Cliff diving
Today it’s the fiscal cliff, but that surely will not be the end of it; next year it will be the fiscal mountain, after that the fiscal black hole, and after that fiscal Armageddon. But the truth is Washington already drove us off the fiscal cliff while no one was looking. A nation that has a $16.3 trillion debt, a debt that is larger than our entire economy, has already driven through the guard rail and is in free fall with the cliff somewhere in the rear view mirror. …
Here are a few structural reforms, any one of which would be worth fighting for in this fiscal cliff diving exercise:
• A federal balanced budget amendment. States have balanced budget laws, small businesses have to balance their budgets, and families have to do the same. This is an idea that is supported by virtually every American who does not live in the 202 area code. It’s common sense. It is also laughed at in Washington. When you mention the BBA as a solution, they roll their eyes and write you off as a non-serious person. But the American public is dead serious about it, and they should be.
• Place a cap on discretionary and mandatory federal spending by fixing a limit on it tied to a percentage of GDP. Eighteen percent is a reasonable number in my book, but almost any number would be a victory at this point. Require a super majority vote to over-ride this limit, which would allow for recourse in a time of war or other national emergency. Again, this solution makes far too much sense to be taken seriously in Washington, a sure sign that it’s a good idea.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »
I can dig it, but don’t ever expect the GOPansyship to ever endorse this sort of thing.
blatantblue on December 6, 2012 at 11:47 AM
I just wonder what the REAL limit would be if the Federal government was truly limited to its Constitutional authority rather than the bloated entitlement system it has become.
ProfShadow on December 6, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Galt2009 on December 6, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Great idea it will be 2800 pages and have so many work arounds in it that it will be as useless as anything else they do in Washington.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Geez.. Just announce for 2016 already.
Illinidiva on December 6, 2012 at 11:53 AM
I like Jindal on this. Maybe he is as good as others proclaim him to be.
Hurray! Maybe someone I can get behind in 2016!
I swear to god, if Romney would have just simply done the following, he would have won.
Cut, Cap & Balance and fit it into every single speaking engagement, he would have won. I would have turned out at least 20 and maybe 40 people by myself to vote for him.
Romney, what do you have to say about your 47% remarks.?
I say that we can be 100% paid in full if I am elected president, as I will spend every last minute of my time getting Cut, Cap & Balance to the states for ratification. After that, we will tackle lesser problems.
astonerii on December 6, 2012 at 11:54 AM
The truth slips out.
Galt2009 on December 6, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Bobby’s BBA essay might as well be a dissertation on abstinence at the annual porn convention. Democrats will never ever never never ever vote to limit their spending – ever.
The Count on December 6, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Paul not working fast enough for you?
portlandon on December 6, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Repubs are damned if they do and damned if they don’t so may as well cliff dive so at least we get spending cuts. Remember what goes around comes around.
Herb on December 6, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Get rid of the GOP and start the American Party (Conservative Party). I’m sure some people are thinking about that right now.
Oil Can on December 6, 2012 at 12:10 PM
They will if we have leadership that forces their hand. I see this as a proposal that could sweep into power a super majority for someone who promotes it. Americans by and large are tired of the deficit spending. We almost got this passed back in the 90′s and if Republicans would not have stabbed Newt in the back in order to keep power, we would have gotten it. A president cannot have that pressure put on him by the house and senate unless he factually did something illegal.
Romney should have grabbed this and ran with it. I bet we would have a different president and likely the senate.
astonerii on December 6, 2012 at 12:12 PM
That is what our republican congressfolk are being bombarded with, and then they are telling them that Gallup says the “people” want the rich to pay more. They are behind the glass and they cannot hear us.
They are not hearing from us, we don’t control the media. If you have not expressed yourself to your local congressperson, providing they are a republican, you should do it now. I am afraid my dem congressman sends back form letters telling me about the nice things he is doing for me, no matter WHAT i send him…so I usually choose the leadership.
It’s time to start calling, ask for Sunlight on the process and a bill detailing the cuts for the sequester, and a new budget for the year that began Oct. 2012, and I want ANOTHER vote in Congress. Then I want them to scrape up some money and advertise to the nation that the bill is sitting on Harry Reid’s desk, because the media will say it is dead on arrival and shrug it off.
We don’t like negotiations in the dark, with Obama because they leave us out. We want to read the bill for 5 days on the internet. We want public comment, the senate republicans are not going to filibuster a bill passed by the House, no matter how stupid Harry says they behave, it is Harry Reid who pretends the spending bills do not come from the House. It is Harry Reid who makes no action on budgets and has not passed one in 4 years. I want him held accountable.
Fleuries on December 6, 2012 at 12:13 PM
No.. portlandon I actually am not a fan of Jindal running and the fact that the Governor of LA feels the need to weigh in on issues that have nothing to do with his job is getting very old. He should just announce his political ambitions so we can go back to ignoring him.
Illinidiva on December 6, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Any citizen can speak any time they want to. I’m a bit offended by your apparent suggestion to Gov. Jindal to know his place. Any governor with a better idea on how to fix problems should be welcome with open arms. The states are the testing grounds of our Republic.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Someone suggested that the negotiations be put on C-Span and be entirely in the public eye and I agree. As for writing your folks in Congress, I have had more than one instance of them taking my words and twisting them to appear that I support their policy. These people are shameless.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 12:40 PM
Illinidiva on December 6, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Next you’ll tell us all to just “shut up”. Go to the Huffington Post and DKos.
p.s. I’m not even a Jindal fan, but all US Americans are still free to speak.
Schadenfreude on December 6, 2012 at 12:42 PM
So Paul Ryan should only speak of things that effect the district he is elected to represent?
You should really think before you speak.
portlandon on December 6, 2012 at 12:48 PM
I think the only thing that proposed party is sure about is who they DON’T want in their party. That sounds like another loser to me. We already have a perpetually losing party. Why would America need another one. The Globetrotters only need the Washington Generals, they don’t need another inept team too.
rhombus on December 6, 2012 at 12:51 PM
It takes a herculean effort to get Democrats to agree to theoretical cuts in planned future spending increases. Democrats will rhetorically support the BBA idea because it polls well (much like Obama entertains the idea of tort reform), but when it comes to vote, they’ll come up with any number of plausible-sounding excuses to oppose it. That’s the way it is. That’s the way it will always be.
The Count on December 6, 2012 at 12:52 PM
diva’s schtick here has always been give-me-convenience-or-give-me-death and instant gratification. Thinking before posting is directly counter to that prime directive.
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 1:09 PM
Cindy Mumford Of course anyone can. But Jindal’s doing this for his political career, not some benevolent cause, and it’s getting a bit ridiculous. Perhaps, I’m just not at all impressed with Jindal’s actions over the past month. Drooling all over Romney when he was about to be President and lobbying for the HHS spot and then throwing Romney under the bus was just tacky. I used to think that Governor Bobby was a nice guy and a good governor, albeit one who would have trouble running for national office due to his err limits as a public speaker. Now he’s looking like the guy in the office who would steal your ideas and stab you in the back to advance his career.
Illinidiva on December 6, 2012 at 1:09 PM
So what if he is offering the opinions to advance his own career? It’s fine to disagree with him but to tell him to shut up is odd. And I don’t see his interaction with Gov. Romney in the same light as you do nor do I believe that one speech after Obama’s SOTU is a deal breaker, he has spoken eloquently and knowledgeably any number of times since that night. It’s too soon to be trying to poison the well for the benefit of any perceived favorite for 2016.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 1:16 PM
Just reject raising the debt limit in February, and there you have it. No amendment needed.
Paul-Cincy on December 6, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Louisiana’s gubernatorial oath-of-office specifically includes “I, [name], do solemnly swear to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States…”
B-b-but national issues have nothing to do with his job. *eyeroll* *facepalm*
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 1:25 PM
But but, we will default and the world will end.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 1:26 PM
So you are totally cool with him trashing Romney after the election, especially considering he was one of the Rs that Dan Senor was alluding to who were slobbering all over Romney and lobbying for jobs at the Ohio rally? (And yes.. Daily Mail basically said that Jindal and Gingrich were the two being referred to by Senor). Doesn’t paint Jindal in a good light. The only difference between Christie and Jindal was about a week in timing.
Illinidiva on December 6, 2012 at 1:28 PM
Just stop borrowing. Don’t raise the debt limit, and let the s*** fall where it may. Individuals have to live within their means. Cities and states have to live within their means. Businesses often have to cut back, or else go bankrupt. It’s time the federal government tightened its belt.
Paul-Cincy on December 6, 2012 at 1:29 PM
CoolAir on December 6, 2012 at 1:29 PM
Yeah, like they totally failed to pass welfare reform… It just takes messaging and getting the American people to exert their force on politicians.
astonerii on December 6, 2012 at 1:29 PM
If we could only time it based on the Mayan calendar apocalypse. (12/21/12)
Seriously, if we let the snowball of debt keep rolling down the hill, getting bigger at every turn, putting it off until tomorrow, by what logic is it better to be crushed by that bigger snowball, rather than the smaller one.
Paul-Cincy on December 6, 2012 at 1:33 PM
yes.
portlandon on December 6, 2012 at 1:39 PM
Illinidiva has got a problem with browns, be it Rubio or Jindal. Lol. Why amn’t I surprised.
tommy71 on December 6, 2012 at 1:46 PM
Conservative blogger poll:
Yeah, no difference between the Rhodes Scholar and Governor FEMA-gotta-pay-100%-of-Sandy-damage. None at all…*eyeroll* *facepalm*
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 1:48 PM
s/b 1/25 the votes for Krispy
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 1:49 PM
Me too. Before, during and after.
He should have been trashed leading up to the convention until he finally committed to something conservative.
If he still did not offer anything concrete and specific with credibility, continue to trash him into the vote until he does.
Since he did not win, and did not listen to the BASE, he is worthy of derision.
astonerii on December 6, 2012 at 1:50 PM
I agreed with Gov. Jindal that Gov. Romney’s attempts to rationalize his loss looked like sour grapes and the continuation of a hole he had already dug. That wasn’t Gov. Romney’s intention but it is how it was being perceived by the jerks with the microphones.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 1:50 PM
I wonder which rock star would illicit tears from Gov. Jindal?
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 1:51 PM
Note that a simple, civil comment by Jindal about Romney=”trashing.”
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 1:52 PM
Bally Sagoo or Daler Mehndi
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Maybe we should suggest that people who live in deep blue states have ultimately have zero impact on what happens in the Republican party should no longer be allowed to give opinions. No, I am not serious.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 1:57 PM
I don’t even know what to think about that.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 2:00 PM
Think that it would be as ridiculous for Jindal to tear up over fellow Punjabis’ music as it was for Krispy to cry over Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl.”
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 2:05 PM
Seriously. You don’t think that Jindal wouldn’t say throw conservatives under the bus if it helped him become President. Sorry. It makes him appear pretty slimy as a politician.
Cool Air
The reason why I’m critical is because Jindal was trashing a guy who he was totally giving tongue baths to only a week before. There are ways to put the election lessons in context without trashing the former nominee a week after he lost. Perhaps a little introspection is in order on the part of Jindal or perhaps I missed his speech prior to Nov. 6 chastising the R party on outreach.
Illinidiva on December 6, 2012 at 2:06 PM
But didn’t Gov. Christie cry when Springsteen called him?
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 2:08 PM
I’m telling you. Those Mormon God planets just simply do not exist…
astonerii on December 6, 2012 at 2:09 PM
According to Christie, he went home and cried after the hug. Awww. *sniff*
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 2:10 PM
He’s seen as being “too conservative.” These guys turned on Allen West like rabid wolves the minute he hinted at presidential ambitions a couple days ago. That’s really all there is.
Doomberg on December 6, 2012 at 2:10 PM
Are you suggesting that Gov. Romney is more conservative than Gov. Jindal? What’s wrong with outreach? We need votes to win. Outreach doesn’t equal caving, it should equal better representation of the good conservative policies can do for the nation compared to the train wreck the majority are currently embracing.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2012 at 2:10 PM
Oh yeah, Illinadiva, I believe you. You don’t think that Rubio or Jindal are worthy of support, do you? Lol.
tommy71 on December 6, 2012 at 2:11 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »