Ok, at what point will they tell us we have to pass a budget to know what’s in it ?t

RAGIN CAJUN on December 11, 2012 at 3:27 PM

Is this a trick question? The senate will never pass a budget as long as the dems are in charge.

But we’re still waiting for the White House to identify what spending cuts the president is willing to make as part of the balanced approach that he promised the American people.

And I’m waiting for hell to freeze over.

The only thing Dear Liar would cut is the military.

rbj on December 11, 2012 at 3:29 PM

And THIS SAME GOP leadership agreed to do just that 18mos ago when they fell for the creation of this impending sequestration crapola.
They’re multi-term MORONS that are far more concerned with their privilege and comity with their long-term fellows, than any serious business of this nation. One big frat party for them and screw US.

I had a little bit of hope before the election that if Romney won there would be some real efforts to do something about America’s huge debt, but with the results we got, there will be no reform. All there will be is mounting borrowing, spending and increasing debt. There can be only one end to this, and how long it will take no one can tell us. There will come a point when the US Government will be forcibly cured of its borrowing and spending addiction, and that will be when no one on the Earth is stupid enough to loan to us. When that happens, it’s anybody’s guess what the results will be, but whatever it is, it will not be pretty.

Let them eat cake, (and by cake I mean sh!t).

Jennifer Rubin had an interesting post today. A lot of people on both sides will not agree with her..but she has a point here.

If Boehner can either get something (entitlement reform) in exchange for tax hikes or get a less onerous tax hike than the president wants, then it’s a win, maybe a miraculous one considering the position he is in.

The range of potential deals include letting rates on the rich rise (but not as much as the president wants) but also doing tax reform; agreeing to all or some of the Simpson-Bowles plan; and allowing rates to go up for the rich (maybe only for those at a higher threshold than $250,000) in exchange for avoidance of national security sequestration. Other than some combination of these or slight variations thereon, there is nothing that “fighting” will get Republicans. Again, they cannot get what they want, which entails gaining agreement from Obama and Senate Democrats to stop taxes from rising on the rich.

Boehner will need a lot of Democratic votes to pass a potential deal because many GOP grandstanders will refuse to follow him. That might make him unpopular with the all-or-nothing set, but the majority of his caucus is very likely to stick with him.

When you vote for something less horrible than available alternatives, you have not “caved.” You have governed. You have been an adult. That is what separation of powers, checks and balances and the essence of our Constitution are all about, namely messy alliances, imperfect choices, half a loaf, live to fight another day and avoid doing the most harm. If that is an anathema to some on the right, they have no business in government or selecting candidates who don’t grasp these essential principles. Simply because conservatives think Obama has the wrong idea about taxes or is behaving irresponsibly or is willing to wreck the economy to wage class warfare does not mean the R’s magically win. This is not a high school debate tournament Do you really imagine that, at this stage, the brilliance of the GOP’s arguments will simply win over Democrats?

Those who cannot figure out that policy arguments don’t always carry the day or that simply not giving in gets R’s what they want in this situation can, I guess, cash in at a think tank, advocacy group or on K Street, where one has no real responsibility or authority and can self-righteously lecture everyone else about one’s pristine motives. The rest of the R’s will muddle through as best as they can.

Dan Pfeiffer

The irony of this is that the White House offer had very specific cuts, the GOP counteroffer had almost none

That’s how you do it. You just sort of say it.

“If I eat the apple, I’ll die.”

“No, you won’t.”

Easy.

(1) An extension of the Bush tax rates.

(2) A one-trillion dollar cut in expenditures, back to 2007 levels.

And then send it to the Senate. Then blame the Democrats and the President for whatever happens when they don’t agree.

Simple: stop weaseling, play hardball.

Even if he got to tax the rich at 100%, he would still not admit that the problems start with him, and end with spending.

People want low taxes and generous benefits, no matter how irrational that might be. Any politician not promising that is going to lose, again and again. The Democrats have finally figured out that people will actually support tax increases, as long as they think it’s going to fall on someone else.

The GOP cannot win that game. Once we start down the road of one group voting to tax another, it’s only a matter of time before the 51% taxes the 49% into oblivion. As long as the GOP holds any power in Washington at all, or anywhere else for that matter, the only strategy is to be a reliable “No” vote on any and all proposed tax increases and then let the Democrats and the bond traders worry about whatever needs to be done to align revenues and expenditures.

If that’s the way he wants it, he gets it.

Freakin Choom Chump.

So we simply need to make sure the rich pay their fair share, duuuh-BHO

Dr. ZhivBlago on December 11, 2012 at 3:50 PM

When I was in high school, I worked at a local drugstore. Management would brow-beat us into giving our “fair share” to the United Way every year. They got some kind of award for employee participation. I freakin’ made $2.30 an hour.

I’m sick and tired of being being brow-beaten (and at the capitol in Michigan, actually beaten) by those who think they should decide what I should or shouldn’t do with my money.

… Pass your plan cutting spending back to the Clinton years John, then send it to the Senate, and walk away.

Seven Percent Solution on December 11, 2012 at 3:35 PM

This. Lefties love the romantic era of Oral Orifice interns and midnight basketball.