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Subscribe to RSSSpeaking at a campaign rally in Toledo, Ohio, Mitt Romney promises to push America toward a balance budget if he is elected president. Watch his entire speech.
WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- With a prop of a giant national debt clock spinning above $16 trillion behind him, Mitt Romney used the nation's spiraling deficit to attack President Obama's economic stewardship at the first stop of his Ohio bus tour this morning.
"When he came into office, there was just over $10 trillion in debt. Now there's over $16 trillion in debt. If he were re-elected, I can assure you it will be almost $20 trillion in debt," Romney said. "And by the way, those debts get passed on to our kids. It's not just bad for the economy; it's not just bad for our job creation; it will -- in my opinion, it is immoral for us to pass on obligations like that to the next generation."
The debt-focused attack comes amid new polling from the New York Times/CBS News/Quinnipiac University showing Romney trailing Obama by 10 points in Ohio, but continuing to lead on the issue of who would best handle the national debt and deficit.
Alex Wong / Getty Images
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney arrives at a campaign rally at Westerville South High School as a national debt clock runs in the background September 26, 2012 in Westerville, Ohio.
Top Romney aides said Tuesday that they don't base campaign decisions on public polls, but if today's rally was any indication, Romney's own polling data must show similar strength on the issue of the debt and deficits, as it took on an outsize role in his standard stump speech.
"And by the way, do you know what the interest bill is on that debt?" Romney continued. "The interest that you're paying on that debt every year is more than we pay for housing, for agriculture, for education, and transportation combined."
The former Massachusetts governor went on to argue that the Federal Reserve is artificially keeping interest rates low, and that a rise in rates could be catastrophic for the government and, eventually, American families.
As more polls show Mitt Romney trailing President Obama in Ohio, the GOP presidential candidate criticized Obama's tax plans as well as his response to Iran's alleged efforts to build nuclear weapons. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
"That bill’s going to get bigger and bigger. It is crushing. That’s the course this president has put us on,” Romney said.
While Romney did not lay out specifics of his budgetary and deficit-reduction plans today, they center on reforming Medicare, sending some programs like Medicaid back to states, and pegging their growth to inflation, along with slashing domestic spending. He also plans to preserve military spending rates and has proposed a 20% across-the-board tax cut.
A former head of the Congressional Budget Office, Robert D. Reischauer, weighed in on Romney and President Obama's deficit reduction plans in today's New York Times:
“The proposals by Romney are politically unachievable, and the president’s proposals, while achievable, are too modest,” he told the newspaper.
The Obama campaign also weighed in on the event. "There's only one candidate in this race who has a plan to reduce the deficit and that's President Obama. He's already signed $1 trillion in spending cuts into law and proposed a plan that would reduce the deficit by more than $4 trillion over the next decade," Obama campaign spokesperson Lis Smith said in a statement. "Mitt Romney's $5 trillion in tax cuts weighted toward the wealthiest Americans would either explode the deficit or raise taxes on the middle class by cutting tax deductions middle class families rely on, like those for mortgage interest, children, and charitable contributions."
Romney's appearance here today before a crowd of some 2,000 supporters -- in which he was introduced by golf legend Jack Nicklaus -- marks the first of three stops today on Romney's two-day Ohio bus tour. Today's appearances will mark his 11th day campaigning in this critical state, which no Republican has won the presidency without capturing.
Ray Craig, a retired Navy veteran seeing Romney for the first time this morning rated the former Massachusetts governor positively.
"I think he got more fire in his belly today," Craig said.
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The Romney/Ryan budget proposal adds another $6 trillion by 2022.
The Romney/Ryan budget proposal doesn't balance the budget till 2040 so how many more trillions will be added between 2022 and 2040?
The Romney/Ryan budget proposal counts on having an unemployment rate of 3% to generate enough revenues to balance the budget by 2040, a percentage we haven't
seen in 50 years.
The Romney/Ryan budget proposal allows people under 55 to pick between traditional Medicare and the voucher Medicare however he won't say how he will pay for those that select the traditional plan or how long you have to make a choice or if you can change your mind.
Too many questions, too few answers
A typical Romney speech, blame President Obama solely for the debt yet offer no clear reason why he is a viable alternative.
Romney also failed to give his running mate Paul Ryan credit for voting in favor of all the major legislation that created this debt - the Bush Tax Cuts, the two Bush Wars, Medicare Prescription Plan, TARP, auto bailout, the stimulus package......
A telling line from the article above:
Today or any other day. The Romney/Ryan plan relies on repealing not only Obamacare but also the basic laws of math.
I do agree with Reischauer's analysis:
Romney's proposals are just like his chances to be elected POTUS - Politically Unachievable!
Paul Ryan - The Deficit? I Built That!
So Romney is hammering Obama on the debt that the Republicans created. Now isn't that cleaver.
Newsflash Mr. Romney:
Your proposals will increase the current deficit by over $600 billion. Hypocrite much?
Here's what the lefty liberal icon WaPo fact checker had to say about Barry's 60 Minutes lie about how "90% of the deficit is someone elses fault":
"Four Pinocchio's"
Says it all.
The Pinocchio Test
We are not trying to make excuses for the fiscal excesses of the Bush administration — and Congress — in the last decade. But at some point, a president has to take ownership of his own actions.
Obama certainly inherited an economic mess, and that accounts for a large part of the deficit. But Obama pushed for spending increases and tax cuts that also have contributed in important ways to the nation’s fiscal deterioration. He certainly could argue that these were necessary and important steps to take, but he can’t blithely suggest that 90 percent of the current deficit “is as a consequence” of his predecessor’s policies — and not his own.
As for the citing of the discredited MarketWatch column, we have repeatedly urged the administration to rely on estimates from official government agencies, such as the White House budget office. It is astonishing to see the president repeat this faulty claim once again, as if it were an established fact.
Four Pinocchios
Now isn't that cleaver.
__________________________
Dr. Ron: Would that be Ward, June, Wally or the Beav??
THE BEAV! Why do they call him Dr. Ron? Is that like Dr J.?
Ceasar: I'm called Doctor because I am a doctor.
Joe: Thanks for catching my typo. That's what happens when old guys try to type fast.
I'm sure that Medicare and Medicaid will have to be cut back to reduce the deficit, but I trust President Obama more to make those decisions than I do Romney, who, like most Republicans, has an almost spiritual belief in the free market. Despite proof that privatization of government services almost always results in higher prices, and worse results, the Republicans always think the answer to healthcare and education costs is letting the private sector take over.
Ron, and caesar is called pizza boy, because he works at Little Caesars!.
caeser you do not have to comment on my post because I am not commenting on yours.
Dennis,
How are you today, good I hope. Haven't we had this discussion before about the so called Ryan Budget? The Democrats like to point to the Ryan Budget which is moot in that the Budget never got ADOPTED, just like Obama's Budget Request was not ADOPTED.
Now where is the Budget proposal from the Senate? Gee, they haven't proposed one, just voted down Ryan's and Obama's. The Budget is the responsibility of Congress, so tell me what the Senate did to try and come up with an acceptable Budget? NOTHING.
Now maybe some liberal Democrat can tell me what's in Obama's Budget Proposal and if it was so good why did the Senate vote it down 99 - 0?
BTW, when Ryan becomes VP (hopefully) he will not be writing the annual budget so why the continue reference to his Budget.
They don't vote on his budget proposal. They vote on a budget resolution they draft, which could have little or nothing to do with the proposal. I suggest you learn how the budget process works lest you continue to look like an idiot.
I'm called Doctor because I am a doctor.
________________________________
Dr Ron: Unless you have an M.D. after your name, the use of "Dr." is a pretentious claim of self-importance by someone who holds a Ph.D. and has a well-deserved inferiority complex.
That's why I call you Dr. Ron.
It is a little more than a good years GNP. We spent a little in order to provide incentive. It has been good for the country. The DOW is up a little over 90% in 4 short years.
I put Esq. behind mind name. Hey Chris SLC ready for that spelling bee yet?
Dow is up because corporations are profitable. Why are they profitable? Not because of increases sales but because they have trimmed thousands of jobs and are running leaner. When companies report sales growth then you can crow about the economy. Right now there is little growth - just leaner corporations.
Joe doesn't even have a GED and he's lecturing people on who can be called Doctor?
LOL! Goobs.
Mitty does not include the bailout part of his corporate friends who were too big too fail are part of the debt. We should have let the likes of AIG Insurance burn but they survived only to pay themselves larger bonuses to do it all over again.
And what is stopping the Democrats in the Senate from
a) introducing a budget based on the President's proposal
b) proposing their own budget
We gonna get us some of thAt trickle-down yet, brother!!
how's goldman sachs doing? Those damn evil banks. No president or canidate should benefit from their contributions. its EVIL i tell ya
Oh, bullcrap!
Obama's spending "inferno" has been debunked here. But here's a few highlights since you don't seem to be inclined to looking up your own facts:
The truth is that the nearly 18 percent spike in spending in fiscal 2009 — for which the president is sometimes blamed entirely — was mostly due to appropriations and policies that were already in place when Obama took office.
Since fiscal 2009, however, it cannot be denied that spending has increased only modestly. Total federal outlays actually went down 1.7 percent in fiscal 2010, for example, then rose a little more than 4 percent in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. Spending was projected by CBO to rise less than 1 percent in fiscal 2012.
All of the yearly changes under Obama are well below the 7 percent average annual increase under Bush prior to fiscal 2009. And in that year — for which we assign most of the increase to Bush — the rise amounted to a staggering 17.9 percent.
Any discussion of our $16T debt that doesn't even mention George W. Bush is just empty words! Of that $16T, 25% happened under Obama's watch and 40% happened under George W. Bush's watch with the same damned idiots who are now bitching about the debt voting for every increase in the national debt under Bush!
Xabre - The only one that looks like an idiot concerning the Budgets is yourself. The Senate VOTED 99 - 0, against Obama's Budget Request, in fact Ryans Budget got more votes than Obama's.
One more thing, when did the Senate even submit a Budget Resolution in the past 3 years? Answer: THEY HAVEN'T.
These bailouts were done by Obama - plus - Dodd/Frank has actually have made "too big to fail" worse since the big banks have consolidated even more and now hold a higher percentage of assets than they did before D/F.
Obama came in with a 1.3 trillion anual deficit already left by the Republicans, because they are judging it by the month it comes out as more. The budget in place already would have added 8 trillion over a decade. This fight is a just a paper tiger for the Republicans, they both would add to this debt, there is no way around it.
This debt surely needs to be tamed, but the blame game can go on forever.
So what has changed in Two centuries, not much.lol It is definitely breathtaking to watch these numbers grow to the tune of 4 billion a month. Bipartisanship is the only way to change this. The blame game remains the same.
Romney/Ryan and ALL Republicans are delusionally incompetent when it comes to mathematics, and our debt. The historical numbers prove it !!! First of all, there are two different kinds of deficits. And the Romney/Ryan campaign is depending on middle class confusion between the two;
1. National Budgetary deficit
This is the Budget reflecting US Government spending. The current National Budgetary deficit is $1.32 trillion. Obama has spent $987 billion since entering office in 2009 from economic repair costs to restore an economy left facing a Depression. Clinton left office in 2000 with a National Budgetary deficit of ZERO after issuing line item veto of Newt Gringrich's Balanced Budget Act (HR 2014) provisions 15-34 on 8-11-97 effectively halting Coporate tax cuts. Bush enacted Coporate tax cuts 2001 and left office in 2008 with a National Budgetary Deficit of $5 trillion.
2. US Debt
The present US debt is $16 trillion. This debt reflects the collective debt of all US citizens to Creditors. The US Government is NOT responsible for this debt. The US Government has NO authoratative power in setting individual US citizen debt limits within the Constitution. The GOP position that Democrats and an Obama administration are responsible for epnding this this amount is a LIE.
The GOP needs to get the facts straight and stop ;ying to the American people about who has caused what deficit in comparison to the Coporate structure, American Government, and the American citizen.....
EEngineer, One major reason spending has not greatly increased is because there has not been a budget nor few appropriations bills passed by Congress. The President does not write spending bills, he can sign them into law or veto them if he does/doesn't like them. The President submits a Budget Request outlining his spending and revenue sources. However it is up to Congress to write the actual spending bills.
If the Republicans hadn't taken over the House in 2011, you would have seen a very big increase in spending, just look at his proposed budget requests.
Hammers? Uh, Mutt would not know what a hammer is.
Fact is, Romney just blames everything on the POTUS, regardless of the facts.
Repuglithugs didn't care a thing about the deficits when they held the office, then when a democrat gets elected they pretend to be outraged !!!
He is the most lying Mormon I have ever heard !!!!
After reviewing the Romney/Ryan budget plan, I have to agree with them. I've decided to limit my income by reducing the amount I get paid. I'm pretty sure my boss will go along with my plan. If it works for Romney and Ryan, It should work for all of us! While they cut taxes for the wealthiest and large corporations, I'll just make less money and all my bills should go away. Right?
Good bye mortgage! Good bye car payment!
I love the excuses being made to justify our current deficit....Nothing has been done to reduce it since this President too office, only to increase it by increasing the debt limit and by making bigger gov't via the new Healthcare law..
Here is a little thought exercise for you. Say you add $100 to your debt and every year you increase the debt by 10% thereafter. So year one you had $100 in debt. Year two %110, year three $121 and so on. One year you add $100,000 to your debt. The next year you add another $100,000 to your debt. Do you congratulate yourself for being fiscally conservative since you increased you debt by 0% over the year before?
That's what you are doing! in 2009 we had TARP, TARP2, the auto bailouts and the stimulus. 2010 we spent enough for another TARP1 and TARP2, auto bailout and stimulus, same with 2011. Where is all that money going to???
And Obama never blames anyone.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CorporateShill - Your statement is false. The fact that the American people got disgusted with the spending under President Bush and the Republican controlled Congress, they were voted out of office and the Democrats took control of the House and Senate in 2007.
The people again not disgusted with the election of Obama with a Democratic controlled Congress that the people gave the House back to the Republicans, and a big increase in the Senate, thereby preventing the President and Democrats from doing more damage.
BTW, why are you bringing his religion into the discussion, it just invalidates everything you say.
Trust in Roobmey/Lyin. Its ok with the lord if theys lie and cheat to get to the top as long as theys doing the lords works. All those problems folks talkin about here will go away - trust in Robmey/Lyin for the good of are trickel-down, brother!!
How odd that this guy tours around with the clock, that shows the debt down to the dollar, but when you ask him about his 'plan', it gets really vague?
No plan, no specifics, no disclosure, no transparency, and best of all, no chance.
Romney is wrong, its not Obama's fault. That would mean Obama did something in order to have blame or fault. We all know that he hasn't done a thing.
What Mitt the Twitt won't say about the debt is, several hundred million of it was loaned to Bain Capital. Just as his father was on welfare, Mitt the Twitt was, too. Corporate welfare. He won't talk about that, because he can't hang it on Obama.
Romney is quick to assign blame, except when it is him. Otherwise, if you believe this liar, Obama is responsible for everything from solar flares to ingrown toenails.
So, since 0bama came into office after Bush's bailout which was big deficit spending, 0bama is not responsible for continuing that one time emergency level spending every year.
Where is the logic in that? 0bama has spent 1.3 trillion more that we take in every year. Bush spent 1.3 trillion more than we took in one year as a stupid Keynesian bailout. But yes by all means lets blame Bush for 0bama's spending.
Starderup....."No plan, no specifics, no disclosure, no transparency, and best of all, no chance."
Sounds EXACTLY like Mr. Obama's last 3 3/4 years in office and NON potential to be re-elected. After all, he continues to throw his voter bases under the ObamaWagon: Women, Americans who have religious beliefs, Oprah, Rev. Wright, and the Kennedy family.
BTW, who would have thought someone running for President would LIE ?
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Romney-Ryan 2012 to take back America from the Progressives and the RADICALS.
More debt has been added under the Obama period than under all previous Presidents combined. Look it up. It would cost every legal citizen (man, woman and child) over $50,000 each on top of what we already pay in taxes (for those of us who actually pay taxes) to eliminate the debt. And the number is going up!
Incompetence at all levels of government.
Maybe someday the citizens will demand the freeloading (47%) pay their fair share. Then every citizen will demand the government stop the waste and incompetence (not just those of us who actually pay taxes.)
Mitt, Mitt, Mitt, what am I going to do with you boy? That extra 6 trillion came to us thanks to GBII and the fact that he kept he unfunded wars off the books. Obama insisted they be put on the books (where they belonged) and it raised the debt limit you big dummy.
How can you be some dumb and so rich?
You want us to vote for you because you're such a successful millionaire but how can we when you can't even handle basic accounting?
Sad, really, really sad.
I see the usual suspects are back. I guess that drank a few rounds of courage at their local watering hole and decided to go for a last hurrah.
And boy are they cranky. They are collapsing comments all over the place.
Sheesh, what a grouchy bunch.
Well, I guess I'd be grouchy too if Mitt Romney was my candidate. He's toast and EVERYBODY knows it.
Obama/Biden 2012
Skip, you lying dolt, the wars were off the budget, not off the debt.
The cost of the wars was applied to the debt as it was spent. Do you think that the cost was just hidden then suddenly appeared once 0bama was elected? The wars added just over 100 billion a year to the debt.
Stop lying.
Mr. Romney, if you want to hammer any body on the debt look next you. your running mate helped pass medicade part D a unfunded mandate that has to this date added 7 trillion to the national debt.
You cannot read obviously. Once more:
Factcheck.org:
Total federal outlays actually went down 1.7 percent in fiscal 2010, for example, then rose a little more than 4 percent in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. Spending was projected by CBO to rise less than 1 percent in fiscal 2012.
All of the yearly changes under Obama are well below the 7 percent average annual increase under Bush prior to fiscal 2009. And in that year — for which we assign most of the increase to Bush — the rise amounted to a staggering 17.9 percent.
Budget or no budget (I'll leave the discussion for WHY there is no budget for soem other time), Obama is increasing spending soooo much less than Bush ever did, it is not even funny!
But it is not funny. Here's what truly makes it tragic:
George W. Bush, Speech in Minneapolis, Minnesota Nov 1, 2000:
Spending without discipline, spending without priorities, and spending without an end. ... And it could mean an end to this nation's prosperity.
He got that right, didn't he?
George W. Bush ran for the presidency with a platform against government spending. (Sound like anyone we know?) He then proceeded to double the national debt in 8 years!
Are Republicans serious about the deficit and the national debt? I tend to doubt it, as in 2001 Republicans gained control of everything for 6 years and proceeded to dismantle the balanced budget that was handed to them by the plan produced by Clinton and Gingrich. Now, we have a split government with a president putting forth Republican ideas (ACA), and the Republicans are, as usual, unwilling to compromise, even when it comes to accepting their own ideas.
The Republican platform can't stand the scrutiny of the national media anymore. - They have lost the ability to debate in a positive manner, its all about negativity. They try to dispense "I'm the smartest guy in the room" persona, one that is meant to be above questioning (don't question me I know more than you), a personality trait that is common in financial services circles, and we all know what happened with the smartest guys ion the room in 2008. Romney is one of them, and has that arrogant trait.
@ Jeremiah
You mean the children,and the elderly,and soldiers in war zones who are exempt from paying federal income tax. that 47%?
Freeloading? lol Do you think people wish to be poor and needy sir?
I am alll for people making their own way, that is what we are all about. This does not mean bad things do not happen to good people that make them needy until they get back on their feet. People need a hand up,not just a hand out. Obama did not just dismiss these people as Mitt surely has.
One word Chuck,
GROWTH!
We never heard a word from this right wing jack off about the trillions wasted by Bush that began our pitfall, but now that he hopes to be president, one without a single idea of what he's going to do besides blather about impossible numbers, he is all aflame over it even as since Obama became president, the massive job losses have stopped and we are on our way to better days. Romey's plan is to screw that all up by taxing and generally putting the weight of his tax cuts for the rich on those that just don't have the money. What's he going to do? He will screw this country up so bad we won't recognize it as he turns it into a feudal outpost.
I'll give him a break. I think Romney is reacting exactly as the many CEO's I've dealt with... his frustration here is that the "business" solution to our country's economic issues would be to lay off people or to sell assets... oops... can't do that as president.
The truth is that we'll need to address the viability of both Medicare and Social Security AND we'll need to reduce the defense (war) budget ALONG WITH "smart" tax rates and major economic recovery to straighten this mess out and get at our debt.
In any event, lowering taxes on the rich is unconscionable. The facts don't support the need and, in fact, support raising taxes on the personal income and capital gains at the top levels...
During this recession...
The bottom line is that Romney has no solution and we're starting to see signs of a sustained and rising growth curve... the trick now is to keep that going, make the appropriate cuts, carefully raise taxes at the top, and fight inflation for the next decade.
Other than that we're fine. Obama will do this while looking out for the middle class. It's the best we can do.
Growth? Caused by what?
I feel so sorry watching Mitt Romney go down, Annie and the boys are so up set their lying didn't work, well life goes on without the Romney's !!!
A free market driven by human nature and unburdened by oppressive government regulation.
@ elliott;
One word Chuck,
GROWTH!
Please give me an example of this growth, where will we grow the economy ie What industry revolution is going to happen? Outsourcing and automation how willl you stop either? Good luck on this one.
elliot-3020456
Hey!! We agree!!!!!!!
But reduced regulations will not provide growth.
And reduced taxes at the top will not provide growth.
And cutting major support mechanisms will slow growth down.
And we're way beyond the ability to create an effective stimulus package.
So what we need is consumer confidence to create more demand AND incentives to move jobs here from China AND carefully crafted trade agreements to tap demand from other countries AND reasonable tax rates at the top AND no more wars for a while. And while wars do pump demand up for military products, it depresses consumer confidence and will inevitably drive up costs like gasoline, oil, and foreign goods.
So which one would do the above... or at least try?
Oh please Mitt, bring up the debt during the debate.... show the American people on prime time, just how frigging stupid you really are.
And how you want to increase the debt by another 5 Trillion Dollars.....
Romney isn't out to win this election, he's in it for the campaign contributions that he'll keep and use to pay off his "consultants" (over paid family members) and create a super PAC and donate the money to himself.
And just what are these oppressive government regulations? Name them or STFU. And when you really think about it - government regulations are the result of businesses screwing up in the first place.
The 47% rant showed the American people the true face of "class warfare," and we found ourselves in Romney's targeting sight.
Telling 53% of the American people that the other 47% of us are contemptible parasites who refuse to claim any responsibility for their lives, implying that 47% of the population contribute nothing to society, and directly stating that it's not his job to concern himself with the 47% is simply UNACCEPTABLE.
We owe Romney our thanks for exposing the Republican class warfare machine for what it is, but we do NOT owe him a pardon for engaging in class warfare for political gain. Thank you, Mr. Romney, for revealing the moral bankruptcy of the Republican Party.
As for now, Mitt, just quit. You are not going to be President of the United States.
@ elliott;
This sounds more like a Bazzar in a lawless land.lol
Way to say nothing, I am waiting on some substance in the answer as to where this growth will come from. This growth is key to and neccessary to Romneys plan being successfull.
Right now we have one of the most unwelcoming business environments in the world, there are many things that can be done to change that.
As for stopping outsourcing and automation... that would have a negative affect on the economy.
Outsourcing is the way we stop doing inefficient processes here while participating in a globalized economy. In a globalized economy we only waste money and human capital doing things we don't have a comparative advantage doing. When we can get something done at a lower cost somewhere else, we have saved capital to reinvest in expansion of our profitable sectors or expand into a new market or create an entirely new market an "industry revolution" as you put it.
The same goes for automation, that saves human and financial capital and allows a worker to apply their time to an area that is more profitable of in a different market that needs more human capital.
You seem to be one of the few that think that the economy is a pie of a fixed size. You need to remember that we have the ability to create capital and grow the economy.
There is but one fair and even handed way to look at the nation's debt and that's as a percentage of GDP and here's how it stacks up among the best and worst presidencies over the last 40 years:
Highest increase in the last 4 decades:
#1 - George W. Bush - 27.8%
#2 - Ronald Reagan - 20.6%
#3 - Barack Obama - 15.4% (mostly due to two unfunded wars, and the Bush Tax cuts)
#4 - George H. Bush - 13%
Only Presidents with decreases in the last 4 decades:
#1 - Bill Clinton - 9.7% decrease
#2 - Jimmy Carter - 3.3% decrease
How did President Obama create 16 trillion dollars of debt in 3 years?
Either you are lying or you want us to believe he created all 16 trillion dollars of the debt.
Who believes this crap?
I don't if your own budget give 5 trillion dollars to millionaires and billionaires.
I don't if your budget turns medicare into a voucher system for people that are under 55 on top of not explaining how you would pay for the old medicare system for the current seniors.
Your math is a failure
Sally
Xabre banned, re-reg of banned user Ruken.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
LOVE how Romney was right on with his 47% comment. Proof:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/09/24/howard_stern_interviews_obama_supporters_2012.html
And to think these people have a vote. No wonder this country is in the tank.
I thought that the House set spending, not Obama. Isn't the House under GOP control? Didn't they promise to cut spending by $100b when they won in 2010?
What about a little personal responsibility from the current Republicans in the House? Their spending cuts failed because they couldn't identify anywhere to cut that didn't hurt their big-money donors. This is the truth that conservatives still won't face - most of our tax dollars (outside of SS and medicare) go to the wealthy people who run the GOP.
And here's a question - given that SS and medicare are paid for by payroll taxes from the middle class, how exactly does cutting SS and medicare help balance the budget? Is the idea that that payroll taxes continue, we just change the purpose of SS/medicare withholdings from "pay for SS/medicare" to "pay wealthy people"?
I see. Just like George W. Bush. That worked out so well.
One word Chuck,
GROWTH!
romney was a joke when he ran in 2008 and he's a bigger joke now.
"Romney hammers Obama on national debt" and Obama hammers Romney in national polls.
Which side would YOU like ot be on?
It's sad for me to read these posts because most posters here are so blinded by party hatred/loyalty that they can't focus on actual solutions.
I don't care who incurred the debt, I only care about getting the deficits under control. This isn't going to happen until most people stop being party lemmings and start thinking for themselves.
That shows how bad informeed are the people. I was laughing with the answer from people from the street; Ryan is the runnung mate of Obama, Obama is a Mormon, they are Obama voters , God save us.
I like to look at the cause-effect-cure model for fixing issues/organizations/businesses/economies. In other words, fix the original cause of the problem... going after anything else is fool-hardy, risky, and usually only causes incremental improvements.
With me so far? I do/did this for a living for 30 years.
What caused the debt? Well, starting with a balanced budget at the beginning of GW's term, we started 2 wars, created Homeland Security, enacted Medicaid, and failed to fund any one of them. They add up to approximately $500 Billion annually. Then our economy collapsed, we lost jobs and consumer confidence, we stopped spending, and we lost another $500 Billion in tax revenues. Add in the monies needed to both stimulate the economy (tax cuts and spending bills) and to support our newly created "unfortunate" population and there you have it... a $1.4 Trillion annual burn rate of debt.
Remember that cause-effect-cure axiom? Did Social Security cause the debt? No. How about Medicare? Nope. Welfare? Food Stamps? Regulations? Maybe, but not because we had too many of them. Taxes? Again, maybe, but not because they were too high. Foreign aid? No.
A bloated defense budget (2 wars), an unending ever-expanding Homeland Security, an unfunded Medicaid, and a collapsed economy caused the debt.
Cure? End 2 wars, lower or defense budget to pre-war levels, take a serious look at homeland security and fund what is needed (or not) and re-examine Medicaid... yes, RE-EXAMINE IT'S NECESSITY. The other part of the "cure" is simply economic growth spurred by renewed consumer confidence. The middle class is our economic engine. If the middle class feels like we're making progress and that the President and Congress have their backs... that they see jobs and a rebounding housing market... then we will recover and retire debt.
Obviously there's much more behind all this, but that would be the most logical approach. Sometimes I think we lose sight of what put us here and get too distracted to fix THOSE things first.
Laker Steve
Sally
Xabre banned, re-reg of banned user Ruken.
i guess JS1 and WCA were right afterall. I can never fully tell a re-reg. Unless its Hugh Class because that guy posts the same stuff just under different names. that one is easy to spot
But, more taxes to the rich is not going to help to the economy. In fact even Obama does , it won't be more than 1% or 2 % that will last a day or two. Obama is demagoging with the class warfare to get votes, but he assist to every fundraising from his millionaires friends from Hollywood and Wall Street.
How does Romney specifically propose to pay down the debt? Lower taxes and increase defense spending? Maybe start 2 or 3 wars? Yep, and steal the Social Security money paid in by those who are working, then, when It's time for those contributors to get their money back at retirement, Romney and Ryan will give 'em a voucher to buy 'em some insurance, and explain that their Social Security money was lost by the firms the government chose to invest in with their contributions. Republicanism! It's like telling the people the rich must use Caviar for Carp bait and they must pay for It! What an Insulting pack of sons-a-bitches!
Joe in Albany...some of what you say may very well be true..but also consider just what Romney is proposing to do..which is hand out even deeper tax cuts to his wealthy friends..now please explain how that gets the USA budget under control ?
The President said that deficit spending was bad and vowed to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term. To keep his promise the 2012 federal deficit cannot exceed 229.27 billion dollars and that's not going to happen.
The President's solution to our unemployment problem was the stimulus. The Obama administration generated a report on the stimulus stated what the stimulus was designed to do. According to that document if the stimulus were passed unemployment would not go above 8%. That did not happen. The Obama administration created and used this document to sell the stimulus spending bill as the solution to the nations unemployment problems. The stimulus did not solve our unemployment problem. According to that official administration document if the stimulus did its job as it was designed then unemployment should now be well below 6%. Furthermore, if the stimulus bill had done its job then the President would not have to propose a second stimulus. The numbers in that document were not presented as speculation, they were presented as specification. This official Obama administration document said what the stimulus was going to do. Clearly what the Obama administration said would happen did not happen.
To me, reelecting the President means 4 more years of the same just hoping that things change. The President's new program to fix the the economy is just more of his same on going program to fix the economy. My biggest concern is all of the debt that has been building up. I estimate that an additional 5 trillion dollars of debt will end up costing the tax payers 50 trillion dollars to repay in 180 years. I agree with the President when he stated:
And the cost of our debt is one of the fastest growing expenses in the Federal budget. This rising debt is a hidden domestic enemy, robbing our cities and States of critical investments in infrastructure like bridges, ports, and levees; robbing our families and our children of critical investments in education and health care reform; robbing our seniors of the retirement and health security they have counted on.
Every dollar we pay in interest is a dollar that is not going to investment in America’s priorities. Instead,interest payments are a significant tax on all Americans–a debt tax that Washington doesn’t want to talk about. If Washington were serious about honest tax relief in this country, we would see an effort to reduce our national debt by returning to responsible fiscal policies.
Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that “the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.
~ Senator B. H. Obama, March 2006
How can you trust a guy with a spray-on tan?
Is that clock behind Romney recording accumulated interest on his unreported overseas investment accounts?
Where are those tax returns, Mitt. Especially 2009.
Robme that number will start going down once we vote you and all your do nothing clown kook cronie friends out of office this Nov.
The turning point in this campaign was Bill Clinton's speech at the DNC.
When the issue of the economy was wrested away from the TeaBaggers by Bill's simple admission that even HE could not have done a better job with what Obama had been left, the majority of Americans finally let go of their misdirected anger toward the President.
From that point on, and the polls attest to it, game over.
thanny, you can't vote Romney out of anything, he's not serving in any elected position.
Looks like we have another "informed" informed voter over here.
Our economy is a bus headed for a cliff. It was headed toward the cliff when Obama took over and that's not his fault. No one can argue that. But not only is the bus still headed for the cliff, it's picked up speed and mass under Obama's watch. I don't think it can be stopped at this point.
Let's all sit back and watch the politicians bicker back and forth about it. More worried about their political ambitions than the good of America.
@will Haas#1.78: First, good sensible post. I believe at the time, Senator Barack Obama delivered this speech He was indeed sincere. I believe He is, even as "President" sincere in this general logic even now. He, like our founding Fathers, assumed the country would always contain a governing Congressional body, and a business and industrial culture, possessed with a much higher degree of patriotism than exploitative greed. Unfortunately, since especially, the time of Ronald Reagan this has not been so. You reference the Obama Stimulus as a failure. While it did help. I agree, It did not do what It was meant to do. Reasons were; It was in fact way too small, and many of the states used the funds to pay their own costs rather than applying them to prescribed projects, which would have created some jobs and improved their infrastructure. This though is what is most needed now. An overwhelming investment in the total infrastructure of the country will stimulate consumerism, thereby creating private sector jobs. Earners will then spend and save with a resulting balanced currency stream, tax stream, and a broader wealth accumulation. This is the most sensible approach to what is required to get our debt down to manageable levels, and our people securely back into the capitalistic business of the pursuit of happiness. One has only to read the "Federalist papers" to vividly see the absence of that institutionalized patriotism, so glaringly apparent today, is in fact, the core cause of our emaciated national spirit, and the pellagra that adds to our hardship. Best regards
Well, you certainly ought to. The biggest problem is that Republicans, who claim they can solve this debt crisis, caused it in the first place! And guess what, the last Republican president, responsible for 40% of our entire national debt all by himself, ran on a platform of reducing government spending.
Now add the constant series of lies from Republicans over the last 4 years: when Obama was first elected, they started blaming him for the Recession; when the American public wasn't stupid enough to buy that, it became "well, he didn't cause it but he made it worse"; when the American public didn't buy that either, it became "well, he's not making it better fast enough!".
Those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it.
From Move on. org.
"If you went to work, twiddled your thumbs, and blocked everyone else from getting anything done for two years, you’d be fired.
But this Tea Party Congress thinks they can get away with it.
They've blocked nearly every single item President Obama has proposed, all while pushing an extreme right-wing agenda that puts millionaire tax breaks before the middle class. Haven’t you had enough of it?"
This is your country on teapublicans. Obama is the only sane choice as well as to fire the tea party and replace them with democrats to get this country hiring again. Clinton did it with a republican congress, Obama can't do it with a tea party congress. Hire democrats to do the job.
First of all, whenever Romney is talking about balancing the budget and reducing the debt, all of you must know that is it a complete joke. Romney would essentially be George W. Bush 2.0; he has proposed a $5 trillion tax cut for the rich, at least $200 billion more in defense spending ($1.4 trillion if you count the fact that he will eliminate all of the defense cuts in the sequester), and the repeal of Obamacare's Medicare savings, all on top of extending the $4 trillion Bush tax cuts in their entirety. That would balloon the deficit to roughly a quarter of all government spending over the next decade, or around $13 trillion. Obama's plan isn't bold enough in my opinion (he ought to let the Bush tax cuts expire for everyone, although I am not sure that he will extend them permanently), but it's a start, and is a helluva lot better than Romney's fake plan.
Yeah right. Even if revenues go up to 20% of GDP (haven't been there since Clinton), we would essentially have to increase our GDP by $65 trillion over the next decade to grow out of the deficit that Romney will balloon. That is $6.5 TRILLION in ONE YEAR; in other words, we would have to grow our economy by over 40% each and every year until 2022 in order to break even.
What??? That was the same piece of bull@!$%# that Republicans sold us over the last 30 years, and where the hell did that get us??? A freaking financial crisis that created a depression and destroyed millions of jobs and trillions of dollars that left many nations on the verge of economic COLLAPSE!! Not to mention that income inequality is at an ALL TIME HIGH. Another stint of "free market" economics and we'll all be in the freaking poorhouse. There is no such thing as "the free market;" very few things in this world are ever free. The notion that you can just create wealth by cutting taxes and deregulating the economy is as stupid as the notion that you can eliminate crime by reducing prison sentences and eliminating some of the laws! America has had enough of Ayn-Rand economics; it did not work under George W. Bush, and it sure won't work now.
Ladies and gentlemen, I know what troubles we face ahead. I know the past 4 years have been hard, and chances are there are a few more years of hardship left to go. But do not let the GOP entice you with promises of wealth and fame with no cost to you. Supply-side economics is nothing but wishful thinking and bull@!$%# mixed together. If you REALLY want to reduce the deficit AND fix the economy, you have to raise taxes, reform (not privatize) entitlements, and cut defense spending over the long haul while increasing domestic spending in the short-term. Here is my personal deficit plan:
I Deficit Reduction
A. Revenues
B. Mandatory Spending
C. Discretionary Spending
Total Savings=$7.86 trillion over 10 years.
II Economic Stimulus
THIS is how you reduce the deficit and grow the economy. Not by cutting taxes and gutting essential investments, but by rational thinking.
Mac Forrester #1.85 Thank you for reading my post and commenting. I was hoping that the stimulus would work as predicted but that did not happen. There was no sense of optimization of expenditures and a good unified program that aimed at what was really wrong with the economy. A much larger expenditure in 2009 may have shocked the economy into turning around but the stimulus was not structured that way. Too little too late may be a valid criticism. The President called the stimulus a "spending" bill as if we could just spend our way to prosperity. A major problem is that so much of the goods and services that we buy come from foreign countries. Flooding the economy will increase demand and the increase in demand will motivate job creation to meet the demand. But the job creation is occurring in foreign countries where so much of our goods are produced. If the trade deficit problem is not fixed then all this government spending will not turn our economy around and all we will be left with is more debt. To my knowledge neither candidate has come up with a good plan to fix our trade deficit problem.
I wonder if Elliott ever gets cross-eyed looking down his nose at EVERYONE!
Good points above from freshieee...
Romney's maliciously confusing the national debt and the government deficit.
The government isn't responsible for the national debt that he's blaming on the President. Pinning that on Obama is a LIE. That debt is what all consumers racked up against their creditors as the U.S. population grew over the decades since WW2.
The U.S budget deficit under B. Obama is 983 billion. Compare that to G.W. Bush's 5.1 trillion dollar deficit.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/adding-to-the-deficit-bush-vs-obama/2012/01/31/gIQAQ0kFgQ_graphic.html
Romney, "IF YOU HAVE TO LIE TO GET ELECTED, THEN YOUR IDEAS MUST REALLY SUCK."
@Will Haas#1.89: I agree with your very basic logic. Our totally unrealistic trade policies are as much the causes of our troubles as unfunded wars, low taxes, and runaway defense spending. It is stupid to believe we can substantively cure our economic woes by the stimulation of consumer demand here, by the buying and selling of goods and services produced in another country. As Bill Clinton should say; the arithmetic doesn't work. Best regards to you.
You want to talk about the economy?
Ok CONS, let's do some ARITHMETIC...
First, Name the Obama POLICIES and the AMOUNTS that you say added trillions to the debt.
Then, deduct that amount from the current $16 TRILLION.
The balance = GOP spending.
Remember the following…
Expenses to FIX the GOP unfunded and failed policies like the stimulus are still GOP spending and NOT Obama's fault so DO NOT count those.
INTEREST on the GOP TRILLIONS of debt is NOT for Obama to be responsible for either, it is GOP spending too.
Also, Bailouts are LOANS to repair more GOP screwed up policies, Bush was going to make those FREE as his going away gift to the Banks and Wall Street.
Do not go back before Reagan because there was NO DEBT PROBLEM before that, he took office when the debt had ONE trillion and could have been tackled and fixed with comprehensive tax reform but he did not.
Entitlements are a tiny fraction of the debt and they always bring their own revenues thru premium deductions.
Saying that the Democrats had a “majority” doesn't count either, because we all well know the filibustering, obstructing, uncompromising, DO NOTHING GOP has had the “CONTROL” and those failed policies were drafted by the GOP and all passed with GOP majorities of votes going back to Reagan.
The CONS will NEVER have those numbers on the Democrats because they DO NOT exist.
I bet all you will get from the Fox-Rush-bots is NOTHING but diversions and ridicules.
This is NOT blaming the GOP or BUSH.
This is ARITHMETIC !!!!
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Hummm thats 1/2 of the lowest deficit under Obama gotta start somewhere
Face it Rommal and EddiMunster, KingGeorgeTheVacuumBrained carrying out republicanCrimeCartel directives of deregulating Insane Wall Street Mortgage Scheming began this World Disaster on Your "brainy" orders. The deficit was created by TheKing starting Wars and giving taxEvasionBonusBreaks to the aristocratic rich and Corporate Rich; and you two MORONS are trying to tie this onto Prez O. Both MittTaxPittanceRommel and EddiMunster pay a tax rate of 14%. That is 14% on Rommel's $40Million EZZZEE money scam at bain investing and throwing HARDWORKING Family BreadWinners Out Of Work. Yes, HE has made a special HOT HOT HOT Place for you two Amoral PolitaPhiles.
Dear Mr. President (and all you Obama drone supporters out there):
The Iran threat has not happened overnight.... Over the last decade prior
administrations have kept Iran in check through sanctions and open threat of military intervention if necessary... Iran no longer feels the need to hide its agenda.... Why? Because, as President, you have displayed a weak administrationthat apologizes for America instead of taking a strong military and political stance (until it became apparent to you recently, your weak response was costing you votes)...
During your first term as President the Iranian crisis has been growing steadily; yet, you do nothing... Libya, Afghanistan, Palestine, Egypt, Iran, etc, etc, etc.., have stepped up their intent to attack Israel and their allies (predominately America).. And you give them billions in Foreign Aid, while our domestic economy crumbles... You downsize and degrade our military. You bow to leaders of other countries and you show no support toward Israel, except when you swing through Florida, for those old folks Jewish votes....
Our Ambassador is killed and our consulate attacked and you apologize for
America... How can any voter see this action as anything but weak and reprehensible?...
Mr. President, you ask for other four years... My question to you... What makes any voter think the next four years will be any different than the last four years...? I, for one, don't need an out of control national debt, which will rise to 22+ Trillion, under your projected budget, by 2022. I, for one, don't need a president who believes the longest consistent history of national unemployment levels since WWII, is just fine and the economy will turn around soon or later...
I, for one, do not want a President who had Cart Blanche to push through his legislative agendas and bills through Congress the first 2 1/2 years of his
presidency; and this country is no better off. I, for one, do not want more government control over my life and my health... I am an adult and can make my own decisions and face my own consequences for bad one...
I, for one, do not want to become a creature of entitlements, living off
government handouts as your policies project. I, for one, cannot respect a President who openly states his embarrassment for the nation he is supposed to be representing... Gas prices are rising again; jobs are still far and few between; home foreclosures are still high with no relief in sight; our economy is still on a steady downward path of decline; and you believe you have done a good job...
Mr. President, in your campaign... You ask this nation to move "Forward".
However, I must ask you… How can we move forward when your policies and past actions only reinforce further economic and personal freedom decline in the near and far future?
Finally, Mr. President, I am a small business owner..., AND YES, MR. PRESIDENT, I DID BUILD MY BUSINESS.... I didn't receive any government loans or handouts... I worked hard keeping my business afloat in good times and bad... As an employer, when an employee produces substandard or negative business impacting work... You replace them... Plain and simple!
You get rid of the lazy or ineffective employees and replace them with employees that will create teamwork, positive customer service and afford business profitability......
Mr. President, it is important for an employee to follow company policy and
guidelines... Your guideline and employment policy, Mr. President, was the Oath of Office you took in 2009, promising to uphold and sustain the Constitution... Part of the Constitution is Immigration... If you have a problem with company policy, you remit revision requests, suggest amendments and repeals.... You don't ignore and disregard policy (Constitutional Law) in place; create your own policies; and sue states that are forced to take matters into their own hands, due to your lack of federal support...
What kind of nation would we have if every individual and politician; made their own personal laws and guidelines...? Two words, “Utter Chaos"...
So, Mr. President, as an American Voter, I am your employer. I have listened to your unending excuses; afforded you plenty of Congressional opportunities to put promises into actions; have warned you that your policies are negatively impacting this nation through nationwide opinion polls over the last four years; watched you rewrite and ignore policies and laws in place; and have given you ample time to fix your mistakes....
As an employer, I don't have a problem with employees who make mistakes. I have a problem with employees who won't own up to their own mistakes and learn from them....
I am sorry, Sir, but it is time to release you from your position of employment and bring in a better qualified employee, who actually understands the economy and how to actually fix things...
No, No, No... Begging and making emptier promises won't help... (And really… it’s embarrassing watching a grown man stoop to such tactics and theatrics). However, because I am a fair and equitable employer; I won't actually terminate your services until the November elections; and, will offer you and your family, a free ride home to Chicago in January... Please see the Human Resource Department for severance package information and any residual benefits available...
Oh yes, one final reminder, please inform your wife to turn in your employee
credit cards... As a taxpayer and your employer, this business, better known as the United States of America, will no longer be held responsible for spent
millions on her and her friends shopping sprees, A-List Hotels, European Runway Clothing Shows, etc..... Your wife's spending habits have blown your allocated employee budget out the window....
If you choose to leave quietly; we will furnish a neutral recommendation for
future employment endeavors... Have a nice day!
RONZWYF "cute letter" could you write one for the Romney campaign?
Small business owner (sure you are and I won the 100 Million Dollar Lottery) but anyway, no matter what your business is, you had help from the government, either directly or indirectly with tax breaks, TIF, grants, low interest loans from the SBA or government regulations that provided you a level playing filed to start with. Plus you didn't build the road that brought the customers to your business or allowed you to ship your products, provide the utilities that you need to run your business.
In other words, it take everyone - including government - to make your business a success.
But I am sure you posted the same type of letter when Bush failed to show up for work, or did you provide the "brother in law" rule and just say "you can't fire family". It's a good thing Bush was on vacation 31% of the time..... just think of aadditional damage he could of done.
The America-hating Republicans do not seem to have even the vaguest notion of which end is up in their own economy.
This country is the richest in the world and has, by far, the strongest economy in the world. The sky is NOT falling. No one, including GW Bush has done this country any major damage --- today or in the future. The only thing that is going on is how to attack it because if global interest rates go up too far or too quickly, there could be some real problems.
1) The Chinese are currently financing our debt. They are not stupid. They know that the amount of debt is not nearly so bad as the GOP and even some Democratic politicians contend. The Chinese have had calculators for over 4000 years and can certainly do the math. The reason the Chinese continue to lend to us is that our economy is sound and prosperous.
2) Yep, we are being slow to recover from the Bush Depression. But the Great Depression started in 1930 and was not completely resolved until the Eisenhower Recession ended. It is the nature of depressions that they have many more lingering ill effects versus recessions. It's kinda like the difference in recovery times between major surgery and the flu.
3) This country is far from bankrupt. Why? Because the US government owns hard assets worth over $188 TRILLION. If you factor hard assets into the Romney/Ryan "debt clock" it would show that Americans are wealthier and not in debt at all. The US government could pay off the national debt by simply selling assets (such as little used government land or buildings) in just a few months.
4) There are three ways that the US can shrug off this "debt crisis": intentional inflation, tax increases, growth, or federal service reductions. The "best" approach would be a combination of the latter three.
5) Intentional inflation would resolve the debt in short order. Just have the DeptTreas (not the Fed) start printing money. This would be painful and chaotic for 2-3 years and they the economy would settle down with a new "dollar horizon" and no debt. People with indexed incomes (meaning they are adjusted for inflation) such as Social Security would be hit the least and those in small businesses would be hit the hardest. And China would be left holding the bag. The biggest problem with that is the Fed. The Fed's primary job is to control inflation and it cannot print money. So some way would have to be found around the Fed or to get the Fed's cooperation.
6) Cutting expenditures is also tough. There are pros and cons to every cut. The big areas that should be cut are military spending and instituting a single-payer healthcare model. Both of these areas are way out of hand and currently being manipulated by cabals for their own profit. In general, this government is, per capita or per GDP, the smallest and least corrupt on the planet. But there are still ways to eliminate duplication of efforts and better distribute efforts between the federal government and states and localities.
7) Stimuli work. Eisenhower finally ended the economic troubles of the Great Depression by stimuli --- the GI Bill (education, housing, healthcare, etc) and the Interstate Highway System. If a federal dollar is spent wisely, it can return as many as 3 dollars directly into government treasuries. Stimuli are also good ways to hang on to skilled workers (such as teachers) during hard times. Stimuli work best when they spur the growth, not when they create jobs per se.
8) Tax cuts do not work to stimulate in the country with only a handful of exceptions --- the most notable being cuts in withholding (which isn't actually a cut) and payroll taxes. There has never been a single shred of evidence that the "trickle down" theory (which GHW Bush called "voodoo economics") has ever benefited anyone except the wealthy. Past tax cuts have not created a single attributable job. And raising taxes across the board is not very useful because currently the lowest 50% of households in income pay about 72% of ALL taxes and fees (not just federal income tax.) The middle class and the working poor are simply already taxed to death.
9) Someone once asked one of the Depression-Era gangsters why he robbed banks. He replied that it was because that was where the money was. That is exactly why tax increases for the wealthiest always comes up. It is where you can raise the most revenue while hurting the fewest number of people. (Called the Lynch Mob Theory.)
The state of the economy is a complicated thing and there are no simple answers. But the bottom line is that this country and its economy are the strongest in the world and our national debt is well within the ability of the government to resolve.
This is a great country, even with its flaws. Anyone who was born here was just plain lucky. Bad-mouthing the government constantly is not what a true patriot does.
BTW, 538 is now giving Obama a 81.9% chance of winning on Nov 6th versus Mitt's 18.9%. The highest percentage chance Obama had previously was 80.8% near the end of the Democratic convention. Political scientists (????) are calling it the "47% bounce."
I am one of those 47%. I am a vet (Vietnam) who has worked from age 11 until I retired at 65 (will be 69 in a few weeks.) I have always taken responsibility for my life and even though my primary source of income is Social Security and I pay no federal or state income taxes on the money, it is because my AGI is too low. I really think it is rank of Romney/Ryan to put on their smug rich-boy faces and say that I am lazy or living on welfare or that somehow I am a part of a culture of dependence on the government.
Romney is better off trying to explain why he thinks it is a good idea to be able to roll down the windows of a passenger jet and why not being able to do so is a serious design flaw. His understanding of hypoxia may be way off base, but nowhere as far off base of his horrible denunciation of "the 47%."
Romney is toast. So get ready for four more years of Obama followed by eight years of Hillary. That gives the GOP twelve years to bandaid their train wreck of a party with its self-inflicted wounds and controlling idiocy.
Obama can NOT run on his sorry record!!
[I]f you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from." That is what Barack Obama said when he accepted his party's presidential nomination in 2008. Four years later, it reads like a prophetic description of his re-election campaign.
See story in washingtonexaminer.com
Obama can
notrun on his sorry record. There I fixed it for you. I left in the "sorry" since I believe he didn't go far enough on the Health care law and should of let the Bush tax cuts expire. And he should of gone after Cheney and Rove for lying about the start of the Iraq war.Other than that, he hasn't done too bad, considering how trashed the econmy was when Bush left office, and then dealing with two wars, the auto bailout and several other "major" issues. And then add to the fact the the opposing party tried everything short of treason (and that's debatable) to see that a sitting President of the United States fail in his job.
Only future historians would be the judge of what type of Presidency Obama had.
Obama promised to cut the national deficit in half by the end of the first term ... HE LIED AGAIN !
Let's see ... Obama has run up the deficit more in 3.8 years than Bush did in all 8 !
During this time, Obama has not made ONE,SINGLE BUDGET PROPOSAL that got even the FIRST VOTE FROM HIS OWN PARTY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO BUDGETS, NO PLAN and NO CLUE ... that neatly sums up Obama's financial management of this country.
Without sound finances, everything else becomes pretty much irrelevant. It's like a dentist saying "Your teeth are fine, but your gums 'gotta go".
lol... obama has been fighting his own record claiming he's 'gonna fix it' if re-elected! So he's planning to create jobs lost in his 1st term, get rid of the $6 trillion in debt, throw in another QE 3, 4... maybe 5, redact obamacare which no one likes or understands (including him)! What a joke Barry is...
What's even funnier than that, his loyal sheeple can't see though his lies!
Romney has outlined his plans as President, we haven't heard anything from Obama but rhetoric!
ROMNEY / RYAN 2012
Actually, Willard should bring his charts showing the debt that came due under Obama that belongs to W. Bush. Two unfunded Wars and a Tax cut not payed for.
Romney, the Republicans in general, and some editorial writers, would prefer you not mention George W. Bush.
Hey nutjob1. Last we looked, those wars were funded and Owebama voted for their funding. And then Owebama turns around and signs unfunded tax cuts like the payroll tax cuts and the Owebama tax cuts for the rich. But hey, that was all Bush's fault. Bush made Owebama sign those unfunded tax cuts. To nutjob1, it's like Bush never left office.
Rocco, you goob, Obama voted against the Iraq war. Did he vote to fund the war>? Maybe, you're the one makeing the claim so you need to prove it. Besides, he should have voted to fund the war since we go to war as a country not as individuals, unless, of course, you're a goob.
Love this "tax cuts not paid for"
The first year of the tax cuts there was a genuine cut in revenue to the government. The next year though there was an increase over the year before the tax cuts and there were increases every year until the banking collapse.
Put it in retail terms: Company has lagging sales. The cut the price of their product by 5% and see a 20% gain in sales. Does the company celebrate the revenue windfall or lament that they lost money because people are paying less for their product?
Only stupid people think that cutting rates and increasing revenue is a negative.
And Obama ends one wars and escalates the second without paying for it. Has no intention of raising taxes on the those earning 250K or less, which is 80% of the Bush tax rates AND cuts 2% off the SS tax, and doesn't pay for that.
Not to mention expanding Medicare D while reducing the use of generics so that pharma will make more from the system...and he didn't pay for that either.
don't forget free viagra for a bunch of medicare card carrying teabaggers...theres a few hundred billion a year not funded properly
prejean303 - you're trying to reason with a brick wall when addressing Rocco. He has no clue but continues to spew his hatred of Obama. That's what he's been told by Fox and he's standing by it!
Obama/Biden 2012
@ Amy B - Right re bush. All the GOP goobers say, "stop blaming bush," but they shout out the blame every time they fail to mention the fool, fail to invite him to a goober hoe-down and fail to mention 8 years of bushie-dickie-rummy willfully created disaster.
People who claim we are spending too much money but block attempts to raise revenue are traitors.
Raise taxes on the rich. Romney 1040.
The Republicans have a very straight forward agenda:
Kill Medicare
Kill Medicaid
Kill Social Security
Kill Unemployment Insurance
Significantly reduce taxes on multinational corporations and to the top 1% of wage earners and owners of assets
Transfer the remaining income and wealth of the working and middle class to the top 1%
Light a candle for the 47%
Great post Alan!
Hey Mitt and Annie Romney, do't let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Patriotic,
That should be instead Barry and Michelle...
Yes BO DID vote to fund the Iraq was -- see below taken from the Boston Globe (the internet, not just for spinning anymore):
Senator Barack Obama yesterday defended his votes on behalf of funding the Iraq war, asserting that he has always made clear that he supports funding for US troops despite his consistent opposition to the war.
"I have been very clear even as a candidate that, once we were in, that we were going to have some responsibility to make it work as best we could, and more importantly that our troops had the best resources they needed to get home safely," Obama, an Illinois Democrat, told reporters in a conference call. "So I don't think there is any contradiction there."
Obama's comments represent a direct response to attacks launched by aides to Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, who have pointed out that despite Obama's antiwar rhetoric, he has voted along with Clinton for some $300 billion in war funding since entering the Senate in 2005.
Hey where's the story on this lame stream media outlet about Household income down 8.2%??? Guess they don't want you lemmings to find out what's really going on!
Sally
Xabre banned, re-reg of banned user Ruken.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
The only chart Romney needs is the 6.9 trillion Obama has blown in less than 4 years. That amount covers Presidents from Washington all the way to Bush's 1st term. ...in less....than....4 years....
Along with 10% (real figure) unemployment and 23 million under or unemployed.
Love GW Bush's TWO UNFUNDED WARS which have cost this country TRILLIONS
and than the Chuckehead cuts taxes NOT ONCE BUT TWICE!
You libs sound so scared, all this hate and anger. Not sure why since your Messiah is in office, maybe since there is nothing to discuss about Obama's record you would rather focus on Romney. Silly cowards.
Acountry,
I agree...haven't seen a "positive" commerical come from Obama extolling his accomplishments. Sadly (but as expected), all you see is negative commercials. If Obama is supposedly so successful, then why not run on his accomplishments??
chad, romney is going to take all of your money. That might be the best one, but you forgot the rest of the libs say they want you to die. Which is it? Maybe he will give you a ticket to Utopia or Venezuala or Cuba. I heard the are no TEAbaggers in N Korea, you might like that.
Chad: just where did you get this information?...you are one of the most uninformed folks posting here...which is saying a lot.
Let's split the difference....Romney can serve as President of Utah.
Now that's a race he might actually be able to win.
I wished he didn't extend the Bush tax cuts, but the two wars were funded primarily through borrowing. And Obama didn't vote for Iraq.
Unfortunately, you do not take into account that (A) revenues to GDP never reached 18% until around 2006 (meaning that for the most part, revenue increases happened because of inflation and economic growth) and (B) revenues only went to 18% when the housing bubble hit its peak. Essentially, you can attribute the revenue increases to the housing bubble and the bubble itself due to tax cuts for capital gains.
You cannot compare a business to a government; a business cannot force people to buy its product; the government can force you to pay taxes (via the IRS).
No, only stupid people think that cutting rates will bring more revenue.
I'll agree with you Alan that repealing the Bush tax cuts only for the rich is not the best thing in the world for deficit-reduction. But I'll counter that most of the tax cuts go to those in the top 20%. I personally say that we ought to eliminate all of the Bush tax cuts (having evolved from my earlier position of keeping them for the wealthy), but I will also point out that Romney has no credible plan to reduce the deficit. His tax plan will add $5 trillion to the deficit, and he plans to eliminate the Medicare savings under Obamacare and the sequester cuts for defense. That would increase the deficit to at least $12 trillion over the next decade.
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
Please use facts
Bush blew 4.89 Trillion in 96 months
Obama 5.399 Trillion in 44 months
Good thing Mitt has a plan to grow the debt on the backs of the Middle Class. Just another "winning" strategy from the Romney/Ryan campaign!
Keep it up ;)
Obama/Biden 2012
Yes, Mr. Romney intends to run up the debt as well. This line of attack is typical of Mr. Romney.
The more Mitt Romney talks, the faster he drops. I encourage him to double down in Ohio and Florida.
We are watching a once-great political party in its death throes, essentially condemning itself to irrelevancy by the pursuit of a majority of a minority. The Republican base tuned out mainstream news media and sealed itself into an echo chamber of Fox News, talk radio and internet conspiracy theories, and the Republican party followed its base down that rabbit hole; now, years later, they find themselves completely unable to connect to the American middle, who don't believe that Obama's a socialist impostor and are appalled by the Republican presidential candidate casually discarding half of Americans as worthless moochers. The same arguments that draw applause from Tea Party debate audiences horrify the mainstream electorate. It's only natural that, as people finally start paying attention to the election and see how batty today's Republican party has become, the millions of Americans who casually consider themselves Reagan Republicans will realize that the Republican party no longer welcomes them. And the party's poll numbers will continue to drop, until only the 30% or so of Tea Party true believers are left.
Looks like the Romney's are finish, well he's got his Elevator to give him a lift !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why doesn't the media discuss Mr Romney's investment in the huge Chinese oil company blocked from Canada and the Caribbean, but who invested big time in Iran?
I thought he was "tough on Iran" and going to be "tough" on the Chinese?
Is this the kind of person yu want as president? He doesn't know what he says or means from one minute to the next. Either he is lying when he contradicts himself or he thinks the public so dumb that they don't notice him lying - so he says whatever he thinks the audience wants to hear.
Invfesting in Chinese oil interests in Iran? C'mon, man!!!!!
10 Trillion to 16 Trillion, how did we get there in three years?
The big three broadcast networks devoted dozens of stories last week to Mitt Romney's supposed "47 percent" gaffe but gave just a fraction of that air time to covering an audio tape of controversial remarks by President Obama, according to the Media Research Center.
The MRC examined how much total air time each story got last week and found coverage of the Romney remarks overpowered coverage of the Obama remarks by a 13-1 ratio.
The center found that ABC, CBS and NBC - on their evening and morning shows -- spent 88 minutes and 42 total stories on Romney. They spent six and a half minutes and eight stories on Obama.
The Obama quote purportedly was from a 1998 conference at Loyola University. In an audio recording posted online, the young Obama could be heard telling the audience he believes there has been "a propaganda campaign against the possibility of government action and its efficacy."
"I think that what we're going to have to do is somehow resuscitate the notion that government action can be effective at all," Obama said. "I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution -- because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody's got a shot."
...and there's your answer. Mitt Romney's comment was from last May. Only a few months ago. Pretty close in time to where this candidate currently is.
The comment from Obama? 14 years old. And what was Obama saying? Something about redistribution? You do know that's how government functions right? Taxes come in, the money is redistributed to fund Federal programs. Could Obama have used more "elegant" language then? Probably.
The Obama remarks are non-starters. The man could easily say those were different times, in a different economy, in a Pre-9/11 America. He could say just about anything now to indicate that the belief 14 years ago is not his current belief.
How many times has Mitt Romney changed his mind over the past 14 years?
See what I mean? It's not a conspiracy why the networks didn't cover the Obama remark, it's not a very solid story.
...But THAT Candidate claiming that 47% of all Americans are moochers who are incapable of taking responsibility for themselves? Then continuing to caw about how they won't even have to do anything to fix the economy other than getting elected to see the economy improve? What Chutzpah!
Now THAT'S a STORY!!! What gives it that special kick is the knowledge that it was some of the help staff (probably the bartender) who shot that video (a part of the 47% no doubt). Kind of Poetic Justice, huh? The big shot who had been running for President for the past 7 or so years was shot down by the little guy he turned his nose away from.
Perhaps Mr. Romney should take this opportunity to discuss Congressman Ryan's "no" vote on the recommendations of the Simpson-Bowles Committee.
or Ryan's "yes" vote on everything else - Bush Tax Cuts, the two Bush Wars, Bush Prescription Plan, TARP, auto bailout, stimulus packages.
That is why I write:
Paul Ryan - The Deficit? I Built That!
Ryan has really had the hypocrisy of his agenda exposed. A really poor pick by Romney for VP. Two-faced, snarky, throws the old, weak, less talented under the bus and feeds his wealthy benefactors. A true product of the Koch, ALEC machine that caresnothing for humanity and everything for power and money.
Noid, Ryan has already explained that ... you must have been asleep at the time.
In a nutshell, he agreed with MOST of Simpson-Bowles, but not all of it.
So what year again does the Ryan plan balance the budget? 2040? Does Willard think anyone with a grasp of basic arithmetic thinks you can cut taxes and balance the budget? Anyone masquerading as a deficit hawk that takes tax increases off the table is a charlatan and a fraud.
The big three broadcast networks devoted dozens of stories last week to Mitt Romney's supposed "47 percent" gaffe but gave just a fraction of that air time to covering an audio tape of controversial remarks by President Obama, according to the Media Research Center.
The MRC examined how much total air time each story got last week and found coverage of the Romney remarks overpowered coverage of the Obama remarks by a 13-1 ratio.
The center found that ABC, CBS and NBC - on their evening and morning shows -- spent 88 minutes and 42 total stories on Romney. They spent six and a half minutes and eight stories on Obama.
The Obama quote purportedly was from a 1998 conference at Loyola University. In an audio recording posted online, the young Obama could be heard telling the audience he believes there has been "a propaganda campaign against the possibility of government action and its efficacy."
"I think that what we're going to have to do is somehow resuscitate the notion that government action can be effective at all," Obama said. "I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution -- because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody's got a shot."
...and there's your answer. Mitt Romney's comment was from last May. Only a few months ago. Pretty close in time to where this candidate currently is.
The comment from Obama? 14 years old. And what was Obama saying? Something about redistribution? You do know that's how government functions right? Taxes come in, the money is redistributed to fund Federal programs. Could Obama have used more "elegant" language then? Probably.
The Obama remarks are non-starters. The man could easily say those were different times, in a different economy, in a Pre-9/11 America. He could say just about anything now to indicate that the belief 14 years ago is not his current belief.
How many times has Mitt Romney changed his mind over the past 14 years?
See what I mean? It's not a conspiracy why the networks didn't cover the Obama remark, it's not a very solid story.
...But THAT Candidate claiming that 47% of all Americans are moochers who are incapable of taking responsibility for themselves? Then continuing to caw about how they won't even have to do anything to fix the economy other than getting elected to see the economy improve? What Chutzpah!
Now THAT'S a STORY!!! What gives it that special kick is the knowledge that it was some of the help staff (probably the bartender) who shot that video (a part of the 47% no doubt). Kind of Poetic Justice, huh? The big shot who had been running for President for the past 7 or so years was shot down by the little guy he turned his nose away from.
Our Commander-In-Chief has given specifics, though modest. The Romney/Ryan campaign has not given specifics. Simple math: 1 candidate giving specifics to one not giving specifics (1-0=the only choice you can make).
What has obama given in the way of specifics? He gave specifics 4 years ago and we are stilliting for those to become truths. Obama is not the answer
Republicans have and will again - vote for a bag of compost - as long as it's labeled "GOP".
In the past ... Vote for Mark Foley ... keep the seat republican! Just turn over a new page!
Scot Brown? Now running on "It's not what I can do for MA - save the Senate!"
Grover Norquist says that the GOP doesn't need "a leader" .... just someone with enough digits to sign the bills.
You can have Facts or you can have Fox .... can't do both.
The big three broadcast networks devoted dozens of stories last week to Mitt Romney's supposed "47 percent" gaffe but gave just a fraction of that air time to covering an audio tape of controversial remarks by President Obama, according to the Media Research Center.
The MRC examined how much total air time each story got last week and found coverage of the Romney remarks overpowered coverage of the Obama remarks by a 13-1 ratio.
The center found that ABC, CBS and NBC - on their evening and morning shows -- spent 88 minutes and 42 total stories on Romney. They spent six and a half minutes and eight stories on Obama.
The Obama quote purportedly was from a 1998 conference at Loyola University. In an audio recording posted online, the young Obama could be heard telling the audience he believes there has been "a propaganda campaign against the possibility of government action and its efficacy."
"I think that what we're going to have to do is somehow resuscitate the notion that government action can be effective at all," Obama said. "I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution -- because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody's got a shot."
...and there's your answer. Mitt Romney's comment was from last May. Only a few months ago. Pretty close in time to where this candidate currently is.
The comment from Obama? 14 years old. And what was Obama saying? Something about redistribution? You do know that's how government functions right? Taxes come in, the money is redistributed to fund Federal programs. Could Obama have used more "elegant" language then? Probably.
The Obama remarks are non-starters. The man could easily say those were different times, in a different economy, in a Pre-9/11 America. He could say just about anything now to indicate that the belief 14 years ago is not his current belief.
How many times has Mitt Romney changed his mind over the past 14 years?
See what I mean? It's not a conspiracy why the networks didn't cover the Obama remark, it's not a very solid story.
...But THAT Candidate claiming that 47% of all Americans are moochers who are incapable of taking responsibility for themselves? Then continuing to caw about how they won't even have to do anything to fix the economy other than getting elected to see the economy improve? What Chutzpah!
Now THAT'S a STORY!!! What gives it that special kick is the knowledge that it was some of the help staff (probably the bartender) who shot that video (a part of the 47% no doubt). Kind of Poetic Justice, huh? The big shot who had been running for President for the past 7 or so years was shot down by the little guy he turned his nose away from.
Funny how the national debt wasn't a big concern to Republicans when George "Wrong Way" Bush was borrowing huge sums to finance two unnecessary wars.
You want to fix the debt problem? Stop policing the world.
hhhmmmmmmmm -- and who controlled the house & senate the last 2 yrs of Bush and the first 2 of BO? Hint: Democrats Nice try but it's those pesky facts that get in the way of the liberal left.
And every President has the last word, its called a VETO. Congress may legislate but the President signs the legislation or veto's it.
Bush did not issue one veto of those supplemental appropriations or any budget that came to his desk.
Nice try, but we GOTCHA!
Exactly Steve R!!!! Thanks for bringing up the obvious truth.
Dottie - The 2006-2008 Congress with a GOP president passed three times as much legislation as the current GOP Congress in the past 2 years. Most of the bill the Boehner House tried to run through were about birth control and voter suppression. A fine record to be sure....not!
The budget had a surplus when Clinton left office. The Bush tax cuts, the unfunded prescription program and two wars left 10 years of overspending in place that the GOP refuses to correct. The GOP Congress and Bush spent wildly - but paid for none of it.
On, and off balance sheet, they created the machinery that put in place $12 trillion of deficits that now are our debt. Their allergy to regulations allowed the inmates to run the financial asylum, and false stimuli to spending (remember Bush saying it was "patriotic" to go shopping?) left the foolish public with mountains of personal debt and a collapse in the houseing market and Wall Street. Stemming the tide of pending financial ruin has cost us dearly the past 4 years. Until we pay for the wars and spending Bush started, this will not improve.
Other "factoids"
1. Social Security and Medicare are not budget items. Both are paid for with payroll deduuctions. Cutting these programs will NOT help the deficit - TRUTH
2. Federal income taxes are used OVER 53% for wars, 650 military installations worldwide, overpriced defense contractors, the VA and money paid to our operatives globally to keep them somewhat loyal - TRUTH
3. The rest of your income taxes pay Homeland Security, passport & ID services , food inspectors, FDA, FBI, CIA, ATF, drug war, prison industrial complex, judges, Congress, court system, and all the rest we need to keep the police state fat and healthy. Then the remainder goes to Medicaide, Treasury, roads & infrastructure, education, research, and the central bank systems to name some. - TRUTH
4. That means what? Yes sportfans - it means we have to PAY for it all. Not cut it all - PAY. Throughout our history, taxes rose during wars or after and people sacrificed to make good on what we owed. The GOP has promised to not raise taxes - even if it is the end of the world.
Would you do that? Spend and spend until the sky fell and never plan to pay it back? You would cut some, but not to the point where your family had no home or clothing. More likely you would try to find a second job, and other ways to make more income. For a government - that means raising taxes.
So much quibbling about minutiae when the basics are already so clear.
Which party has the most realistic plan for paying what we owe? NOT THE GOP. That makes your vote easy - for president, for the Senate or the House or local elections. Vote for who will PAY for what we spend - and that is the moderate Democratic candidates. Yes the Democrats now hold the middle ground because the GOP has moved so far right. The Tea Party took over the GOP and GOP moderates are too weak to speak out against the extreme right. Who clearly supports the troops - the Dems. Who is trying to end the wars - the Dems. Who believes in changes to the taxe code to eliminate unfair advantages and help pay down the debt - the Dems. Who values education and the role of teachers in our communities - the Dems. Who brought back American manufacturing - the Dems. Who cares most about protecting seniors and the benefits THEY PAID FOR - the Dems (Romenty thinks seniors are freeloaders...?) Who wants to protect the rights of women to earn equal pay? - the Dems. Who wants to allow each person the right to choose family planning, the partner of their choice, and have access to affordable healthcare? - the Dems.
Vote early to ensure no one takes that right away from you.
Bush yr 1 = 194.126 Billion
Bush yr 2 = 463.301 Billion
Bush yr 3 = 620.091 Billion
Bush yr 4 = 606.535 Billion
Bush yr 5 = 561.274 Billion
Bush yr 6 = 499.341 Billion
Bush yr 7 = 513.555 Billion
Bush yr 8 = 1,436.413 Billion
Obama yr 1 = 1,675.109 Billion
Obama yr 2 = 1,759.973 Billion
Obama yr 3 = 1,176.134 Billion
1/21/2012 - today = 779.565 Billion
each year is Jan 21st - Jan 21st from approx swearing in date of POTUS.
Bush 4.89 trillion in 8 yrs
Obama 5.399 trillion and counting
Info provided by www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/NPGateway
The GOP/RNC "Speculator and Chief" has given NO specifics about Economic Policy. AGAIN! THe GOP/RNC "Romulian" has made it clear that his Economic Policy, and future budgets will be of the "Richie Rich" Ryan Plan. The "Bain Trained Speculator" made it very clear that it is not good trade policy too stand up to China. The GOP/RNC "Speculator and Chief" ripped the President for protecting American Jobs in the great state of Ohio. The tires on the GOP/RNC "Special" Blue Bus were made in China, and not in the US. Now the Godfather of National Health Care "Romulian Romney" is now against it. WOW! This is the biggest "Flip-Flp" in US Poltical History, and then he is now trying to rewrite history. Again! "Brainless Bush" started Two Wars" with no economic plan to pay for them. To make matters worse "W" kept his destructive tax cuts in place, and then he deregulated Wall Street. There was NO plan to pay for the Prescription Drug Plan, and to make matters worse the banks were failing. "Brainless Bush" had cut Federal Revenue to the lowest levels in US Economic History. President Obama finally put the huge expenses of the Two "Bush Wars," and the Prescription Drug Plan on the Federal Books. That is why the budget deficit is so high right now. The nation needs to build up more revenue to reduce the Federal Budget Deficit. The top 1% of the very rich have been getting away from paying taxes at a fair rate since 2000. Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! The Party Of NO has got to GO!
The big three broadcast networks devoted dozens of stories last week to Mitt Romney's supposed "47 percent" gaffe but gave just a fraction of that air time to covering an audio tape of controversial remarks by President Obama, according to the Media Research Center.
The MRC examined how much total air time each story got last week and found coverage of the Romney remarks overpowered coverage of the Obama remarks by a 13-1 ratio.
The center found that ABC, CBS and NBC - on their evening and morning shows -- spent 88 minutes and 42 total stories on Romney. They spent six and a half minutes and eight stories on Obama.
The Obama quote purportedly was from a 1998 conference at Loyola University. In an audio recording posted online, the young Obama could be heard telling the audience he believes there has been "a propaganda campaign against the possibility of government action and its efficacy."
"I think that what we're going to have to do is somehow resuscitate the notion that government action can be effective at all," Obama said. "I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution -- because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody's got a shot."
...and there's your answer. Mitt Romney's comment was from last May. Only a few months ago. Pretty close in time to where this candidate currently is.
The comment from Obama? 14 years old. And what was Obama saying? Something about redistribution? You do know that's how government functions right? Taxes come in, the money is redistributed to fund Federal programs. Could Obama have used more "elegant" language then? Probably.
The Obama remarks are non-starters. The man could easily say those were different times, in a different economy, in a Pre-9/11 America. He could say just about anything now to indicate that the belief 14 years ago is not his current belief.
How many times has Mitt Romney changed his mind over the past 14 years?
See what I mean? It's not a conspiracy why the networks didn't cover the Obama remark, it's not a very solid story.
...But THAT Candidate claiming that 47% of all Americans are moochers who are incapable of taking responsibility for themselves? Then continuing to caw about how they won't even have to do anything to fix the economy other than getting elected to see the economy improve? What Chutzpah!
Now THAT'S a STORY!!! What gives it that special kick is the knowledge that it was some of the help staff (probably the bartender) who shot that video (a part of the 47% no doubt). Kind of Poetic Justice, huh? The big shot who had been running for President for the past 7 or so years was shot down by the little guy he turned his nose away from.
Stop it Governor! President Obama is going to do another stimulus of hundreds of billions of borrowed dollars to get this economy going again. Don't you understand that?
We are moving forward, not backward to the days of lower marginal and cap gains taxes.
Look what it did to Reagan! No, don't do that. I forgot his evil trickle down economics created 16M private jobs in the 80s.
Look at what Clinton did! No, don't do that either. He partnered with the GOP-controlled House that gave him budgets that were balanced which he agreed to after negotiating. We know how much Obama likes negotiating. He's too lazy to do that. But Clinton did create 20M jobs. Because of an unprecedented tech boom that occurred when Al Gore invented the Internet. Yeah, that's the ticket! Gore invented the Internet and Clinton promoted its use creating 20M jobs!
Fact of the matter is until the bears in the business world go into hibernation the bulls will remain in the pen. The bulls will leave the pen when a business-friendly Administration comes to power.
Governor, tell the people what Obama has really done to put business in bear mode. It isn't rocket science!
Most importantly, let's not forget that when business is bullish they hire workers with many of those jobs paying a decent wage to the middle-class people who apply for them. This has the added benefit of increasing receivables at Treasury thereby reducing our deficits.
All of which it too difficult and simplistic for liberals to get their brains wrapped around it.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman were two Democratic Presidents during whose administrations we won two wars and solidified our status as the world's only Superpower. Eisenhower inherited a booming economy from them.
See, Democrats can play that "name a President and attribute prosperity to their policies" too!
Amy,
And what two wars would that have been??
And what were the bears doing the last 6 months of Bush's reign of terror and the first 6 months after he left.
Good question Mr. Joseph!
rebel:
You are obviously suffering from rectal-cranial inversion. If you can't see stuff very well where your head is at, maybe you should turn on the lights. But then the tea-tards never let facts get in the way of a good argument.
Under our current president, the Dow went from around 6,500 to over 13,000. If that is bearish, I'll be having some more.
The Dow has nothing to do with business expansion to introduce new products and investment in plant, property and equipment JC. That is what creates jobs - not the worth of a piece of paper.
You are a dolt.
Together with Paul Ryan and 17 members of the former Bush administration....I'll fix that deficit....and don't believe those poll numbers....believe me! Right! Right! You better NOT believe it! That party's over!.....Obama/Biden 2012!
Odumbo does not seem to realize, that in order to get that clock moving in the opposite direction, he has to PRODUCE MORE JOBS, not send them away! To all Odumbo supporters, you need to get a Job, even if it is in a fast food restaraunt, or sweeping a floor in a warehouse. There IS some PRIDE in having a job. LET'S vote this useless Odumbo out and send him back to wherever he came from. Take down your faded posters of this parasite ,vote him out, and GET BACK TO WORK. WE NEED TO GET THIS COUNTRY MOVING AGAIN!
I'm not a republican... I have both an education AND a good job.. And since you've decided that the name of the President of the United States is "Odumbo", your stupid ass just got put on IGNORE!
To Ninga So you got promoted in the fast food place .,,i'm happy for you! You just continue to work hard, and maybe you will make something of yourself! Try to get off the food stamps, and brick cheese. WE need more people like you.
Dandydon: Reads more like DummyDon.
most out of work folks are in those republican strongholds...maybe the 47% moochers in the south and midwest should get an education so they can find work...
speaking of parasites...that would be every medicare card carrying teabagger...they did not pay for their healthcare...moochers
So, dandydon1, if that's how the system works then why did the Republicans block the American Jobs Act, the Veterans Jobs Bill, and Bring Jobs Back to America Act? (among others)
Thank you Matthew, for pointing that out! Lets hope the repug's saying NO to every proposal...just to make Obama look bad finally comes back to haunt them!Obama has repeatedly reached across the aisle in a bipartisan manner that is necessary to accomplish ANYTHING ....only to be rebuked with NO from repugs that at this point is what is hurting this country and bordering on treason!
Dandydon1.... will you be kind enough to show everyone how you can live on $10 an hour at 40 hours, so about $400 a week before taxes. Let's be conservative here, 10 % tax, so take home is $360.00 You seem to know the answer that hard working people cannot seem to make the $360 stretch.
What makes you think employers will hire people if Romney is elected ? No customers to buy products, tiny revenue, cut employees. That is the business model right now.
Doby -
Short-term memory loss?
Obama told those that don't agree with them that they could ride at the back of the bus. Some of his earliest comments when he became president were that the democrats won and the republicans could just get over it. He, along with Pelosi and Reid, locked republicans out of the 'health care' negotiations.
Obama can't even work with his own party!
Let alone reaching across the aisle to work with republicans!
Rick -- the medicare carrying teabaggers are moochers getting free healthcare they didn't pay for????? Really?????? Medicare does not cover 100% of the costs they don't even pay for annual physicals, they pay for "wellness" visits which consist of the dr asking about 10 questions. My husband paid $350 dollars for a physical that included blood work. For you information my husband worked for over 40 yrs and in all that time he PAID into SS (which includes medicare). Stop making an a$$ of yourself, it's embarrassing.
Dottie- Medicare is great. I have watched 5 parents and other relatives deal with serious illnesses with super care and no hassles.
Most seniors know that Medicare pays about 80% on many things, so people who have looked into this understand that they need supplemental insurance. All my relatives had this (offered at an affordable price through AARP), and they were all folks of modest means. My mother had accute brittle diabetes and she was not refused insurance due to pre-existing conditions, or denied any care needed. Bills were all paid directly, so she did not have complicated paperwork to manage.
Mother and the others paid little out of pocket, and we were never forced into needing to sell their homes or do without. They lived full lives. Sounds like you may need to change doctors who accept assignment and get some supplemental coverage. Do some research - it really pays. Medicare really is a blessing for seniors.
I'm not so sure that you should be using that terminology with Rick when you clearly haven't done the homework yourself.
This debt, and Obama's trillion a year deficit spending is so serious that we should be discussing it 24/7. In exclusion of all other issues. WHY?? Because the impending doom coming from Obama's reckless spending makes all other issues moot.
This crisis should be faced as a threat as big as a world war. We should all be pitching in to eliminate this debt. Congressmen and women should be poring over government spending data, looking for any cuts possible, no matter how small.
Not just for a day or, a week, but for their entire terms in office.
This is how serious this really is.
Joseph:
80% to 90% of that spending is not Obama's, it is due to legislative mandates (spending) enacted before he took office. In fact some of the mandated spending goes back decades.
If you want to stop the spending, of which I am in favor of, it is the legislative branch that is responsible for it.
Joseph,
You are so right. We should all pitch in to help reduce the debt. That requires, however, one unpleasant reality that the GOP refuses to recognize. This debt cannot be meaningfully reduced by spending cuts alone. Increased revenues are necessary... a PC word for increased taxes. That is where the "we should all pitch in to help" part falls on deaf GOP ears.
A carefully balanced combination of increased revenues and spending cuts will get us there in a decade or so. Somebody recently called it "arithmetic." Nothing else will work, unless you want to wait until 2040 as the Ryan pseudo-budget would have us do.
Congress appropriates money not the President, so replace the ignorant Republicans in Congress and get this economy moving.
frespech -
How about replacing the biggest stopper in the Congress - Reid? He is the largest stoppage in the Congress as he absolutely refuses to schedule republican-sponsored legislation on the calendar for debate.
You really need to wake up and get off of the Obama kool-aid!
If I had a nickel for every time i heard a stupid republican teatard say "The President is causing the 16 Trillion dollars of debt, I would be a billionaire.
Not only do they have a lack of understanding how government works they have lunatic thoughts throughout the day.
Hints Stupids: One Person Can Not Cause 16 Trillion Dollars in debt by himself. The two branches of government is required by law to agree on bills before the President can sign them.
What bill has President Obama signed to create this 16 Trillion dollars in debt you claim he created?
I'm waiting (Tapping my fingers on my desk_
The truth hurts when you look at it.......Religion matters in this election, caring about people matters in this election, and being committed to fight for the common cause of all Americans matters. That's why President Obama has my vote! I don't want to be on the list of the 47% that Mitt Romney doesn't care anything about!!!!
he never said he doesn't care about them, he's saying what us 53% have been saying right along, 47% don't have any skin in the game and that is why he cannot count on their vote as they are going to vote for BO so they can continue to take without contributing.
@Dotties girl,
You mean the person who makes $10 an hour and brings home 360.00 single and has one child. That check takes out medicare, social security and state taxes. On average thats 15% of taxes from gross income. That's higher than Mittwitt percentage. How can you say eveyone else should pay taxes when mittwit only pays 9% taxes on gross income.
m Rand: Obama doesn't have a clue about what he's doing regarding his brand of foreign policy...the President of Libya has just shown our President to be a liar, it's pretty embarrassing. If the terrorists of the world don't respect us, then all of our other issues pale in comparison.
Romney/Ryan...they have my vote.
No one believes your lies anymore Robber Baron Romney.
You've flip flopped too many times.
47%
Obama/Biden 2012
The big three broadcast networks devoted dozens of stories last week to Mitt Romney's supposed "47 percent" gaffe but gave just a fraction of that air time to covering an audio tape of controversial remarks by President Obama, according to the Media Research Center.
The MRC examined how much total air time each story got last week and found coverage of the Romney remarks overpowered coverage of the Obama remarks by a 13-1 ratio.
The center found that ABC, CBS and NBC - on their evening and morning shows -- spent 88 minutes and 42 total stories on Romney. They spent six and a half minutes and eight stories on Obama.
The Obama quote purportedly was from a 1998 conference at Loyola University. In an audio recording posted online, the young Obama could be heard telling the audience he believes there has been "a propaganda campaign against the possibility of government action and its efficacy."
"I think that what we're going to have to do is somehow resuscitate the notion that government action can be effective at all," Obama said. "I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution -- because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody's got a shot."
...and there's your answer. Mitt Romney's comment was from last May. Only a few months ago. Pretty close in time to where this candidate currently is.
The comment from Obama? 14 years old. And what was Obama saying? Something about redistribution? You do know that's how government functions right? Taxes come in, the money is redistributed to fund Federal programs. Could Obama have used more "elegant" language then? Probably.
The Obama remarks are non-starters. The man could easily say those were different times, in a different economy, in a Pre-9/11 America. He could say just about anything now to indicate that the belief 14 years ago is not his current belief.
How many times has Mitt Romney changed his mind over the past 14 years?
See what I mean? It's not a conspiracy why the networks didn't cover the Obama remark, it's not a very solid story.
...But THAT Candidate claiming that 47% of all Americans are moochers who are incapable of taking responsibility for themselves? Then continuing to caw about how they won't even have to do anything to fix the economy other than getting elected to see the economy improve? What Chutzpah!
Now THAT'S a STORY!!! What gives it that special kick is the knowledge that it was some of the help staff (probably the bartender) who shot that video (a part of the 47% no doubt). Kind of Poetic Justice, huh? The big shot who had been running for President for the past 7 or so years was shot down by the little guy he turned his nose away from.
Errr, the FACT is Republican Ideology is responsible for 80% of the National Debt, (See CBO.gov). Republicans near solely caused the Real Estate and Financial Meltdowns. The TeaPublicans in the House have passed ZERO Job's or Small Business Bills for near two years now. Obama's slow down in the Economic Recovery began in 2010 when the Imbecile TeaPublicans took over the House. How more obvious can this stuff be? How many times will it take for the US Middleclass to learn the simple lessons of history? (Google "Justice Lewis Powell's Memo" for some truth Righties).....
So, you're saying that Social Security, Medicare, welfare and the like were put in place by republicans? These entitlement items make up 60% of the budget (when we have one)
Too bad recorded history calls you a liar.
FDR created SS and promptly raided it -- entitlements were built by dems to buy votes from the weak, mindless, and lazy.
Gee, I wonder where that 716 billion that Odumbo stole from the medicare fund went! WE all agree, Odumbo is in the bottom of a toilet and THIS T**D NEEDS TO BE flushed fast. He is worthless!
Tammy - Social Security and Medicare are NOT paid by our income taxes. Please get your facts straight! They are paid by PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. They are NOT entitlements, they are
1. Social Security- pension plan payments that purchase an annuity when you retire, in other words, something you paid for - NOT A HANDOUT.
2. Medicare - health insurance plan payments that pay in advance for coverage when you reach age 65, also something you paid for - NOT A HANDOUT.
The budget is a spending plan for INCOME TAXES we pay, not payroll taxes. Please read up on the difference.
Of all income taxes collected, 53% are spent on the military/defense/overseas bases, etc.... Please read up on how the budget truly is structured. You can avoid the dummy talking points fed to you by FOX and Limbaugh. They are counting on you not knowing so they can mislead you into supporting their people.
Once you have the real facts from non-political sources - then you can really discuss the reality of what is spent on whom. Clearly - you, Dandy Don and Dottie arer not there yet.
Mitt Romney...........................just bad for Religion, the Economy and bad for America!
Once again the mainstream media only reports what is revelent to Obama. The truth can't be ignored. Romney will do better than the clown in Washington. He is all politicts and no LEADERSHIP!!!!
And Romney is all stupid and no leadership...
If FOX News is "the MOST watched" news channel and Glenn Becck, Rush Limbaugh, etc., claim such LARGE numbers of followers, then how is it that they can justify saying the "mainstream media" is liberal?
Mathew: Fox is only 1 news outlet...whereas CBS, NBC, CNN, ABC, the New York Tmes, the Letterman Show etc are all in the tank for Obama, and they rarely, if ever, ask him the tough questions, on the contrary, they kiss his patoot on a regular basis...you know this without me telling you.
.Romney hammers Obama on Debt....that HIS PARTY CREATED..AND one that Ryan's plan would all trillions to the already existing debt.....yup sure Mutt whatever you say...
Actually, as Congress is actually responsible for spending and Congress has been controlled by the democrats 75% of the time since WWII, that make the democrats responsible for most of the debt of this country.
Too bad the facts disagree with your delusion.
By the way, $6 trillion of that debt has been racked up is less than 4 years with total control of the Senate for that time and the 1st 2 years of that time the House was also controlled by the democrats.
Nice try at deflection, though.
Really? Still blaming others for the mess we are in? 2 things to think about:
1. Good leaders take responsibility and accept their own shortcomings. Two things Obama will never do. He just blames others.
2. Obama made promises that he would fix things. He either lied about being able to do it, or he didn't understand the mess we were in. Either way, he isn't fit to lead our country.
please what does romney do every time he opens his mouth
boy you people just must be blinded.
bring up anything to devert talking about mit and liar
no wonder tea party and republicans will go down in november
ken101aa What are you smoking!!! Obama had the house and the senate for TWO years!! The most jobs lost were during the first TWO years. When are you libs going to grow up and face reality???
Uhhh.....correlation does not equal causation. Logic 101.
If you remember, Concerned, Obama needed 60 votes, not 50 to pass legislation. He could never get 60 votes cause that would have taken some Republicans to vote his way. So many of his polices, that Republicans are blaming him for, never passed. Who knows if the policies would have worked, but the traitor Republicans, that did not want one positive thing to happen for Obama, put party ahead of country. So there is a little reality for you.
Wow, and name calling and hate? Nice move democrats.
You are sadly mistaken if you think us current Democrats are anything like Democrats of the past. We no longer will allow or tolerate your ignorance and rants without pushing back. Screw you and best advise I can give you is hang on to your guns.
frespech -
No, they're worse. At least those in the past did not have socialist leanings.
tammy wouldn't know what a socialist was if one fed her her pabulum.
same back you republicans believe that is your platform lie and steal and lie and steal and on and on never ends
Obama came in with a 1.3 trillion anual deficit already left by the Republicans, because they are judging it by the month it comes out as more. The budget in place already would have added 8 trillion over a decade. This fight is a just a paper tiger for the Republicans, they both would add to this debt, there is no way around it.
This debt surely needs to be tamed, but the blame game can go on forever.
So what has changed in Two centuries, not much.lol It is definitely breathtaking to watch these numbers grow to the tune of 4 billion a month. Bipartisanship is the only way to change this. The blame game remains the same.
Yep, blame Bush. It's the only plank in the democrat platform. Bush has been out of office for four years, but hey, WTF? It worked four years ago, and there's nothing that the democrats have to show for their four years in office, so let's blame Bush again!
It continually amazes me that some folks equate pointing out where the issue started with not accepting responsibility on where we go from there.
Think about it. If you were in an automobile accident caused by someone else, your physical therapy and how you went on from there is largely up to you. That doesn't change that the accident was caused by someone else.
What Coral Taxi pointed out was fact. What followed in CT's post was a specification that blame can go on forever, but that people need to work together to resolve it. That is absolutely correct.
Bin Laden-Gone
War in Iraq-Done
War in Afghanistan- Ending 2014
Equal pay for equal Work-Done
DADT-Done
Affordable Health Care Act-Done just some of the nothing that the President has accomplished in his first term with nothing but obstructionism from U know who.
frespech -
Please tell me, what is 'affordable' about Obamacare? That lie has been put to rest so many times you would have to have been living in total isolation not to know that.
As for Iraq - Obama tried to extend it but was forced to live with Bush's withdrawal timeline.
Afghanistan - Twice the number of casualties in less than half the time - a record to be proud of - NOT!
Equal pay for women - Wasn't this already the law? By the way, why are female staffers in the White House paid about 75% of the male staffers for the same work?
DADT - No value, Most servicemembers don't really care unless it is flaunted in their faces. And sexuality has no business when in uniform - period. Off duty, who really cares?
bin Laden - Obama was left with no option but to approve the action after the intelligence system put in place by Bush made the intel available.
Now, here's some failures for you to address:
The assassination of our ambassador and 3 other Americans in Benghazi.
The outing of out CIA operatives.
The ambush of Seal Team 6 after their identities were made public by the Obama White House.
Unemployment rate at >8%
Lowest level of employment participation since the 1960's
High price of gasoline (liberals blamed Bush so it is fair to blame Obama as it is his energy policies which are to blame)
Any answers?
frespech: Bin Laden gone: but we still have a terrorist threat...by the way, terrorists just killed 4 Americans, just in case you haven't heard
GM - still owes American tax payors billions.
We're still over $16 Trillion in debt with no specifics from Obama on what he's going to do to reduce spending and the debt.
ACA: this fiasco was not something that the majority of Americans even wanted...will contribute to middle income workers tax obligation
Unemployment remains at 8.3%
This is not a record to be proud of...
well lets see on w bush attacked on american soil so many dead
start war because my daddy said so
start another because dick cheeny belongs to haliburtion and made millions of dollars off off our boys
is this what you right people stand for?
Your screen name seems to be quite appropriate.
A major part of the deficit problem is that rich guys like Romney get away with paying so little tax. I, for example, pay over 30% income tax. And that doesn't include SS, Medicare, state income, etc. If Romney's tax burden was as high as mine, he'd be paying three or four times as much.
This isn't a coincidence. For decades the 1% have been waging class warfare against the rest of us -- using their power, money, and influence to cut taxes for themselves, and leaving the rest of us with high taxes and the deficit.
This is what makes Romney such a hypocrite -- he's complaining about a deficit that he (and the rest of the Republicons) engineered; a deficit he will make *worse* if he's elected, and a deficit that he personally benefits from.
DandyStyker
Do you know the difference between Capital Gains tax & Income Tax?
Yeah, about 15% difference.
Obama makes the following speech on the perils of raising the debt limits and increasing the national debt, then creates a debt crisis that almost shut our government down twice in fourteen months and he wants to stay the course.
Notice how he uses the word "debt" and explains its impact on our country and economy.
The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can't pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies.
And the cost of our debt is one of the fastest growing expenses in the Federal budget. This rising debt is a hidden domestic enemy, robbing our cities and States of critical investments in infrastructure like bridges, ports, and levees; robbing our families and our children of critical investments in education and health care reform; robbing our seniors of the retirement and health security they have counted on.
Every dollar we pay in interest is a dollar that is not going to investment in America's priorities. Instead, interest payments are a significant tax on all Americans–a debt tax that Washington doesn't want to talk about. If Washington were serious about honest tax relief in this country, we would see an effort to reduce our national debt by returning to responsible fiscal policies.
Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that "the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.
I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt limit.
Sen. Barack Hussein Obama, Jr., (Senate – March 16, 2006)
the good guyyy
Thank you for demonstrating that stupidity is a learned skill Obama supporters have learned to master.
What happened:
Obama had the luxury in 2006 of knowing that there was ZERO chance back then that the debt limit would not be extended. He knew he wasn't going to place the country in peril by his vote.
By contrast, the "I'm here to block everything the POTUS does" Tea Party Congress 1) had no idea what a debt ceiling was - not realizing that it was to pay for debt agreed upon by the LAST POTUS and LAST Congress 2) once they knew - they were perfectly fine with letting America go off the cliff merely to prove a ideological point and hoping that it would hurt the economy and thus Obama enough so they could win the White House next time.
THAT's the difference here. In a legislative game of chicken, instead of negotiating in good faith, the current Republican crop is totally prepared to put it in fifth gear and gun it over the cliff while singing "Onward Christian Soldiers". Insane and beyond irresponsible!!
Every SANE legislator - Dem or Repub - who is also a PATRIOT knows that you make your ideological points when you can, but you PUT THE COUNTRY FIRST!!
Talk about reaching to the stars to come up with an excuse for Obama's poor judgment and bad decision making is very entertaining.
Want to try for another one with this example of Obama's poor judgment and bad decision making.
You remember the Gulf Oil Spill and the million of gallon of crude oil washing up on beaches and contaminating wet lands while those specially built oil skimming ships sat tied up at the docks waiting for Obama's okay to go to work.
what happened -
Isaac washed up more of the tar balls when the storm came through, so regardless of what the Obama administration has claimed about the clean up being complete, it is a lie. Something that the state universities have learned by testing the area.
Oh, and locals around here still check to see where the seafood is from as the seafood from around the spill area is still not safe - even though the Obama administration says it is.
Drill baby drill. Isn't that the Republican mantra?
So, Romney DOES know that a majority of that debt (past and current structural debt) is, according to the CBO's office, mostly due to W and Repub policies and budget-busting plans such as Medicare Part D, right?
Upset over debt from the "let's keep 2 wars totally off the books and send checks to everyone in the US tax cut as diversion" Repub's?? Seriously?
I've said it before - 2012 - it's about Credibility, credibility, credibility. Right now, the Republicans have NONE. It almost doesn't matter who they put up for a candidate.
newsgirl24
You are aware that Obama added $5.9 tillion to the national debt in 3.75 years?
You are aware that Bush only added $5.1 trillion to the national debt in 8 years?
You are aware that Obama added $1.8 trillion to the national debt in a year's time, August, 2011 through August, 2012?
Are you aware that Obama almost shut down his government twice in fourteen months?
Where's Obama's credibility when he made this speech.
Notice how he uses the word "debt" and explains its impact on our country and economy.
The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can't pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies.
And the cost of our debt is one of the fastest growing expenses in the Federal budget. This rising debt is a hidden domestic enemy, robbing our cities and States of critical investments in infrastructure like bridges, ports, and levees; robbing our families and our children of critical investments in education and health care reform; robbing our seniors of the retirement and health security they have counted on.
Every dollar we pay in interest is a dollar that is not going to investment in America's priorities. Instead, interest payments are a significant tax on all Americans–a debt tax that Washington doesn't want to talk about. If Washington were serious about honest tax relief in this country, we would see an effort to reduce our national debt by returning to responsible fiscal policies.
Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that "the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.
I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt limit.
Sen. Barack Hussein Obama, Jr., (Senate – March 16, 2006)
Aw newsgirl24
I guess you weren't aware that Obama had a democratically controlled Congress for two years and passed everything they wanted.
Gee they didn't have any problems extending the Bush tax cuts to the rich in 2010 rather than implement Obama job creating tax reform.
Which is rather amusing with the knowledge that Obama got on national TV and with tears in his eyes told the nation that he should be paying higher tax.
Boy are you people gullible.
What Happened, do some research