13 to watch in 13

Tim Scott – Soon to be the first black Republican Senator in more than three decades, he is liked and respected by many

Mark Kelly – The former astronaut launched Gabby PAC to support candidates for office who "favor reaching compromise and bipartisan solutions to the challenges we face"

Marty Baron - takes the reins as the executive editor of The Washington Post on Jan 2. He plans a bigger emphasis on local and investigative reporting

Kamala Harris – California's first female, African-American and Indian-American attorney general and could be the next US attorney general or future SCOTUS appointee

Joe Donnelly – Another Dem that opposes abortion, supports gun rights and was a "Blue Dog" as a Congressional Representative

Jeff Zucker – Incoming CNN President faces stiff competition from Fox News and MSNBC as he attempts to repair CNN's brand

Elizabeth Warren – Wall Street bet big on Scott Brown in his 2012 race against Warren and lost now she has landed a plum seat on the Senate banking committee and that means financial fireworks in 2013

Cory Booker – Opted out of competing against highly popular Christy and decided on the better odds of being the next Senator from NJ in 2014

Ashley Judd – The eighth-generation Kentuckian married to 3-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti just may take on Mitch McConnell in 2014 and with high name recognition and major financial support she may give us a race to watch.

Rob Nabors – Obama's chief congressional liaison that Democrats and Republicans alike say they trust him will keep making the president's case to Capitol Hill on everything from fiscal issues to immigration to gun control

Julian Castro - Could find a place on Obama's Cabinet or with the growing Democratic-leaning Latino population in Texas a statewide office could be his best next move. His autobiography is set to hit bookshelves in 2014

Rick Snyder – By signing right-to-work legislation in Michigan Snyder has made himself the main target of unions and they are out for revenge in his 2014 reelection bid

Paul Ryan – With countless debates on entitlements, spending and taxes to look forward to in the coming year the "policy wonk" is set to keep leading the way as an intellectual leader for conservatives in the House, Nation

http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/13-people-to-watch-in-politics-in-2013-85467.html?hp=t1

Happy New Year to Hillary. Please get well soon. We trust you that you have the mettle to overcome yet another hurdle in life.

Happy New Year ... to all the Liberal and conservative TROLLs here. It's been fun to exchange information, criticism, and humor with each other. Be a good sport, and grow a pair in the new year.

And Happy New Year Friends and Neighbors Near and Far, Left and Right, and Somewhere in Between. It has been my Distinct Pleasure to interact with most of you'll over the past year.

And Good Riddance Everybody is tired of Idealoges and the Disfunction they are causing. Let's get it over with and try again. Sooner or later we're going to get it right.

Oh, you're just going to love the 113th Congress...it's the same people.

Good Morning Friends......Happy New Year to all. I echo your sentiments IR, for the most part it has been a distinct pleasure interacting and engaging most of the good folks here.

I wish all of you and your families, Good Health, Peace and Prosperity for the coming year.

Don't forget the victims of Hurricane Sandy, volunteer more if you can. Or send stuff to them.

Pray for the victims of Sandy Hook and their families.

Happy New Year, IR! To all my friends on First Read, thank you for your friendship and support, it has been a ride supreme, especially the election. To those who read and don't post, thank you for reading, pop in and join us, won't you? And to those who have said kind things to me about what I write, you bring me much joy.

To the right wing: give it time folks, if you keep reading, you'll learn that we are all in this together. Some of you are awfully fun to read, Frank, Allen, and others, I have enjoyed chatting with you.

To First Read Staff: Best place to come and read and chat about politics, Happy New Year to you all!

IR: I imagine the Dew Drop Inn is ready for party! Will see you there later!

Happy New Year all, and slainte!

Not exactly DaNoid. There is always hope with the turn of the New Year and 2013 is no exception. However I am looking much more forward to 2015 when more tea party morons will be a blip in history and sent packing. The happiest sight in the world would be Orange man Boner, and MaGoo, McConnell walking back to their homes out of a job. Only one thing better is if they quartered Grover Norquist and sent him to all four corners of the world. We just do not need this guy anymore he is a slam dunk azzhole for sure. Happy New Year to all.

New Year's Resolution - I will gain more weight, so as to deliver a heavier blow to the pigorance of RepubliCONs in Congress.

If the deal is not done, 2 million Americans will lose their unemployment benefits. These GOP scrooges are unconscionable to force Americans to live through an Unmerry Cliffmas. Now the GOP is threatening to push us through an unhappy New Year.

.

We the Voters have noticed and will send more of GOP congressmen packing in November 2014. Yes...Yes...We Can.

Least productive congress ever will be the 112th
Years … Congress – Bills Passed
1996/1997 … 104th – 333 (current record)
2007/2008 … 110th – 460
2009/2010 … 111th – 383
2011/2012 … 112th – 219 >> (+20 awaiting the President's signature) they will need to pass almost another 100 bills today if they don't want to have the new record and by a wide margin.

Unbelievable. The worst Congress in the history of the World. We were fortunate to get rid of some of the worse Congressmen ever seen in Congress (West and Walsh for example). Now we'll get rid of a whole bunch more in 2014. Hopefully we can then get something done and passed in Congress.

Now for the CLIFF. Mr. President stick by your guns. Don't cave to these idiots. We gave you an Historic election victory, so don't let these Lizards force you into decisions we voted against. If we have to go off the cliff, so be it. Stand firm Mr. President

Well, thank goodness for small favors. Bye, bye 112th Congress, don't let the door hit you on the way out. At least we're rid of some of the tea-nuts. Never in all my years have I seen such a dysfunctional House of Representatives which aided the GOP Senators in making the Senate dysfunctional as well. Never have I seen one party (GOP) so determined to cause great harm to the country in order to defeat one person, President Obama,....and then being incapable of defeating Obama despite inflicting such pain and suffering on the American people and the country.

Guess we should expect apologies from FOX and the right-wingers who claimed Sec of State Hillary Clinton was faking it to avoid testifying about Benghazi. Oh, wait, they never apologize for being wrong, right Senators McCain, Graham and Ayotte?

Happy New Year! Let us hope that the 113th Congress will find a renewed understanding of what Governing means, democracy, majority rule and most of all realize the meaning of compromise; and that the 113th Congress stop with the self-inflicted and unnecessary wounds on our country and its people.

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

The speaker is still the Same Boner, the only difference is - he is more likely to be bothered by prostate cancer, starting with the defeat of his Plan B (Plan Boner) - it's cancer - prostate cancer and expect Boner to cry more when the vote is up for speakership in less than a week.

The same Mitch McChicken - the Chicken Hawk whose only purpose in life was to make President Obama a one-termer, not to serve his constituents.

The same GOP... the only new part is that the GOP is getting worse by the hour.

Finally, an article that mentions the tax pledge as a hold up to progress. It should be mentioned in EVERY article since it is THE MAIN reason why this congress has been so dysfunctional, as well as being the most divisive document/concept in our culture since the great communist scare of the 1950s.

The Word on the Street

From the article above:

Regardless of what happens today, the 112th Congress is going to wind up as the least popular and least productive Congress (in terms of legislation becoming law) in the modern era.

For starters, Congress' approval rating the last time the NBC/WSJ poll measured it (in August 2012) was just 12%, and a whopping 82% disapproved of Congress -- the highest percentage in the history of our NBC/WSJ poll.

In addition, just 219 bills have been passed into law -- the lowest number since Congress began tracking this number in the 1940s. (And many of these bills were naming courthouses or post offices.)

***

The word on the street is…

…the Corporate Goombas who funded "The Mittster's" campaign are still royally pissed off. There's hell to pay since losing the election, and we're seeing the bottom-feeders taking the fall one by one by one.

First it was Uncle Karl and Dick "Morris the Brat" getting booted off Faux Newzzzzz for their hallucinogenic Kreskin impressions. Now, we all were witnessing Grover and the K-Bros kicking the living crap out of Congressmen Johnny B and Senator Droopy Dog.

Tweedle-Gin and Tweedle-Dumb were about to cut a deal with Barry-O, so the Slimebino Boys put the kybosh on the W tax cuts and left them with a friendly reminder of who's their daddy and who owns the rest of the D.C. HORs (House of Representative-s) .

The next on the X-list is Frankie Luntz, who will soon find out the meaning of what lonely is. No reservations next Inauguration Night for this has-been word-shifter. He'll be bagging groceries at the A&P in Piscataway by Cinco de Mayo. His paunched-pal Ratzo-Rusho will soon be joining him as he surprisingly announces his "retirement" to the socialistic sands of universal health care haven, Costa Rica.

Someone's gotta pay, and the first to go are the overpaid, loudmouth has-beens who didn't protect the front line. This reporter thinks that after all the "fat" has been trimmed, a new rookie class of broadcast piranha is ready to hit the big leagues - just in time for 2014.

Oh, the Goombas aren't going to change the way they do business; we in the know-know better. They'll just re-box the same old snake-oil in a shiny new package, and call it something like "The Tea Party".

"Remember, dear readers, you heard it here first: Off the record, on the QT, and very ...Hush-hush." Courtesy of: Tabloid editor Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito)'s tag line in "L.A. Confidential."

Happy New Year!!!

Salud

Dennis, that's quite a list, thanks for sharing it.

I'm hoping the 2012 election signaled that Americans are tired of the extremist right-wing ideologues like Paul Ryan and his TP pals who claim they support fiscal responsibility but whose real purpose is to eliminate compassion for the poor, the elderly, the disabled from government while spending billions and billions more on defense and the military-industrial complex--in other words, remaking the USA into a bigger image of North Korea.

a deal will be reached today, Obama has thrown in the towel, spending cuts are now on the table, that has been the real hold up all along, little Tim Geitner is crying in his tea, he will not get the debt power to give to his real boss the Fed Reserve.

New Year's Resolution 2...start smoking - so as to smoke out more RWNJs in America - in November 2014.

Morning' IR. Happy New Year! I agree with you whole-heartedly. It mystifies me how Congress didn't come back earlier than Boehner called them back so they could start working on a solution before last night. I called my Rep (Cantor) and voiced my opinion that he is not acting in the best interests of the majority of his constituents. I doubt my voice made much difference, but at least I didn't vote for him and did tell the woman who answered his phone what my opinions are.

How about those Redskins last night?

Get well soon Madame Secretary!

2012 has proven itself to be a wild ride...

Can't wait to see what 2013 brings...

To all the wonderful friends I was lucky enough to encounter through First Read and even my "foes", I wish you ALL a joy, peace and love in the coming year!

To Chuck, Mark, Domenico, although I say it often, you have NO idea how much we appreciate your hard work and for allowing us this little corner in cyberspace to express our passionate beliefs...

Woke up very early for California with a call from my daughter in Sydney Australia wishing me a Happy New Year and that first in 2013 she is engaged! He proposed on the bridge during the fireworks in Sydney. What a romantic! Hope you all have a Happy New Year. 113th congress is bound to do more. Can't do worse than the 112th after all. Only way forward is UP! 2013 is bound to be a better year for everyone.

HAPPY NEW YEARS to Everyone from:

Occupy SoggyBottom!

May the New Year bring Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid a New set of Cajones, or @ least a set big enough for Filibuster Reform! If not, America is Doomed to "The Turtle"!

You Betcha!!!

That's wonderful, AnaBanana! All best wishes to you and your family! Happy New Year!

New Year's Resolution 3....End the Tea Party As We Know It.

Keep this in prayers.

Independent Redneck Va.

And Good Riddance Everybody is tired of Idealoges and the Disfunction they are causing. Let's get it over with and try again. Sooner or later we're going to get it right.

"Good riddance" are the first words that came to my mind, too, after I saw First Read's title was "Farewell to the 112th Congress". The Republicans' August 2011 debt ceiling hostage crisis created chaos in the markets, lowered the U.S. credit rating, and slowed down the Obama Recovery from the Bush Recession.

It's also been estimated that the Repubicans' debt ceiling debacle cost taxpayers 16 billion dollars. Ironic because the Republicans were the ones squawking about the $500 million taxpayer loss when Solyndra went bust.

And finally, the current "fiscal cliff" hostage crisis is the result of the bad bargain that had to be agreed upon by President Obama in order to avert a total collapse of the US economy that would have happened if the Republicans' refusal to raise the debt ceiling in 2011 resulted in the government defaulting on its debts.

The next Congress will be marginally less insane than this one has been because it will be missing the likes of Allen West. But the new Congress is still going to have Michele Bachmann and Steven King (the scary Steven King, not the novel writer, who would be a big improvement).

Anyway, Happy New Year to everyone, although how happy it's going to be remains to be seen.

How many days till Obama is gone, and we can get the Tea Party back on track?

Tomas, now that's a fun, terrific article; thanks for sharing it.

I'm all for raising taxes on Millionaires and Billionaires. Unfortunately Obama and his lemmings aren't very bright when it comes to math. FYI, $250,000 is not a million. $1,000,000 is a million. For those that are clueless many small businesses, an S-Corp for example, have their income flow through the SS # of the owner. These are the individuals that will be hit the hardest. The same small businesses that are the engine of job creation in the US.

This has nothing to do with reducing our debt by increasing revenues from these individuals. This has everything to do with a juvenile and covetous electorate that wallows in entitlement and schadenfreude. They also have the laughable belief that somehow the rich man's money is going to enter their bank account. Suckers.

This was on display yesterday while I sat in my local bar watching the early football games. I was discussing politics with my friend when a youth of about 24 or so commented that he's been coming to the bar for six months and ours was the first discussion he had heard about politics. Maybe he had too many beers. He thought to interject himself into our talk by stating screw the rich I've got all this student debt. I turned to him and asked him if he signed the contract for the debt? He replied that he did. I told him that he should probably find another bar and to fvck off.

This is the generation the Leftists have produced. While the parents of the veterans of WWII surely produced the Greatest Generation. More recently we have produced the Worst!

Happy New Year to senior citizen Mitt Romney who will watch a documentary titled 'Obama's 2nd Inaugural' on a senior-citizen discount. Then Mitt is crying during the movie, using Queen Ann's shoulder to cry on and accidentally sneezing on her.

Is there anyone in Congress who is not a millionaire? Is there anyone in the media, or the head of a big corporation, or on the 'talking head' circuit who is not a millionaire?

Middle class people are being asked to subsidize the low tax rates of people who have already ripped them off on housing, gasoline, credit cards, etc. and sent their jobs to China. Middle class people who desperately need Social Security and Medicare are once again being used by those who can well afford to take neither.

The President is the only one who represents the interests of the middle class rather than his own interests. Certainly the media, Big Business and Congress do not appear to care. Support Obama's approach to the Fiscal Cliff and the Debt Ceiling!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

A deal still may not happen. And yes, no real spending cuts have been the issue. That is why the majority of Republicans rejected Plan "B".

Dennis,

Least productive congress ever will be the 112th
Years … Congress – Bills Passed
1996/1997 … 104th – 333 (current record)
2007/2008 … 110th – 460
2009/2010 … 111th – 383
2011/2012 … 112th – 219 >> (+20 awaiting the President's signature) they will need to pass almost another 100 bills today if they don't want to have the new record and by a wide margin.

LOL! Hilarious. Productivity is not how I measure effectiveness. In my opinion the less they do the better. What a bunch of morons.

dennis -- how many bills passed by the house are waiting in the senate?

do not forget that congress is composed of a democrat controlled senate and a republican controlled house.

democrats are simply equally accountable for any failures of this congress.

Dennis, Columbus, Ohio

2011/2012 … 112th – 219 >> (+20 awaiting the President's signature) they will need to pass almost another 100 bills today if they don't want to have the new record and by a wide margin.

I suppose they COULD vote to name another hundred post offices after Ronald Reagan. But since they've worked with great success to wreck the U.S. postal service by imposing unreasonable requirements on pension savings, that might not be so good. After all, they wouldn't want to name abandoned buildings after their demigod Saint Ronnie of Reagan.

AnaBanana, what a great way to start the New Year! Definitely, your son-in-law to be is a romantic.

Houston, well said.

saxon, in your dreams. The GOPers turned DOWN many offers by President Obama which included spending cuts. In fact Boehner tried to get President Obama to re-offer what the GOP rejected during the debt ceiling debacle the repubs caused except President Obama told him he missed that chance.

Maybe T-Rex will explain how the Tea Party can get back on track when it got walloped in 2012 because the majority of Americans think they're just plain nuts.

Happy New Years to all the progressive posters on this site, also the common sense conservatives it is great to see your views. Even if I do not agree.

This pessimist was very pleased to stumble across a site that is not dominated by far right silliness. It is wonderful to read some very feisty liberal post. Especially before the election.

Thank you very much. ☺

I accordance with the liberal policy of 'Blame Bush' for everything bad that happened when Bush was President (despite Democrats controlling BOTH Houses of Congress in his last 2 years), I guess it's time to have a consistent policy, so;

"It's Obama's Fault".

By the way - history does seem to put the blame on the President, not Congress ( the Carter years, the Reagan years, the Clinton years, the Bush years), so it would appear that Obama's 'Legacy' will overtake Jimmy Carter as 'The Worst President Ever', and 'The President that Bankrupted America'.

Obama's intransigence in demanding tax increases could ensure 8 years of 'stagnation' under his 'leadership' - not much of a 'Legacy' for the 'First Black President'.

Man, Obama cannot accept blame for anything. The election is over Obama, you won. Let's start negotiating in good faith..Obama seems intent on going over the cliff and ensuring the blame goes to the Republicans.

The entire Washington is dysfunctional - Obama included. It's his government...he needs to man up at some point. No wonder Republicans are reaching out to Biden..Obama is such a turd (not to take anything away from the Tea Party Republicans - those guys are morons as well).

Is anyone else tired of Obama going on TV and constantly blaming the opposition? How exactly does that help negotiations? How exactly are Republicans supposed to compromise with this guy, when he pretends to offer deals and then immediately goes on TV and backstabs them?

Politicians are all idiots. Don't fool yourself into thinking Obama is above it all.

Just remember that already in November the voters were getting fed up with the extreme right of the republican party (teabuggers!). There will be 11 less returning with the 113th Congress. How many more will be missing in the next election? I hope there won't be even one of them left and no party of No members either. "Tread on them!"

Svenolafson......said:

Quote.......Productivity is not how I measure effectiveness. In my opinion the less they do the better.........EndQuote

.....after he said:

Quote.......I sat in my local bar watching the early football games.........EndQuote

Obviously, Svenolafson is, by his own measure, "effective".

BTW Svenolafson......It isn't necessary to earn $1000k annually to be a "millionaire". Many (maybe most) folks who earn >$250k have net worth in excess of $1000k.

billybob-6210632

democrats are simply equally accountable for any failures of this congress.

Sure. When there's a standoff between the police and a terrorist who's holding a hostage he's threatening to kill unless his demands are met, the police are equally to blame with the terrorist. And it's the Republicans who have taken our economy hostage yet again, just as they did last year when they took the U.S. credit rating hostage during previous debt ceiling standoff.

Roy, How can Obama overtake the Worst President Ever gw bush? He is the only president along with a dozen or so of his staff who have warrants out for their arrest by the World Court in the Hague, Netherlands for "War Crimes!" bush almost ruined the whole American economy and has wasted 7,200 lives in body bags for nothing. He needs to stand trial and maybe the Hague can do that?

feisty -- i too wish hillary the best and that she gets well soon so she can fulfill her obligation as sos and appear before the appropriate congressional committees regarding the now well-known failures that occurred during her tenue.

New Year's resolution 4: more chocolate please...I'm a chocoholic pig...

Are you ready for the 2nd inaugural? I can't wait. We are a chocolate nation.

To start with: Paul Ryan is neither an "intellectual" nor a "leader"...

And here is what the right wing strives for: The United States run by an Aristocracy, "control of affairs by the hands of a minority who have risen to a higher plain of fortune and instruction" and removal of voting and other democratic rights from the majority. This “American Aristocracy" complains that there has been a "degradation of suffrage (the right to vote) to lower and lower strata of intelligence". If you can understand this, you can understand why Republicans hate democracy and majority rule. That is why they are digging their heels in and insisting that they (the minority) should rule our country. However, Republicans omit that wealthy high-rollers playing "Casino Economics" ruined our economy - some of whom received bailout money. The Republican Right Wing continues to spend a great deal of time convincing their own voting block and supporters - who they could not care less about except for their vote - to continue their support. These "supporters" are continually being duped and purposely confused and purposely riled by the right wing toward hate for those whom the "American Aristocracy" despises – which is pretty much 98% of this countries citizenry.

This too, is why the Republican-Tea Party Right Wing is willing to put our very prosperity and security at risk for political gain. They are destroying America, economically, socially and democratically so they can “control the affairs” of the United States via creating a Third-World workforce with no money, hence, no political power. Your standard-of-living is being purposely destroyed by the Republican elite and others – so they can hold sway over all power, property and wealth in America. Put another way, under the Republican “plan”, you will NEVER be able to prosper; you will always be under their control and manipulation. I am sure you can figure out the rest….

2013 will be just like the past four years with the Govt digging deeper holes. The failed leadership will continue to weaken America and make it a third world country.

Thank you, Jody.

Had fun writing it.

Everyone be safe this New Years Eve!!!

Raise your glass and give a toast the late, great Dick Clark!!!

Special (winks) go out to all my fellow columnists here on First Read.

...and for allowing us this little corner in cyberspace to express our passionate beliefs...

Well said, Ms. Redhead.

an extra special (wink, wink) to you.

Salud

Ian Emdee

Svenolafson......said:

Quote.......Productivity is not how I measure effectiveness. In my opinion the less they do the better.........EndQuote

.....after he said:

Quote.......I sat in my local bar watching the early football games.........EndQuote

Obviously, Svenolafson is, by his own measure, "effective".

From what I've heard, sitting in a bar guzzling booze is also John Boehner's measure of effectiveness, too.

So let me get this straight, this deal is almost exactly like the one President Obama proposed to House speaker Boehner, but because it came from a White man the deal may go through as apposed to a Black President Obama?

WOW is all I can say.

Yes, the failed leadership of the House has got to stop. Bonehead and Cantor need to be muzzled and removed from their leadership roles of the republican party before it is too late!

At this point, I think they should put the Presidents plan on the floor for a straight up or down vote!

Let the American people voices be heard...

an extra special (wink, wink) to you.

Salud to you Tomas!

If I haven't told you before, I look forward to reading your witty and accurate comments! ;o)

To start with: Paul Ryan is neither an "intellectual" nor a "leader"...

Will,

Exhibit "A" would be, we haven't heard a *peep* out of the destructive ideologue since he was sent packing back to his "seat"! lol

rukidding47

...The failed leadership will continue to weaken America and make it a third world country

I finally agree with you, 47.

The Republican leadership in congress has truely failed America.

Salud

Happy New Year to all of You! To Congress, FU and may your hemoroids grow like cucumbers all year long.....

I like that- the "do-nothing Congress". No lie!

It's past time to look at setting term limits and setting caps on pay & benefits

I watched Meet the Press yesterday David Gregory had a few High Priests of the False Equivalency on to blame Obama for the debt ceiling debacle. Somewhat surprisingly, "moderate" right winger David Brooks was the only one who acknowledged that the Republicans were "mostly" to blame, for the going over the fiscal cliff. But then he spent all of his time criticizing Obama for not shmoozing with Republicans. The other pundits vigorously nodded their empty heads in agreement.

Then Tom Brokaw opined about how unfair it was to raise taxes on incomes greater than $250K because people with that level of income are not all rich, and some have college tuition for their children and care for aged parents to pay for. Someone needs to explain to Brokaw what a MARGINAL tax increase is. Someone who makes one dollar over the $250K limit would pay a whopping 5 cents more in taxes if the marginal rate went up by 4.6 percent. That five-cent difference probably wouldn't force anyone to throw granny out on the street or yank the kid out of Harvard and put him to work at McDonalds.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERONE.

Hot Buttered Rum, Egg Nog and Munchies at my house tonight. Everyones invited, friend and foe alike.

Tom

Billybob,

I don't think the hatred you guys have for the president is only because he's black, but you guys do hate him.

Without much other rationale, it's not unreasonable for Brenda to assume that his race has something to do with it.

Be honest, you call yourself Billybob. You really have no opinion about our president being black?

Houston,

Further, that 5% really applies to upwards of almost $400K. So if you made $1Million, your taxes would go up by about $30,000. 3% of your income.

If you make $1Million, I promise, 3% is noise, your income fluctuates by much more than that. They won't even notice.

And don't forget, those people making a $million, have been getting that tax break (minus $30,000 in taxes) for more than 10 years.

I have to wonder why, we voterws have allowed this kind of foolishness to continue ? We pay all of congress way more than they deserve..and we do not even get to say whether or not they should get a raise..we as voters have no say in cost of living increases that congress gives itself...we have no say in that they consider themselves above whatever laws they do manage to pass. Nor did we get to say whehter or not any one in congress should be able to "retire" with full benefits from a position they were elected to . All of congress complains about the cost of insurance for those on medicare or medicaid yet give themselves 80K or better per congressioinal rep. They all complain of social security cost..but we tax payers pay into it every pay check...if they are so concerned with the down numbers of funds being paid into social security why is it they have not passed one jobs bill but as per republican...been after more tax cuts for the wealthy ? Which they themselves are a member of. If they are looking for more funding into social security then why have a cap on earn9ing paid into socialsecurity?

i have no opinion about anybody's skin color and obama is no different in that regard. he is nothing special when it comes to race.

on the other hand it seems as though the left is obsessed with his color inasmuch as it comes up some often when attempts to defend his words and deeds are insufficient.

i find him to be a typical politician that lies and cheats to get what he wants.

I am wondering why NBCNEWS is hiding the vote buttons on the anti-Obama posts

New Year's Resolution 5: Make America The Beautiful even more beautiful

billybob-6210632

brenda -- you are nothing but a racist

Because I say the House will not deal with a black man i'm the racist? I am the one saying that the House Republicans are a bunch of racist for not dealing with the President as they do with the Vice President because the Vice President is white. Do you know what racist means? Read a book now and then. And this coming from a person who names themselves billybob, a redneck name if I ever heard one.

Foreclose on all politicians. They don't deserve their wages or benefits. Liquidate everything and put their worthless a$$es on the street!

yes, brenda you are demonstrating racist characteristics.

why is obama's color so important to you?

2007:

Tax Revenue: $2.4 Trillion

Federal Government Spending: $2.7 Trillion

2012 (Projected):

Tax Revenue: $2.4 Trillion

Federal Government Spending: $3.5 Trillion

We have a spending problem...............

SmBusOwner: So you are aware when you increase the current tax rate it is called a tax increase and when you keep the current tax rates the same it is NOT a tax cut.

But how would a liberal know this? They clearly don't understand economics or business so simply repeat what the Democrat talking points are. And only the unintelligent and uninformed would repeat such nonsense that anybody with the IQ at least 10 points above a turnip understands the difference.

What do you call it when a store has a 50% off sale and the prices return to normal Jan 1st. I hope

you wouldn't call it a price increase. I believe the same logic applies to the Bush temporary tax cuts.

Farewell? Hell no! Good riddence to far-right and extremist RE-PUG-LIE-CONS. Oh, did I mention congratulations on your utter failure in this years Presidential Elections. Sure looks like you are on course to do worse in future elections. I'll be pulling for you losers --TO LOSE! Don't forget, you got a very good start, with your obstructionism on the 'fiscal cliff' issues. Keep taking those multi 'stupid pills' and watch your party melt away! Oh, by the way, Happy New Years -- the next FOUR!

ProBusiness

Fixed it.

But how would a liberal REPUBLICAN know this? They clearly don't understand economics or business so simply repeat what the Democrat REPUBLICAN talking points are. And only the unintelligent and uninformed REPUBLICAN would repeat such nonsense that anybody with the IQ at least 10 points above a turnip understands the difference.

I hope in the New Year it will finally sink into you that Rush, Drudge and Faux Newzzzzz have been using you as a stooge to spread lies about Democrats.

Your swill is old and stale and as outdated as a 256 MB flash drive.

But so is the Republican Party.

Its survival of the fittest.

Either change, adapt and join the New America, or be left behind in the 1850's.

Salud

KISS: "I am wondering why NBCNEWS is hiding the vote buttons on the anti-Obama posts"

There's a "vote button" for every post on this page - pro, anti, and in between - just like there always is. Is there a particular post you're referring to? Or is this just a ploy to get people to try voting for the ones you consider "anti-Obama"?

Members of the house and senate should be paid the median income of the state they represent no more and no less.

The median income in TX is $23,400 for 50 weeks work (40hrs a week at $11.20 an hour) the rep make s$174,000 9in salary for 16 weeks work, has the best health coverage-bar none, provided at no cost and is vested with a pension for 5 years service. These are the same people that want to deprive public employees of their right to bargain for a living wage, the same people that fight increases in minimum wage, the same people that fight equal pay for women, the same people that want to cut SS, the same people that want to cut medicare, and all the while they write themselves a blank check. I have said it before and I will say it again if I had to negotiate with these people they would do well to wear clip on ties because I would be reaching across the table to choke some of these phony bastards. We have to be insane to tolerate this. You want to move these negotiations along, throw a big fat cut to their wages and benefits on the table and see how the phony bastards feel about those spending cuts.

PB,

Under normal circumstances, Growth plus inflation in 5 years should add about 25% to the revenue number. That would put the 2012 revenue number around $3T. Throw in the great recession, Revenue stagnant, automatic spending up. Some extra spending like extended unemployment, then there you go. Huge differential. It's BOTH and spending and revenue problem.

Only PB would say I don't understand economics or business. You're a bad judge PB.

Ian,

Svenolafson......said:

Quote.......Productivity is not how I measure effectiveness. In my opinion the less they do the better.........EndQuote

.....after he said:

Quote.......I sat in my local bar watching the early football games.........EndQuote

Obviously, Svenolafson is, by his own measure, "effective".

BTW Svenolafson......It isn't necessary to earn $1000k annually to be a "millionaire". Many (maybe most) folks who earn >$250k have net worth in excess of $1000k.

My, my, my. The assumptions people make. First off Jr. Sitting in a bar watching NFL games on a Sunday has nothing to do with anything other than your lame attempt to get a dig in. For another Jr. what does net worth mean anyway? You going to tax the sh1t out of a farmer because he has a lot of land that has a "net worth" of a million? Kids these days.

Houston,

Ian Emdee

Svenolafson......said:

Quote.......Productivity is not how I measure effectiveness. In my opinion the less they do the better.........EndQuote

.....after he said:

Quote.......I sat in my local bar watching the early football games.........EndQuote

Obviously, Svenolafson is, by his own measure, "effective".

From what I've heard, sitting in a bar guzzling booze is also John Boehner's measure of effectiveness, too.

Another presumptive genius. I don't drink Einstein. With the types of arguments I've seen on here from the Radical Left Wing Liberal/Progressive Wack Jobs I'd say this country is screwed. RIP USA.

Happy New Year to all at First Read and my friends on NewsVine! I learn so much from all of you, and am very proud to know that our country has smart, open minded, people in almost every state.

We re-elected a fine President, and VP (Delaware LOVES Joe Biden!), and have a lot to look forward to in the coming years. We also called out some of the TP clowns, and Limbaugh, and they have less of an audience.

Sending good vibes to Hillary for complete recovery and a long vacation with a cabana boy.

Or is that me?

Svenolafson

Another presumptive genius. I don't drink Einstein.

But John Boehner does, Aristotle. And that's what he apparently has spent most of his time doing as Speaker of the House.

BTW: I doubt you were sitting in a bar drinking kiddy cocktails. I think it's more likely you were lying because you didn't like being made fun of for being in a bar while attacking someone else in the same establishment.

sven, pay no mind to ian '3M TA3' emdee. Doogie Howser is his idol.

And that's what he apparently has spent most of his time doing as Speaker of the House.

ah yes, the drinker of the house funnies. it would appear many FR posters spend time in the Peoples Temple of Imp. Obama, drinking kool aid.

This story implies the next Congress will be better. It's not changing that much, but we can HOPE.

On the subject of wages for our employees,a favourite topic of mine. Not only do they set their own wages , Medical and retirement benefits,but they also set their expenses, which are,of course free of taxation. Most of us have to pay our costs of going to work but they don't and not only that but they get free postage,and expenses for virtually all other costs that we,their employers incur for our daily lives. I repeat they get tax free expenses for allegedly working for us. Do most of us?

I would like to say Happy New Year to all posters and MSNBC. Hope Hillary gets well. I would love to see her back in action.

“For starters, Congress’ approval rating the last time the
NBC/WSJ poll measured it (in August 2012) was just 12%, and a whopping 82%
disapproved of Congress -- the highest percentage in the history of our NBC/WSJ
poll.”

Wow. Not surprised by this number at all. I look forward to getting rid of some more useless extreme right wing GOP members. I hope more moderates come back to politics.

Must've been a short year, the 112th didn't seem to have time to get much accomplished... Cheers to improvements coming up in "Lucky #13".

Trying again with a new group? Does anyone realize that 77% of the House will be returning? As will 88% of the Senate?

So much for kicking out incumbents. The vast majority that ran for re-election won. We can only hope for improvement, but I'm not expecting much.

HN155841

There is always 2014 to make changes.

Svenolafson

I'm all for raising taxes on Millionaires and Billionaires. Unfortunately Obama and his lemmings aren't very bright when it comes to math. FYI, $250,000 is not a million. $1,000,000 is a million. For those that are clueless many small businesses, an S-Corp for example, have their income flow through the SS # of the owner. These are the individuals that will be hit the hardest. The same small businesses that are the engine of job creation in the US.

The problem is that you don't get a lot of juice from taxing the rich, at least not at the currently proposed 4.6% rate increase. You'd have to increase tax rates to at least 50% for millionaires (something I would easily back) to make a substantial dent, so the $250,000 threshold (or the second highest bracket) was placed to add more revenues. And by the way, only 3% of small businesses will be impacted; these may be the "engines of job creation," which I doubt (purely economic reasons), but as they are at the top of the pyramid they ought to be the best ones to handle the tax hike.

This has nothing to do with reducing our debt by increasing revenues from these individuals. This has everything to do with a juvenile and covetous electorate that wallows in entitlement and schadenfreude. They also have the laughable belief that somehow the rich man's money is going to enter their bank account. Suckers.

No; well, maybe. More on that later.

This is the generation the Leftists have produced. While the parents of the veterans of WWII surely produced the Greatest Generation. More recently we have produced the Worst!

You do realize that the Greatest Generation were led by Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was despised by Republicans by founding the American welfare state??? And FYI, this generation wasn't produced by the left; they were produced by the right. I miss the old Republicans, the men of Lincoln and Eisenhower who were compromisers, who accepted a safety net (hell, Lincoln was far to the left of his contemporaries; he was supported by Karl Marx, the founder of communism), and who realized that the free market is an imperfect system made by imperfect men. The new Republicans are the founders of this generation; idiots like Ronald Reagan, Newt Gingrich, and Grover Norquist turned the current generation into one that is dependent on both entitlements AND tax cuts. They think that they are entitled to good benefits but are unwilling to pay for them because unlike their parents, the brave bastards who fought the Nazis and the Japanese and gladly paid taxes to support the American way, they balk at paying for civilization. Idiots like modern Republicans think that all we have to do to solve our problems is lower taxes, cut regulations, and shrink the government, ignoring the structural problems in our economy (bloated financial sector, little manufacturing, income inequality, etc). Your generation, the predecessor to mine, has screwed America with your demand for low taxes AND high benefits. I do look to Europe for guidance; they may be in financial troubles right now (thanks to this goddamn recession/depression), but at least they know that you have to pay your damn taxes in order to live in a rich country. Your generation is still learning that the hard way; hopefully my generation will be able to clear up your generation's goddamn mess.

ProBusiness

2007:

Tax Revenue: $2.4 Trillion

Federal Government Spending: $2.7 Trillion

2012 (Projected):

Tax Revenue: $2.4 Trillion

Federal Government Spending: $3.5 Trillion

We have a spending problem...............

No, we have a FINANCIAL problem. 2007 was the peak of the housing bubble, which artificially raised revenues (like the dot com bubble) and lowered spending. The crash removed the plastic surgery and showed our economy's structural weakness. In addition, the U.S. population (age demographics, etc) was MUCH different in 2007 than it is now; we more retirees applying for Medicare and SS benefits than we did 5 years ago, AND unemployment is still high. That means more spending and less revenues.

I really hope we don't get a deal if the tax threshold is $450,000; I know Obama really wants a deal and is willing to compromise to get it, but he shouldn't throw away the tax threshold; he ought to remember how they stabbed him in the back in 2011 and demand higher revenues and the $250k threshold. If he gets higher revenues in general (somewhere north of $1.2 trillion) I might agree with it, but other than that I really wish that he would stop compromising. Please Mr. President; don't give the GOP fuel. If you do, they'll just beat you up some more.

New Years Resolution - convince Pigotry to market the methane that constantly comes from hers and Feisty Redheads mouth on a regular basis. Her continuous disparaging remarks about anything to do with conservatives or republicans is pure PIG CRAP. She conveniently ignores the fact that about half of this country represents the people, beliefs, and ideology of those she regularly lambastes in nothing more than cowardly innuendo veiled in the safety of anonymity. Open your mouth on the streets in rural America and see what happens. Well Pigotry, got news for you. If the country goes into economic chaos because Congress couldn't hammer out a "fiscal cliff" deal its because the Democrats have never played with an even deck or given a damn about how much our children will owe to pay back the irresponsible spending and borrowing of this administration. The record of this process speaks for itself - and BOTH democrats and republicans - will be the one's to pay at the polls come next elections. If the Democratic abdication of seriousness in their fiscal cliff idiocy doesn't do them in "gun control - aka destroy the 2nd Amendment" will - like it did for Democrat Senators that made the same mistake when Clinton was busy getting BJ's, destroying the countries military and intelligence capabilities and taking the money to create useless bureaucracies or placate parasites and nanny state folks. Harry Reid's and Obama's dismal "my way or the highway" approach is disgraceful, for compromise normally means meeting people half-way. Please refrain from more methane eruption with liberal bull crap and party line talking points that the majority of the country supports the left-wing agenda coming out of the Senate and the White House via Obamas election victory. Last time I checked, about 48% of the country disagreed with their agenda, and intelligent beings KNOW who to blame for the fiscal mess - and there is equal blame with both parties. Instead of gaining more weight to hammer your infantile name-calling of "republiCONS", you need to go back to school and study civics, since it is apparent that you never learned about the 3 branches of government and what they can and CAN NOT do! First however, market your BS induced methane production - I can smell it coming through on my computer! Who knows, it might make you a 1%'er, but then you would probably want to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge in lieu of being wealthy and then getting raped tax-wise by YOUR leaders in Washington. You are SO funny!

Freshieee - It's so easy to spin history, support the goverment stealing other peoples money, and generally suppport socialism and Marxism. FDR's bull crap New Deal did nothing to remedy the Depression, and his apathy towards the Japanese Empire and Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1941 resulted in over 550,000 dead Americans and about 60 million world-wide. His anti-Semitism allowed about a million Jews to be murdered because he refused to liberate concentration camps that he KNEW were practicing genocide. His elitist attitudes towards the 3rd World and support of British and French colonialism led to much of the problems of the latter 20th Century - not to mention the rise of the Soviet Union and Communist China. Spare me the FDR crap - half of the "greatest generation" despised the man! You need to read more about the FDR that WASN'T, and when you're done with that, you can start on the Obama that ISN'T.

Freshieee

The new Republicans are the founders of this generation; idiots like Ronald Reagan, Newt Gingrich, and Grover Norquist turned the current generation into one that is dependent on both entitlements AND tax cuts. They think that they are entitled to good benefits but are unwilling to pay for them

I came to voting age during Reagan, and I didn't vote for it. I advocate paying for what we get.

I'd vote for tax and spend over tax cut and spend any time.

You gotta pay for what you get.

At the same time, the wealth transfer up has to be stopped, and cutting expenditures that benefit the middle and lower classes only exacerbates that.

Taxes gotta go up, and they've got to go up disproportionately toward the wealthy to rectify the opposite that has been occuring over the last 30 years.

JP, you revisionist .......blank...... The Republicans kept us out of WWII until Pearl Harbor you dingbat.

goverment stealing other peoples money

We live in a representative democracy. Those representatives voted taxes into law. You, as a citizen, have to pay taxes as a matter of law, according to your income, among many other factors.

In what way is that "stealing" your money?

JP,

The same Conservative swine that hated FDR, hated JFK, hated Clinton and now hate Obama. They want NOTHING for the good of Americans, only themselves. Unpatriotic Republican Swine. Only care about me, never us.

JP-345944

Freshieee - It's so easy to spin history, support the goverment stealing other peoples money, and generally suppport socialism and Marxism. FDR's bull crap New Deal did nothing to remedy the Depression, and his apathy towards the Japanese Empire and Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1941 resulted in over 550,000 dead Americans and about 60 million world-wide.

First of all, taxing people isn't stealing; it's the way you pay for schools, firefighters, police; you know, the things that make us safe, educated, and wealthy?? Taxes are a due for a club; if people want to be members of the American club, they have to pay the dues to get the benefits. I'd personally raise taxes for ALL Americans, use the revenues to pay down the deficit, and then set to work reforming healthcare (working on Obama's package to get single payer insurance with some Medicare-run hospitals if possible) and education. Secondly, the old conspiracy (or new, which ever one is politically expedient for the moment) about FDR is that he WEAKENED Pearl Harbor's defenses so that the Japs would invade and bring the U.S. into the war. At least, that's what the right-wing did in the years after World War II, as the welfare state proved to be economically beneficial. The American people before Pearl Harbor were unwilling to engage themselves in what they thought of as a European conflict; most of them at the time opposed us going "over there" in World War I and definitely did not want us going "over there" while the Depression was hurting us "over here." Plus isolationism was more widespread in American before WWII than after.

His anti-Semitism allowed about a million Jews to be murdered because he refused to liberate concentration camps that he KNEW were practicing genocide. His elitist attitudes towards the 3rd World and support of British and French colonialism led to much of the problems of the latter 20th Century - not to mention the rise of the Soviet Union and Communist China. Spare me the FDR crap - half of the "greatest generation" despised the man! You need to read more about the FDR that WASN'T, and when you're done with that, you can start on the Obama that ISN'T.

I've never heard of FDR being anti-Semitic; and in either case the American people (particularly their congressional reps) weren't willing to save the Jews if it meant having them flood New York. Plus EVERY other nation ignored the Holocaust, so don't pin the blame entirely on the U.S. Our isolationist politics prevented us from saving the Jewish people. Imperialism and colonialism was the ideology of the day; before World War II, Britain and France (although gradually declining) were major powers politically and militarily; the U.S. didn't have as much bargaining power as it does now. And finally, I know the stuff on FDR; he was a "socialist," an insider for the Stalin regime, the Anti-Christ of capitalism, too favorable to the Russians, and the bastard who weakened Pearl Harbor to get us into World War II. That may not be everything, but it's enough. Apparently you right-wingers can't stand that this "left-wing radical" did something even the most economically conservative (that is, pro-small government) Republican at the time couldn't do; save capitalism. His New Deal, while not large enough to end the Depression, did reform the U.S. economy and fixed it's structural flaws, most notably the large gap between rich and poor and the powerful influence of the big banks. It also led us to a slow yet steady recovery that was boosted by the ultimate example of Keynesian economics: World War II, the stimulus program that lifted us out of the Depression. The New Deal led the way for the recovery and paved the way for long-term economic growth through investments in education, infrastructure, and the safety net.

SmBusOwnerinNY

Freshieee

The new Republicans are the founders of this generation; idiots like Ronald Reagan, Newt Gingrich, and Grover Norquist turned the current generation into one that is dependent on both entitlements AND tax cuts. They think that they are entitled to good benefits but are unwilling to pay for them

I came to voting age during Reagan, and I didn't vote for it. I advocate paying for what we get.

I'd vote for tax and spend over tax cut and spend any time.

You gotta pay for what you get.

I understand that, and I don't think every Baby Boomer is a spoiled brat, but the constant waves of ads of seniors refusing to compromise on entitlement reform (say, chaining CPI or raising the payroll tax) makes me feel that they don't understand that the young cannot subsidize the old at all costs. There must be some give and take. Problem is, Americans got duped by Reagan and then again by Bush 43, so I don't see your position as widespread. At least, not completely.

At the same time, the wealth transfer up has to be stopped, and cutting expenditures that benefit the middle and lower classes only exacerbates that.

Taxes gotta go up, and they've got to go up disproportionately toward the wealthy to rectify the opposite that has been occuring over the last 30 years.

Indeed they do; I'd prefer eliminating the GOP bargaining chip of arguing against tax hikes on job creators by mandating that all businesses pay the corporate tax rate (which would be reformed) and having the income tax apply only to individuals. Hell, I'd have the top tax rate by up to 70% for those making more than $5-10 million and have a flat tax of 55% for estates over $2.8 million. Then again, imagine the outcry on the right and the concern on the left...

Fresh,

I've made the case here for the same thing really. High taxes on high income, with plenty of generous deductions for things that actually benefit the middle class, like domestic job creation.

We had those in the middle of the 20th century, and it forced wealthy people to look for tax deductions to avoid those 70% and 90% tax rates. It worked. The middle class prospered, but the wealthy also prospered. It's not a zero sum game.

When I suggested higher taxes, or even just paying taxes at all, someone yelled COMMUNIST! So much for representative democracy, just paying taxes your representatives in government agreed to is communism.

How many days till Obama is gone, and we can get the Tea Party back on track?

You should be counting down the days to the midterm election. American voters are about fed up with Republican obstructionism and all 435 House seats are up for re-election. American voters have already been promised another Republican grandstand over the next debt ceiling - probably with another reduction in America's credit rating and another downturn in the stock market.

Tea Party back on track? Hahahahahaha!

The Tea Party needs to sit down, put their head between their knees, and kiss their ass goodbye.

Do Nothing Voters who vote for only one party put the Do Nothing Congress in.

One party voters need to be thrown out of this country. For everybody's sake.

The Tea Party has given us the worst Congress. Their fifteen minutes of fame are up -- time to leave the public arena.

Goodbye to a pile of no compromising, no negotiating republican garbage! If they keep Cantor and Bonehead America will continue to be at risk!

most of you greedy right wing nuts probably haven't noticed it, but you are paying the lowest taxes since the 1960's.

Billybob - I think you need to read a little history as well as a dictionary so you can understand what a racist is and means.

Svenolafson......you asked:

Quote.......what does net worth mean anyway?......EndQuote

Net worth = assets less liabilities.

A "millionaire" is, in conventional understanding, a person whose (assets less liabilities aka "net worth") is greater than $1000k. Look it up.

"Millionaires" don't usually spend hours in their "local bar watching the early football games" (likewise with folks who "don't drink"). Otherwise, you might have learned this from one of them rather than insulting a former student who, like many others, struggles to repay loans in an economy still recovering from the depression you folks created when you last had the chance.

It seems you boast of your insults yet bristle when receiving "a dig". Is this more evidence of your "effectiveness"?

John Kaye said:

Quote: What do you call it when a store has a 50% off sale and the prices return to normal Jan 1st. I hope you wouldn't call it a price increase. I believe the same logic applies to the Bush temporary tax cuts.

I hope you are joking and don't really believe your comment because that is one of the most unintelligent and illogical comments I have seen from a Liberal (and I have seen a LOT of unintelligent and asinine comments by Liberals before!!).

So today you go into a store and a pair of shoes is on sale for $30 and you buy a pair. Then tomorrow it goes back to "regular" price. If you buy another pair of shoes tomorrow did the price increase? OF COURSE IT DID!! You CAN'T be that naive - can you? If you pay $30 today and $40 tomorrow I don't care HOW you want to justify it but the price tomorrow is HIGHER than it was today. And when it is HIGHER it is called an INCREASE!!

So if you make $100,000 a year and in 2012 you paid, say, $15,000 in tax and in 2013 when you make the same income you pay, say, $20,000 that is an INCREASE!! Even a Liberal cannot be so unintelligent and asinine to say that is not a tax increase - can they? You liberals want increased taxes - that's fine and is your platform. I disagree but you Liberals want tax increases but you can't be SO stupid as to actually believe that if next year you pay a higher tax amount than this year that is not a tax increase can you? Are you THAT stupid?

The bad news...they'll all be back for the 113th Congress!!!

...then We the People will give them some incentives to Do Something - giving them some SPANKING instead of allowing them to spank each other.

Would that be a spankpiging?

If Barry would compromise people would not be losing their unemployment insurance. Conseratives will get even in 2014. We would rather you just say thank you for a job rather than destroying the channel for creating jobs. I know you want to sit home and have babies you can't afford while collecting a government check but that game is over. Money have ran out. Good luck. You will not be getting anymore of my money to support a life style you are not willing to work or sacrafice for.

Only in Congress can you get a raise for doing nothing while your constituents (subjects, anyone) suffer for your lack of caring for anyone but YOURSELF! Where are the Jobs you clowns campaigned on in 2010. Or was that only YOUR jobs you were referring to?

Phil1788/ The Party of no do not even attempt to compromise,yet Their supporters,such as you,are still trying to by-pass the demands of the voter majority and vote as you're discredited T.P.and their sycophants,Reps. demand. We,The Majority, have decided to hire the P.O.T.U.S. for his second and final term. Accept it and try to stop pushing the ridiculous line,give to the super rich,they need it. Happily you lost .Try to join the majority of American Voters and encourage the advancement of you're,as well as my country.Happy New Year to all of Good Will.

Forth

NDD, amen!

When Hillary gets well she should just slap the piss out of them, if I was Bill it would have already happened. Yeah now I will hear about being an old union thug, but somethings just have to be handled that way. I guess I would never have what it takes to be a president or secretary of state, but Mrs. Grump will always be my girl, and if somebody pulled that $hit on her I damn sure would invite them outside and give them a chance to give me a concussion, whether I was an ex-president or not.

Thanks New Day,

John Bolton is a total ass, always has been. On the world stage where the R's put him, he was a total disgrace.

Really lovely, JoAnne, Happy New Year to you, and to phine!

Pretty Work Joanne and a Sentiment that I can Wholeheartedly Endorse. Thanks for saying it better than Old Uncle Redneck ever could. Happy New Year. And despite our losses hope Springs Eternal for a more Successful Future and some more voices of reason to take their place.

Excellent! Happy New Year!

Oops - full credit goes to husband and wife songwriters Sy Miller and Jill Jackson way back in 1955. And while this perfect song has apparently been recorded over the years by everyone from Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and Tennessee Ernie Ford to the Smothers Brothers, Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, Liberace (?), Lorne Greene (??) and Lloyd Bridges(???), I don't think anyone can touch Vince Gill and his daughter Jenny.

Enjoy.....

I nominate Chuck Todd to be the new host of Meet The Press. I don't always agree with Todd, but at least he brought up the unproductivity of the Republican-controlled House, on MTP, in relation to the false equivalency argument tweeted by the Obama aide. I sat up straight when Gregory read the tweet out loud, attacking our lazy punditry. It rang true to me - and then Gregory completely lost his credibility with a bizarre defese of the media, a defense not based on the facts. Gregory said Americans blame both parties for the fiscal cliff, but polls indicate they mostly blame Republicans. It's the stupid pundits who keep saying "Obama could fix this if he would only invite Republicans over to the White House for dinner more often. If not dinner, then brunch. Maybe cocktails." Yeah, if only Obama would pay a D.C. madam to provide Congressmen with complimentary services, they would cooperate with him." Newsflash: Representatives should do what is right out of their patriotic duty, not because Obama tickles them under the chin.

JoAnne---your beautiful post brought a tear to my eye. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. That is one of my favorite songs and it has been in my head ever since the events of Newtown.

Thinking ahead to 2013, while I am discouraged over the politics as usual in Congress, I remember our joy at the re-election of President Obama and the courage---yes, courage---of people who voted for this remarkable leader. And the coalition we are building that will represent the changing face of America. It will be fun to watch it grow.

Wishing a Happy New Year to my FR friends and to Mark, Domenico and all the folks at FR. I so appreciate your hard work and patience with us. Glad you are taking an extra day off---you all have earned it. Wish I could give you all a generous raise,too!

Excellent post, JoAnne.

Amy, I'll second that nomination of Chuck Todd to host MTP. NBC needs to do something before the show loses what little credibility it has left from the excellence of Tim Russert.

David Gregory is wrong in addition to being rude. The American people blame the republicans more than they blame democrats so the only people who try to cut the GOPers slack are the right-leaning journalists and hosts like Gregory. His attempts to paint both sides with the same brush is just one more example of the beltway media's lost ability to be unbiased and rational. The media also seems to have forgotten that President Obama in the early days of 2009, did have "cocktail hours", and social gatherings weekly, along with a SuperBowl Party for all of Congress. Too bad, the GOPers felt it more important to whine and decline President Obama's offers.

Happy New Year, friends!

I wouldn't invite Congress over to my house either, especially when the specifically stated their number one priority in 2008 was to make Obama a one term President. Well, they failed at that, so now they are trying to make America a third world country, out of spite for losing the presidency, apparently. Why in the world would they risk sending us back into a recession? I just don't understand it.

JoAnne, I agree, Vince Gill's version is absolutely the best, it's wonderful!

Amy, your post #5.5 is terrific! That last line hits it out of the park.

And all of us hear at First Read lost one of the funniest, fairest, and most courageous voices we ever had the pleasure to"meet" in our own regular poster "phinephancy".It's in her memory - and her spirit of knowing that life itself is so much more precious than all the other petty things we battle here every day, that I dedicate my New Year's wish - and resolution - for all of us this year:

To phine!! Beautifully done JoAnne. Thanks for making me cry again. I miss her so much, I didn't spend a lot of time interacting with y'all and when I did I mostly didn't agree, but phine was the one person, who I interacted with outside of "this place" her loss is deeply felt all over the country believe me.

I actually came here hoping for a year end wrap up, instead of a week end, those were my favorite parts of first read, from both sides though I guess no joe is no longer with us?

Feisty my friend, you can be a real bitch, don't ever change! I seem to be losing my battle so please continue to champion on, the same goes for Roy Wilson and the rest of the repubs as well as the rest of you libs (I enjoy watching both sides)

The other day someone commented on the new people I guess I fit that category in a way, but I will say I always tried to see both sides without the name calling violent rhetoric.

On that note I also want to say, SeekingSanity, Bev, Da Noid and Pigotry, as well as the Repub side who seem to have disappeared since the election, y'all need to stop it. Y'all act like the drunk uncles at the family reunion that everyone hates. Agree to disagree, but have some class, watch the ones like Jody, Houston, Roy, Derek, Feisty, IR, newday, etc. Both sides have something to say, but they don't sit around and call others names (for the most part, sometimes emotions do get the better of us)

Anyway, Y'all have a safe and Happy New Years, I hope to see you on the other side.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT1902pVlsE

JoAnne - well said and Happy New Years to all !!

Feisty my friend, you can be a real bitch, don't ever change!

Fitz, I can't think of a bigger compliment coming from you GF! ☺

I seem to be losing my battle so please continue to champion on,

This is NOT the news I want to hear!

You have a "feisty" streak yourself!!!

Like you told me a couple of months ago, you are just too DAMN ORNERY to let it beat you!

I have faith you will prove yourself right!

I'm lighting a candle for you today!

Happy 2013 my friend, to you, your hubby & gorgeous daughter!

{{{HUGS}}}

Fitz: thank you, I am honored. Right back at you, you are one of the conservative voices that I consistently read. A very happy New Year to you and yours.

If there is a battle that you are engaged in that you must win, please know that my prayers are with you. Will be thinking of you.

You are a kind and decent soul JoAnne, as are many other posters here on FR, I imagine Phine and her flock of Flamingos are waving to you with their beautiful pink wings.

FitzsWife - I'm sorry to hear about the battle you say you're losing - may the New Year bring you renewal in both body and spirit. Your comments here have always been well written and civil, and I hope your voice is with us for many years to come.

Forrest - Thank you, that was really sweet. Phine is one auld acquaintance who'll ne'er be forgot. Hope you and Mrs. Grump and all the little Grumplins have a totally awesome New Year!

Thank You JoAnne, we will, Happy New Year to all.

Yes, children, we must remember to make the effort to "play nice". ...we shall never forget Tiny Tim.

So Amy that explains Mitch McConnell's problem, he does not have a chin to be tickled under.

If this recent episode of the fiscal cliff doesn't give people incentive to vote out ALL incumbents,nothing will.

So you are the one watching Morning Joe.

BCWC, Morning Joe is always better when Joe's off somewhere or on vacation. I will say, though, Joe has said some spot-on comments lately about his own party; even he recognizes insanity when he sees it.

Despite the best (worst??) efforts of the morons on both sides of the aisle in Washington, 2012 turned out to be a pleasant and profitable year for long term investors. Hell, even a low information, true believer, Obamabot lefty liberal could have made money just by investing in a plain vanilla S&P 500 index mutual fund or ETF. That index was up 13.4% during 2012.

For example, say someone named “Bev”, who had a 401k with the whole $1,000 balance in the Vanguard S&P 500 index mutual fund on 01/01/12, she would have earned $134 as of 12/31/12. As another example, say someone named “Betty”, who had a 401k with the whole $10,000 balance in the Vanguard S&P 500 index mutual fund on 01/01/12, she would have earned $1,340 as of 12/31/12. As another example, say someone named “Anna Molly”, who had a 401k with the whole $100,000 balance in the Vanguard S&P 500 index mutual fund on 01/01/12, she would have earned $13,400 as of 12/31/12. And say “someone”, who shall remain nameless, who had a 401k with the whole $1,000,000 balance in the Vanguard S&P 500 index mutual fund on 01/01/12, he/she would have earned $134,000 as of 12/31/12.

Each person took the same risk of gains or losses and all received the same proportionate rewards. Sounds fair, right??

NFW , “Bev”, “Betty”, and “Anna Molly”, being true believer Obamabots, would all consider the nameless person to be an evil, greedy, pariah who needs and deserves to be punished with higher taxes for his/her personal financially responsible conservative lifestyle, and the resulting higher retirement savings.

Go figure.

Life is good.

Enjoy.

Billy Bob

The deal they are working on will be voted for by Democrats and probably some Republicans.Not enough Tea Partiers to stop it.

The worst congress ever. Thats what republican control will get you.

smitty -- please do remember that harry reid and the democrats control the senate.

budget anyone?

Tea Bags? Geeze if you would read a bit more than Democrats Hogwash you might understand what there saying, but then too many people are looking for the freebees Obama offered, which they will Never get. Ya know the same thing happend in the late 20s and through the 1930s in Germany, talk about History repeating, but guess America has forgotten its roots. Now that the worst preident in history has been re elected, guess those who voted for this, will get what they deserve, screwed..

Actually, the worst President in history was not elected, but appointed. And that worst President was W. Bush.

President Obama is one of the Greatest Presidents in History. And that is a FACT!

Job1, if the year was 1930 and the country was Germany would you be asking Congress to go along with the wishes of that leader? I thought not. Our congress is all that stands between us and a repeat of what happened to the world in the 1930's as a result of a man who believed and sold the nation the idea their poverty was caused by rich Jews. His solution was as extreme as his beliefs and I do not know what Obama's solutions might be but his beliefs are extreme and not in the best interests of America.

Thus Congress is mandated as a result of their oath of leadership to ensure Obama's extremes never see the light of day

Starman - Just how is what happened in Germany in the 20s and 30s part of the roots of American history? What a bizarre statement.

GHX - Just who was the chancellor of Germany in 1930? Enlighten us.

I see the right wing nut jobs are out there today!

Starman-2398642

...Ya know the same thing happend in the late 20s and through the 1930s in Germany, talk about History repeating, but guess America has forgotten its roots.

Let's keep it straight.

Liberals are the Sociallists, Republicans are the Fascists.

PS. Prescott Bush did business with Hitler!

Salud

who believed and sold the nation the idea their poverty was caused by rich Jews

That is priceless - comparing to an small tax increase on the wealthy in modern America to a dictator blaming poverty on rich Jews in 1930s Germany. How many more feeble comparisons will the right be tossing around in 2013?

job1 -- in your opinion obama is one of the greatest. do not presume to believe that because you have an opinion that it is a fact.

bush was elected according to the law of the land. maybe time for you to move on.

Nope billybob, you are wrong again.

Starman, where do you get your history? 1920s and 1930s Germany are PART of the United States roots? Got a suggestion for you - read "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reicht", one of the best analyses on Hitler and the Nazis.

This is what worries me about Americans, their ignorance of not only American history, but history in general.

@MartinBecker,

Since Starman, given his complete ignorance of 20th century German history, will be unable to answer your question, Muller was German Chancellor in 1930 - he was a social democrat. Hitler did not become chancellor until 1933.

Both sides sold out to big corporate interests and have off-shored our jobs now for some 40+ years. It is this and not tax policy that creates poverty and suffering. Obama is no better and also supports off-shoring of our jobs...

Link for your education :

http://www.informationweek.com/software/soa-webservices/us-to-train-3000-offshore-it-workers/226500202

How much personal debt do you have. I suspect relatively speaking you are personally in as bad a shape as the government when it comes to debt.

How would you know Phil?

The amount of ignorance on this blog by Libs is truly scary. Libs actually thinking the IRS has something to do with the current crisis is hilarious!!

Exactly.....easy to negoiate with someone who is inferior.

Gee...It's good to see you think so highly of President Obama

They didn't think he would accomplish anything but called him it just to make sure that Biden also was "inconvenienced" over the weekend. They are just making another token attempt at a compromise. They should have come up with a plan weeks ago and none of them should have been allowed to leave Washington DC until it was settled.

IRS got nothing to do with it. Call your Senator or Congressman.

Exactly !!

Wow. That is pretty pathetic.

Yes...Republicans are that pathetic.

No the fact that you would play the race card. Really sad. You really have no positon to stand on so lets bring the race thing up. Crawl back in your hold G brown.

leroy brown Thank You for representing the republican/tea party so well. You are a credit to your party. Please post more your impressing us with your good republican view.

Smitty: We can only hope that the post of leroy brown was sarcastic. Very poor regardless.

Leroy is a democrat, otherwise they would censor this opinion.

He sounds like he grew iup with Barry and knows him well.

They want to sit at home and have someone else take care of them. Gotten lazy.

The problem is Democrats are too stupid to follow local elections because they are too busy just trying to keep food on the table and let Ass-hole Republicans steal Congressional and State government seats by connieving and buying elections..

They only stay focused on getting the President elected and let the fox in the hen house for everything else in government.

If Democrats and middle class Americans would stay focused....we could vote money grubbing Republicans out of government for good !!!

John if what your saying is true and I tend to think your partly correct but if its true then America failed America, our political leaders are also American citizens and they vote just the same.

G brown: Lets hope they have learned their lessons well. We must remember 2010!

Another uneducated voter.

What a bunch of malarkey...

Bush did more for the poor than Obama ever did. In fact show me ONE verifiable thing Obama has actually DONE (Not said) to help the poor. I don't want to hear how many more are on government support either - that is not what the poor want. They want good jobs and opportunity not a small government pittance each month. Is that what YOU want for the poor?

ghx bush did more for the poor............

I have to ask you the same question sort of. What did bush do for the poor? Show some proof.

From the GOP perspective, Bush had two signature accomplishments, cut taxes that predominately benefited the super rich and started the Iraq war. How did that help the poor?

In terms of percentages the poor benefited far more than "the evil rich" from Bush tax policies. 15% tax bracket became 10%. The child tax credit doubled to $500 and expanded the earned income tax credit for the poor. All helped hard up families. And WHAT exactly has Obama done? Tomorrow he eliminates ALL of those programs helping the poor and for what? Just to get his dig in on a few rich folk.

Face it being rich is great.

Excellent credit ratings, high end food, first class travel, nice homes, new cars and so on. All things the poor do not get. How is that fair? Face it being poor sucks but at least Obama could act like he gives a rats A.. about the poor!

Obozo must really love the poor! He has created so many of them!!

We await.

ghx Than why do you people calling people slackers for not paying taxes when the tax code allows those deductions? You just ended the complaining about people not paying income taxes. Thank You. If you look at it your argument for the poor is just blowing smoke. I'm sorry your wrong its not Obama's fault. Congress made up the cliff. So we go back to the Clinton tax rates, thats nothing new. If it helps the country I don't mind paying more in taxes. You should feel the same way its your country to.

They don't want to talk about any of this.

Mmm, a long driveling list of issues that existed prior to and after the November 2012 elections, and yet we voted Obama in for another term. Obviously, voters aren't too concerned with that list. What voters did say is raise taxes on the wealthy, which the GOPTP refuse to do, despite the desire of the majority of the country.

Certainly, the landslide victory of the President negates the notion the intransigent Tea Nutters are sticking up for the country at large.

ghx Your trolling now. Please don't feed the trolls. If you do feed them the bull$hit that they spew back to them.

GHX as we saw in the 2012 election, your in the minority if you liked this congress.

If I am in the minority then why do we have a large MAJORITY in Congress?

My guess because most folks voted for reasons other than fiscal ones. (lady parts, race etc)

GHX

If I am in the minority then why do we have a large MAJORITY in Congress?

Because of GERRYMANDERING. Democratic candidates for Congress got a million more votes combined than Republicans got. If the House of Representatives were truly representative of the voters, Nancy Pelosi would be Speaker now. Unfortunately, the House is mostly representative of the Koch brothers and the other big money boys who bought and paid for the Republican majority that now controls it.

GHX....anytime congress can stop the ignorance of the left is a big win!!!

only a republican like david...someone allergic to math (science) thinks that that 9% approval rating from the people by the people for the people of the u.s. of a. is a winning formula... i thought the dinosaurs all died out.... but david youre and exception to the rule.... the country doesn't think the gop and boehners' house a success so that just makes you and your opinion.. IRRELEVANT....HUH DAVID... another words david 91% of the people ...