virtue of being the Speaker of the House, Mr. Boehner is a truthful and competent politician, to wit: As to the former, it is not a tax increase, but a return to the status quo from a program that had a built-in expiration; as to the latter, Mr. Boehner has shown himself repeatedly to be neither truthful nor competent, but just a politician.

Beware: John Boner is screwing around again!

Alan, NJ

So where is the counter proposal? Have you seen what the expiration of the tax cuts will do to those at the bottom? Earned Income Credit will be gone. The 10% tax rate goes up to 15%.

Alan, it's time to get serious about this country's fiscal health. Do away with the bush tax cuts. They haven't spurred job creation. Do away with the SS "tax cut" and start taxing to a higher limit on SS ($200,00). Cut the military budget. $800 flashlights? $415 million aircraft that have a serious oxygen deprivation problem? Our military needs converting from a heavy division concept to lighter, more moble, quicker responsive force. Cut the fraud out of SS, Medicare, food stamps, etc.

Both parties must stop playing the "I want to win political points with the electorate" game. They are there to make tough decisions concerning America, not to be bought by and pander to the highest bidder.

To all of the right wing nuts and rethugli-cons every where:

We survived eight years of bush. You'll survive eight years of Obama.

We survived eight years of bush. You'll survive eight years of Obama.

CORRECTION: We survived eight years of bush. You'll thrive with eight years of Obama.

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

Any of the 41 Senator & 238 Congressmen who have signed the so-called "Norquist Pledge" and are holding this Country in hostage Gridlock; should never be voted for, plus tried for "TREASON". For TRUE TAX REFORM just "AX THE TAX CODE" with its $1.1TRILLION in "breaks"; Plus allowing 45% to pay NOTHING??

I saw a "Shooting Star" last night, so I wished that John Boehner was not the Speaker in 2013. Damn, 2 minutes later I saw another "Shooting Star" and closed my eyes for another wish, and when I opened them, Mr. Barrack Obama was not the President in 2013. I don't know if you all believe in "Shooting Stars" or not, but 2013 is starting to look up. Hope and Change people, REAL HOPE and REAL CHANGE.

Increasing taxes is the only way to limit greed. The thought or threat of having to pay large amounts in tax is what limits greed and encourages the rich to pay the people that made them the money a fair share or percentage. If not the majority of the rich will try to hoard money and resources away like addicts.

The economy in this country did better with higher tax rates, but the earning ratio was lower too, and had just as much influence. More people thought that they had a chance to succeed back then versus now. Now the American dream is to go to school for X amount of years then go work for some corporation 52 weeks a year, 40 hours a week, from 8 to 5 M-F, weekends too if we need you all until you DIE. When did the carrot on the end of the stick turn into a turd for the majority of people?

WTF do I have to do to get people to understand that whenever one person makes an excessive ratio versus others that LESS people can now earn the same ratio. At a 10 to 1 ratio no more then 10% of the population can earn that for very long. At 100 to 1 no more then 1% of the population can earn that ratio. As the earnings ratio goes up you are forcing the "poor" to be more efficient and to live off of less. If 10% of the population earned 100 to 1 ratios, 90% of the population would be living off of ONLY 9% of the total resources while the 10% group gets 91%.

Why is it that the most INEFFICENT people are telling the majority of the people to be more efficient? "We need to cut, cut, cut not spend, spend, spend." When you waste the most out of all of us. Why do you need more then 10 times the resources versus others? Or is it that you have a sickness, a disease, an addiction that does not let you stop being greedy?

The rich do not create jobs, RESOURCES create jobs. If not for resources we would not be here since we need X amount of food, air, water, etc. for EACH and EVERY human on this planet. If not for resources companies could not make products to sell. Even in the information industry there has to be some way to convey or transfer the information and is still dependant on resources. Resources and the control of them has and always will be the heart of the problem.

Who came up with the idea of credit in the first place? Was it a poor or rich person? Who had the excess money to be able to loan someone money and then expect to earn MORE money from doing ZERO work? It sure as hell was not the poor person. Why did the rich person overpay themselves in the first place? Why was the poor person stupid enough to accept an unfair deal and to work for less? If only 90% of the population would not be stupid and accept unfair deals. If everyone walked out and struck at the same time, the rich would not have a choice, and we would not need to break out the guillotines.

What is so funny is all these teabaggers and rt wingers will vote repub and vote against all their own self interests. Losing more of their own money and benefits while knowingly giving more billions in tax breaks to the rich 1%. Roy your post on demoninzing....Democrats and people living in reality call this dealing with facts. Just post little fear statements Roy , it worked last election on teabaggers. Go ahead and tell the teabaggers you are going after their Soc security like you did last election. Repubs said they wanted to privatize since Bush got elected. Then teabaggers say don't take my Soc Sec and vote for repubs who vow to take it away......So funny...Bruce Bartlett, Reagans top economic advisor is even laughing at Teabaggers on this one saying it is like they are hypnotized in a cult.

What we see is that the Republicans are fixin to call the "expiration" of the Bush tax cuts quote" the largest tax increase in history". Lets review boys and girls.

The Bush tax cuts were literally rammed down our throats, they were not bipartisan, although a few Dems voted for them. They had to be passed under reconciliation, after a tie breaking vote in the Senate by Darth Cheney. They did not increase revenues, which some Republicks have claimed. They did however destroy the federal budget, turning surplus to deficit overnight. It is the major reason for deficit spending over the last decade, more than doubling the debt. This is part of the "drown it in the bathtub" philosophy from garbage can Grover Norquist. The second part is to crash the economy, creating a 9/11 like economic event, to use as an excuse to dismantle government policies from the New Deal and labor unions, The middle class was created, as reward/incentive for protecting the uber rich from those Nazi's and Communists. Now that they think thats' done it's time to revert back to 1900 when a few had everything and everybody else had next to nothing.

Now the CBO says that the deficit for the next decade will be 10 Trillion, but if the tax cuts expire that deficit will be 3 Trillion. Now you just add the 4 Trillion deficit reduction the tea baggers wouldn't agree to with Obama and voila, no more deficit. Surplus again, brought to you by sensible Democrats.

You rich folks need to pay taxes like your daddy did back in the fifties, and stop whining about it. Or as a conservative phrase from the past would say "America, love or leave it". If you don't want to pay your taxes get the F...k out.

Grover Norquist is a clear and present danger to the United States, and should be handled with extreme prejudice.

Freshieee "We survived eight years of bush. You'll thrive with eight years of Obama."

When does the 'thriving' start?

The national debt would be retired now if the Republicks hadn't cut taxes and increased spending on corporate welfare and wars. END THE BUSH TAX CUTS NOW, END THE ENDLESS WARS NOW, RAISE TAXES ON THE WALLSTREET EXPLOITERS, REGULATE WALLSTREET NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR KIDS.

Vote Democratic. Voting Republicans in now is tantamount to voting Herbert Hoover back in.
Kick Rush Limbaugh in the nuts.

I'm trying to get my head around the comments that support the GOP and Mitt. I know they are not all paid to post and they're not all in the top 1%. I'm retired and no matter who is elected won't effect me much but I can't understand why any working class American who earns less than $100,000 or even $200.000 a year would even consider supporting any Republican candidate. If like me you are concerned about our country and have been paying attention to what the agenda of the GOP and Mitt and that is they want to give the rich and corporate America more tax breaks and subsides while they intend to pay for it on the backs of the poor, seniors, children, poor, vets, sick etc and wage war on all Americans if they're not in the top 1% wage earners. If those Republican supporters think that is fair then I hope they understand that this will affect them. If the GOP gets their way they will send more jobs overseas and the jobs that are left will be for lower wages. I can only hope those GOP and Mitt supporters do some actual research into the bills their party wants passed and how they are wanting to continue the Bush/Cheney agenda and we all know that is where our economic disaster started. I used to think that no matter what party was in power, their agenda would be for the betterment of all Americans but we have experienced since the Bush/Cheney rule that is just a fantasy. Come on Republicans put your country first and restore our faith in our government and democracy. If it were possible I would like all those who support the GOP and Mitt to live under their so-called economy fix and the rest of us to live under Obama's agenda. The GOP's agenda didn't work under Bush/Cheney so what in the hell makes you think it will work because another corporate puppets says it will work. Sorry but I can't understand why GOP and Mitt supporters ignore the facts and allow they're candidates to lie. It's no wonder the rest of the world is laughing at us.

MikeyMike, Winker, Outstanding post. Finally people that "think" about what's going on before they just "speak" nonsense. I would like to believe that those that just "believe" what the "establishment(GOP)" are saying would just stop and think about what they are proposing and how it will affect them before they just say "We need to stop all the spending and work on the paying down the debt. Paying down the debt is a necessity TRUE, HOWEVER, the ONLY choice is not to tax the poor, raise the Social Security age, AND eliminate Medicare and Medicaid. There has to be a balance and sad to say the republicans don't want to balance. They have all but advocated for the rich to pay less and doubled down on it while driving the notion that they are the job creators. Name me ONE billionaire that has created jobs in the last 2 years or the last 8 for that matter.

I firmly believe that this will be a close election due to the simple fact that those one the right not only because the don't like his policies BUT as I've said before and would LOVE for anyone to dispute it, race. What the right wing will NEVER say is that President Obama's policies(the ones he could get passed) created a total of 2.4 million jobs in 25 months. Would have been more if we had a cooperative congress but I digress. They will never say that as "useless" as the stimulus was, it kept the unemployment rate from climbing above 9%. IF the states would have accepted the money vice rejecting it, In my opinion the unemployment rate would be lower than it is now as more jobs would have been created. I love when they say time and time again that the stimulus was a failure BUT won't say why it failed. They also won't say the main reason why the economy is in shambles(do nothing congress).

I still fail to realize why you would be willing to risk your own job or pay to vote for someone that has repeatedly said "Let the companies fail and file for bankruptcy and we'll figure it out later" as his economic agenda and strategy. I still say for those that ONLY rely on what people "tell you" or what I love to call "talking points" without weighing the pros and cons, may God have mercy on us all.

This won't happen .Boner is just finishing up puting the nails in the coffin.The people in this country who actually work for a living and are on the door step of poverty, those who have lost everything , those who already suffer from social service cuts won't stand for it. Can't wait. This shows just how stupid these people are they want to create this turmoil in the weaning hrs of an election year.

Its up to us to put an end to the Republican Party and T party

I want to know when Newsvine puts an end to the flagging, mass emails possibly?

In November of 2010 (mid-term elections) Boehner and his conservative clown posse promised jobs, jobs, jobs. I, for one, would like to see them live up to what they were elected for. Where are the jobs they campaigned for, were elected to and was their promise? Either they are completely and utterly incompetent or they lied! Obviously they're not worth voting for!

Ol Doc, you are correct the budgets start in the house. Under the Budget Act, the house, senate and the president are required to submit budgets BY LAW. The house and the president have submitted a budget the last couple of years fulfilling their lawful requirement. Harry Reid has disregarded his lawful requirement to submit a budget for the last 3 years. His little streak he has going has never been done, 3 years without submitting a budget, in the history of our country. This is what mine and your tax dollars pay him to do and he is not doing it. He isn't submitting it because he doesn't want their spending wishes put on paper to scrutinize.

Tjohn, the House can't by itself pass any job friendly bills into law. The Senate and the prez have to play too. Of the 30 Bills of this nature sent to the Senate Reid only opened i believe 3. 9 of every 10 Bills sent to him aren't even opened for discussion or ammendmants, much less a vote. This to go along with no budget bill in 3 years i'm not exactly sure what they are doing in the senate.

BigATC,

So, in other words, they campaigned on, and promised, something they knew full good and well they wouldn't be able to accomplish on their own and willingly refused to work in conjunction with the Senate and White House unless it was an "all or none" political extremism of the failed policies that brought us record deficits and millions of jobs lost as a result of the financial meltdown. Just as I thought! The Conservatives ran for power and money not for creating jobs, jobs, jobs! Why give them another chance (vote)?

I'm sure Obama's team is thinking "How can we use this against the Republicans in November?"

We'll have an answer pretty quick, I'm sure.

Quite the opposite, Roy. I believe that the GOP is thinking how they can ruin the economy via another debt crisis and pin the blame on the incumbent in office. I say @!$%# the GOP, let the Bush tax cuts end and the sequester begin, and build from there.

ROY WILSON-336103

Freshieee "We survived eight years of bush. You'll thrive with eight years of Obama."

When does the 'thriving' start?

Well, the thriving starts when the "Grand Old Party" either grows a pair and decides to compromise with the Democrats (for once), or when they become six feet under. Your choice. Pick wisely....

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

Our ONLY hope this year to survive as the free representative republic we always have been is to punt Bozobama's sorry @$$ back to Chicago after he's beaten in November, then roll back Bozobama-driven socialism and the moronic crap that was forced on us by it. Nobama/Biden 2012!

kraussk,

too bad you are overlooking the fact that Republicans also want to destroy our representative democracy by turning us into a theocracy where religion has the only say in our laws and policies.

kraussk

Our ONLY hope this year to survive as the free representative republic we always have been is to punt Bozobama's sorry @$$ back to Chicago after he's beaten in November, then roll back Bozobama-driven socialism and the moronic crap that was forced on us by it. Nobama/Biden 2012!

Unfortunately, the same people you want to elect are actually the ones destroying our nation's democratic principles via Citizens United. Oh, and while you are continuing to pile on the right-wing's Red Scare tactics, would you please tell us what socialism is and how that ideology pertains to the President??? I am a self-proclaimed social Democratic liberal, and I find very little distinction between the majority of his policies. The only thing he ever did that I think is socialist in nature is the bailout of GM and Chrysler, and even that was done via a capitalistic way (buying up a majority of the company's shares). Obama is, at best, a center-left Democrat with centrist tendencies. Besides, I'd rather have a socialist for president than a fascist, narcissistic, "wealthy people are the job-creators," 1% fat cat who would raise taxes on millions of poor Americans while cutting taxes for the wealthy, who by the way create very few jobs.

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

If the wealthy do not create jobs, remember you cannot seperate a corperation as an individual, then who does create jobs? The poor? You will not accept trickle down, which I completely understand that you do not understand trickle down, yet you scream trickle up. Trickle up is a hand out, trickle down is a tax break in the hopes that more revenue will be generated. Example, I want to buy a jet, I am able to write off the purchace of the jet, no tax there. The Company who sold me the jet does not write off its investment of the jet, but pays taxes on the RESALE of the jet, the profit part. The parts that were used to build the jet are not taxed on the parts that were used to create the parts but on the RESALE of the parts that were used. The materials used to build the parts are not taxed except for the RESALE of raw materials that were used for the materials to produce the parts, which were taxed buy the producer of the raw materials, who bought a product to produce the raw materials, and the cycle starts over again. I can't deduct the cost of a jet? Well I wont buy one so, the company who sells jets gets no sale, the company who builds the parts gets no sale, shall I go on?

1 jet equals a few sellers equals multiple part builders equals more more machine shops, who need materiels, who are producers. Is that not jobs more importantly revenue?

If Bill Clinton could run today, this time, I beleive he would win handily, I personaly would not vote for him, but he would make Obama look like Ross Perot.

We've had Obama for almost 4 years now, he did not live up to his promises. The blind man talking to the deaf man is gettting a little old.

If the wealthy do not create jobs, remember you cannot seperate a corperation as an individual, then who does create jobs? The poor?

Yes, the poor do create jobs. Corporations would have no reason to exist without consumer demand. And who holds the majority of demand??? The middle class, and the poor. The wealthy are too small to create enough jobs to compete with the middle class. And yes, producers are necessary for revenues, but so are consumers. Without consumers, producers would be nonexistent.

holds the majority of demand

Wealth holds the majority of supply. demand may be a reason to procduce, but its only a reason. Put all the poor and middle class together and let them demand away, until someone invests into a method of production there will be no job production.

Feisty - I can see Boehner with the tan mom! They'd make a perfect pair!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

Come on now Bev - Boner spends hours laying down in his tanning bed dontcha know? lol

He's not known as Agent Orange for nothing...

OMG. That's right I forgot that is another of Agent Orange's profession and the golf course too .

Republicans = Modern day troglodytes, as in people considered to be reclusive, reactionary, out of date, or brutish.

When House Speaker John Boehner dies they need to make Ox Tail Soup out of his nose! That is because what comes out of the hole under his nose is Pure Bull@!$%#!!!!

Boehner, like any good republican, wishes to prove He can continue conducting this recession in ways sufficient to the praise and remuneration of Norquist, Koch's, defense contractors, ect. Ignorant people will proudly pin these blosssoms in their lapels, and go forth touting their fragrance, of course to the delight of all tumble turds, and lucky grubs.

SeekingSanity

Feisty - I can see Boehner with the tan mom! They'd make a perfect pair!

...Except that I believe the Tanorexic mom is straight...

when the pubes aren't able to extend 43's cuts, i'll be the first to shed a tear w/ mr boner... NOT

I'd love to play poker with Boehner; I could count on hm to overplay his hand every time.

Okay, I see the little right wingers had a problem with my first post! I'm sitting here chuckling over it being collapsed!

I'm sitting here chuckling over it being collapsed!

Seeking Sanity,

Don't sweat it!

You should be honored for having hit too many right wingers nerves! lol

Another meaningless announcement from Mr "all politics all the time". Where are the jobs Boehner?

LOL very hard

oh my thanks for the afternoon laugh richard.

It's good of Boehner to bring this up now just in case anybody needs a reminder of who the Republicans are working for, what they did to our country and what they will continue to do if we don't vote every last one of them out of office and stop their obstructionist tactics from completely destroying our nation. Richard, in case you haven't noticed, the only one's not going broke as a result of the Bush/Cheney legacy is the 1%. It's about time they started paying their fair share.

so, richard, you are for bohner, romney, the kock brothers, and all the policies that got us where we are today, and will eventually get us to a place where income and assets are more unequally distributed than they are in Latin america. So you want the US to be like Latin American countries. Are you rich? Or are you insane? There's no other choice given your position, except bigoted fundamentalist psycho-zealot, and I would never ask you about that.

Hmm... The conservative GOPers have cornered the market on lies. They think if they keep repeating the same old rhetoric, that it becomes the truth. Like... umm, Rompey taking credit for saving the automobile industry! LOL... i'm still laughing at that one!

OBAMA/BIDEN 2012!!!

You're right. John Boehner is probably going to cry at some point when W's tax cuts get stopped dead by an overwhelming majority of both parties. I would put money on him giving at least one quiver-lip blubbering moment, knowing Rush is going to give him a spanking.

Ten Thousand bucks say Mitt caves too. Too bad you can't make money betting on election outcomes. Otherwise, Billionaires would be tempted to play those odds and place bets in Vegas. And to up your odds you would be willing to spend any amounts the oddsmakers will accept. Oh wait. That's what they're doing now through Superpacs anyway because of the Citizen's United case the Supreme Court decided in favor of corporate personhood. So never mind. Where money being bet in these amounts, the temptation for corruption is practically unimaginable. Yes, let us indeed put money on big money, so that everyone wins! Except America.

The Repubs want the quivalent of an austerity plan here in the US. What they don't understand is that it didn't work in Europe and it is not going to work here. What also is amazing is that for all their concern for the deficit, why won't they raise the taxes on wealthy instead of exclusively on the backs of everyone else. I'm also getting tired of hearing about how taxing the rich won't solve the deficit, but taxing everyone else will? They need to pony up for their country that gave them their wealth, or they can find someplace else to run their business. I just hope Romney does not win or else we can all fight over the left overs in the city dump.

It's official: The Party of No is metaphysically evil.

Screw it. I say let taxes go up where they belong. The lower tax rates are destroying this country, not helping, no matter how many times the conservative windbags claim otherwise. History indicates this country has a better overall economic climate when taxes are higher. That's the way it's always been. There isn't a single example of low taxes with sustained economic health, in this country anyway. Tax cuts always lead to spending cuts that eventually undercut future infrastructure improvement, while defense spending goes up regardless. No more, I say.

It ain't no fiscal cliff, in fact it's not even a speed-bump. Once people see the actual, real results of paying a little more but keeping most services in place with a real decrease in the deficit to boot, they will support paying higher taxes. Let the House do what it will. Then we can ignore them like usual and let taxes go up where they should have been all along...we wouldn't even be in this mess if Bush had left taxes alone or raised them back up once we started invading countries. It can't be legitimately denied.

You people are monumentally incredible....you have absolutely human dignity in you - attacking the way you do , you're like a pack of hungry hyenas swarming on a kill. And as usual Feisty is leading the pack, you all are beyond sad and pathetic. You're completely reprehensible - whether you agree or not to a post that contradicts your opinion why don't you just act civilized and except that another does not hold your opinion....your intolerance speaks volumes on your politics and values. I'm ashamed to call any of you thinking humans.

God help us all if any of you EVER reach a position of power and authority....freedom and free speech will die.

To richard-3069835

OBAMA and his Spending........... Both of them will take you to the GRAVE broke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your a real bitter person aren't you and as far as going to "the grave broke" It sure sounds to me when it comes to brain cells, your already bankrupt.

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

Junior??? I am your senior!!!!!! I have lived the life as you have not....... You live now and want everything handed to you as I, I dont.. I think you should work for what you want and have..... Point your words at me lady for you lady are lost among all libs.........I have seen the LIFE as you have not so take your words and LEAVE!!!!!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL.

There's a whole community of people who love you through the words you post.

I hope you don't take that as abuse.

You keep on telling it like it is, Feisty!

Obama / Biden 2012

BigAl Las Vegas

Live in your lies sir for you are also lost in the times!!!!!

There's a whole community of people who love you through the words you post.

Thanks Rick for letting me know my efforts are appreciated!

I hope you don't take that as abuse.

Who says I don't mind a little every now & then? ;o)

I have seen the LIFE as you have not so take your words and LEAVE!!!!!

Calm down junior before you stroke out, I am NOT going anywhere! ;op

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

"There you have it folks - Richard the poster boy for bullying! lol

Go put your ass back in the toilet where is was!!!!!

See, here's the problem for you junior, you may get away talking to your bitch like that but it doesn't work for me!

No wonder you support Willard - birds of a feather and all..

Now sit back and take a deep breath Goober - the med cart will be there shortly!

PS: Keep up the threats of physical violence - fastest way for Newsvine to report you to the authorities.."

"physical violence"

where did I say anything like that????

just push all you want at me

richard-3069835

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

Junior??? I am your senior!!!!!! I have lived the life as you have not....... You live now and want everything handed to you as I, I dont.. I think you should work for what you want and have..... Point your words at me lady for you lady are lost among all libs.........I have seen the LIFE as you have not so take your words and LEAVE!!!!!

Feisty is right. You need to calm down, Junior. There are people in this world who have 50 years of experience; and there are nearly the same number who have 1 year of experience 50 times. It sounds like you fall at either end, or somewhere in between one of those groups, am I right, Junior?

If you don't understand what has happened in Greece, pay attention....you'll get another chance to see runaway govt. spending bring a state to it's knees when California defaults on it's DEBT. Coming soon.

The "young voters" are being sent to debtors prison by the insane generational DEBT Obama is imposing on them and their children and their children's children. And he expects their vote? Ha!

Wake up my fellow Americans. Mitt Romney is exactly the right man at the right time in our history to turn this mess around.... Believe in America.

You will never go anywhere Fiesty for you are a thorn is everybodies SIDE

Rick's ReaY ou have 00000000000 experience... Feisty has 100% experience at being a LIAR!!!

Life would be a lot easier if people would look at the facts rather than the party. Feisty and her clan are Libs

There are more than 12 million alcoholics in the U.S. and House Speaker John Boehner is one of them.

where did I say anything like that????

For the love of GAWD you can't even remember what you wrote less then an hour ago?

And I supposed to take you seriously??? lmao

Here's a couple of your quotes to remind you;

You need 10 lashes to knock your brain loose...

You should be taken out to the wood shed and whipped

Thanks for playing junior, we have some lovely parting gifts for you!

The way the Republicans lie you would think even the ignorant Tea Party folks would catch on. Boehner will do or say whatever those House Tea Partiers tell him to do. He and those folks are going to cost the U.S. ANOTHER credit downgrade and the interest on our debt will only go up as a result. That is tantamount to a tax increase for all of the citizens in the U.S. because we have to foot the bill for the higher interest rates paid because of a lower credit ratings! He did it in 2011 and our credit rating went from AAA to AA and now he seems to not understand that it can go to single A or even lower. He is indeed playing with fire. Only children and ingnorant people play with fire.

Sounds like the far-right-wing both in Congress and in the States wants to cut the taxes of the top 1 percent and to lessen tax revenues ...and as a result, make it harder for the 99 percent of the nation to pay off our debts. This leads to more painful cuts in essential services to the public as well as to more people losing their jobs, thus increasing the proportion of unemployed, of which increases the costly burden on our society to help them.

Tax revenue pays for the myriad of services and infrastructure that makes our country a civilized place to live and work for our nation's growing population. These regressive proposals to intentionally mismanage our economy under the guise of austerity measures has a covert purpose and a selfish goal: to make the wealthy richer while dismantling and destroying the public sector at our expense.

If anything we should be raising the taxes on the wealthy and increasing our oversight on big financial businesses, and not the other way around. It is true that you can't cut your way to growth. I imagine even the educated and enlightened wealthy people in our nation can agree that not raising our debt limit (of which this misleading phrase, taken literally, is misunderstood by many) and lowering the taxes of people and businesses that can best afford to pay them, are unwise proposals.

And for those of you that that believe it's okay for the nation to bear more unemployment and the spread of more urban blight to pay for tax cuts, I imagine you must be young, idealistic, already out of college and no huge loans to pay back, have no family to support, already have a full-time, living wage job, and no chronic health care issues with yourself or your family that drains your pocketbook on a daily basis.

But if you're much older, have medical issues and more responsibilities to burden, have others to support, and don't have a job that pays you enough to survive to stop your slide into more debt, I imagine you would think these proposals by the far-right to take away help for you from the public sector, a bad idea indeed.

@FeistyRedHead

Feisty,Feisty,Feisty...you miss the point (and the obvious...).

Poor RichardImonSmack doesn't have a bitch that gets away with anything. Richard IS the bitch.

And now that Richard can pursue his life long ambition with Presidential approval and gay marry Rush Limbaugh you would think he would have just a little bit of appreciation for the President.

But Richard is nothing if not ungracious.

richard - Hate to break the news to you but, you're way out of your league. It must be rough having to pretend to be a big bad bully boy to get attention, but you really come off as quite stupid. Not even convincing enough to garner support from your fellow rwnj trolls. My advice to you is, enjoy your retirement and take that Social Security and Medicare while you criticize others you feel is leeching off of the government. And before you come back with how much you "worked to earn that SS." Just remember it takes less than 5 years before you've used all of it. Then you're just another welfare recipient and a hypocrite as well.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) presaged another developing moment of brinksmanship on taxes and spending, vowing that House Republicans would vote to extend expiring tax cuts before the election, and insist on further cuts in spending to accompany another increase in the debt limit.

No. Not only no, but @!$%#ing hell no. We have had these tax cuts for what, 12 years??? And what have they done??? Well, they did increase income inequality (or coincided with it, whichever works), gave the rich a huge fat check, and did SQUAT to help the economy in 2001. Unless we get a reasonable deficit reduction package (in which the tax cuts are repealed gradually) with tax increases and entitlement reform, than let them expire. And Boehner is asking for MORE cuts??? We gave him $2.2 trillion last summer; don't give us that lower-rate bull@!$%#, because chances are we might not be able to recoup the losses. Return rates to Clinton levels, raise the top tax rate to 45%, and beef up regulations on the financial market.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are in a huge crisis, both fiscally/economically and geopolitically. There are two paths that we can take in order to fix our problems, both economically and fiscally. One path is championed by a party that in recent years has capitulated to the whims of the wealthiest Americans. Instead of offering reasonable plans, or at least negotiating reasonable plans, they took the low road, the dirty road. Instead of stating that all Americans must shoulder a fair burden according to each one's needs, via tax increases and cuts to social services, they doubled down, using blackmail and obstruction to keep tax breaks for the wealthy while advocating massive cuts to services like education that benefit those in the middle and bottom of the economic spectrum. Not only do they advocate massive cuts, but they also plan to enact huge, trillion-dollar tax breaks that may go to each and every American, but in the long-term will only benefit those at the top. They also plan to gut the skeleton regulatory system, worn out by years of deregulatory wear and tear, and remove whatever checks on special interests that remain.

The other path is one that is also fraught with trouble, both now and later on. But in it, all risks will be borne equally. The tax increases and spending cuts will affect EVERYONE, from the poor workingman to the wealthy industrialist. We will also seek to reimpose the checks on special interests and insure that the wealthy will not control all of America. They, like all groups, have their faults, but they at least have some goodness within their structure. I can see none in their counterparts.

We simply cannot afford to live like we have over the past decade. We thought we could cut taxes, start two wars, and create an unfunded mandate, all without worrying about the cost. We thought that we could spend like crazy, give more power to the wealthy and to the private sector, and not worry about them abusing their power or taking huge and disastrous risks. We were wrong. Dead wrong. We almost destroyed our economy, lost our credit rating, amassed huge deficits and debt, and sent millions of people into the poorhouse. But there is hope. We will hopefully pick up the pieces, build a stronger and more equal nation, and never again feel the shame of causing global recession. We just need to elect the right people to office. We must also remember the great words of one our best presidents: "My fellow Americans, ask not of what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

Nothing says "I am a complete and total @!$%#ing idiot with no argument whatsoever" more efficiently than repeating the name of your debate opponent three times before launching into your counter attack. At least that's what I was taught in debate club.

Richard, may I call you DICK? You continually accuses the Democratic posters of lying even when they produce the proof in front of your face. You never seem to have any rebuttal facts. I believe you to be impotent in the arena of argument. It would probably be best if you step away from the keyboard and take your ex-lax Junior. Just Saying!

Freshie, you talking about a party catering to the wealthiest, you talking about democcrats? The wealthiest in this country are democrats ... Gates, Buffett, Ellison, Soros, etc. There are wealthy in both parties but the top ones are all democrats.

You seem to be insinuating that tax policy caused our current recession and not the housing pop and credit freeze?

richard-3069835

Rick's ReaY ou have 00000000000 experience... Feisty has 100% experience at being a LIAR!!!

Ah yes, the classic "I know you are but what am I" strategy. Brilliantly played sir.

And thank you for saying that I have absolutely no experience as a liar. You are a true gentleman.

richard - meds, it's wayyyyyyyyyy past time for your meds! Holy cow! who let you out????

BigATC

Freshie, you talking about a party catering to the wealthiest, you talking about democcrats? The wealthiest in this country are democrats ... Gates, Buffett, Ellison, Soros, etc. There are wealthy in both parties but the top ones are all democrats.

No, I'm not talking about the Democrats. I'm talking about the GOP. The Democrats have gotten a little too conservative, a little soft from the days of the New Deal, but at least they advocated for higher taxes on the rich. And by the way, with all the tax increases proposed by the Democrats, at least Soros and Gates still back them. I have yet to see any prominent Republican advocate for higher taxes on the wealthy, who've gotten off scot-free over the past 30 years.

You seem to be insinuating that tax policy caused our current recession and not the housing pop and credit freeze?

To be sure, tax policy didn't necessarily cause the recession; the deregulation of the financial industry did. But tax policy sure made the recovery slow. Tax policy over the past 30 years has ONLY BENEFITED the wealthy, by giving tax cuts that ONLY BENEFITED them. The tax cuts that were given to the middle class didn't help them, as their wages were stagnant in real dollars and it pretty much just kept them afloat. Now, with huge income inequality and stagnant wages, people don't have enough money to spend our economy back to health, as most of the income in the US goes to the top fifth, of which I am (technically) a part of. I think that is unfair that the top fifth of America controls 93% of the income earned, more than 13 times the other 80%. That is caused in part by tax policy, so we must put an end to trickle-down economics.

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

How about Schumer offering a debatable alternative? I'm not saying I agree with Boehner, but I am tired of politicians (in both parties) just bashing ideas without proposing viable alternatives.

The simplest alternative is to allow the Bush cuts to expire, as they were always intended to. Another alternative is to allow the Bush tax cuts for the top 1% to expire. Whatever the alternative is, it should never be tied to threatening another Tea Party Downgrade or attempts to eliminate more services for those living in poverty. It should not be tied to giving sweetheart deals to their corporate buddies.

The good news for President Obama is that, if nothing is done, the Bush tax cuts expire for everyone, so Boehner has his back to the wall if he wants to avoid that.

There are several alternatives, but they are not "debatable" because the R's refused to discuss anything that requires millionaires to pay taxes. There is no justification for millionaires refusing to pay at least the same percentage of their income in taxes as the middle class.

i cant wait, iam full of glee. the american people will have their opportunity this november to obstruct those in congress who have held the entire country hostage. out with all the right wing, begone, nobody has any faith, let alone a belief in these arrogant ideals. the shows over for ya. get your moving van reservation in asap, your gone.

Why should Sen. Schumer offer any type of alternative. Boehner is flipping on an agreement that was made on a bi-partisan level to deal with the problem by, in part, cutting defense spending. They signed on for the cuts in order to get some of their wants. It's their half of the debt ceiling resolution.

Whorequist needs to be brought up on charges of treason for threatening congress-persons with non reelection if they vote for tax increases of any kind.

All of those who signed his pledge need to be brought up on charges of treason for not honoring their pledge to support the Constitution and the people who put them in office. They should all be removed from the Congress. All 45,000 paid, ex-congressperson lobbyists need to be banned from Washington and lobbying should be made illegal.

ALEC, Heritage Foundation, and other fascist organizations need to be declared enemy subversive organizations and banned.

The Koch brothers need to serve time for stealing oil from the Native Americans. Under the cheney administration they were found guilty and fined something like $25 million. This was just a slap on the wrist. They need to serve hard time like Bernie Madeoff and all their billions and property confiscated. We are being screwed daily by them and no one seems to care. They and other zilliionaires are doing their best to fix the November election and it must STOP!! KKKarl Rove should also be indicted.

I read on line that bush, cheney, rumsfeld and five lawyers who did their deeds have been found guilty of war crimes in Malaysia. This act opens the door to send the case to the Hague where these war mongers will most likely be tried for their war crimes, notably torture. Google it. It is not strange that the MSM has not even brought up the subject of this conviction. The GOP doesn't want it known before the election.

On another matter, I read where romney's bain corporation bought a steel company. Drove them into bankruptcy, fired all the employees then stole $100 million in pension funds which they distributed among themselves laughing all the way to their banks in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. Google this too.

It is my feeling that if romney wins the White House that he will treat our nation the same way. He will drive it into bankrupcy, fire all federal employees then steal our Social Security and Medicare - which we paid for - and distribute the trillions of dollars to his bank in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. Don't fall for his phony persona. He IS a vulture capitalist and don't forget it.

We must overturn the supreme court's decision that calls corporations people. This is egregious. We need to impeach scalia, thomas, alito and roberst and remove them from our court.

We must use paper ballots exclusively. Ban all voting machines especially those "programmed" by Diebold.

What I got out of this article I picked up in the first 2 or 3 paragraphs.

What it said to me, was that the boner has stated (in much different language of course) is that instead of tackling these issues on his own watch, and trying to behave like an adult and not some snotty kid in the sand-box and instead work with (key word there) each other on the real issues facing our budget.

Instead , he'll drag it out right up to the election to make it a hot button issue once again. Then they can make their campaign claims based on their respective positions; as if many of them, if the current tide of opinion is any indication, will be around after the upcoming elections to get in and clean up this mess that they let lay around festering for this past term.

The GOTP is just going to have to swallow the fact that we have nothing left to give. Their uber-wealthy friends are just going to have to face the fact that they have no justification for holding on to ungodly amounts of money for pure personal greed, while the country is crumbling from the ground up. They're just going to have to bite the bullet and cough up some much needed funding to begin to re-build this country. Romney needs to lead by example in this. Money is no more than a tool of human society, and this game of who has the most has got to stop when it comes to the destruction of a nation for pete's sake!

The tax breaks have got to stop and further still, there needs to be massive penalties of any of these big fish who try to move off shore, as in everything not produced in this country, physically within our shores, pays astronomical import fees. Same outrageous taxes for trying to take funds out of the country in any way. If they want the benefits of American free enterprise, they better start putting their profits back into it, and the people from whose sweat they make their outrageous profits.

well Ron 18:

• There WERE multiple alternatives.

your CONS-ervatives leaders decided either to say NO to everything or FILIBUSTER most of the democrat-sponsored bills.

which begs the question

• WHY IS THE CHANGE OF HEART ?

I knew Boner and his thieves would pull this crap! I literally feel my pulse rise when Boner opens his mouth, or old man Mconnell shows his god ugly face, Cantor's evil evil smirk, and Paul Ryan? I actually feel bile rising in my throat whenever his face is shown.

Obama/Biden 2012 FORWARD!

This is my proposal to fix the deficit.

I. Reduce the debt by $8 trillion over 10 years.

• $800 billion in defense cuts: cut waste in private contracting; reduce investments in new military projects to more sustainable levels; reduce active military personnel by about 8%; demolish 200 bases, mostly overseas, to save over $55 billion a year; prioritize investments for drones, efficient weapon systems, and cyber-defense systems.
• Entitlement reform: raise payroll cap to 90% of income; reinstate COLA; reinstate estate taxes; raise premiums for beneficiaries who make over $250,000; progressive indexing.
• Cut $2 trillion from discretionary spending except from NASA and Department of Education. Find ways to remove waste, trim costs, etc.
• Save $2.8 trillion by repealing Bush tax cuts but retaining about $1 trillion for the middle class.
• Raise top income tax rate to 45% and the second to 39%.
• Increase capital gains tax to 24%.
• Reform tax code: decrease about 70% of all tax expenditures unless they are PROVEN to promote a significant amount of growth. Close loopholes, lower corporate tax rate to between 20-25%. Eliminate all corporate welfare. Broaden tax base. Convert most other expenditures to tax credit. Approximate savings=$ 737.1 billion a year.
• Reduce subsidies to oil companies, farmers, and ethanol producers by $100 billion.
• Total savings=~$13 trillion plus perhaps trillions more in interest and un-calculated tax revenues.

I am not joking. Check (http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=vie…

II. Economic Recovery Package

• Education reform. Increase funding for Department of Education, adopt RAND education policy and further Head Start programs.
• Create Department of Tourism with $36 billion budget to support 150,000 employees to speed up process for foreign tourists to apply for visas to US and make system more efficient.
• $90 billion in infrastructure bank to leverage capital for infrastructure repairs to employ millions of Americans.
• Incorporate policies of Obama's Jobs Bill.
• Offer incentives for businesses to buy US-made equipment and to employ people in America to the tune of perhaps $2,000-$3,000 per head; includes only people earning the median salary that the companies provides for its workers.
• Increase duties and tariffs for Chinese goods by 50% until China appreciates its currency and lowers subsidies; place more cases on Chinese fraud and IP stealing,
• $60 billion in incentives and federal loans and grants to green technology every year for 4 years.
• Regulatory overview to decrease unnecessary regulations for economy and add regulations were needed.
• Reinstate Glass-Steagall.
• Lift moratorium on offshore oil drilling and open up certain areas for energy exploration WITH safety and environmental precautions and insure safety.
• Invest $40 billion in new R&D projects every year for 4 years.
• Offer more scholarships and Pell grants; prioritize scholarships to promote getting degrees in engineering, technology, etc.
• Negotiate lower tuition deals with private institutions in return for aid and invest more money public higher education. Negotiate with states for a state education surtax to pay for public universities.
• Help housing market: tighten regulations on housing and financial markets, reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; create partnership programs between the government and the private sector to buy houses and rent it out to former owners; persuade banks to write off parts of underwater mortgages; quicken time for foreclosures; demolish old buildings to open up to construction projects.
• Increase federal gasoline tax to $.225/gallon and use extra revenues to revamp infrastructure.
• Extend payroll tax cut.
• Reform Post Office. Eliminate 60,000 payrolls through early retirement, increase stamp costs to $.51, cut administrative salaries and budgets, pay freeze, adopt methods that FedEx and UPS do, transition to an energy-efficient postal fleet and turn postal buildings "green," and find more ways to trim costs.
• Increase minimum wage to $8.25 and institute living wage. Index minimum wage to inflation and mandate that all employers increase their employee's salary by inflation.
• Institute living wage.
• Regulate the derivatives market and the swapping of securities.
• Break down the big banks; divide them into smaller banking entities and ban all trust-like bodies in the market. Establish a cap on assets that a given company can hold to approximately 8% of GDP or 4.5% of total banking industry.
• Reform the filibuster: require all members of Senate be present and must be occupied by a debate. Also, limit number of filibusters to one per senator and fifteen per party per term.

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

WAY COOL! Someone laying it out , now argue with him! AND I didn't even see anything about Illegals! IF we quit with susidizing the illegals in all forms, sec8 housing, school lunch programs , medical,waste in laungauge dollars, food stamps and on and on over TEN years from now between the states and the Fed we would gain approx. 397 billion dollars. Now if we remove the illegals AND STOP THE ANCHOR BABIES and let legal people get some jobs that would be vacated there would be even more dollars in the coffers!!

Very well stated Freshieee.

The only way to have a chance of achieving it is for the Democrats to have 60+ seats in the Senate and a clear majority in the house, with Obama at the helm. An uphill road with Fox et al. spreading their slippery Bull$**t.

You should be in the senate.

I agree with you Ed... Freshieee...Excellent and well thought out...

Thanks.

and that will be one time I will enjoy seeing him cry.

Whether Boehner, Ryan. Cantor, et al are out, depends on whether the 99% of America that has been screwed by them ACTUALLY go to the polls on November 6, 2012. Don't allow the 1% to run this country. Problem is, they know the easy going Americans will never react to being screwed like the Europeans do.

@chuck225 - that's exactly the problem. A combination of bigotry, and fundamentalism, whereby the folks don't care if they are screwed as long has their prejudices are served - and, of course, laziness keep the thieves in power.

As an example of laziness: A reactionary right-wing fundamentalist - who is also the biggest Medicare/Medicaid crook in history - now sits in the Florida governor's office. Who, you ask, would vote for such a POS? About 24% of floriduh's registered voters, that's who -- in an election where 51% of the voters stayed home. It's sad, but I think Americans have become too stupid to solve relatively simple social problems and are on the road to becoming Mexico Norte.

Good, solid points from both Chuck and WStevens. There will be a concerted effort this summer and fall to get voters in urban and rural areas registered and, if necessary, transported to the polls to keep those villianous thieves from retaking total power. And that also includes making sure they have proper identification as well. We all know the criminal element of the right wing will stoop to try anything to gain power. If they think we are going to lay down and just let them in, they're in for a big surprise. Mark my words, there are plans ready to go forward on this. THEY WILL NOT KEEP US DOWN!

What I find most irritating is that these nimrods agreed to sequestration if they couldn't find a compromise on budget cuts -- were any of us shocked they couldn't? -- and now, the "Small Minds for Small Government" crowd is out trying every trick in the book to keep the gravy trains running through their districts. If they truly cared about national defense, they'd be more concerned about becoming more efficient instead of insisting the DOD purchase weapon systems they don't want in the first place.

That's not a knife and that's not his back.

lmao! now that was funny vwterry, and quite true too, I'm certain

All of this is too funny......

*if you eliminated the entire Defense Department in 2013, the current Obama budget would still run a deficit of about $500 billion

*if you want tax reform, how about asking the 48% of the folks who pay 0% or even get money back for filing to start paying their "fair share" (a great Obama term)

* both parties are so screwed up we may never correct it until a few states start sending true "independents" to Congress.

People with no income have no money to pay taxes. The current trajectory is to force more and more people into unemployment and poverty, thus creating more people needing assistance and less money to replenish the tax base. Where does that end up?

So rick, I guess you are in favor of a true income tax, better known as a revenue tax. No deductions, no exemptions. very low rates, everyone pays.

Same thing applies to all businesses, tax all revenue, no expenses, no depreciation, no allowances.

Not a bad plan, just no one will go for it because no one gets bribes campaign contributions out of it.

rick believes in the neo-fascist tooth fairy that extracts both teeth and dollars from the poor and puts them under his pillow.

Rick: As pointed out, poor people who are not employed and have little or no money are unable to pay taxes (although they DO pay taxes whenever they buy groceries, gas, etc.). As for those that get a tax refund...this is only because they paid in too much during the year and they deserve to get back this amount. If you erroneously paid $5.00 for something that was marked $2.00....wouldn't you expect to get the your $3.00 back??? Or, do you think you should just shrug your shoulders and call it a "gift" to whoever you paid it to just because? Your analogy makes absolutely NO sense whatsoever.

@Rick

In case you don't know, everyone pay some form of tax, whenever you buy something you pay tax and even welfare people also pay tax when they receive those welfare check.

You know who don't pay tax? Welfare banks and businesses, yes even if they receive bail out and assistance from government, they pay 0% in tax. Let's look at the last bank bail out, they got the money, they then lent back to the government with INTERESTS, yes using the money they got from bail out to make money on those they got it from. Nice, right?

Mp points were:

1. 48% pay no income tax at all and they are not necessarily the "poor". Poorer than the top 10% for sure. But until all pay something in income tax to the federal government and have some "skin in the game", we will just plod along thinking the top few % should pay for the entire federal government. The top 25% of wage earners pay 85% of all income taxes now. I would go for a flat tax or even a graduated income tax as long as everyone pays something.

2. Yes folks... besides refunds, many folks get a negative income tax (like welfare) just for filing a 1040.

Well folks... I have worked for over 50 years, paid federal and state taxes every year, and surely not in the top 1%, 5% or 10%. I served 25 years in the military, did 2 combat tours in Viet Nam and saved and invested my money. Some of you sound like you have too much time on your hands to really work. As I said, as I read these comments all I can do is feel sorry for some of you as they are funny, stupid, show a complete lack of knowledge of the real world.....oops....time too go and have a drink and plan my next vacation, or next motorcycle ride.

Rick: great analogy - pay most people so little that paying taxes become a real burden to them, then argue that since they are a burden, no one should pay taxes. Only when you understand how much a government (we call it an organized society) costs, do you understand that we just can't afford it.

rick-723786

All of this is too funny......

Inappropriate laughter can be a clear indication of much deeper psycological issues. The main problem I see with the current crop of Republicans in this country is their deep-seeded fear of those three little words that have dogged them in every situation outside of their little cocoons over the span of a lifetime. Three little words that they just cannot and will not ever accept under any circumstance, regardless of logic, evidence or history...

MAYBE IT'S YOU.

That assumes that the congress is actually interested in getting anything done besides their own re-election.

Yet another reason for term limits.

They should have term limits.

big fan of term limits here.

All incumbents have term limits, just quit voting them back into office! You don't like the circumstances then change the circumstances - it is a pretty simple proposition.

Term limits...........bring in know nothings....or as they believe "know everything" every 2 years.

Term limits of 3 terms no exceptions!! No consulting to private industry for 3 years afterwards

I totally agree with term limits. In costa Rica the President gets one 5 year term-no re-election. The Congressmen get 1 ten year, and no re election to another office. Get their overpaid benefits and no life time retirement benefits. That way we don't have the re-election bu** sh**

I totally agree with term limits. That way we don't have the re-election bu** sh**

Great darryl. Now get Congress to pass it. There in lies the problem.

You do remember that Obama voted against a debt ceiling increment, right?

The fact that you think that raising the debt ceiling is a non-issue is sad.

Awake,

[The fact that you think that raising the debt ceiling is a non-issue is sad.]

Increasing the debt ceiling is only for political games because the increase is necessary to cover money already spent.

Spending creates the debt so to control the unnecessary debt ceiling Congress needs only to control the spending. BTW the Romney/Ryan budget increases our debt by several trillion dollars and doesn’t balance the budget until 2040. That leaves 27 years of spending more that receipts (more borrowing) – so we will be increasing the “Debt Ceiling” many more times between now and 2040.

Want to balance the budget? Simple. What's the biggest expense? Defense. Cut that and be done with it.

We don't need more bazillion dollar aircraft carriers and jet bombers. We need quick nimble drones and excellent intel. That's what's getting the job done in Yemen, with low cost and virtually no "boots on the ground". We need to stop always fighting the last war and look to the future of our own national security, and bankrupting ourselves with unneccessary and wasteful spending is not a good plan for long term security.

To be completely fair to then-Senator Obama, he had the luxury of voting against raising the debt ceiling, because he knew there would be enough votes to pass it. He was making a political statement without hurting the country. He never would have been the vote that prevented the debt ceiling being raised and hurting the country's credit rating as the Republicans did.

Well, if Mittwit is elected he will know just what do do about the National Debt: he will have his friends at Bain and the Koch industries arrange a leveraged buyout and a quick bankruptcy filing. That will wipe out the debt and get rid of those pesky anti monopoly and minimum wage laws at one fell swoop. Then everybody will be happy, the massas in the big house and the slaves down in the quarters.

Mikeymike

Transfer payments ,you know where they take my tax money and give it to someone else, are the largest part of the federal government budget along with the debt and interest related to those transfer payments. The parisites are many and they only have one regret and that is they dont get more.

Although I agree in part that military spending is wasted. I think the defense spending should be used to fight the war going on in the US . You know the fact that we have been overrun buy 12 million illegal aliens and their spawn which are effectively bankrupting states as they go. Use the military to round them up and deport them, state budget problem solved, current law enforced that has been ignored by both parties for decades.

lulu,

You know that was when we had a surplus, right?

The only thing trickling down is the golden stream of the 1% pissing on the rest of us as they laugh their way to the bank.

Trickle down used to work. But now all the new jobs are created in China, not the USA.

So enough of the tax breaks for the wealthy, unless they create the jobs here...

Boehner is a total embarrassment to those of us who live in SW OH (what a freaking crybaby!); but unfortunately I'm in the minority. SW OH is incredibly republican and big time supporters of the TeaBaggers. Just a shame I don't live in his district so I could vote for him to NOT represent this area!

glimmemerr - I know how you feel, I have to put up with Jan Brewer and that crazy Sheriff Joe, such an embarrassment.

There's not much chance the Boner will be voted out... SW Ohio is a republican stronghold. There are more AS%^(*&S per capita than anywhere else in the US...

let's laugh and say !!!! - thank you!

Anyone who resorts to name calling or taking cheap shots hasn't anything meaningful to say. I've always skipped over Feisty and Bev's posts.

Ag99 I am with you....still looking for a meaningful comment out of them on here and it's been a long wait for that. More time is spent blowing each other's dress up.

They already have. Fear is their weapon. "Look out or They are gonna get you". Vote the bums out!

I think the Democrats are taking back the House in November, In 2010, the American people thought having a divided government would be good. Now they see how nothing got done.

I think it already has.... they just want to put a headstone and memorial up. Something to the effect, "here lies the middle income class". Now they will work to bury the foodstamp and welfare recipients.

"Has he done anything productive (or factually accurate or honest) as Speaker?"

Well, without him, the spray-on tan industry would be in big trouble.

I ended up with a bush tax cut of about a $30 a month tax break. Whoopee. I would gladly give it back and then some if it will get us out of the Republican depression.

If people have jobs they pay taxes. If they have jobs they spend money and pay sales taxes.

We need another stimulus bill and an infrastructure bill. The American Society of Civil Engineers has rated every state in the union and gives the infrastructure very low grades in every state. Our infrastructure needs attention. Part of their rating system covers water and sewer systems nationwide. This is a health issue. We need a clean water and sewer bill to help small cities across the nation deal with their aging water and sewer systems. 'The small city I work for in New Mexico has an aging water system that was installed in the 1960's to replace the failing system installed in 1928. They used asbestos pipe. Our water pipes are undersized for most of our fire hydrants and we have water line breaks several times a week. Fortunately we haven't had a major fire to test the system. Our sewage treatment plant was built in 1983 and is in need of an upgrade. Otherwise we dump contaminated water into the Rio Grande. One of our water tanks built in 1954 has been condemned becaue it is all rusted out. We need a new tank but there is not money. The money to correct deficienties in our infrastructure has dried up with no help in sight. This money has dried up because the rethug congress will not help the states. The Congress has called these projects "earmarks" and has refused to fund them. The fact is that small cities across the nation cannot afford the millions it will take to repair their water systems and sewer systems including sewage treatment plants. People will continue to suffer illnesses related to bad water and the ground water will continue to be contaminated because of our ancient sewer lines some of which were installed before the water system. When we receive these monies, we hire an engineering firm to draw up plans and contract the work to private contractors.

The right wing talking point saying that the government cannot create jobs is false. The government uses the money to award contracts to PRIVATE contractors and then administers the contracts.

if the rethugs get back in, and they continue their present course,we will freefall into another Great Republlican Depression much worse than they brought us in 1929. They cannot govern. Let's face it.

Boehner needs to check his head for a 666 on it.

Romney is an arrogant SOB that should cower down to his comments he's made all year. This man is an idiot.

Romney isn't an idiot. He's an elitist SOB.