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Subscribe to RSSPublished at 10:40 am ET: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor urged Congress and President Barack Obama to agree on “smarter cuts” instead of the $85 billion in spending reductions that are set to begin March 1.
On NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, the Virginia Republican said the $85 billion in spending reductions in the current fiscal year, called “the sequester” and mandated by the Budget Control Act which Obama signed into law in 2011, are “not the best way to go about trying to control spending.”
Cantor told NBC’s David Gregory that House Republicans have proposed alternatives – such as reducing the value of federal employee pension benefits – that would help avert the automatic spending cuts.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor visits Meet the Press to break down the top issues facing Capitol Hill lawmakers.
Cantor pinned the responsibility for suggesting the automatic cuts on Obama: “He’s the one who proposed the sequester in the first place.” Republicans, he said, are “anxiously waiting” for the president to begin discussing alternative cuts with GOP congressional leaders.
But Cantor said, “Every time you turn around,” Obama’s proposal is to raise taxes again. “He just got his tax hike on the wealthy and you can’t in this town every three months raise taxes,” the GOP leader said.
Obama and Democratic congressional leaders are seeking to raise additional tax revenue by eliminating or curbing some tax preferences and deductions. This would mean a new tax hike on top of the $700 billion increase signed by Obama on Jan. 2. That law, the American Taxpayer Relief Act, increased the top income tax rate on single earners with incomes above $400,000 and on married couples filing a joint return with incomes above $450,000.
It also reduced exemptions and deductions for single people who earn more than $250,000 and married couples filing a joint return who make more than $300,000. This effectively increased their tax bill.
Obama and most members of Congress didn’t expect or intend that the automatic spending cuts would go into effect; instead they thought they’d serve as a fail-safe device to spur agreement on a “grand bargain” of entitlement reforms, spending reductions and tax increases. When the “super committee” of 12 members of Congress failed to achieve that bargain, the automatic spending cuts were left as the default policy.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin visits Meet the Press to back the president's proposal for an economic compromise.
Senate Majority Whip Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said, “Sequestration was designed as a budget threat, not as a budget strategy.” He added, “It was supposed to be so awful that the super-committee would finally reach a bipartisan agreement.” He blamed Republicans on that panel for rejecting tax increases as part of an agreement.
As a way of raising more revenue, Durbin said, Democrats want to eliminate or curb some tax preferences, a strategy which “doesn’t really impose a tax burden on middle-class families.”
In an interview Sunday on Fox News, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi argued that cutting spending on education and scientific research is harmful -- “and they are what are affected by the sequestration. So it is almost a false argument to say we have a spending problem. We have a budget deficit problem that we have to address.”
She said federal spending on education and research will produce more jobs – and that will mean more revenue flowing into the Treasury. “Nothing brings more money to the Treasury of the United States than investment in education of the American people,” the California Democrat said, arguing that Congress must choose “(spending) cuts that help us” and not allow “cuts that hurt our future.”
On immigration policy, Durbin hailed Cantor for changing his mind on allowing younger illegal immigrants or people brought into the United States by their parents when they were very young to become legal permanent residents and ultimately U.S. citizens.
Cantor said, “I thought the best place to start was with children. These are children who due to no fault of their own were brought here.” He mentioned his own immigrant grandparents who emigrated to flee the anti-Semitic pogroms in Russia.
When Gregory asked Cantor whether he could bring with him a lot of conservative Republicans in the House to support an overhaul of immigration laws, Cantor said, “There’s a lot of movement right now in the House and the Senate, both sides of the aisle, with folks having a lot of different ideas.”
But Cantor clearly indicated that he would like Congress to pass a bill focused only on illegal immigrant children and “put a win on the board,” before addressing other, more complex aspects of immigration policy.
Yet Durbin said a legalization program for children or for people under age 21 would be only part of a larger immigration bill, and that a group of Democratic and Republican senators including Sen. Marco Rubio, R- Fla., is crafting that larger measure. “But it won’t just apply to children,” Durbin said.
On another contentious policy dispute – Obama’s targeted killing policy for terrorists, even if they happen to be U.S. citizens – Durbin said Obama is working toward “a legal architecture to deal with this new war on terrorism” and “the new mode of war,” which includes not only drones as weapons, but computer-based or cyber warfare. “The policy is unfolding,” Durbin said, he did not say whether he thought a revised or new congressional authorization to use force was necessary.
Obama and the Justice Department have argued that the targeted killings of suspected terrorists in Yemen and elsewhere are fully authorization by the resolution Congress passed a few days after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. That congressional resolution, plus the president’s inherent authority as commander-in-chief to defend the nation from imminent attack, supply his constitutional basis for action, the Justice Department argued in a white paper reported Monday by NBC News.
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So.... the losers in the 2012 election (Republicans) believe they hold the trump card and try to force the winners of the 2012 election (the President and DEMs) to give up the popularly supported policies and agree to unreasonable GOP demands.
.
OK...I think I have learned something, and the voters will again punish the GOP.
The GOP wants so badly to make the economy fail because it sticks in their craw that it's doing well under a democratic administration. Austerity measures are the only way they have to stop the recovery and that's why they are pushing spending cuts so intensely.
Spending cuts to all the programs like prepaid for social security, yeah let's cut something that is financed in advance. Medicare partially paid for, yeah let's let those old people just die. Retired people, yeah let's reduce their retirement. NO, let's reduce insurance, eliminate retirement, staff, and expenses, and salaries for all congressional people!
$85B in spending cuts in a $3.5T budget and this is a disaster? If we can't even stomach this tiny amount, what hope have we of ever living within our means?
Budget Control Act which Obama signed into law in 2011.
i hope we punish them before the next election.. like extinction
Paul Ryan is an example of Republican hypocrisy. He is a self-desribed "Ayn Rand Libertarian" who has reportedly encouraged his staff to read "Atlas Shrugged," the Ayn Rand novel that describes the atheist Objectivism philosophy that informs Ryan's own politics. He uses this Libertarian philosophy to justify his recommendations for cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and assistance to poor and unemployed Americans.
Paul Ryan's other major political influence, he says, is his Catholic faith which is obviously not, as is Objectivism, an atheist philosophy. His religious beliefs are his justification for government intrusion into the lives of Americans in the form of denying abortion rights, making access to birth control and denying marriage equality to gay and lesbian Americans. He apparently has chosen to ignore the Christian belief about taking care of "the least among us."
The low information voters of the Republican Party fail to even question Ryan on the obvious hypocrisy of using both Christian religion and atheist philosophy of selfishness to promote his mainstream Republican politics.
I mention Paul Ryan here because he is the "budget expert" of the Republican House of Representatives and represents the mainstream Republican view on budget matters. Cantor is expressing that mainstream Republican view.
So the party that conducted meetings in 2009 to obstruct EVERYTHING this president tried to do with the unprecedented use of the filibuster (even for mundane appointments), and also stated that their single most important acheivement (not jobs, not the economy) was to make him a one term president, NOW wants the president to work with THEM.
Absolutely laughable.
I have an idea, let's have the Iranians sent Paul Ryan up into space. All he is doing here is taking up space and breathing our air.
2011: The Budget Control Act (BCA) is the result of negotiations between the President and Congress held in response to the federal government having nearly reached its borrowing capacity.
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So now they want to renegotiate? What a bunch of losers.
ANOTHER PLAGIARIZER ALERT!
Oh for gawdsakes, President Obama is the one who initiated the idea of a smaller package until a larger one can be hammered out. But most importantly, any package will be balanced and not just cuts, even "smaller cuts."
When will Eric Cantor have an original thought? Oh that's right, he's dumb as a bag of rocks and can't have an original thought. He's also a broken record of talking the talk but never walking the walk. There's not enough lipstick for this pig.
Please, good people of Virginia -- get rid of this idiot!
"Smarter cuts" for the Party of No means Corporate Welfare for Wall Street and devastating cuts for Main Street.
Heck of a Job, Party of No.
don97524
How much do you know about Rev. Wright and the Church Obama attended for over 20 years, only turning his back on it when wanting to become President?
The Party of No are Economic and social, domestic terrorists...
You should pay attention to current events, Wake. There was ALWAYS an intention to renegotiate on this matter.
"Smarter" Cuts.... does that mean the GOP is willing to cut the 54 BILLION in subsidies to the fossil fuel industry? How about cutting all LOBBYIST funding? How about the "CUT" of the corporate tax cut for companies that move jobs to other countries? How about corporations being a "person"?
Social Security and Medicare are NOT entitlements. We pay into those, I expect the GOVT to fulfill its contract with us and pay us back!
Lastly, GOP, stop SPENDING $$ on telling us who we can marry, what our religion should be, our family values, and trying to convince us that legitimate rape is acceptable.
Jane?Doe
Paul Ryan has turned his back on neither Ayn Rand nor Catholicism. That is why I say he is a hypocrite.
Barack Obama embraced Christianity but never put forward the ideas of Reverend Wright that were troubling to many of us. I have little doubt that the reason Mr. Obama chose Wright's church over others was Reverend Wright's effectiveness in community organizing.
The Affordable Care Act....a.k.a. "Obamacare"....does make "smarter cuts" to the healthcare behemoth in this country.
Why does the Party of No reject THESE savings?
Heck of a job, Party of No.
Pork, Winning elections does not mean your policies are the correct policies. Unless sidetracking and deflection from the real issues of our times is your idea winning on policy.
Lets not forget, the Republicans are in office because they were elected as well. Basically half of your country does not agree with you.
"doesn't really impose a tax burden on middle-class families." -- closing tax loop holes will affect middle-class families, but it needs to be done.
Middle class needs to speak up -- spending cuts or tax increases (via closing tax loop holes) or a combination of both spending cuts and closing tax loop holes.
I vote for the later - spending cuts and closing tax loop holes (both 50/50).
And it should not take 10 years to balance the budget, it will never get done over that long a time period.
Stop kicking the cans down the road. Balance the budget in 4 years.
Listened to it all and had to walk into the room because I thought it was Obama talking. Now they are trying to please the elderly, poor , immigrants, health care and Eric Cantor is there leader behind all this. I hope Eric Cantor remembers the times in the election when he said "Let the automotive go broke", Democrats are nothing except "Free Loaders". I have it all on tape to remind me what a scum bag and lying person he really is. Know matter what they say the people do not accept them and they have a long way to go before they have any type of trust from the people who didn't vote for them.
I guess these guys and gals (Republicans) will never learn. The President presents a "brutal package proposal" to the Committee knowing full well only an "idiot" would not agree with the Democrats on a compromise. Quess what? We were all wrong, they are "idiots". Now they cry foul and want to change the rules. Just saying "NO" to our President just doesn't get it any more. Wake up clowns and get with the program before your blamed for pulling this Country into a Nightmare again.
Republicans recently insisted on cuts to balance the revenues increased by the small tax rate hikes on the highest incomes. Now we are facing cuts and Democrats should insist on balancing those cuts with increased revenues in the form of closing tax loopholes and another small tax rate increase on those with incomes over $100K/year.
Immigration reform needs to be a grand reform and not a piece meal approach.
As someone in the healthcare industry, billions could be saved by Obamacare if everyone with no insurance could go to a Doc-in-a-box for a small co-pay instead of the ER for minor illnesses, mishaps. You would not believe it when we get people who get extremely sick from missing dialysis appointments and have to be admitted to the hospital at thousands of dollars a day. Republicans like Myth Robme says we have nobody without healthcare because am ambulance will pick themup and take them to the hospital. What an idiot!
Amen Dan from left coast
You have to explain that to some people. They don't look outside their own party lines or think we live in a single election country or monarchy and not a multi part government of check and balances.
Members of the Reichwing forget that part of the Affordable Care Act "compromise" was that the Insurance Industry would decrease healthcare costs, with the exchange of 40,000,000 more clients.
Therefore, Insurance Companies continue to get subsidized by the American Taxpayer, with the illusion that Insurance Companies are willing to be "humane."
Heck of a job, Reichwing.
What Affordable Care Act compromise are you talking about? Who were involved in that compromise?
Please remember that you will hear non-stop crying from the GOP as this deal looms nearer. They got NOTHING out of the last package. NO-THING. Democrats got tax increases, and the GOP was left holding the bag. The Tea Party destroyed any leverage Boehner had. They effectively stabbed the GOP establishment in the back. Since they refused to back ANY tax increase, no matter how small, Boehner was forced to cave to democrats and give them LARGE tax increases, in exchange for... well, nothing. Check it again. He was forced to call the bill to a vote despite the majority of republicans being against it.
So the next round, the democrats will go after what the GOP offered in the first place, which is closing tons of tax loopholes for the wealthy.
So yes, the democrats will again get more revenue from the rich finally in exchange for cuts to govermental spending. Just be prepared to hear non-stop screaming from Boehner and Cantor and McConnell saying its not fair. Just sayin... cry baby fest.
They'll blame Obama and Reid, of course, but understand that since tax revenue is going to be in the Senate's bill once again... that means the Tea Party will once again have a chance to stab their party in the back, which means Boehner will once again be forced to bring the DEMOCRATIC bill to a vote and watch the liberals win again.
Watching the Tea Party GOP singlehandedly defeat the entire GOP is entertaining. Wussy democrats never could have pulled it off. Reid has no spine. He barely beat that loon-toon Engle.
The WINNER takes all, does not have to share a platform with the LOSERS. Republicans proposing social, women's issue changes and cuts in benefits to retired people and the disabled is on the "right" track???
If Republicans have a PLAN, where is it, what are the details, where are those bills promoting JOBS, JOBS, JOBS for our sinking middle class????
Empty criticism is all this Congress has to offer. NO VIABLE SOLUTIONS.
Hey, TruePatriot-445959
You are right.
In the last couple of decades, every time a president is elected, the other party wins the governor's mansion in Virginia, this time might be different.
Things are changing, the Democrats can be the majority party for some time to come...across the nation. I like a competitive 2 party system, but if the GOP continues to lose, the GOP has nobody else to blame but itself.
don97524
------
My eyes are wide open and i'm pretty current. Here's the deal, I'm no longer a member of the GOP because of these idiots who have hijacked the party (going on some time now). I'm sik of the rhetoric on both sides but specifically this side as they clearly want to delay, delay, delay- that's all they have done since 2009. Meanwhile good people in this country are trying to move forward.
You and i can agree to disagree- that's how the world works but I can guarantee you that if we sat down and really menat it we could work out a deal. When there are a bunch of loser trolls (again, both sides) and the balance of the future lays in your hands and you continuously cannot get it done it's very frustrating....
It's about time
Name one of those supposed subsidies to the Oil and Gas industry. The only tax breaks they currently get are the ones afforded to all other businesses. If you are going to strip those deductions from Oil producers, then you need to take them from every other business.
If you are talking about the oil depletion allowance, that was eliminated for the larger oil producers over 30 years ago!
How about it you get with the times today!
Never stop asking questions.
You need to start asking real questions, not ones that have little to no basis.
Republicans had nothing to do with this "compromise"
This "Compromise" was reached by Obama with the health care industry, that if you look up whom they supported in 2008 & 2012, you will find that they overwhelmingly supported democrats and Obama.
Why did the do that? Because they KNOW that they will make more money with democratic polices than with Republicans ones.
The democratic party IS the party of the big business thieves that they claim the Republican party is.
Is there a more obnoxious, egocentric, sleazy, detestable individual in congress than this slicked back, unctuous, self serving four eyed slab of human detritus that is eric cantor? talk about an overcrowded gene pool, the repugnican party is just loaded with these contemptible cretins. the dems are no bargain but they look great by comparison.
^^^Mostly personal attacks on Eric Cantor, unrelated attacks on the GOP and few solutions ^^^
(Obviously, predominately Liberal Democrats)
Nonsense.
Unfortunately, the Affordable Care Act is STILL a giveaway to BIG PHARMA and BIG INSURANCE.
It will take time for the Affordable Care Act to demonstrate a moderation of UNREGULATED, PARTY OF NO, CAPITALISM.
Why does the Party of No hate Democracy?
Wake Up
I have no doubt that they can work out a deal if they are willing to compromise. That was not my point. My point was that when the deal was reached on the debt ceiling in 2011 the spending cuts that we are currently facing were made part of the deal as an incentive to reach a compromise. Unfortunately we have again reached the "eleventh hour" with no real progress so far.
Pigotry wake up and smell the bacon burning! Osama Obama signed a law. He agreed to the sequester. Now he and Cannot are say that was just a ploy? Guess what? He signed it and I hope he chokes on it. We can start cutting foreign aid immediately. No foreign aid of any kind. It's not our responsibility to feed the world. It's not our responsibility to have troops in Europe. They are not needed there. It's a waste of our tax money to have all of these bases overseas. Any money that is given to the UN for any reason should be on the chopping block. The UN is a farce. They sing and dance and beg for money to send to our enemies. The UN is not a friend of America. The United States of America should withdraw from the UN now!! The UN can move to Germany. That way it would make it easier for Germany to control not only the EU but also the UN.
Trynka, I will love to hear your comments the day after the sequester goes into to effect. The Corrupt Democratic Chicago Machine will be the first in line to start the crying.
Let's see, Obama was willing to enter into a $4.5T deal in August of 2011. Boehner was on board. We would have put the whole fiscal cliff and sequester behind us. But Nooooo! The goal was to make sure that the black guy was a one term president at any cost. Cantor was the guy that torpedoed the grand bargain. Now his state has the most to loose from defense cuts in the sequester. This guy is twit. As we would say in the school yard"f--k him".
I heard cantor's words today on MTP and I honestly found them an attempt of Importance with empty solutions. I do agree that cutting defense budget is wrong and ill-advised!
However the cuts can begin at the top by enforceing a rule in Congress---that they must pay for thier own meals, flights and entertainemtn from this day forward. Tax payers fees for these bennies is enormous and because many in Congress do have lots of money---they can pay for their own meals flights and forms of entertainment--oh and toys. IE cell phones for a whole family to use without restraints!
I would also suggest cutting some of the Medical Research grants and bennies. I say based on the fact that A. too many studies were completed years and decades ago, no need to redo them by a different person.
B. Although I am unsure just how much money goes toward researching New Drugs, do we not already have more than enough pills and thrills and pain meds to keep us all happy and mellow. Medical research and the grants received has bit a tad wild lately, reign it in and focus to what is most important--conquering cancer and Cancer Clusters which still sadly exist all over this country. I grew up in one back East--65% of the neighborhood died of cancer or developed rare diseases.
C. Reign in the tax dodgers who hide their funds overseas or in corporate kickbacks meant for personal gain, And fine those who skip on massive payments due to gifts to undisclosed recipients, corp loopholes (ie. making 2-3 separate biz names while they all still function under one----as the others are a loss, for the practice has grown enormously and uncouth).
D. Some cuts in transportation and the building and tolling of new roads. Take care of what we already have, fix our disintegrating bridges and determine a way to make Traffic and the Jams of too many cars on 1 road easier for all. Tolls are not the answer, special lanes are discriminatory but there has to be a smart solution.
E. as our Gov't spends so much time on helping Illegals, please also take time to help our own Native Americans! They were here first, and this country treats them like crap. Why not gift to them the same higher education discounts, mental and physical health bennies? We should take care of our own before we take care of strangers.
F. Get rid of NCLB already. It cost schools a small fortune but accomplishes nothing for the student greedy and willing to learn more than simple rote memorization skills. Can you just imagine how much money getting rid of these exams would save the Dept Of ED in this country. Kids are not learning, they are memorizing and some for a short period of time or just enough to pass the exam with. Yes children today are very smart yet when they graduate they are lacking in Wisdom and that is sad!
BTW: Mr. President not everyone excels in Math and Science and they should be coerced to loose a dream in favor of your agenda!
The Party of No artificially created this situation...for their anti-democractic, political purposes.
Pathetic.
Heck of a job, Party of No.
don97524,
The conservative voters refuse to acknowledge Ryan's record in bringing down the economy, running deficit budgets, and skyrocketing the debt with his votes for the Bush tax cuts, two unfunded wars, unfunded nation building, unfunded Medicare Part D, and the unfunded bailouts of Wall Street and banks. Ryan clearly doesn't mind having a budget while failing to stick to it (what's the point of having a budget) or killing capitalism with privatized profit and socialized losses as long as it's his party that is in control. He doesn't want to afford/fund to pay teachers a decent salary, benefits and retirement and would rather vilify them with untrue and ugly statements. But he and his party are more than willing to afford/fund putting armed guards in every school. It's not that America has a spending problem. It's that the conservatives don't want their supporters money to pay for all their horse hockey legislation, it's that they want the middle/lower classes, seniors, and future generations to pay for it. That is what his record clearly shows! That is why it's now more important than ever to stand up against conservative hypocrisy!
DB Akron, For many years, federal, state and local governments have provided subsidies to energy producers and purchasers to encourage the development and production of various fuel sources. These subsidies provide financial support for specific industries in the form of tax incentives, direct spending, research and development funds and other support mechanisms.
That is what subsidies, denial isn't a river in Egypt, it is the basic philosophy of the tea bag nation. WE, thats you too, subsidies business's whose profit can be counted in the Billions. Whats up with you mugs?
AG-99
what's that stand for Are Great economy in 1999
Mine would be
BG-00
Before George Bush economy shot to hell in 2000
Well, Pigotry (#1), as usual you offer us a snarky comment...too bad that it's also wrong (as usual). The GOP did lose the presidential vote and a few senate seats, but they WON the house election by a landslide margin......remember? So, unfortuneately, Commisaar Obama and Cranky Harry Reid will have to just bite the bullet, swallow hard, and deal with reality......thank God for checks and balances!
They're asking the party of spend spend spend to help make 'smarter cuts'
LMAO!
No matter how the GOP tries on a new facade or tries to make it's platform palatable, the majority of the American people keep saying no. Exactly what part of this reality is driving your futile efforts to whitewash your image these days? The GOP made a lot of mistakes but the worst one was losing complete control of the party to extremist fanatics thinking that you were getting a tea party group that would propel you into a super majority. Looks like the exact opposite might occur unless the GOP gets it's conservatism back and starts saying no to those wackjobs that turned the GOP into nothing less than an irrelevant party in today's society.
Hey, spider-737231
Sorry, I have to correct you. In addition to losing the White House and losing Senate seats, the GOP also lost 6 House seats, trimming their rmajority in the House.
.
Facts are just...facts, like them or not.
spider
Actually, Republicans lost seats in the House and the total vote for Democratic House candidates exceeded the vote of Republican candidates ........ by more than 1,000,000 votes. It is widely acknowledged that the ONLY reason that the Republicans retained control of the House was the gerrymandered districts that were re-drawn following the 2010 elections in favor of Republicans.
I see a problem with the whole sale cutting of the defence budget. While, democrats are right that there is a lot that we don't need, if we simply just cut the budget it will in the same relationship cause more layoffs and hurt the economy. Any cuts to the defense budget must be made with a scalpel not an ax for this reason. There should be no cuts to S.S. and Medicare as mention as these are paid for and as a matter of fact have a trust fund set up. Where the cuts to medicare can be cut is to end fraud that unscrupulous Dr.'s do every day. There is no way any Doctor is worth $1000 for a 10 minute appointment and I and medicare have been charge that price for that appointment. I fired that Doctor and no longer will see him.
All the Republicans are interested in is to starve this nation to make the President look bad !!!
The liberal news media continues to side with Obama on all issues and not just report the facts which has long been the business of all news agencies.
As long as this NEW agenda is pursued, the people and the nation will reap the consequences and the Republicans will be forced to take the blame from the people who have been mislead by the lies and deception from this administration via the liberal media.
We don't need cuts (for now,) we need JOBS! when we are back to full employment, the debt & deficit will be taken care of.
Mr. Cantor: where are the JOBS your party promised us? Get out of people's private lives & off their backs . . . Close the loop-holes you all said you wanted to close, while Myth Robme was running. Meanwhile:
PASS A JOBS BILL!
.
FORWARD! :-)
"The liberal news media continues to side with Obama on all issues ...."
By God- we can at least agree on this Liberal Media crap. You have no idea of how sick I am of listening to guys like Hannity and Rush and Ingrahm and Beck and Huckabee and the rest going on and on and on, siding with Obama all the damned time. Christ- it's worse than "Air America" or some other currently popular Liberal Media radio we are being bombarded with daily.
Oooops.... wait a minute....
"There is no way any Doctor is worth $1000 for a 10 minute appointment..."
'k- what's ya opinion of patent attorneys?? Or other attorneys, for that matter?
@urbanprsn: Did you say (1.1) that the economy is DOING WELL under this Democratic administration ?
Ladies & Gentlemen.......that might be the DUMBEST comment this board has ever seen......
"@urbanprsn: Did you say (1.1) that the economy is DOING WELL under this Democratic administration ?"
I agree- urban should have said 'doing better' sted 'doing well'. But then again, I believe our own president has said that, too.
Kantor opens his mouth and out come lies, lies and more lies. Of course like a pack of trained dogs the media reports his every word as if they has true meaning even though they know it's a pile of crap.
The Republicans are doing NOTHING to move the country forward. They drag their feet on everything from appointments to the budget. Their obstruction will only stop when they are voted out of power in 2014.
Spider, the GOP did not win the House by landslide proportions. If you were to tally up the total vote cast for all House seats the Dems had one million MORE votes total than the GOP. It is the fixed House districts that allowed the GOP to keep control, certainly not the vote of the majority of the people.
Ryan and Cantor are the morons attempting to make austerity work in spite of the FACT that in this sort of trouble it has NEVER worked.
Europe bought into that bullsh!t and they are finding out that it is entirely the worse way to go.
Austerity can work to avoid the financial pitfalls BEFORE we are going broke, but if we fail to do that, spending is the only way to restart economic gains. A 7th grade kid has figured that out.
What those A holes are about is dumping the middle class and moving the wealth into the hands of the small group that want it all. As history proves, that will start a civil war. A civil war won't help. History shows clearly that after a civil war, those that take over are as bad or worse than they had. The only way to get it done is at the ballot box. That is why the Far Right insane element is attempting to rig the elections.
What it means is that the upper income class has given up on the USA and is going full global in the wrong way. It use to be that we all understood that the developing countries would have to rise to our level, albeit with our help. We are doing the opposite because the GREEDY idiots don't give a crap that we will wind up as the NEO THIRD WORLD, wherin WE WILL OWE EVERYTHING AND OWN NOTHING!!!!
Not just the USA, but the whole world must not let them get away with it.
Unfortunately, we have had a Supreme Court with some idiots in it that support those out to destroy our hard earned democracy. Time to replace a few of them.
KEEP THE FAITH!
The cantor per Wikipedia (Hebrew: חַזָּן hazzan) in the Reform movement is a clergy member who fills a diverse role within the Jewish community. Cantors lead worship ... and this is where it should say "worship of wealth and greed unto the fold."
Cantors role is very diverse... to divert the attention of the public away from all of society's problems and asking us to feel sorry for the wealthy.
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
Along came a Spider,
Who sat down beside her
And bullcrapped Miss Muffet away.
Y U NO cut crooked Politician pay? Y U NO give same healthcare Politician have to people?
point taken.... slightly. you point to 4 guys on one channel when democrats have 3 major news orgs and not to mention news papers on liberals side. I am pretty middle of the road and get annoyed at the love fest they have for obama. Its very tilted on Obama side. The problem I have with it is its never good to let a president unchallenged. And no, I dont think Fox News is a good challenge as they are clearly anti-obama. Just think a president needs to be challenged which you just dont see often on the major news orgs.... just look at the pathetic 'obama-hillary interview' ....good-gawd
Unfortunately, Cantor failed to realize that Obama is doing the same thing that the GOP has been doing, only with tax hikes. Obama offers spending cuts and entitlement reform in a Grand Bargain at the first debt-ceiling debate; Republicans demand spending cuts and no revenues. Obama passes the Budget Control Act and $2.2 trillion in cuts; GOP demands more cuts and no revenue at the supercommittee. Obama offers a grand bargain at the fiscal cliff with entitlements on the table; Republicans offer revenue, but don't raise rates and don't demand a fair combination. Obama gets his tax increases, proposes more spending cuts (in addition to the $900 billion in place) and revenues (besides the $700 billion raised), GOP says no way. Even after getting their asses kicked during the election AND the fiscal cliff, the GOP doesn't realize that Americans want a balanced deal of spending AND revenues. We have a balanced deal right now, but it ain't enough to reduce the deficit. And if you want to reduce the deficit in a realistic way, you have to have higher revenues. It's a fact of life. It's either austerity with tax hikes, or more tax and spending. Your call.
The sequester wasn't a policy plan, "big daddy." It was a manufactured sword of Damocles used in previous Congresses and designed toward forcing both sides to a deal lest they face its wrath. But it didn't work, mostly because Republicans wouldn't tolerate higher revenues.
Well, we certainly don't need a military designed for shooting down Soviet jets over Berlin or Russian tank formations rumbling over the Danube. Then again, we also don't need to be withdrawing all at once for the Germans to wake up with the bases empty.
Really?? You want to leave the United Nations, the closest thing we've had to an international peace-keeping organization since the Concert of Europe after the days of the Napoleon??? WE CREATED the goddamn UN!! Leaving the UN is like a father leaving his child. And FYI, the only reason why the US military goes around the world (besides resources and power) is because the UN doesn't have the power that America does. In an ideal world, the UN would have their own peacekeeping force to deal with trouble, but because of all you New World Order junkies that ain't gonna happen for at least a generation. You brought this mess upon yourselves; now deal with it.
To DB Akron and others who believe Big Oil & Gas are not subsidized: In case you didn't quite believe it, yes, the US government subsidizes Big Oil—shorthand for ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Shell, and ConocoPhillips, five of the biggest oil companies. Many smaller drilling and refining companies up and down the supply chain receive subsidies, too. Some of these subsidies date back a hundred years, when the fledgling oil exploration business was risky, even deadly. Today, with a barrel of crude oil costing $90 to $100, Big Oil practically prints money. The big-five corporations piled up profits of more than $1 trillion between 2001 and 2011. ExxonMobil alone raked in $16 billion in profits in April, May, and June of this year, the highest-ever quarterly profit for a US corporation.
Despite such staggering windfalls, the federal government continues to subsidize oil companies large and small. Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan government watchdog that wants to cut all energy subsidies, estimates that oil companies will receive $78 billion in industry-specific and broader business subsidies from 2012 to 2017. President Obama's budget plan for the 2012 fiscal year called for eliminating 13 subsidies or perks for oil companies, which will save taxpayers $4.6 billion a year over the next decade.
And then add on top of the subsidies:
Exxon Mobil made $19 billion in profits in 2009. Exxon not only paid no federal income taxes, it actually received a $156 million rebate from the IRS, according to its SEC filings.
Chevron received a $19 million refund from the IRS last year after it made $10 billion in profits in 2009.
Valero Energy, the 25th largest company in America with $68 billion in sales last year received a $157 million tax refund check from the IRS and, over the past three years, it received a $134 million tax break from the oil and gas manufacturing tax deduction.
Over the past five years, Carnival Cruise Lines made more than $11 billion in profits, but its federal income tax rate during those years was just 1.1 percent.
And while we're at it, how about some for those non-Oil & Gas Corporations:
Bank of America received a $1.9 billion tax refund from the IRS last year, although it made $4.4 billion in profits and received a bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department of nearly $1 trillion.
Over the past five years, while General Electric made $26 billion in profits in the United States, it received a $4.1 billion refund from the IRS.
Boeing, which received a $30 billion contract from the Pentagon to build 179 airborne tankers, got a $124 million refund from the IRS last year.
Goldman Sachs in 2008 only paid 1.1 percent of its income in taxes even though it earned a profit of $2.3 billion and received an almost $800 billion from the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury Department.
Citigroup last year made more than $4 billion in profits but paid no federal income taxes. It received a $2.5 trillion bailout from the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury.
Over the past five years, Carnival Cruise Lines made more than $11 billion in profits, but its federal income tax rate during those years was just 1.1 percent.
Then we have those American Corporations that find ways to "hide" the money to avoid paying their fair share:
Microsoft, Apple, Google and Hewlett-Packard are just 4 of the companies that a tax rate well below the 35 percent rate mandated by law. Some avoid paying taxes altogether, or even get a refund.
Using complex schemes to shift U.S. revenue overseas, Microsoft was able to avoid paying taxes on $21 billion in revenue between 2009 and 2011, amounting to about half its total U.S. sales. The company avoided paying $4.5 billion in taxes, or about $4 million per day, during that time.
Using similar schemes, Apple avoided taxes on $34.5 billion between 2009 and 2011, and Google has dodged taxes on $24 billion.
Hewlett-Packard, meanwhile, used a series of constantly revolving short-term loans between itself and its subsidiaries that helped it avoid paying billions of dollars in taxes since at least 2008. H-P has kept billions of dollars in cash offshore -- more than $17 billion in 2010, that it would then "lend" to its U.S. parent company in a steady stream.
All the subsidies and loopholes these corporations use to rape the U.S. Budget and puts more of a burden on middle class, are ALL LEGAL.
Time to STAND UP and tell Congress we are TIRED of CORPORATE WELFARE.
Leave it to an idiot like Pelosi (D) to tell you that, and i quote, "Nothing brings more money to the treasury of the united states than investment in education of the american people". WTF are you talking about?? so i should close up my business and just go back to school on the governments dime? With that kind of thinking, why tax anything, you should be rolling in cash with everybody just going to school. What she failed to mention was that alot of that government education goes back to other countries to teach their people how to take them off the third world stage. This does nothing for America in return for the U.S. taxpayers investment. MSN just had a writer no more than a week ago report on four degrees at universities that were absolutely worthless, and even thou alot of students are graduating with a higher level of education, they still can't get jobs. So how does that equate to our countries industrial might? It's reflected in the unemployment numbers reported each month. Just look at the age group that work in WalMart versus the age group that work at your nearest mall. No degree needed to work in a mall, but work in Wally worlds corp and see who the smarter ones are.
I wish that these Greedy Obstructionist Party hacks could read these boards, and see what the average American thinks of them. They are the most treasonous bunch of criminals one could imagine.
Where are the JOBS, JOBS, JOBS, they promised? Why do they want to insinuate government into women's wombs? Why do they want people to die without affordable healthcare? Why do they want assault rifles killing our schoolchildren? Why do they want the wealthy to get all the tax breaks? Why do they insist on punishing the Middle Class Economic Engine of this nation?
How can they claim to love America, when they clearly hate the average American?
They are doing so well proving that they have become the Grotesquely Obsolete Party.
What needs to happen is for us to think of a role in the workforce for all of those people building tanks, planes, drones, etc. for the "defense" industry and stop building weapons that we don't need, or at least cut way back. The U.S. already is responsible for 41% of the world's expenditures on the military...how much military do we need? Spend the money where it's truly needed, on infrastructure, on technology...c'mon, think of something more constructive than just building more tanks and planes that we don't need!
The Iraq war/occupation is over, and the Afghanistan war/occupation will be over soon. What use will we then have for all that military hardware???
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures
RED SQUARE
The iron of our nation is rotting and red;
Red with the rust of a plan gone broke.
The jobs are all going, more people unfed.
The dreams of our forebears gone up in smoke.
A river of paper has cramm'd our banks
And past is forgotten, and future the same.
But the cries of our leaders still spring from their ranks:
"Pay up! Pay up! We're not to blame!"
E.R. [from ercillor.blogspot.com ]
Austerity for the thieves isn't what the GOP has in mind. Cantor's idea of smart cuts is to slit the throats of the 98% and rob their wallets. Where the GOP wants the cuts speaks volumes for their organized crime family.
Not everyone speaks Republicanese, so I'll translate. When Leader Cantor says "smarter cuts" he means cutting funds to help people in the U.S., some of whom are dark skinned or speak with a foreign accent, so that there's more available to spend on killing dark skinned or foreign-accented people overseas.
OMG!!!!!!!!! Who could resist this headline and The Republicans' new "articulation"!!!!! "SMARTER???" CUTS?
I'll go read the article, now! (Don't know if I'll get back to comment, though. Doing take-out pizza and watching TITANIC with my Son)
DG_W, #1.71- Just quickly saw your comment after posting. "Right on"! but keeping all that spending way up there in supposed High-level "Defense" is how they keep the bulk of it away from "We the Little People".
don97524
Jane?Doe
Barack Obama embraced Christianity but never put forward the ideas of Reverend Wright that were troubling to many of us.
____________________
That is your opinion. Hard to believe you'd stay for over 20 years if you didn't like it or believe in it.
don97524
and pig face Obama signed the law. it is time to enforce the law. You no doubt are part of the 47%. Mitt was right.
People wake up, there are not any more jobs on the way. Computers and robotics have taken the place of millions of workers, and we just keep on having children thinking things will get better. Does anybody see that there can never be enough jobs. Fewer jobs ---more people=?
This is the real problem, think about it.
There's something about Cantor that makes you wonder what new rip-off he is scheming for his rich owners. He just looks crooked....like a very well-payed lawyer for the mob.
Just sayin'.
yo - Henry - we could ASK Iran to orbit Ryan, but they won't Ryan doesn't have the BRAINS of the MONKEY they sent up last time.
Why do republicans always demand democrats balance the budget but never demand the same of republicans? Because as Cheney said deficits don't matter. They do of course matter when a democrat is elected. Unlike Clinton who managed to do so Obama was left with a debt that ballooned under Bush from 5.7 trillion to 12.1 trillion. Bush turned a surplus his first year to into a deficit his second by cutting taxes for his rich friends and never looked back ending with the 2009 budget passed in October 2008 that had a deficit of 1.2 trillion. With the meltdown the last 6 months of 2008 our economy lost 11 trillion in net worth and had 500 billion less in tax revenue than Bush but still had to pay unemployment for 8 million newly unemployed.
it makes me laugh when the paid troll feisty or pigotry is the first comment on here, knowing that the following 10 comments will be the same paid msn trolls that are just as stupid and write the same idiotic crap every second they can spit the words of their "messiah" and "savior" and "news" agency.
there can be no hope of moving "forward" in america with stupidity as such and it must really suck to live the life of someone who sits on here all day trying to be the first comment on every political story in order to get their bs message across... and these are the people that wonder why msn is astronomically behind in the ratings? actually they don't wonder, they are just blind to that fact.
thank you republicans and independents for truly fighting for america! cut the spending now so we will have a future!!
i'm gonna go now and continue to be truly successful.
The plain fact is that our economy is not doing well, has been in a recession for the last four years, and has no sign of pulling into an even decent, much less good, economy! Even Bill Clinton has, in the past said, that you do not increase taxes during a downturn! Obama is pandering to his lefty, loony allies, and is starting the beginning of the end of our economy. Increasing income taxes on the producers in this country AND shoving the costs of Obamacare on them at the same time. This is a recipe for disaster and it will cause a double-dip recession in the near future.
Of course, Obama and the press will try to blame the horrible "1%" who are just keeping their money and refusing to "share" it with the rest of America. The only problem is that a large percentage of these 1%ers are hardworking people who created wealth from their own sweat. The liberals in this country have no idea how these people did what they did and just "assume" that they stole their wealth from the poor of our country. The problem is that without these job creators and risk takers there will be less private sector jobs, thus less in taxes, thus more deficits. Until these idiots realize that you cannot kill the "goose that lays the golden eggs" and still get the damned gold we will be on a continual downward spiral that will end up with a bankrupt country and a liberal dictatorship!
There is really no battle between the 1% and the rest of us. The real battle is between the 1% on the right and the 1% on the left. The rich on the right have a vested interest in our population being successful and upwardly mobile. This means more opportunity for them! The 1% on the left need a constant supply of "victims" for them to help. This will someday lead them to "help" us out of our own rights!
Paul Ryan....found two new words to disguise what he really means....he means to continue obstructing everything......and his choice words "Smarter cuts" make it seem as if President Obama is not doing any smart cuts........B as in B and S as in S! Oh Saint Paul Ryan has all the answers all along.....How did the nation miss that .........? Just like Newt Gingrich word of the day game....create words and pass them out to repubs....No action...just words to obstruct in hidden ways.
I agree with DB Akron, that they need to get to work and get the budget under control. Wasting time, wasting time, wasting time.
Michael, WHAT BUDGET!?! We have not seen a budget for the last four years! And don't try to say that the Republicans were obstructionists because the Dems had the House, the Senate, and the Presidency from 2008 to 2010! The Republicans could stop NOTHING! The reason we did not have a budget is the the Democrats were terrified of having their names tied to crazy spending and out-of-control taxation! They saw the writing on the wall and voted "present" instead of following their "values"!
After the civil war we had what we called "carpet baggers" now we call them Republicans. No matter the name a criminal is a criminal. The Republicans will always waste time Michael because they want America to fail so their employers the Koch brothers can buy up the country for 5 cents on the dollar.
Hey everyone,
What's the difference between Democrats and Republicans on major issues that affect our lives?
1) Government Spending---Both parties have racked up massive deficits contributed to our substantial national debt. Neither party is good. Both parties still more worried about being re-elected than solving our nation's problems.
2) Jobs--Both parties like free trade agreements. We trade our good manufacturing jobs for cheap Chinese goods. Both parties suck!
3) Protecting our freedoms--Both parties passed the Patriot Act. Obama passed NDAA, National Preparedness Act of 2012. Both parties suck!
4) Corruption--Members of both parties take money from the same corporate handlers. Our tax codes were written by the wealthy to benefit the wealthy. If you doubt this, wealthy people can legally evade more taxes and claim higher deductions than an average middle class person such as myself. Both parties suck. As a side note, how many Wall Street crooks went to jail after they almost collapsed the economy. The answer is zero.
5) Monetary policy--Neither party will do anything about the Federal Reserve (FED). The FED is printing money at an alarming rate. This is the root cause of inflation. Wonder why all of your living expenses are going up? It has to do with an increased supply of money into the system. Simple supply and demand. The greater the supply is without changing demand the less it is worth. In layman's terms, every dollar you earn is worth less as a result of the increased money supply.
I could go on and on, but I hope you get the point by now. Neither party follows the Constitution. Neither party cares for the middle class despite their BS rhetoric. If you plan to vote for either party for a national election, do yourself a favor and stay home. No matter which party wins we get the same crooked agenda rammed down our throats. Welcome to the Fascist States of America where corporations are king!
@The Evil Tessmacher,
I own an assault rifle, and I do not intend on mowing down any kids. I bought it as a prep for the pending economic collapse. The collapse that will be caused by our short sighted corporations and government.
Hey, kfilly of #1.88
NDAA - National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 - does have some controversial aspects ... impinging on civil liberties, according to some critics. In the post-9/11 world, civil liberties have to be balanced with our need for securities. Well, this is just my one-sided silly wish, many of us realize that often it's a illusion. Often our government has put more emphasis on security... it's hard to balance...in reality.
This site is so predictable.
Everything Obama says is 'gospel', and everything the Republicans propose is demonized.
No wonder there is no common ground or compromise. A compromise is where the parties meet somewhere near he middle, but for Obama it's always 'my way or the highway'.
As for the drone attacks on American citizens, I would have less of a problem with them if Obama at least filed charges against them before ordering their death under the 'new definition of imminent'.
Assassinating them without any criminal charges even being filed against them is a bit too much and clearly violates the Constitution.
Spider-The GOP did lose the presidential vote and a few senate seats, but they WON the house election by a landslide margin......remember?
I do remember. And the Republicans lost seats in the House. But they immorally gerrymandered the electoral districts in States they controlled in 2010 to assure them victories,so they were able to keep the House (until 2014). Even though Democratic candidates got over a million more votes than they did. All the National and most State-Wide elections went Democrat. I and the majority in our country consider those gerrymandered wins a disgrace to our democracy. The fact that you and your right-wing friends are fine with elections being won that way show what a danger the right-wing is to a democracy in a free country. That is a real problem,that will need to be dealt with,sooner rather than later.
Talk about chutzpah, the Repugs stymie and stiff-arm President Obama at every opportunity trying to make him a one term President, which they ultimately failed at. Then they try to pretend that THEY won the election of 2012, even though the Democrats kept the Presidency, not only kept control of, but picked up seats in the Senate, picked up seats in the House, received one million more votes in the House, and would have taken the House had the Repugs not gerrymandered the districts to their advantage, and now Eric Cantor wants President Obama to work with him? REALLY? The time for working together is over, pal. Now is the time for us to ram our agenda down your throat. I say that President Obama and the Democrats need to stick to their guns and insist upon new revenue and if the Repugs won't go along with it, let them choke on the sequester. Cantor and crew are panicking because they know the polls show a majority of the people will blame them if the sequester cuts happen. Again, ram the revenue increases down the Repugs throats and if it comes to sequestration, then make them own it.
@Larry- the point is, this administration has made promises to balance the budget, reduce debt, get people back to work. Instead, quite the opposite is true. Why is it that the democrats point fingers at past republican presidents and continually blame their present day shortcomings on people who are no longer in power? The national debt is rising $1 million per minute so how are present day policies working to counter this? So far, not so. This is Bush's fault? Give me a break! They have four more years to prove they really had the right stuff- the rest is mouth wash.
I am urging Eric Cantor to go take a flying leap. I'll be all too happy to send flowers.
I love reading how liberals are blaming Republicans for the sequester, even though it was Obama's idea. On the campaign trail Obama stated frankly, sequester is never going to happen. What Obama appears to have meant by that statement it two fold, first that there will be no spending cuts on his watch, and second that he can move the goalpost whenever he wants. The sequester is a paltry sum, and yet Obama is running around like chicken little screaming the sky is falling. Has Obama brought all sides together to try and work out a deal? No. All Obama has done is ratchet up the campaign speeches and demand higher taxes. Of course this is all just prelude to all the new spending Obama will outline in the State of the Union address, so no one needs to be fooled any longer about his lack of concern for the debt or the deficits. The Obama legacy will be spending this country into oblivion. Obama is the first trillion dollar deficit president.
He uses this Libertarian philosophy to justify his recommendations for cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and assistance to poor and unemployed Americans.
You obviously have no idea what Ayn Rand is about. Here's an example of where the government can cut assistance to the 'poor' people. This is tax season, what do you think about individuals that are receiving cash assistance (money they didn't earn), and then turning that around and being able to claim EIC, children, etc and get a refund of $8k - $10k back on money that was GIVEN to them? How about disallowing claiming a tax refund on money you didn't earn.... That can save a bundle right there.
Then lets take a look at food stamps. Cut out the corporate lobbying from these energy drink companies, chip companies, etc and disallow people to buy red bull and doritos with my tax dollars. There's another little bit of savings.
I just read a few days ago where obama is going to be signing a deal with carlos slim to give the 'poor' people smart phones. Huh? There's some money saved there, I don't want the lazy playing angry birds on my tax dollars.
The easiest way to see that there's a welfare problem in this country is the fact that too many people feel they are entitled to it, they aren't thankful for it, they are entitled to it. The only way that mindset has been achieved is because the government has allowed too many on it, and has allowed lobbyists, liberals, etc to spin it completely out of what it was intended to be in the first place.... a hand up.
Time to STAND UP and tell Congress we are TIRED of CORPORATE WELFARE.
Talk to your president, he just extended the corporate welfare for GE, Citigroup and others in that list so they don't have to pay taxes. At the same time, hurting the middle class by letting our tax cut expire (a good thing).
obama and the liberals are in bed with the corporations just like the republicans. Start holding your own politicians accountable.
Pleeeeeze ...Tell me what they propose. Sound bites and the protection of criminals are not valid proposals.
Pigotry,
Agreed!
The GOP is acting as if its senseless party won the 2012 presidential election. Cantor has quite a bit of nerve "calling" on President Obama to make "smarter cuts." From our seniors, it is not smart to snatch their Social Security and cripple their ability to live; it is not smart to snatch from the elderly, their Medicare and without health care, condemn them to illness; it is not smart to grab from the poor, their Medicaid and ensure them an infirmed state; it is not smart to remove tax cuts from the middle class. A thriving middle class ensures the financial stability of a country. It is not smart to defund the EPA, so that Americans can choke and continue to become rain soaked from carbon emissions; it is not smart to hand all the money over to the 1%, so that they can continue not to invest in America, not pay a fair share of taxes and create a permanent economically based caste system, here in the United States.
GOP = a doomed America!
DB Akron says:
And yet, here's a quote from his idol, Boehner, on April 29, 2011:
"I don't think the big oil companies need to have the oil depletion allowances, but for small, independent oil and gas producers, if they didn't have this, there'd be even less exploration in America than there is today," Boehner said on ABC's World News Tonight. "It's certainly something we need to be looking at."
If they were eliminated 30 years ago, then why is Boehner fighting so hard to keep them?
The looming sequestration is a golden opportunity to cut defense. That is part of a balanced approach.
On March 1, automatic spending cuts ("sequestration") go into effect — $1.2 trillion over 10 years, half from domestic (discretionary) programs, half from defense.
In addition to cutting defense, it's also time to eliminate unfair, inefficient and market-distorting corporate loopholes. Members of congress have been beholden to special interests, have refused to cut such loopholes for the public good.
Pres. Obama is firm about 'no domestic cuts.' The Pres. demanded a "balanced approach," coupling any cuts with new tax increases. Again Cantor also has refused more taxes today in this news piece. Why would people want to live in a country more people see as unfair due to the unfair tax code that favors the super rich and hurts everyone else? Why would new immigrants want to come if more economies are doing better in the world - most of the rest of the world has higher and more txes?
You are what you eat..
Too much COMMIE Chinese food...for You...You are... WON-DUM-PUK...
I agree...
Aliblahblah is what Aliblahblah eats: Too much COMMIE Chinese food...and ...Aliblahblah is... WON-DUM-PUK...
FIRST you cut the MYTHICAL "DEFENSE". Try 25% MINIMUM (50% is a more realistic target) THEN you look for other bastions of PORK
NEXT attack the tax code - as it is it's so difficult to understand that it takes either a crafty accountant or a COMPUTER to make out what is correct and what is NOT.
ali is aptly self named - "blah blah" (HUMBUG!)
Congress needs to jump on tax reform! that will address cuts AND increase revenue.
The economy is doing well. Let it roll for another year or two, revenue will be up because more people and businesses will be earning income, and entitlement will be down for the same reason. Then some judicious spending cuts can be introduced. Bill Clinton did not blow the economic recovery under his administration by cutting government, he preserved the recovery by letting it happen, George Bush took all that and spent it on a stupid personal vendetta war (Iraq). Obama is doing a good job. It doesn't matter that the Republicans would rather eat vomit than admit that, they need to learn that the doing what's good for the nation is more important than their personal victories.
I agree that defense spending should be cut, but the cuts should be gradual. The reduction in defense spending during the last quarter of 2012 was a significant drag on the economy (which demonstrates that we should be very cautious about all spending cuts before our unemployment rate improves).
Their victories are waning.
The other problem with using the sequester to cut the defense budget is that the cuts are across the board and don't address the fact that some military programs are more important than other. The fat and the bone are cut equally.
egads pigotry...please get off party lines about dems and reps and who won the presidential election. That is why both parties are to place for the fiscal deadlock and how we got into this mess and did not pass a budget almost two years ago: waiting for party lines and see who would win the election. The founders put the house of rep in place for this reason. If they do not like something in the budget then it is their job to say so. As fiesty would say: It is the job of elected officials to represent their constituents. That is the job they are doing. It's called a democracy, not a dictatorship.
Both sides have to give up and suffer hurt, it is not an easy process.
I an am independent voter and I believe both parties have their strong points and weaknesses, but both are so far right or left along their party lines that we need a third party badly for the 21st century global economy that we are now in.
Hey, Glen-1484791 (#2.9):
I agree. I salute moderates..whichever side you are from.
But I did notice that Pres. Obama has always been willing to compromise (since 2009). The GOP has always refused ... until their recent concessions in raising taxes on the top earners to end fiscal 'cliff-mas' The GOP deserves some credit in that. But again, most GOP leaders have moved to the far right afterwards...that's worrisom. I want to see the GOP to have success, but only staying in the middle would do just that...if the GOP leaders are capable of staying in the middle.
America's Death Spiral
These 11 States now have More People on Welfare than they do Employed
Last month, the Senate Budget Committee reported that in fiscal year 2011, between food stamps, housing support, child care, Medicaid and other benefits, the average U.S. household below the poverty line received $168.00 a day in government support. What’s the problem with that much support? Well, the median household income in America is just over $50,000, which averages out to $137.13 a day. To put it another way, being on welfare now pays the equivalent of $30.00 an hour for a 40-hour week, while the average job pays $25.00 an hour.
Glen, what EXACTLY do you admire with the Republican party? Is it their blatant hypocrisy or their lack of submission of bills that would actually help get AMERICAN workers back to work and this country churning out a healthier GNP growth percentage? What are they doing by obstructing any compromising by the Democrats and President Obama? Compromising something that is still bad for this country.....does that even matter to you? The Republican's are not proposing anything that is actually recommended by economists, so why do we have to go along with something that is actually not going to help? Is this a real choice.....dumb or dumber decisions????
Welfare pays $30 an hour which is $1,200 a week or $62,400 a year?
Pigotry, I hope the sequester goes into effect. You are right about cutting the DOD budget. But you must agree that America cannot keep throwing good money after bad. The budget cuts should also include deep, deep cuts in foreign aid. Egypt has been taken over by the enemies of America. Why should you or I want America to send foreign aid there? The reason everyone is after Mali is all of it's gold. The secondary reason is because it was an easy target. It makes a good place for pig eaters. Now I've heard all of the rhetoric about the terrorists there. That has always been the battle cry that big business, big news corps, and their political minions use to shuck and jive to position themselves for a payday.
Stop calling it "Defense Department". What have they "defended" us against? Huh? Name one thing. Now on the other hand, if you call it what it is, "The War Department", then we're getting somewhere. We have all kinds of US Wars of Aggression. And who has needed any of that, except the Corporate Welfare Elites who make billions upon billions sucking at the taxpayer teat. This all started with Korea. Eisenhower knew exactly what was going on and warned us, but we're too jingoistic to listen to wisdom over testosterone-driven emotion.
Guy Little - your figures are totally wrong & ridiculous - cite a source or stop posting that nonsense everyday.
Anyone who got that much $$ would be kicked off "welfare" - which, by the way was ended during the CLINTON admin . . . remember, "ending welfare as we know it"???
The amounts that people in poverty receive differs in EVERY state - what state are you talking about??
If you get ANY gov help that pushes you above the poverty line, something gets cut off. So, if TANF puts you about the poverty line, then food stamps get reduced or cut off. Someone getting SSI would get that cut back.
What your saying about it working out to $30 an hour is IMPOSSIBLE.
please stop trying to mislead people.
.
FORWARD! :-)
RED SQUARE [Shades of Victorian Britain]
The iron of our nation is rotting and red;
Red with the rust of a plan gone broke.
The jobs are all going, more people unfed.
The dreams of our forebears gone up in smoke.
A river of paper has cramm'd our banks
And past is forgotten, and future the same.
But the cries of our leaders still spring from their ranks:
"Pay up! Pay up! We're not to blame!"
E.R. [from ercillor.blogspot.com ]
I disagree. The GOP only accepted these cuts because if they didn't the fiscal cliff would have automatically caused all the increases they finally accepted and much more. Had we simply allowed the fiscal cliff to arrive Obama would have gotten all he wanted in tax increases on the wealthy and democrats in congress could have simply passed a new bill to continue the Bush cuts to those making less than 250K and Obama would have had 100% of what he wanted. I believe democrats deserve more credit for not forcing the issue.
Obama has asked for a "balanced approach" in dealing with our deficit. There has been an increase in taxation for many, but, not a penny more for the vast majority in this country. The problem I see is that there is no corresponding spending reductions, at ALL! The hypocrites in this country are the liberal elites in government who firmly believe that government should never sacrifice, but, the working people are always being asked to sacrifice. When was the last time you heard of a Congressman or Senator having their pay or benefits cut? When was the last time that you saw teachers being forced to take the same "haircut" that so many in the private sector have had to take on their paychecks?
This country needs to have equal sacrifice, and a balanced approach! The stupidity of the liberals chanting, "We won, now deal with it" even though the Republicans still have control of the House, smacks of illogic and blatant ignorance! How about this, "The Republicans kept control of the House! Now Obama and the liberals, deal with it!"
Pigotry, you said that Obama tried to have a balanced approach back in 2009 with the Republicans, but the Republicans just would not go along! The plain fact is that in 2009 the Democrats had control of the House, the Senate and had Obama in the White House. If Obama and the Democrats had wanted to do something, ANYTHING, they could have done it! The fact is that a very large percentage of Democrats knew that Obama's plans would be disasterous and just did not want it to happen! The electoral slaughter in 2010 would have been even worse if they had voted with Obama!
Barry-NJ
The other problem with using the sequester to cut the defense budget is that the cuts are across the board and don't address the fact that some military programs are more important than other
==========================================
I agree, but this approach to spending control also applies to other government programs as well (as yes, the DOD is a government program). Basically, let those in charge of how the defense funds are spent decide where to apply the cuts (this may require p1$$ing off some defense contractor lobbyists). We need to reduce spending, gradually, and in an intelligent way, but so much I hear from the GOP/TP indicates they want to materially slash, or even eliminate, programs aimed at helping American citizens who need it the most. When they talk about SS and Medicare, programs which Americans have paid in to, it makes no sense to me. The problems with these programs should be addressed separately from the overall budget deficit issue. Following is a copy/paste from an Internet article about the Fiscal Cliff agreement:
"Meanwhile, the end of the temporary two-year reduction in an employee's share of payroll taxes (from 6.2% to 4.2% of covered payroll) removes a linkage between Social Security and broader government funding that program defenders are glad to see. They want Social Security to be treated independently of broader deficit discussions. The program, they note correctly, has never added a penny to federal spending deficits."
Dear GOP/TP, please re-read that last sentence carefully, and quit trying to screw the wrong people.
Correct me if I'm wrong. The GOP talking about "smarter cuts"? I thought that in order to present anything about smarter cuts you needed some intelligence to do it. That makes as much sense as Michelle Bachman having something to do with intelligence.
If Mr. Cantor has any idea's why doesn't he just tell us what they are and we can all laugh. He refuses to revel his idea's untill the President FIRST tells us what his idea's are via the State of the Union Address.
Cantor is a lieing duch bag.
their lack of submission of bills that would actually help get AMERICAN workers back to work and this country churning out a healthier GNP growth percentage?
I hear reid has a few of those bills in the trash still. He's the one stopping the job bills from the republicans.
A Teabagger is sure to come on board and blame it all on the people getting food stamps.
SUSIE SOROS...
She BLOWS The BIG BALOONEYS..In Marxist Martyrs Day Parade...
no Glenn, it's Bush's fault remember.
Would you like some tea. The train-wreck of a deficit is the fault of 43% of the population being on food stamps. Unfortunately, none of you pinkos ever studied economics in community college. You only get to extract from an economy the sum total of the goods and services produced by that economy. Taxation siphons off some the excess of that productivity. Increasing taxes without matching improvements in GDP results in Greece. You pinkos want socialism, move to Greece and try stealing from the German banks instead of me. Heck, Glenn, I WOULD be willing to pay for you to take one, just one, econ class.
@PK001, Yes, and the reason for that is most of the GOP base, the low informed people, still blame Clinton for everything. It called CDS for short. When the base of low informed people can get over that, the more informed base of lib's will get over their BDS.
Hope that makes sense to you low informed whiners.
"Moderation-above-all" you are forgetting all about the Iraq war, and the banks ruining the economy. I do believe the food-stamp folks are a drop in the bucket compared to that! I have a lazy relative or two but it costs so little to keep them alive it's immaterial, drops in the bucket, and their lives are pretty miserable. The big bucks are wasted by the extremely greedy, or the truly arrogant in investment schemes and scams and in playing war games. And they pretend they are the "makers" instead of the "takers". I'd say there's another category of people the "ruiners", some truly rich people belong in that category, like the Koch brothers and Mitt Romney. Others like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are good rich people.
"IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER,YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL
PROBLEM"
WRITTEN BY A 21 YEAR OLD FEMALE
Wow, this girl has a great plan! Love the last thing she
would do the best.
This was written by a 21 yr old female who gets it. It's her
future she's worried about and this is how she feels about the social
welfare big government state that she's being forced to live in! These
solutions are just common sense in her opinion.
This was in the Waco Tribune Herald, Waco , TX , Nov 18,
2011
PUT ME IN CHARGE . . .
Put me in charge of food stamps. I'd get rid of Lone Star
cards; no cash for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho's, just money for 50-pound bags of
rice and beans, blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can haul
away. If you want steak and frozen pizza, then get a job.
Put me in charge of Medicaid. The first thing I'd do is to
get women Norplant birth control implants or tubal ligations. Then, we'll
test recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine. If you want to reproduce
or use drugs, alcohol, or smoke, then get a job.
Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a
military barracks? You will maintain our property in a clean and good state
of repair. Your home" will be subject to inspections anytime and possessions
will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360, then get a job and
your own place.
In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job
each week or you will report to a "government" job. It may be cleaning the
roadways of trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we find
for you. We will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and your
blasting stereo and speakers and put that money toward the "common good.."
Before you write that I've violated someone's rights,
realize that all of the above is voluntary. If you want our money, accept
our rules. Before you say that this would be "demeaning" and ruin their
"self esteem," consider that it wasn't that long ago that taking someone
else's money for doing absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self
esteem.
If we are expected to pay for other people's mistakes we
should at least attempt to make them learn from their bad choices. The
current system rewards them for continuing to make bad choices.
AND While you are on Gov't subsistence, you no longer can
VOTE! Yes, that is correct. For you to vote would be a conflict of interest.
You will voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are receiving a
Gov't welfare check. If you want to vote, then get a job.
OMG. I can see why 21 year old's should not get married this young. Life has not caught up with them yet. Blanket judgement on those of whom you know nothing about, never works.
"I'll try to make this as short and to the point as I can.
One of my salesmen here had a woman in his office yesterday wanting to
lease a brand new Focus. As he was reviewing her credit app with her he
noticed she was on social security disability. He said to her you don't
look like your disabled and unable to work. She said well I'm really
not, I could work if I wanted to but I make more now than I did when I
was working and got hurt (non-disabling injury).
She said the gov't sends her $1500.00 a month in 1 check, she gets
$700.00 a month on an EBT card (food stamps), and $800.00 a month for
rent. Oh yeah and 250 minutes free on her phone. That is just south of
$3500.00 a month.
When she was working she was taking home about $330.00 per week. Do the
math and then ask yourself why the hell should she go back to work. If
you multiply that by millions of people you start to realize the scope
of the problem we face as a country. Once the socialist have 51% of the
population in that same scenario we are finished.
The question is when do we cross that threshold if we haven't already,
and there are not enough people working to pay enough taxes to support
the non-working people? Riots?? Be prepared to protect your homes.
She didn't lease the Focus here because the dealer down the road beat
our deal $by 10.00/month. Glad to know she is so frugal with her hard
earned money."
That is 15% moderation your a little off on your numbers there.
.43 X 320,000,000 = 137,600,000 on food stamps. The right wing crazies are out today!
National debt today: $16.516 trillion and rising $1 million/ minute. Go team!
Guy Little: I do not believe ONE word of your story. NOTHING makes any sense. People do not easily get on permanent social security disability. Social security disability coordinates with State benefits and they do not combine benefits into ONE check to the recipient.
Part of a being a good citizen is to educate yourself beyond rumors.
America spends more than a trillion dollars on programs to help our own unemployed and disadvantaged. So why are we importing millions of immigrants to compete for jobs and resources with them?
Congress should help unemployed and disadvantaged Americans get decent-paying work, not import millions of new workers to take entry-level jobs. The U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform, chaired by civil rights activist Barbara Jordan, called for cutting annual legal immigration in half. This would still be double the historical average, and allow for plenty of reasonable immigration. The primary reason for the cutting immigration that the commission cited was that every time immigration levels have been high -- and they are higher in the past decade than every -- wages fell and poverty rose. With so many millions of unemployed Americans and the nation in such dire fiscal crises, the commission's findings are even more important now than ever.
As Congress considers many "immigration reform" proposals, keep in mind that the reforms we need are those that result in more job openings, less poverty, and lower spending.
UrbnPrsn: despite my occasional rants, I do agree. The US tax code is a train wreck, I get drilled to the tune of 36% while people with 50 times my net worth utilize a series of loopholes/rules etc. crafted over the years for exactly that purpose. I have ZERO problem with tax reform, where Barbara Streisand (sorry, couldn't resist) pays as much as I do on a percentage basis, along with the Koch brothers. The Iraq War was yesterday, I'm trying to figure out tomorrow. Repetitively bringing up Iraq and Bush really contributes nothing. And blaming "banks and rich people" is a bit too simplistic. This country's structural problems go beyond the Koch brothers. Based on the anger, the hostility, the bitterness I'm seeing in the commentary above, I don't think I see a fix. I see a civil war. Figure out how to compromise (and stop whining like children) or start dividing up assets and get ready for a divorce.
If you want a job, go to China or Mexico or India or Viet Nam. Realize peanuts are not such a horrible wage, after all. Greedy damned citizen of what is an 'exceptional' country!
-(very) LittleGuy.
Cantor's only solutions are to privatize Social Security and to set it up lie 401k's,to get rid of Medicare for the elderly and now he wants government pensions trimmed.Pensions and social programs are sucking the money out of this country.It's the long lasting mid eastern war and the pork barrel spending that congress approves of.Our government wants those who work or cannot work to have zilch so they can spend our tax dollars for their political ally's for all the pork money that they ask for.I'm a Republican but can't stand Cantor.If all the social programs were cut out today, those who have any assets will be robbed and burglarized to the point that this will become a third world country.Cut out food stamps and little kids will be begging in the streets like in Mexico and India.I don't like the dishonest who live off of our welfare system but there are those who really need it until they get on their feet.
Love to watch and read you Republicks and Dumbocrats point fingers at one another to find the blame for why we are in the shape we are in. 17 trillion in debt, borrwoing another 1.2 trillion this year, for every $1.40 DC spends, we borrow .40 of it. Print more and more money, making it worth less and less. And I love every minute of it. Can't wait for this whole thing to collapes, got my gold, silver and lead, hope you have yours. Cause the end is near!
What's with Cantor; could someone please kick his teeth in ? Thank you...
We have over 1000 over seas bases with many in wealthy countries that once relied on us for defense. Why do we have hundreds of bases in wealthy countries like Germany, Japan and South Korea? We spend 4.7% of our GDP for, "defense" while these wealthy countries spend as little as 1% of theirs. We have more carriers and higher tonnage than the next 15 largest navies in the world combined. We don't need a physical presence in these wealthy countries, that's what this massive navy is for.
We have had a tax increase, so where are the spending cuts in entitlement programs that Obama and the dems promised!? Oh, I forgot, liberals do not have to keep their agreements!
@ night owlett
Sorry but I happened to know a guy that did exactly that, plus his meds were $1,100 a month.
He also was able to buy a new 4x4 truck,loaded. His disability was he was too fat to work, knew it and didn't care.
@moderation above all #3.3: Gwaddamn!
Republicans think is "smarter" to rob average working class citizens of their retirement money than to eliminate the billions of dollars in tax loopholes going to multi-billion dollar corporations.
How is that "smart" for the majority of American People who have to work for a living?
Everytime I have seen Cantor on TV lately, the ONLY things he talks about cutting are those things that would hurt the American People the most.
Eric Cantor = Domestic Terrorist.
Cut the corporate cronyism in defense and cut welfare. Lotsa money saved right there.
Lmao
Cantor never wanted to work with Obama,,
WHO can Work
With a Compulsive LIAR and B.U.L.L. SHYTTER...Like OBAMA...?
who can work with a brain dead utter fu ckstick like BONER? It's his way or OBSTRUCTION
aliblahblah your tag says it all "Blah blah blah" no meaning just an insult here and there.
I think you meant to say Reid...........
I'm cutting back and you should too...
I'm going to bite the bullet, too!!!!
President Obama ordered the cabinet to cut $100,000,000.00 ($100
million) from the $3,500,000,000,000.00 ($3.5 trillion) federal budget.
I'm so impressed by this sacrifice that I have decided to do the same
thing with my personal budget. I spend about $2,000 a month on
groceries, household expenses, medicine, utilities, etc., but it's time
to get out the budget cutting axe, go through my expenses, and cut back.
I'm going to cut my spending at exactly the same ratio (1/35,000) of my
total budget. After doing the math, it looks like instead of spending
$2,000 a month, I'm going to have to cut that number by six cents. Yes,
I'm going to have to get by with $1999.94, but that's what sacrifice is
all about.
I'll just have to do without some things, that are, frankly, luxuries –
six cents worth.
Did this President actually think no one would do the math? People understand how idiotic a $100
million cut is in a $3.5 trillion budget – ludicrous!!!!!!!
Who ran up this debt in the first place???
"There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation...
One is by sword... The other is by debt."
John Adams 1826 FYI.....
You are still wrong with your numbers! You are spending $2000/month on your bills and now you need to cut back. You think that you are going to cut back to $1994, but, you were really planning on spending $2200/month in your new budget. So you are going to cut back your spending, just like the government, and just spend $2195/month! How frugal are you to cut back, just like Obama and the libs!
Again,Obama will win this battle.The election said,Obama is best and most trusted to deal with the debt.
Repukes,are will have to work with the obamas,so both can get to a balanced budget
National debt today: $16.516 trillion and rising rapidly. Yeah, let's spend our way into a balanced budget! LMAO
"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the Government take care of him, better take a closer look at the American Indian."
- Henry Ford
so Bulletman, this is a "battle" to be "won". You're not helping in the slightest. So far, "working with Obama" has meant zero. He's no more willing to compromise than the teabaggers are. You happen to agree with his dogma, so any "compromise" means getting what YOU want. Pretty selfish way to run a country.
Obama and the liberals have absolutely no intention on cutting ANYTHING (except their hated Defense budget) and will constantly be screaming for more "revenue"! The problem with this situation is that there is little logic involved: If you are having problems paying your bills you may ask your boss for a raise, but, in this economy it is really not the greatest of ideas. Maybe you really should look at reducing your bills (cutting entertainment costs, or eating out less), but, the government will never allow themselves to have to suffer! After all, they are the "best and the brightest"! lmfao!!!!!!!!
Ali,,
Your man lost,,and lost big,,now get used to smarter politics
I agree...
Aliblahblah is what Aliblahblah eats: Too much COMMIE Chinese food...and ...Aliblahblah is... WON-DUM-PUK...
nah just point out that ali named himself "BLAH BLAH" it not only FITS, it's a profound UNDERSTATEMENT
Our man lost narrowly, and YOUR man won with the combined voting blocks of unions, welfare recipients, previously nationalized illegal immigrants and GBLT whatevers. Jeezus, and here we go with the smarter politics. You people and your president sound like talking parrots. You have a two-work vocabulary. Aawwwk, raise taxes. Awwwwk. Ignoring reality actually requires the brain of a parrot.
First rule to becoming president is to pay your income taxes! The informed noticed that and voted!
Moderation....your man Bush had a much narrower win over Gore.
I would consider Obama's win to be a landslide, given the circumstances. In any other election in history, with the economic situation being what it was, Romney should have won by a substantial margin. The fact that Obama won at all defies the odds.
No one cheers louder for a tyrant than the people that are enslaved by him.
No one is enslaved in this country yet. But we all will be soon if you all don't stop just blindly following your respective parties and realize that neither side has the monopoly on right. The only reason either side keep pointing their finger at the other is so you will not notice what they are doing.
Bush lost the popular vote to Gore. And his brother helped rig the election in Florida which put George over the top with the electoral college.
Don't forget that the Latino vote was bought with big promises being made
Bush actually received less total votes then Gore yet we were told as president Bush deserved the right to implement the programs he won on. Gore ran on a platform of using the Clinton surplus to pay down our debt of 5.7 trillion while Bush ran on giving the surplus back. Republicans claim they're the fiscally responsible ones. In what universe?
Are Republicans so insensitive and dumb about Americans that they can't see they are going to end up losing and going back to the old way? Is education in their top ranked colleges so bad that they can't understand basic principles. And democrats, are you so ignorant that u think the only way is to do things that will raise taxes? Get off your political butts and work for America. We are over paying u. We give u benefits that any poor person would kill for to u that u don't deserve. I makes me mad that elected people know going into a job what it pays but thinks that they have to get a raise once they get in. I'm tired of throwing money away, of u not even knowing where it is going or else not caring. We paid for our measly social security checks but u want to take it away from us. You go for a 2 year stint and wow, you get a retirement as soon as u lose an election or decide to retire and it's more than we would ever hope for. U get this great medical plan and give us crumbs. If u don't understand how to balance budgets then get out. Let someone in there that's not afraid to tell other countries to stand on their own two feet. Quit giving your supporters contracts that totally are absurd. Everything i ear coming out of Washington is this thing cost millions or billions yet i look at the thing and wonder why? Oh..its because friends of the ruling party have their hands in our pockets and are picking them quite often. It"s time, get with the program or get a job. Hell, I may even run for office and if i get elected go for the repeal of automatic wage hikes for government people. And roll back wages so u don't rape us. End you little quirks. do it yourself or someone else will.
The repukes are in no position to make strong demands.They will again be forced to work with Obama for the betterment of America,something they hate to do.
Yeah bulletgirl, obama's done such a great job up to this point hasn't he? Millions unemployed, the economy is in shambles and his only solution is to raise taxes so the likes of you will continue to vote for him. It's quite pathetic really.
PK are you living on the same planet as the rest of us? doesn't appear so from my knothole
Gambling income in Nevada hit a record in 2012! Hum, poor economy, anyone?
Agree the repubs hate all of us, they think we're all "takers", while they manage their stock portfolios and call it "working".
'takers'- hah! Say that to all the welfare recipients and others who suck off the gov't for free handouts they are freely given. Add to that, soon, our illegal friends to our south who are at 11 million strong and growing who will be given all kindsof 'assistance' (aka raising taxes).
Yeah, we are ALL going to be 'forced' to work for the 'betterment of America' - who's land would that be?
Urbnprsn, I just want to ask you if you think that most people would rather work than suck on the government tit? The liberals just think that it is easier to take from the producers and give to their voters until there are either no producers left or they can never be voted out!
The only people who would be for raising taxes are those who don't pay any or those on the receiving end of the arrangement. Liberals are a sorry and lazy lot. Can't do for yourselves so you have to steal from others.
I'm now retired, after working in the trades for forty years, and to read that I'm just a lazy lot, makes me wonder who the hell you are to judge. I've paid my way , raised a family, paid my bills and taxes, and according to you, I'm lazy. How about you rethink what you said. I guess your so wealthy that the folks less so, are sub your standards. That's too bad. We work, we pay our way, and sometimes we, along with some of you non liberals, need a little help. Butt wipes like you, make the system so polarized the it no longer works.
All of anything, is not a fair call. I even like a few folks I know, even though they call them selves Republican. They have a very narrow view of the whole picture, but at least they don't spend their time calling us names. Be constructive in your words. Instead of blaming others for what is wrong, point to improvements that would help fix wrongs. Every sentence should be positive and have a real way to fix a problem.
YUP - I'm still working after 50 years AND collecting the SS as well. I PAID it, why can't I COLLECT IT? reichwingnutters with brain function impaired
"Butt-Wipes" is positive??
Why is it that the only people or family members that I know on the dole say they are republicans? HUM!
"Butt-wipes" isn't positive, but he's not calling conservatives or Republicans in general butt-wipes, he's calling the people that use nasty divisive name-calling to dehumanize people with opposing viewpoints butt-wipes. Those people exist on all sides, and if anyone deserves and needs to be marginalized it's them.
Oh really PK? Seattle is one of the richest cities in the U.S.A and one of the most liberal, and one of the most innovative. How does that fit with your reasoning? Why exactly are the blue states the most innovative? Why are the bluest cities the richest? Where exactly were these companies founded Microsoft, Amazon, Adobe, Zillow, Apple, Oracle, Cisco, Starbucks, Costco, and the list goes on? All on the "left" coast. All in very liberal Blue states and cities. What does that say? Not to mention the hippie left coast saved the American beer industry, thanks in part to Jimmy Carter (look it up).
PK001: How much money did you "steal" from the IRS when you used all the deductions to get your tax refund?
hah! Now that the unemployed are past their 99 week freshness dating they can turn to sucking off the welfare system. That's the libbie way!
PK, I can say with high probability that I pay more in tax than you. I went to college and worked full time and now am in a good job. My mother worked until 76 at a job that you would not last to first break on. When she retired, she did not pay federal tax. It is people like you and Mitt that are the reason that I could not support republicans.
Blah blah blah,,
Truth hurts don't it bulletgirl.
Yeah, "blah blah blah" is right, Cantor sure does like the sound of his own voice, Bulletgirl. Don't worry; his party lost big, and actual progress is being made.
once they learn to COOPERATE instead of "Just say NO" (that was a drug policy, wasn't it?)
pk001 Can you tell me why walmart, One of the MOST profitable corps Is refusing to pay living wages and telling their employees to go get food stamps so that they can keep more of their money. Why are more and more jobs being outsourced for more record profits. People are losing their homes,Jobs and retirement,But we are the takers, the lazy. WE just want what our parents had, A living wage, An affordable home and the possibility to retire some day.Now the 1% want us to work until 70 when there arent enough jobs to go around as it is Thanks to them. And this is what the Republicans want for us
Republicans don't realize that they soundly lost the election and unless they reinvent themselves, they will continue to. The worse thing the President can do is get in bed with them. Mitt was not elected President. Obama was.
Yep, "Just Say No" was the pet project of Queen Nancy during Reagan's delusional years.
It was so effective, we should expand it to other medical issues, like telling manic depressives to "Just Cheer Up".
The libbie notions of running the nation are producing the exact opposite of what this country needs to move forward. Gun control, deficita out of control, the national debt rising by the second to scary proportions... The dems won the race but have we 'won' as a nation? We'll see where we are in four years...
So pig, are one of those fat people who just resigned herself to being fat and now pretend like you're proud of it? Because deep down everyone knows you're not happy and you're just fooling yourself. Calling yourself a pig isn't cute or funny, it's just sad.
what's YOUR excuse?
When this moron was asked about the Dream Act, even though he opposes it, he said," I don't know what is in it". Some representative of the majority. This Dream Act has been in print over a year, and he has no clue what it is but he's against it. How out of touch is he and the rest of the T Party obstructionist? If it is a Democratic idea, vote it down, even if you don't know what is in it.
Lets get these a-holes out of our house. I don't know what's in it, but I oppose it. What an a-hole!!!! Is this the T Publicans can do to show how smart they are? This is the new Republican party. OMG! What's next? Stupid says as stupid does.
Maybe then, we should get these a- hole Dems out of the House and Senate who passed a healthcare bill and had no clue what is in it as many are flinching when they are finding out little by little what is really in it.
go ahead - you lost last time you tried. but you can try again in about 2 years. AMAZING how short RETHUG memories are, eh?
Just pointing out the hyprocrisy dude, that's all. No need for the nasty post!
Canada, Germany, England, these nations are doing well economically, and Canada is held up as an example of how not to go into debt, and all have "Socialized" medicine. Every single other industrialized nation has some form of "socialized" medicine. Sounds alot less scary when you look at it that way.
Urbn -
And every one of those nations is cutting back on their socialized medicine as they can no longer afford it. Check it out.
None of these nations has anything near our population either. They also have borders that are actually protected instead of porous like our southern border.
Get a clue, why don't you?!
"Work with us" ...translated as , "Help us gut social programs, dump billions more into defense, cut taxes on billionaires, and take all the political blame."
what's the problem dee - can't stand the TRUTH?
Pkoo1
Typical tea. Bagger loser
You lost oo1,now go back to,your trailer.
All parts of the federal budget need to be cut, and defense is no exception. The problem is Congress will not let the Defense Dept. cut where it needs to, military bases and weapon systems it no longer needs.
@Peter, you have that correct. Just like the two engines for a single engine jet fighter. All because one GOP Senator need to bring back the pork to his district. And the taxpayers are stuck for it.
But the haters posting on here just can't get the FACT that they LOST through their minds. I mean as simple as that is, those low informed people have a mental block, which hurts them more than they know.
All cuts all areas,then all fraud waste and abuse
No cuts in any areas as long as Obama is in office. Just more tax increases instead. This is all he wants!
Dee "Patriot": How patriotic is it to propose ONLY cuts the the already sinking classes and ONLY cuts to those who need assistance for food and shelter, while continuing to support tax breaks for the fossil fuel industry??? The Bush tax cuts were the WORST thing for our economy and those cuts need to be reversed ASAP. Two wars and tax cuts did not create jobs, au contraire, mon frere'.
pretty sure dee is a she
"Smarter cuts" he says. The President offered intelligent, comprehensive cuts a year ago, the Republicans turned him down because he also wanted increased revenue. Loss of the Bush tax cuts for those earning over $400,000 is not an increase, it's a partial return to parity, but we have a long way to go before the wealthy are paying the same percentage of their income in taxes as the rest of us.
OK before I say this, remember, I'm not a REPUKE - the rich DO pay more, just not quit ENOUGH MORE.
Rick, You want the wealthy to pay the same percentage then you can say good by to investment income ( something our country desperately needs right now), No incentives for the wealthy to invest = no investments for the U.S. economy!!
Rick - here are the real numbers from the CBO on who pays what "real" tax rates.
The source for this data is the Congressional Budget Office in a July 2012 report. Look under "Topics- Taxes- Distribution of Household Income and Federal Taxes - Supplemental Data – Average Federal Tax Rates". It lists "Average Income Tax Rates" by various income groups on ALL their income.
"Average" Individual Federal Income Tax Rate:
Income Group....2009.......2000........1990........1979
1st 20%...........(-)9.3%....(-)4.0%....(-)0.7%......0.0%
2nd 20%...........(-)2.6%.......1.5%.......3.3%.......4.0%
Mid 20%..............1.3%.......4.9%.......5.9%.......7.4%
4th 20%...............4.6%.......8.1%.......8.3%......10.1%
Top 20%............13.4%......17.6%.....14.5%.....15.9%
Top 1%..............21.0%......24.5%.....20.1%.....22.7%
It is largely those in the middle class who are not paying for the programs and benefits they want from the federal government. They WANT a lot of government spending, they just don't want to be the ones to pay for it.
@Dee, normally I would agree with you on that, but after what has happened in the last 12 yrs, I would have to say you are incorrect. All of the jobs went overseas, and people are investing their money overseas. They are not investing very much, if at all, in the US economy.
If you don't believe me, go into any (not food store) and see where most of those goods are manufactured at. That SHOULD tell you and other people the wealthy are NOT investing here.
@DeePatriot The rich are not investing in the US economy, That is the Problem
Yes, it is a problem that they are not investing in the U.S. economy. It is hard to during a recession and the anti-business policies of this President. . But taking away any incentives would guarantee no investments in the U.S. which are desperately needed now. And yes, SallyAnn, investments are going overseas. There is a reason for that. This Govt. has created an evnrironment that makes it impossible to be competitive in the U.S. with the U.S. paying the largest Corporate Tax rates in the world! This anti-business administration has no intention of changing this at all so as long as Obama is President, don't expect any business incentives to be given in order to operate competitively in the U.S. Expect more tax increases and restrictions! This will guarantee business failures in the U.S.
DEE: WHAT anti-business policies of this administration? I am sick of empty accusations. This President has brought on our recovery and has actually spent LESS than any other President in the last 50 years. What part of reality does not interest you?
Rick, you and I both know that the devil is in the details of defining ""smarter cuts". All I saw Barry lay out was the usual leftist dogma. Balanced means just that, it does not mean gutting defense, space, the usual leftist targets, while BOOSTING taxes and "entitlements". EVERYBODY pays. That's what compromise means. Barry has NEVER show willingness to compromise. Left left left. It's looking like the only way to derail his socialist express WILL be the grand sequester. You want defense whacked, here it comes.
oh ricky, obama did send in a budget last year and the year before and even reid and his minions shot it down, zero votes obama got, how much more taxc and a person take, you know what F healthcare went up to for my sister, 75 dollars every 2 weeks to 300 every 2 weeks, thank you obama and pelosi for the affordable healthcare you scumbag. and it isn't even in effect yet, no company wants it and they are already dropping the hours people work so they don't have to pay for this nightmare so now those people will need foodstamps to live, thats ok, @!$%# more tax's will take care of that, or maybe drone the cities. what about just kill 50 million Americans so the rich can servive. get your head out of your ass. you get rid of obama and his wife the big spender and vacation lady and get rid of obamacare we might have a chance of living.
Cantor is a moron and so,are the reatrds on the ea bagger red neck right.
Time to force these old busted out parasites,out..
"Cantor urges Obama to work with GOP..." This from the hypocrite who refused to work with Obama the last for years?" Judas Cantor can go to h...!
Boehner and McConnell are bad enough, but for sheer sleaze you can't beat Cantor. Good luck working with this back stabbing liar.
gemin, but you can, how about obama, who could possibly have more of a sleaze factor than him?
Eric Cantor is a douchebag.
big trouble, if cantor is a duchebag, obama is an out house.
The most amazing thing is that both parties want to talk about austerity till the cows come home but neither party wants to say where the cuts will come from. this is why the average voter who is neither a committed Dem or Rep thinks both parties smell to high heaven. So much talk and so few facts to try and understand.
BOTH parties are not hiding their proposals. Being on the fence today simply means you are not committed to your own education. BOTH parties are not in charge of the House and the House majority is whose shoulders rest the responsibility to submit VIABLE bills. Republicans have not submitted a VIABLE bill to even start a "compromise". What do we compromise in a bad or poorly written bill? Pick the least dumb point out of a list of even dumber one's???
I thought the country was facing a crisis with all this talk about FISCAL CLIFF and SEQUESTRATION. Reading the article I see that the sequestration is $85 billion. $85 billion our of $4 trillion is a drop in the bucket. When you consider that just 5 years ago we were spending only $3 trillion. Don't know what you libs are complaining about. It's clear that you've got control over both parties. You want to spend the country into oblivion and the repubs want to assist you in doing so. Utopia has come!
Cantor's first cuts to the budget was the federal employees' benefits...wow..and let the real pork continue ..what an s
Federal employees now enjoy better benefit packages than do those in the private sector. That should make no sense to anyone, except those who happen to be federal employees.
Jan. 25, 2013 article: (Headline) “Wealth in Washington, DC has surged to the highest median income in the United States, surpassing even tech mecca Silicon Valley, California.
With a median household income of $119,134, the Census Bureau reports that Loudoun County, Virginia now occupies the number one spot for the highest median U.S. income. The number two position belongs to Fairfax County, Virginia at $105,797. Arlington, Virginia comes in third at $100,735.
In fact, seven of the ten counties with the highest household incomes are in the Washington region.”
That is where many of our taxpayer dollars are going.
Cantor is quite a hero!
My federal pension from work as a GS0 840 -12 is $1679 a month. I'm not living high on the hog. I pay $515 a month for health insurance which does not include dental. My son, a private sector engineer, whose money comes 100% from federal contracts pays less than $100 and has his dental totally paid for. Whose benefits are better. I told my son to not go to work for the federal government. If our benefits were all that good, would I have told him that?
Peter, A lot of those high income households are lobbyists and others who profit from their contacts. High incomes near DC is not all due to government spending. It's big business, too.
I would like to remind everyone that Social Security is NOT an entitlement, Nor is it part of the debt or deficit.With a LITTLE tweeking it is totally self sufficient and a social nessecity
Then when are the feds going to pay it back? They've been raiding it for years.
The problem is that "entitlement" is used as a pejorative term by the rightwingers to attack those who receive it, as if to say they are "lazy loafers", "freeloaders", "bums". But the fact is, that people have paid into it all their working lives, as a retirement/old age insurance, and ARE entitled to get it back when they retire or are no longer able to work. That's why they paid in to it. In short. it's OURS, not a freebie "give-away".
Yes it is if you've worked off your arse for 4 decades and paid into it! And you should get out in proportion of what you contributed to it.
i have some smarter cuts.... lets cut congressional wages to 35,000 a tear. pay for 50% of your medical. no more congressional perks. clock in to sessions. 2 weeks vacation a year. no sick leave.
that would be a good start... if we did that where do you think we would be?
No one would have the incentive to run for office. We would have no Congressman. What do you think motivates many of the Congressmen to run for office? Because they care about their constituents? Nope, it's for the money and benefits!
yeah, no congresspersons! Run the country by electronic vote by the people!
Very good idea. Don't let Congress meet in session more than 60 days a year. Their job is to pass Laws and create the National Budget NOT run the country 24/7. We have the President who does that function in accordance with the Constituation.
If Congress only meet 60 days a year that would give them plenty of time to gather Money for the next election. If they only worked 60 days we could save a lot of money on Benefits and Salaries. Since they would be working only 1/6h of the time we could cut all salaries and benefits back to actual days worked. That would be novel.
@deepatriot: You have forgotten what they were in office for in the first place. To do a term of service for your country, not make a career out of polotics.
RED SQUARE
The iron of our nation is rotting and red;
Red with the rust of a plan gone broke.
The jobs are all going, more people unfed.
The dreams of our forebears gone up in smoke.
A river of paper has cramm'd our banks
And past is forgotten, and future the same.
But the cries of our leaders still spring from their ranks:
"Pay up! Pay up! We're not to blame!"
E.R. [from ercillor.blogspot.com ]
sunny, good start, how are we going to deal with our jet setting pres? Do you think we could get him to stay in dc for a few days and work on such things as budget, jobs and economy?
Unreal (appropriate):
You do know that he is president of the entire United States and that he is the de-facto leader of all of the free world. You can't do that laying on your living room sofa (or from your Texas ranch for that matter).
As a federal employee who's pay has been frozen for several years now I would say to Mr. Cantor "When you in Congress actually start doing your job it's worth considering. Until you do you shouldn't be getting paid at all. If I did my job like you do, I'd have been fired long ago".
How soon we forget. GW Bush, you know...our last hard working president spent more time on vacation than any president in the last 30 years. George W. Bush spent 32 months at his ranch (490 days) or Camp David (487 days) — an average of four months away every year.