If you weren't watching this play out with your own eyes, you wouldn't believe it could happen. It is too unbelievable to even be called fiction. In this country, we like to pretend is the greatest nation on earth, our future is in the hands of idiots, and they have a name. They are Republicans. It's not just Republicans in Congress. They didn't get there alone. They needed all the help they could get....from the idiots who elected them.

Pointing fingers? Playing the blame game? No, it's not that for one second. Republicans want this mess. For more than three decades, Republicans have constructed the paradigm for the destruction of government, and are doing their level best to blame failure on someone else. More than three decades? Yes.

It was a President who called government the problem, who committed egregious impeachable offenses, and left office with less than a sound mind. It was President Ronald Reagan who set us on this path to financial destruction. No matter that he seemed like a nice man, he set this train wreck in motion. By the time, President George W. Bush was nearing the end of his term, it wasn't just the government that was teetering on the brink of destruction, it was the entire nation.

Hope and change? Damned right. What else was there? So, President Barack Obama was elected to lead the nation. On the night he formally took office, 15 Republican Congressman met to plot his failure. The Senate Minority Leader told us, the goal was NOT an economic recovery, it was to destroy President Obama. That was it. Destruction.

Unemployment was skyrocketing. The economy was contracting - a nice way of describing a collapse. Government was gridlocked, because regardless of what the Republican lie machine told us, there was NEVER a Democratic majority that Mitch McConnell couldn't stop with the threat of a filibuster.

Evil Democrats were creating a climate of uncertainty. How awful. How terrible. Today though, given the actions of Republicans, uncertainty is now virtuous. Republicans take us from one crisis to another. In spite of their obstruction, employment has steadily increased, the housing market is recovering, and the stock market has come back. Such success becomes failure in G.O.P. world.

Pivot to House Speaker John Boehner. This is the guy who had the solution - a 13-page budget with no numbers. Not a single number, which is the blueprint for boy genius Paul Ryan - Mr. I-have-a-perfect-budget-and-I'll-show-you-AFTER-I'm-elected. With uncertainty now a virtue, we need a fight about the debt ceiling. Ignore the "sequester" that we created, because we can blame the President. For now, we'll thump our chest and say we got 98% of what we wanted.

This is the Republican modus operandi. When you have a base that has a single source of disinformation, you can tell them anything. They have neither the brains nor the memory to be able to realize that their puppet masters are pulling their strings. It's all about lies, dogma food, and fool-ade.

Given the stupidity and insanity that is the foundation of today's Republican Party, 2014 should be a cakewalk for Democrats. It won't be. Be ready to vote, because you can't cure stupidity.

Do-Nothing-Congress budget cut illusion .... continues.....

In one case, the funds were earmarked for a road that did not even exist.

In 1998, Congress had earmarked $375,000 to upgrade "State Road 31" in Columbus, Ind. But there is no State Road 31. It was a mistake. So the money sat. In the 2011 budget deal, Congress took that money back.

"Don't count that as a cut," said former representative David M. McIntosh (R-Ind.), whose earmark was responsible for the imaginary road. He said the mistake wasn't his fault: The state got the name wrong when it asked for money in the first place. "It never added, and would never add, to the debt. Your whole goal here is to reduce the amount of public indebtedness."

Both Democratic and Republican aides, however, defended this process in recent interviews. They argued that, under certain conditions, this "orphan" money could still have been spent by states or the federal government. To cut it was to eliminate that possibility.

This approach led, in some cases, to situations where large "cuts" on paper translated into relatively small changes in reality.

Now the failures of that 2011 bill have come back to haunt the leaders who crafted it. Two years later, it appears that some of the budget cuts from April 2011 turned out to be less painful than originally believed.

And now many have embraced the sequester, a looming $85 billion across-the-board cut set to take effect March 1.

Do-Nothing-HouseOfBoner....cont

Now Washington is facing the "sequester," which would cut $85 billion starting March 1. The administration has sought to persuade Republicans to cancel it or replace it with a package of spending cuts and tax increases.

This time, the White House says, the cuts would be very real and very painful.

But some argue that the sequester is a "dumb cut," in Washington parlance, which would cut the government's best ideas along with its worst without regard to merit.

But at least, conservatives say, you can trust that this one is for real.

Pat---I had Morning Joe on during that segment and had to switch away. Not so unexpected that Joe spouts those lies but very disappointing that Ed Rendell and Rev. Sharpton didn't vigorously refute them. Maybe it is the etiquette of going on someone else's show but what it resulted in was a switched channel for me.

So after all that grandstanding and drama, Chuck Hagel will be confirmed. What did the republicans get from that, just bad press from what I see. Possibly turned a few votes in the Dems columns for future elections and earned the enmity of many that may come back to bite them....one can only hope so.

Kick the Can

From the article above:

Assuming every Senate Democrat votes for Hagel, that’s at least 58 votes for simple passage. But more importantly, the Shelby news means that there are now at least 60 votes to beat any additional filibusters, because the Obama White House was just one vote away from reaching that threshold.

The Mad Hatter Tea Party Congress doesn’t like Chuck Hagel simply because he wants to cut spending to the Military Industrial Complex.

They also don’t like the Sequester because it will cut military spending as well, but most of all, it will close loopholes that their rich constituents desperately depend on for their opulent lifestyles.

So as usual, Boehner’s boners want to cut spending for the Poor and Middle Class as they love to do because “those people” don’t fund their campaigns.

In the end, Hagel will be confirmed, the Tea Party will kick the can down the road, the HOR’s will look bad, and President Obama will continue to enjoy his huge popularity by the majority of Americans.

We now interrupt this program to bring you the following message:

“You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six.”

Yogi Berra

Have a great weekend!!!

Salud

I can't believe the Republicans sometimes. (Actually anytime.) We just get rid of "just say no" DeMint and the Repugs elect another idiot to replace him. This guy Cruz is this all the makings of another real jerk. Will the Repugs ever learn? I doubt it.

Looks like Hagel will "finally" get confirmed. About time, What a Clown Show this has been.

Sequester coming up. Hang tough Mr. President, you have the hammer.

It has been less than 26 months since the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives and we are facing our 5th self-inflicted financial crisis and by the end of March we may be facing our 6th as the current Continuing Resolution to fund the Government expires then the looming Debt Ceiling debate become the 7th.

7 manufactures financial crisis in 28 months … what a great place to start a business

New study badly undermines GOP position on sequester

by Greg Sargent

In a rational world, a new study that came out today on income equality would constitute a major blow to the GOP argument on the sequester.

The new study was performed by Thomas Hungerford of the non-partisan Congressional Research Service. Though the study is not a CRS product, Hungerford’s data is widely cited on both sides; he’s an impeccably objective analyst.

Here’s what Hungerford found: The single greatest driver of income inequality over a recent 15 year period was runaway income from capital gains and dividends.

This finding is directly relevant to the current debate, because Obama and Democrats want to offset the sequester in part by closing loopholes enjoyed by the wealthy, such as the one that keeps tax rates on capital gains and dividends low. Dems want to do this in order to prevent a scenario where the sequester is averted only by deep spending cuts to social programs that could hurt a whole lot of poor and middle class Americans. Republicans oppose closing any such loopholes and want to avert the sequester with only deep spending cuts.

Hungerford’s report, like all serious examinations of inequality, is very complicated. He looks at a bunch of recent data on inequality from the period from 1991-2006 — measured by the so-called “Gini index” — and calculates the degree to which various factors exacerbated it. Hungerford found that over that period, the rise in the Gini index (a story that’s been widely told elsewhere, one that’s largely been driven by the runaway wealth of the top one percent and top 0.1 percent) was driven mainly by the rise in capital gains and dividends income.

“By far, the largest contributor to increasing income inequality (regardless of income inequality measure) was changes in income from capital gains and dividends,” the report concludes.

Or, as Hungerford put it in an interview with me: “The reason income inequality has been increasing has been the rising income going to the top one percent. Most of that has come in capital gains and dividends.”

(emphasis mine)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/02/20/new-study-badly-undermines-gop-position-on-sequester/?hpid=z2

Joe in Albany

Lefty liberals are just so entertaining that FR could qualify as a comedy website. The lefty liberal comedy is the sole reason I love FR.

Another Rightie wingnut who doesn't love his own ... they love to clone instead. Enjoy your day Dolly.

BAAABAAA!

What did the republicans get from that

They just showed the Nation that they need to be replaced!!!

Steeler Fan: I was very disappointed in Rev. Al too, but like you said - if you're a guest . . .

David...great post. I see these republicans as a vainglorious bunch of **stards who have the destruction of the country on their doorstep as they help their backers and themselves get rich. Apart from their faux family values schtick, everything else is centered around the extremely well off business community.

There is no sense of 'we the people' in anything they offer or do, we are at the point now, that all their offerings are looked at by many with a jaundiced eye, knowing that the true cost of any legislation will end up hurting 'we', because their deeds don't match their rhetoric.

jOE OF #1.3 - just another Man Behaving Badly

Behave, Joe. What are you talking about? You posted:

And just for one of FR’s most miserable lefty liberals, David Wanker

Why Joey can't spell? Can't spell Walker? Go back to the elementary school, redo it.

'lefty liberals'? what R U? A ''righty liberal'?

Yes, let's keep score. It's what matters most in D.C. isn't it? Debts, deficits, economy, taxes, meaningless in the face of "our guy/party won, and your's didn't, ha ha". Let's spend our time blaming and pointing fingers, that should lower unemployment. Talking points are worth more than gold, except they don't put groceries on table, or solve a single problem. Nice win.

What did the republicans get from that, just bad press from what I see.

Exactly Gingerbread Mamma.

In a normal political atmosphere, one would expect that the grandstanding, Chuck Hagel-smearing crowd would now stand on the Senate floor with a public apology for having bought a crock of slanderous lies and used those lies to smear a Vietnam war hero.

Great posts to end the week Pat Boston, David Walker, plus Pigotry provided the Washington "magic" budget show. Yesterday GOPers were praising Rand Paul for returning money he didn't use--well, it is the same budget magic, smoke and mirrors.

As for why Rendell and Sharpton weren't vigorous in calling Joe Scarborough out, my past observations is arguing with a ideological tool only makes Joe S yell louder--just like the rest of the GOPers. You can't argue with someone like Joe S who has to be right even when he's wrong and who will not listen. They likely got their points in once Scarborough exhausted himself from his morning rant.

Jody, I agree with your "take" on Scarborough. It's what made me turn him off.

But what I saw this morning was a few "yes men" to Scarborough, particularly Barnicle & Rendell. It was pathetic. They're democrats?

Piggy, Joe is a "righty fascist". A scourge on America. Lower then a snakes belly, he reserves the right to be wrong.

Hey, Joe in Albany who writes (#1.24)

Why Joey can't spell? Can't spell Walker?

Pigslop: I call then as I see them. You are Pigslop and David is a Wanker.

LMFAO@U!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LMFAO???

...But you are incapable of this 'LMFAO', I doubt if you even have an 'arse', instead you should say 'LMF?O', and then look up and down your body to find something to fill in for the '?' if you've got anything there.

It's what made me turn him off.

Speaking of tuning out - did you see where NBC renewed Gotcha Gregory's contract on MTP?

You would think when NBC comes in 5th behind Univision in ratings, they would take a serious look at the mess they've created.

Sadly, I think this is just the beginning now that ComCast has taken over...

Its either he has no arse or he is all arse. Take your pick piggy.

Gee, I thought this article was primarily about Hagel's accession to the Secretary of Defense. We knew it would happen and while I don't think all the hoopla was necessary, it's not without precedent. This happens all the time. I don't understand why everyone seems to all hung up on the questioning. IT IS PART OF THE PROCESS.

Will Hagel do a good job? Time will tell. But let's move on with getting the economy fixed.

The Do-Nothing-Congress (2011-13,the 112nd) actually did something/or nothing, mostly by the GOP-controlled House? It’s you call.

Sometimes it's better just to do nothing. Seems that the models for climate change are not being substantiated by the observed results. That's right the planet isn't warming fast enough.

So, sensitivity has been in the climate blogosphere a bit recently. Just a few days ago, that odd Norwegian press release got some people excited, but it’s not clear what it really means. There is an Aldrin et al paper, published some time ago – which gave a decent constraint on climate sensitivity, though nothing particularly surprising or interesting IMO. We thought we had sorted out the sensitivity kerfuffle several years ago, but it seems that the rest of the world still hasn’t yet caught up. As I said to Andy Revkin (and he published on his blog), the additional decade of temperature data from 2000 onwards (even the AR4 estimates typically ignored the post-2000 years) can only work to reduce estimates of sensitivity, and that’s before we even consider the reduction in estimates of negative aerosol forcing, and additional forcing from black carbon (the latter being very new, is not included in any calculations AIUI). It’s increasingly difficult to reconcile a high climate sensitivity (say over 4C) with the observational evidence for the planetary energy balance over the industrial era.

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/04/a-closer-look-at-moderating-views-of-climate-sensitivity/

If the Republicans succeed in wrecking the economy, even some of the voters in the carefully gerrymandered Republican districts might rebel in 2014, and throw enough tea bag extremists out of the House that the Republicans will lose control. After all, Republicans won't like to wait two hours going through understaffed TSA security lines at airports any more than Democrats will. Republicans probably also won't think that increased risk of food poisoning after FDA inspections are cut back is a price that that they're willing to pay for the budget cuts the Republicans are demanding. There are a lot of other services that the hated government provides that they'll suddenly find they don't like doing without.

Tomas, well said. DCIA, excellent information.

CA Tom, off the record Senate Republicans refer to Ted Cruz as "Jim DeMint without the charm".

I am always mystified by the GOPer legislators argument that raising the minimum wage kills jobs--well, they think everything kills jobs but I digress--because logic arrives at the opposite opinion. Those earning minimum wage are living at or below the poverty line. They have very little, if any, discretionary spending money. If their wages are raised, they will have more discretionary money to pump into the economy. Since our economy is driven by consumption, that means that raising the minimum wage means a stronger economy. The truth about the GOP rhetoric on the minimum wage has nothing to do with what they believe but rather everything to do with certain greedy Corporate powers who--short-sighted as they are--give the GOPers thousands and millions in campaign money to not raise the minimum wage, not regulation, not tax them. Greed lacks long-term vision and lacks intelligence to see they cut off their own noses to spite their face.

Pat Boston, Barnacle wants to keep his job on the show; Rendell has always been a bit of a panderer when a guest on right-leaning shows.

Feisty, I guess at this point it doesn't matter. Corporate media isn't respected any longer which is why we see so many fabulous websites out there doing the real work. The real journalism.

Corporate media let us down for years by kissing up to the GOP establishment. We the people have learned our lesson and have taken things into our own hands.

So hasn't President Obama for that matter.

Alan in NJ -- NASA says the changes are REAL. The damage can be viewed from space. If you can't wrap your head around that fact go look up the pics.

I don't mean to preach so I will try and keep this short. I understand that I don't have to come to the comments section on First Read, but I consider FR the same as I do a very bad traffic accident. I don't want to look, but it is so bad that I can't help but look.

I can't get over the current group of people (Feisty, Pigotry, Pat, etc.) that just continue to post in here and stroke each other off. I need to say that the way that you belittle and stereotype republicans (not just those in office but those that carry some republican principles) makes others that share some of your social views, such as myself, reconsider those positions. Anyone that resorts to calling names and in essence acting like a grade schooler makes individuals such as myself think that I wouldn't want to be like you folks. This also goes to obvious "Republicans" such as Joe. I'm still not convinced he is anything other than a troll.

I need to point out that......Republicans + Independants > Democrats. This is an easy equation to understand. I ask that you consider the people that you are potentially alienating by your continued spewing of venom and hate. Enough said....I'll be moving on. Thanks.

Some people fail to remember that the Executive Office holder is the Chief Executive of this country. He is responsible for the business of this country and his influence shapes what happens here. I know liberals want to blame the republicans... so I offer a reality check on who the person in charge is.

Sure...and while we're at it, lets not let that whole "Separate But Equal Branches of Government" and "Checks and Balances" thing stand in the way of your argument.

Maybe that's why Conservatives keep railing about President Obama wanting to be king...because secretly they want him to be king and seize all power.

Houston, we really got a problem.

It's surreal ... how could this happen...I read something you posted in #3.2, but later I found the same post in #1.35 (the scary part? there is nothing in #3.2).

You are either a magician, or an astro-for-naught who can perform cyber-walk. Pun-intended...a well-meaning pun.

Yea

Another idiot in a cabinet of fools.

How unremarkable.

To our eyes, the biggest thing that was new was the revelation that a supposed group called “Friend of Hamas,”

==========

Nothing better than watching Senate Republicans try to buy some time for their red meat chewing part of the Party to come up with the smoking gun so they can continue to act a fool and the best that wing can come up with is "Friends of Hamas". You see the conservative network distribute the talking points and boom it's everywhere to only then turn around and see that your chain has been jerked.

Epic GOP fail once again. The Country is getting tired of it guys.

seriously?! - great post! It made my day.

{smile}

Joe in Albany,

Do you ever get tired of always being on the losing side?

Some people fail to remember that the Executive Office holder is the Chief Executive of this country. He is responsible for the business of this country and his influence shapes what happens here. I know liberals want to blame the republicans... so I offer a reality check on who the person in charge is.

=============

Um, no the Executive Office holder is CEO of the Federal Government. You've got 50 other CEOs who are called Governors.

Sadly, I think this is just the beginning now that ComCast has taken over...

I think the same thing, Feisty......

I seldom watch Morning Jerk, and stopped watching Gotcha long ago.........

seriously?! - great post! It made my day

Mine too!

*grinning*

I seldom watch Morning Jerk, and stopped watching Gotcha long ago.........

Chilled,

I wonder if having John McNasty on every Sunday morning was part of Gotcha's deal? lol

Someone said last week; If it's Sunday, it's meet John McCain!

Republicans in the Senate just wasted a bunch of time for nothing. Hagel will get confirm and these idiots will find something else to whine about next week (Sequester).

Joe in albany is just like that other nutcase name Casear.

"Attention Whores".

Pigotry

It's surreal ... how could this happen...I read something you posted in #3.2, but later I found the same post in #1.35 (the scary part? there is nothing in #3.2).

It was the magic of the delete key.

Pat Boston MA.:

You have nailed it. The problem is corporate media. Here's an almost perfect example of what you say. Fox is the standard for this crap, but make no mistake they aren't alone.

They have cultivated a target audience that is identified by ignorance. They push a narrative that is not based on fact, but on total fabrication, misleading editing, and constant reinforcement. They have even adopted a purely Orwellian and almost laughable motto: Fair and Balanced.

For having a loyal and consistent audience, advertisers reward Fox with revenue. Corporate America and Big Money interests are not interested in accuracy. They are interested in profits. They are going to go where they get the highest return on their investment.

Other networks aren't much different. Media buyers watch trends carefully. They direct their dollars to other media as well. They see ratings rising at such stations as MSNBC and will reward them with dollars. Again, truth is not an issue. ROI is the issue.

If you are familiar with the broadcast industry, you know of the ratings WARS. We all know that the first casualty in war is the truth. Some sources are more accurate than others, but only a fool imagines that he has found a single fountain of truth.

I am Frist...today...on Fristday (Friday)

woohoo...

P.S. (pig $hit): Oink...

Sure...and while we're at it, lets not let that whole "Separate But Equal Branches of Government" and "Checks and Balances" thing stand in the way of your argument.

Those things do not stand in the way of the argument. Maybe you should read the entire Constitution and learn from it what the duties of the President are. I doubt seriously Obama has read it... If he has, he sure doesn't live by it.

Um, no the Executive Office holder is CEO of the Federal Government. You've got 50 other CEOs who are called Governors.

Tell me how Governors of the states shape federal policy. My original comment was based on the comment that all the manufactured economic crisis's were solely the fault of the republican house. Liberals beat that dead horse until there's nothing but bones left. The president governs... or is supposed to be governing when he's not on a constant campaign binge blaming republicans for every problem in the world, or on vacation.

Steeler Fan-380417

Pat---I had Morning Joe on during that segment and had to switch away. Not so unexpected that Joe spouts those lies but very disappointing that Ed Rendell and Rev. Sharpton didn't vigorously refute them. Maybe it is the etiquette of going on someone else's show but what it resulted in was a switched channel for me.

Typical libby... when discussions move in a direction that you don't like you simply hide from them, ignore them, turn the channel, and scream RACIST!

You even turn your back on the wonderful Rev. Al

HAHAHAH...

Childish.

Pathetic.

what no reporting of how common man John Kerry made 10s of thousands when Warren Buffet's company buys Heinz?

mary p

Miss Piggy, you are an idiot. Or you don't keep up. It is the Democrat Senate that has refused to pass anything. They have broken the law for 4 years straight because Reid refuses to allow a budget bil to reach the floor.

==============

Mary, it is a cute talking point, but if you believe the Senate (not Senate Democrats...but the (whole) Senate) has "broken the law for years", who is supposed to prosecute the Senate?

Feisty Redhead

Someone said last week; If it's Sunday, it's meet John McCain!

That's a good one! I've noticed that on both ABC and NBC Sunday morning shows, the panel of guests is almost always stacked two-to-one in favor of Republicans and conservatives against Democrats and liberals. Sometimes its four-to-one. Back during the Bush misadministration before Keith Olbermann changed the network's trajectory, MSNBC had an explicit rule of a two-to-one ratio. MSNBC no longer follows that rule, but it looks like it's been adopted by ABC and NBC. (CBS doesn't do panel shows. They have Bob Schaeffer on Sunday morning mouthing the Republican platitudes while pretending to be impartial.

Thank you David. It took an awful long time but we figured it out.

I guess when you grow up with Walter Cronkite and all the others, you just assume you can trust the media.

Today is a vastly different media landscape.

Too much of today's media is opinion. But a lot of it is just plain lies. Outright lies.

I wonder. Why do they feel the need to lie? I guess it's because they don't like us regular folks and use us in an attempt to divide us all.

I think Joe Scarborough is just dying for President Obama to make some cuts so his supporters will get angry at him for the cuts. Joe would love nothing better than to see that because he thinks that will help the GOP.

It won't.

seriously delirious writes:

what no reporting of how common man John Kerry made 10s of thousands when Warren Buffet's company buys Heinz?

Americans doing business - and your problem is?

They have broken the law for 4 years straight because Reid refuses to allow a budget bil to reach the floor. Do you seriously think? Did you not take high school civics? Harry should be arrested. 0bama has only sent one budget in and it failed 97 -0. Where do you get your information?

Where do you get your information?

Here is the vote on Congressman Ryan's budget in 2011...

www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=1&vote=00077

Here is the Senate vote on Senator Toomey's proposed budget in 2011...

www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=1&vote=00079

Here is the Senate vote on Congressman Ryan's proposed budget in 2012...

www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00098

Here is the Senate vote on Senator Toomey's proposed budget in 2012...

www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00099

...and as for the "budgets" proposed by President Obama, what was defeated were "straw man" budgets submitted by Senator Jeff Sessions and Congressman Mick Mulvaney that they claimed to be the President's proposed budgets but offered no concrete numbers. This explains why the documents were only about 20 pages long and not the 2000 pages that a budget actually should be.

Joe in Albany

"The lefty liberal comedy is the sole reason I love FR."

Good. I didn't think you were here to add anything intelligent to the discussion. Black holes shed more light on things than you do.

mary p

It is the Democrat Senate that has refused to pass anything. They have broken the law for 4 years straight

This is what we called Stuck on Stupid. This fool said the Senate has not pass anything in 4 yrs. Key word (Anything) Below is a list of bills that was Pass and Rejected by the 112th congress. But Mary P said the senate has not pass Anything. Mary I know researching FACTS is hard for somebody that listen to non-stop Conservative nuts on the Radio, but I'll help you anyway...

www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_112_2.htm

Actually, Mary like many republicans need to get her facts and stop listening to the lies of the right wing concerning the budget.

It's a little shell game being played by the Republicans concerning the budget. Here are the facts.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/house-and-senate-unanimously-reject-obama-budgets-or-do-they/

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/apr/06/mitt-romney/romney-says-obama-failed-pass-budget/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/16/senate-budget-jeff-sessions_n_1522643.html

Auntie (#1.63)...

Black holes shed more light on things than you [Joe of Albany] do.

a good one. The only difference is that people are seriously interested in the Black Hole inside the Sun.

Joe in Albany

"The lefty liberal comedy is the sole reason I love FR."

Good. Black holes shed more light on things than you do.

Auntie's insult hit a big 0 on the Richter Scale.

Assuming every Senate Democrat votes for Hagel, that’s at least 58 votes for simple passage. But more importantly, the Shelby news means that there are now at least 60 votes to beat any additional filibusters

Does this mean we can now put this puppy to bed? I thought I was good at wasting time, but the U.S. Congress can't be beat! They are my heroes of time mis-management!

He will be confirmed and it will only take 51 votes...

• !

#36 - Thu Feb 14, 2013 3:44 PM EST
--------------------------------------------------------------

Looks like 7 "Patriot" Governors turned RINO on Medicaid expansion and are being tossed under the bus by the commentariat...

Perhaps it was not so bright to refuse free money to provide health care to folks who could potentially vote you out of office?

If the trend of tossing every Republican who doesn't toe the party line 100% under the bus, the party of Lincoln could become a very exclusive club...

edgarw

Sure...and while we're at it, lets not let that whole "Separate But Equal Branches of Government" and "Checks and Balances" thing stand in the way of your argument.

Those things do not stand in the way of the argument. Maybe you should read the entire Constitution and learn from it what the duties of the President are. I doubt seriously Obama has read it... If he has, he sure doesn't live by it.

Um, no the Executive Office holder is CEO of the Federal Government. You've got 50 other CEOs who are called Governors.

Tell me how Governors of the states shape federal policy. My original comment was based on the comment that all the manufactured economic crisis's were solely the fault of the republican house. Liberals beat that dead horse until there's nothing but bones left. The president governs... or is supposed to be governing when he's not on a constant campaign binge blaming republicans for every problem in the world, or on vacation.

=============================

Yes Ed, and some people continue to play ignorant to the fact that the Government is not a traditional business, nor does it have the hierarchy associated with a business. As the owner, head of a business, what you say goes. There are no further deliberations...no additional meetings...no additional votes needed.

There are 435 + 100+ 1 people that in different twists and turns need to have majority consensus to get things to happen at the Federal level. The same basic equation needs to happen at the State level with their 2 chambers (less Nebraska) and the Governors office as well as at the Local level.

The 1 guy runs the show argument is old...but if it is true, then we have a lot of overhead in Washington to be dealing with.

And for the record, yes, Governors shape Federal policy all the time. Look at the ACA....it's called options. If the States don't want to/can't establish the Health Exchanges, the Federal Government will do on behalf of the States. That's called Governors/States affecting Federal policy.

Someone said last week; If it's Sunday, it's meet John McCain!

Without a doubt.......

Why won't someone ask McNasty real questions and not let him off the hook. I'm no longer interested in that clip of his town hall meeting with the ignorant folks concerning immigration......Are there any more clips of McNasty concerning cuts to those programs that those ignorant folks really like? Nah!

edgarw

Some people fail to remember that the Executive Office holder is the Chief Executive of this country. He is responsible for the business of this country and his influence shapes what happens here. I know liberals want to blame the republicans... so I offer a reality check on who the person in charge is.

Maybe you should read more of the constitution besides the 2nd Amendment. The president is not like the chief executive of a company. He cannot fire the Republicans in Congress for incompetence and poor performance. Obama offered a compromise of revenue increases and budget cuts as an alternative to the sequester. Republicans refuse to compromise, and the budget cuts they want would be WORSE than the sequester because the Republicans' sacred cow, the defense budget, would be excluded from the cuts and all of their drastic cuts rather than half of them would be in programs and services for the middle class and the poor.

I am always mystified by the GOPer legislators argument that raising the minimum wage kills jobs--well, they think everything kills jobs but I digress--because logic arrives at the opposite opinion. Those earning minimum wage are living at or below the poverty line. They have very little, if any, discretionary spending money. If their wages are raised, they will have more discretionary money to pump into the economy. Since our economy is driven by consumption, that means that raising the minimum wage means a stronger economy.

Excellent comment (as usual) Jody!

I'd like to add that we all pay higher federal taxes to cover the cost of food stamps given to all the minimum wage workers. So even if raising the minimum wage causes consumer prices to go up somewhat, that would be offset by the reduced cost to the government (and the taxpayers) for food stamps.

It's the same cost in the end, but with a better outcome for the economy, because increasing income for minimum wage workers would result in their increased consumer spending. That means more jobs and more tax revenue.

Conservatives, as usual, are not thinking it through.

dangerfield -- Here's a quote from Parker's recent opinion piece on the subject of RINOs. I agree with her. May the sane Republicans step up and reclaim THEIR Party.

Thus, what has become glaringly clear is that RINOs need to stop being so normal and grant their better angels a sabbatical. Forget taking back the country. Start by taking back your party. Do it for your country.

RINOs: The Strong. The Proud. The Many.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kathleen-parker-rinos-need-to-take-back-the-republican-party/2013/02/19/b915d74a-7ad3-11e2-9a75-dab0201670da_story.html

Feisty
Sadly, I think this is just the beginning now that ComCast has taken over...

That earlier post caught my eye; on a Philly slant this article bugs me. Are the locals selling out to the corporate giants? It could be getting tough with cable censorship.

Democrat David L. Cohen of Comcast to back GOP's Corbett
By Amy Worden Inquirer Staff Writer
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA); 644 words
Published: 2013-02-19
Section: NATIONAL | Page A01 | Edition: CITY-D
Few are more steeped in Pennsylvania party politics than Democratic power broker David L. Cohen.
The Comcast vice president has long been known as the go-to fund-raiser for Democratic candidates. He is credited as the chief strategist behind former Gov. Ed Rendell's successful political career, and President Obama in 2011 described him as a "great friend."Now, just as the 2014 governor's race is beginning to heat up, Cohen says he will likely back Republican Gov. Corbett's reelection campaign."I expect to support Gov Corbett," Cohen said in an e-mail, without elaborating on his rationale for doing so.Last month, he and his wife, Rhonda, held a small fund-raiser at their Mount Airy home for Corbett that drew about 30 people, mainly Republicans, but also a few Democrats, and raised about $200,000.Cohen praised Corbett that evening as a friend, a "man of integrity," and a "good public servant," one attendee said.Only 19 months earlier, the Cohen residence was the scene of an event that raised $1.2 million for Obama's reelection.At the time, Obama thanked the Cohens for having been supportive for so many years.Few who attended the most recent event were surprised that Cohen is now using his clout for Corbett.They said that as the leader of the nation's biggest cable company, Cohen is a businessman first who recognizes that history has demonstrated that Pennsylvania's incumbent governors do not often lose reelection."He's a partisan but pragmatic Democratic," said one corporate executive in Philadelphia, who attended the fund-raiser but would not speak for attribution.A prominent Philadelphia Republican, who also did not speak for attribution, said Cohen is well aware that the cable industry is regulated by state boards whose members are appointed by the governor."Cohen is an extremely loyal guy," he said. "His first client is Comcast, and that does require him to cross the aisle.Longtime Corbett supporters say Cohen is responding to policies not party."David Cohen is very smart in business and in politics," said Brian Nutt, who managed Corbett's 2010 campaign and now serves as an adviser. "I think he wants what's in the best interest of Pennsylvania, and that is Corbett."Another longtime Republican Party leader who attended the event said he had quietly supported Democrats in the past based on their accomplishments and thought Cohen was judging Corbett by the same standards."It's not about supporting a Republican, it's about supporting the person he thinks has done the best job," said the Republican leader, who did not want to be identified. "That said, I don't think you'll see him on a Tom Corbett float going down Broad Street."A review of campaign contributions shows Cohen and his wife supporting both Republicans and Democrats over the years, both in Pennsylvania and around the country.In addition to their fundraising efforts, the Cohens are among Pennsylvania's most generous personal donors to political campaigns, giving almost $300,000 to candidates and political action committees in 2011-12, according to campaign finance data.Some of the largest contributions went to PACs to support Obama, but Cohen also chipped in $18,000 last year to help Republican PACs and individual candidates.At least one prominent Democrat was a bit taken aback by the news.Rendell said he was surprised that his longtime ally and former mayoral chief of staff would throw his weight behind his Republican successor."Hey, he's a free agent," Rendell said in an interview. "He doesn't report to me anymore."Contact Amy Worden at 717-783-2594 or aworden@phillynews.com and follow @inkyamy on Twitter.
Illustration/Photo: DavidL. Cohen, the Executive Vice President of the Comcast Corporation shown here, at the Famous 4th Street Deli on election day, in Philadelphia, November4, 2008. Jessica Griffin / Staff PhotographerAs executive vice president of Comcast Corp., David L. Cohen has a strong interest in staying in the good graces of the governor, and traditionally Pennsylvania has retained incumbents like Gov. Corbett.

The comments here by the Lib-Lemmings are so painfully ignorant and uninformed that I'm almost embarassed for them! I'm betting that not one of them actually watched Hagel's laughable, pathetic congressional testimony. Well, if this dullard is going to be confirmed, will someone in the Great Inept Administration please inform him what the president's official position on Iran is; we don't need yet another cabinet fool embarassing us in the eyes of the world.

Yes Ed, and some people continue to play ignorant to the fact that the Government is not a traditional business, nor does it have the hierarchy associated with a business. As the owner, head of a business, what you say goes. There are no further deliberations...no additional meetings...no additional votes needed.

There are 435 + 100+ 1 people that in different twists and turns need to have majority consensus to get things to happen at the Federal level. The same basic equation needs to happen at the State level with their 2 chambers (less Nebraska) and the Governors office as well as at the Local level.

The 1 guy runs the show argument is old...but if it is true, then we have a lot of overhead in Washington to be dealing with.

What you say has a lot of merit. The government is not a traditional business, I'll agree with that premise completely. Where I am basing my information on is from the Constitution. The President is charged with the financial welfare of this country. So far Obama is derelict in this duty. All these economic problems could be warded off through sound leadership and not from some guessing game based on ideology. Congress is in charge of the purse-strings and they spend the money. The president has a responsibility to control it. No matter how you slice it, the financial well being of this country is in jeopardy. We are being lied to as a population on a regular basis based on political posturing.

I'd love to know how much money is in the Social Security program that hasn't been taken by our government to further the advancement of social programs unrelated to Social Security. It bothers me to think the money I and other Americans have placed in the hands of the government is no longer there for our benefit.

@ Piggy

Do you ever sleep? Even sheep, chickens & cattle sleep

Houston - You are twisting what I said completely around. I never said the President was like the CEO of a company. The Constitution calls him the Chief Executive Officer. It spells out his duties so don't allude to the fact that I don't understand what the Constitution says about that office. It clearly states that the President is responsible for the financial well being of the country. Period! Obama is derelict in that responsibility by raising the debt of this nation to almost $17 trillion dollars. He does not have a handle on the budget. He clearly does NOT know how to control spending and he begs for Congress to give him more to spend. This is completely indefensible by any means.

We are the worlds greatest nation? We created and maintain a system of self governance that is the envy of all mankind? We have brilliantly concocted a free flowing economic system that awards equitable wealth distribution to all who work and diligently seek Its rewards? We are the vanguard of human rights among all the worlds nations, standing tall and ready to insure those to all who call to us from the pits of their oppression? Are we? Republicanism says no. Fact, republicanism tells us this ideal isn't worth the time and effort required to even examine the ideal, let alone re-establish it. Republicanism says, It alone is that Ideal. Is this true? Are "we the people" so helpless, weak and crazy, we have accepted this? I think, just under half the citizenry find much comfort, even validation, among the perverse selections offered up by these drummers of the politically fantastic. Many, myself included, find ourselves often mired in the insanity of absurdity, grasping for the ever recoiling lifeline of reason. Can we do better? Remains to be seen.

SICKof.....

HAHAHAH...

Childish.

Pathetic.

Coming from the guy with the PIC of Obama with a Hitler mustache.....Rich

Houston - One other thing about your comment... When has our government been granted the responsibility of taking care of the poor? Give me a date, a time, a place. Why is it incumbent for the federal government to dole out billions of dollars a year (money we don't have) so poor people can live off the backs of other citizens. I know it's a harsh reality to fathom, but where in the Constitution does it say we shall provide for those that won't provide for themselves. I'll even ease up on my comment... provide for those that can't provide for themselves.

For some reason liberals are hawking the idea that everyone needs to be provided for at any cost. If this is the case, why do we have a free market system, capitalism, and the availability for each person in this nation to earn a living and make their own way? Is this what liberals are so against?

Houston - You are twisting what I said completely around. I never said the President was like the CEO of a company. The Constitution calls him the Chief Executive Officer. It spells out his duties so don't allude to the fact that I don't understand what the Constitution says about that office. It clearly states that the President is responsible for the financial well being of the country.

Edgar, Article II states the following regarding Presidential Powers and Responsibilities...

Section 2 - Presidential Powers:

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment. He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments. The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

Section 3 - Presidential Responsibilities:

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

Funny...I see nothing calling him Chief Executive Officer and I see nothing saying he is responsible for the financial well being of the country.

Edgar,

...don't allude to the fact that I don't understand what the Constitution says about that office. It clearly states that the President is responsible for the financial well being of the country. Period!

If you're so well-read on the Constitution, don't you remember reading that part about budgets coming from the House of representatives?

PS I like the way you put that: " ....don't allude to the fact that I don't understand the constitution...." meaning you just don't want someone to refer to the fact. Nice.

Edgar,

When has our government been granted the responsibility of taking care of the poor? Give me a date, a time, a place.

Did yo read the part that says "...provide for the general welfare..." in the Constitution itself.

Pretty important part of the Constitution, something like half out laws are based on that.

Well said Mac!

Regards, friend.

The Hits Just Keep On Coming...

Billion Dollar Maybe

Billion dollar maybe

Cutting down the country, slicker than a weasel,

Grimy as an alley.

Tea.O.P loving it like no other lover.

Billion dollar maybe,

Rubber check monster, everyone abhors you.

Man or woman living won’t get cut down by you baby.

We go dancing nightly in the cloakroom.

While the Koch’s are rising in the sky.

If I’m to rough, tell me,

I don’t care as the people hurt across the land.

Billion dollar maybe,

Made you in a dime store,

No other little Boehner could ever hold you sequestered tighter baby.

Billion dollar maybe

Reckless like a gambler, billion dollar maybes.

Foaming like Paul Ryan that’s been infected by the rabies.

We go dancing nightly in the district,

While soft money's rising to the sky.

If I’m too rough, tell me,

I don’t care that I can’t stop destroying the land.

Million dollar maybe.

Billion dollar maybe.

Trillion dollar maybe.

Zillion dollar maybe.

(apologies to Vince Furnier)

Edgar

Article I, Section 7

All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

edgarw

Houston - You are twisting what I said completely around. I never said the President was like the CEO of a company.

You're twisting to get out of admitting you're ridiculous claim that Obama is to blame for the sequester because he's president.

The Constitution calls him the Chief Executive Officer. It spells out his duties so don't allude to the fact that I don't understand what the Constitution says about that office. It clearly states that the President is responsible for the financial well being of the country.

You're displaying your ignorance yet again. The Constitution does NOT state that the president is responsible for the financial well being of the country. The Constitution gives Congress the responsibility of authorizing taxes and spending. The current Republican Congress is irresponsible.

So, this SEQUESTER thingy...

In January when billions of dollars were taken from the economy in tax hikes That was only going to hurt the business owners who are soooo corrupt and greedy.

But the sequester is going to squeeze the almighty government. This is terrible!!

SmBusOwnerinNY

Edgar,

When has our government been granted the responsibility of taking care of the poor? Give me a date, a time, a place.

Did yo read the part that says "...provide for the general welfare..." in the Constitution itself.

Maybe Edgar thinks that "general welfare" means "corporate welfare."

Good, now maybe Washington can get to work on something that benefits the constituency.

There's nothing "normal" or "responsible" when referring to Republicans...

"The sequester won't happen" -- B. Obama campaign promise

---FAIL

"I will reach across the aisle and work with both parties" -- B. Obama campaign promise

---Fail

"I will find those responsible for the death of 4 Americans in Benghazi" -- B. Obama campaign promise

---Fail

President Obama sure is good at promising!

Did both McCain, and his new blond biatch, Lindsey vote in favor of Hagel's confirmation?

Alan in NJ -- NASA says the changes are REAL. The damage can be viewed from space. If you can't wrap your head around that fact go look up the pics.

Nobody claimed that the changes are not real. It's the fact that the model predictions are not being confirmed by observational data that is important.

Pictures from space = observational data

I need to say that the way that you belittle and stereotype republicans (not just those in office but those that carry some republican principles) makes others that share some of your social views, such as myself, reconsider those positions.

@seriously?!2570893:

In my own defense (I am guilty as charged) let me say that part of the stereotyping is done in fun, part in frustration over what I perceive as thick-headedness and foot-dragging by a GOP more interested in power than in our country, and part is that the stereotypes are, in fact, accurate.

Republican principles of fiscal responsibility and limited government involvement are great... but the GOP no longer practices those ideals.

If you would compromise your beliefs on social issues to retaliate over slights you never have to read, that are not even directed at you, how are you any better than the other GOP hypocrites we mock here?

spider - funny, I have yet to see you post ANYTHING of value or even slightly informative! Hmmm

Maybe once we get the Hagel vote over the obstructionists of the right will see there way to avoid the sequester. Probably not since they don't even understand that they are shooting themselves in the foot with each and every delay.

Lil Michelle - YOU

---FAIL on all counts!

Lil Michelle

President Obama sure is good at promising!

He's been good at delivering on his promises, too. As promised, he ended the war in Iraq and got national health care reform passed. And he also stopped the economy from plunging into a second Great Depression and saved the auto industry, although I don't think those weren't campaign promises, just things that had to be done.

Almost all of the promises he's failed to keep are those that required cooperation from Republicans, who prevent Obama from keeping his promises so they can blame him for not keeping his promises, kind of like you're doing.

When 'blaming the Republicans in Congress', remember that the Democrats control the upper chamber (Senate), so the Republicans can do nothing without the cooperation of the Democrats in the Senate.

The last time there was a REPUBLICAN majority in both houses and a Democrat in the White House (1995-2000), the economy (GDP) grew by 41% in 6 years (7% per year), we added a net of 17,494,000 net new jobs (almost 3 million new jobs per year), and we had Budget SURPLUSES in 3 of those 6 years (1998-2000).

By the way - It's the Congress that sets the spending Budget (and is responsible for Budget Deficits and Surpluses), not the President. It appears that a Republican Congress is pretty darn good at passing laws that encourage economic growth, creates jobs, and controls the Debt - when given the chance.

Source – The Obama White House 2013 Budget Historical Figures.

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Lil Michelle, MENSA meeting over already?

Most of these Dem monion statements are just void of any fair-minded reasoning. Is it really your belief that the Dem party is right about every point in the political sprectrum and the other party just needs to get out of the way? Do you people really think this way? It's as if you watch Bloated ED, Bloated Maddow, and Bloated Mathews, believe everything they say and then come on here and spew it.

Both parties have a huge role in how poorly the government is managed, but it seems you folks actually believe the dems have everything figured out. Gosh, this ignorance is worse than I've ever seen it. And Pig cuts and pastes all day long and hopefully, most don't wast time past the first couple sentences, because it's all the same. So pathetic.

Edgar, as someone who claims to be interpreting the Constitution for the rest of us, you don't appear to be very well versed on it yourself.

Mickey . . .

Lil Michelle, MENSA meeting over already?

Apparently so and it looks like the letter of the day was F and it learned the word FAIL! Seeking appropriately graded LM above.

Ad regards Hagel, I can't recall a worse performance during a confirmation hearing and no talk here about how bad he really sounded. He seems confused and just plain unable to respond to certain questions. SO,everyone just blindly supports him because BO nominated him and we all just repeat that he's a hero. Gosh you people so lack any depth at all and are incapable of being objective and honest. Is it ignorance or just blind bias?

[...common man John Kerry made 10s of thousands when Warren Buffet's company buys Heinz...]

Buffett isn't buying Albany Joe's Tilapia Shack and Toilet Water Grill...

If Kerry stands to make anything, I would like to think the figure would be in the hundreds of millions for a company as large as Heinz, not "10s of thousands"...

...ain't capitalism grand? You're all for capitalism, right?

Roy,

When 'blaming the Republicans in Congress', remember that the Democrats control the upper chamber (Senate), so the Republicans can do nothing without the cooperation of the Democrats in the Senate.

....And without a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, Democrats can't do anything without some Republican support (or lack of obstruction anyway--which is almost non-existent).

So, what's your point? Republicans effectively control Congress. By having Harry Reid with figurehead control in the Senate, he can only stop some ridiculousness that Obama would veto anyway.

It appears that a Republican Congress is pretty darn good at passing laws that encourage economic growth, creates jobs, and controls the Debt - when given the chance.

What laws might have those been in this or the last Congress? ......crickets

Alan --

That's right the planet isn't warming fast enough

That's an overstate. Period. There's a majority consensus and it doesn't swing to the lower end.

David Puddy - You write:

He seems confused and just plain unable to respond to certain questions

No doubt he wasn't at his best that day. Happy? BTW -- Did you vote for Bush for PRESIDENT? Bet you did bubba!

It is truly interesting how the liberals will totally give Obama a pass when it comes to the finances of this country. For some reason they feel Obama isn't responsible for any of the economic problems we face. It sure is funny that they completely blamed GWB for our financial status... I guess they don't consider Obama worthy of any blame. All blame falls upon the republicans and the way they are... republicans. Even when the debt of this nation started off at $10 trillion when Obama took office and now it's at close to $17 trillion a mere 4 years later... none of that additional $7 trillion was Obama's doing. Some people would fail common sense tests even if they tried to study. They also seem to forget that for the first 2 years of Obama's first term democrats were completely in charge. If democrats are so good at finances, why did the house change to republican? After all, don't liberals and democrats own this nation?

@Don't_carry_it_all #1.86: Likewise, best regards to you my friend. Additionally a big shout out to all the great progressive friends who frequent "first read". All of you are the sparkling diamonds of reason and care who path the way of light with your challenges to the foreboding darkness of ignorance and greed which threatens the life of this nation. Feisty, David Walker, the great IR, Houston, Ana Banana, Jody, SmBusOwnerinNY, and so many more. You all give yourselves, the country, and the advancement of human reason and care, a great helping of nourishing hope with your enlightened posts. I salute you, each and every one of you. Best regards

edgarw

It is truly interesting how the liberals will totally give Obama a pass when it comes to the finances of this country. For some reason they feel Obama isn't responsible for any of the economic problems we face. It sure is funny that they completely blamed GWB for our financial status..

Not true! Bush doesn't get all the blame. Only part. The Wall Street crooks his lax regulatory policies enabled deserve most of the rest for the economic disaster of 2007. The economic disaster that's likely to result from the sequester is 100% due to the Republicans refusal to compromise.

BTW: Hope you enjoyed getting educated about what's actually in the US Constitution by Exito and Da Noid.

David Puddy

Most of these Dem monion statements are just void of any fair-minded reasoning. Is it really your belief that the Dem party is right about every point in the political sprectrum and the other party just needs to get out of the way? Do you people really think this way? It's as if you watch Bloated ED, Bloated Maddow, and Bloated Mathews, believe everything they say and then come on here and spew it.

Both parties have a huge role in how poorly the government is managed, but it seems you folks actually believe the dems have everything figured out. Gosh, this ignorance is worse than I've ever seen it.

No, we don't think the Democrats are always right (no one is always right), nor do we believe the Dems have everything figured out.

We do believe our president was elected and re-elected fairly by the majority of voters. We do believe he is an intelligent, pragmatic and accomodating leader. We do believe he has earned the right to choose his cabinet and to follow through with the agenda he campaigned and won on.

He is ready and willing to compromise, but he gets nothing in return from the Republicans. Their way cratered our economy, got us into the longest war in the history of this country, trashed our prestige in the world, continued the degradation of the environment, and has marginalized the majority of our citizens in a myriad of ways.

Seems to me it's a smart idea to try things differently. Obama has my approval to try it his way.

Well stated kaybeetoys.

Correction to post #1.108 - Should read that's an overstatement! Hear that Alan?

edgarw:

You have to stop drinking from the toilet bowl. There's something very bad in there that renders you unable to reason.

The fact is the vast majority of lefty-types, liberal-types, centrists, and Democrats most assuredly do NOT give the President a free pass. Indeed, it is you low-intellect types who continue to use the Messiah label. Many of us want Guantanamo closed. Right-wingers refuse to let that happen. Many of us hate NDAA, the PATRIOT Act, and the fact that Wall Street bankers are not being prosecuted. There's plenty more we'd like to see.

The Democrats NEVER had complete control of Congress during President Obama's administration. That nonsense has been debunked at least ten times right here on First Read. The 7-trillion dollar figure is on you to explain. The facts say you're full of crap.

It is unfortunate that you refuse to acknowledge these facts. However, it is blindingly clear that you have no desire to see a big picture. You are a myopic troll solidly grounded in right-wing propaganda.

Edgarw

It is truly interesting how the liberals will totally give Obama a pass when it comes to the finances of this country. For some reason they feel Obama isn't responsible for any of the economic problems we face.

That's because he doesn't deserve much blame. That's just the way it is.

There are very few new expenditures he's "responsible" for. Stimulus, later bailouts, Unemployment extension, temporary SS tax reduction. That about it. That's about $1T.

Every attempt Obama has made for jobs bills and other efforts to revive the economy have been obstructed.

Saying the Democrats were "completely in charge" for the first two years is disingenuous at best. Don't you remember virtually nothing happening to improve the economy in 2009 and 2010? That was because Dems had to fight tooth and nail for anything. When nothing happened, Republicans successfully made the argument for NEW change in 2010. By 2012, the country had figured out that the Republicans had no answers (either).

What we have is dysfunction right now. Republicans get something out of that. They're the only ones that do. The rest of us don't.

Folks have got to understand that Edger isn't playing with a full deck, I am sure after reading his post that one thing can be determined, he just plainly isn't all there. Hence another RWNJ.

seriously?! - while some of what you post I can agree with, you lose your credibility when you focus on Feisty, Pat, Pigotry, etc., and fail to mention Joe in Albany, Caesar, Lil Michelle, edgarw, etc. You definitely undercut your credibility when you post in such a one-sided manner. Just sayin....

Yes, Johntho about Edgar, but he seems honestly un-knowing, as opposed to the other nut-jobs that are just clearly lying to forward their point of view. I can't help myself but try to educate him. Probably a waste of time, but like a liberal, I'm trying to help someone in need.

@ Pat

I hear ya. As soon as the corporations bought out the radio stations I DJ'd at I was gone. Pathetic that they've ruined some damn good radio

I wish just for once the Pollsters would ask American's just how they fell about Israel. I will bet that more American's think like Chuck Hagel does. He never did kiss the Jew's ass and some of what Israel does keeps peace from ever happening over there. But they just keep expanding because they know that we will come fight there wars for them. Israel is the one that keeps trying to get us into war with Iran. Let them go to war with Iran. We have given them quite a lot of weapons and they can fight there own wars. American's are tired of fighting the wars for everyone else. I am getting tired of paying to keep the oil flowing for china and the rest of the world. Let China pay to keep that oil coming. Chuck Hagel is a good man. Don't stop Chuck. We are with you all the way.

@ Kaybee

With the 10 year spending and deficit reduction plan I keep hearing the president discussing and promoting, would it be fair to say that when it is implemented, we should be halfway to what his proposals are calling for. Yes? Let me make this clear. When say it is finalized & passed, by 2018 you and all who fully and completely support him will agree that we should be at least halfway there

It is truly interesting how the liberals will totally give Obama a pass when it comes to the finances of this country.

Edgar,

You are the one who came into this chat with statements about what you claimed the Constitution clearly said. I showed you what the Constitution clearly said.

It sure is funny that they completely blamed GWB for our financial status... I guess they don't consider Obama worthy of any blame.

By your standards, Edgar, who was President when the economy first landed in the proverbial @!$%#ter in 2007 and 2008?

I'm glad the pro-Israel, pro- military industrial complex TRAITORS lost this battle.

Congratulations MSNBC!!!!!!! You now see why Fiesty, Pig, et al are so extremely popular here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/21/nbc-sweeps-fifth-place-ratings-univision_n_2735466.html?utm_hp_ref=reality-free

Couldn't have happened to a more deserving "Service?"

Edgarw: In re: Your Comment 1.79: I just read through the entire Constitution in "The People's Guide to the United States Constitution," and NO WHERE in the Constitution does it state that the President has the "responsibility for the financial well being of the country." In fact, it clearly states in many sections that the Congress has the responsibility for financial matters and that the President can basically agree or disagree (sign or veto) anything that comes across his desk. So, in actuality, it's the Congress that has the responsibility for the country's financial matters.....it's only up to the president to review and sign (or veto) anything that is sent to him by Congress.

Edgar.....You may want to re-read the Constitution. If you have a particular Section of the Constitution that backs up what you say, please let me know so I can hunt it down....I'm a pretty speedy reader, and I didn't see anything that said anything close to what you are purporting that it says.

Just my opinion......

I was talking to a guy in a bar. He claims a guy he knows said a guy he knows has known McConnell for years he said Mc Connell is a crossdresser. He said he don't see him no more because the guy keeps backing into him when they greet, makes him nervous.

Now being the reasonable Democrate that I am I would need a bit more evidence then that, but who knows?

Gee, I hope those stupid republicans don't read this!

Yuppers, the only NBC show that is any good is Meet the Press. One of the finest comedies I've ever seen

Don't carry it all: No doubt he wasn't at his best that day. Happy? BTW -- Did you vote for Bush for PRESIDENT? Bet you did bubba!

Hagel looked bad....dem or republican. He looked unprepared and confused. It was horrible. But, let's just keep repeating that he's a hero and everything will be OK. What a nitwit. So what's your deep point? Or do you just mock people for not aligning with your genius thinking, huh bubba? What a pompous nitwit. Think you're so smart. What a bloated minion of Bloated Maddow.

Hot Damn! In a world full of ignorant people. Check out my most up to date, stupid thing to do. My facebook friend request has been accepted. Man, I am so excited. Maybe the jackass - dummy Senators will come after me now? I would love to get my 15 minutes of fame on C-SPAN & Faux News.

My most current facebook status says:

Steamie2010 is now freinds with "Friends Of Hamas"

D'oh!

Great, now Hagel can play tag team with Kerry and Barry and beat up on Israel!

Palestinian officials to US ahead of Obama visit

the Palestinian Authority announced Sunday that two high-ranking officials would fly to Washington to update the administration about the PA’s stance regarding negotiations with Israel.

Top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Mohammed Eshtaya, a member of the PA’s negotiating team, will meet with Kerry, who took office earlier this month, and present him with the Palestinian conditions to resume negotiations with Israel: an end to construction in Jewish settlements, and the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-officials-to-us-ahead-of-obama-visit/

NOT going to happen!

Iran Is Said to Move to New Machines for Making Nuclear Fuel
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/world/middleeast/iran-upgrading-nuclear-equipment-inspectors-say.html?hp&_r=1&

You have to love how the liberals whine about a minority supposedly leading the country.

How about this for a change - what have the Democrats done with their leadership position (beyond whining about how the minority is controlling them...)

Honestly it is quite funny but I can't laugh because I am crying for the poor state of this country...

So let me get this straight. Liberals are to believe that if they raise the minimum wage to $9 dollars an hour this isn't going to put any kind of strain on small business owners? Where is the logic? When I worked at a deli making sandwiches I got paid $5.35 an hour. I was able to buy myself a nice Honda civic off that money in high school

Brute,

Have you heard of the word "inflation" $5.35 was when, 1992? Hell, my first job I got a nickel more than minimum $3.40 in 1984. When in high school living with your parents, sure that's livable. Try living on minimum without your parents roof. Good luck.

Any small business owner paying employees minimum wage is a crook, and so is McDonalds and all the rest of the slave-drivers.

You're not worth anything if you can't pay your people at least $15.

Of course Obama would want this guy in office, he doesnt care much for Israel that much either , just like Obama. Hagel has made it quite clear how he feels about Israel.

It just looks like McCain and Graham can't get it right, all their witch hunts are falling apart from Birthers to Benghazi !!!

edgarw

Houston - One other thing about your comment... When has our government been granted the responsibility of taking care of the poor? Give me a date, a time, a place.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 17, 1787. The Constitution of the United States of America. General Welfare Clause. The Congress shall have the Power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and General Welfare of the United States. If you have any qualms on its interpretation, look to the Supreme Court rulings in United States v. Butler and Helvering v. Davis.

Why is it incumbent for the federal government to dole out billions of dollars a year (money we don't have) so poor people can live off the backs of other citizens. I know it's a harsh reality to fathom, but where in the Constitution does it say we shall provide for those that won't provide for themselves. I'll even ease up on my comment... provide for those that can't provide for themselves.

Because the federal government is the supreme governing authority in the country and has the resources and the capacity to deal with those that can't provide for themselves. The Constitution was not designed to prevent poor people from receiving government aid; it was designed to unite our nation together. The very idea that the Constitution prevents us from helping others who can't help themselves is ridiculous. The fact that someone like yourself in this day and age would argue that (especially after the Great Recession that we just lived through) is sad, both for this country and for humanity as a whole. As I have stated above, the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of expansive definitions of the General Welfare clause. Don't like it; leave the United States. I think you can find a nice hut in Somalia where the government won't demand money to care for the poor...

For some reason liberals are hawking the idea that everyone needs to be provided for at any cost. If this is the case, why do we have a free market system, capitalism, and the availability for each person in this nation to earn a living and make their own way? Is this what liberals are so against?

I love it when you right-wingers play the "free-market" card. It shows how desperate you guys are. In case you haven't noticed, I am a socialist, and I have an inherent distrust of capitalism that was sown when the economy crashed in 2009. However, let me make this clear: I am not a traditional socialist. I admit that pure socialism, as with pure capitalism, is nothing but a utopian pipe-dream that probably will never work. Therefore, I am more appropriately designated as a "European socialist," in which I believe in a healthy mix of government and the private sector, for neither can exist without the other. Not every person is able to provide for themselves; for in America, we are cursed with a "free market" healthcare system that costs trillions of dollars every year and does squat to keep our people healthy. We are cursed with a bloated financial industry that brought this nation to the brink of collapse and does nothing but concentrate wealth in the hands of the few while destroying the livelihoods of the many. And most egregious of all, we in America are cursed with a party that does nothing but worship the idea of free markets without understanding what that actually means and how flawed the idea of free markets really is.

http://aclj.org/us-constitution/anti-israel-hagel-nomination-being-forced-through-senate-hide-anti-israel-rhetoric

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is attempting to force a Senate vote on former Senator Chuck Hagel’s Secretary of Defense nomination, as potentially damaging disclosures are imminent. A vote on this dangerous nomination is scheduled for as early as this afternoon, but new opposition is emerging.

As we have been telling you for weeks, Hagel is the wrong choice for Secretary of Defense. He cannot answer for his long record of refusing to support Israel. He continues to stand by votes to appease Iran – a nation that today is pursuing nuclear weapons and is abusing and imprisoning American Pastor Saeed because of his Christian faith.

Hagel has even said that America should not have a contingency plan to defend Israel if it is attacked by Iran or its terrorist proxies. Is this someone we want leading our military?

Not only are President Obama and Majority Leader Reid pushing this anti-Israel nominee on the American people, they are attempting to prevent a full and fair Senate debate of his record.

There are new reports that Chuck Hagel was paid to give potentially inflammatory speeches to “extreme or radical groups.” One report from a Hagel supporter present at one of the speeches given in 2007 indicates that he said that the U.S. State Department is merely an adjunct of the Israeli foreign minster’s office. If accurate, this could prove extremely damaging, another in a long line of inflammatory anti-Israel remarks by the former Senator.

Hagel has refused to answer questions concerning these official speeches, and Senator Reid is attempting to give him cover by forcing a vote on his nomination as early as this afternoon.

A number of Senators are demanding more information before they vote on his nomination – a simple and reasonable request from our leaders as they make critical decisions about the future of our national security.

Nearly a quarter of a million Americans have already signed the ACLJ’s petition demanding answers and urging the Senate reject this dangerous nomination. Add your name today, and call your Senators to demand they oppose this nomination.

Update 2.15.2013: Late yesterday afternoon, the Senate narrowly voted to delay Hagel’s nomination. This is a victory, but a fragile one. A vote is again expected within days. President Obama and Senator Reid remain intent on forcing this anti-Israel nominee through the Senate despite serious questions remaining about his qualifications to lead our military. Sign the petition to defeat this dangerous nomination today.

Eddyw/I was looking forward to refuting your R.W.view of the miserable and false responsibility of a modern government towards its citizens as any Liberal Democrat would do but I find it unnecessary as the Socialist Gentleman above has done so, so well.I understand where your wishes to return to Imperial Rule come from ,but you would only enjoy it if you were,as unlikely as it would be,one of the fortunate Oligarchs.

GOP Tea Party members and their right-wing news media echo chambers, wanted to block Hagel's nomination based on Benghazi conspiracy theories and, "Friends of Hamas."

For the former rumor, Hagel wasn't even involved in Benghazi. And for the latter rumor, Breitbart's Ben Shapiro recently posted a report suggesting Hagel had allegedly received "foreign funding" over the years from a terrorist-friendly group called Friends of Hamas, but that the payments were being kept secret. The allegation served as part of the right wing's relentless campaign to smear Hagel as being anti-Israel.

The answers to date suggest that the GOP is perfectly happy to welcome into the tent an organization that is happy to fabricate “news” that supports conservative story lines.

Last week, Slate's David Weigel detailed how Friends of Hamas doesn't actually exist. And as New York Daily News reporter Dan Friedman explained, he unwittingly started the Friends of Hamas rumor when he posed the Hagel question to a GOP aide in the form of "an obvious joke." According to Friedman, he asked about both Friends of Hamas and the "Junior League of Hezbollah," and thought that the "names were so over-the-top, so linked to terrorism in the Middle East, that it was clear I was talking hypothetically and hyperbolically."

The GOP aide then apparently shared the Friends of Hamas inquiry with other partisans and Friedman posits that from there it found its way to Breitbart, which published it in the form of "news" under Shapiro's byline. Tellingly, the fact that the scary sounding group doesn't exist didn't stop a right-wing site from pushing the tall tale; a tale that quickly ricocheted across the conservative media landscape and was touted as a Deeply Troubling Development.

Breitbart dot com, the Drudge Report, Rush Limbaugh, and major commentators on FoxNews wanted to make it into a national security issue as to why Hagel, a war veteran and political moderate as of late, should not run the Department of Defense. And based on that sarcastic joke, that lie they perpetuated about "Friends of Hamas," they nearly got their way, if it wasn't for the fact-checking opportunities that exist for investigating the origins of such claims, over the world wide web.

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/16124-friends-of-hamas-and-why-the-gop-cant-win-the-internet

Go back and actually READ Obama's speech about Benghazi. He never referred to it specifically as "AN" act of terrorism. He spoke about generic "acts" of terror.

Which brings up an even more important question... so effing what? I mean really, this is the basis for claims of a conspiracy? Splitting hairs like this just makes you look partisan and petty.

If for some reason Hagel not confirmed, Hey BHO, Hanoi Jane is not working and available.

IR...great post. Thanks.

But the undeniable fact is that many leading RethugliCONs have willfully ignored the voices of the people. According to research, the whole reason for this politically charged and radicalized conservative party is the ever-increasing gap between the rich and the poor. The wretch get richer, the poor get poorer. This is of course caused by GOP policies started in the 1980s by Reagan and Grover Norquist.

Thank you for a wonderful post, IR. There will be plenty of right-wingers who will dispute the indisputable truth you put in front of us. They are nothing more than the mouthpieces of the right-wing propaganda machine.

I say to my fellow travelers, let this be the day we resolve to ignore these mindless noisemakers. They are nothing but tools.

Independent Redneck Va.

Fifty-five percent of Americans approve of Obama’s performance in office, his strongest level of support since September 2009, according to a Bloomberg National poll conducted Feb. 15-18.

Enjoy the weekend, amigo.

Salud

IR -- The math challenged group will have a hard time understanding those numbers! Great post!!

Of course the republicans in office should be saying, "The American People have spoken, but we don't listen."

Many times people have predicted the demise of one political party or the other and funny thing happens... the party makes a roaring come back. Why? Because people have their own agenda and in the case of the Republicans, the Democrats have appealed the the majority as of now. Write your obit four years from now and see where each party is going. Parties tend to drift toward their core direction, Democrats to the left and Republicans to the right. When the middle is more to the general population's liking.

And I disagree the Pew's numbers on the assault weapon ban. Most people I've talked with don't own one, don't plan on owning one, yet don't think the ban is the answer. It's all in the way the questions are framed. I know, I got one of those research calls about the ban and the question was framed something like, "If you thought banning assault weapons would stop gun violence, would you support an assault weapons ban?" I said no. Why? Because I don't believe an assault weapon ban would stop gun violence.

IR, great quote by Franklin. haha

Thanks for the rundown of where the GOP is right now - it ain't pretty.

IR, thanks for sharing the Pew Research results. Always enjoy your added pearls of wisdom; pretty much sums up the GOPers perfectly!

Not sure if it was Pew or another poll but only 22% of Americans say they are republicans.

Republicans, the Hero of the wealthy. How can the wealthy be expected to pay more taxes when they need their money to buy an old dime for nine million dollars. Or a comic book for one and a half million dollars. Or that bottle of very old wine for Eight hundred thousand dollars. You see, they need to keep their money so that they can buy these kind of things. They just can't afford more taxes. Could you afford more taxes if you only made say Fifty million a year plus a big fat bonus? Of course not.

Think I ain't predicting somebodies "Demise" Just pointing out some of the things that the Yahoo's are apparently missing in their efforts to re brand Themselves. Not many people have a more fervent hope that they can return to a sane debate and we can start moving forward. It's going to take both parties and right now we're dragging one around like an anchor. That ain't good for anybody.........As far as disagree with the numbers on assault weapons I just report on what Pew says although I say that they are probably right close as I have seen several other polls where the questions are framed different ways and they are fairly consistent around that 55-60 range.

Do you know what the problem is Think about it? You don't think. "Because I don't believe an assault weapon ban would stop gun violence."

I do, and so do a majority of Americans. No one, at least no civilian needs a gun capable of shooting 20, 1st graders, and 6 brave adults in a matter of a few minutes, It wasn't just shooting them as they were shot multiple times each. This gun serves no other purpose then to kill as many humans as possible in as short of time as possible. Gun nuts, including the NRA are the minority here. Please note, that regulation guns will in no way infringe on anyone's right to own a gun. If it were, I would be against it. I am a gun owner, a hunter and a sportsman. Nobody needs 30 shots to down a deer, and as a matter of fact most reasonable hunters prefer a clean kill shot so as not to let the animal suffer.

Ahh IR, excellent, thanks--reinforced own conclusions.

Why does Joe S keep shouting over Mika? Rev. Al, Rangel and Barnacle sat there with a bemused expression, and Joe went on and on about demagoguery, campaigning and refusing to acknowledge that the Congress is nowhere to be seen and the President can't negotiate by himself--what is this stuff?

What is Rubio doing in Israel--playing hide the water bottle?

Great post and thank you for it IR.

Think about it, most of the posters on these boards would like nothing more than for the GOP to become a party that thinks first and talks second. I've seen quite a few of the up and comers in the GOP on Bill Maher's panel. He at least makes an attempt to show both sides. However, the party keeps shooting itself in the proverbial foot by continuing to let those who like to see this country divided be their primary spokespeople. When you have someone like Jon Huntsman who stated he is now in favor of gay marriage and yet refused to attend the GOP convention last year in order to distance himself from his party, what message does that send? Who are the GOP that are worthy of listening to for the "comeback?"

Hagel will probably get the nod, but it is too bad the Obama administration picked someone like Hagel with his baggage. Someone like Colin Powell or someone with a military background like Powell's would have made the American people feel a little more confident in the choice.

ThinkAboutIt, think about this. The GOP is suffering an internal civil war; they are against everthing the people support; Reaganomics finally bit the dust and the GOP's policies have proved to be a total failure. If one looks at political history, about every generation the country as a whole shifts from center toward left or right or swings back the other way. Since Reagan was elected, a generation ago, the country shifted from left to center then to right. The GOP shifted from center right to far right over that generation (just as the democratic party shifted too far left the previous generation) before finding its way back to center left. This does not mean that a republican cannot be president for a generation, it simply means that in order for a GOPer to win, the party itself must find its way back to center right.

Terry Just so's you know Gen. Powell has Personal Problems that preclude his making a long term comittment to future Government Service. The choice is his not the Administrations. Before the Yahoo's set out on thier current seek and destory mission Hagel was pretty much agreed on as being the most quailfied of who was left that hadn't already served. In fact there was some question at the time as to why he didn't replace Gates instead of Panetta so I don't quite get your point

Independent Redneck Va

I don't quite get your point

Sorry. You may not agree with what I said, but my point is pretty clear and it is my opinion only and you are certainly entitled to your own opinion. That being said I did not realize Powell had personal issues that precluded him from serving, and that is fine, but there were other choices.

Terry Didn't mean to question your opinion exactly your certainly welcome to it. I just don't quite see what all the fuss is over when Hagel has served his country in both the Military and in the Senate and he was as I say agreed on before the present kerfluffle as being eminently qualified by both parties for a number of years. Looks like much ado about nothing to me. Course folks that go looking for a problem generally find one I reckon.

Terry, Hagel is a good choice for SoS. He's served honorably in the military and has received commendations for his service. He isn't a "rubber stamp" for anything and isn't afraid to go against his own party for the good of the country. Ah ha! There's the rub.

Colin Powell served well as SoS under Bush but was used horribly. Combining that with his wife's illness, my guess is he has no use for public service at this time.

Independent Redneck Va.

The main thing I don't like about Hagel is that advocates reducing our nuclear arsenal even lower than it is now. It is quite low enough, we live in a bad world and it is getting even worse, with the Chinese increasing their number of nukes, North Korea developing ICBMs and a re-entry vehicle for nukes, and then there is Iran. Now is not the time for reductions in our nuclear arsenal, it is a time for modernizing the ones we have. Also, I never said that Hagel was unacceptable, I just said there were probably better choices. He can not reduce the nuclear weapons on his on accord as secretary of defense anyway.

Terry Valid points all. Don't you wish that the Yahoo's that are so concerned about him would have made them instead of holding up the nomination for Friends of Hamas or some such Bushra. I'm just curious but you keep saying there are better candidates out there. Would you mind telling me who they are now that we've cleared up Gen. Powell's reason for not serving

"Friends of Hamas" is that best the right wing idiots can do ????? All this proves is that these people are delusional.

So once again the useless right wing Republicans in the U.S. Senate have managed to waste two more weeks of valuable legislative time. This is NOT an accident it’s a deliberate Republican plan. More time wasted means less time to address the really important issues of unemployment and the economy.

The Republican/Tea Party stands for NOTHING but obstruction; they have nothing to offer and have done nothing to help the country out of the recession they caused.

I truly believe that most Republican politicians these days are as bad if not worse than common criminals and should be put in prison for the rest of their worthless lives……..

Every day these Republican pigs are allowed to damage the country is another day wasted. If it weren’t for these Republican obstructionists the country would be well on its way to full economic recovery.........

Yep, Fox News commentators went on about "Friends of Hamas," as if it was a national security issue lurking under the surface of Hagel. Fox News says, "We Report, You Decide,"

And news outlets like MSNBC has commentators and journalists that publish fact-based opinions. They uphold the Journalist Code of Ethics, and if they err, they admit to it by submitting a retraction.

Whereas Fox News commentators (of which I'm certain have never read the news reporter's Code of Ethics) will latch onto fabrications, further speculate upon them, and add more narratives and hyperbole into the rumors, and then frequently report on them as if they were unquestionable facts. And millions of right-wingers believe in it, as if it were gospel. You don't hear any retractions coming from Fox News when they're proven wrong, they just yank off the web any YouTube videos of them saying the lie.

Perhaps Fox News's motto should more appropriately be, "We Distort, You Believe."

End this Sequester Now!!!!!!!!!

.

Thanks, Houston!

Houston, we got a problem, a real problem. As I mentioned in #2.1: according to research, the whole reason for this politically charged and radicalized conservative party is the ever-increasing gap between the rich and the poor. The wretch get richer, the poor get poorer. This is of course caused by GOP policies started in the 1980s by Reagan and Grover Norquist.

But as you said in your post above, if the voters throw out GOP house members from their carefully-gerrymandered districts, then...wow...the RepugnantCONs made their own bed and they will have to lie in it.

I agree. End the sequester. Make the cuts necessary. Do you realize that in today's MSN business section, they printed the fact one of the so called tax loopholes being considered is the mortgage deduction interest for homeowners. Who will that impact the most? Middle income families, which I'm one of. I thought the taxes our President was proposing was closing loopholes on the rich. Let me reassure you, I am anything but rich. If this happens, I will withdraw my support for this President and my Democratic Senators. And just to reiterate, Senator Mark Warner (D-Va) stated this "loophole" was being considered as a way to pay for the deficit.

Think about it (#3.4) - yeah, I agree....how much is there in this mortgage interest deduction, compared to corporate tax credits for big oil, for example, and many other major corporations?

but you don't see the middle class camping out on K-street (in DC), where major corporations have their lobbying operations that wine and dine members of congress on the regular basis.

End this Sequester Now!!!!!!!!!

Huh? Didn't Obama state that he would veto any attempt to stop it? Maybe you should talk to Obama personally to change his mind.

I see I got three votes for an empty post. Must be on name recognition alone. Yay me!

I thought I had deleted and moved the post soon enough that nobody would notice, but Pigotry apparently is a speed reader.

Hey, Houston!

I see I got three votes for an empty post. Must be on name recognition alone. Yay me!

I thought I had deleted and moved the post soon enough that nobody would notice, but Pigotry apparently is a speed reader.

Houston! we got a problem! I am not a speedy reader, I am an asstro-for-naught.

I hope you will not delete your post #3.7 this time, as you did .. in pulling the rug from underneath my post #3.3.

Good day.

Pigotry

I hope you will not delete your post #3.7 this time, as you did .. in pulling the rug from underneath my post #3.3.

I promise. No more rug pulling.

Houston . . .

I see I got three votes for an empty post. Must be on name recognition alone. Yay me!

Just bumped you up to green star status ... your posts are worthy of them. Besides, it's Friday. Have a good weekend. :)

Ok, here is where I will be called a closet republican. I would suggest that my fellow liberals are wrong on this topic. The taxpayer mortgage interest should be pared back.

Maybe keep it in place for the low income earners, but it should be removed from the middle class, especially since per the latest tax fight the middle class is now considered to be anyone making up to $450,000 a year.

Per the USA Today and today's MSN money from which this excerpt was taken the taxpayer mortgage interest deduction could save $134 billion a year. Contrast that to the $4 billion a year that the federal government gives to big oil in tax subsidies.

_________

As Congress struggles -- and maybe fails -- to trim the federal budget deficit, it's hard for budget-makers to ignore the tens of billions of dollars Congress could save by eliminating the taxpayer mortgage interest deduction.

Axing the deduction could save $134 billion in one fell swoop, a congressional committee in charge of tax proposals has estimated.

Few use it

At the tax code stands now, homeowners can deduct up to $1 million of mortgage interest paid and up to $100,000 in home equity debt, says MSN Money tax expert Jeff Schnepper, the author of "How to Pay Zero Taxes 2012: Your Guide to Every Tax Break the IRS Allows." If you own a vacation home, the same applies.

But few of us use the deduction. Only about 23% of taxpayers who filed used it in 2010, for example, says Reason.com, published by the nonprofit Libertarian Reason Foundation. That's because you've got to itemize to claim the deduction and relatively few taxpayers do.

"The numbers work only for taxpayers whose total deductions -- for mortgage interest, charitable giving and other expenses -- are worth more than the standard deduction," writes USA Today. Only 30% of taxpayers itemize, according to the Tax Policy Center.

_______

Yet even if this were axed it would not pay for our deficit. Our deficit is nearly $1 trillion dollars a year. What rational people need to consider is that increased taxes (revenues) and spending cuts need to be part of the equation. As I tried to explain before during the Dec/Jan tax fight, increased tax revenues shouldn not only come from the wealthy. The middle class can shoulder some of the burden. I digress, Congress missed the boat on the tax fight in January to help with the deficit. Now they appear to be ready to indiscrimanately cut 10% from every program and agency even the ones that are worthwhile. Isn't it better to decide which to get rid of and or continue to fund. Better to look at waste and unneccessary spending?

Also another note, does it seem fair that some of the cuts will be hitting our youngest and most disadvantaged. Cuts to WIC and social programs for the poor, cutting off head start and early childcare development programs that can either help or hamper our future's development. All that cutting on the young, however nothing is looked at when discussing entitlements.

Another call will go out that I am a rapid right winger...

Seriously, though shouldn't we talk about means testing for elderly more affluent seniors? Shouldn't we consider tackling small, smart reforms to save us money over the long run? Not talking about voucher program ideas like Mitt's. I'm not talking about gutting SS, medicare etc, but how about slowly raising the retirement age on people in their 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's.

Houston . . .

I see I got three votes for an empty post. Must be on name recognition alone. Yay me!

WOW, Houston! You are so popular. I envy you. In contrast, everybody calls me a pig, and I have to bury my head in the sand like an ostrich, but my pig head is too big.

P.S. (Pig $hit): I may sue the Sand for discrimination....

P.S. (Pig $hit): Do I see $ in my $hit? Yes. I see 'green' of greenbacks in my own $hit - be environmentally sensible, please recycle my pig $hit.

So Pigotry care to try a response.

Would like to get your opinion being that you are wary of Washington's "smoke and mirrors" cuts (post 1 and 1.6).

You don't see merit in reducing the mortgage interest deduction on the middle class?

How about looking out for the long run. Originally liberals called Simpson Bowles 1 the cat food commission, what is the name for SB2? It's been pointed out to me by Jody, Iowa that although still addressing revenues and spending cuts SB2 has a larger ratio of cuts than revenue. The reason is they took the figures at the conclusion of Boehner and Obama's grand deal $1.2 trillion in cuts $1.2 trillion in revenues over 10 years. In addition they are now proposing this 2 years later and after Congress and the President missed the boat on going back to Clinton era rates for everyone.

Remember when Obama's grand deal was talking about something to the tune of $4 trillion over 10 years? SB2 is calling for $2.4 over 10 years.

_

Edit - Anyone, Anyone?

The Mortgage Interest deduction is being considered, BUT on 2nd homes and # 3,4 ,5 ALL but the first home.

They also have a "Cap" on the amt. that would be allowed. The National Assoc. of Realtors have been working with Congress to make sure the Average home owner is not hurt by this. Mittwitt would have to declare Where his primary residence is (and pay those state tax's) and would not get Any deductions for the rest of his homes. Even the one he chooses would have a CAP. Sounds fair to me.

Obamanism is methodically destroying our nation. The ones that will suffer most are our children and their children. Obamanism is using this country and it's laws to destroy it from within. Those zombies that are following him faithfully. will be the first to go. China is collecting info. from this gov't. Russia is reinforcing it's nuclear strength, Iran does what it pleases, N. Korea is laughing at us. Obamanism knows full well what he is doing and is making sure that his cabinet members do as they are told and his appointees are elected. Our country is bankrupt, our schools are not teaching, our health care is laughable, the price of gasoline will continue to rise as will groceries, unemployment. Our borders will continue to go unprotected. he is arming the Muslim Brotherhood and disarming America. Obamanism has done nothing for this country. I pray God that somehow America will wake up from this stupor.

Carlene Brown,

I pray God that somehow America will wake up from this stupor.

I pray to God that you wake up from your stupor. America's doing just fine and people that think the way your post reflects are the problem NOT a solution.

Yellowdog, I will agree with you... cautiously.

The Mortgage Interest Deduction, in some ways, benefits the young and disadvantaged. The original purpose, as I understand it, was to encourage home buying and home affordability.

Of course, that was before the housing market corrupted itself and imploded. So perhaps your point makes more sense now than it might have before.

Carlene Brown - your post is beyond ridiculous. You clearly just love calling the current administration names and it shows your lack of integrity and any ability to think clearly. YOU are the problem, not this administration.

President Obama - in spite of the obstructionists that the Republicans are - has helped to raise the status of our country in the world. N. Korea is laughing at no one - except maybe you - and the rest of your post is ridiculous. Please get help - you clearly need it!

Thanks for the response Fielden.

My reason in bringing up some of these points is that just like the GOP should not just automatically say no when a Democratic idea is floated a bipartisan or GOP idea shouldn't be automatically rejected either. Any idea from whatever party can and should be discussed based on its merits (pros and cons).

Yellowdog -- Let's means test that mortgage deduction BUT not before we reform and remove all corporate/business welfare. Reforming there first will make the idea more palatable to the average person. It would also buy time for the economy to pick up a bit.

McCane is a-nnoying

I am a-noid

I'm sure the delay and resulting re-vote by the GOP Drama Queens cost the taxpayers something, sessions aren't cheap. Can't these so called 'fiscal conservatives' be more efficient with their time and save the taxpayers a few bucks? Especially when they know the outcome ahead of time.

Mr. McCain only want to put Retugs deeper in the hole they have already dug for themselves. He knew there has been nothing, there was nothing on Hagel. So he pushed this band of .......into the hole he dug and then dug himself out.

What don't they get???

Like it or not, all will be confirmed. So no more weeping, whining, retugs, retuglicans, bullies, bag holders, tax payers suckers, no brainer, war mongers, (GOP)-go out poor, wet blood stained white sheets & hood .....as... kissing nutquist followers, puppets of the KUCK twins will ever get back in the white house or any cabinet seat until they are sanitized, revived and restore to humanity; for they have lied down with the devil (teabaggers), listen to racist pigs(like limp balls). They have not stood firm but have taken the fallen.

Get out of the past because you all are stuck in the past. You all never cared about the American people, especially infants, children, women and seniors.- Now you all are fighting against increase in the minimum wage? WOW. I guess you all want more illegals to abuse while they work in you homes, your companies and even in your garden (ask Mr. MITT) LOL

Why bother opposing the mighty Obama if all you're going to do is CAVE.....

SECEDE from DC..... the only option fro America

Although he never said it, in by best Cary Grant imitation .... Jody, Jody, Jody.

... another sack full of the best potatoes in the land. Do they grow them in Iowa? I

And the Oscar for best Weekly Wrap Up on the internet goes to.... *drum roll please*....

Jody in Iowa!

*stands & applauds*

See you at the Oscar party over at the Dew Drop Inn later!

bcwc...I genuinely wish that Pres. Obama would stand up to unreasonable GOP demands, and make the US the country where hard-working people can make enough to cloth themselves and feed themselves...so that bcwc will have enough clothes on to cover up and stay warm in the cold weather...courtesy of Canada.

...and the President will and the President can.

FORWARD...

You have outdone yourself once again, Jody---a stellar wrap up of the week in politics.

I would love it if Mitt Romney went to C-PAC and said to them---it is all your fault. If you could have supported me in the primaries without making me pander to you, I would have been elected. Instead you get four more years of President Obama.

Feisty & Jody---see you on the red carpet!

Pigums ... thanks, I just got the care package cigarette.

Jody, Iowa

....and I thought it was because Cruz is a ranting, paranoid, delusional, factless, lying, lunatic clone of Joe McCarthy!

Great way to end the week!!!

Stay warm this weekend, Jody!

Salud

Corn, BCWC, lots and lots of corn to feed the pigs. Iowa is much more then that however, it is also that.

A big standing "O" ....missed your pieces the last few weeks - good to catch up!

and the party of stupid....remains stupid....somethings will never change!

Food for Thought:

"In America, the top 10% earn an average yearly income of $24 Million"

24 million ? Really?

ROFL...Food for Thought? More like 'lies for class warfaring low information morons'

Jody -- Great stuff! That photo was priceless! If there's an award for most clueless, Cruz wins hands down.

Thanks for the wrap-up. Cheers!

Jody....you continue to amaze and amuse me......look forward every week end knowing you will have a few chuckles over the chuckleheads and you didn't disappoint. it must be difficult to choose what to comment on, the volume of material just continues to grow. I suppose that reflects the republicans disarray.

Have a good weekend and are not snowed in.

FOX & Friends, Gretchen Carlson (who gives blonds a bad name) claims liberals are attacking Ted Cruz because he's a conservative and a Latino....and I thought it was because Cruz is a ranting, paranoid, delusional, factless, lying, lunatic clone of Joe McCarthy!

My favorite. Great job as always Jody.

Excellent Post Jody: Your humor really made me smile.

Jody: I look forward to your post. Need some help; totally missed the remark by Darryl Issa, was that RWNJ declaring victory or defeat.

Good morning Jody. Another GREAT Wrap up of the week. Let's be thankful that the republicans continue to give proof to our Nation, and the World that they are not fit to govern in the best interest for the majority of people.

Sad!!!

As always, thanks for the most goodest wrap-up in the whole world.

I've been away for awhile now, but as expected your star has not diminished in power one iota. KUDOS, Jody and as always many thanks!

*waves to Savvy Senior*

Good to see you!

Thanks you, my friends; glad you continue to enjoy my effort.

Comeback GOP, note the words "average" and 10%. A group of multi-billionaires with multi-billion annual incomes bring up the average wages of those poor folks who only make a million or two or four. Since about 90% of the population makes less than $100,000; and 46.2 million Americans live at or below the poverty line, $30,000 would be the average. Think about it, and "Comeback" when you can dispute the facts--which might take until 2014.

Exito, I think Issa temporarily forgot that, regardless of the truth he knows, he's not supposed to speak it.

Back atcha Feisty, glad to be back and missed you all!!!

Savvy Senior, MD, nice to see you again!

And soybeans, Iowa grows lots of soybeans!

Say, where's WCA? I put something in here to poke at a democrat and cranky White Collar is a no show!

It's still snowing; will have to get out the snowblower later today but I'll be back inside in time for the Oscar Party at the DDI!!!

No way. The best potatos come from Idaho, with Maine a distant second. It's like comparing a Walla Walla sweet onion with a Vidalia. Actually no comparison. lol

Deliciously succinct wrap-up for the week and the Stupid Party--later. Thanks.

Great wrap up again, Miss Jody! I learn something new every Friday and I thank you for it.

@ Jodi

That was good. I always laugh as well. Welcome to St. Alphonos Pankake Breakfast

Jody - great post wrap-up!! The only one I did not know about was the McCain/Graham pic - I guess that is why we are hearing so much about their "attachment". I vote just to let them be - but continue to pick on them regarding their politics - which actually gives us volumes to pick on!!

Sensational as always Jody!

Comeback GOP 2014

Do you really want to debate Jody toe to toe?

Here's a hint for you; you are in over your head.

Kudos Jody - a great wrap up - as always! You start the day off well each Friday!

Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney will give keynote speeches at CPAC while the baggers decide the future of the party.

yada yada..

bcwc..behave...put your clothes on. It's cold today. Don't catch the cold.

Pigums ... I am dressed but the avatar gods are having a last look at my butt. I guess it is prettier than Woody's portrait.

BCWC: There is a little Oklahoma in all of us. Great man for an avatar.

Woody has always had a place in all peoples hearts. I don't want a pickle, just want to ride my motorcycle, alongside the Columbia

Now the pressure is on Hagel to perform in the job

I disagree. Secretary of Defense Hagel is fine, it's Senate Republicans who have a big job ahead, trying to restore their reputations after attacking Hagel for his criticisms of the Bush administration, (number six from the bottom on the list of worst presidencies in U.S. History, after Herbert Hoover.)

According to that list Obama would be #1 and Carter #2 then.

300Michael - try again, President Obama will be in the top 10 best Presidents - much to the chagrin of the GOP!

Ya, but he GOP is underground ... 6 feet under.

bc is short for 'bull crap'?

wc is short for 'with congress'?

bcwc is short for 'bull crap with congress'?

All the crap from Bohner & McConnell?

They the Republicans have to come back to the 21^st Century, and they need to forget about the hard right folks, in which none who are always the playing stupid card, can win a National Election for President.

Nice. Which web site did you cut and paste that from? Drudge? Redstate?

Nope, just watching current events over the past four years. Here's to four more years of a crippled economy and diminishing American influence around the globe! Excellent.

You Obama haters from the older but goodies club have been spinning all of this nonsense for so long, that the majority of people see you for the true fools you are. You present the same old lying spin as before the last election, and afterwards the same.

I and millions of others didn't pay any attention then, because we knew your side was full of it. Today, we still don't pay any attention, because your side is still full of it.

The sad thing is you continue to show the Nation that they are indeed strong members of the party of stupid!!!

Job1--You obviously are not paying attention as you would have noticed the same things. Any errors in the list or do you just specialize in name calling?

I'm just curious...when did enacting laws to require private health insurers to take on more customers become "Socialized Medicine"?

Alienate our traditional allies

do tell ... which ones? Even Israel is going to to give him a big fat citation.

The list of problems the Bush administraion left for President Obama is at least as long:

• millions of uninsured Americans
• a financial crisis, the worst since the Great Depression
• Stagnant incomes for the middle class, while the wealthiest 500 individuals in America increased their share of the overall wealth
• A war in Iraq and a War in Afghanistan
• Failing schools
• Unregulated immigration, millions of undocumented Mexicans working in the US
• Mounting debt from unpaid for wars, tax cuts, and boomer entitlements

Its all an error, I didn't find anything in your list that was true. Take socialized medicine, Obama care in no way is socialized anything. What you have here is right wing rhetoric best left to the right wing talking heads that makes millions because of listeners like you. The joke is on you, Procrustes, and numbers.

Procrustes,

Your fear-mongering laundry list of your beliefs is very silly.

I hope your paranoia has not taken over your personal life...

Only in the mind of a crazy right winger!!!

Procrustes-2100316

How do you square your list with the fact that:

More criminals have been deported back to Mexico in the past four years under Obama, then were deported in eight years under George Bush?

Qaddafy, who funded the terrorism that downed a U.S. passenger plane over Lockerbie, Scotland, is dead and gone, Osama bin Laden is dead and gone, Mubarack is dead and gone, and Syria's Assad is on his way out, all without the U.S. committing troops to make this happen?

The stock market has replaced the wealth lost during the financial crisis, the 1% are wealthier than ever, and we are finally beginning to address the causes of climate change by encouraging the development of alternatives to burning fossill fuels.

Looks like President Obama came into office not a moment too soon, if we had kept on the path the Prepublicans had set us on we'd be in big trouble.

Procrustes,

Where is your source to back up all that BS you posted..

I know you don't have one, just running off at the mouth like any other Obama hater. All RANT an no FACTS.

Procrustes, nothing like a list of right-wing propaganda. For starters, please explain HOW our health care can be socialized medicine when we must still purchase, either through employers or private purchase, our health insurance from capitalist insurance companies for most of our adult lives? Plus, seniors who can afford it, carry supplemental private insurance plans even after they are eligible for medicare. Go ahead, give it a try; tell us exactly how that is socialized medicine.

job1 You along with most on here will never know the real news because you are stuck on this propaganda web site. This site tells more lies and spins stories then any site on the web.

I have yet to see a democrat on this site that is concerned about the future of this country. You people bitch about a few bucks being cut from this bloated deficit, that in itself is going to destroy the country. We are borrowing $50,000 per second. Do you care? I doubt it.

@ Jodi

What specific boomer entitlements?

Kevin T, sorry, but you're wrong. I read many sources, do my own research and think for myself--I just happen to think that democrats more closely, not perfectly, align with my own political beliefs.

We have always had uninsured, and even with Obamacare there are millions that will still be uninsured. The only differance is the people who paid for insurance in the past to cover the ones that use the emergency rooms for their medical needs. Now the insured will just pay more to cover the ones without coverage. The people who took good care of themselves now have no insentive to be healthy to save on insurance, so now they can eat all the junk food, smoke, drink, so that they get their fair share of medical coverage. Of course that assumes that doctors will still be around to care for them, while working for 1/3 of their normal charges.

procrustes - you and Kevin really need to learn to do some research and fact finding. Your entire list is so low information and totally false yet you choose to look foolish by posting it.

Most of us on this site look to many sources for our information while you clearly get yours from Rush! Grow up and try to at least SOUND intelligent!

McCain's soiling his resume'? What about his shorts? OLD, ya know!!

The fifth-teen representatives who signed the letter to the president, requesting he accommodate them by withdrawing Hagel’s nomination, should be voted out of office

not to mention the 22 Republican Senators who voted against renewing the Violence Against Women Act:

John Barrasso (R-WY), Roy Blunt (R-MO) John Boozman (R-AR) Tom Coburn (R-OK) John Cornyn (R-TX)Ted Cruz (R-TX) Mike Enzi (R-WY) Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Chuck Grassley (R-IA) Orrin Hatch (R-UT)James Inhofe (R-OK) Mike Johanns (R-NE) Ron Johnson (R-WI) Mike Lee (R-UT) Mitch McConnell (R-KY)Rand Paul (R-KY) James Risch (R-ID) Pat Roberts (R-KS) Marco Rubio (R-FL) Tim Scott (R-SC) Jeff Sessions (R-AL) John Thune (R-SD)

... aren't you the life of the party.

Your name should be, "GOP Annihilates Itself 2014"

And repeating "$16 trillion" a zillion times constitutes "discussion"?

GOP comeback in 2014 - did I hear you correctly, you are criticizing the Democrats for unkind posts. have you read any from your side of the boat. I do not agree there are few truly well thought out intelligent posts. I read them all the time from Liberals. however, one must have something substantial to post about and when it comes to the GOP it is so amazingly laughable, it is hard to post anything intelligent.

GOP comeback = Laughable!!

GOPcumface (I'm trying for the same level of intellectual sophistication) said something stupid, ha ha, and placed himself in contention for the Dumfuk of the Week Prize.

And that person would be? Hell, Don Rumsfeld held this job! Genius is obviously not a requirement!

Then explain to me what makes Hagel so qualified for the job? This should not be about partisan politics but who is best capable to execute the duties of the the position. I look at the confirmation hearing as being allot like a job interview & I guarantee if I ever performed like that either during an interview or before a military board I wouldn't come out winning the position or promotion.

He has already had his interview with the President. Now, the Senate is just playing the game of pop and show. Oh yes, and Don Rumsfeld was a failure!!!

Quit diverting the issue this isn't about Rumsfeld this is about Hagel and is he the best person for the job?

TJ-1693521 I certainly respect your opinion, especially as I only saw snippets of the Hagel hearings; I did not watch the whole thing, but to me Hagel looked furious at being attacked by former colleagues.

It's interesting to note:

In 2006, John McCain told the New York Times that he would be "honored to have Chuck with me in any capacity. He'd make a great Secretary of State."^[77][78][79]

TJ, he is the presidents pick, that is what qualifies him for the job. The partisan politics comes in when the republicans try to stop the presidents picks, not because he isn't qualified, but because he was picked by this president. All presidents deserve the respect from congress. He gets to pick his people the people that he wants and trust to do the job that they are appointed too. If you want to really find some bad picks that made it through congress, you would only need to look at the past presidents picks, and yet congress approved them.

TJ, you didn't answer my question. Yours takes no time at all; just a quick google search.

"A recipient of two Purple Hearts while an infantry squad leader in the Vietnam War, Hagel returned home to start careers in business and politics. He co-founded Vanguard Cellular, the primary source of his personal wealth, and served as president of the McCarthy Group, an investment banking firm, and CEO of American Information Systems Inc., a computerized voting machine manufacturer. A member of the Republican Party, Hagel was first elected to the United States Senate in 1996. He was reelected in 2002, and retired in 2008. Hagel is currently a professor at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, chairman of the Atlantic Council, and co-chairman of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board. He also serves on a number of boards of directors, including that of Chevron Corporation."

So much for the qualifications. I'll concede that he stunk at the hearing. He'll perform a helluva lot better than he interviewed. And, if anyone's diverting an issue around here, it's you!!

Then explain to me what makes Hagel so qualified for the job?

I found this list of the committees Hagel served on during his years in the Senate:

Committee assignments

• Committee on Foreign Relations
  • Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs
  • Subcommittee on African Affairs
  • Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs
  • Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection (Ranking Member)
• Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment
  • Subcommittee on Financial Institutions (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development
• Select Committee on Intelligence
• Committee on Rules and Administration

Auntie appreciate the post & pulling that up. As a 22 year veteran myself I prefer an individual in the position with prior military experience however it should not be the overriding deciding factor either.

Looks pretty qualified to me!

Amy I would prefer to look deeper than that. Just because he served & held positions is only part of the equation not all of it. Example what was his performance in these positions action, impact and result.

TJ, Donald Rumsfeld had ties to a business which was helping North Korea develop its nuclear program but no one asked him about that, no one questioned his loyalty to the US or Israel or called him a communist. Worst, the GOP's complaints about Hagel were based on the imaginary musings on Breitbart.

As to your #14.11 response to Amy, in other words, you just don't like Chuck Hagel so whatever qualifications he has aren't good enough. You should run to replace McCain or Graham, who also refuse to accept the facts but prefer their narrative instead.

I prefer an individual in the position with prior military experience...

How about an individual who has been in a foxhole and been shot at, which is a hell of a lot more military experience than Rumsfeld ever had.

About Hagel:

While serving during the war, he received the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, two Purple Hearts, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

T.J. although Hagel didn't look great during his hearings, I believe he was prepared to talk current events and what his stance would be on things instead of ancient history - which the Republicans like Graham and McCain focused on. He will do a fine job as SoS. McCain and Graham should be ashamed of the way they acted toward this man!

He should not be appointed, I agree. However, you got the great commie-in-chief putting these so-called brown-nosers in line for these. It is part of his agenda and his trek to collapsing the USA from within.

Lazerfox

And I am sure you agree with obama and crew that we DON'T have a SPENDING Problem.

Times I guess that the deficit going down has nothing to do with the spending problem. You should be ashamed of yourself. Just Saying!

GB,

Sounds like a very sensible plan to me.

thanks for the post.

"In two terms in the Senate, Chuck [Hagel] has earned the respect of his colleagues and risen to national prominence as a clear voice on foreign policy and national security." - Senator Mitch McConnell, Senate Triubte to Senator Chuck Hagel, 10/2/2008

...but it's not about Mr. Hagel's qualifications for being Secretary of Defense. It's about the mean things he said about "The 43rd President of the United States". Just ask Senator John McCain...he said so himself.

"But to be honest with you, Neil [Cavuto], it goes back to -- there’s a lot of ill will towards Senator Hagel because, when he was a Republican, he attacked President Bush mercilessly and said he was the worst President since Herbert Hoover and said the surge was the worst blunder since the Vietnam War, which was nonsense. He was anti-his own party and people. People don’t forget that. You can disagree but if you’re disagreeable, then people don’t forget that." - Senator John McCain, FOX News, 2/14/2013

Do you have any basis for what you say? Other than the voices in your head?

The bottom line is he will be the next Secretary of Defense.

LarryD - there are no facts to back up your crazed rant. You sound like the deranged Graham and McCain who don't like Hagel because he won't march lock-step with the obstructionists the Republicans have become. You should be ashamed!

After the debt ceiling crisis, the Violence Against Women vote debacle (22 Republicans, including "rising stars" voted against its renewal), the Fast and Furious non-scandal and the Benghazi withch hunt, I don't think the GOP has any feet left.

Amy

Did you even read the bill with ALL IT'S ATTACHMENTS?

One of the reasons they voted no was because because no the VAWA has to SHARE it's funding with the Sexual Assault Program.

Another reason is because the Program will now be run by the DOJ insead of the States (Which know better then the DOJ does)

I dare you to read it.

Cameron,

The GOP needs to pick its battles better

Isn't that the truth! This entire "Friends of Hamas" thing has certainly left many of them looking like the fools they have become and on a national stage.

That's right, it was all media hype, as usual. odumbo is running the same scam, with the sequestration. Smoke and mirrors to get his way! Whether it is good for the USA or not, he'll get his way!

Gerald how foolish can you be .. Obama and the dems are paid for by Al Quida ... dems always claiming to be the boy next door when the treason going on in the senate and white house is from rich dems slobbering over wealth and power that does not translate into jobs for the middle class but slavery ...

Steve West,

Where did you get the information for your rant of a post? As a democrat I can assure you that I'm not getting checks from Al Quida. Please let us all know what exactly is so treason worthy. Don't be shy, multiple cited sources would be great.

Steve West is drinking the kool aid.

Steve West - I certainly hope that is not your real name because you have just shown yourself to be one of the most backward, ignorant posters ever.

If we follow your logic, BUSH was backed by Al Qaeda - since he ignored warning they were going to attack the US and his negligence resulted in the deaths of 3,000 people on 9/11 and over 4,000 in Iraq because of his unnecessary war. Try again you just look totally foolish and beyond ignorant!