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Subscribe to RSSWhen House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan was asked why his latest budget repeals the 2010 federal health-care -- despite the results of last year's presidential election -- the former Republican vice-presidential running mate gave this answer.
"So just because the election didn't go our way," he told National Review," that means we're supposed to change our principles?"
But on the eve of the three-day Conference Political Action Conference (CPAC) that begins on Thursday in the DC area and that will hear from countless Republican politicians, Ryan's answer raises this follow-up question:
What principles -- beyond opposing President Obama's agenda?
Is the GOP a free-market party, or one that's willing to federally bail out the banks if the country is on the brink of another Great Depression?
Is it a party that believes in strong national defense, or is it willing to wage a nearly 13-hour filibuster to highlight how drones could infringe on civil liberties?
Is the GOP a party that stresses deficit reduction and balanced budgets above all else, or is it one willing to support unpaid-for wars and unpaid-for new entitlements?
Is it a party that favors comprehensive immigration reform, or that opposes it?
Does the GOP oppose tax increases, or will it vote for raising rates on the wealthiest Americans?
And is it a party that opposes gay marriage, or one that's becoming more accepting of it?
Yes, the GOP believes in lower taxes and less government. But as Politico's Jonathan Martin and Maggie Haberman write, many of the tensions above will be on display at CPAC as the party -- after its second-straight presidential loss -- finds itself in the midst of an "identity crisis."
"The pillars of the conservative era ushered in by Reagan — a muscular defense, traditional cultural values and devotion to free markets – are being questioned by leading Republicans, and what could take the place of the Gipper’s trinity is now being openly debated in a fashion more reminiscent of the famously fractious Democrats of yore."
Ryan, who speaks at CPAC on Friday, embodies many of these very tensions. He warns of deficits and debt, but supported the Iraq war, the Bush tax cuts, and the Medicare prescription-drug benefit. He believes in the free market, but voted for the Troubled Assets Relief Program (or TARP). And he now supports comprehensive immigration reform (and maybe even a path to citizenship), but was on a presidential ticket opposing it.
Of course, it's only natural for a party outside the White House to experience an identity crisis. After all, there's no one true leader to unify the different constituencies. And the one unifying force is opposing the president in power -- and that's true whether a Democrat or Republican sits in the Oval Office.
Indeed, after their second-straight presidential loss in 2004, Democrats faced a similar identity crisis. Should it strenuously oppose the Iraq war, or support it? Push for universal health care, or ignore it? Disagree with the Bush-era tax cuts, or call for them to expire?
Yet by the time the Democratic race for president began, the top candidates -- Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson -- were unified on all the big issues. They opposed the Iraq war; they supported universal health care; they were against the Bush tax cuts. That's why the Democratic primary was fought over the margins (like whether there should be a mandate for health insurance).
And for Republicans, that's the story to watch over the next couple of years. It's one thing for the party to experience an identity crisis in 2013 and 2014. It's another thing -- as Obama prepares to exit office -- to experience that in 2015 and 2016.
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EXACTLY! Can't wait to hear what they come up with ... it would be great if the party actually split in two - maybe, just maybe there would be more bipartsian decisions reached.
C - Conservative
P- Pin heads
A - Acting
C- Crazy
Time to stock up on the *popcorn*
Well, they did lose one of their principles - that of making Obama a one-term president. This must be all they have left.
Beg you pardon, they do have one more left - stand against what the majority of American's want, like the 91% that want some form of gun control.
Principles??? It must be the continuation of putting clowns on display as their wingnut "leaders", and not one thing has changed. Take a look at the list of guest speakers....
Ted Cruz: 33-minute keynote speech
Sarah Palin: 16 minutes
Donald Trump: 14 minutes
Bobby Jindal: 13 minutes
Rand Paul: 13 minutes
Rick Perry: 13 minutes
Scott Walker: 13 minutes
Marco Rubio: 11 minutes
Paul Ryan: 11 minutes
Rick Santorum: 7 minutes
The clown car is waiting.
Trumpapalooza? Can hardly wait...
The most telling thing to me is that they didn't invite Chris Christie... because he dared to consort with the President.
...and yet Mitt Romney is NOT a featured speaker...but he will speak...and apparently some folks want him to apologize for losing last year.
Well Mark, you could show up at CPAC & ask Rep Paul Ryan this question " Why are You such a Hypocrit", but i'm %150 sure, You wont!
But hey, you can sit behind a keyboard Mark, & throw out all kinda Hypotheticals, just like 1st Reads Pathetic bunch of Carnival Barkers( formerly known as the MSM) do on a daily Basis.
$hit stirrers is an explanation i'd personally give to yall, instead of Journalist!
You Betcha!
Occupy SoggyBottom!
They need to ask Hellfire-2810449 ... extraordinary bulb wattage in the infrared spectrum. Birth certificates glow in the dark.
Probably be best if both parties split in two. Look at the names the extremists call each other from both parties. Look how both extremes attack people in their own party that don't always agree with them. Democrats have their tea party too. The President has to tend to his base also. We will get bi-partisian action when people look to the center rather than the left or the right. The Senate is probably closest to how this country is, since they are state wide contests that can't be gerrymandered and probably about 15 Democratic Senators that will not support gun control, not because of fear of the NRA but because that is how their people vote. The idiots in the GOP lost the election as much as the Dems, won it and they appear to want to continue on the same road. Inviting Trump but not inviting Christie? Now we will see how mature the Dems are I remember the 70s and 80s and it took Southern Govs. to finally win an election.
Does the GOP make any sense? Or does it make no sense at all...
Maybe the schedule will get off-kilter and the speakers will be left in a small shed with the idling clown-car for just a bit too long... What a surreal list of huckleberries!
I hope they continue on with their "principles" . . .
Anti-women (if it's a legitimate rape, the female body has a way of shutting that whole thing down)
Anti-immigration (just go deport yourselves)
Anti-minority (let's see if we can make these photo ID's impossible to get . . . except for old white guys)
Anti-senior-elder (we need to balance the budget by voucherizing medicare, and taking back the SS$$ you paid into all your life)
Anti-science (the earth is only 9,000 years old, and evolution is a lie straight from the pit of hell)
Anti-education (1000's of teachers & teacher's aids cut; pell grants cut)
Anti-veteran (filibustered & voted against the Jobs bill for vet's; won't hire enough veteran's affairs & SSDI workers to help disabled vet's get the care they EARNED by serving this country)
.
BUT DON'T WORRY - CPAC'ERS ARE NOT AGAINST EVERYTHING . . .
PRO-NRA - and anything Wayne-The-Little-Peter wants in support of gun manufacturers making more $$
PRO TOO-BIG-TOO-FAIL BANKS and increased taxes on all but the 1%.
.
NO THANK YOU, WE'D RATHER MAKE PROGRESS & MOVE . . .
.
FORWARD! :-)
Looks like they decided against being 'the stupid party'!
Only the stupid need apply.........Only the stupid will be accepted!
On behalf of all intelligent people.....Thank You!
In politics, principles are like promises. If they don't work, always blame someone else
What principles ... other than WE CANNOT AFFORD THIS ABOMINATION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps the narrow-minded, idologically trapped leftists need to READ the MSN article by Tom Murphy "Insurers warn of overhaul-induced sticker shock" , posted today at 12:51 on MSN that talks about how premiums next year are projected to RI$E some 20% to 100% .... in the NEXT YEAR ALONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, but understanding that the "AFFORDABLE CARE ACT" is a misnomer from the outset, and actually constitutes "fraud in the inducement" by a conspiracy of Democrats who decided to INFLICT this upon our nation's working class to begin with ..... well, it is simply BEYOND the comprehension of liberals ! Then to think that our government will "subsidize" those who "cannot afford it" ... LOL !..... I guess our government will have to SUBSIDIZE just about all of us who are not among the top 2% !!
Obamacare is simply a financial CLU$TERF_CK of biblical proportions !
@ KC
That is funny. Why would anyone not have photo ID if they are 18 yo & above? Hell, my son lost his drivers license. Went down the next day and got a State ID card. Those that think its unreasonable to do that are lazy! PERIOD
GOP searches for identity.........
Go look under a rock.
They arte not looking for you, Alaska Girl ... they are looking at the financial clu$terf_ck that is called Obamacare. There is an MSN article today talking about its effect on premiums. Read ... if you can.
Com'on bobby jindal I want to here you call the participants to "stop being the party of stupid".
Oh please please please please please please please.
CPAC has no affiliation with the Republican party, they are a private outside organization. Who they choose to invite is strictly up to them. I do get the point about Christie being more like able than Trump, but if you have a neighborhood party and choose to invite some, not others, it is your prerogative.
This is journalism at its best though, don't you agree?
I like a competitive two-party system... competition will put pressures on the GOP to come up with a new generation of Republican leaders who are moderate and have common sense.
.
More RINOs, please.
ZappasUtopia - I'll bet if your son was elderly, poor, and disabled, and lived far from the State ID Office, it might not have been so easy for him to just go down the next day and get a State ID. Try looking at a bigger picture.
Pigotry - Wrong, the far left wing Democrats will have to move more to the center. We need a new generation of Democrats, those that believe in smaller government and less spending and taxes. We need the far left wingers to start taking care of themselves and quit depending on the Federal Government.
President Obama and his far left wing base are getting to be a big joke. Obama's ratings going down, down and down. Obama is like a rudderless ship at sea, just going around and around.
Hey, jim-1455434, why are you worried about insurance rates? wouldn't they be considered socialist according to your right wing nutters? if your house burns down and you can't afford to have it repaired, then you obvously bought a house you cannot afford and now you want "the collective" to bail you out of your piggish ambition of buying way too much house.
sound like sfcret lives in another echo chamber. The right keep moving further from the center. If you where paying attention during the last presidential election. That was the biggest concerns about romney he wasn't far right enough for the base.
Hence "I'm severely conservative" statement that romney said. But hey sfcret keep living in that echo chamber, it worked out so well for your party and voters.
@ Heartlight
Are you telling me that if you are going to vote every four years that there would not be someone, anyone, who would not help you to get an ID?
I'll tell you another thing heartfelt. I am severly physically handicapped from rheumatoid arthrits. I've had it for 30 years. You know, when the drugs to control it were not that good?
Don't even give me your line about being old, disabled, poor. Hell, I am all of those, but still working
"Hence "I'm severely conservative" statement that romney said."
Oh my God- I forgot that one! Hey, maybe Palin or Mitt can get up there and say "I really like your heads. Your heads are just the right degree of empty"!
Chris - It appears you have your head to far up Obama's butt and can't think for yourself or see the light of day. The majority of the American people are center/center right, than the left. As you might know, but I doubt it, it is rare to defeat an incumbent President. However, Obama got fewer votes in 2012 than in 2008 and he lost in two states he took in 2008.
Only picked up two/three seats in the Senate and couldn't even retain the House. That's called NO COAT TAILS. Wait for 2014, Republicans will retain the House and most likely take over the Senate. The party in the WH rarely gains seats in midterm elections, and won't again this time. Get used to Obama being forced to compromise if he wants any legacy at all.
Why would anyone make the outrageous assumption that a Conservative Political Action Committee would even HAVE principals.
Get a clue, this is a lobbying group. Their whole point is getting money from people and giving it to politicians. MONEY is the only reason anyone wants to talk to them. They are looking for their future bribes and convincing this group that THEY are the person who deserves to be bribed.
Yeah, NeoRepubliCons think they can win with PaulAyn Ryan speaking the truth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT3Px11xN-0&feature=player_embedded
sfert
And How many Did the Repug/Baggers pick up???? And guess how many MORE they will lose in 2014???
As for the "majority of Americans being center right...you Still Don't get it do You. WHO won...not the right.
Hey but keep on sucking up thet Tea.
well how many does your magic 8 ball show?
The Ravens.
whats wrong with Tea? YOu did a fantastic Job showing sfcret who's boss. with all that fact and evidence.
Paul Ryan was cloned from a A$$hole!
Not one of those frothing loons is "searching for principles" at CPAC. Give me a break.
sfcret,
No, that's called Gerrymandering
Democrats got 1 million more votes in house races than Republicans, yet did not win a majority of seats. How's that for Democracy?
Imagine the smoke coming from your ears if (when) that happens the other way around!
Just wait, the pendulum swings!
... no, but an intelligent group of people who purport to represent their constituents in a democracy would reconsider their positions - maybe even their donors list - and propose a better alternative if there truly is one. They can retain their principles and help the country at the same time, but not by repeating nonsense that isn't true. However; since the GOP clown car has now had to be replaced by a fleet of A380's with standing room only, that's probably not going to happen.
Well, based upon recent events (last year's election, tea party takeover, Congressional performance among notables) I, for one, hold out little hope for the GOP in their endeavor.
At present, I doubt they could find their anus with a flashlight and a map.
@Jim, #1.13...I don't believe I have ever seen the words "biblical" and "clusterf*ck" used in the same sentence! :-)
Although...it does seem to pretty well describe the Tea Party.
This article should be titled "GOP Searches For It's Soul After Losing It's Mind". That also basically describes the problems they are experiencing in their party, full stop. No other explanations needed. The leaders of the party are nuts and are allowing a faction of zealots to lead them over the cliff. Bye bye.
Not true! The one unifying force should be to do what is best for the country, EVEN AT POLITICAL COST TO YOURSELF OR YOUR PARTY.
What if the President took the stance of stubborn opposition as the Republicans have done? The buck has to stop somewhere. Someone has to eschew political games and act as if they care more about the country than they do about themselves.
And that applies to every American.
Here's an example for you, Zap: in my state there are a large number of elderly voters who haven't driven in years and hence have no valid driver's license. Many of them are in nursing homes, bedridden, and cannot go to the driver's license bureau (in some counties there is none) and sit there, waiting for hours to get a photo ID.
We already have a strict voter registration system in place. One must be registered at least 30 days before the election and sign an affidavit, providing either a driver's license number or social security number. A voter card is mailed out after the form has been examined and approved. The signature on the registration form is checked against their sign-in signature at their prescribed polling place.
Some of these elderly voters have voted in the same precinct at the same polling location for over fifty years, and now you're going to take away their right to vote? And think that a photo ID--easily faked, just ask any college student-- is going to stop a non-existent voter fraud problem?
Who's kidding who?
The "values" regurgitation
sigh
@ Kaybee
My mother is bedridden, and I have taken her to update her ID, and to vote several times. I also happen to know what rural is. Have you looked at a map of Idaho? You may notice in your viewing that almost 80% of the state is Federal land.
I do thank your state on having voters disclose their drivers or ID #
Good questions all on the GOP identity, First Read!
Le the stale pale male games begin!
It is NOT about GOP identity, it is about AFFORDING a monstrous bill taking over the health care industry !
Try READING the article by Tom Murphy on MSN today entitled "Insurers warn of overhaul-induced sticker shock". Or be your usual zombie self and mumble on about Republicans.
The article is right here on MSN today .... libs will pretend it does not exist !
Here ya go Jim-1455434
we can't afford conservative big pharma.
just another conservative success story.
Read the article posted on MSN today ... or intentionally ignore it as it doesn't fit your ideology ! Tom Murphy wrote it ... here on MSN ... easy reading .... even for you !
jim first off your NOT on msn website. this is NBC. anyway the difference is one is funded and the other is NOT.
easy reading ....even for.....oh' never mind.
Jim: you must not have been around for the last 30 years. I deal with insurance companies. Every year there would would be be annual increases ranging from 15% to 30% EACH AND EVERY YEAR. It is only since the change in the requirements from the ACA that the increases have been held down to 8 - 12%. That is higher than the general rate of inflation, but at least the total cost is not doubling every 3-5 years.
There will be some employers who did not offer affordable insurance to their employees who now must or pay the fines. Frankly, that levels the playing field and it will end up lowering the overall cost of insurance for everyone. THAT is how insurance works, the more people who pay premiums, the lower the premiums become.
One of their neo-conservative principles is to financially eliminate the efficacy of our U.S. government with ten-year plans that would economically force it to shrink down in size and power, to almost next to nothing -- like the new one that Raul Ryan just proposed.
You know, the old Soviet Union leadership during the height of the Cold War were proposing similar ten-year and five-year plans for eventually dooming America, as well.
Past "Chairs of the Supreme Soviet," would have been proud of Grover Norquist's political and economic mission in his career to shrink the U.S. government down to a size where he could, "drown it in a bathtub." I'm sure if he was a citizen of the old USSR, he would have been awarded,"The Order of Lenin."
(Well, I'm glad the USSR is no more, and that the communists lost the Cold War). It's too bad though, that the conservatives still abide by Norquist's demand of, "No taxes," (as in, "no sources of revenue").
Also during the beginning of this year, I received this text message from my friend that's majoring in Law, in Eau Clair, Wisconsin. I figure this is a good place as any to re-post his relevant observation:
"If the government was a corporation, the GOP Tea Party have proven they would run it by stopping sales, ending incoming revenues, withering away its workforce, and cutting the business so that it wouldn't grow -- preventing it from meeting the needs of all of its customers. Stockholders would surely respond in their company's annual meeting by voting these guys out of management."
Jim, and those like him, don't understand. WE PAY TWICE AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER COUNTRY ON EARTH FOR OUR HEALTHCARE NOW. The ACA will lower these cost not add to them and anything else is malarkey.
Insurance Companies....
Ask the homeowners whose Insurance Companies DUMPED THEM after Hurricane Sandy and Blizzard Nemo....
many whose home/property wasn't even damaged...but close enough to the storm's destruction.
INSURANCE: a growth industry.
They already have an identity and policy issues: privalege, elitism, protect themselves and their welthy friends. Their policy issues are whatever will advance their only cause - themselves.
Here's the complete and total arrogance of Paul Ryan on full display. The GOP live under a bubble. They think everybody who counts, votes for them, and they just happened to lose this last election because they'd p---ed off the Hispanics (And Asians, and African Americans), ignoring the fact the GOP lost Maine, the oldest, whitest state in the union. Hey, Ryan, the election didn't just "go your way" your policies and proposals were rejected.
Ryan might be able to justify his comment IF he (and the GOP) had NOT voted against all his/their principles from 2001-2008. Principles aren't principles if they only apply when a democrat is president.
Ole Boy, the CPAC comedy event. This should be fun. Pass the NUTS please!!!
Amy ...
Agreed. He is an arrogant thing! Loved this statement the other day . . .
http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/03/11/paul_ryan_s_obamacare_run_around.html
So rather than admitting he LOST he's patting himself on the back for winning one demographic?
Right on Amy!! Eddie Munster led a pretty sheltered life in that big house, wanting for nothing. Not surprising he's maladjusted. Most child-stars melt down in relative obscurity though. This one seems determined to make us watch...
Living on the Government doll after the death of the husband/father.
Great death benefits from Social Security and anything else. Yup, Lyin Ryan had a great life as a kid on the take, and continues on the take, as a member of Congress.
He's one of the TAKERS!
While the extremist libbies at this site vie for who can make the nastiest soundbite of the day, a real article about the disastrous effect of Obamacare on premiums is ignored ! Then again, ignorance is bliss and the libs here swim blissfully along ... ignoring financial reality just around the corner !
jimmy boy ... we don't make nasty soundbites, Paul Ryan does. We just report them.
http://thehill.com/video/house/287643-ryan-makes-tongue-slip-during-budget-announcement
Reading is your friend Layton ... attack Ryan, ignore the financial reality that Obamacare will screw the country financially !
Oh and Layton, the nasty sounbites are all over the comments from lefty posters such as yourself here ...
Reading NOT your cup of tea there jimmy? I didn't attack Ryan, I posted what he SAID! Lord but you are DENSE!
You posted what he said "as edited" by you ... sorry, you got caught with your pants down again and are deliberately trying to distort the article.
I didn't DELETE it little one ... you've gone from DENSE to plain ol' OBTUSE.
JAYSUS Christ!
For the stuck on stupid crowd, here is little Paulie running off with his loose lips;
It's not disastrous. Obama Care is GREAT for the Nation!!!
What do you call a building full of republicans? A total loss! What does a republican want when he bends over? A CPAC!! What do you call a republican with half a brain? Gifted!
Do you know why a republicans wife is so unhappy? All he say's is NO!
What does a republican and a dog turd have in common? Everything!!
Do you know what happens when a republican opens his mouth? Another iceburg melts (global warming)!!
Can a republican pick up a dime with his a$$ cheeks? I don't know you would have to ask the Koch Brothers!
Why are republicans so dumb? Their born that way!
What does Fox News and the SiFi channel have in common? They both show fantasy shows (non-fiction)!
What does Rush L and Burger King have in common? Burger King sell's whoppers and Rush L tells whopper lies!
Can a republican spell "relief"? Not for the poor or middle class!
What was the highest grade class a republican made in school? Playground C-!!
well that's all I have for right now! more to come!!
Mark Murray, you've become so philosophical! Great questions, but I think only the left is asking them - the GOP are stuck in the '50s and hell-bent against modernizing.
Meanwhile the Dems are stuck on stupid ... can't figure out HOW to PAY for things, then blissfully ignores that and marches towards bankruptcy !
The repubs want to decrease revenue from the wealthy, keep tax loopholes for large corporations, enter more neocon wars paid for by borrowing from the Chinese, double the Pentagon budget and privatize both Medicare and Social Security. They wouldn't even pay for Bush's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Talk abouit fiscal irresponsibilty.
Well, those republicans better take a flashlight and a magnifying glass, they'll need both to find a semblance of identity let alone their principles; and they need a new guide, Ayn Rand is long past her expiration date.
Conservatives think for themselves. Progressives only have one brain and it is currently housed in the skull of Barack Obama. This promotes unity but is not necessarily a good thing.
When everyone thinks alike, it generally means nobody is thinking.
Ha! That must be a joke since it's clear you aren't thinking for yourself. We know because you immediately repeat the same nonsense about President Obama and liberals as gets posted here every single day by you or other conservatives like you.
Are you referring to the conservatives who waited for the NRA to speak before voicing their own positions on the Sandy Hook massacre?
So how come Chris Christie isn't invited to CPAC?
Conservatives think for themselves?
ahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahhahah
That is the ass clown post of the month!
Congrats!
Conservatives are the biggest sheep on the planet Earth.......They will follow whatever is commanded of them by their leaders.
Seriously.....You think Sarah Palin was worthy of VP?
hahahahhahahahahhahahah
Now answer the same question if she were a Democrat...
EXACTLY.
ahahahhahahaha
Jody, to what nonsense are you referring? You guys are practically a cult. Nobody disagrees with the President, no matter what he says.
When he assailed Bush for running up the debt you agreed. When he runs up the debt even higher and says it's not a problem, you agreed.
When he spoke against enhanced interrogation, you agreed. Now he's killing the same people with drones, and you agree.
Obama could club a baby seal to death on live TV in prime time and you would applaud. You always applaud, you always agree. That should tell you something is wrong. Nobody is right all the time. If you don't take issue with anything, then you are not thinking for yourself.
@jt,
Allow me to step in here. I am a supporter of the President, but I am VERY uncomfortable with the Drone program- begun under Bush, expanded under Obama.
The difference is, I can criticize Obama without having my fellow Liberals calling me Un-American, like Conservatives did to anyone who dared to criticize Bush.
You remember that whole "Wartime President" thing, don't you?
Everybody, cut jt some slack! He's just saying what rush told him to say.
jt1776-3689881
Government spending has risen more slowly under President Obama than at any other time in the past 60 years. Why aren't Republicans pleased about that? Oh, perhaps because shrinking government isn't really one of their principles. What they really stand for is, whatever the Koch Brothers tell them to stand for.
Common, I didn't think Palin was a wise choice for VP. I wan't crazy about McCain in 2008 or Romney this time. I voted for them, not because I worshiped them, but because I thought they were better than your guy. But then I think Carrot Top would make better President than your guy.
I'm surprised that you are disputing my claim that conservatives are more independent thinkers that are Progressives. There has to a study somewhere that proves it, besides those psych experiments that Howard Stern does that prove what non-thinkers Obama supporters are.
@jt,
Are you seriously citing Howard Stern as a credible source of information?
I think you have your theory reversed or something jit... Please explain why, if conservatives are the bastion of self-think, that Mrs. Romney was returned to the Borg ship for repairs immediately following her unfortunate collision with the United States?...
Please also explain why the same key words activate the entire repugnican collective in unison... And why the entire hive moves as one unit... You've been assimilated due to your lack of what you boast of...
Common,
As far as me winning the Ass Clown Post of the Month (never heard of it, but it does have a ring to it), I'm basically saying the same thing as the guy who wrote the article we are supposed to be discussing.
Does Mark Murray win the Ass Clown Article of the Month award?
jt1776-3689881
Then you are not critically reading the conservative posts here ... and that implies what?
Chick, I think I need to re-read the article. I thought Mr. Murray was making a point about Conservatives being all over the place. I was offering an explanation in agreement. How come he's not getting any flak for what he said?
jt1776 (suppose that makes you a "patriot"?)
True "thinkers" were driven out of the Republican Party by the purists. Those who claim the Republican Party today do not represent Republican values. Opposition to ANYTHING the President tries to do or suggests, even when the ideas were Republican ideas to begin with? And you call that "thinking?" Most people, careful and considerate folks, both left and right leaning realize that the current uber-cons are headed toward a dead end at full speed. We'll pick up the pieces after the crash. And people like Newt Gingrich, Paul Ryan, Karl Rove (et al) will be long forgotten history.
Bali Bob, I have no doubt those Howard Stern videos of Obama supporters saying outrageously stupid things are genuine.
Stern is not Walter Cronkite by any stretch. But then neither is Jon Stewart or Bill Maher. I'd bet you let me cite those guys all day without comment.
I do apologize for wandering into this Progressive circle jerk uninvited. Hang a necktie on the doorknob next time.
"After all, there's no one true leader to unify the different constituencies."
Hmmm.....something they still haven't managed to figure out after over four years.
Something the Catholic church - with just as many if not more different constituencies - managed to do in under four days.
I'd be amazed if anything other than more black smoke rises from the ashes of CPAC.....
There might be some brown smoke for Pope Santorum.
That has a ring to it!......Pope Rick....
Even better when you say it fast...
Can you address him as P.Rick?
Paul Ryan....
Just because the American people reject what we're selling we're supposed improve our product?
hahahahhahahahahahah
No dude......Try rigging the election next time and keep selling the same garbage
One look at him tells anyone worthy of an opinion that they have a priggish moron on their hands.
Excellent analysis, Mark. And I would add:
Republicans had two, conflicting stories on the sequester cuts:
Story 1) The cuts were all Obama's idea and his failed leadership caused them to go into effect, therefore the cuts were bad.
Story 2) The cuts were a great thing because they shrink government, and the Republicans stood by their principles in allowing the sequester to proceed.
The pundits chose to create a storyline that the Obama administration exaggerated the threat to air travel, etc of the sequester cuts, but they never did focus on the Republicans confusing defense of the cuts/attacks on Obama for not stopping the cuts.
Once again, the whole GOP acts and believes like Paul Ryan...after being raised by the wealthiest generation and haven been given everything, they still believe they got it from hard work and shouldn't give anything back in return. As my father told me many times, from those to whom much is given, much is expected. The GOP needs to work on that second part! Oscar Wilde said "I love to pay my taxes for with it we purchase civilization".
George Washington raised taxes to pay for the American Revolution, for God's sake. The original Tea Party Patriots were objecting to paying taxes without representation, not just the fact of paying taxes. Republicans have gone down the wrong road by demonizing taxes - tax evasion used to be a shameful, unpatriotic act, but Republicans have made it something to brag about. A dangerous route to follow, especially when you look at what happens in countries where tax evasion is an accepted practice.
I bet they will be addressing this little tidbit.
The top 10 percent of taxpayers paid over 70% of the total amount collected in federal income taxes in 2010, the latest year figures are available, according to the Tax Foundation, a think tank that advocates for lower taxes. That's up from 55% in 1986.
The remaining 90% bore just under 30% of the tax burden. And 47% of all Americans pay hardly anything at all.
"There's been a huge myth created that the rich aren't paying anything," said William McBride, the Tax Foundation's chief economist. "The rich pay a much higher rate than the poor."
cnnmoney.com
FYI, Tax evasion is still shameful and unpatriotic act, what Republican brag about it?
It's particularly disturbing to see Paul Ryan slash spending for the poor, elderly, etc after watching him use his personal story of how he received government money when his Dad died, that's how he was able to attend college; talked about how difficult it was for his family; same with Marco Rubio. Now, they're perfectly happy to throw the very programs that helped them under the bus as unnecessary spending on "moochers". The old--I've got mine now....too bad for you.
Here's a tidbit for you, THETOTAS--20% of the US population has 80% of the wealth of this country. That means 80% of the rest of the country's citizenry has only 20% of the wealth. That is exactly why the taxes paid numbers you mentioned are what they are. It's called income inequality, it's called the greatest disparity of wealth since the era of the Robber Barons just prior to the Great Depression. I'd suggest that if you want to tout numbers, you ensure that you get the WHOLE STORY about those numbers and why they are so lopsided.
47% of Americans pay little in taxes because they are the working poor; they don't earn a living wage, some live just above the poverty line; they are disabled people; they are retired people who aren't millionaires or even close.
thetotas
... and the share of the nation's wealth has grown exponentially for the top 10% while that of the rest of the country has shrunk. Do you see this as a positive flow of wealth? Pretty soon America will resemble France before her revolution. The end result of that was?
It is particularly disturbing the Democrats continue to desire rampant spending of money we don't have and must borrow ! Budgets to Democrats are like fleas to a dog !! Figure out how to pay for things and get back with us.
You mean like Bush's wars, Bush's tax cuts and Medicare part D?
Searching for identity,'look at this pos old busted out dated sewer turds.
The comedy convention will have all your favorite losers,,starting with the biggest and most current loser,Mitt Robme,,,lmao
And just Incase you miss you favorite past losers,they will have queen Palin,,lmao
What a non event this will be
The GOP/Teabegger Clowns are meeting under their Big Top. Again! The GOP/Teabeggers are gathering the many other 'clowns' and the circus music starts playing. Again! The GOP/Teabegger Elephants are walking around in their "Circus Circles." The "Crazy Conservative Clowns" will drink plenty of rotten tea for the same old "Political Pot Of Tea." At the GOP/Teabegger Crap-PAC there will be plenty of "Super Spewing" by many "Political Punks." Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! The Party Of NO have got to go!
The clown is in the WH....his name is Barack Hussein Obama...
Regressive=Backasswards 11 doesn't understand that Obama's financial mismanagement of this country is bordering on criminal. No budgets, massive trillion dollar annual deficits ... and the libs attack the Republicans for wanting a realistic plan for our country.
Okay....
And given his very well known list of accomplishments in life, as President and prior... That would make you what in comparison?
"On eve of CPAC, GOP searches for identity and policy principles..."
more like split personality and oppose Obama at all costs...
Complete, unbridled FISCAL INSANITY of Obama SHOULD be opposed ! Show me a budget !! Show me a plan !!!
And then there is the Republicans' inability to deal with the corpse in the living room - the legacy of George W. Bush. They either have to defend his record or differentiate themselves from his policies, they can't just ignore the former two term President. Forever.
You liberals keep bringing up Bush.....King Tut Obama has been in office for over 4 freaking years...this is his mess.....
But Amy, you're forgetting that Jeb Bush says "history will be kind to his brother". Maybe this is the kindness--the GOP just won't mention him so he doesn't have to live with the constant reminders of how bad he was.
FDR got unemployment down to 18% after 4 years in office. These republican economic disasters take a while to fix. And FDR was working with a congress that actually wanted to help the economy. This congress is doing everything they can to keep the economy in the toilet. Guess that is why they are less popular than cockroaches or herpes.
AFter 8 years of Obama's complete financial mismanagement, George Bush will look like a tightwad !
It's funny NimmyJumbers... But I somehow imagine your position on fiscal matters to be somewhere in the middle... Not a loose-wad, nor a tight-wad... just a wad.
Dipsticks like you probably have ALL SORTS of sexual imaginings ! I'll bet you need help in balancing your checkbook ... probably get help from mommy !!
Oops ! Gotta get back to our annual corporate tax return .... effective tax rates federal and state usually a little over 40%, but of course you don't understand the U.S. has the highest corporate tax rates in the world !
dixie girl
"You liberals keep bringing up Bush.....King Tut Obama has been in office for over 4 freaking years...this is his mess....."
Conversely, (That means in the opposing up North) You keep NOT wanting any reference made to the last two-term Republican President of the United States...
So, and do try to stay with me here D-girl, Which situation do you think says the most to sentient beings... The absolute need to harken back to root-cause in the attempt to solve existing problems, or... the mindless and intentional avoidance of root-causes while claiming to have interest in solving the same problem...
The imtermittent inability to learn from past mistakes is a shared short-coming of nearly all mankind... The REFUSAL to learn from past mistakes is what sets apart a minority branch of the species for further testing and observation.
Chick, I think you lost her with all the "smart" words! HA! I imagine her head probably got an ache trying to understand your post so she needed a nappy.
The grand ole obstructionists
Ongoing, rampant STUPIDITY should be obstructed ! Get a budget Dems !!
Amy,,
They are used to having the weight of W the failure around their neck.
The weight of Obama's debt already exceeds that of Bush's 8 years ! Got anything better ?
You've moved us with your commentary NimmyJumbers...
Moved us from being afraid you're mistaken to presuming it as you approach your computer. It's like betting with a two-headed coin.
The internal struggle within the Republican party will continue until one side dominates. Depending on whether it is sensible, just right of center Republicans or right wing nut job Fascist wannabes will depend on whether they will win elections in the future. If they are either uncertain or go with the rwnjfw they won't win but if they go for a more centerest approach with a willingness to compromise where they will have a greater appeal to more people.
I love how extremist libbies like adler consider themselves such an expert on the Republican Party ! LOL !!
Dems need to produce a budget for a change ... or just STFU !
I see the lib-tards are out in full force....Iv'e got something for Congress......De-Fund Obamacare....
I'm sure the insurance companies appreciate your support.
You poor little thing........didn't anyone tell you (and Paul Lyin' Ryan) that your party LOST the election? Some might call it a mandate. You might remember that your incompetant leaders tried 30 times to kill it and were completely unsuccesssful, and then LOST the election on top of that! Do you vaguely remember the "one-term"president thingy that Republicans all cried as their mantra.............Oh yea they LOST on that one too! So, little dixie cup, you might want to read a newspaper or computer and keep up with the adults conversation, cause de-funding Obamacare is just another conservative dream! Ha Ha Ha...................
dixie girl, Arguing with libbies will get you nowhere ! You see they suffer from delusions .... delusion #1 being they think Obama was elected KING or DICTATOR or something stupid like that, and that the elected House of Representatives was merely elected to rubber-stamp Obama's every ill-conceived whim !
Dimbulbs like the one who just tried to pretend superior intelligence to you are simply not capable of seeing reality ..... like today's MSN article by Tom Murphy entitled "Insurers warn of overhaul-induced sticker shock" .... why, a very article pointing out the total financial absurdity of Obamacare !
Of COURSE Obamacare should be defunded if not REPEALED outright ... it will bring down our country in a very short time ! NO ONE except the uber rich will be able to afford it !!! Libs cannot fathom, they don't have the ability !
jimmy boy . . .
That's your problem. You're all about arguing where the rest of us are about facts and discourse. I've seen you post some banal bull@!$%# on every single thred on this topic. You're the bully in the playground just itching for a fight. Perhaps you ought to exercise your body more and fingers less.
BWHAHAHA! Score one for Layton! Zing!
Little dude is wound too tight for my taste... lol
Of course BIIGGG FEEAAASSSSTTTTTYYYYY ! We know you are wound somewhat "loose" ! LOL !
Oh and Layton, I must have struck a nerve ... but you extremist lefties seem to magically elevate your unsubstantiated opinions to the holy level of "FACTS (pat yourself on the back and smile) ... when, IN FACT, the simply ARE NOT !
You are right about one thing, however, (even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then), I do need to exercise more ! Maybe, once tax season is out of the way ............
Show me Obama's budget Layton.
jimmy boy, you're too dense to know how to strike a match.
You are the kind of genius who will strike a match and hold it next to your buttcrack while farting ... just to see what it does ! Maybe you should do it again ... the "last time" didn't teach you much ! LOL !!
NimmyJumbers is wound up tighter than his sister's nylons in half the glove-boxes in town!!
Sorry Jim, I'm sure she's a fine woman in reality... U owe me 1 "yo mama so fat" joke now which I promise to take holding still...
In other news: Last minute preps for the CPAC have included a move toward transparency. In an attempt to seem more real and communicate their core mission to a wider base, they're changing the slogan last-minute... "CPAC... The Fanatical Dry Hump of 'Merka's Right Leg"
Spring is just around the corner, so they'll be offering shorts at a reasonable price for those that want to commemorate the occasion by actually "Taking the Mark"...
jim-1455434
"You are the kind of genius who will strike a match and hold it next to your buttcrack while farting ... just to see what it does ! Maybe you should do it again ... the "last time" didn't teach you much ! LOL !!"
Comedy lessons are expensive and usually don't work... But this is clearly an emergency case and you should start saving up now!
Show me Obama's budget - why can't you people learn to use the Internet. Try whitehouse.gov. While you are uneducated and uninformed, you at least are entertaining.
I wish one or several of the polling companies would do a poll on who is the craziest speaker at CPAC.
GOP principles - more tax cuts for the super rich paid for by the middle class and poor, make abortion illegal and repeal Obamacare. Did I miss one?
Yeah, JimS, you missed "self deportation".
Yea,
You missed.....Have all the Bills sponsored by republican's in congress be written by lobbyists....as in ALEC.
Palin. Would take first place,,no wait,,Alan West will take first place. Dam these people are loses
Crap,,,,losers
Too close to call. Trump or Paul or Cruz would have to be in the running.
I'd say it would be a ten way tie, as virtually all of them are losers and incompetent!
Why are we letting these republican clowns get away with all of this b.s.? We have a voice and a vote and as the republican party is as of today, they will never get my vote on anything. These people are suppost to take care of this country, not destroy it.
The truth is what matters and any rationalizing of emotional preferences, biased loyalties and/or prejudices while ignoring/denying the truth, is literally part of the problem, not only allowing the deception but in actually encouraging it. It may not be easy to go against emotions, loyalties or prejudices, which is what the deceivers count on, but without doing it the only thing anyone can expect is “more of the same” actions with “more of the same” results. To stimulate better results, to get politicians to actually turn their act around and to become accountable to the people, to have them demonstrate other than their self-serving concentration, their constant deceptive propaganda has to be literally seen through and rejected and they themselves have to be firmly and completely rejected - it is the only way they will get the message.
The trouble is that everyone rationalizes that the other side is lying, with the reality being that all politicians exaggerate, embellish and “puff their wares”. Today there are some however, with the power, influence and mega-bucks of “the money”, their strong supporters and masters, who have taken it to the extreme and who consider the voters just “pawns” to be conned, manipulated, used and abused. There is a drastic difference, one that results in significant costs to the majority, and the people really have to be rational and objective to figure it out, otherwise “more of the same” is very apt to be the rule. The “Red Flags” are clear, as seen in the few who always benefit from their positions, in their total focus on their own political ambitions at any cost to the people, in their always stubbornly blocking and arrogant faulting all efforts, in their belligerent and consistent refusal to compromise or cooperate in any way and in their always pushing hype over issues that cloud over their efforts to return to “more of the same” - but the people have to be willing to see the reality.
Nancy Pelosi, Obama and other Democrats are faulted and they no doubt do leave ample room for improvement, as it seems all politicians do, but currently the Republicans present the worse case scenario. The Republicans have literally become owned and controlled by “the money” and as such, are totally focused on serving only “the money” and just offering the majority the abundant propaganda. It all can be argued back and forth without end and when without being rational and objective, without emotions, biases, loyalties and prejudices set aside, the argument will be unending. People will just have to figure it out for themselves. Personally, when I see Boehner, Ryan, Cantor, Bachmann, McConnell and so many others, their cocky attitude and belligerent demeanor leaves no doubt for me but that is really after being conditioned by observing the “Red Flags”.
Typical LIB EXTREMIST ... attack the party with little power while being totally ignorant of the complete financial mismanagement by the party and the President in power ! LOL !!
LOL ! When things go bad, BLAME the other party !! When things go good, RAKE in all credit as fast as possible, deserved or not !! Libs are really quite amusing !!!!!!!!
At least Paul Ayn Ryan has made himself as honest and clear on where he stands on healthcare:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT3Px11xN-0&feature=player_embedded
CPAC will prove that today's Tea Party is even crazier than the Tea Party hosted by the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland!