White House photo
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) freely admits, without a hint of shame or regret, that he intends to hold the debt ceiling hostage until Democrats accept deep cuts in social insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare. Indeed, McConnell yesterday urged Democrats to act quickly, "rather than waiting until the last minute."
That's right, Mitch McConnell isn't just planning to hold the nation's economy hostage, he's already complaining about the speed with which Democrats will pay the ransom.
It's not just McConnell, of course. Every member of the congressional Republican leadership in both chambers is saying the same thing: President Obama may not want to negotiate over the debt ceiling, but as far as the GOP is concerned, the president doesn't have "any choice."
How many Republicans are standing up to say this is wrong and that their party shouldn't deliberately put the global economy at risk? So far, zero.
As the process picks up and the fight grows more intense, there's quite a bit to be afraid of, but one of the things I worry about at this stage is a false sense of routinization -- much of the political world has already started to look at debt-ceiling fights as routine, which is the exact opposite of reality. It's a manufactured crisis -- and a legitimate national scandal -- that was largely unthinkable before 2011, which the GOP hopes to normalize with the media's help.
Take this New York Times article, for example.
With the resolution of the year-end fiscal crisis just hours old, the next political confrontation is already taking shape as this city braces for a fight in February over raising the nation's borrowing limit. But it is a debate President Obama says he will have nothing more to do with. [...]
[I]t once again sets the stage for a nail-biting standoff that economists warn could lead to a damaging financial default and doubt from investors about the ability of the country to pay its obligations. [...]
Now, the president and Mr. Boehner are signaling a fresh round of take-it-or-leave it stands that are in sharp opposition: The president says increasing the borrowing limit is nonnegotiable, while Republicans say the House is all but certain to pass a bill that raises the debt limit only in exchange for significant cuts -- a challenge to Mr. Obama and the Democratic-controlled Senate.
At first blush, there's nothing especially wrong with this. It's true that Republicans are saying one thing, Democrats are saying something else, and if there's no progress, we're all in trouble.
But the NYT piece makes it seem as if this is normal. It's not.
Let me say this as plainly as I can: congressional Republicans are threatening to hurt Americans on purpose. They can rationalize the need for the threat, and perhaps even justify to themselves why the threat has merit, but that doesn't change the basic fact that GOP officials know the debt ceiling must be raised, they know failing to do so would trash the full faith and credit of the United States and likely cause catastrophic harm to the economy, they know lawmakers in both parties routinely raised the debt ceiling 89 times without precondition between 1939 and 2010, and yet, they're going through with this anyway.
There's nothing normal about this, and if the political establishment treats it as yet another partisan dispute, it will get this story wrong. In 2011, when Republicans created a brutal debt-ceiling, it not only damaged the country, it was the first time since the Civil War when an entire political party threatened, en masse, to do deliberate harm to the nation. And now, even after faring poorly in national elections, Republicans are poised to commit an act of political violence all over again.
What's more, as Greg Sargent keeps trying to explain to the political establishment, the entire argument has been twisted to the point at which raising the debt ceiling -- i.e., policymakers doing what they are required to do to prevent a default -- is somehow seen as Republicans making a concession, doing what they'd prefer not to do. That's insane, not only because Republicans have spent generations raising the debt ceiling without incident, but also because it's not a concession to do what's expected and required of you.
As Greg explained yesterday, "People need to stop pretending this is business as usual and start calling this out for what it is."
Leave a Comment:
"...and if the political establishment treats it as yet another partisan dispute,..."
First off what do you mean "if it's treated" - it's already being pitched as "another partisan dispute"! What the GOTP is doing is not just bullshyt, it's treason against US - and for that they should be horsewhipped!
The fact is raising the debt ceiling is akin to regular people paying their VISA bill cause it's due - that money has already been spent and until Americans and the GOTP get it thru their thick skulls everything else will sound like Charlie Brown's teacher "wha, wa, waaaa"! SMH!
Why isn't the 14th Amendment being referred to? "The full faith and credit of the United States of America shall not be questioned..." Yet isn't that exactly what republicans are doing...putting our credit in question by squabbling over raising the debt ceiling...by raising doubt over whether or not we are going to pay our bills...since this has nothing to do with spending...which congress controls but which the president is in control of once the money has been borrowed and spent already.
Obama can invoke the 14th amendment and direct the treasury to pay our debts telling the GOP to sue him if they want but this debt ceiling blackmail nonsense has got to stop since the constitution demands that "the full faith and credit of the US shall not be questioned"...ever. Does the WH have any comment on this tactic. The executive branch controls the treasury which is in charge of paying our bills...so why not? Do you know Benen?
I'm all for it if that's what the WH decides. GO NUCLEAR OPTION! Make them actually try and stop it! What are they going to do about it really?
It's time for the corporate arm of the Republican party to put the fear of God into them. A debt ceiling default would be disastrous for business, so business needs to make it clear that the purse-strings will be cut for any politician that indulges in this sort of hostage-taking.
Obama can pull the rug out from under the Republicans on the debt and deficit issues. All he needs to do is take a meat ax to the tax code and eliminate a lot of deductions not available to the middle class. And then eliminate the tax distinction between capital gains and ordinary income. The only amount that can qualify for a deduction as a capital gain is the amount equal to the average income of the US workers and the 250k on sale of the primary residence. Obama can present the plan as a tax code simplification. That has a lot of appeal to middle class voters. No cuts necessary in the budget. That will put the ball in the Republicans court to propose an alternative.
Anyone who thinks there should be no cuts to the budget is living in fantasyland.
What budget? I pay really close attention and the congress hasn't passed a budget in years. Instead they pass continuing resolutions and authorizations.
That said there is enormous fat in government. For example, lots of weapons programs could be cut without any harm to anyone except defense contractors and the members of congress they own.
Last anyone bothered to check only Congress: can "... needs to do is take a meat ax to the tax code and eliminate a lot of deductions not available to the middle class."
If you believe that Congress will do this, you are the only one who does.
PS: There are 11,000 lobbyist to assure that the tax code is not reformed.
I only proposed that Obama make this his proposal for balancing the budget. That will shift the discussion to the Republicans on how they want to balance the budget. My way smokes the Republicans out with their specifics on what they want to cut and stops them from talking in generalities. I would expect that public opinion could be mobilized for this sort of simplification of the tax code. If the plan gathered support that started to grow, the Republicans would have to make a quick compromise before the plan became too popular.
BRAVO!! the process of creating (classing) a wealth class and a non-wealth class through METHODS OF CLASSED SUPPORT AND PROMOTION is wrong for relationships, unamerican, and.... EVIL. This is a process which creates TYRANNY. If you don't believe it, look at Libya under Gadafi, look at Syria under Bashar al-assad. If you do not eliminate the methods of wealth promotion at the expense of others, you will live miserably and be killed for protesting against the results of a tyrannical operating environment.
The President has two choices. First, he can keep paying the bills. After all Congress already approved those payments irregardless of the debt ceiling. Or, he can stop paying them and let the United States credit rating fall. Either way, Republicans will be blamed and the President's position will be strengthened.
I understand why the President isn't going to negotiate over the debt ceiling. Why can't Mitch McConnell?
Nit-picky, but "irregardless" is not a word. "Regardless" suffices.
Regardless of what I wrote, you are right. Sorry. :)
irregardless
adverb, Nonstandard. regardless.
Origin:
1910–15; ir-2 (probably after irrespective ) + regardless
Can be confused: irregardless, regardless (see usage note at the current entry).
Usage note
Irregardless is considered nonstandard because of the two negative elements ir- and -less. It was probably formed on the analogy of such words as irrespective, irrelevant, and irreparable. Those who use it, including on occasion educated speakers, may do so from a desire to add emphasis.
>> It's a word now. Language evolves!
It may be a word, but it is a dumb, confusing word. Kind of like "unthaw". And if you use the rules of language it becomes as silly as unthaw. When you thaw something you take it from a frozen state to a melted, or thawed, state. So when you "unthaw" something, you take it from a melted, or thawed, state, and freeze it.
Similarly, the prefix 'ir-' means 'not', as in, irrespective, irrelevant, and irreplacable. So to say, 'irregardless' means 'not regardless', or canceling the two negatives, 'regarded'.
Under the usage note, in the last sentence, it states the "including on occasion educated speakers..." may use this usage. I beg to disagree. If a person IS an educated speaker, they would not use this word any more than they would use the word 'unthaw'.
yup. the illiterates won on that one, by sheer ubiquity of use they got it officially recognized, regardless of it being literally nonsensical. (shrug) c'est la vie.
Paulie Heins, that would define "ir regardless" as "not with less regard." That is exactly what the poster meant...Not, with less regard to (case) inflation(with total acknowledgement), bankers are tax exempted and treasonously Fed funding themselves to create MORE govt. and personal debt. Not discounting..., would function similarly. You can acknowledge "NOT allowing" a negative situation or case. He is walking through the woods with no inadvertant movements. It is an artistic expression, which can define acting without recklessness. To say he conscientiously walked through the woods would not carry the same feeling to the reader, but may not be grammatically correct.
Mitch mcconnell is a pimped out whore for his wealthy pimps. Whoring one's self out to wealth is a one way street.
if "itchy mitchy" was ever human, he is not now. he has gone "animal" and is strictly out for himself and his supporters in his personal war for his gain, your pain.
How do we take action? Deliberately destroying the country's economy sounds like treason to me... What law institution will take that on for the American people? Most of us know what is happening is wrong and destructive... Do we march on Washington? Do we get arrested in mass? Write congress? It seems they(Republicans) will create this regardless of the people wishes.... They want power... What will make them come to meaning negotiations....???? Clearly in their eyes the integrity of the American people has no value and that has to end.
People get a grip and quit being gullible. The US cannot default, even with a debt ceiling fight. The country will not be destroyed.
Perhaps you folks should remember it was Obama that threatened to withhold SS checks. There was no need to do that. It was just manipulation of your fears. Benen is guilty of just that here.
Shooter-
Um, the US can and will default if there are debt ceiling shenanigans. Maybe you missed last time, when we lost about 15% of our worth in a month over investors' reactions to the hostage situation?
No. We are legally required by the Constitution to pay debt. We are able to financially cover all our interest cost with tax cash flow. Anybody that tries to tell we are going to default is trying to scare you. Just like Obama tried to scare seniors. Don't be gullible.
Good point shooter we would still be able to pay what we owe. Now you will here a lot people says that a lie but they will be the ones liying.
If you make $5k /month and owe $6k/month, how do you pay that last $1K? No money, no payment. Sorry math confuses you rightie trolls.
larry if you only make 5k a moth and you owe 6k a month then you will probaly be homleess vey soon. Hell you would be 12k in the hole after 1 year. It would be unstainable and you would go broke.
larry, I'm talking about default on our debt, which translates into paying the interest on the debt. That is what someone like Charles Blow of the NYT is declaring will bring down the civilized world. That is not what's going to happen, it cannot happen.
Now as for the rest of Govt spending other than SS checks and whatever Obama decides what he wants to pay, you are correct.
Shooter,
When I borrow money I promise to pay the money back on time with interest.
If I am late making my loan payments, I am in default. The very best I can hope from my bank when I do become solvent is that my interest rate will go up. That means I will have to pay more money to the bank.
Congress has authorized borrowing to pay the nations bills, including paying off debt already incurred with interest. If Congress refuses to pay the nations bills, including paying off the loans already incurred with interest, the United States will be in default. It will be more expensive for the US to borrow in the future. All those US bonds under pin the world's economy. If those bonds become junk because they aren't honored, the civilized world might be brought down.
I notice that the guy at the NYT does use his real name and the NYT is willing to stand behind his predictions. I am not reassured that you want us to take the word of somebody who hides behind an alias over somebody who uses his real name in the American paper of record.
We will still be able to pay what we owe. Not rasing the debt ceilng doesnt mean we cant pay what we owe folks. Anybody who tells you different is flat out liying.
IT IS TREASON. and the court will be established and held upon the internet court of the people and he will be tried and if found guilty, judgement will be pronounced.
Gerrymandered GOP Reps don't give a rat's about the country since their districts are all but guaranteed the next election cycle, so there is no consequences to their inaction. The RWNJs love to complain about low information voters keeping an "unqualified" man in office, yet fail to see the irony in keeping do-nothing hard-right conservatives in office. By virtue of padding their districts with favorable voters who also must be low information voters, they continue to keep these clowns in office.
there are 2 types of people, those who share their space with others and, those who surround themselves with protection and self gratifying whatever. it is really that simple. repubers are stupid because they believe that everyone else operates the same way, or should.
repubes are not interested in a community, they are only accomodating to a community only as much as it is simple a "collection" of people stuck in the same locale.
REPUBERS ARE ANIMALS. Humans know that helping others is a good thing to do, improves the operating environment, and works. Animals don't do that. A lion does not say to another animal, "hey, go ahead. you can have the game there and i will just go away. it's all yours.". Animals do NOT help others at their own possible expense. REPUBERS ARE ANIMALS. In the evolutionary march, repubers have a neanderthal brain and do not belong with evolved humans.
You've been flagged for being a jerk.
missycheeks i agree and posted your comment on my page
i hope you dont mind
There's only one way to stop this. Republicans have to be told there is no negotiation over the debt ceiling. Unfortunately, for the country and its future, the person who would have to say that is President Mammoth Cave.
Don't expect the end result to be anything other than yet another lurch rightward for the country. That's despite the fact the country doesn't want another lurch rightward. It's because there's nobody standing in Republicans' way.
That's Cavey McCaverson to you, good sir.
Is there any significance in the fact that Mammoth Cave is in Kentucky?
Hostage-taking assumes 1) one side cares more about the life of the hostage than the terrorist - in this case, the US economy. 2) Democrats are better people than Republicans - the GOP will destroy the country for personal political gain, and the Democrats will sacrifice their priorities to save the nation from them. And 3) That the hostage-taker will can kill the hostage without suffering any consequences.
They're correct about the first two. But number three is what will make them cave yet again. They don't even have the guts to say out loud what they want as ransom - entitlement cuts.
That's incorrect. Republicans are very much saying they want earned benefit cuts. They have stopped caring how obnoxious they are.
Sometimes a little pain is needed before there is enlightenment. In this case, don't negotiate with the hostage takers. Their paymasters will tell them to release the hostage. If they don't their paymasters will suffer more than anybody else. Like I said a little pain is sometimes needed before there is enlightenment.
repubers suffer from "temporary insanity" for number 3. Here is how that plays out. The repuber is guessing that the non repube would rather not risk his life. The repuber, in order to TAKE THIS CHANCE... has to believe that the non repube values his own life moreso than the repube values his own life - and THEREIN LIES THE RUB! The repube is within himself a worthless piece of @!$%# except for what he has managed to steal from others and those instances where is able to overpower another. THINK EVIL KNIEVEL..... Evil was a great guy - an entertainer and not threatening anyone except himself and possibly family. REPUBES THREATEN EVERYONE & THEMSELVES because in their own "temporary insanity" evil mind they commit their valueless worthless life to doom as they pour over themselves a saucy belief that life is less worth living if they cannot be in charge.
IT REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE. REPUBES ARE TWISTED SICK PSYCHOSOCIOPATHS.
Flagged again for being a jerk.
Capitulation to hostage taking should never be normalized. However, under The Obomination it seems to have been and the repukes will continue their hostage taking at least as long as The Capitulator In Chief keeps paying their ransoms.
you wrongly/incorrectly judge President Barack Obama. He has - with my help - upgraded his negotiating skills by retracting good offers and saying "you should have taken my prior offer. Now take this offer because it only gets worse for you.".
It will get better. Soon he will be able to save the stinking no-good repoops by allowing them to vote for an escalating tax to 79% instead of 90%. WATCH.
You don't negotiate with serial hostage takers for the same reason you don't negotiate with terrorists, however painful it will be not to do so. Any negotiation is viewed as a partial victory by the bad guys, it gives them bragging rights, and encourages them to turn to the same toolbox in the future, always to the detriment of innocent victims. Curiously it was "tough guy" Reagan who negotiated with the Iranians to get our hostages back, and that gang is still rattling sabers.
I could be wrong, but, I believe the hostages flew out of Iran the day Reagan was inaugurated. I think that means that (supposed wimp) Carter's team did the negotiating.
Trainer, you're right and I'm wrong. The Carter people did get them to release the hostages, in exchange for frozen accounts, supposedly around $300,000 per hostage. They waited until Reagan's inauguration to spite Carter.
http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/dane_geld.html
Of course! Thank you for that oh-so-timely-and-relevant link!
Lots more eloquent than "rule or ruin."
National Debt at 16 TRILLION
what does President Obama and the Democrats and Liberals want and get a Fiscal Cliff Bill that ADDS 4 TRILLION to the National Debt with NO REVENUES
and now the President wants what No Debt Ceiling Cap
And the Democratic Senate has not passed a budget in over 1300 days
LMAO
Lies don't usually go over well on this Blog. Try RedState or somewhere.
We get bored with all-caps, too. In this case, it merely calls attention to your fact-free assertions.
and what part is a lie?
LMAO
"We get bored with all-caps, too."
6 ALL CAPS ARE ALL????
I'm not sure there's really a question here, but the answer is that the President - and the Executive Branch - are mandated by the Constitution to "faithfully execute" the laws that THE CONGRESS PASSES. The President is not "spending"; he's paying bills that the Congress mandates, all originated in the [Republican] House of Representatives. Any government official who spends one dollar that Congress has not approved is committing an illegal act. Is that what you consider to be nolaughingmatter?
@Helena
Go to the US.gov website. It has the national debt figures, budget information, and records of all of the bills that pass through congress. It's pretty easy to find out the facts.
@nolaughingmatter-
That $4T is convoluted, because its based on the Bush cuts expiring. But here's where your and the Republican mouthpieces' argument falls apart... the GOP WANTED ALL OF THE BUSH CUTS EXTENDED!! (see what I did there? ;-) ) That means the plan your people wanted would have added closer to $5T to the debt.
All but about 1% of the Bush tax cuts were exteneded. All this time we were told that the Bush tax cuts only helped the rich but in the end the Bush tax cuts has helped 99% of tax payers. That was a flat out lie because if it only helped the rich why extend them at all for anybody?
It's not up to the Senate or President to pass a budget. All spending bills must originate in the House. The only budget the house has passed was the banckrupting of America budget of clown ryan. And wish like hell you rightie obama haters would figure out why the debt/defecit is where it's at. And don't even try not bring your clown show GWB into the reason.
Larry we just extended the Bush tax cuts for 99% of americans. Obama just made the Bush tax cuts permanet for 99% of american tax payers. You do see that dont you the Bush tax cuts have been permantly extended by obama for 99% of american tax payers. SO evidently the Bush tax cuts were pretty good after all. Let me repeat that for you Obama just exteneded the Bush tax cuts for 99% of american tax payers.
"High"
yeah, b/c a tax cut for someone making $50,000 is EXACTLY the same "pretty good after all" as somone making $50,000,000 /yr right?
The person making the 50K does not have 15 tax attorneys to help hide income like Romboid does.
The last income disparity report was: the top 2% made 93% of the US income & the rest of us made 7%. If that doesn't defy logic for you, you are in the top 5% and your point of view is like Romeys, hopelessly out of touch and has only one point. The self.
Thats my point but all we have heard is how terrible the Bush tax cuts were. However it seems the Bush tax cuts were pretty good afterall. Just pointy out the fact that the evil Bush tax cuts wernt so evil afterall. Obama has just extended the evil Bush tax cuts. Of course there not evil now that Obama has made them permantly. The only difference is the Bush tax cuts were for all american tax payers when Bush did them. Now they are just for 99% of tax payers. However due to the ss payroll tax cut ending the poor working folk will see a liitlte less in their net pay this week. Most of the truley rich folk dont have earned income so they will still be paying the capital gains rate. Whish its 20% instead of 39%. Of course even Al Gore tried to take advantage of the 15% rate but he didnt pull it off in time.
Yes, the President of the United States should not negotiate with hostage takers and other brands of terrorists. President Obama has stated that he is drawing a line in the sand over negotiating the debt limit, but he has a rather sorry record of drawing a line in the sand and then scuffing it out. The part of this issue that I do not understand is President Obama's statement that he will not use the "constitutional method" to dodge the issue entirely. What is the terrible outcome of just continuing to borrow funds to pay the bills (that Congress has approved and, legally speaking, ordered the Executive Branch to implement)? He can cite his Constitutional obligation to protect the full faith and credit of the United States, implicitly telling the Republicans, "So, impeach me." Why is killing "leverage" by ignoring it not a better course than making hostage-taking crises a regular feature of government action? Please explain.
I agree nolaughingmatter
Everyone should understand that the operative word in debt ceiling is CEILING. As in, go no higher. Sure, we've spent the money, but do we just keep signing off and ignoring the whole purpose of having a CEILING or do we get down to business and deal with out of control spending (that both sides are responsible for).
Talk about being held hostage... the middle class tax cuts were held hostage over demands for increased taxes on the wealthy that would have funded the government for 8 1/2 days. What a joke... leading on the American people like that. Many actually believe that what the Democrats fought so hard for will actually go towards the debt. Because that is what they are being led to believe.
Lisa
The Last Debt Ceiling was occurred approximately17 months ago, raising it an additional 2.7 TRILLION
What does President Obama and the Democrats and Liberals want and get a Fiscal Cliff Bill that ADDS 4 TRILLION to the National Debt with NO REVENUES
Why have a Debt ceiling, if all we are going to do is ignore it?
"Out of control spending", Lisafp? Or last chance to gut the New Deal and Great Society? There is a difference.
However Lisafp, presuming you actually do care about our country's finances here's some proposals:
For every dollar cut from the Defense Department, we'll only spend one dollar on infrastructure.
The cap on SS is raised to $400,000 and is due on all income.
In 2014 the minimum wage also gets raised to $10, which is where, adjusted for inflation, it should be.
Once unemployment is under 6% we start putting the Clinton tax rates into effect for everyone.
We then follow that with a return to pre-Reagan marginal tax rates which, I believe, were 50%.
Meanwhile, other than emergency spending to help those suffering from natural disasters (and no, voting for a Republican Congress member, does not count as a "natural disaster", just a human one), we increase spending on current programs by no more than the rate of inflation.
Within less than five years the deficit will be gone and the Debt shrinking.
Of course, without the Deficit and Debt monsters to frighten voters, I'm not really certain what Republicans will campaign on.
Don't much care, either...
nolaughingmatter
I totally agree with you. The debt ceiling was enacted for a reason and we need to get back to those principles.
Both sides agree ("in principle") that spending reforms need to occur. Jay Carney was just discussing this morning that fiscal reforms need to happen.
But whenever spending cuts are in legislation, it is put forth as a concession for the Republicans...
Doug,
Everything should be on the table...
and let's make sure that the emergency spending bills that are put forth aren't full of pork. If we've learned anything by now, it's that no politician ever lets a good disaster go to waste.
are you a fool? the debt is a difficult thing and a con game but not by the govt, but by the fed who loans the money for the "PRICE MAKERS". Do not be fooled. The problem of debt is just a symptom of PRICE JACKING aka PRICING FRAUD. And this is all the game of zions who print money to keep power for the owners over the employees - who have since been branded as "expendable" by the neocons.
the solution to debt is to eradicate the need to borrow. the solution to eradicating the need to borrow is to eliminate PRICE JACKING. the solution to eliminate price jacking is to at the very least - mandate the recirculation of cash by putting a CAP ON HORDING.... aka wealth.
The treasury can only pays bills for expenditures that have been authorized by congress. It's too bad that this congress might not agree with some of those programs and that we have a president who won't agree to the cuts they wish to make. Elections matter. I think it's time to test whether the law establishing a debt ceiling is indeed constitutional. Obama should instruct the treasury to pay the country's bill and invoke article 14 section 4 as giving him the authority. Then let the republicans bring a court challenge and let's see what happens.
lmao!! i think maybe i no longer to pay my mortgage note. same thing. the only difference is i lose my house quick while the pimped out repooper whores in congress keep theirs... and get paid for doing it.
I posted this on FB just the other day in reference to this:
I just coined a new term! Politerrorist - a political figure or group willing to hold the nation's economic well-being hostage (including that of their own constituents) in service of their extreme political ideology, regardless of the damage that their actions may cause, and the willingness to use the threat of political and economic violence (going over the fiscal cliff; allowing the US credit rating to decline sending our nation and the whole world into potential recession... again) to attempt to coerce the opposition into submitting to their ideological demands.
Yes, I mean the Tea Party Republicans in Congress. What else can you call them? They're not patriots. They're no longer public servants (not if they're unwilling to negotiate or compromise on behalf of the majority of their own constituents, almost all of whom make below $400,000 per year). They care about their ideology, not what's good for the country. And they are willing to enact political and economic violence on their constituents and the nation to get what they want.
hostaging - as an act of terrorism - is a method of STEALING. So what do so-called repooplicons mean when they say they are christians?
honestly, they are not christians for they do not follow the teachings of the Lord Jesus...
Being that the pimped out repoops are not christians or moslems or of any other good faith, maybe they belong to a cult?
One could argue that the Democratic agenda is bankrupting America...
One simple statement for Obama to master:
"It is up to the House of Representatives to pass a bill raising the debt ceiling. While I expect a clean bill from the House, they are independent actors and can pass whatever sort of bill they wish, and a discussion will follow once they do. But they know there are dire consequences for this country if they pass no bill at all. So they must pass a bill."
The President should not negotiate on this, you cannot say you will not pay your bills after appropriating and spending the money. You just can't. Don't appropriate the money in the first place. This is economic terrorism, my children's education funds are just recovering from the disaster of the meltdown on Wall street. Millions of Americans will be hurt. I believe the big US government bond trading houses on Wall street will come down hard on these GOP congressmen, they will lose their lucrative commissions when foreigners stop buying US treasuries and bonds with a threat of default hanging over them. The government would be forced to offer higher interest rates to attract these buyers, high interest rates will balloon the debt, hit all Americans with all types of outstanding mortgage and car loans. If the GOP carries out this threat with these consequences, they will be routed in the 2014 mid terms, people have struggled to get back on their feet after the great recession to put up with such Shenanigans.
We would still be able yo pay the bills with the income we got coming in. So we wouldnt have to default on any of our debt that we owe now. Anybody who trys to tell you different would be flat out liying.
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raising the debt ceiling -- i.e., policymakers doing what they are required to do to prevent a default
What kind of twisted logic is this? Policymakers are required to keep us fiscally responsible, not arbitrarily raise the debt ceiling. What a joke. The thing that worries me most is that most of the American public eats this drivel up.
i pretty much agree. but only insofar as the debt to each american rises as opposed to rising but remaining the same relative to increases everywhere else. the real problem is money printing. we are more than half way to than moon and fixed for a crash landing for letting banker thieves - and lawyers who steal for them - turn our democracy into a sham and a scam.
Does any adult in this country not believe that we have a very SERIOUS spending problem? It's time to act like adults, cut spending, and stop running the nation's credit cards beyond their credit limits! Can you, with a straight face, tell your children and grandchildren that our current actions are in their best interest? They will pay dearly throughout their lives for our misdeeds. Be a grown-up and insist that it not happen!
NO. We have a serious balancing problem.
there is a ratio that works and you and everyone else need to learn and decide what that ratio should be..... NOW.
NO. we do not have a spending problem....
NO. we do not have a debt problem....
if you do not own it, it is not your problem. it is first yours to own... know what i mean?
No one seems to point out what is truly insane abou this- they are threatening to destroy the credit of the US in order to save us from potentially defaulting on our debt in a decade or so if we spend too much. It is one of the most illogical arguments one can make for debt reduction and the media can't even be bothered to explain this to the public. It's totally insane.
Holding the debt ceiling hostage is not an option. The 14th Amendment clearly states we must pay our bills. The president should invoke that if the Congress remains derelict past the point of no return. This is money already authorized to be spent. Let them challenge him in court. A one way or another we will pay.
We will still have enough money to pay the bills without rasing the debt ceiling. If anybody tells you different they are flat out liying.
If we can pay all our bills, why are we borrowing money ?
Because our government is crooked as hell. Just look at the bill to help the sandy vitcims. Instead of making it for the sandy victims only they added about 30 billion for non storm related stuff in other parts of the country.
Routinization: symptomatic of the coming end of the Republican party. When procedure becomes paramount over results, when rationality is the unwelcome visitor to the proceedings, there is something to consider:
Political parties DO disappear. A quick glance through google results SHOWS that MAJOR parties are not invulnerable to decay and ignominious downfall. We find Whigs and Federalists, and a huge host of other semi-organized and somewhat-durable gatherings of like-minded movers-and-shakers -- all of whom fell by the wayside when they lost relevance.
Amusingly, in a "List of Political Parties in the United States" compiled via wikipedia, under a heading "Historical parties: (the following parties are no longer functioning; they are listed in order of founding)", can be found "Boston Tea Party (2006-2012)". What we do NOT yet see is a formal announcement of the demise of the Republican Party, although the writing is on the wall -- as soon as gerrymandering leaves its mark, making one party unassailable by CHANGE, democracy stutters and fails in the face of multiple disparate DYNASTIES with no coherent need to BE political, to compromise and work toward a larger goal.
Because for THAT representative, the GOAL has already been reached -- tenure. Guaranteed employment. Manage to avoid "the live boys and the dead girls", and live the life of luxury with little or no REAL challenge or responsibility. Go through the motions, glad-hand a few constitutents occasionally, show up to work even less frequently, and let the Body Politic fend for itself.
Sometimes even having learned from the past, we STILL repeat it. Interesting times ahead.
These self-serving House Republicans in Congresss are really starting to piss me off. Republicans have nothing more than a hard on for power, while Americans have been working harder and longer, just to pay their basic bills, with less and less take home pay every year. Where will it all end? When will these unpartriotic jerks start helping the American people and our country?
I'm convinced the only thing these idiots will understand, is a massive march on Capital Hill, a sit-in by millions of Americans. Bring your folding chairs, tents, and sleeping bags, canned foods and lanterns. There are 24 million people out of work i this country right now. Even if 20% were to make their way to Washington, plus retireries and others who have vacation time, we could see a few milion people waiting and watching, outside of Capital Hill. We could light a match, under their asses, to start doing their job.
Demand Congress act to pass Bills to creat jobs, like they promised in 2010. Demand Congress negotiate with good faith, not with partisan politics and not with a kick the can down the road mindset; we want to see courageous determination and an all out effort to solve problems with the budget, deficit, and spending cuts. Not by cutting social services first, but last, if need be.
Defence and bloated government agencies like the Pentagon need to be cut by at least 10%. Cut foreign aid to anti-American (hostile) countries, cut funding to countrys who can financially stand on their own, without US aid. Cut Governemnt "Perks" across the board, from top to bottom. I'm willing to bet an audit of the Pentagon alone, would generate billions, in unaccounted for funds.