Official White House photo
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), not surprisingly, has no use for President Obama's $4 trillion reduction/economic stimulus plan. Greg Sargent, however, flags the Republican's vision of what a bipartisan agreement would look like.
In an interview in his Capitol Hill office, Mr. McConnell said if the White House agrees to changes such as higher Medicare premiums for the wealthy, an increase in the Medicare eligibility age and a slowing of cost-of-living increases for programs like Social Security, Republicans would agree to include more tax revenue in the deal, though not from higher tax rates. [...]
Mr. McConnell offered his ideas as examples of the structural changes Republicans are looking for. "The nexus for us is: revenue equals genuine entitlement eligibility changes," Mr. McConnell said.
If this sounds vaguely familiar, there's a good reason: it's the blueprint of the plan Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Sunday he could support.
What I hope the political world -- policymakers, Sunday show participants, etc. -- will consider as we go into the weekend is how truly baffling McConnell's concept of a "compromise" really is.
Despite an election cycle in which Democrats did very well up and down the ballot, the Senate GOP leader envisions an agreement in which Republicans get the Medicare cuts they want, Republicans get the Social Security cuts they want, and Republicans get the tax rates they want. In exchange, McConnell would give Democrats Mitt Romney's revenue plan.
Seriously.
Sure, President Obama's plan isn't exactly an olive branch, but at least it's a serious effort to reach the goal Republicans established, and it includes policies the White House would not otherwise seek on their own. McConnell's approach is based on a model in which Obama was the one who ended up with 206 electoral votes, instead of 332.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said today the talks are at a "stalemate." I wonder why that is.
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Mitch McConnell has no interest at all in saving Medicaid,and medicaire. They're just trying to take away the money from there, that is needed for our elderly and our disabled and give themselves a bonus. They're looking under every rock that there is and are trying to squeeze money from it, instead of asking the 1% to pay a little more. What greedy, vultures they appear to be. The exact opposite of conservative, gluttons. They have utterly ruined the U.S. good standing with the rest of the world. They are a dying breed.
#1 "They are a dying breed".
Sooner the better. They are plotting and planning to cause more problems by refusing to raise the debt ceiling. There seems to be no end to their hatred for Obama and their disdain for the people of this country. We need to get these intransigent terrorists out of our government before they destroy us and our economy.
And never forget, Republicans prefer to eat babies that are fresh, never frozen.
Hysteria is not helpful.
Well, that's one Republican accepting reality!
For now, anyway...
Shooter, Once again, keep trolling me and I will report you to newsvine.
Go right ahead. But don't flatter yourself, if I respond to your comments it's by accident.
Better yet, click on my avatar, and look to the right. You'll see 4 links together, one of which says "ignore this author". It works well.
In fairness, it isn't quite the same as Mitt Romney's revenue plan. Mitt Romney's plan was to limit deductions while also lowering rates 20% below their current level. He called any effort to actually increase revenue by limiting deductions a "backdoor tax hike" or something very similar (since he lost the election, links to his 59 point plan are harder to come by).
Republicans are adamant against rate increases because a) they think they can spin that to their base as not voting to raise taxes, and b) they know there isn't enough revenue in just deductions for the rich, so the deal would have to limit deductions for the middle class as well, which Republicans can then spin as Democrats breaking their promise not to raise taxes on anybody making under $250k. The holdup now is less about the specifics of a deal and more about the politics of making sure the other guy takes the blame for anything anybody doesn't like.
The GOP has bupkes.
The divorce from reality continues unabated for these clowns. It's a truly pathetic spectacle.
Divorce from reality???? What about the reality that eliminating the Bush tax cuts for the 1% will only fund the government for 8 1/2 days? That'll save the middle class...
The offer Obama put on the table is to lock in $1.6 trillion in new taxes, spend $50 billion in new stimulus immediately, end congressional control over the size of the national debt, and next year, look at some fiscal reform...but, he prefaced it by saying, there are no guarantees.
So let's see...
How are the American people helped by kicking the can down the road once again... more spending that we can't pay for... and the ability to incur more and more debt wthout checks and balances?
Guess we're seeing how important those few days are to Republicans. Some people -- wingnuts -- are just too stupid to understand that deficits and debt are not the most important problems the country has.
The wingnuts need to just get the hell out of the way and let the reality-based grownups clean up the sorry mess their 30+ years of failed conservative economic ideas and policies caused.
Just get the hell out of the way, wingnuts. We'll fix your damned mess.
Divorced from reality is exactly correct. Austerity does not work. It didn't work in 1937, it hasn't worked in today's Europe, and it will not work in the US. Tax cuts, deregulation and trickle down do not work, and it doesn't take much of a history lesson to know that either, just a functioning memory and a glance outside the bubble of unreality.
What will work is more jobs and more people working. What happened to 'jobs, jobs, jobs'? Instead we got legislation against birth control and contraception, an attempt to redefine rape, more trying to define marriage as between one man and one woman (or five women, if you take Romney's grandfather into consideration), and 33 attempts to repeal ObamaCare. That's right, 33, and all the while knowing that it was a total waste of time.
The president has already agreed to $1 trillion in spending cuts over the next ten years as part of deal cut last year with the Republicans.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/14/us/politics/obama-budget-raises-taxes-on-the-rich-to-spend-on-jobs.html?_r=0
In the past three years, the deficit has fallen faster than at any time since WWII demobilization.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/11/21/the-deficit-is-already-shrinking-in-one-chart/
Those are facts, but just like the election results, conservatives refuse to accept them or any other part of reality. It's easier to live inside the bubble.
lisa...
As noted elsewhere on this blog, McConnell's Vision of a Compromise...
You ignore what President Obama has already committed to... You don't really care what you say, as long as the President stays 'the bad guy'...
'Ignore'...
We already have one treasurer and one treasury department who are quite capable to handle the deficit. If you put a republican in this position, which they're trying to do, then you'll see some major spending.Remember our government is being infiltrated everyday by Republicans who are listening to the enemy and not us. When the democrats realize that this is an inside job being done to America, maybe they'll get that backbone they need. The junior mints have no idea what they're doing, Osama Bin Laden wasn't stupid, he knew how to get us from the inside out. Why are we being so naive, because we have chosen to isolate ourselves during the Bush presidency, and him and his friends did a number on us.Thank goodness Santas' on his way.
The GOP think they're destined to rule,
But Santa will take them to school.
Because they are blind
To their debt to Mankind,
They'll find coal in their stockings for Yule.
Obama has agreed to.... Sorry people but I believe it until I see it. There have been no cuts in DC, and I doubt there will be. As for the crowing that the deficit is being reduced at a record rate, are you oblivious to record deficit these are measured against, or lying by omission? Neither are really informative like this chart....
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_meajHRxaPLA/TMIcI0QiTzI/AAAAAAAAA2c/GQUzakawsrU/s1600/obama-deficit-20101.jpg
The shrinking deficit is compared to the all time deficit record, which was that created during Bush's last budget, the 2008 one that ended in the summer of Obama's first term. It was over $1.4 trillion. This year's budget, the 2012 one that ends this summer, is projected to be about $900 billion. If we take the fiscal cliff on, that will reduce the deficit somewhere between $500-$800 billion. The scare tactics about the cliff are all about covering Republican class warfare against labor and the middle class. Raise the tax rates. Raise capital gains rates. Raise dividend income rates.
Where are these people from and who voted these people into office? Their spoiled bratty, my way or the highway nonsense is done! How damned thick are these people that they aren't working for the nation - they are stuck on the same tune, being repeated over and over and over - hey McTurtle time to change that tune we are tired of hearing it!
These people need to be removed from office for being traitors to US, they aren't working to even move the nation in a better direction and that is treason against the people!
Zora Renee, #4 I never dreamed, with all the evil doers in this world, that the ones causing the most pain for this country would be those in our own government; people like Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, John Boehner, Eric Cantor and the rest of these domestic terrorists.
How in the world did this happen? How to end this?
How is trying to get spending under control so that it is sustainable into the future so radical? Have you looked at the debt trajectory? You could take every cent the 1% make and it would not fix our fiscal issues. We need fiscal reform and entitlements have to be part of the package.
It would be excellent if the country had a spending problem. It doesn't. And no, entitlements need not be a part of it. End of discussion.
We don't have a spending problem?? Have you looked at our debt history?
Saying that entitlements need not be a part of it doesn't change the math... these programs are unsustainable over time.
Look at Greece, they are already there. How's not dealing with it working for them?
Or, as I like to call it, totalitarianism. But let's be generous. Maybe it's not that they reject all other points of view and ways of doing things, but that they honestly don't realize that there are other points of view and ways of doing things.
Whatever. I think a good case could be made for regarding them as traitors under the constitutional definition. They're not waging war on the US, or adhering to our enemies, but I'm sure our enemies find it very comforting (and amusing) to watch as these supposedly patriotic Americans inflict more harm on this country than they could ever hope to do themselves.
Jerold. Please tell us just what "free stuff" you right wing wacko's keep refering to. And also let us know that you can prove that not one Republican is recieving any federal assistance. If you're stupid enough to call SS, Medicare or Medicaid "free stuff" look at your pay stub when you get a job. We pay into those programs with all our lives. It's called "benefits". But you righties want to take everybody's benefits, except yours, away. Prove what you say for once and quit with the Fox Lies right wing talking points.
Neither lisafp nor Jerry have informed us what the Republican counter-offer is.
Whatever could the reason be, I wonder?
If the "movers and shakers" ever created jobs, we would have 2 jobs for every person in the U.S. after 9 years of the lowest taxes. And you still have not said what the "free stuff" is. And still no proof the there are NO Republicans recieving any of that free stuff. And no SS is not in trouble that much. And neither is SS. And I voted for liberals because the only people the conservatives give a @!$%# about are the 1%. Liberals care about everybody and the good of ther entire country. We've seen what your conservative policies have caused. We're still digging out of you mess. GWB got us in this mess and the GOP are doing everything in their power to keep us there. Come out of your cave and get some facts. And nobody as of yet, has said who these people are that are saying we don't need to cut spend AND raise revenue. I'm still waiting.
Someone asked "what is the Repub offer"?In my years of negotiating contracts, business deals, etc., if an initial offer is so absurd, you do not offer a counter. You simply say thank you and leave the room.
Many seem to think Obama has leverage. As I see it, the only thing he has leverage on are the two top rates. He campaigned on it and won. He also ran on a balanced approach to the deficit. If people are reminded of this, they will see Obama is over reaching.
The President didn't win because of R/R (Romney/Ryan)... The Democrats won because of R and R (Rights and Respect)...
The Republicans believe politics is a zero-sum game... They can only gain, by forcing everyone else to lose...
They can only enhance their Rights, by forcing everyone else to lose theirs - the right to vote, the right to control their own bodies, the right to live where they want, the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...
They can only gain self-Respect by refusing to show Respect for everyone else... If you are not white, male and wealthy, you are not worthy of having a voice in the nation's government...
They refuse to accept the Common Man is Worthy of their consideration... In turn, the Common Man found them Unworthy of Government...
The Common Man isn't all caught up in the pursuit of Wealth, but they do want their Rights, and they do want Respect... By denying those to anyone but themselves, Republicans are dooming themselves to eventual extinction...
Because as you correctly suspect there isn't one. Essentially the GOP expect Obama to write the budget plan and submit it to their approval and if there's something they don't like he must go and put it in there and they are to sit and wait for him to do it. If he doesn't, because it's not his job constitutionally to lead on such matters he's being lazy and not showing leadership. Meanwhile they plan to work for only 1/3 of the year next year and get paid for all of it.
I eagerly await the Republican lineup for the Sunday Shows!
Thankfully, there will also be a full lineup of NFL games.
I think I will Tevo UP w/Chris Hayes and sleep in...
So, which of the corporately owned media talking head shows is
PresidentSenator McCrap on this weekend?Who watches that shhit anymore? They've been useless for at least 15 years.
Can't see any yet ...Timothy Geithner on all 4
They have not changed one word of their rhetoric , they never will
These public pronouncements are going to make Republicans look silly if the get little or nothing from Obama and the Dems. McConnell may be playing a game of chicken, but he doesn't realize he is part of the main course with Boehner. And they are going to get served up a big helping of humiliation when they cave.
it's all for naught if the dems cave.
lets send all the democrats in congress a bottle of calcium supplements, you know, for their spines. we all know how new bones need it.
don't let them regress, they hold all the cards now.
next offer from the whitehouse should be fewer cuts, more revenue and plans for a major infrastructure build-out. every time the republicans reject, send them a worse (in their eyes) offer. start threatening corporate welfare, that should help.
Wow, just wow. You act like this is just about the Republicans...
This is about getting our fiscal house in order. That involves every man, woman, and child in America. We are all on the hook for alot...
Our spending is unsustainable and our debt trajectory is evidence of this.
Lisa,
and repubs are responsible for most of it.
then they want to turn around and cut programs that the american people depend on, programs that REPUBS HAVE ALWAYS HATED.
REPUBS WANT TO PAY DOWN THE DEBT ON THE BACKS OF THE MIDDLE CLASS AND THE POOR AFTER THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE DEBT.
this is why repubs cannot have power again, and why we should not trust them to pay down the debt. debt always grows under repubs (reagan, bush and etc) and democrats have to come in and clean up after them. the only time REPUBS CARE ABOUT DEBT IS WHEN A DEMOCRAT HOLDS THE PRESIDENCY. all of a sudden they are deficit hawks? do some research.
i trust President Obama to get the debt under control and grow the economy. i would also like the repubs to do their jobs-the jobs they were elected to do.
President Obama agrees that cuts need to be made to spending, and has done so in 2010. repubs have yet to put revenues on the table, EVEN THOUGH IT IS WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE SAID THEY WANT, PER THIS ELECTION.
austerity is NOT the way to grow our economy and pay down the debt like repubs want to do.
Let's see... the debt when Obama took office was at 9.986 trillion, it is now at an estimated 16.350 trillion. For two out of four of those years, the Democrats controlled both houses.
Both parties recognize that entitlement programs are not sustainable... do the math. But it seems like only one party is willing to actually fess up to this.
Actually, look at the debt record since 1940. Both Democratics and Republicans seem to have a penchant for growing debt. In all the years from 1940-present, the debt has only gone down in 6 years. 1947, 1948 and 1951 under Truman (D), 1956, 1957 Eisenhower (R), and 1969 Nixon (R).
Pretty clear, given 64/72 years of evidence, that the natural tendency for our politicians is to keep spending and growing our debt. It stands to reason that it will take leadership and commitment to true reform to change things.
Somebody (psst, a goof named lisa) can't name the Obama policies that have lead to the deficits and debt during Obama's first term, can they? There's a reason for those deficits and debt: the Great Recession. And that was caused by 30+ years of failed conservative economic ideas and policies.
Just get out of the way so we reality-based folks can clean up the mess.
How did it get this way when 2000 we had a balanced budget? It was cutting taxes and borrowing for Afghanistan, then the invasion of Iraq.
Yes, look at the budget and debt http://zfacts.com/p/318.html
The name calling is unnecessary and rather childish.
Gee, Obama campaigned that he was going to take a scalpel to the budget, line by line. His campaign promise, not mine. Of course that would be difficult to do in any systematic manner as we haven't had a budget passed since he took office... and the Democrats controlled both houses for the first 2 years so we can't blame the Republicans for that.
Seems that the Great Recession (and the promise of shovel ready jobs) became the convenient excuse to fund every agenda that the Democrats ever had. Look at the spending that had nothing to do with "stimulus".
When $4 trillion was added to the debt under Bush during 8 years, then Senator Obama said it was "like taking out a credit card from the Bank of China". He called it irresponsible and unpatriotic. His words, not mine. In 4 years, he added 6.4 trillion.
How's that for reality.
We are not going to spend our way out of debt. History appears to bear out that we haven't done that yet...
Repugs don't like taxes to be as they are when deficits are lower (we will always have debt).
But revenue dipped around 2001 while spending rose. Hmmm…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CBO_-_Revenues_and_Outlays_as_percent_GDP.png
Repugs like redistribution of wealth Upward, obviously. They always say or imply trickle down. What could be clearer? They think taking care of the upper levels will mean good things for middle and lower levels. NOT happening very much.
http://www.lcurve.org
Then there's the hatred for SS and Medicare. Cato worked on a strategy to get younger folks to turn away from SS.
http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cj3n2/cj3n2-11.pdf
Repugs don't want to expose that they want to dismantle SS and Medicare, so they specialize in disguising it in "Privatization" and sell stuff like you can invest in Personal accounts and be wealthy.
But, whoa there, don;t look at Q3 2008, hope you didm;t want to retire then.
They also threw jobs bills in the toilet when that could produce revenue without raising taxes, but they had to make Pres, Obama look bad for an election they lost.
lisafp. Please get some facts. Evey number you posted is nothing but a repeat of Fox Lies. And please tell us who doesn't say the debt and deficit need to be handle. I've not heard one. And if the righties were so damn concerned, why did Boehner not cut, combine or eliminate the 600 agancies Obama ask him to right after he was elected speaker? $600billion savings and he wouldn't even consider it. The right want to hold the country hostage to get what they want period. It's not about negociations. It's more "my way or the highway" BS from the right.
lisafp, what are the Republicans' counter-proposals?
We're still waiting...
The gop voters whining about the debt is a joke , the romney ryan plan did not balance the budget even after 20 years , if anything it increased it short term, and your gop house passed another $40 billion in tax cuts without paying for them this summer , you need to bark up the tree of your own failed politicians instead of preaching to us , then get yourself a gop clue
Your not even familiar with the spending budget of the clowns you just tried to vote into office ...GOP FAIL
Jerold lives in a cave. He doesn't get out much. Probably doesn't know who Ryan is. But jerold, the GOP house passed it twice. That must be a dark cave.
LMAO
Wasn't there a spoiled Jerold on the Wallace and Ladmo show?
Lisa,
perhaps you are unaware that when President Obama took office, he said, "i will no longer keep the cost of the iraqi and afghanistan wars secret", and he ADDED the cost of those wars to the deficit. w. bush KEPT THOSE WARS OFF THE BOOKS, HE PUT THEM ON THE CREDIT CARD. he also kept MEDICARE PART D OFF THE BOOKS, AND DID NOT REPORT THEM TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
President Obama is responsible for paying off the debt that w. bush put on the credit card. ask mitch daniels what he thinks about keeping the cost of the wars off the books.
in sept. 2011, Brian Lehr (WNYC) ask mitch daniels about keeping the wars off the books.
We do not have a spending problem. We do have a tax cut problem and an unfunded wars problem and an economic recession problem. None of these were created by Obama and the Dems. It is disingenuous to say we have a spending problem when there was a surplus in 2000 and now we have a spending problem that magically appeared when Obama took office. But the people who keep claiming that we have a spending problem are the people who created the problem. The solution to the problem is ending the two wars and the tax cuts. Those items are being done by Obama. Unfortunately, he is only a man and not a miracle worker so ending the Bush Depression is going to take some time if Republicans would stop trying to make the Bush Depression worse and blaming the Dems. If Obama's policies are so bad then Republicans should have allowed the programs to pass during his first term instead of obstructing the policies. But the elections demonstrate that Obama's policies are working despite the obstructions by Republicans. The voters have had enough trickle down voodoo economics. I see a President Hillary in 2016.
Lisa,
perhaps you are unaware that w. bush signed the 2nd part of the bush tax cuts into law, the same month (march 2003) he invaded iraq.
who starts two wars, and cuts taxes?
The trolls are off to post the same lies in another thread , pretending this info never happened , that's how the winger media stay alive after all
I noticed that too, Patango. Some people can't handle the truth.
I have close friends that don't go by facts, but feelings of comfort. They say you are one that needs facts, but I go by my feelings. They don't really like politics. They find it too conflicting and wish to avoid the debate between the right (family members watching Faux) and the facts. When I say Republicans do this or that bad thing, they think I am criticizing their family. It's not their family I criticize, but I wish they would look at the facts objectively.
Some are just content with familiar rhetoric, but when the facts are put forth, they skedaddle somewhere else. How sad.
It is always nice to read you Sandy , so thank you for posting your comments on here ...I avoid political discussions with family and friends , the gop are not rational enough to talk about their own political positions in depth , they fall completely apart with any kind of scrutiny , and then THEY are offended as hell
Yeah, that's true. Not seeing their own offensive statements until they are shocked by an election loss (even then looking for "wrong words" or something).
It's that bubble and feeling of authority over everyone, I guess.
I still say, get nasty. All spending cuts will take place in the districts of these offensive Republicans. There are the cuts -- what's your beef? Your constituents? Gee, baby, tough.
And I have been convinced that the so-called "cliff" is merely a one-inch drop. Who pushed up the noise on this concept?
Go, President Obama -- stay tough as you grin inside . . .
GO OFF THE CLIFF, President Obama. It's the only way to neuter Grover and company.
Compromise isn't in their vocabulary. Do not negotiate with terrorists!
Yes, it's their turn to feel the pain.No pain no gain.
Could the people who always want free stuff, (the 1%) with all their tax deductions for every little thing , STOP!!! the American people are sick to death of your greed already! You get writeoffs for everything...since when is'nt that a government handout!!!!
Will the real takers please step forward and stop acting like it's medicare, social security and the poor that are always getting freebies. It's you 1%ers that are getting the most!!
I'll pay 15% instead of 30% any day of the week, I don't get to deduct my medical coverage, my employer does.!!
I will happily trade incomes and wealth with any 1%er. They get my tax rates and I'll give up my 40% to the government.
Actually , the average tax rate for the top 1% is 24%
average tax rate for the top 10% is 18%
average tax rate for the top 50% is 12.5%
and the average tax rate for the bottom 50% is 1.85%
IRS stats
And that changes my statement how exactly? I'll trade places with them this very second. They can have my tax rate and I'll happily pay 40%.
Lisafp, what are the Republicans' counter-proposals?
Still waiting...
Lisap
I guess that is why romney pays at an 11% rate , the gop voters missed the whole last election by only watching fox noise , they probably think romney won
Now run along and pretend this never happened again and again like you have been
And I'll take 50% of $1million vs 30% of 30K. and I'd love to have a tax rate of even 20%. I never have had one that low. So I think your IRS BS came from Fox Lies.
20% on romneys $20 million from last year would not be a bad pay off either , especially when you have another $100 million in the caymans besides that
I'll never forget romney campaigning in florida , where there is still a record number of houses under water , and telling them if they just give him and his pals EVEN MORE TAX CUTS , it will help save them all from forclosure , that pretty much sumed up him and the gop for me
Lisa- What is the rate on capital gains?
And if you have capital losses, what then?
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Ten-Important-Facts-About-Capital-Gains-and-Losses
That doesn't fully explain how it was that Rmoney said he paid around 13% More loopholes or just not paying any tax on a large offshore account?
Jerold, how do you presume to make such blatant statements about things which you know nothing?
Oh, right Faux News and Limpy…
Go over the cliff, I say. No reasonable offers from Repubs means no deal. Obama won!!!
Why bother negotiating with these clowns?
Go round the Fiscal Corner and start fresh.
It really bothers me to see Obama put ANY revisions/cuts to Medicare on the table.
It doesn't appear that he's learned anything from 2011.
Robert Reich makes an excellent point.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/fiscal-cliff-deal_b_2218543.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
Today I spoke with a representative in McConnell's office and asked why, if McConnell is so hot for small government and for cutting federal spending does he maintain seven offices--six in Kentucky as well as his Washington, DC office. Each of his Kentucky offices is housed in a very high end, high rent building. His representative told me that all these offices are necessary because it is government's job and McConnell's job to take care of the people of Kentucky, and that it was necessary to spend tax payer dollars on maintaining all those offices year round to continually provide federal services to the people of Kentucky.
When I asked if McConnell, a zealot for fiscal responsibility, wasn't acting in a wasteful manner, his representative told me that actually he wasn't because during the Obama administration government spending had been cut dramatically and all of those seven offices are operating on a "bare bones budget".
When I asked why, in this age of computers and email and Twitter and Facebook and, of course, telephones, it was necessary to continue taxpayer support of seven offices, she said that all these devices are now more important to McConnell's office operations because each office was being run by a skeleton crew.
I asked why McConnell is so concerned about maintaining all these offices to "help" the people of Kentucky when I hear him speak every day about how too many Americans are "takers" and how the government shouldn't be responsible for their care and well-being. She started to grow irritated.
I asked her if McConnell, as many other Washington lawmakers, uses tax payer dollars to pay for expensive auto leases as well as other dubious travel expenses, and she refused to answer.
I mentioned the case of a republican congressman, Kevin Brady who brags about living in his home state of Texas rather than staying in Washington, DC, and making numerous flights between his home and the Capitol. Texas republican Kevin Brady brags that he has logged over 8 million air miles since he's been in congress--and has passed to cost for those 8 million air miles on to the American taxpayers. She said she couldn't comment on what other legislators do.
It's amazing that McConnell believes the government spends too much money on Food Stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, but neither he nor his republican cronies will cut their own expenses a single penny.
I think everyone should phone, write, Tweet--contact McConnell in every way possible, and demand that he stand up on the Senate floor and tell the American people clearly and candidly and specifically how many millions of American children he wants to starve by cutting Food Stamps; how many families he wants to render homeless by cutting Welfare; how many aged and elderly and infirm and disabled Americans he wants to let die by cutting Medicaid. I want McConnell to tell the American people why hard working Americans who haven't been fortunate enough to land a cushy government Senate job where you work a mere 109 days each year should have to continue working until they are 67 or 70 years old to qualify for Social Security and Medicare. I want McConnell to look Americans straight on and tell us how many American military veterans he want to deny medical care and other benefits by cutting the Veterans Administration budget. I believe all Americans should demand that McConnell and his heartless cabal should answer these questions and more.
McConnell doesn't need to keep wasting millions of tax payer dollars to maintain 7 offices--no senator or congressman should be wasting that money--especially when they are fighting so hard to benefit millionaires and billionaires while causing irreparable harm to our most vulnerable citizens, our economy and our democracy.
Call McConnell at 202-224-2541.
Good idea. Put the question in terms we can all understand. "Senator McConnel (or Boehner) just how many people dying before they can get their social security do you think it would take for you to make a deal? How much more should aging, sick Americans pay for their health care before you will take an offer? How many student loans would you like us to cut so you will give up the tax cuts for the top 2%."
America wants to know.
Boehner McConnell pass the middleclass taxcut now
Republicans are calling for shared sacrifice. They give up some revenue and the Democrats have to do deep cuts to Medicare, Soc sec, Medicaid and other entitlements? The problem is that the middleclass has sacrificed, earnings having been flatfor the last 10 years while the upper 2% during the same period has rocketed ahead to increase the income gaps to historical heights. So, after the middleclass has flatlined, the Republicans want the 98% to sacrifice while they protect and enrich the 2%?
It should not be a matter of shared sacrifice, because any thing the 2% must pay is not a sacrifice as there is no pain for them, they wouldn't miss anything. They don't have to worry whether they can afford heat, their car, college education, clothes or whether they will lose their house.
Tell McConnell and Boehner to pass the middleclass tax cuts now without negotiation and without delay. Don't hold the middleclass hostage to give the worlds richest people any more taxcuts that they don't need.
Tell Boehner and McConnell what you want them to do and what you think of the job they have been doing, copy the links and post them everywhere.
http://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm
http://www.speaker.gov/Contact
message sent thanks , I have contacted all my state reps also
Obama: Nice little constituency ya got there with the middle class, Mac, Boehner. Be a shame if something was to, eh, you know, happen to their tax rates.
Here's a handy way to see who receives more federal funding than they put into the pot.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/11/states-federal-taxes-spending-charts-maps
The only plan of the GOP leadership is to crash the economy. That's the only way they can jam Friedman economics down our throats, or up another part of our anatomy.
Reminds me of the debate when Obama kept saying to Romney "Please proceed Governor"-- IMHO McConnell has always been a jerk and never could figure out why he was the the GOP head of the Senate. Republicans are taking a real hit with not only Dems but with common sense Republicans (there are still a few of us left) because they don't seem to get it they lost. The GOP only had 10 seats to defend in the Senate and lost two while the Democrats had 23 seats and picked up two yet the GOP chose McConnell again. Give me a break!
SoonerMom1 - this ain't you daddy's Republican party.
A few, wealthy people (e.g., Rupert Murdoch, the Koch brothers) have bought a few people who are willing to do and/or say anything for money, and alined themselves with religious extremists who are afraid of women making decisions. Plutocrats believe the ends justifies the means, everyone has their price, and they treat others as inanimate objects. We're not really real to them.
Religious extremists can justify any thing they do; It's Gods Will.
None of these three groups can operate in the open. Don't let people forget what they've done. Don't let them spout their nonsense unquestioned. Retake your party. We progressives need you.
Of course he doesn't...when have the Republicans ever actually solved a problem.
They have never solved any. Not even the ones thry create. OH, they create most of them don't they.
A quick look at Mitch's body language in the picture says it all.
The Republicans conveniently forgot that in order to get compromise, you need to enter into negotiations. Here, they also "forgot" that negotiations involve one side putting out their proposal, then the other side puts out their counter. Because Republicans have not put out their proposal and Obama has his out, it is the Republicans who need to put out their counter proposal. Without knowing it, they screwed themselves by making Obama puit his out first. Llaughing at the initial proposal from Obama, shows how ignorant the Senate Minority leader is with regard to negotiations and compromise. Barring them putting out a counter proiposal, I would support Obama in leaving the ball in their court. And if they choose not to negotiate, by not putting out their counter, thpn Obama should take it to the voters, and if the country goes over the curb/cliff/slope/whatever, let the Republiocans hang for continuing their obstructionist actions. The strategy would then be to keep reminding the voters, and maybe n 2014, the House will change to Blue. Seems they've already forgotten that they lost and need to deal with the reality.
I don't think they even know how. But I do think they want Obama to bring in a detailed "bottom line" so they can play the same BS they did last time. Obama got smarter when it comes to dealing with the clowns.
Romney won 42% not 49%. Obama is one of only four presidents to win both the electoral and popular vote twice, his margin of victory for this election is one of the highest of those four. Romney got smashed.
The GOP tried to blame the debt ceiling debate and downgrade they created on the dems. It didn't work. If they take hostages again it won't work now. They proceed at their own peril.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, The Fifth Column,,,,
As always, the GOP's idea of a 'compromise' is that the Dems give the Repubs everything they want, and smile while they do it.
not happening this time.
People are forgetting the "pledge" to Grover Norquist. If the Bush tax cuts expire and the tax rate go up on 1-1-13, then the GOP can fall all over themselves to CUT TAXES again.
This time however, the Dems can hold out until the 2% are exempt from the cuts!
Instead of whining about the President's proposal the GOP should just cowboy up and put put their own counter-proposal on the table, in specifics, for all to see. The notion that they can sit back on their idle thumbs and say "no" until they see a proposal they like is insane. Of course, after having falsely accused the President of planning to cut Medicare by 117 Billion dollars one assumes they will not propose ANY Medicare cuts...
Sticking with Willard's loophole shell game after losing that issue in the election, rather than standing up to Norquist and the Tea Party, is delusional cowardice. Boehner and McConnell had better hope
the GOP voter suppression strategy for 2014 works; either that or that their Districts are comprised solely of Billionaires...
Just remember the Repubs know that 49.4% voted against him.
Going by the few thing they do KNOW , I seriously doubt it , but either way it still makes you losers over all , because god like us better :)
The dems will implement our agenda , even if the america back stabbing gop force us to do it hook or crook
Well ya see, Jerold, ya got it wrong again. Romney didn't get 49.4%. As usual you don't want to face the reality. At this point, Romney's count is 47.2 or 3% and still dropping.
I actually have a very difficult time trying to understand why adults in the Republican/Tea Party refuse to see what is in front of their eyes. Presumably that is a sign of adulthood, facing reality, I mean.
The reality is that when President Obama came into office, he found that GWB was hiding his 2 wars and his tax cuts off the budget, and stripping funds from the Post Office to the tune of $30 Billion a year for pension prepayments 75 years out to hide the deficits. That accomplished 2 things for ole W. First we didn't know how bad the economy was and second the Republicans could point to the Post Office as a "losing proposition" so they could pass it on to their greedy buddies in the private sector. He had already burned through the surplus he had been handed from Clinton, so he had to do some imaginative bookkeeping.
President Obama put his wars and tax cuts back into the records where they belonged and the Republicans are so mad that they were outed that they swore to hamstring the President in every thing they could. So they started up the lie that President Obama was "spending like a drunken sailor" making him responsible for the funds actually spent by W. That was a smooth move for their base. They still believe the lie.
They are screaming that we have to have an austerity program to get us out of the mess they created with the financial collapse or we are "going to go the way of Greece and Europe." This is a real crock because, Greece and England did the austerity thing and we are seeing the results of that mistake with the protests and worsening depression over there. President Obama didn't choose that course and we are pulling out of our problems slowly (and more slowly than we could because the Republicans are fighting him every inch he is trying to gain.)
And before you start with the old line "Obama had 2 years of a majority to make changes", let me remind you that the Republican 'minority' stonedwalled, in every way they could, to prevent the President from doing anything. That majority didn't do him very much good as the Republicans were on their campaign to make him a one-term President. They decided that one on the night of his inauguration.
So those terrible Democrats are "always" blaming the Republicans? Who else should we blame? The Republicans made the decisions when they had the country. All these things happened when they were in control. They have come right out and said they are not going to work with President Obama and they are proving that every day. So where do you think the blame lies when you are faced with the truth? If you burn my house down, I'm gonna blame you big time. The Republicans burned the country and they can take the blame for their own actions.
Ok, I know I am wasting my time because you will never accept the facts, but when the time comes that the truth slaps you in the back of your head, remember that decisions have consequences and when you refuse to accept the truth, you look like a CoH exemption, with all due respect.
well put grama
Over under around or through-Lead follow or get the hell out of the way!
I guess if there is no counter offer...we're done! Call it good he's ready to sign it!
My theory is this:
I can assure you POTUS is NOT playing chicken! Had the Congress done their job in the last 2 years sequestration wouldn't have happened. Everything that is about to happen is a GOP made crisis of their own making!
If we weren't holding up the world economy I'd say "Thelma and Louise the damn tax cuts"!!!
But right now corporations are sitting on budgets for next year and they have massive projects that need to get done in IT that are on hold because of the uncertainty. That uncertainty is keeping me from going back to work!!
If I was the POTUS I'd wheel in the tax code marked up with all the loopholes that will disappear and all income that becomes "income" and the progressive rates that will change. Then tell them we are now going to tax every trade on the exchange and every sale on the internet.
Every time they say no add something HUGE! Let them know that stalling is not in their best interests.
Tell them they have to pass the jobs bills, infrastructure bills, SB credits, FAA upgrades, and every stimulus bill we've tried to get passed for 2 years.
That's the first time they laugh...NEXT {click}
Congress was charged with getting agreements on what to cut and cleaning up the tax code 4 damn years ago and they spent 4 years jacking off not doing their jobs waging a 3rd war we didn't need waiting for Obama to go away. Well he isn't going away and the sequester is a GOP made crisis just like the last debt ceiling fiasco that cost us our AAA credit rating.
Right now the International financial markets are holding their breath waiting to see if the GOP is going to really ask every person to bend over for their rectal insertion of the new tax rates they refuse to vote on now that the Senate has already passed months ago.
I refuse to have sympathy for a single whiny R that doesn't like Obama's style-just handle it! Your turn- just do your jobs you stupid TPer's it's ALL YOUR FAULT OWN IT!
If the President shook hands with Mitch he had better check to make sure he still had his wristwatch. Furthur are there metal detectors at the Whitehouse Exits?
What impact will the fiscal cliff have on our economy? About .5% off a CBO estimate of 2% growth in 2013. What will we gain? We will finally rid ourselves of the Republican Sword of Damocles, the Bush tax cuts that cost us more than $450 billion in revenue each and every year. Then we can begin to have a real discussion about taxes, and then we can begin to have a real discussion about what our nation needs to be doing right now--beginning with a guaranteed jobs program modernizing our ancient infrastructures.