RepforObama, what would your deal consist of?

What I don't understand is why Congress didn't come back on WEDNESDAY - regardless of whether Boehner called them back or not. Even if HE weren't in town, Congress could have assembled and started working. What is this Bull Puckey about "I'll give you 48 hours notice"? Our President came back from HAWAII (his birth state) and was on his way before Boehner even notified the Republicans in Congress that they needed to assemble at 6:30 PM on Sunday. Why the heck couldn't Congress leave their own homes? And WHY are they getting a pay raise when this has been the MOST INEFFECTIVE CONGRESS IN HISTORY?

You KNOW that no matter what the Senate comes up with that Congressional Republicans won't sign on unless the ultra-rich get their tax breaks on ALL of their income. They are willing to trample all over the majority of their constituents in order to protect people who can afford to pay more taxes. I just don't understand it.

Rep4Obama, name calling is very mean spirited and shows a lack of tolerance.

So there are people who believe that smaller government, in the form of less regulations and bureaucracy, lower taxes, and accountability from those in office. Maybe you are opposed to those ideas, but trying to dismiss them with childish name calling indicates that you have no real argument against them.

Did anyone really expect this to get done sooner rather then later, of course not. Blubbering Boner can't even control his own party, much less the entire house. But..But Mr. President, no one will listen to me...sob, sob. What a joke.

Republicans are useless and the country is starting to figure it out!

Though intelligent and worthy of much praise Both McConnel and Reid have grown too old to deal with what is in front of them. Obviously they are working to simply save face for thieir associated parties then they are for the people in this country.

They have grown out of control of their positions and thus inneffective to help the majority of people in this nation. They need to put personal pressures aside and work for US the People, not themselves any longer or nothing will be accomplished!

Republicans are ruining are life maybe forever!

Taxing the 2% more will bring in about $85 Billion. What is the projected deficit? $1.1 Trillion? Where will the other $1.15 Trillion come from? The cliff needs to pass. The economy is projected to go down through the first half of 2013 and recover in the fourth quarter. The other option is national bankruptcy, most likely through defaulting on our debt defacto; paying off debt with worthless dollars, creating hyper inflation. So, choose your poision. My suggestion is to not vote any of these people back into office, regardless of party affiliation.

Talk to hand.....sorry about your loss in November. Get used to it!

Talk to the Hand, do you have any facts to go with your Republican rhetoric????

tport2 Do you have a real question?

lets face it this time the best thing they can do is nothing.they can both point at each other.blame each other.and the cuts to defence we need will go into effect.the tax increases we need will go into effect and seniors wont get the cuts to their social security

i am ex republican. and damn proud of it!!!!! first and foremost idiots deal with facts. the deficit is the creation of bush and cheney and the republican party. so suck it up and deal with it. a democrat gave us a surplus, then 8 years of stupid, gi joe playing arrested adolescents (the repuplican party) spent 8 years playing gi joe and ignoring the warning signs of economic strife, because they were too stupid to know how to run the economy and now we need a moderate democrat to pull our asses out of the mess the republican party put us in. grow up! no congress in history ever passed tax cuts during war time until bush's congress. morons how did you thihk the war would get paid for? well now you're paying for it. that's not a democrat fiasco, it's a republican fiasco.

Here is an idea, Congress cannot go home until this issue is settled. And I mean no break for lunch, no calling the spouse, no going to the bathroom! As a nurse, I will gladly, insert a foley catheter into each and every one of these procrastinators. As for number two, I will furnish them when diapers. Most of them are all ready wearing them. And those who are not, should be!
They are all acting like babies. Most babies need to be fed, warmth and to b e cuddled. The latter has been a requirement for Congress for far too long! It is time to start a grass roots effort to end making a career out of politics and insist on term limits. The Congress, the Senate and the President, should be an experience, placed on ones resume, not a life long career. No more cuddling! No more lobbyists! No more Kochs! Well they can have Pepsi!

I am so tired, of the division in America. We are being used a the rope, in a tug-of-war! It is time the electorate, stopped letting the Congress and their financial backers, play the shell game with us as the loosers. As I see it, the nuts are never under the shell, they are in plain sight!

Directly from the report.

Still, Obama himself is part of the negotiating process, and his meeting with all four top leaders Friday was the first since Nov. 16. A phone call he placed Wednesday night to McConnell was the first the Republican leader had received from a Democrat on the fiscal talks since Thanksgiving.

So, tell me again where the process has stalled.

I hope no deal is reached. I can almost guarantee that any deal that is reached will be more damaging over the long term than the fiscal cliff.

congress controls the money.always has.no budget its congresses fault period.the president can only veto or sign off on it.it has nothing to do with obama

Here's the solution to the problem. Next election vote every one of these greedy self serving bastards out on their ass and start all over. That will send the clearest message of all that the people are sick and tired of their bull@!$%#,pouting,hypocrisy and their ignorance.

And as for the tea party idiots in the Republican party, they were only elected because someone paid for them to be elected, not because of any driving desire for public service. NOT one tea party republican could answer basic questions about constitutional running of government. NOT one! They are just bigots point who were appalled that we had a black president. FACT!!!!! Their driving desire for public service didn't come until the 2010 mid term elections when all they wanted to do was be hateful naysayers because the "man" is black. Wake up, people. Stop cheering a republican party that took a surplus and turned it into a trillion dollar deficit and deregulated to the point that we got raped by their uber rich cronies.

There are so many misconceptions from the Republican posters on here it's pathetic. First, Obamacare is already helping in states where it's been put into effect. It has already cut waste and is set to save the economy more than any other program, once it is fully enacted. Second, There has been a bill, that passed in the Senate, which could be voted on right now, but Boehner has refused to let it come to the floor. It was passed by both parties in the Senate, not just Democrats. He refuses to let it come to the floor because it raises taxes on the top 2%!!! They have refused to vote on the Farm Bill, which has always, ALWAYS, been approved, unless it cuts Food Stamps. Once again, to pay for the richest people and corporations to keep their tax cut! Milk will go to around $8 a gallon and the Government will HAVE to buy it!! Then resell it at ridiculously low prices and take a few billion in losses!! The Republican party makes no sense anymore!! They can't keep taking from the already struggling and working poor, to give money to people and corporations that don't need it!! The middle class is dying out!! The rich are doing just fine with the trillions in tax cuts they've already gotten!! I can't wait to vote EVERY Republican out of office in 2014! Just wait. It's going to happen!

RepublicansforObama:

What a laugh--

Freedom for the right to vote in the United States, either Democrat, Independent, or Republican.

What a silly commentary.

The Fiscal Cliff: Study it, know it, and live a life that will never be the same--your economic status will take you to the Poorhouse, even if one does not have a penny. They'll get ya.

Simply another charade. Make the focus on increasing the taxes on a few people without solving the issue which is spending and entitlements are not funded, and never will be without cuts, inflation or serious economic growth (Like China). This is nothing more than allowing the democrat party to push more voters their way.

Tariffs, Significant defense cuts, balancing budgets, and raise taxes on us all so we don't forget the foolishness of "tax the other guy and give me my free mandated benefits because I voted for you" attitude.

Alan/We have a republic,not mob rule,then you continue with the concession that the Majority want the super rich to pay more of their fair of our taxation burden. You did say the majority of our population,did you not? Well I guess that in your mind that may be mob rule.If you continue to be either one of them ,or one of their lacky's. I would concede that them paying for our hamburgers will not fly, but that is because that is part of your trickle down,throw those dogs a bone ,which is totally unacceptable by the majority that you are probably paid to scorn.

JR, what a load of crap. You're not sure how we get to blame the GOP? Where were you when the crash started, idiot. Failure of leadership? Boner can't even control his own party, "Plan B" ring a bell?

By the way, in the last deal, more than a trillion dollars were cut from social programs, including mental health care! School lunches and breakfasts for hungry children and cuts to social programs for women and children as well as the elderly have already taken a toll. How much more can the poor give? They already have nothing. The true middle class makes around $50,000 a year!! How much more can they pay? How much more can a minimum wage worker lose? When salaries keep up with the cost of living, then you can say let them eat cake. Until then, don't complain about people being on food stamps. Your job creators don't pay them enough to live on. You know, the ones who got the tax cuts to create GOOD PAYING jobs!! They don't deserve the tax cuts. They didn't keep up their end of the bargain.

listoire isnt that what a democracy is all about.a government that represents the people/mob as you like to call us not just the richest 2 percent

@Theresa

If you don't like the middle class wages, the please don't support Obama's support of Free Trade, backed by Republicans and Democrats. Wages and benefits in this country are put on a level playing field with the life style of other "Free Trading Partners". I was an initial Obama voter because I believed he would protect US jobs. Instead I got a President that added (3) more countries including S. Korea and Columbia as Free Trading partners.

Want better benefits and health care funding, do so through Tariffs that penalize companies that shipped our middle class jobs overseas.

Cut out corp. welfare. These corporations that are crying the most have made record profits beyond the welfare that they are receiving from congress. Don't give me the old routine that it will produce jobs. It will but not here. The jobs being produced are overseas where they can get away with paying slave wages and providing no benefits like building that don't fall down around the workers heads.

cdahl

Wages and benefits have gone down in this country because of Union busting, period. The Unions may have their own corruption, but they are the only voice for workers in this country! Collective bargaining and the right to organize have been basically outlawed in most states and with that came the so called 'right to work states', which simply means the right to work for low wages, no benefits and no protection. Wages went down under Bush and continue under Obama. The reason is mostly people like Mitt Romney, who sent jobs overseas to keep from paying the American worker a decent wage. Obama gets that. I don't think you, or your party do.

We need to go over the fiscal cliff! Burn our National Credit Card! Live with in our means people!

First of all, I don't see the point of keeping tax breaks for the wealthy; they cost a lot of money, they don't do anything but increase income inequality, and they are politically unpopular. Cancel them, and you get about $850 billion over 10 years, which is roughly 10-15% of our cumulative deficit. Secondly, I don't see the point of extending the Bush tax rates for everybody else indefinitely: those tax cuts cost A LOT of money, they don't do anything but add to the deficit, and they are a major part of our structural deficit. Eliminate those tax cuts, and you get roughly $2-3 trillion, depending on whether you end them now or later when the economy is stronger. Thirdly, to my fellow progressives, we have to fix entitlements. They've gonna bankrupt us in the long run, and even getting near bankruptcy will enable the right-wing to destroy or privatize them without a political firestorm. Social Security is easy: raise the payroll cap to 90% of earned income and if that doesn't fix the whole thing maybe adjust COLA or chain CPI formula (or raise the payroll tax). Medicare is more complex; you'll need to reform Medigap insurance, enable negotiations for lower drug prices, raise the Medicare payroll tax, increase Part B cost sharing, and eliminate the fee-for-service payment system with a more merit-based pay for performance system.

All these libs getting rich off of your lame ass backs and laughing all the way to the bank.

Susan Rice’s net worth between $23.5 and $43.5 million – significant investments in more than a dozen Canadian oil companies including TransCanada (Keystone XL Pipeline)

I live in a 90% Republican state. I am ashamed of every Republican in the House. They spent the last 4 years putting all their efforts into stopping Obama from being re-elected. They ruined our credit rating because of their last ditched effort to bring Obama down. They could care less about the people of the United States, the position they were voted into and the economics conditions they have placed our country in. (Starting with George Bush) They are nothing but hecklers and hustlers. Just recently 3 of the soon to be former Republican congressmen talked about how bad things have gotten. One of them talked about the earmarks and how they would pick out the ones with the funniest names and FORCE a vote on them before the house and senate could vote on them. Another one talked about the Tea Partiers that were voted in and that their ethic is NEVER COMPROMISE. Another one said that if your elected to get political power and clout, there is more of a premium on really bashing people, because that's how you get attention. Shame on all of them and shame on the people that voted the Republicans into the house. All of us are going to reap what you sowed. The President whether we like it or not was voted into office by the majority of the people. They spoke. The Bible says that we are to pray and respect our leader and those over us. It all so says that God puts our leader in place and he also takes them out. When you take God out of the equation (which we have done) all things turn to chaos. Well welcome to the chaotic world of the Republican House.

Actually, Thressa, as a manufacturer that compete globally, and is forced to compete against our own US engineered products that are copied, remanufactured overseas in China for about 10% less than it costs us here to produce and resold to the middle class, I can verify that Free Trade is exactly what is wrong with the wages in this country. Not Union busting as you point out. But please feel free to keep the blinders on if it makes you sleep better. But the issue with what you refuse to see and believe is that taxing small businesses will do nothing to promote economic growth. Nor bring back wages.

You Republicans keep stating that even if the 2% payed it would only be 80 to90 billion add that per year over a 10 year period and the fact that they will have to work to make up the difference. will create jobs!

Hey!!!!!!! Harry Reid were is your plan? How come you didn't put one on the table? For Harry Reid to knock the other side maybe he needs to look at himself in the mirror. Harry Reid is a hypocrite, double standard old fool. Obama is not a true leader, this President claims he cares for the middle class and yet he's taxing the middle class with his Obamacare tax, costing business not to hire which effect us middle class to even get jobs, spends money like a drunken sailor which its not his money he is waisting away. Obama should of taken care of this problem when he had control of the house and senate, not wait until the last minute. This President does not care about this country at all. If he did he would of spend more time in the office rolling up his sleeves and getting to work instead of being in the boring campaign mode all the time. Another thing how come Mrs. Obama & there kids didn't go with Obama back home?, All that fuel wasted back and forth flying that BIG tax payers jet.?

And not to forget that when the Fiscal Cliff Bill if passed will cut out those who donate a major portion of their income to Charities. Taxed to the ultimate.

Charities to help the poor, the research being done on Cancer, Heart, and other major illnesses. The rich had an incentive to do this. How much of the middle class, and the poor donate much of their income to these causes; or donations to poverty stricken people who rely on Food Banks, and other sources to keep them going. By taxing the rich, they will have less to give or want to give to Charities.

It is not the extreme wealthy, but the cutoff point of what someone earns in one year--a business, or anyone over the $250,000 mark?. Do not know the exact income line--Jobs will decline, a recession ahead lasting for a very long time--and then again, a major unemployment in this country for years to come.

Consider where US citizens live. It may be in a State where it is expensive to live there, thus, they have less income, housing costs are large, and so is anything they buy---New York, California, Washington State, The New England States, including Hawaii.

Please try and think outside the box, if this Bill passes---Seniors are doomed; 99 percent are living off their Social Security, Medical Costs for them. Someday all of us will be at this point. Social Security will be taxed leaving just about nothing for them to live on, so will Medicare--

A Majority of Poor Americans. Is this what you want? No further money for medical research, the rich holding their money back, because of the doom that this Bill will cause. They are the creators of jobs, and development.

America will be set backwards 100 years..

Theresa - Correction Unions once upon a time where needed, and they could be useful in the future if they ever clean themselves up..... The demands from the Unions are as unreasonable as the Out-Rages pay that upper management receives..... As far as the Tea Party it had a good idea that got corrupted also, yes we need to cut expenses but we also need to raise taxes..... It is time for Public Servants to take the same cut in pay that the Auto Workers did..... It is also time we tell CONGRESS ENOUGH of your BS, that group needs a 50% cut in Pay & Benefits, and needs to finally get down to some serious work ( Yea Right ).....

They will either extend the "bush tax" cuts like they have twice already or they will adapt president obamha's short term fix. They can't let things expire. That would kill the very little groth that we have now. How can we as americans fix this ourselfs? I don't know. "but we can do better than this"

@ 40 empty chairs,

How specifically will increasing taxes on small business income by 5% create jobs as you point out? I can tell you at our business the effect is to reduce capital expenditures by nearly $500,000 in 2013, not rehire (2) vacant engineering spaces, and shelve (1) new product initiative. Specifically to offset the proposed nearly $500,000 in new taxes on money that would have been left in the business to do the above.

Talk to the hand before it bites you!

You say that I'm probably one of those takers wrong again I'm one of those givers but in about 10 years I hope to be one of those takers unless you Repthugicans get your way!

In that case this country will be as good as communist why work for a liveing if your going to take everything away from us lower middle class!

Alan,

The problem seems to be that the GOP fearing a 3rd party arising from their fringe elements is putting them in a position where 40-50 House Members and 10-15 Senators are holding the party and the nation hostage to the detriment of the overwhelming majority of citizens. My congressman represents himself as a moderate yet his record varies little from Gohmert or Cantor's. When confronted at town hall meetings he insists that voting outside of the party line on national issues will ensure that our district will be at the far end of the appropriation line. Boehner has enough votes today to pass any legislation he deems fit but if he votes with the democratic majority he may lose half of his caucus, as many as 75% of House members of both parties would be happy to vote for compromise but the GOP House members know that it means millions of dollars flowing into primary campaigns for ideologues to challenge them. A million or two in a local primary campaign is awfully hard to fight against.

As to the debt ceiling, it may not even be Constitutional to refuse to pay our bills for which we have already contracted. The 14th Amendment states without exception that " The validity of the public debt of the United States authorized by law shall not be questioned" This makes the whole idea of a debt ceiling lower than the amounts of debt already approved by Congress ludicrous. The president and treasury should simply ignore the debt ceiling and order Treasury to pay the bills. Otherwise cut all Federal payments to those districts and or states which vote against it. The Federal debt comes overwhelmingly from tax dollars flowing to "Red States". The top 20 of states receiving more federal dollars than they pay contain 17 Red states while those who carry the taxes paid burden are 18 out of 20 blue states. Let the Tea Party States pay their own bills and see how long they last.

hey Theresa.... How on earth is that fair or even helpful IF this is going to happen????

" • Low-income families and other Americans who would be eligible for Medicaid will fall between the cracks without expansion (as they do now). ObamaCare will most likely have to insure them in the ObamaCare health exchanges. This is projected to drive up the cost of insurance for all Americans by a great deal. "

http://obamacarefacts.com/obamacares-medicaid-expansion.php

Even with Obamacare in place, the goverment is going to take care of people. Making them even more dependent.

Any economist will tell you that it is not possible to make a significant reduction in the deficit with additional taxes but the Democrats still want to spend money faster than it is collected and that is the only reason to raise the taxes. The Democrats led by Obama WANT to raise your taxes! They want to raise taxes on everyone, not just the wealthy. The current income resources do not pay for expenditures and that is why there is a deficit. The proposed tax raises proposed by the Democrats will hardly put a dent in deficit spending even if there were a raise in tax revenue. The problem with raising taxes is that it generally results in a decrease in tax revenues. The more money collected to support the government, the less money you have in private enterprise, and when you reduce the money flow, the result is less tax revenue. It has never worked in the opposite direction. The only way to make a measurable reduction in the deficit spending is by reducing government spending. The Democrats are pushing for more government spending so they can fund pet projects like Obamacare.

If the Democrats cared in the least about the taxpayer or the economy they could easily stop the tax increases just by approving the legislation already approved by the House of Representatives. This legislation would not create financial impacts on anyone but it would stop the proposed Democrat tax increases. We are still in the Obama Recession, lets do things to turn the economy around, raises taxes and increasing the size of government has already been proven to be bad economic policy. We have gone through four years of worsening economic conditions, lets reverse that trend!

I never read in these comments from conservatives that it is time to pay for 2 wars, unfunded prescription plan, unneeded tax cuts, another useless large government department (Homeland Security) bills to private defense contractors (Haliburton). When you own your part of this bill maybe some of the others will. Oh and lets not forget your own tarp bailout after the economy was left in a smoking waste heap by the last administration. Call me a libtard if you wish.

Lets go over the cliff, you'll get a ton of revenue just from the decrease in the military budget alone. Then have the Republicans tell us on Jan 2nd why they won't vote on a tax decease for 250k and under earners! The answer of course is that they are the paid lapdogs of corporations and billionaires. If your grandma has to eat catfood or your middle class job gets sent to India or some CEO wants to steal your pension fund money, well, this has NEVER seemed to be their concern.

Gene,

Your initial statement is ludicrous! How about the last ten Nobel Laureates and everyone from Gordon Brown to Wen Jiabo. Virtually every economist not on the FOX news channels have lauded stimulus programs as stemming the tide of individual and global recessions and advocated increasing offset revenues by those who benefited the most by 30 years of laissez faire. Apparently you know absolutely nothing about macroeconomics or its application and/or the last 100 years of successes and failures in Western and Global economics. Here is a simple chart of Golden Age of Keynesian Economics vs Washington economics practiced since 1980 and the installation of the Heritage Foundations economic plan:

MetricGolden Age periodWashington Consensus period

Average Unemployment (US)
4.8%
6.1%

Average Unemployment (Great Britain)
1.6%
7.4%

Average Unemployment (Germany)
3.1%
7.5%

Average Unemployment (France)
1.2%
9.5%

Average global inflation
3.9%
3.2%

Average global growth

4.8%

3.2%

Gene,

When has raising taxes EVER not increased revenue? During Clinton? During Reagan?

I say you put them all in a room, close and lock the door, no food or water or bathroom or ciggarette breaks at all and don't let them out till they figure this thing out! If not they can piss on each other and eat their own @!$%#!!!

No cliff. Just desert. They've got one hand out and the other in your pocket. They need the endless stream of your money and the surrender of your mind to continue building the greatest projects known to man, directly on top of shifting sand.

This country of We The People have been held hostage by the likes of Boehner, McConnell and the Teabaggers not to mention the wealthy and Grover. If these elected officials, a self server Norquist and the wealthy do not want to improve the lot of the middle class who have put them in office, made the wealthy wealthier and provided Grover the opportunity of free speech then it is time to get rid of them. The wealthy can start paying more in taxes since they have not created new jobs since the top down economic voodoo law was put in place by Reagan and Gingrich. Grover Norquist has outstayed his welcome and it is time to write him off and being anti-American and actually a blackmailer.

We have been held hostage by a Congress who makes more than most people in this country by voting in their own pay increases, exempt themselves from the laws they enact and receive a generous retirement after five years of service. Should we not bring a bill to rescind their salaries back to the Reagan years for the people to vote on their salaries, their retirement plans and benefit packages such as health care? Why should Congress not follow their own laws and rules they have voted in? What makes them any better than the general public who put them in office. I do not recall this being part of the Constitution nor voting on their benefits and I have been voting for over 40 years. Isn't it time we take back Congress and Senate by proxy and a general national vote?

This change cannot be accomplished by a state by state vote but only by a federal statute voted on by the people for the people. We will find this will bring all of them into line with taking care of business instead of acting like the spoiled and privileged they think they are. The time is now not tomorrow.

The total right-wing Nut jobs...Teabaggers all..have done more harm to this country in the last 3-4 years than has Ever been done before. The Cowards on the right are so afraid of them they are willing to trow this nation under the bus. Bonner has had his 2 min. of fame/shame and the weasel Canter is drooling in the wings. I am so ashamed by my Old once Proud party....But it is dead & gone. Or will be in 2014. SICK

Got to give Obama a lot of credit, he is getting exactly what he wants. He want higher taxes, more spending and less defense spending. Sure, he has to lie to get it, but honesty was never the best policy for him, or a lot of dems or even politicians as far as that goes.

"We're now at the point where, in just a couple days, the law says that every American's tax rates are going up. Every American's paycheck will get a lot smaller. And that would be the wrong thing to do for our economy," President Barack Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address, which was broadcast on Saturday.

And yet, what did the House do? They passed legislation that addressed the messiah's concerns. What did Obama say? No way Jose! But, it's the repubs fault.

The loony left just gets loonier and the low-information, "tell me what to think," people just eat it up.

This is a bit unusual for me but here goes.

The fate of the country are in the hands of two old corrupt guys. One can't keep his hands off Grover Norquist nut sack (McConnell) and the other can't see past his ego (Reid).

God help us all.

Common Sense 23, rumor has it that Mitch McConnell is prone to reaching around for Grover's scrotum and sometimes face to face with it.

Intellect - That's better than Boehner using it for tanning lotion........

Common Sense 23, good point. Heck Boner might be smoking it too. Who knows about that twit.

Intellect - I'm sure he is that's why he can lead his caucus to the promise land.....

The rigid Republican Congressional ideologues from Grover's Hole won't act even if the Senate manages to pass the "basic package" on Monday. Their efforts to sabotage Government have succeeded to the extent that they are now viewed, even among themselves, as 'The Knights who say NO' (Monty Python-esque).

The good people of Kentucky, I hope, vote that old fool McConnell out of office in 2014...

This is the worst congress ever... "Do Nothing Congress" And the people are to blame, because they voted 90% of them back into office... Not too smart...

40 empty chairs 40 empty yrs of Rep rule

Republicans are ruining are life maybe forever

thats actually OUR life ..not are life...sheesh...

The entire Republican party is filled with nut jobs and bigots. In my entire lifespan of 60 years I have not met one Republican that was not out for themselves. Working in DC I found them to be drunkards, liars and all out for themselves. Not once have I witnessed one good deed to come from them, not once.

Actually the Federal Government have many of these worthless people working in civil service positions that are burrowed in to the system receiving $150K/year for doing nothing. I know of several that are functioning alcoholics that everyone knows about but yet not one action has been taken against them either for treatment nor infractions. I just do not understand this mentality and I never will.

When Lyin Ryan was running for VP I was so ashamed that he was a graduate of my dear Alma mater. I am still ashamed that we could produce such a piece of crap and a habitual liar to boot. I am considering having my name removed from the lifetime alumni supporters list. What a waste of money and time Ohio's tax dollars spent on providing this liar a great education at America's first public Ivy League school. What were they thinking when they admitted this trash to our great university, the cradle of coaches? Why didn't he go to school at Wisconsin? Let them have the blame for providing him an education.

I do hope Ashley Judd runs against this rediculous POS from 'tuckey. Magoo McConnell is the most worthless excuse for a human being ever, well Rand Paul is right up there with Magoo. Hopefully the Democratic party will be able to find someone in 'tuckey to run against Rand Paul too. Is there something in those hollers down there that breeds these fools and idiots? It could be the inbreeding that has been going on down there since it was settled. I bet that is the problem, the gene pool is too small creating these half wits.

Any economist will tell you that it is not possible to make a significant reduction in the deficit with additional taxes but the Democrats still want to spend money faster than it is collected and that is the only reason to raise the taxes. The Democrats led by Obama WANT to raise your taxes!

genemfflr: What a lame argument. Because these tax increases wont solve the deficit alone they shouldn't happen? How then would any of the tax cuts the republicans want help as none come close to the 80 billion the tax increases will raise? The logic of the right. A tax increase on the wealthy raising 80 billion wont make a difference but a 5 billion cut to food stamps or 100 million reduced funding for school nutrition programs will solve it in no time. And I very much doubt from your logic you make more than 250K as you really don't seem to be too sharp so you're safe from Obama's tax increases.

Obama's still paying for the 5 million Bush dumped on unemployment and welfare. If we can keep the war mongers out of office where we spend our money rebuilding our own infrastructure instead of in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan we'll start turning things around.

Yes our taxes buy a lot, and the government is buying a lot more then it has the money for.

As everyone so well remembers, the Tea Party wanted a balanced budget, the bailouts stopped, and to pay off the national debt. This is the opposite of what Obama does.

I doubt that Boehner will bring any compromise bill from the Senate up for a vote if taxes are raised on anybody making less that a million a year. He doesn't appear to understand that Americans want this to happen. If we didn't, we would soon be inaugurating Mitt Romney as President. It's a sad day when one man can defy the desires of the majority in order to maintain the support of a few, such as Mr. Norquist and the Koch brothers.

America is, or was founded as a Republic, not a Democracy which is more mob rule. In a Democracy people can vote themselves a bill saying 'hey let's make it law that we can take rich people's cars and chickens.'

static, the TP does not place a priority on balancing the budget. it wants lower taxes and less spending, fewer gov't services and relief from manic paranoia about what gov't is and what it does. The TP is delusional.

Joe what is dillusional about that; lower taxes, spending, government services?

Alan, Great point.

Responsibility in government is something we all want. That would be an interesting question to put on a few of these opinion polls. Since so many will quote polls about the rich wanting to pay more taxes.

Check out Obama's tax returns. There isn't any expense or deduction "left on the table". It is illegal to add fake deductions, but totally legal to not claim something. For example, he could have left his dependent children off his 1040 and paid a bit more in taxes. Did he? No.

He wants to pay more in taxes, but only if he is forced to?

Alan, I think it's reasonable to say that most Americans would want lower government spending and lower taxes, as well as a more efficient government with wasteful services discontinued. However, the last several years have not been typical. I'm afraid that without the previous spending and bailouts, we would still be suffering through a depression that would have made the Great Recession look puny. Our banking system might have collapsed, American automakers would be out of business, and the suppliers to the auto industry would be gone. The housing industry would still be foundering (worse than it still is).

So, what's done is done. The economy is recovering slowly, and our future is looking brighter. So let's deal with the present. We need to increase revenue, and decrease spending. An increase in taxes on those making more than $250K sounds reasonable, as does a decrease in spending. We can cut government spending, and I don't think that anyone, Republican or Democrat, would take that off the table. I would still submit to you that there is something extraordinarily wrong when one man, Rep. Boehner, can obstruct this process, particularly when falling off the cliff could bring a halt to the recovery we are experiencing.

The federal government is out of control. We can not continue running $1 Trillion deficits. The nation's debt is now at the tipping point, where it will not be able to pay interest on the national debt. That means the government will most likely pay interest on the debt without tax receipt income, printing funny money out of thin air, eventually causing hyper inflation. Hyper Inflation is worse than deflation, such as we have experienced since 2008. Imagine bread at $12 a loaf, gasoline at $17.50 per gallon, eggs at $11.00 a dozen, your utility bills at $1,500 a month. We need to cut the deficit now, it will be painful short term, but we can avoid hyper inflation.

static, what's delusional is that smaller government and lower taxes will automatically make things better. There are many government services that are essential to our well being and the smooth functioning of our economy. The TP meat-axe approach to reducing government would cripple the economy and leave people vulnerable to poisoned food and polluted air and water amont other things. What we need is the optimum sized government that results in the most prosperous and well functioning society. It's a balance. It requires both the right side of the brain and the left side of the brain to understand it. Right wingers and left wingers don't get it. Fanatics on either side function with half a brain and their proposals are absurd.

Alan Static, what is delusional is starting two wars (one going on the tenth year), prescription drug benefits, and the largest financial recession this country has had in 60+ yrs and the government lowers taxes to the lowest level since the early 1920's; and to think all we have to do is cut spending? Yeah, the TP is more than delusional!

Alan, keep in mind that President Obama isn't employed by the teapartiers or Congress. He doesn't have to do their bidding or do what they want. Remember that his favorability rating far exceeds that of Congress.

He was elected by both the popular vote and the electoral college and is following the polls of the American people. Just because you don't agree with the majority of the population, it doesn't change the statistics on the polls.

"Joe what is dillusional about that; lower taxes, spending, government services?"

What is delusional is thinking that the Teabaggers were sent to congress to do anything else but obstruct. Look at who they're getting their marching orders from because it sure aint Boner.

Alan Static, what is delusional is starting two wars (one going on the tenth year), prescription drug benefits, and the largest financial recession this country has had in 60+ yrs and the government lowers taxes to the lowest level since the early 1920's; and to think all we have to do is cut spending? Yeah, the TP is more than delusional!

Nice strawman. I am quite certain that Alan never mentioned supporting Bush.

It's good you actually think Reid can come up with anything. I have yet to see any plans the democrats have come up with. Nothing, nadda, zip. They want to play the the game the republicans are stopping them. All they are saying they want more taxes so they can spend more.

Alan #2,! / The T.P. want a lot especially No ,but they do want to continue with the Welfare for the rich but never for the poor and Needy.We the Majority that you scorn would rather see a true Christian Philosophy. I do believe that We the people, are moving more that way than you're throw those dogs a bone ill will to all except the rich of course. To you I am reluctant to wish a happy New Year but why not,Happy New Year!

Alan static, you need to read more. First of all, if the tea partiers 'were' interested in a balanced budget, they are supporting the wrong party. There was a balanced budget when Clinton left office. The budget went into strotospheric melt down when the Bush was in office. Second, NO congress cut taxes during war time, in fact they increased them during war time to pay for the astounding costs of war. Third, the tea party was created not by people that were interested in a balanced budget, it was created by very rich people who didn't want to pay taxes, and any idiot knows you can't pay your bills without income and neither can the government. The tea party, because of their basic ignorance is getting used. And get off the obamacare issue. Lack of affordable healthcare has been a fiscal disaster for our country for decades. And don't do the federalist balogna, because they never had to deal with the astronomical fiscal crises of lack of healthcare. For the first century of our country, doctors and apothocaries were one man shops who took barter for pay or many times treated patients for free. They were not the wealthy of our society, they were ordinary middle class hardworking men who didn't get paid very well. It was a noble profession for the basic fact that they took care of people, not because there was money in it because there wasn't. Hospitals weren't big conglomerates raking in huge profits, they were not for profit hospices created and funded by charity. There was no such thing as health insurance, never mind health insurance that fought tooth and nail NOT to pay for actual healthcare but to take in profit off the possibility of illness. As for balancing the budget, then they should have attacked the Bush administration with the venom, not Obama. They should have been venomous about the trillions of dollars spent on a war that wasn't being financed. They should have been venomous about cutting taxes when we were spending trillions a year fighting wars. Don't even try to tell me tea partiers are noble people. They are dumb sheep.

Alan,

Part II;

What is delusional about the Tea Party economics is that they exist outside of any possible economic reality. Failing to approve an increase in the debt ceiling has already proven to be a disaster. Top bracket tax cuts since 2002 have cost 42 billion per year plus interest on the debt. Reagan tax policy tripled the national debt re-doubled by Bush II. There is no evidence in economic history that decreasing top bracket taxes is beneficial to anyone other than those top brackets. If you look at any chart of wealth distribution, income or debt it is painfully obvious that low top brackets and expansive capital gains deductions lead to an upward flow of wealth and an astronomical flow of debt downward and a stagnation of wages.

The Tea Party exempts Defense Spending while attacking agencies such as the EPA, OSHA, The Department of Education, the Department of Energy and the State Department. These departments are what stand between your children's safety and leaving us wearing surgical masks to filter the air and searching for sources of potable water like China and India. I grew up in the 60s and 70s and if you fell in an eastern river and swallowed some you were taken to the hospital to have your stomach pumped. In Phila. and NYC you could smell the rivers a 1/2 mile away when the wind shifted, the Hudson was a dead river and the Cuyahoga caught fire. The EPA has identified since the 70s 40,000 Superfund sites which is only the tip of the metaphorical iceberg. If we followed Tea Party ideals we would regress into an economic backwater with governance resembling the Articles of Confederation with regional economic zones. The overwhelming amount of Federal deficit spending goes to Red states without which they would be no better off than they were in the Depression.

jkh

As everyone so well remembers, the Tea Party wanted a balanced budget, the bailouts stopped, and to pay off the national debt. This is the opposite of what Obama does

This is what republicans say they want. Bush stated in 2000 he'd cut the deficit to historically low levels. Please explain how Romneys plan to cut revenue 500 billion, increase military spending 200 billion and a new space program would lead to lower deficits. When a candidate claims he stands for lower deficits as Romney did but when asked to explain the math said, "trust me" reasonable people ask for more. If anyone on the right can explain how proposing to spend 250 billion billion more with 500 billion less revenue then you're better than Romney who couldn't explain it or sell it. If you bash Obama on spending the least you could do is explain how republicans are better. Most Americans don't see it.

Thumbs up on this post if you think we are NOT going off the cliff. Vote now here.

Thumbs up on this post if you think it might be a good thing to go off the cliff. Vote now here.

Farsical Cliff = freedom

Fiscal cliff = our children's children need not pay our bills

Fiscal cliff = The current US population, which is equal to the total population of 24 states, who are on welfare might start to find work now pays more than welfare.

The Fed is the only thing that operates now and has cushioned your fall in this messed up economy.

tport2
The Fed created the bubble that burst in the first place by keeping interest rates low throughout the 2000's. It is sure nice of them to try to fix the mess they created though by giving free money to the banks that helped cause the recession (which has done nothing).

Satan,

Bullfeathers! Our economic misery was caused by Reagan/Bushanomics which transferred unfathomable wealth into very few hands and creating a financial system that became a Hyrdra with heads in every economic market. Since 1938 the economy and middle class in every measurable statistic expanded with growth coming from the poor and industrial middle class. Starting in 1980 following the economic guideline of the Heritage Foundation we embarked on an untried venture into what the called a Service economy and a Consumer Society and abandoning the market tenets that we had operated under for almost 50 years. Their mantras were anti union, laissez faire, anti regulation, anti enforcement, pro corporation proposing the idea that further enriching the wealthiest Americans would somehow be beneficial to all.

One of the few institutions stopping a sharper oligarch to peasant dichotomy has been the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates at a low that has allowed millions of Americans to remortgage and begin to emerge from the disastrous personal debt incurred in the post 2000 economy.

Money = Debt

fiscal cliff is no more added debt.

Let us live in anarchists time.

Sorry but you wouldn't survive.....Idiot's haven't got a chance.

60's dude,

Would be a little dangerous to lock them in with no bathroom breaks. Everyone of them was already full of schitt when they walked in the door.

Barney Frank is a squirrel.

NO SMOKES [ especially Boehner]

Obviously you failed to see Obama returning from Hawaii on the helicopter at the white house. He was chewing something as he walked off. Nicorette for all.

Totally agree! They should be treated like the spoiled brats they are. All they care about is their own pocketbooks.

60's Veteran let them all they want to drink and keep the rest of your restrictions

We the People are really forgetting that they work for us. And your correct in treating them exactly in this manner you suggest. No paychecks, no benefits, cut in pay and benefits every time this happens. More share of cost to their health benefits out of their shrinking paychecks. And they must pay for their own health benefits once out of office and either fired or retired. And if they don't work correctly for this Country they can be fired. We once sent a big country back across the Big Puddle because we couldn't stand what they were doing to us as humans. Again we don't like what they are doing to us as humans and they are in our country. And suppose to one of us,Americans. I think its time not to let outsider's bring anything for sale to our county. And only buy what is truly made here. We need the work and we need the money. But what is more important is we need LOYALTY. And our heads of this country are not giving us that most of all. Health should be made to everyone. And that they are not loyal to us again.

60's vet #7 / I would rather have them payed what we,their employers consider what they are worth.

Boogie, until there is serious talks on spending cuts, raising taxes on the 2 percent does nothing to the amount of spending by the Fed. Democrats this Republicans that it just does not matter unless someone or some party decides to tackle the outrages spending our Congressmen and President contuinue to do. Kicking the can down the road does nothing but continue to add to our Debt,

And I think it is the Democrats that don't seem to get it as you say. We cannot spend our way out of this. We have to be able to reduce spending before any tax increase has any meaning.

And you are right this should have been solved by both parties, but both decided in 2011 that it should be taken up after the Elections. Nothing can get done when you push it down the road.

So if you think it is only the Republicans that has caused this, then my friend you are truly drunk on the koolaid the Democrats and the Liberal media have been serving you.

The revolution will NOT be televised. It will be tweeted.

The net worth of the 400 richest Americans exceed the combined net worth of the bottom 65% or 185 million people. I think those at the top can better afford a few more bucks then the granny living off an $800 a month SS check. The logic that because taxing the wealthy a few more percent won't solve our deficit because 80 billion is so little ignores the fact that none of the cuts republicans propose are close to that. If 80 billion in new revenue wont make a difference why would cutting 7 billion from food stamps or 100 million from school nutrtition programs?

It is amazing how so many people wish to continue making excuses for the failure in the present administration. He needs mindless masses to continue the scam and they are there to accommodate him.

freedom1st, Congress has to pass a law before Obama can sign it. It is Boehner and McConnel and Reid who have the ball, not Obama. That's just a fact.

Since the Democrats control 2/3 of the Gov't ,isn't it their fault nothing gets done? The House has passed dozens of Bills that are sitting on Harry Reid's desk. WHY?

slodon,

Have you read any of the bills you mention? Makes a good talking point but utterly without substance. And you should know that. Reid has enough courtesy to not waste everyone's time with bills that had no chance in hell getting past the senate or the president. And the House knew that when they sent the bills to the Senate. Taking up everyone's time and getting nowhere. Typical teanut schitt.

Yeah.....Harry Weed is a real paragon of virtual....Senate Leader that has refused to put forward a U.S. budget in 4 years now. Never happened in the history of the Republic.

Should be impeached.

Alsoph - You haven't read any of the bills either. You negate your own remark. The 'courtesy' you endow Reid as having is subjective. And just as with bills you have no information about, you speak of courtesy but show none. You're 0 for 2.

alim,

Nice try, but my feelings don't bruise very easily. I have read enough about the bills to know that they were dead in the water before they got to the senate, and that the House knew that before sending them to the Senate. Doesn't take much internet research to find out such information. People should really do a little research before they begin arguing an issue. It's sooooo easy to do.

I don't show courtesy? Please show me where or how. 2 for 2 in my book. Sorry.

Reading my above post all I could find possibly "discourteous" was the mention of teanut schitt, and really, that is being very mild and courteous considering the gravity of their evil intentions. You should give me 3 for 2 for being so kind to them.

Alsoph - If you do not bruise so easily, why address it.

There should be no hesitation in offering bills for consideration without prejudice.

Condescension is not a defense.

Feigning innocence by suggesting a 'greater' guilt belongs to someone else is - what it is.

I only addressed your attempt, nothing more.

To offer a bill that you know will get nowhere is only posturing. That's all.

Who is "feigning" innocence? As for some "greater" guilt, I think the American public has already identified the crime and the criminals and hopefully will pass judgement come election day.

Don't be trying to be so "profound". The suit doesn't fit you well.

Now we can continue tit for tatting as long as you wish, but I wish to remind you of the beginning of this conversation. Someone pitched out the standard old worn out talking point that "hey, the republican house has passed humpteen jillion bills and sent them to the senate where they were not even taken to the floor". An old, worn out talking point that has no substance due to the reasons I mentioned. Do your own research on the matter if you wish. That's a big reason the republicans lost this last round. They had truck loads of talking points that turned out to be either lies or empty of true content, and the public was just not as stupid as they had wished. Wake up, dude.

Democrats don't play the republican games. Like the budget republicans tried to force a vote on knowing their wasn't enough votes to pass it. Democrats refused to cast a vote which means all votes were recorded as no. It meant nothing but republicans could tell the sheep not even democrats would vote for Obamas budget. Let them think democrats and independents are as stupid as they are.

That's right. They had a blank check. We voted in 2010 to stop the signature stamp on said checks

Too bad you didn't vote that way before the year 2000. Bush blew 3 trillion per year more then we had, each year that he was in office. He started with a 12 trillion dollar surplus and left us with 12 trillion in debt. That makes Obama's 1 trillion over a year seem pretty reasonable, but it's funny how often Bush's flops are mentioned.

Either people don't remember history or history doesn't fit in with their Obama-bashing agenda.

Bush left us 1 trillion debt over 8 yrs, this jackass has us over 12 trillion in debt in only 4 can hardly wait to see if we still have a country when he's done.

gunfsafety,

Welcome to mythbusters 101.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/05/24/who-is-the-smallest-government-spender-since-eisenhower-would-you-believe-its-barack-obama/

But then I guess you'll be saying Forbes knows nothing about finances.

Penelope2 you must live in Washington or Colorado if you believe a tenth of that crap you have spewed today.

Bush left us 1 trillion debt over 8 yrs, this jackass has us over 12 trillion in debt in only 4 can hardly wait to see if we still have a country when he's done.

Not the sharpest knife in the drawer are you? Bush inherited a 5.7 trillion debt and turned it into a 12.1 trillion one. The right likes to pretend Bush's last budget was for 2008 but actually budgets run October to October. Bush's last budget ran October 2008 through October 2009 and had a projected deficit of 1.2 trillion dollars. Had Obama simply ran Bushs last budget each year the debt would still be around 15.7 trillion.

Wrong,Just the Tea Baggers.You can negotiate with people that have signed a pledged to do nothing.

Frank,

Since you so eloquently made your point about being against less spending, less taxes, and more accountability, does that make you a Teabagee?

How would you like your tea sir? Brewed? Shaved? Or, au natural?

F the democrats. Democrats are evil, greedy leeches.

Let's all move on with Frank and the rest of the Tebaggees.

Open wide Frank!!!

Wrong, That's how we got the Tea Baggers.

They don't care. They know that the likes of Harry Reid will be re-elected no matter how inept they are.

Wrong-You got the Tea Party because these idiots passed a healthcare bill that the majority didn't want.Now you're pissed because you can't get what you want. Once again the IQ of the Obama voter is put on display.

Broker1, it is not the IQ of the Obama voter that is put on display, it's yours.

Are you a moron.?If the Democrat's we in control,we would have a deal.It's the House Moron.

Please explain why from 2008 until 2010 when the Democrats had both the House, and Senate, also the White House; yet there was not a budget done, nor anything concerning the economy.

Please explain why from 2008 until 2010 when the Democrats had both the House, and Senate, also the White House; yet there was not a budget done, nor anything concerning the economy

On almost every blog someone makes up this absurd lie. Democrats had a super majority 4 months not 2 years. I'm not re posting a complete explanation for the 100th time because an idiot things he gains something by spreading non sense. The elections over now you gain nothing by spreading lies. If you really want the truth type in democrats super majority 2 years or some variant in search and you'll get thousands of explanations. Maybe you'll learn something.

From day one they could not work with a Black President.

This is what happens when you give a minority power over alot of money. They just piss it away! Look at all of the sports stars and musicians, etc. who go broke in no time!

That's how they want you to see it!

That's right Frank.

From day one he was a 'socialist', an 'illegal immigrant', etc. and the immediate Republican Congressional vow was to undo everything that he would accomplish, and prevent him from getting a second term in office.

Never in American history has there been such slanderous disrespect for an American president. It has been right out in the open for everyone to see.

Unfortunately, no matter how skilled, dedicated, or honest the man is, a large percentage of citizens feel the same way.

The only reason I still feel good about my country is that the majority still sees through the color of the man to the integrity underneath, even though the same haters that I went to school with are trying hard to change that fact.

Obama has not been the perfect president (no one could be), but I think standing up for what he believes is right -in the face of all the hatred that the right can muster- is courageous as hell.

I do not regret my vote.

color has no bearing on my feelings for obama,I think he is totally useless as pres. Condalezza Rice would have the best for President.

Nothing is going to be accomplished -- as usual! Taxes will go up, the general public will get screwed - as usual. They dilly dally the entire time pointing fingers & nothing gets accomplished. we're down to the final hours & its the same BS every year!!! Start at the top -- cut the pay for the President, Vice Pres., etc. Stop paying former Presidents - what the hell do they need the money for?? -- they're already millionaires!! Stop providing former Presidents with security -- I can only imagine the total of $ the taxpayers are paying for this & any other perks they continue to get. Balance the friggin budget so that people can survive - entend the unemployment benefits. Tell me this - I keep reading about all these new jobs created - where the H#LL are they?? - in China... bring back manufacturing to the US & put the US Citizens to work!!! Stop the BS on Capitol Hill!! Enough is enough!!!

This is what happens when you give a minority power over alot of money. They just piss it away! Look at all of the sports stars and musicians, etc. who go broke in no time!

Like Lyndsey Lohan, Willie Nelson and Nicholas Cage? Black people aren't the only irresponsible ones. Bush pissed away trillions first fighting in Iraq and then Afghanistan then trillions more rebuilding them. A black American would rather let them fight themselves and rebuild our own country.

Totally agree. Let it go..restructure after the changes take place in January. At that point, the bought and paid for politicians (on both sides of the isle ) will have lost what they've fought so hard to hold on to. Protection of the elite group that have a strangle hold on our governmental system.

For the republicans who think the dems only want to see taxes raised on the wealthy out of spite. I don't believe that is really the case. The main point, in my opinion, is equilibrium and a sense of fairness. Our problems are from a cumulitve effect. Not enough revenue and overspending. It will take many changes to make things balance out again. Let's start with fairness in our tax structure, make the wealthiest pay the same rate as middle america, keep the tax cuts for the middle class for a period because that is the true engine that keeps the economy going, start trimming the pork spending, cut entitlements for large corporations that are making record profits, cut defense spending to reasonable levels, and STOP giving so much aid to other countries.

All of this should take precedence over cutting funding for the elderly, disabled and veterans. Don't know about the rest of you but, I don't have issues with helping those who are less fortunate and truly struggling to make it. I don't like to see elderly and the sick have to suffer and make choices of whether they eat or buy the medicine they desperately need because the pharmaceutical companies have rigged the deck. Or lose everything they've worked for their entire life because of sickness in their declining years. It's just not fair, and not what I, as an american believe in. Also, we are supposed to be one of the richest and most deveolped countries in the world yet we have tens of thousands of children that go to bed hungry. Is this the America you believe in or want ? Not me.

I don't believe in complete socialism nor am I happy with the capitalist greed that seems to be dominating our country. We have to find a middle ground somewhere. Where we all have the opportunity to achieve the American dream but, we don't turn our backs on those less fortunate. Don't tell me it can't be done. We're all in this together and should start taking responsible actions that include compassion and understanding while working to achieve all that we can be as individuals.

The corporate greed and manipulation has to stop. Not only in our government but, also in our financial institutions. "We the people" are no longer in control. It's time we change that.

Last Rebel?

Let's hope you're not the last. We need a few more rebels like you.

The Real Republicans need to take their party back.

Most politicians have been in there way too long, developed intricate manipulative and coercive techniques on how to gain and retain political power so they can sway enough needy, naive or self-serving people to let them rule over the country. How to serve the best interests of the People under the limitations of foundational Constitutional laws is a hinderance to them. 'Pen control' for all legislators would go a long way in changing the downward spiral of America. American politicians through the use of their pens kill innocent people everyday, though some people would pose it is the pen that is the culprit.

Bull @!$%#........................

No frank you are Bu!!$hit. You get paid by the post or what? Get out of the basement and see the light.

Jeff, You teeter on the edge or sensibility. But the spending comes from both sides (no one spent more than GW Bush, with his party's backing, plus, do we really need defense to be 12 larger than the next 12 countries combined?). Meanwhile, Obama's lack of compromise has been trained over his first four years when the Republicans uncompromisingly opposed EVERYthing he tried to do. (imagine how much better the Affordable Care Act would have been had the Republicans recognized they could not stop it, but worked to make it better)

Why throw the answers out for the Reps to attack, distort and extend? Put it in their court....what will you do to solve the problem? The question is asked repeatedly and the answers are vacuous.

The Reps cannnot solve the problem because they have become anchored in ideological extremism. Acccordingly, the Republican extremeist Tea Party IS the problem....no compromise, no action, screw America. They are anarchists bent on disruption in the name of ideology. Even look at what outgoing Republicans say about what has happened in Congress. The TP has made the American democratic process utterly dysfunctional.

Until they become problem-solvers instead of progress stoppers, we all suffer and the US looks stupid and acts stupid. Accordingly, they will self-destruct as all extremists do, but at what cost?

Let's stop labeling everyone who disagrees as the enemy and start a dialogue that seeks to solve the problems. There is huge room in the middle for compromise in both directions. That is the only way we dig out. Let's stop complaining and do the intellectual work required to solve the mess. Both sides created the mess together, both sides need to solve it. Sadly, both sides suffer from a lack of leadership.

Actually, Obama has spent more than GW in his first four years....and four more to go. Wait til Obamacare kicks in on 2014. Keep in mind that the Presidents don't have that much spending power. The legislators do most of the spending.

If a tax hike of 80 billion isn't enough to bother with neither are the cuts republicans want as none are close to that. If an 80 billion tax hike is pointless so is cutting 7 billion from food stamps or 100 million from school nutrition programs. I guess they might as well go home as no single cut or hike will cover the 1.2 trillion deficit.

Actually, Obama has spent more than GW in his first four years....and four more to go. Wait til Obamacare kicks in on 2014. Keep in mind that the Presidents don't have that much spending power. The legislators do most of the spending.

That's not true. Bush started with a 5.7 trillion debt and ended with a 12.1 trillion debt. Right wingers try to pin the 2009 budget on Obama but he wasn't elected when it was passed. Budgets are passed for the next year in October. Bushs last budget ran from October 2008 through October 2009 with a projected defioit of 1.2 trillion bringing the total debt to 12.1 trillion. Obamacare isn't an issue as unlike anything Bush did it's paid for.

As for your last comment you're sadly misinformed, the president has all the power in creating spending programs. Congress doesn't create programs their job is to fund or block programs the president can convince them are needed. Obamacare is all Obama. Reagans tax cuts, star wars defense and military build up was all Reagan. Bush's tax cut, 2 wars and 100 billion drug plan were all initiated by Bush. Succeeding in getting enough votes to pass something doesn't shift responsibility good or bad to Congress. A president owns them.

Rob, great strategy. Starve the beast, making it weak and ineffective. Then some well fed and stronger beast comes along and kills it. You people are blinded by idiotic rhetoric.

Depends on how you look at it. The beast is fat and unhealthy right now. Starving it may be a painful process, but in the long run it will be healthier and thus, stronger.

millknee - I agree with you.

mkillknee, all you get by starving the government is weaker government, more poverty, decline, and decay. We do not need to starve it, just improve its diet and make it more efficient. Starve the beast is unnecessary and idiotic. Our government should run like a well oiled machine. The Tea Party would drain the oil and wreck the engine.

What about the rich bringing some of those over sea's jobs back so the government has more cash coming in.But that would mean complaining about the rich again.That will not work,right Republicans.

It's the degree of raising taxes and cutting spending and the length of time to accomplish the goal of getting the debt down to the proper level that is the issue. The cliff in almost all peoples' minds will reduce the debt too quickly thus sparking another recession when this doesn't have to be done in the manner of the fiscal cliff.

I didn't say I'm for the FC, just the irony of it. Whatever is done to save this country will probably not be pleasant if the old college try is given.