Congress has lost its mind...

[TheMercenary]

Gov't paid $600 million in benefits to dead people

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...09-23-11-58-21

[classicman]

That's all? puh... chump change.

[TheMercenary]

I agree, about a tad less than they will get on the new Millionaires Class Warfare Tax......

[TheMercenary]

Scary Budget Fact of the Day:

The United States will officially pass the 100 percent debt-to-GDP line on Halloween.

http://reason.com/blog/2011/10/20/sc...act-of-the-day

[Lamplighter]

Senator Bennett from Colorado takes a 3 minute look at congressional popularity...

"We're almost at the margin of error for zero"

If you're in a hurry, skip over to 2:00

.

[classicman]

Is he talking to an empty room?
I take comfort that Castro is only at 5% - lol

[Lamplighter]

The word seems to be that the "SuperCommittee" has failed to come to agreement on the US budget.

Talking heads were saying that the cuts in defense spending would be
argued in Congress for the coming year, and eventually would be removed.

But in a press conference this evening Obama said "No" to such changes.
He stated that he would veto any attempts by Congress to alter the consequences
of the outcome from the SuperCommittee.

It will be interesting (?) to see how the jibber jabbers interpret this,
and then over the next several months to see if, in fact,
Obama actually holds congressional feet to the fire.
.

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by classicman

Is he talking to an empty room?

Might as well be. He's talking to Congress. There's no light in THOSE eyes.

Originally Posted by classicman

I take comfort that Castro is only at 5% - lol

Yeah, but 11% want the US to go communist!?! I guess only if Castro doesn't become president.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

and then over the next several months to see if, in fact, Obama actually holds congressional feet to the fire.

Does it really take that long to assess the polling data?

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by classicman

Does it really take that long to assess the polling data?

For once, I didn't intend to send a political message in that post.
I do think fixing the budget is important, and hope something is accomplished.

Politically, I wish Obama had invoked the veto many months ago.
Politically, I think it will hold Obama in good stead in the election if he does use the veto,
and does not end up agreeing to some minor, but slippery slope, compromise.
.

[busterb]

"SuperCommittee" I'm thinking the reason they can't get anything done, is because they haven't had enough time to cover all their campaign donors, friends, and family.
Create new loopholes. Etc. IMHO.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by busterb

"SuperCommittee" I'm thinking the reason they can't get anything done, is because they haven't had enough time to cover all their campaign donors, friends, and family.
Create new loopholes. Etc. IMHO.

I think they, both parties, went into it knowing they were going to fail. Each group started from non-negoitable part and never moved past that point. I want Obama to explain why he failed to take up the recommendations of his Bi-partisan Debit Commission long before we got to this point. He basically dismissed their recommendations without comment and never explained to the American people his reasoning. It is another fine example of the many lies about "Transparency" to heap upon the pile of failures of his presidency.

[tw]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

I think they, both parties, went into it knowing they were going to fail.

Every Republican entered negotiations having already signed a very public document to not raise taxes on the rich. Any Republican that did not abide by that signing was routed from office. No Republican can negotiate in good faith until after the next year's electrons.

Everyone knows that eight years of tax reductions to the rich has resulted in less jobs and a large recession. As was true with previous tax cuts to stimulate the economy. As usual from history, tax cuts caused a minor economic stimulus in the middle 2000s. And then contributed to this current recession.

A classic example of economics taking revenge. As cited previously with the "Lawn example". Pass a law that required everyone to replace their front lawn annually. Then jobs are created for all. Followed by greater job losses many years later. Economics always takes revenge on all when money games are used to 'stimulate an economy'. Deja Vue.

Until Republicans admit that taxes must be restored to Clinton levels, then nothing will be solved. We know Clinton tax rates resulted in a booming economy and the elimination of deficits. Extremists must forget reality to let Limbaugh tell them something different.

[TheMercenary]

[Urbane Guerrilla]

You've got some congresscritters thinking like adults, and you've got some wanting the bread and circuses to continue.

Obama campaigned on bread-and-circuses, and in immediate consequence I voted for the other guy. Obama is unable to stop believing in bread and circuses, so I am capable of voting against him a second time. Along with the entirety of the Donkey Party. They'd rather I didn't have valuable values; fuck 'em without lube and with splinters. They require to be discomfited.