Conservatives simply don't get it

[wuliheron]

If ever there was an opening for a legitimate third party in this country it is right now. I think the collective nation is just sick and tired of what we have right now. There needs to be more than just two choices, nothing meaningful will ever get done in such a polarizing environment.

Its a two party system and problem is the Tea Party wants to be a third a party and replace the republican party.

 

[BarneyFife]

Oy. I am appalled by the complete lack of financial sense in ATPN. You guys are worried about this little debt ceiling debate? Seriously? You guys should be worried about the fact that more than 1/3rd of the US budget is borrowed money, the republicans and Tea Party have been saying this for a while. They understand that you cannot live on credit, its not sustainable.

Repealing the Bush tax cuts? You guys really want to pay more taxes to pay the bloated salaries of politicians, social entitlement programs for people who lived like the Grasshopper their entire lives, etc? You all do know that those tax cuts were across the board, if you paid income tax, you got a tax cut. Jacking taxes up is rarely a good idea. I've worked for government, USAF, 6 years. The military could easily see a substantial budget cut, but not while we're engaged in multiple wars over seas. Wars, which won't be won while politicians try to fight them. Social Security should be entirely privatized, that would solve a large chunk of the budget problem right there. Heck, Congressional republicans tried in 2005 to do just that, failed, unfortunately. So, we all continue to 'invest' in Social Security at a -30% return rate. Thats right from my SS statement, by the way.

Congress will continue to bicker until the last minute, then they'll raise the debt ceiling, borrow more money, and eventually the House will pass a budget that probably includes more spending. And we'll all be right back in the mess for another couple years.

Spoken like a true idiot. Congrats.

 

[manly]

They walked away because Obama wouldn't put anything in writing and then kept changing his mind about how much revenue was needed etc etc.

Also, Obama refused to put anything in writing. Hard to make a deal when you don't know what the deal actually involves.

Don't Be Distracted: The Top Four Red Herrings of the Debt Debate

 

[ProfJohn]

Don't Be Distracted: The Top Four Red Herrings of the Debt Debate

"The White House never released the plan as legislative text, but that was a strategic political decision."

Never released because they never wrote it down.

Even your article shows that they never had a plan in writing

In fact, House Republicans have been told exactly what sorts of plans the White House was willing to accept.

Notice the words "what sorts of plans"

If you have a plan written down you don't need to talk about the 'sorts' of plans you will accept.

 

[IronWing]

"The White House never released the plan as legislative text, but that was a strategic political decision."

Never released because they never wrote it down.

Even your article shows that they never had a plan in writing

Notice the words "what sorts of plans"

If you have a plan written down you don't need to talk about the 'sorts' of plans you will accept.

Way to stay on message ProfJohn!

 

[manly]

"The White House never released the plan as legislative text, but that was a strategic political decision."

Never released because they never wrote it down.

Even your article shows that they never had a plan in writing

Notice the words "what sorts of plans"

If you have a plan written down you don't need to talk about the 'sorts' of plans you will accept.

From that section's conclusion, what does "exactly" mean to you? Speaker Boehner hasn't ever said he's negotiating against smoke & mirrors, yet you're sure that's the case. I don't expect to change your mind, obviously. Are all these Congressional leaders in the conference room wasting each others time pretending to seriously negotiate? How could Boehner and Mitch McConnell reportedly be optimistic today after speaking with the White House if in your words, they don't know what a deal would actually involve?

If anything, I'd say Harry Reid's bill sounds like smoke & mirrors, mainly "cuts" from unwinding down the 2 wars and associated interest savings. The Time.com piece specifically said when Boehner wouldn't return Obama's phone call, the President's offer included $415M in Medicare cuts and the previously reported $1.2T in new revenue. I'm not saying the Speaker should've taken that deal but the President was offering the GOP Medicare immunity in 2012 elections on a silver platter.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

I suspect that the Republicans are going to end up getting the blame for this debacle. Perhaps the majority of sheeple will even decide that they want to tax the rich, realize that the Republicans are in favor of having a small percentage of the populace being wealthy while the majority are poor, and then boot them all out of office.