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PHILADELPHIA -- Mitt Romney doesn't "get" fire fighters, Vice President Joe Biden charged Wednesday, marking the complete return to political combat after last weekend's pause following the Colorado theater shooting.
Speaking to over 3,000 fire fighters at their annual convention in Philadelphia, the vice president said that Romney "means well" but that he and his party fail to grasp the motives of public sector workers who put their lives in jeopardy for others in their communities.
"I think part of the problem is I don't think he gets you," Biden said. "I don't think he really understands - I mean this sincerely - I don't think he understands what you're all about, what makes you tick, what makes you decide to go into this profession, which you couldn't pay enough to 90 percent of the population - including me - to do what you do every day."
Biden, who emotionally referenced the role of firefighters in saving his sons' lives in the 1972 crash that killed his wife and daughter, lamented a "perfect storm" of economic woes and anti-union campaigns that have hit at the core of the hook-and-ladder profession.
"They act like you're the community's problem," he said of Republican lawmakers aiming budget cuts and other reforms at unionized public sector workers. "As if you're not part of the community. As if somehow you're from some other place. As if you haven't been as affected by this recession as your neighbors have, not because you're a firefighter, because you're a middle class citizen."
The vice president, whose recent comments describing a de-facto "depression" for America's unemployed were vigorously highlighted by Republicans, on Wednesday described the country as "barely" out of the economic recession.
"This is about shared responsibility," he said, noting the administration's push for tax hikes on high earners. "You know as well as we do the country is out of this recession but barely and struggling to move forward. I mean, you have ... blood brothers, blood sisters, who because of this recession are out of work."
The Romney campaign responded with a statement from Fred Donnelly, a retired battalion chief of the Philadelphia fire department.
“Joe Biden can come to Philadelphia, and he can try and tell the hard working men and women of this city that he understands what we’ve been going through. But no matter what he says, he can’t cover up the words of the president," Donnelly said. "The President may think the private sector is ‘doing fine.’ He may want small businesspeople to believe that they ‘didn’t build that.’ But we know that he is simply out of touch with the struggles that middle-class Americans are going through, and that he doesn’t understand what drives the American economy.”
Biden's remarks, while perhaps slightly less pointed than a typical campaign speech, marked a public return to the partisan punches that preceded last week's massive shooting at an Aurora, Colorado theater.
Mentioning the heroism of rescue squads in that community, Biden lauded fire fighters for aiding at the massacre's scene and for dismantling the shooter's booby-trapped apartment.
"You were there ready to do whatever was needed if the worst happened," he said.
Leave a Comment:
Tell it like it is Uncle Joe!!!
GOP/Koch targeting teachers, firefighters, police and first-responders as though they are leeches on society--
Is a long-planned right wing strategy to get rid of Unions, pay the minumum wage, make us compete for low-paying jobs, and privatize the hell out of America.
What's sad is the numbers that fall for this BS.
@Backhouse
How about you explain how we pay for our current public employees pay and benefits? Set out the taxes required to maintain their current level of compensation. Then we can see what would be required further to employ the 700,000 further employees you continually bring up. Perhaps you can relate this to the forecast that public pension funds budget for 7.5% to meet their future obligations while at the same time attacking Bain Capital for producing those returns.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/us/in-report-on-states-finances-a-grim-long-term-forecast.html?_r=1
Maybe you can explain, because VP Biden omitted from his speech, why Scranton PA, his hometown, is now paying firefighters minimum wage. I don't think its because they gave a tax cut to all the millionaires in Scranton.
So Backhouse, what would you do in Scranton to pay the firefighters more and employ more teachers and cops?
That was the mayor of Scranton that did that, in rebuttal to the fact that his council members would not approve his budget increases.
1. Previous presidents, including GWB and especially Reagan, INCREASED PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS as a strategy for economic recovery in recession.
2. Reagan very purposely increased the number of public sector teachers, because Education is the way up and out for ordinary people. The newGOP is not looking out for ordinary people.
3. GOP/Koch knows the economy will improve when more people have jobs, and the middle class has money to spend. This creates demands and goes into business coffers.
4. That is why GOP/Koch blocked 2 million jobs in the President's American Jobs Act, and will not allow it to come up for debate.
5. As long as uber-billionaire Adelson & Co. have the money to install the government he chooses, and money is in the hands of the very few, the US debt will increase and our economy will decline.
6. There is method to GOP madness, and unless you are part of the exclusive GOP/Koch Club, you also, will fall afoul of their plans to subjugate all non-affluent Americans.
Romney doesn't 'get' firefighters?
Biden doesn't get firefighters. Biden doesn't get cops. He doesn't get teachers. He doesn't get grocery store baggers. He doesn't get gas station attendants. Or journalists or software engineers or meat cutters or pipe fitters or chefs or bus drivers or any other conceivable job you can conceive of.
Biden doesn't get it. Period.
It's time to wake up, Joe. Your President has failed and now it's time to reap the consequences.
Romney 2012.
So tell me Alan,NJ, how is Biden responsible for what firefighters are paid? Let me guess, you have a fire extinguisher and your children are home schooled. Sorry pal but I see those who serve the community as first responders and the Romneys as last responders. They would not even allow you to approach the back door, but you are one of them right, a real American.
So there you have it. Large tax increases or more borrowing, and who would want to lend to such a borrower after the financial crisis? If I had savings in a bank that lent to Scranton I would move them. And if you have ever been to Scranton, a 29% increase in property taxes will hit the working poor.
WTF do think the 2009 stimulus was?
I was just using his hometown as an example of how past agreements (by politicians of both parties) are causing bankruptcies, and the banal comments of Backhouse make no sense in the current financial crisis.
Mitt the Zitt believes that fire fighters put out 'socialist' fires only; vulture capitalists like he will put out capitalist fires after the 'perfect' market starts the fires of recessions and depressions.
Here's Pigotry crapping all over the floor again with his one line zingers that really never make any sense. Hateful comments emit a stench, just like a pig sty does. The stench is even more intolerable when laced with nonsense and words that have no substance to them at all.
Do you do this because you feel this board should be turned into a pigsty? Try to convince me otherwise.
I knew what you were saying Alan, didn't know if everyone else knew why the mayor did what he did.
and Romney feasts on bankruptcies
And yet, like those serving in the military, or struggling middle class and working poor but older and white, etc., they will still vote against their own best interest.
Most conservatives are brainwashed by rightwing propaganda, and the circles they run in (e.g., church, NRA, etc.) reinforce this. And most of all, they have no skills for independent thought, critical analysis, and powers of deduction in the first place. How can this be corrected?
OMG! I can't believe everyone in this country that voted for the Obama/Biden ticket is still supporting this ticket. We all wanted change, boy did we get it. So keep voting for "this" change and see how this country will suffer. Unions were supposed to keep people safe.........well that is not what they stand for now. Good concept but misguided because they don't care about the "worker". Remember when that is what they stood for? Wake up America! Our freedoms are being taken away from us by this Karan toating President we have in office. His lies go beyond anything comprehensible.......check out this site.........and then tel lme you will vote for this man again...........you too, Brian Williams..........fair reporting??????
Let's see if CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS or any other left wing news media station will report this to you................
and don't forget to check out the Acorn scandal, check out the whistle blower that worked for Acorn.......a black woman who believed in the "system" and now thinks Obama is the worst thing that happened to racism in this country! Let's see who collapses this comment.............most likely a liberal that does not want to hear the truth!
Here's the website I told you about:
www.iardc.org............CHECK IT OUT!
Most civil servants (and I know dozens) won't even socialize with non-civil servants. They are taught this us-versus-them attitude, cannot civilly manage any sort of criticism, and merely mark time waiting for the magic 20 or 25 years to be up so they can retire and exit the venue. A civil servant's dream is an on-the-job injury that 'gets them out' with full benefits and disability when they are still young. Florida is filled with retired NYFD, NYPD, NYDS and NYC teachers who've used this super magic parachute.
Sure Tom that's nothing like the bank CEOs that robbed this country and got out with millions in their pockets, oh no you're worried about some cops and teachers. And why are their pensions such a drag on the city budgets right now. Could it be that they were robbed by the banks?? All those pension plans were invested in the stock market and the crooks on Wall Street fleeced them! But by all means keep believing your masters on the right, obviously they have taken your brain and replaced it with a rock.
When the economy is growing, sure have more public sector jobs. Expanding govt. jobs when the economy is contracting is stupid. Not enough revenue to pay for it.
And if you want more teachers, firefighters, etc. don't cry to the feds, it is a state issue and the states need to raise taxes if you want more public service workers. The feds are $16 trillion in debt. and you want more from them. Just to let you know, money does not grow on trees.
No money doesn't grow on trees and the federal government seldom funds public sector state jobs. What the right rants about is Obamas stimulus plan that provided 780 billion in one time costs much going to states to create jobs and protect state jobs in the biggest meltdown our economy has faced since 1929.
They however had no problem with Bush's stimulus of over 1.5 trillion that went mostly to banks and financial institutions. It's always which party is speaking as to what's the priority. Romney wants to cut 20% or 120 billion from the 600 billion currently spent on social programs but wants to increase military spending 260 billion. Obama wants to cut military spending and maintain social programs.
Explain this drunken Biden...
.Obama the promise BREAKER!! Equals a LIAR!!! BIG EMBARRASSMENT to the USA!!!
Obama’s promise that his healthcare proposals would “never be purchased with [a] tax increase on middle-class families.” The SUPREME COURT & JUSTICE DEPT say it is a TAX!!! .Attack on the middle Class! Taxation by misrepresentation
…….…NOW Obama wants to invade Syria and Iran!!!
..mr. American businessman..YOU DID NOT MAKE THAT!! It was stolen from the back of the worker---PURE MARXISM!!
Remember these?
THE OBAMA CHRONICLES:
“I promise 100% transparency in my administration.”.
“I promise NO NEW TAXES on a family making less than $250K a year.”.
“I will allow 5 days of public comment before I sign any bills.”.
“I will remove earmarks from PORK projects before I sign any bill.”.
“I will end Income Tax for seniors making less than $50K a year.”.
"I will bring ALL of our troops home within ONE year."
“I’ll put the Health Care negotiations on CSPAN so everyone can see who is at the table!”.
“I’ll have no lobbyists in my administration."
"I'll close Guantanamo."
"I'll resign if I don't cut the deficit in half by the end of four years."
"I'll unite the people of this great country."
“The TROOPS will be home for CHRISTMAS.” WHY ARE MORE LEAVING EVERYDAY???? AND DYING every day…
NOW Obama invokes Executive Privilege( as a Sen. called it’s use a RUSE!) for Holder on GUN SMUGGLING and killing US Agent Brain Terry!!! That only applies if Obama was part of it!! Obama & Holder should be on trial for giving Machine Guns to the Mexican Drug cartels!!
BETTER KNOWN AS LIES.
Fool me once shame on YOU!
Fool me twice shame on ME!
Biden don't get the real world. He lives in liberial fantisy island.
Romney is a true buisiness man in every sense of the word and understands the value of a dollar! Obama should stick with community organizing! Romney 2012
Larry, and you believe him? Just a few days ago, Obama added to the defense budget. Remember the program to help vets when they get out of the service?
you are all so lost it is pathetic. We are paying $8 billion a week just in interest payments. What happens when we can't even pay that? Creating more services will break the camels back.
The country is a mess and most of you want to divert the attention away from it. Bashing Romney will not fix this mess. And it if very apparent Obama has not a clue as to how to fix it.
As for Biden. He makes Palin look like a genius. How he ever got elected to any office is beyond comprehension.
Do you know any firefighters, I do and the majority of them chuckle bout the kind of living they make off the taxpayer. They work a couple of days a week, have some of the best benefits money can buy and some of them make as much or more in retirement than they did on the job. Many of them start their own business on the side due to all of the time off they have between their scheduled days off. Oops, they didn’t start their own business, someone else did, I forgot what Obama told us.
I agree they have a dangerous job but get real, firefighters aren’t the only ones on the planet that have dangerous jobs but not many are compensated as well as they are. Many communities have volunteer fire departments, I will et you guess how much they make and what their benefits package looks like. So all of you geniuses out there that want more government figure out how you are going to pay for it. I know, not your problem, the money will come from somewhere, it always does. Maybe it is coming from those who don’t pay taxes or from those that may pay a few thousand a year. Oh, that can’t be it either, must be those rich guys who are paying millions a year in taxes but it is only like 15% of their overall income, better tax them more so we can add more public employees. What a bunch of morons, I sure Joe thinks this is a BFD, biggest moron of them.
I love how there are so few comments on this story. It silenced all the anti union people. Even though firefighters belong to unions, nobody can be anti firefighters.
Yea Joe, a lot of us don't get it .... a lot of us don't understand why local firefighters of local muncipalities are the responsibility of the federal government?
What part of the Constitution does it say that?
The people of those communities cannot be responsible for their revenue and cost?
Since local communities cannot print free money like the federal government, should we indebt the kids in Oklahoma to pay for the insanity of California?
No Joe I think we all get the importance of firefighters just not the abuse of firefighter's unions. Local investigative reports in my home town have uncovered lots of abuse, firefighters retiring at 30-40 years old on disability and taking up other occupations or extreme sports that prove they are not disabled.
Like Obama and Biden do... what a joke.
Mitt Romney doesn't "get" fire fighters?
Vice President Joe Biden doesn't "get taxpayers!
The taxpayers will "get" Joe AND Barry in November.
Bye Bye Joe, I'll almost miss your stupid gaffs.... almost.
The only thing that Mitt cares about is more tax cuts for himself. Him paying 14% when the rest of pay 30-35% is not good enough for Mitt, he wants even more tax cuts. To heck with America, the rich want more and the republicans want to give it to them.
Jobs, the republicans don't care about jobs. The so called job creators didn't create any jobs, but with all that tax cuts money they sure are more than willing to buy the election for the republicans that have promised them forever tax cuts.
With the republicans voting for the corporations to keep their special tax cuts for moving our jobs overseas, I would have to be really, really dumb to think that the republicans cared about jobs or America.
Watch the republicans fight against tax cuts for the 98% because the so called job creators need that tax cut money to buy the next election for the republicans.
The rich have calculated that it is cheaper to buy their politicians than it is to pay their fair share of taxes. They call it "an investment".
Thank you - my point exactly "Where are the JOBS?? from the job creators????
You know, I think the 14% is too low and the rates/loopholes should be closed, but stop with the we pay 30-35%. That too is patently false.
Americans First said: The only thing that Mitt cares about is more tax cuts for himself. Him paying 14% when the rest of pay 30-35% is not good enough for Mitt, he wants even more tax cuts.
I don't pay 30-35% and I'll know you don't even come close to that amount either. You are assuming that Mitt really cares about the difference between paying $100,000 and $200,000 like he really needs the extra hundred grand to live on. The unreasonable assertions of the left are growing weaker every day. Some posters just love posting to reread their hateful remarks and support their own brains... it's called confirmation... they post it and then they read it to confirm their post was put on the board... geeeeez... some liberals really are loony tunes
Wow! You are still falling for the BS in Washington!
check out Obama BS: www.iardc.org then tell me you want to vote for this Karan toating president again! At least Romney is a "real" American! No phony birth certificate that was produce 2 years after Obama was in office! And the liberal press, Brian Williams, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC...........you think they are going to tell you the truth. Fox News, the only station that has some balls to tell you the truth but they are hounded by the Washington liberals because the truth hurts.
Hey and before you blast me............I was one of the suckers that voted for Obam/Biden..........sorry for the change I got................you should be too!
Romney the real America who is hiding his tax returns. He shredded the papers from the Olympic after he promised transparency. When Romney left after being governor he took all the hard drives to once again hide what he was doing.
Yes, Romney the real America who would give himself tax cuts and let children starve.
President Obama is fighting to raise his own taxes for a better America for us all.
What is the real American Romney willing to give except tax cuts to himself and his rich friends while we cut care to our wounded veterans? Yep Romney is the real American alright.
I doubt very seriously you voted for President Obama or you wouldn't be buying the republicans con job brought to you by faux news. I am guessing you have not seen the reports that people who watch faux, know less about the news than people who watch no news at all.
Seems everyone but you knows faux lies about everything, and they especially likes to repeat lies about President Obama.
The real suckers are voting for Romney and tax cuts for the rich who are using that money to buy the election for the republicans instead of creating jobs with that tax cut money like they promised us.
@JPH North Carolina
And out come the birthers.
OK, one more time. So, tell all of us how President Obama managed to fool the Secret Service, FBI, CIA, NSA and all the other security services that vetted him? Come on, we're all interested to know what you know. You're so very smart and they are so stupid that they were fooled, but not you.
Dude, you need to stop drinking. It's starting to harm you.
Libsux: Your buddy Romneys had a number of years he was part of that 48% that paid no taxes the difference is he made 10's of millions in those years which hardly compares to the millions of grandma's and grandpa's that paid none on their $800 social security check don't you think?
Response to lower comment.
Americans First-3238795:
That just proves he is a great deal smarter than you and he does it according to the Tax Code.
Amerikan last - Romney paid over $3 million in federal taxes in 2010. How much did you pay?
As VP Biden stated - Gov Mitt just doesn't get it or truly understands the strain on the middle class. Trickle down economics is not working - the "Job Creators" have not created anymore jobs with all the tax cuts that they have been receiving for over 8 years now. "WHERE ARE THE JOBS?????". Are they holding out waiting to see if Gov. Mitt gets elected before they start hiring people, in order to make Gov. Mitt and the rest of the Republicans look good? Republicans stated after the 2010 elections that they would concentrate on creating Jobs - What exactly have they done - What have they compromised on in order to put this country and its citizens back to work, what have they sacrificed? "Simple - nothing"
Bravo, Self-educated. We've tried trickle down economics for over 30 years and it just doesn't work. Enough already---the job creators aren't creating any jobs and the Republicans aren't helping.
They've legislated the uterus. Oh, and named a few post offices.
Self educated...
Get yourself an education on simple human dynamics and economics.
Any tax cut is one of diminishing returns over time. The cuts from 2001 and 2003 have pretty well been normalized into everyones everyday spending habits. The payroll tax cuts of 2010 and 2011 have probably created more stimulas than extending the bus2 tax cuts.
Until the consumer becomes deleveridged from evertything they borrowed prior to 2008, don't expect to much in job growth. After all, without an increase in demand companies have no reason to hire and with the the unknowns involved in what heathcare and financial reform will really cost why hire what you may not be able to afford or the consumer is unwilling to spend as costs are passed unto them?
BTW - How droll that you don't ask the question of "where are the jobs" of obama and company? After all, he was elected to lead America to an economic recovery. Interesting on how he has become the first POTUS to make excuses and try to lay blame on others.
Hell, even reagan found a way to work with a contentious tip oneil and a democrat controlled house. Even clinton found a way to work with a republican controlled congress as did bush2 work with a democrat controlled congress at the end of his term.
The jobs will return once consumer spending returns. The consumer spending will return once the consumer confidence returns. The bank crises and housing crash caused so many problems, it is no wonder that this economy is where it is. Unless consumer confidence improves, we will still be in the lackluster situation.
Steeler fan...
If trickle down dosen't work then why is obama trying so hard to make it work. Day in and day out obama is pushing it. Why are those on the left like yourself so stupid that you can't see it?
OMG!
Libxux, on the surface flat tax seems like a good idea. However it is grossly unfair to the lower income earners. How, you ask. Well, says I, if you have someone earning 1M and pays 10% tax he pays only 100000 in taxes leaving him with 900000 to live on. How tough do you think it is for him to put food on his table, shelter over his head or clothing for his body? On the other hand a single mother with a couple of kids ears 30K and pays 10% tax, that leaves her with only 27000 to use for shelter (rent at 1K/month) and food at 1K per month not to mention utilities and cost of doctor bills etc. While they both pay the same percentage the dollar amounts reflecting those percentages is all in the well and good but when one considers buying power and what one can purchase with what's left over it is obvious that the single mother may simply not make it while the millionaire has no problem at all. We're not looking at luxuries, here but simply the ability to live.
American: funny how you mention President Clinton working with the Republican Congress. That was the same Congress which shut down the government for the first time, ever in 1995 and again in 1996. The same Congress which was run into the ground by Newt Gingrich, the king of pork.
Democrats have tried to pass numerous times to change tax laws that tax carried interest at normal rates instead of the 15% rate treating it like capital gains. Romney received 31% of his income as carried interest.
"It’s the time of year when a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of deductions and write-offs. One select group of Americans, though, has a more pressing tax-season task on its mind: preserving a lucrative loophole in the I.R.S. code. The provision allows money managers at privately held partnerships—like hedge and private-equity funds—to treat most of the money they make as capital gains rather than as ordinary income. That means that their income is often taxed at fifteen per cent, a much lower rate than it otherwise would be. In December, the House of Representatives passed a bill closing this loophole, the third time it has done so in three years. But it’s an open question whether the Senate will even take up the bill, let alone pass it.
In a typical private-equity fund, the managers get paid two per cent of assets as a regular fee, plus twenty per cent of the fund’s profits. They pay regular income tax on the two per cent. But on their share of the profits, which is called “carried interest,” they usually pay only long-term capital gains—even though they put up hardly any of the fund’s actual capital, most of which comes from outside investors. The difference in tax rates saves private-equity managers billions of dollars a year, and means that they pay taxes at a much lower rate than, say, your average lawyer. It also means that their taxes are lower than those of people who do the same kind of work, or get the same kind of pay, as they do. A general principle of good taxation is that similar jobs, and similar kinds of compensation, should be taxed the same way: otherwise, the government is effectively subsidizing some jobs over others. But the carried-interest tax break upends this rule. If you manage money for a mutual fund or a public company, you pay regular income taxes; do it for a private fund, and you pay capital gains. Similarly, when a corporate executive gets stock or stock options as a bonus for a job well done, it’s generally subject to income taxes; carried interest, which is also performance-related, isn’t. Like the rest of us, fund managers are being paid for their labor, but, unlike the rest of us, they get to pay taxes as if they were capital.
Read more http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2010/03/15/100315ta_talk_surowiecki#ixzz21lENrY8b
Congress has tried 3 times to get carried interest taxed as normal income but republicans block it. Romney has 31% of his income taxed as carried interest at 15% when it should be taxed at 35%.
Self Educated Voter===Really? You actually believe that businesses are waiting this out with the Republican Party just to make a big splash if Romney is elected President? Your self education is kinda off the wall my friend but your imagination is something that could be used in say Hollywood.
Self educated
Businesses are holding on to their cash reserves as they do not know what Markist Obama is going to throw at them next
Congress has has tried to do things but do nothing we dont need a budget Reid is holding on to the bills for political reasons.
Hey what happened to the poll that MSNBC was touting this morning that had President Obama leading Gov Romney by six points. Newsflash--F Todd came out and said the poll junk and totally biased! If you get your news from NBC you are truly in the dark. Do you think Brian Williams will begin the Nightly News with a retraction of their lead story last night? Not likely! BTW--does anyone actually believe VP Biden knows anything about being a firefighter? Maybe he thinks because he has spent his entire life as a politician setting fires with his stupid remarks he now understands how to put out them out?!
Ducky - liar! Todd did nothing of the sort! Why do you lie about things that are so easy to disprove. Oh, that's right - you're a Republican so you don't have a brain.
Clearly Joe Biden has more knowledge in his little finger than you do in your whole body. Slither away!
Obama/Biden 2012
Seeking - why do you get so hateful toward other posters? What did Ducky say to deserve being called basically "an idiot"? It's Dem's like you that make the rest of us look bad.
If you have proof or logic to apply, then do it. But to just bash shows that you don't have any ammo to come back with.
Seeking......Ducky has no scruples about telling lies, that's the Republican way.
Joe Biden has an understanding of what it is to be an every day worker, whether it be in the public or private sector. He comes from hardworking blue collar roots and understands their needs and their aspirations. Our firefighters, police, emergency workers and teachers have every right to be concerned. When cuts are made at the Federal level it is trickle down to the states and we all know how trickle down works....dont we, as these workers are now finding out, everything is connected.
Dem4 - because Ducky lied - now do you understand? Why did you not attack him for lying? Oh, that's okay in your book, right? Ducky made himself look bad for making up such a stupid lie. Now again, idiot is the right term.
Obama/Biden 2012
Seeking said,
"Ducky - liar! Todd did nothing of the sort!"
From the Article:
"This morning, on MSNBC's Morning Joe, NBC political director Chuck Todd admitted their poll had a skewed sample (around 3:50 mark) and stated that, if this poll were weighted similarly to their last poll, the race would have been unchanged, instead of Obama extending his lead over Romney to 6 points."
Seeking
You have no idea what you are talking about as I just proved above!!
Spin that!!
Must suck to be you to have such a little mind!!
SO Gingerbread,
Would you care to tell where Joe has worked? Just name one job he has held outside of public office? Perhaps people would have a more favorable opinion of public unions (and that is really what "Joe" is talking about...), if they weren't so corrupt. If "Joe" really wants to help the working guy, he should go after their unions....
Dem4Freedom,
Nice post...it's refreshing to see someone that will call out a fellow Democrat for childish remarks.
Seeking - because what Ducky said was true, now calling him a liar made us Dems look bad and uninformed. Just calling someone a liar without checking the facts leaves one open to looking bad themselves, and yes "stupid".
Dem4 - No, Ducky lied. Plain and simple. Todd never said the poll was junk and biased. And, get over it - we all know you're no Democrat! Ducky lied!
Dem4Freedom,
This is the typical response from people like Seeking. Take no offense, she has limited conversation skills so when she is proved wrong she just insults. You get used to it...we all have...
Dem4Freedom - you'll have to excuse JK - when he can't refute anything I say, he deflects his inadequacies - which are plentiful. It's what we've all come to expect. It's all he has!
Seeking,
At least I'm not to vain enough to vote for my own comment (talk about insecure!). Read up above, Maxx called you out on it and proved you wrong...you just haven't caught up with your stupidity yet.
Ah JK you have all the answers. Reading comprehension doesn't seem to be your strong suit though. Once again, Joe Biden comes from blue collar working class stock, he himself is a lawyer and has been in public office since his late 20's. He served the people of Delaware for many years but you knew all that .....didn't you? So what is your point?
My point is he remembers where he came from and the sacrifices his family made so he could be successful, that is the American way. Actually, Americans don't have the market cornered on that aspiration, most people in the world who are interested in making their lives better work hard to make that happen.
Public workers are worth way more than minimum wage and it is up to every municipality to pay them a living wage, if those municipalities want good services and excellent professional employees they have to pay for them whether or not a union is involved. My guess is, if you or a member of your family were in need of any of these services and those services were limited in their response, you'd be the first one to howl about the lack of service.
So do you have any suggestions as to how these people who have trained and been educated should be paid? Municipalities will have to find a way to accommodate the number of workers they need to ensure a safe community. They and the unions will have to seek ways to ease themselves out of the bonds they forged when times were better and everyone worked. Residents of municipalities, need to pay attention to how their communities are run in a fiscally sound way. As so many of you whiners are fond of saying nothing is free, EVERYTHING, has a price or a cost. Stop being part of the problem and help your community find solutions.
Gingerbread,
I agree with you that communities need to find solutions. So we should strive for eliminating the vast waste and inefficiencies within the unions. When a union member is deficient why does it take so long to fire him? Here in Los Angeles, the school union recently backed a resolution that would have prevented a child molestor from being fired. All in the name of what?? Keeping their numbers up? As for firefighters and police is it fair that they are allowed to retire early and then get hired back as a consultant, thereby receiving their pension AND also collecting a consulting fee? Why do the unions and the cities allow this? Why don't we better put our scare resources into hiring the next young and bright peace officer. Why do we need to still have someone that has earned his retirement to enjoy his retirement? Why do make it an incentive for them to still work and collect two paychecks? If we worked hard to elimiate the waste in say public unions we would have the resources to keep the bright civil servants, if we have the mechanisms in place to eliminate those that don't perform instead of making it cost prohibitive we would see great strides in the services provided to the common man.
And to my point about Biden, being a lawyer and being a politician his whole life doesn't buy anyone the respect to say he knows where we are coming from...that just doesn't wash.
Ducky-2278072===I believe that Joe Biden needs to be removed from office period. The guy totally out of his freaking mind. More than likely he is if the first stages of altimeters disease. The guy is a joke and a toy that Obama uses. He has been in Washington way to long and so has Obama for that matter.
I agree! Joe Biden is a huge joke! We laugh at his antics all the time! He's an idiot and is incapable of making sense!
What did it take for the Republicans to approve any funds, any at all, for first responders to the 9/11 incident? What about Hurricane Katrina and the first responders or the service men and women who have put their lives on the line for us? The Republicans want to deny funding to help them. No problem for them to send these kids off to war but don't let them come back the least bit wounded, physically or mentally because then we have to CARE about them and the Republicans only care about their money and themselves not others.
Isn't most of what you say the responsibility of the local and state government? 911 may be the exception as it was an attack on the US by foriegn based terrorist.
Just write a check for more than your property and state taxes and declare it as your contribution for better government services. Perhaps you are to greedy and selfish to do so and only want someone else to do so. Is that right?
Adler - you're absolutely right. First responders are a basic necessity and yet the far right wants nothing to do with making sure they are there.
Our service men and women deserve far better than they are getting and we should be ashamed they come back to so little support. I'm proud we have a President who has made this issue a priority during his term. But, there is still much to be done.
At least 33% of the homeless are veterans. It's shameful and we have to do better.
Obama/Biden 2012
You see, that's the problem with Republicans, they want to say that police and fireman should be part of what a local government does, but they don't want to pay for the police or firefighters, claiming they are leaches to society for having a union to represent them and for wanting to have health insurance and a retirement plan.
The GOP plan is to blame everyone else for the problems caused by the investment banking community. Without the greed and fraud the investment bankers committed, most local governments would not be having problems fulfilling their pension obligations. Just as they destroyed most individual 401ks and IRA's, they also destroyed the pension funds of many local communities.
Now the GOP wants us to put one of these vulture capitalists in charge of the US. That's like handing a plate full of cookies to a three year old to watch. Actually, a three year old would likely do a better job than Romney ever could.
Check out the Ryan budget, the republicans voted to cut care for wounded veterans so we could afford bigger and permanent tax cuts for Romney and his rich friends.
The reason why republicans think liberals don't work is because they think if we did we would be just as greedy and stingy as they are.
I just voted a few months ago to increase my property taxes for schools and firefighters. It passed because I live in a liberal area and liberals care about America unlike the republicans with there I got mine and F the rest of you attitude.
Just like me, President Obama is fighting to increase his taxes for a better America for us all.
Romney is fighting to take food stamps away from children and would let them starve to have a bigger tax cut for himself.
You tell me which one cares more for America?
Americans First: you forgot to add that we Republicans and Conservatives hate clean water and clean air...we especially love taking food away from children and absolutely enjoy when they starve...we also don't care at all about the future of our grandchildren.
Yawn
(Credit: CBS)
(CBS News) The National Debt has now increased more during President Obama's three years and two months in office than it did during 8 years of the George W. Bush presidency.
The Debt rose $4.899 trillion during the two terms of the Bush presidency. It has now gone up $4.939 trillion since President Obama took office.
The latest posting from the Bureau of Public Debt at the Treasury Department shows the National Debt now stands at $15.566 trillion. It was $10.626 trillion on President Bush's last day in office, which coincided with President Obama's first day.
The National Debt also now exceeds 100% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, the total value of goods and services.
Mr. Obama has been quick to blame his predecessor for the soaring Debt, saying Mr. Bush paid for two wars and a Medicare prescription drug program with borrowed funds.
The federal budget sent to Congress last month by Mr. Obama, projects the National Debt will continue to rise as far as the eye can see. The budget shows the Debt hitting $16.3 trillion in 2012, $17.5 trillion in 2013 and $25.9 trillion in 2022.
Federal budget records show the National Debt once topped 121% of GDP at the end of World War II. The Debt that year, 1946, was, by today's standards, a mere $270 billion dollars.
Mr. Obama doesn't mention the National Debt much, though he does want to be seen trying to reduce the annual budget deficit, though it's topped a trillion dollars for four years now.
As part of his "Win the Future" program, Mr. Obama called for "taking responsibility for our deficits, by cutting wasteful, excessive spending wherever we find it."
His latest budget projects a $1.3 trillion deficit this year declining to $901 billion in 2012, and then annual deficits in the range of $500 billion to $700 billion in the 10 years to come.
If Mr. Obama wins re-election, and his budget projections prove accurate, the National Debt will top $20 trillion in 2016, the final year of his second term. That would mean the Debt increased by 87 percent, or $9.34 trillion, during his two terms.
Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent.
I would say it is Obama/Biden that doesn't get it.
We simply can't sustain all the freebies & the opulent spending of this administration.
ONE & DONE
Momma Dukes= WTDA
I think the largest economic collapse since 1929 that occurred in 2008 might have something to do with Obamas numbers. Hard to dump almost 10 million more people on unemployment, food stamp and medicaid roles plus the loss of 11 trillion in national worth and 400 billion in yearly revenue with this collapse and not impact our economy for many years.
We asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition service for month-by-month figures going back to January 2001. And they show that under President George W. Bush the number of recipients rose by nearly 14.7 million. Nothing before comes close to that.
And under Obama, the increase so far has been 14.2 million. To be exact, the program has so far grown by 444,574 fewer recipients during Obama's time in office than during Bush's.
It's possible that when the figures for January 2012 are available they will show that the gain under Obama has matched or exceeded the gain under Bush. But not if the short-term trend continues. The number getting food stamps declined by 43,528 in October. And the economy has improved since then.
Update, Feb. 5: RevisedUSDA datareleased in February showed the downward trend continued for a second straight month in November, when the number of persons getting food stamps was 134,418 fewer than it had been at the peak.
Over 71% of departments in the country are volunteer. We should make the other 29% volunteer nad save the people some tax money.
It is easy to spout off that the number of volunteer firefighters however that number is declining as Americans struggle in the midst of the economic disaster but there is more people may want to know so I pasted a link on this news article which you failed to provide. It's nice to argue a point but pointless if you only provide part of the information that reinforces your argument and statement but fails to address the reality of the situation.
usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-11-06-volunteer-firefighters_x.htm
I hope that your comment is meant to be sarcastic.
Otherwise, go through an accredited firefighter academy and volunteer. The PT is intense and physical.
Have you been in a structure fire where your face shield has melted due to heat? Volunteer.
Have you been in a Forrest fire that has entered the tree tops and sounds like a freight train entering a tunnel? Volunteer.
Have you ever worked at and auto crash whereby the damage and destruction would make a billy goat puke? Volunteer.
I guess what I fail to understand, is we pay people multi-millions to play games. Build multi-million dollar complexes to play those games,but like some posts note refuse to pay the police and firefighter warriors who put their life on the line every time they suite up. Volunteer.
Sorry for the rant.
Perhaps one day the news will be that the govenor, that wants to cut firemen pay due to mismanagement to funds will find his house on fire, with him and his family trapped inside and find out the firemen are all on a break, figuring out how they are going to meet their bills on $ 7.50 an hour, or he has a home invasion and wonder why no police response. What goes around comes around, and karma is a bitch.
Firemen make a lot in some places and too little in some other places and in some places they make too much.
It doesn't matter what they're paid when the federal government doesn't pay them it's up to the states, cities and counties that do pay them to decide. Bashing public servants is just what the right does, they think bashing the greedy firemen making an outrageous average of 40K a year will play well to the faithful, the fact it's nothing to do with who's president doesn't matter.
I find it almost sad that the greedy corrupt Republicans have brainwashed so many into thinking that the money to pay firefighters salaries and the rest of the real public servants like teachers and police will magically appear out of thin air. These greedy corrupt Republicans along with all the brainwashed robot followers will eventually have to come to terms with the reality that the same failed economic policies of more tax breaks for the wealthy has to end. Romney and the rest of the greedy corrupt Republicans have private protection firms but then that leaves all of the Republican robot followers hanging out there unprotected. I’m sure that all those greedy corrupt Republicans will be pushing to privatize law enforcement (that they will provide for an exuberant cost) that they will own that company too. And if you can’t afford to pay the price you will be left to defend yourselves and have to take the law into your own hands. The same will follow for firefighters and teachers which means that education, home, property and personal protection will be reserved for those who can afford that too and it won’t be anyone earning less than $250K.
Only for the Washington and Business elites is this economy no longer in recession. What planet do they live on? For the tens of millions unemployed, underemployed, working multiple jobs and already given up - IT'S A DPRESSION!
Joe Biden - LOL. Has this man ever worked a day in his life? Why does he keep pretending to be "a regular Joe"?
The plagiarism case should have ended this clown's career a long time ago. How does he keep getting away with a steady stream of lies?
Biden doNOT know...
.Obama the promise BREAKER!! Equals a LIAR!!! BIG EMBARRASSMENT to the USA!!!
Obama’s promise that his healthcare proposals would “never be purchased with [a] tax increase on middle-class families.” The SUPREME COURT & JUSTICE DEPT say it is a TAX!!! .Attack on the middle Class! Taxation by misrepresentation
…….…NOW Obama wants to invade Syria and Iran!!!
..mr. American businessman..YOU DID NOT MAKE THAT!! It was stolen from the back of the worker---PURE MARXISM!!
Remember these?
THE OBAMA CHRONICLES:
“I promise 100% transparency in my administration.”.
“I promise NO NEW TAXES on a family making less than $250K a year.”.
“I will allow 5 days of public comment before I sign any bills.”.
“I will remove earmarks from PORK projects before I sign any bill.”.
“I will end Income Tax for seniors making less than $50K a year.”.
"I will bring ALL of our troops home within ONE year."
“I’ll put the Health Care negotiations on CSPAN so everyone can see who is at the table!”.
“I’ll have no lobbyists in my administration."
"I'll close Guantanamo."
"I'll resign if I don't cut the deficit in half by the end of four years."
"I'll unite the people of this great country."
“The TROOPS will be home for CHRISTMAS.” WHY ARE MORE LEAVING EVERYDAY???? AND DYING every day…
NOW Obama invokes Executive Privilege( as a Sen. called it’s use a RUSE!) for Holder on GUN SMUGGLING and killing US Agent Brain Terry!!! That only applies if Obama was part of it!! Obama & Holder should be on trial for giving Machine Guns to the Mexican Drug cartels!!
BETTER KNOWN AS LIES.
Fool me once shame on YOU!
Fool me twice shame on ME!
Hard to respond when most of your post is either lies or twisted to the point it isn't worth reponding to.
Joe, it wasn't the Republicans that caused the lay-offs of the police, fire department, and services industries! My God, blaming the opposition for your past just doesn't get it anymore! The Democrats have caused this and had more than enough time in office to correct it - which they haven't!
Most of Obamas stimulus of 780 billion went to the states to save jobs of public workers and to create new ones unlike the over 1.5 trillion Bush spent on stimulus which went mostly to banks and financial institutions. Even Jeb Bush for Florida credited Obama for saving his state from the most massive layoff of public workers in history after the meltdown. The Bush meltdown.
Biden will go down in History as the best comedian to every hold public office!
VP Buffoon said what???
lol poor idiot; firefighters got laid off because they could no longer be paid for with propped up funds from the Stimulus bill. that's why Blue cities are GOING BANKRUPT; the Stimulus bill had strings attached that demanded teachers and firefighters be kept on long after the stimulus money ran out.
The republicans always have better VP picks like Palin and Qayle.
The GOP has made its statement - we want the POTUS to fail (fat boy Limbaugh leads this cheer leading squad), therefore we will do nothing that would create optimism or success for this country because we are ideologically opposed to this black man and his black family in the WHITE HOUSE. The Bush tax cuts need improvisation and the GOP will not allow it to happen in the house. The 2% are so wealthy they make moves like voter suppression laws in 11 states controlled by a GOP state congress - look at Pennsylvania's racist approach stating bluntly and arrogantly that these laws will allow Romney to win Pennsylvania - the hell with democracy and the right to vote. These creeps are so far to the right that they bear strong resemblance to the Nazi regime of AH and his opinion maker Goebbels (now reincarnate in the fat body of Karl Rove). Steering the country through wars and hard times, economic recession, foreign muddles is the job of the sitting POTUS, while posing in the UK, discussing some weird secret strategy with other nations and holding many smiling photo-ops is the glamorous technique posed by Catcher's Mitt.
By the way, the Disclosure act was downgraded to the democratic scrap heap by the GOpers who continue their pursuit of an oligarchy, a one party system and complete domination of the USA by those who sense their superiority. With the GOP, you get wars, causalities, maimed men and women and enormous debt. They prefer a Sparta to an Athens playing field.
Obama/Biden 2012
NAZI is an acronym; in German it stands for National SOCIALIST WORKER'S PARTY.
GOSH LIBS ARE STUPID! i know the loser left insists NAZIS were right-wing; but they werent. they banned ownership of guns and nationalized the auto and oil industries. the loser left says they just called themselves Socialists. ok idiot; because they couldnt get people to go out and stuff people into ovens in the name of right-wing ideology? feel better now leftard?
The top 1% have a net worth equal to the bottom 90% combined yet the right uses the argument raising taxes on the 1% wouldn't raise enough additional taxes to matter.
the goosestepping Left is dividing the People again
What first responders need to do, is go on strike, only to the republican government ststes, and see if their government will get off of their high horses and do what thay do, day in and day out. Thay have the power to do so! This argument , can and should be put to rest, and the only way to do so, is to strike. Flipper romney and the republican communist party, are trying to defeat the first president of color. When he tried to do things that would help this country, thay blocked it. All becouse the president defeated a white man in the last election. And for no other reason, thay have put first responders, as their target, to defeat, Pres. Obama. Yes the middle clas is doing fine, but not good. The rich is doing great, which the repo's are trying to protect. The repo's them selves are the rich, so it's ok to make the poor suffer more, and make the middle class strugle to stay afloat. It's their plan all along.
The repo's are trying to make america a communist country. Forget the wars america fought to presserve our freedom. Thay are dictating, to this country, what thay want, not what this country needs. their motto is now "all for the rich,nothing for the rest of this country" And money god,will blast america and own the world! Its time we bare the hardship the repo's have put on us and fight back. Fight to omit repo's from this country" government. DAM the tea party, money first will not succeed in taking our country away from us.
Why is it the feds responsibility to pay first responders in your neighborhood? What happened to state and local govt. responsibility? If you want teachers to make $1 million a year, fine, go for it, but your community is responsible for their pay, not me or the fed govt. The federal govt. main responsibility is to defend the nation.
Now if you want a legitimate reason to complain, our govt. has over 200 military instalations in Germany alone. Over 1000 bases worldwide. Blame who you wish, but both parties are responsible for this waste. How many congressmen on either side has tried to put an end to the Afghanistan war? This was a talking point for the democrats in 2006, when they got full power, they ignored their promise.
Divide and Conquer!! Unfortunately it's working to perfection.
NEWGUY..you got that right!!! Chicago MOBpolitics at it's best...
.Obama the promise BREAKER!! Equals a LIAR!!! BIG EMBARRASSMENT to the USA!!!
Obama’s promise that his healthcare proposals would “never be purchased with [a] tax increase on middle-class families.” The SUPREME COURT & JUSTICE DEPT say it is a TAX!!! .Attack on the middle Class! Taxation by misrepresentation
…….…NOW Obama wants to invade Syria and Iran!!!
..mr. American businessman..YOU DID NOT MAKE THAT!! It was stolen from the back of the worker---PURE MARXISM!!
Remember these?
THE OBAMA CHRONICLES:
“I promise 100% transparency in my administration.”.
“I promise NO NEW TAXES on a family making less than $250K a year.”.
“I will allow 5 days of public comment before I sign any bills.”.
“I will remove earmarks from PORK projects before I sign any bill.”.
“I will end Income Tax for seniors making less than $50K a year.”.
"I will bring ALL of our troops home within ONE year."
“I’ll put the Health Care negotiations on CSPAN so everyone can see who is at the table!”.
“I’ll have no lobbyists in my administration."
"I'll close Guantanamo."
"I'll resign if I don't cut the deficit in half by the end of four years."
"I'll unite the people of this great country."
“The TROOPS will be home for CHRISTMAS.” WHY ARE MORE LEAVING EVERYDAY???? AND DYING every day…
NOW Obama invokes Executive Privilege( as a Sen. called it’s use a RUSE!) for Holder on GUN SMUGGLING and killing US Agent Brain Terry!!! That only applies if Obama was part of it!! Obama & Holder should be on trial for giving Machine Guns to the Mexican Drug cartels!!
BETTER KNOWN AS LIES.
Fool me once shame on YOU!
Fool me twice shame on ME!
border joe==You forgot about the unions being exempt from Obama-Care for a period of time. That's the way the unions worked with Obama and Obama pulled away from them in Wisconsin.
Joe is just putting on a show for the union dues money. The unions have no money for their own they use members dues for everything. Union members are just funding the Democratic Party without knowing it.
Biden and Obama have been using the divide and conquer, for years now,
BFD Biden is the one who does not understand. If fact he does not know whether or not he is coming or going. The firefighters and the police are respected for what they do but they also receive good pay and benefits on the backs of the taxpayers because of the unions. Hey Joey how about the military members who put their live and limbs on the line everyday and receive meager pay. How about deducting some of your pay Joe along with the Congress and give the military and vets a pay raise compared to what you get. They certainly earn it more than you do. Biden is totally out to lunch and nobody pays attention to him anyway. He needs to go to language school and learn how to stop using the profane speech he uses to express a point. This onlhy shows he has a very limited vocabulary. Get you head out of it Joe!!
Rick Colo===It definitely shows desperation.
Unions get their dues deducted from members payroll before they get their checks, it's withheld and given to the unions. If the members got their full pay fist and then had to pay the union dues, the unions would fall apart at the seams. In this economy every dollar counts and members would keep that money. That is what the unions are afraid of. It happened in Wisconsin.
The Public Unions have deceived the Firefighters. It's going to be a bigger tragedy than the collapse of Social Security. The Union Bosses ripped off these Heroes to line their pockets and fill their Bank Accounts. Union Bosses are very much part of the 1%. Cities are going Bankrupt, next States. This will slash Public Union Employees pensions. Not future pensions. The ones retirees are living on right now. They cannot fall back on Social Security, because they were not required to pay into it. They paid into their Benefit programs many which have been in the Red, but hidden from their members.
LiitleI56===That's why they changedthings around in Wisconsin. It worked out for the better. Now the union members can choose to pay their dues to the unions or not. No more can them unions take the money from their check automatically. The unions dropped a bunch of union dues money in Wisconsin and Obama didn't show up to help. Now we see Joe putting on a show for the unions again. Joe should go to Hollywood and start over. Flip Flop.
What a disgusting bunch we have in this administration.
Look Folks if Obama and Biden would even try to be since with union members they would be telling a lie. They avoided the unions in Wisconsin because the unions came under attack by the Tax Payers. The Tax Payers have grown tried of the union benfits that are way better than anything anyone in the Private Sector would ever get.
Let the union members get their money in their hands first and then decide if they want to pay dues or not. If these people are anything like the 89% of the workforce that is not union they will keep that money. End of the story!
Joe - you just don't get it!
What you preach is not sustainable.
During the Reagan / Bush recession , Skill labor lost their job , and had to take two minimum wage jobs that paid $ 5.00 per hour ,their wife too ...... just to keep from losing their house . that's exactly the GOP billionaires plan , if Romney gets in it will go to that fast .
glad to see that leslie hasnt fallen for obamas class warfare bull@!$%#
Todd..."What" What are you talking about? We are still a great manufacturing base and yes we did lose skilled jobs overseas. In was inevitable. It was bound to happen. We are a global society. I am sorry for your loss of a skilled job and the turmoil you went through. But don't blame single party and/or president.
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its
inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.."
-- Winston Churchill—