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Subscribe to RSSRelishing a political victory, President Barack Obama said Tuesday that Congress "did the right thing" by extending payroll tax cuts for millions of Americans. He urged lawmakers to push forward on more measures, from assistance to struggling homeowners to increased taxes on the wealthy, saying the looming election was no excuse for inaction in Washington.
Larry Downing / Reuters
President Obama speaks about the importance of the passage by Congress of the extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance.
"Don't stop here. Keep going,'" Obama said during a White House event marking the passage of the tax cuts.
"Keep taking the action that people are calling for to keep this economy growing. This may be an election year, but the American people have no patience for gridlock," he said.
See related story: White House on defense over gas prices
Obama was celebrating a tax cut that is already in place, but due to expire at month's end. He said the extension of the tax cut for the rest of the year will have a spillover effect: More people will spend money and more businesses in turn will be prodded to hire workers, and so "the entire economy" gets a boost.
Congress overwhelmingly passed the $143 billion measure on Friday. The bill extends both a 2 percentage point reduction in the tax that funds Social Security and extends jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed. The measure also averts a big cut in the reimbursements doctors get for treating Medicare patients.
But Tuesday's event was not a bill-signing because the bill is not yet in Obama's hands. Not knowing when the legislation will come down from Capitol Hill, the White House decided to go ahead and hold its event now, while the victory is still fresh in people's minds. No major event is planned for the actual bill-signing.
The payroll tax cut was a centerpiece of the jobs plan Obama unveiled last year — and of a re-election strategy that seeks to cast his GOP foes as protectors of the rich out of touch with the worries of working families.
Obama never mentioned that a real driver of the deal Congress approved Friday was the political fallout on Republicans if they didn't give ground. Having endured a debacle in December, when they were seen as holding up the tax cut before caving, Republicans this time went along, and without demanding that the cost be paid for, either.
The White House said the average family would have lost $40 per paycheck had the tax cut not been extended. Throughout the payroll tax debate, the White House encouraged people to write in on social networking sites about how losing that money would affect their lives.
Several members of the public who submitted their thoughts were invited to join Obama at events promoting the tax cuts, including his remarks Tuesday.
"This got done because of you," Obama said. "Because you called, you emailed, you tweeted your representatives and you demanded action. You made it clear that you wanted to see some common sense in Washington."
White House officials have called the payroll tax cut the last "must-do" legislation Obama has to work with Congress on ahead of the November presidential election. Still, Obama made a push Tuesday for several other priorities outlined in his jobs bill and last month's State of the Union address, including legislation to assist small business owners and struggling homeowners.
Obama earlier this month proposed a vast expansion of government assistance to homeowners that would make lower lending rates a possibility for millions of borrowers who have not been able to get out from under burdensome mortgages. The proposal has special resonance in election battlegrounds such as Nevada and Florida that have faced record foreclosures.
Obama wants Congress to pass legislation that would make it easier for more borrowers to refinance their loans, creating a new program through the Federal Housing Administration that would have the government assume the risk for the new mortgages. The proposal faces a difficult path in Congress.
Obama also said he wants Congress to pass the so-called Buffett rule, which seeks to ensure that people making more than $1 million a year pay at least 30 percent of their incomes in taxes.
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Like herding cats president Obama has a difficult task ahead of him with the nay saying congress. The one positive is that the GOP is behaving more like lemmings than cats.
Keep going off the cliff, huh?
Seriously people, when this country runs out of money, who are you going to blame it on?
Again, who are you going to blame it on?
How many trillions has Obama added to the national debt?
Obama is a traitor, plain and simple. He and his staff of traitors should be put on trial, when faced with this assault by the Liberal/Marxist it's up to WE THE PEOPLE to resist with any force necessary, including arms. Our founding fathers deserve no less.
Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence ?
Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.
Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.
Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.
Remember: Freedom is never free!
Wow, three years in and counting DOWN and here we are again.....another article touting Mr. Obama's "economic" laser beam since the batteries ran dead on his "laser beam" for jobs.
And just what is Mr. Obama going to propose this time ? Oh yeah, more $$$ for R&D, education, and transportation. Wait, that would be Stimulus #4.
Yep, that do nothing Senate and their Democratic leader.
I thought the last thing Mr. Obama wanted to do during his Presidency was to sign the "tax break" into law giving workers $20/week....the rest of his tenure was supposed to be towards continuing his four years of campaigning and controlling Media Matters.
Could be worse.
He could spending his time worrying about banning birth control and taking civil rights back 150 years like the candidates the GOP has gifted us.
Oh sure, by all means keep going with that $4.00+ gasoline, moribund housing market, actual unemployment rate of 18-19%, soaring food prices, savings/CD rates of .25%. Yeah, keep it up since we're all just enjoying the hell out of our financial misery.
How many Trillion did Obama add to the debit two wars and Prescription drug that was left out. If people would do same fact checks they would see the proof, but they just can't they just hate so much they can't see.
Ruken
Please list the names of people who have said they want to ban birth control. Direct quotes would be nice if you can find them.
I'll bet you can't. You might be able to get some lies from Rachel Madcow. She's always good for misinformation.
Oh come now, Ruken, get real. Obama created the whole issue by trying to shove free birth control down eveyone's throats.....and it wasted time and effort HE should have been spending on real efforts to fix the economy.
Its always a tax problem, never a spending problem..!! This is a run away government..
And the debt clock ticks..!!
The fact that you say this says to me that you are either uneducated or delusional.
Offering and "shoving down everyone's throats" are two different things.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/03/rick-santorum-birth-control-sodomy_n_1181291.html
Behold Santorum: the sexist homophobe.
Ruken -
The GOP isnt trying to ban birth control, the GOP just doesnt want Christian organizations to be forced to provide something they dont stand for.
Show me where they are trying to ban it. I bet you cant.
Once again spewing misinformation.
The Christian organizations don't supply it. Their insurance companies would.
Please try again.
Oh, and FYI: The vast majority of Catholics / Christians are for / use birth control.
Talk about a vocal minority...
Wait a minute....kicking the can down the road AGAIN.....more $$$ towards struggling homeowners who are in "over their head".
Well, what about the home owners who have continued to pay their mortgages on time even though their loan is more than the "assessed value" of their homes ?
HAMP #1 and HAMP #2 didn't work, so now Mr. Obama wants ANOTHER HAMP. Funding ? Yep, class warfare AGAIN.
And, more Government expansion....another arm in the FHA and the GOVERNMENT assume responsibility for the "risks of the new mortgages" ?
Yep, sounds just like another failed Obama agenda item.
As wonderful as it may seem to a few, shortchanging Social Security of its necessary funding will only HASTEN ITS DEMISE. This is political pandering by Obama to be popular in hopes of getting re-elected !
Just got to start your reply with an insult, huh Ruken? It's simply a compulsion with you libs, isn't it?....and a symptom that your argument is weak
Telling employers, or anyone else, what they HAVE to provide is most certainly not offering, it's clearing shoving down their throats.
You really didn't read that article did you? They aren't short changing it. They are adding to the deficit (i.e. borrowing more money) to reimburse SS.
If you're going to call Obama out, at least call him out on something factually correct.
No, it's not. Of course you seem to lack the mental power to make that distinction.
You know what else is for the weak? Arguments full of sh*t. Like the misinformation you seem to be spewing.
Former Senator "Ass-Juice" makes a fine candidate for you.
@flash8: congratulations for one of the most delusional posts I've read this month, on this or any board. It's a free country and you have the right to speak your mind, but after scanning that drivel, my advice to you is to seek professional help immediately and lay in a good supply of tin foil for your "helmet of protection".
Ruken,
You get an "F" in logic. Borrowing more money, putting our country deeper into debt than it already is at the moment, is not "funding" Social Security. It is simply robbing from Peter to pay Paul !
But then again, that's what the Democrats are good at .... kicking the can down the road, playing accounting tricks while trying to get re-elected. It still does not solve the problem.
Ruken said -
Once again spewing misinformation.
The Christian organizations don't supply it. Their insurance companies would. Please try again.
Oh, and FYI: The vast majority of Catholics / Christians are for / use birth control.
Talk about a vocal minority...
Misinformation? How do those pesky insurance companies get their money? Oh yeah, the Christian orgs pays them. I also notice you didnt provide any links to your "information."
I noticed how you didn't link any disproving it.
I'll give you a hint: it was in articles published after Obama's compromise. But of course you undoubtedly only read what you wanted to see. Typical illiterate troll.
To date, in EIGHT years, during his FULL presidential term, George W. Bush added 4.86 trillion to the national debt.
Since Obama took office on January 20, 2009, until today, in three years and one month, he has added 4.75 trillion to the national debt ---- IN JUST THREE SHORT YEARS AND ONE MONTH.
When is it going to stop?
Do we as a nation deserve this?
Ruken,
Once again which Christians are trying to outlaw birth control? Why don YOU want to pay for it if it is such a great idea?
If you actually knew how the budget works, you'd know it's two years and one month. The budget in Obama's first year was passed under Bush.
Learn your facts.
The Catholic Church, for one. Which is ironic considering most Catholics actually use BC.
Ruken,
Do you think people are going to buy that?
But the real question is, how much are they paying you? Is it really worth it?
Node4:
I guess my reminder of what True American Patriots sacrificed was to much for you. I'm sorry that I offended you by trying to illustrate what the founders of our country went through to insure liberty and freedom for all going forward. My comments must have been to much for you because the Unionized Public School System you attended must have forgotten to teach you American History.
You were most likely taught that hard work, sacrifice, morality, capitalism, self-dependence etc were racist and unfair to all. You Node are the cancer that fills this once great nation. I pity you.
Of course Obama does not understand buisness for he has not had a job without guvment help. Where are the small buisness loans (the provider of most jobs), $537,000,000 to 1 green company that went bankrupt. Why was the loan made? A lawyer for Solyndra made 2 million her husband was a bundler for Obama! Fair? How about 53,700 to 10,000 small buisnesses sound better, or do votes matter more? Obama is totally clueless on buisness. Anybody list 1 job creating idea from him! Green jobs my A$$.
Uh...what?
flash 8; History is no longer taught in schools, except colleges, it is much to violent for the young(although the video games of mass killings, blood and gore are o.k.); social studies are now the courses, you learn about Marilyn Monroe, singers and actors; "erase the knowledge of a nations history, and then mold them into a new society" Karl Marx.
Some of this sounds great for those who will benefit but how is this all going to be paid for? I can assume that the reduction in social security contributions will result in a reduction in benefits. Of course people will not learn about that until it is time to calculate the benefits that they will receive. The President always wants to raise taxes on the "rich" one way or another but congress has not been buying it.
Increasing money flow in the economy was done during the Bush administration and even more so during the current administration but it has not turned the economy around. The money does increase demand for goods and services but since so much is produced in foreign countries the money just flows out of our economy and we are left with more debt. Until we stop running such a high annual trade deficit, flooding the economy with cash is not going to turn things around. Trade deficits have been lower during the Obama administration than the Bush administration but they have been on the rise.
What about the debt? The President promised that the 2012 deficit would not exceed 229.27 billion dollars yet the White House is predicting a deficit of more than 1.3 trillion dollars. I estimate that this addition to the debt will end up costing the tax payers over 10 trillion dollars to pay it all back in 170 years.
The President needs to be reminded of some words of wisdom that were spoken back in March of 2006. The words were as true then as they are today.
"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America 's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, "the buck stops here.' Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better."
~ Senator Barack H. Obama, March 2006
I find it funny he came out for over a year saying not to raise taxes in a down economy (we are still in).
Then rails "raise taxes" During the election year.
Then signs a bill to keep taxes the same and not the raise he wants.
Then wants the payroll tax cut, saying lowering taxes for the poor help the economy with more spending. If his view is lowering taxes raises spending then the same applies that all income levels would increase spending and he sounds like a republican.?
Huh?????
Ruken, the budget was passed lasted for 3 months. Did Bush pass the almost Trillion dollar stimulus at the beginning of '09. I think not. He didn't even come close to sticking to the '09 budget as he shot waaaaaaay over the amount allocated. If he had stuck to the dollar amount there wouldn't have been a 1.5 Trillion deficit.
Ruckie
please post a link to who is trying to "ban" birth control.....oh , you can't?...didn't think so
and I shouldn't have to pay for your daughters birth control , that is YOUR job...that way she bed down all she wants and truely be "self sufficient"...isn't it cool?
@flash8: rather than concern yourself with my educational experience; I respectfully suggest you tend to your own knitting. Rattling off irrelevant facts in order to attempt to make a point, when you have none, does not make a convincing argument for anything. And questioning someone else's patriotism because they may not agree with you is hardly American or productive.
Obama is LYING about the economy to try and get reelcted.
Unless the formulas have been changed, there is no way the unemployment numbers match up with what this administration is releasing.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2012/02/09/dont-be-fooled-the-obama-unemployment-rate-is-11/
Alil, you are right! The month that the unemployment went under 9%, more people entered the work force than the number of jobs created (yet the unemployment # went down). But this is the way the numbers have been used in the past. It scews the numbers more now that such a large number have been out of work for so long and have given up.
Tes read the article..... using the same formulas the government is supposed to be using, and using the same data the govt posts, the numbers do not match up.
They have been manipulated.
This is not the way the numbers have been used in the past.
This is lying.
I just don't know what you are all so excited about with this deficit spending!
Reagan proved that deficits don't matter. Dick Cheney
@Node4 my questioning your patriotism is truly American which just proves that you do not understand the true heart of the America's people. Just like our founders questioned the British Overlords (See 1.2) and demanded Freedom or choose to die. You sir have absolutely NO clue about this country, nor serving it.
My point obviously struck a nerve considering your reply although it was boorish and mostly emotional drivel. So go on and trumpet your "Tax the Rich" mantra but do it now because the time for honoring your king will soon be at an end.
Obama is going to be re- elected, nothing you haters can do about it!! He is a great president concidering he is bringing us out of the horrible 8 years of bush policy's... Do your home work, in the last 30 years republicans raised the debt much more than dems, And you are all blaming the president! sham on you is all I can say. I'm tired of watching the republicans get so fat rich off of the middle class it makes me sick to my stomach!! When are the republican party going to think about all the people of this country and not just the wealthy...We will end the loop holes and you rich pricks will pay your fair share of taxes, this is going to happen , you will see....
@flash8: "Tax the Rich" mantra ... what orifice did you extract that from? ... certainly not from anything I commented on. Did you even read anything I wrote or do you just spray the same mindless, unfounded accusations at anyone who choses to exercise the freedom to espouse an independent thought?
The only thing I'm struck by is your inability to stay on topic.
flash8, you are suspended for a day for violating rule # 1 of the Code of Honor.
Is Obama serious? He's now a cheerleader? Trying to look like he is leading something?
Desperate times call for desperate actions and statements I guess...meanwhile he is promoting a new record setting deficit plan with the obligatory smoke and mirrors. ...and sorry I'm not taking the risk for other's stupid actions.
The economy is improving and the DOW is over 13000 not 7000 where the GOP left it. There has been over 2 yrs of Job growth and people are hating on President Obama as much as they did on President Clinton. How come the last 2 Democratic President had screwed up economies to fix? Well those 2 Democratics presidents followed Republican president who pushed trickle down economics. History has shown that these policies do not work but these republicans only have 1 economic plan and it is a failure. You tea baggers hate President Obama and he has not be perfect but he is getting America back on track and that is a fact. Yes the Debt we have is higher then we would like but with more Americans working there is an increase in money coming into the Govt to pay down the debt. When you put money into the right areas you get good results. unlike tax breaks for the rich which still has not generated any Jobs. GM was saved and so was millions of Job and taxes they bring in and the GOP wanted to let GM die.
Obama/biden 2012 only logical choice!!!
I hate to burst your bubble, but the GM "saving" was merely a bailout of union pension plans. GM still filed for bankruptcy and the GM bondholders were royally screwed by the Obama administration.
You are not bursting any of my bubbles , Millions of jobs were saved and GM is now #1 in the world and also one of the biggest employers in the US. They will be paying out 7000 to each employee that will be pumped into our economy and also the taxes those bonuses will bring in!! Win/Win !!! This has kept millions of tax dollars coming into our govt. What is your point?
I know he is not perfect but he is helping the middle class and the poor which has been abandon by the GOP who calls the GI Bill Welfare!!! When these politicians take an oath for office they should do what best for the country instead of a piece of paper that some of them sign just to get votes!! Traitors !!!
Get Real he is also celebrating most Jobs created in over 6 yrs and also a Dow that hit 13000!! By the way he does not write the bills he only signs them that is why he is pushing the house and Congress to keep working together to get things done, He also can set an agenda for them.
Pissedoffperson
The bottom did not fall out of the stock market until the democrats took over congress. Go back to November 2007. And George Bush had 50 straight months of job growth. Let us wait and see how Obama does.
Why is GM paying out the big bonuses when it still has not totally paid back back all debt to the U.S. ?
How's that Chevy Volt doing ?? I hear it's so hot that it's on fire .... literally ! Dealers don't want to sell it.
lololololol
During Bush's eight years in office -- January 2001 to January 2009 -- the nation actually gained a net 1.09 million jobs. (Because there were gains in government jobs, the private sector actually lost 653,000 jobs during that period.)
We have gained more Jobs under President Obama then the entire 8yrs under GW and President Obama has only been in 3 yrs so Please research before you post Fox talking points!
lolololololoolol
Jim
GM is #1!!!
Your point?
Jim clearly thinks car manufacturers have never had a recall before.
President Obama (3yrs)+.56% Job Growth
President GW Bush(8yrs)-.34% Job Shrinkage
This is private and Govt jobs Combined.
Pissedoff All recessions have ended in the past and unemployment has eventually decreased! Why is it that the same people that give Obama credit for improvement are the same ones who complain that the "obstructionists" won't allow his agenda!!??
Pissant, As most liberals go you are of course wrong. There are less people working since Obama took office. Fact. Unemployment only went down because 5,000,000 people stopped looking for jobs. Fact. You must be a product if inner-city edumaction!
The minuscule recovery is as doomed as doomed can be with $4.00 - $5.00+ gasoline on the way. Obama will have no one to blame but himself and a democrat congress held hostage by chicken little environmental extremists. That said, he'll find some way of making it sound like he was all for drilling but the republicans wouldn't let him.
pissedon
who is the middle class?...who exactly...thanks for explaining
Pissedoffperson
These are some numbers you might want to be more concerned with, considering your opinion is in the minority.
25% strongly approve, 40% strongly disapprove.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll
Obama is LYING about the economy to try and get reelcted.
Unless the formulas have been changed, there is no way the unemployment numbers match up with what this administration is releasing.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2012/02/09/dont-be-fooled-the-obama-unemployment-rate-is-11/
I got that info from the CBO so they must be wrong! lololololo Dont Hate!!!
PO'd, read the article.
Using the same formulas the govt is supposed to be using, and the same data the govt is supposedly using, the math does not add up.
Yes I forgot when a Dem is in office the Govt formulas are always wrong. lolololololol
Of course the Bummer is going to say "keep spending money to make me look good". He believes that the more money that is put into social welfare programs increases his chances of F'ing the American public for another 4 years.
Every day now i hear from our lying liberal news organizations that the economy is improving. Well i don't know anyone on the street that agrees. I don't know anyone who's having any luck finding a job. I don't see any companies that are hiring except maybe telemarketers. Has anyone out there seen any improvment? Is anyone out there better off than they were three years ago? I'm in the business of helping people start new businesses and i don't see anyone starting new businesses anymore! I have been doing this for 35 years and i have never seen things this bad.
Things are not getting better. The liberal media is lying to us to get their incompetent Obama reelected.
I read this and got an image in my mind of a parent who doesn't know how to ride a bike, running next to their child trying to teach them how.
Agreed we need to continue to work on the economy.
We just have to make sure that said workings are paid for. The thing I don't get is that there are so many easy ways to come up with funding. Congress is just wasting time making a big deal out of it when there really isn't reason to.
We could start by, I dunno, cutting oil subsidies, making sure corporations actually pay taxes, raising taxes on capital gains, cutting foreign aid to countries that loathe us, cutting other worthless expenses (you know the Gov't is riddled with it), etc. But no! Let's make a big deal when it's just common sense.
Eliminating ALL tax loopholes and adding a standard $50k deduction for ALL American households, Cutting the military budget back to pre-Bush levels (basically in 1/2) Requiring States to collect taxes (basically all States without an income tax become Federal Aid leechs)
There are thousands of ways to pay for programs but Republicants are using fearmongering and warmongering to create massive opposition in their party
50K is a little much imo.
With no other deductions allowed,,,,,$50k would be about right and totally fair to ALL income levels
I dunno man, isn't like the median income for households in like the 50k range?
I personally think too many get a negative / zero income tax return. I want to decrease the range, not increase it.
OK,,,,,,,,,How about a standard deduction of the poverty level, Say, $23k as a start adjusting as the poverty level rises and falls due to annual inflation
Yea that's what I was thinking. Let those who are legally defined as "in poverty" get a free pass. But everyone else should at least pay something.
Bo, many households do not make over 50 gran but you both has some good ideas. Why is it that Congress cannot come up with the same ideas when random posters on the Internet can? Maybe we should give their jobs to two guys (them being Boehner and Reid) and get some chit done for one in two and a half years.
We're not bought out by the special interests. There are also some of us that can look past stupid political party differences.
This from a New York Times article dated October 24, 2011. Notice one of the things he is going after is itemized deductions which sounds like those to churches. Wonder who is going to make up the difference for the Christian Childrens' fund, St. Jude hospital, Church operated women's shelters, etc?
The bulk of the plan –- some $400 billion over ten years — would be paid for by tax changes that would limit itemized deductions, such as those for charitable contributions and other expenditures, that may be taken by individuals making more than $200,000 a year and families making over $250,000 a year. In Mr. Obama’s proposal, the rest would come from provisions affecting oil and gas companies, hedge funds, and the owners of corporate jets.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/u/united_states_economy/economic_stimulus/index.html
Hey Rick, don't forget the American Red Cross ! I know the tornado victims in Missouri and across the South appreciated their relief efforts.
The problem is that democrats have promised cuts down the road but somehow fail to deliver when push comes to shove.
Rick-312779
I think the largest windfall in itemized deductions is home mortgage interest. The government seems to want every one to rent, well, if they go after that, they will get their wish. And it will destroy whatever is left of the housing industry.
Is Obama serious? He's now a cheerleader? Trying to look like he is leading something?
^ He not only led. He forced the GOP to accept middle class tax cuts that they opposed.
He totally outmaneuvered them.
Obviously. The only one not being serious is the GOP.
Willard rich-boy Romney, and Rick Caveman Santorum - are *YOU* serious? lol.
ScommaG: Your nothing short of a Wealth Racist! What happened? Never worked hard for something? You most likely sit there and collect my $$$ then complain when you look at your life-station. You are what's wrong with this country; You exist only for your country to serve YOU, not You serving your country!
I say this you will have to get a job come this November.... The Marxist experiment is dead!
You have no idea what a Marxist truly is.
My guess is that a first clue would be the fact that Marx was actually a Republican Conservative and economist from the Wiemer Republic whose Communist Manifesto has been adopted by basically 90% of Republics worldwide,,,,,,The Republic of China, Republic of North Korea, USSR, ALL adopted his economic plan (Which is nearly identical to the Republican economic plan being pushed by the GOP)
A VERY factual statement
ALL Republicans may not be Communist
BUT
ALL Communist ARE Republicans
Personally I wish they wouldn't have extended the Tax Cut. What for, $40 a paycheck... yet no way to pay for it. The only reason the GOP signed onto it is because 1) They wanted it back in December rathan than a extension, and 2) If they didn't then Obama would spew his crap all over television saying the GOP is not for the average Americans. I've never seen a politician pander to Americans as much as the Candy Man has.
Who can make a Rainbow...
Bo-1925019
No, I would say that Marx was a left wing radical and closer to a collectivist like our president.
You can say that Rick, But,,,,,,,,,It wouldn't be true, Facts are facts, Marx was a Republican Conservative economist from,,,,,,A Republic
Hey B.O. - Is that your mug shot or your Hell's Angel membership card pic?
And you would be wrong Bo, Marx was a left-wing radical. And a collectivist.
Bo-19....., put the weed away. You do realize you are the only person on the planet who believes that Karl Marx has anything in common with conservative republican (U.S.) philosophy of government. Conservative republicans and Marxists are polar opposites for crying out loud. So you understand, conservatives believe each of us is responsible for our own well being as well as those we bring into the world, our wife, children, extended family, etc., and taking care of those less fortunate through our generosity. Marxists (liberal democrats) believe the government should be everything to everybody, in short one big mass of uninspired mediocrity, there to provide for your every need, but far short of expectations or promises.
ScommaG, since when were the republicans against continuation of the middle class tax cut? Let me refresh your dim memory, it was republicans who wanted a 1 year extension, Obama wanted 2 months.
marxists the same political brand as a republican conservative? Wow! In all my years i have never heard anyone suggest that. Kinda made me chuckle a bit though :-)
LMAO.....Congress keep going on the economy?????? Obama needs to geT more "focused like a laser" himself.
...
Thank you President Obama! Another victory in passing Tax breaks for middle and poor!
President Obama 2012
Ah Tommy-
The House Republicans already passed this bill in December...a 12-month payroll tax holiday. Obama and the knucklehead Dems could have signed that bill, Obama still could have voted "present" on the Keystone pipeline (boy, was THAT a shocker), and just perhaps he could be spending time between campaigning, golfing and bankrupting the country with his 4th straight $trillion plus deficit budget by showing us his plan to reduce gas prices, which is a tax on ALL americans. And, if you tell me raising taxes on oil companies and people making over $250k per year reduces gas prices, please do explain.
"Obama says I'm rich, but all I have left is this lousy T-Shirt"
Tommy the CBO estimates that 60% of the tax cut will go to those making over 100K per year.
So Obama is defunding Social Security, to give tax breaks mostly to people who are already pretty well off.
LOLs at you already getting 11 votes for your nonsense.
Oh sure, sure, SS will be paid back later from the broke and in debt general fund.
11 votes. Mmmmmmm......
Say, anybody in the market for a really good bridge? I'll sell it to you cheap!
Republicants here seem to be totally against the workingclass and small business owners getting a fair deal from a Democrat after years of being screwed over by lobbiest for the rich and huge corporations that have created trillions in debt ($500 billion per year just by the Bush taxcuts or,,,,Approximately 1/2 of the deficit)
During the meantime their claiming Obama has done nothing, hahahaha
Iraq is over (regardless of intense Republican opposition)
Bin Laden is dead (Regardless of Bush and Republicans giving up on even finding him)
Kaddafi is dead (after 40 years of Republicans trying and failing to remove him)
Afghanistan is ending (again regardless of Republican opposition)
HCR has 30 million more insured and being dropped for making a claim eliminated
WSR reinstalled protections for investors and consumers and Wall st is still thriving
24 straight months of economic growth
22 straight months of job growth
Cry, Whine, Call Obama a failure all you want, The facts say YOU ARE WRONG (as usual)
Hey Bo, Obama is a failure.
I'm not crying and whining about it because there is nothing I can do about another person being a failure.
Iraq ended on George Bush's policies
Bin Laden is dead because of the great work started under George Bush
Kaddafi was murdered
Obama increased military action in Afghanistan
HCR will run America broke if it isn't reformed soon
WSR has still not been figured out
Republicans taking back the House has brought us economic growth and job growth
Are you kidding me?
Hahahaha,,,,Nice try
Iraq ended on George Bush's policies (Republicans fought ending Iraq, PERIOD)
Bin Laden is dead because of the great work started under George Bush (Bush openly QUIT looking)
Obama increased military action in Afghanistan (In order to create a safe exit strategy)
HCR will run America broke if it isn't reformed soon (According to the CBO it actually saves $200 billion)
WSR has still not been figured out (DOW @ 13k, 24 months of economic growth contradict you)
Republicans taking back the House has brought us economic growth and job growth (Both began BEFORE Republicans took control of the House and Republicans have basically passed,,,,,NOTHING since)
Real Life, You failed to mention one thing,,,,,Obama's first year in office was under Bush's final budget and policies, Nothing Obama did during his first 12 months had ANY effect during that period beyond his stimulus package, So basically the 24 straight months of economic growth and 22 months of job growth are over a 26 month period of Obama's policies being in effect.
Bo - could you please send me a link of the/a single budget passed by the Democratic congress after Obamas election up until it was taken over by the conservatives in Nov. 2010?
You won't find one, because they didn't pass one, only emergency implementations.
Remember the chaos with the IRS not knowing the tax code and how to do its job a couple years ago? They literally didn't know what to do because of the lack of structure and a budget.
Also , what effect did the stimulus bring other than more debt and failed promises for shovel ready jobs? I'm curious...I think a road was rebuilt in rural Montana? Nice one.
Oh BO! What are you going to do in November / January when Obama is exiled to Kenya? Does Kenya even have Internet access?
The Anti-Obama wave is getting bigger, stronger & louder to once again claim America as the Shining City on the Hill. Oh BO!
Get real, Real Life @ #9.7,
Uh, Obama's prior budget suggestion was voted down in the Senate by a count of like 97 or 98 to nothing. This means that not one Senator in the Democratically-controlled Senate voted WITH the President on his joke-of-a-budget proposal.
Imagine, those dadgum (see Bobby Bowden commercials) Democrats obstructing their President !!
Real,
On HCR the savings were going to come from the CLASS portion where they expected young people to pay in for long term care when they retired, but it was a complete flop so they had to get rid of that and thus there goes the savings.
You are also wrong on Congress the has has passed over 20 bills that Senator Reid refuses to bring up for a vote which makes the Democratic Senate the house of No
Bo, at close here was the DOW,
DOW
12,965.69
+15.82
Fannie and Freddie just may be up to their old tricks and what is going on with the derivatives market.
Even though Bush had 50 months of Job Creation and economic growth we are not talking about what happened back in 2007 or even 2008. We are talking about what is happening now. Anemic job growth and rampant unemployment.
Real
The congress cannot fillibuster a budget. It is against the rules.
Rick beat me to it..... the budget is a straight up-down vote, and the Democrats have controlled the senate all three years.
PS - Obama's first year was NOT under a Bush budget. The Dem majority Senate decided not to pass one so they could wait for Obama.
They - and The American People - are STILL waiting.
Obama's first year was NOT under a Bush budget.
Why, yes! Yes it was. Here's an article from the NY Times Jan 9, 2009, before Obama ever even took office:
...the Congressional Budget Office projected a $1.2 trillion budget deficit for the fiscal year.
As for the startling estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, if it proves accurate, the budget deficit will be nearly two and a half times bigger than the previous record shortfall of $455 billion reached in 2008.
Do you understand? Before he was even sworn in as president, the CBO estimated a $1.2T. Who the hell do you think was responsible for that? Obama wasn't even in office yet!
Now here's the funny part:
The House Republican leader, Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, said the budget office estimate "makes it clearer than ever that we cannot borrow and spend our way back to prosperity," and that he hoped Republicans and Democrats could join in cutting wasteful spending.
This was the man who voted 5 times to increase the debt ceiling under Bush, the man who voted for every one of Bush's "emergency spending measures" to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which never showed up on the budget - got added directly to the national debt (filled with pork for Boehner's state), voted for the $3.5T budget that Bush left Obama with and all of a sudden he's got "balance the budget fever"???
Ya know, this is all just too f'in' funny! Every righty here is willing to blame Obama for the national debt. The fact of the matter is Republicans spent money like drunken sailors and, somehow, don't get any of the blame! Why should we believe anything they say? Including the fact that they say they are now going to reduce spending? They had their chance: 6 out of 8 years with Bush in the WH, clear majorities in both houses of Congress and they spent money like crazy! Why the hell should we believe them now?
Einstein had a famous quote: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Engineer, you believe something you were told without having any facts. Your article is referring to a budget that Bush proposed, not what actually came to pass.
Bush's budget did NOT pass. Instead they passed a continuing resolution to fund the govt until march 2009.
http://www.opencongress.org/wiki/Consolidated_Security,_Disaster_Assistance,_and_Continuing_Appropriations_Act_of_2008
We are still waiting for Obama to produce a budget. The one time he did try he couldn't even get a single democrat to vote for it, it was voted down 97-0 in a rare show of bipartisanship.
For the record I hated Bush, but Obama is so full of fail, he makes me miss him.
Liberals for Ron Paul 2012
Bring the troops home NOW.
Oh these radical right crazies. Clean up America and vote for anyone other than a Republican.
Obama / Biden 2012
I been a Democrat all my life and its time for a change ...not hope and change ....just change.
To what? The GOP hasn't presented us with a single electable candidate.
Not another Democrat thats for sure...because we just dont have that kind of money to waiste like they have for last 3 years trying to borrow their selves out of debt.
Well throw away your vote going after an Independent then.
I have to spend mine making sure Romney / Santorum doesn't get in the White House.
Most of the borrowing over the past 3 years have been a continuation of Bush policies (including $500 billion per year to support his taxcuts)
Bo-
You have GOT to be kidding me. Go back and check US Government spending levels since the Dems took over spending in 2007. Also, can you send me a link to that last budget submitted and approved by the Senate Democrats that shows reduced spending? Yup, didn't think so...
The Democrasts, including Obama as a Senator, have been solely responsible for government spending since 2007, where the total debt has nearly doubled in less than 5 years. You guys are worse at managing a budget than my ex-wife.
Plain and simple, Federal spending has dropped each year since Obama took office, Check the facts
Bo's got nothing...
No he really doesnt.
No point in really responding.
Never stoop down to argue with an idiot, he'll beat you with experience.
Hey Bo- Cite your source with a link...and don't send us to a Huffington Post blog please. Something with a .gov ending might be nice...
I can give you one to support my statement, but just curious if you can find one to support yours...if not, maybe your IQ is too low to allow you to vote in November...
Google Federal spending and look at it for yourself, Facts are facts despite your rhetoric
Spending in amounts has gone up Bo.
Spending in % of GDP is going down.
http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/recent_spending
Go back and check US Government spending levels since the Dems took over spending in 2007.
Better yet, just go back and check spending from 2000-2006. Republican in the WH, clear Republican majorities in both houses of the Congress. Nobody before ever spent like they did.
But don't just look at budget deficits - look at the increase in national debt. Every righty here castigates Obama for not passing a budget. Ignore the fact that the Republicans wouldn't let a budget be passed. Instead, just look at the budget deficits during that 2000-2006 period and then look at the debt increase during that time. Yeah, Bush had no problem passing a budget; he also had no problem in spending off the budget either. What the hell good is a budget if you don't pay any attention to it?
And, now, well, now, you say things will be different if we elect Republicans. Riiiiight - and I got a bridge in Brooklyn for sale!
The payroll tax reduction extension won't do anything significant to help (or hurt) the economy. It'll probably not even cover increased gasoline costs for most people. On the government side, taxpayer funding for entitlements will be reduced, but that whole system is so hopelessly insolvent and there is no actual fund (that isn't constantly and historically raided), so a reduction in play money won't mean anything either. It's just a purely political diversion from the only class of people in America who actually deserve to lose their jobs (Member of Congress and the Administration - both parties) to keep the public fooled into thinking that they are actually doing or capable of doing something regarding the economy.
This kind of diversion accompanied by "cooked" economic statistics is why citizens cannot trust their own government.
Congress is starting to realize that their incumbency is not so stable and they are going to have to improve their approval rating before election time. The call by Tea Party members, 99%ers, and the distrust of the general electorate is to vote out as many incumbents as possible and put fear of the public back into politics. Of course all of our "Leaders" are going to start working now, they like their cushy government jobs and the money they pocket by special interest and wall street...
Truth. Get some new blood in there. Congress needs to understand that WE hold the key to their jobs and they need to start doing it. Mr. Boehner, Mr. Reid, Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Obama...start doing your job and HELP OUR COUNTRY!
Here Here Raff
"Keep going on economy front". In other words "keep skyrocketing the deficit to new record highs". What an idiot!
As a result, Social Security will soon be broke and it won't be long before more than half the Country is collectiong unemployment. Who will pay for it? Soros and Hollywood? I don't think so.
Dave,
Getting rid of the Bush tax cuts would be a start...agree? They were never offset by any spending reductions. They cost this nation hundreds of billions of dollars each year....something Obama has been trying to put an end to. Why hasn't this been resolved....Republicans.
Dave...I know you want to see this economy fail because its success guarantees Obama's reelection considering his opponents. But you might as well get used to Obama....he'll be here for awhile and thank God....he is certainly the lesser of all evils.
Geez Vipp,
Why don't you two get a room.
@ Vipp,
What kind of drugs are you taking? Obama is the lesser of all evils? LOL! The guy is systematically destroying the country and you're either too blind or too stupid to see it right in front of your face!
Obama should have let the Bush tax cuts expire. That much I know. Especially when it isnt paid for. And honestly, what is $80 a month going to get the average family? I think they wouldnt miss it, especially since everyone should be helping pay down this deficit.
nick-1103170
Nick I too wish I was on those drugs! I mean when Obama entered the White House on 1/20/09 the country was in great shape and just look what he did in so short a time.
Hardly possible for Obama to let the Bush taxcuts expire at the cost of leaving millions of Americans on UE fall onto the welfare list which was exactly what Republicans were holding over his head at the time, They should have ended then for sure, But not with the cost Republicans were insisting on
Hahahahaha,,,,Only in a Republican universe can losing 500,000 jobs a month and a economic meltdown be considered "In great shape"
I confess. I'm too blind AND too stupid to see it right in front of my face. So why don't you junk this generalization bull@!$%# and tell me precisely how he is doing this? What is this system that is destroying the country? Frankly I think you are simply a disgruntled Republican that is as full of sh*t as the Christmas goose ~ but I await correction with your details which are not random ~ they are "systemic."
The system is massive debt leading to the devaluing of our dollar and rampant deflation. The result Obama is looking for is that industry will be owned by the workers. Each worker will contribute according to his abilities and receive according to his needs. And that is basic needs not what you think you should have.
Also, encourage more green energy projects. Why send our money to the middle east or Russia for oil?
How does that help our country?
Wind farms, solar panels, and geothermal.
I forgot hydroelectric too.
He aready "encouraged" Solyndra to the tune of $535 million taxpayer dollars down the toilet !
How much did he throw away with Sun Power ?
They're working on Fusion as well.
Personally I'd just say do nuclear fission plants until fusion is done, but that's just my opinion.
Nuclear power would be pretty risky but I think it would pay off. But along with that comes the labels that we have given states such as Iran. They could throw that in our face pretty easily.
Hard to throw trying to create a nuclear arsenal on the USA when we have a HUGE nuclear arsenal
It's far more risky to be overly extending the lifetimes of our current nuclear plants rather than build new ones.
Ruken -
You know what is so ironic about that statement? Being an aviator in the USAF, I fly on planes that should have been retired a LONG time ago, but we still fly them. They could find any excuse to build a new nuclear reactor but hell, dont buy me a new airplane....
If the left wing liberal do gooders hadn't put the stop to nuclear power expansion years ago, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in. The French get something like 80 percent of their power from nuclear, and i don't think there have been any people hurt by it. Certainly not as many as those hurt and killed breathing coal dust. If we had let the free enterprise system develop nuclear power when they wanted to, with sensible government oversight, this would all be academic.
Liberals are destroying your country people. Wake up!!
Read "America: Who Really Pays the Taxes" Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele. It should be at your local library. Congress has been passing legislation since the 60s to get rid of the progressive tax system, which was working well and there was a thriving middle class. Taxes on the wealthy and corporations have gone down steadily since then and the burden has been shifted to the rest of us. If the wealthy and corporations paid their fair share, our country wouldn't be in this financial mess. Tax reform is what we need. Close those loopholes!
This is not just a tax problem, it is also a spending problem. Get real if you think just raising taxes would get us out of this deficit. It would only fuel more spending and thats something we really dont need.
B.O. calls for common sense in Washington. How about we start with spending less than we take in? Seems pretty simple, straight forward, obvious and like common sense to me, but the Campaigner in Cheif is too busy inciting class warfare.
See all those ideas I have in an earlier post. (#4)
I'm bewildered why they couldn't just do some of those and close the deficit.
Because EVERY politician is bought and paid for in some manner or another. It sucks but its true.
How about if we quit giving away half of our Feder income to those who do not need it, $500 billion would go a LONG way toward reducing the deficit.
Yep, do that for 30 years and completely end deficit spending and we would be in pretty good shape. Basically that is the republican (Tea Party) plan. END DEFICIT SPENDING.
How about we quit giving tax breaks to companies who make $10B to $20B a quarter?
How about we quit giving $Billions in aid to a country that harbored bin laden less than 5 miles from their most prestigious military academy?
How about we start taxing investment income just like working income?
How about if we trim back Defense spending to less than the next 20 nations in the world combined? We could still lead the world but spend less money.
How about that?
Because if BO stopped giving GE more money, they wont fund his next campaign. BO is bought and paid for, just like most everyone else in congress.
I like his all the above startegy myself ladies and gentlemen. The more different fuels and alternative energy we can provide for ourselves along with the oil drilling and defracking for natural gas America should be on its way to an amazing drop in gas prices real soon if the oil companies will allow it.
WOW!!!! Wanna have an article disappear just start writing the truth about baracalypse and when the thread starts agreeing HOW HORRIBLE HE IS its gone, and they keep the ignorant lib rants on for days! here i thought ALOT of people liked baracalypse, but apparently tis phony hype.
Obama can gloat now, but there will be little praise for this when Social Security goes belly up becase the funds were taken away with this short term solution for buying votes. Of course, now that many unemployed are filing for social secuity disability, 1.8 million this past year over previous, social security will be drained even further! The less Congress passes of Obama's income redistributing and class warfare stirring concepts, the better. And the gimmics in his budget proposal are even worse!
all you lib idiots, WHEN 10,000 PEOPLE A DAY ARE RETIRING (record number!) its pretty stupid to cut funding to it. Baracalypse AGAIN doing all he can to undermine this nation, destroying it at a WHOLE NEW LEVEL. GET RID OF THESE DEM CLOWNS ALREADY!!!!!!!
If you had actually read the article, you'd know that they didn't cut funding to Social Security. They are borrowing money to fund it.
If you're going to call someone out, know the facts before you do it; lest you be the one that looks like a clown.
RUKEN..... if you lower the amount of money you are collecting, WITH LESS PEOPLE PAYING BECAUSE OF RECORD RETIREES, you are getting LESS OF IT!! How silly can you be!? Borrow money to give able bodied people an extra 20 bucks a week?! So they can rush home and go watch some stupid reality show.
Wooooosh!
That's the sound of Russ not getting how Social Security even works.
now RUKEN, i know youre an idiot! go to work! the social security your BOSS (me) pays is supplementing the seniors, drug addicts, hookers and illegal aliens. Now that they lowered the rate, all those people are being supported by DDDDEEEEBBBBTTTT! TIS YOU NOT GETTING IT! HOW BOUT NOW?!
Yea, you definitely don't get it. As if that wasn't confirmed earlier.
na nana nana. i know you are but what am i. See, im arguing like a lib now! I feel sooo.......stupid!
Obama to Congress: keep spending money we don't have so we can hide the fact that the banksters are still looting and there is no prosecuting.
I know it is a bitter pill to swallow for conservatives, but things are actually getting better and that betterment is measurable. Employment figures are improving, profits are up, business reports reflect greater optimism, the GNP is running ahead of projections, core inflation remains in check, and the Dow just moved into the 13-k column for the first time in almost four years. Yeah, I know ~ gas prices are up but its not a perfect world. For our economy, its a Hell of a lot better now than over the past couple of years. Good luck with the pessimism ~ despite higher energy prices, it will be a hard sell.
KEEP DREAMING JIM. no way this economy is sustainable with these handouts, and i myself am gearing up to start making money again after baracalypse is gone. NOBODY is banking on him winning, because this coutry is finished if he does. poll today, 12 people, all against baracalypse. still counting too... every single day. not many people support him, despite the hype. because most people are SMART!
Russ, it was sustainable until the millionaire welfare program was established by Mr. W. Do some thinking on your own.
Steveo I think you are referring to the Bush tax cuts (you know those "tax breaks for the wealthy" that the left whines about)! About 22% went to the top 2%. That means that 78% went to the others. Even Obama, when he allowed them to be extended, called it the largest tax cut for the middle class in history. Now which is it??!! I guess it depends on whether you favor the truth or whether you intend to foment class warfare (buy votes). You see, it pleases most of the other 98% when you try to make the other 2% pay for their failures.
stevo, i do, and the govt website with revenue by month and year shows the gwb tax cuts INCREASED revenue. see, i did look, and you wont! state by state basis lib policies fail, and gop run states are running surplusses. get YOUR FACTS BUDDY! debt man walkin!
and the govt website with revenue by month and year shows the gwb tax cuts INCREASED revenue.
And what does the government sites show about total debt during that same period? Hint: it went up!
It went up. Now it shows that it went up as much in 3 years under Obama as it in 8 under Bush.
"Obama was celebrating a tax cut that is already in place"
Obama = leaderless
To make sense shouldn't it read:
USA=leaderless, not 'Obama=leaderless', he's shouldn't have a leader.
which was to expire at the end of this month. He is celebrating congress passing it for a year.
Glad that in an election year, the repubs finally show up for work.
If they weren't guaranteed to lose their jobs by voting no on this (to tank the economy more to make Obama look bad), they would' have.