sequestration, bipartisan support

[ccbadd]

The sequester is about the only bi-partisan pieces of legislation that has passed is 5 years. Why is it that all the regulars that argue common ground are not behind it, both sides? I say let it happen. If a 2% cut kills the economy, we are already done for. And the 2% is off of the baseline increase of 6% (or whatever it is), not even a reduction in spending.

 

[Anarchist420]

The sequester is about the only bi-partisan pieces of legislation that has passed is 5 years. Why is it that all the regulars that argue common ground are not behind it, both sides? I say let it happen. If a 2% cut kills the economy, we are already done for. And the 2% is off of the baseline increase of 6% (or whatever it is), not even a reduction in spending.

Agreed. I'd go as far as to say that the standing army needs to be abolished and replaced with nothing.

Anything that's bipartisan sucks ass though. I want non-partisanship.

 

[IronWing]

Inflict 10-20% pay cuts on middle class workers to spare millionaires and billionaires the pain of paying the same tax rates as the peons? Makes sense. No wonder the millionaires in Congress came together on it.

 

[ccbadd]

Inflict 10-20% pay cuts on middle class workers to spare millionaires and billionaires the pain of paying the same tax rates as the peons? Makes sense. No wonder the millionaires in Congress came together on it.

How does it inflict any pay cut on the middle class? Strawman argument?? How does sequestration cut middle class pay? By the way, congress only came together on it last year and are blaming each for it now. Only the middle class gains for it (reduced government spending) long term.

 

[IronWing]

How does it inflict any pay cut on the middle class? Strawman argument?? How does sequestration cut middle class pay? By the way, congress only came together on it last year and are blaming each for it now. Only the middle class gains for it (reduced government spending) long term.

Where do you think the money goes? It pays federal workers (middle class), federal contractors (middle class), state and local workers through block grants (middle class). They didn't cut entitlements and they didn't fix the capital gains tax fiasco. Sequestration cuts work hours and salaries of middle class workers. Sequestration is an assault on the middle class for the purpose of shielding the wealthy.

 

[ccbadd]

Where do you think the money goes? It pays federal workers (middle class), federal contractors (middle class), state and local workers through block grants (middle class). They didn't cut entitlements and they didn't fix the capital gains tax fiasco. Sequestration cuts work hours and salaries of middle class workers. Sequestration is an assault on the middle class for the purpose of shielding the wealthy.

What would YOU cut from the federal $3,600,000,000.00 budget? lets look at it from a perspective of a single person. Take 5 zeros off, 36,000. Sequestration would equal $720.00. No wait, it would equal $36,000 (current budget) + $8,880 (baseline increase) - $720 (supposed cut) which nets $38,160. Somehow I don't see the cut???

 

[nehalem256]

Where do you think the money goes? It pays federal workers (middle class), federal contractors (middle class), state and local workers through block grants (middle class). They didn't cut entitlements and they didn't fix the capital gains tax fiasco. Sequestration cuts work hours and salaries of middle class workers. Sequestration is an assault on the middle class for the purpose of shielding the wealthy.

And by fiasco you mean they realized that the only thing capital gains and earned income share is that they are on the same form?

And for that reason they have been treated differently since at least the time of FDR (who I am pretty certain was not a radical right wing tool).

 

[IronWing]

And by fiasco you mean they realized that the only thing capital gains and earned income share is that they are on the same form?

And for that reason they have been treated differently since at least the time of FDR (who I am pretty certain was not a radical right wing tool).

The fiasco being that capital gains are income to the individual enjoying them, income that is taxed at a lower rate than income earned through work. The lower capital gains tax rate has pushed executive compensation from salary to capital gains, resulting a highly regressive tax system at the upper end. Add to this the general shift of income up the food chain and general revenues and specifically social security revenues are significantly lower that they would be than under a progressive tax system. Sequestration is a direct result of folks in Congress protecting the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.

 

[dmcowen674]

Where do you think the money goes? It pays federal workers (middle class), federal contractors (middle class), state and local workers through block grants (middle class).

They didn't cut entitlements and they didn't fix the capital gains tax fiasco.

Sequestration cuts work hours and salaries of middle class workers.

Sequestration is an assault on the middle class for the purpose of shielding the wealthy.

Someone that has a clue.

The ordinary citizen will be most impacted.

They always go for things that will affect the little people the most,for example all the National Parks will be closed.

 

[michal1980]

What would YOU cut from the federal $3,600,000,000.00 budget? lets look at it from a perspective of a single person. Take 5 zeros off, 36,000. Sequestration would equal $720.00. No wait, it would equal $36,000 (current budget) + $8,880 (baseline increase) - $720 (supposed cut) which nets $38,160. Somehow I don't see the cut???

shhhh, don't let facts get in the way of some good fear mongering

 

[Thump553]

The sequester is about the only bi-partisan pieces of legislation that has passed is 5 years. Why is it that all the regulars that argue common ground are not behind it, both sides? I say let it happen. If a 2% cut kills the economy, we are already done for. And the 2% is off of the baseline increase of 6% (or whatever it is), not even a reduction in spending.

Sequestration was passed because the alternative was having the teabagger wing of the House GOP force the US government into default. It's pretty safe to say that all Democrats and sane Republicans thought it was a bad idea then, and a really stupid one now. In fact its main appeal was that it was such a bad idea Congress would have to do something to prevent it from taking effect.

I still can't believe there is not a bipartisan effort to repeal sequestration. Party loyalty still trumps any concern about the country's well-being.

 

[blackangst1]

Im tired of the fear mongering coming out of the WH about this. Let me get this straight, Mr. President. If the results of a bill YOU supported last year goes into effect, a small 2.6% cut in the spending will mean if my house catches on fire, there will be no fireman to come put it out? Who, BTW, is a city employee?

OK. Gotcha.

 

[ccbadd]

Someone that has a clue.

The ordinary citizen will be most impacted.

They always go for things that will affect the little people the most,for example all the National Parks will be closed.

Not you two (having a clue that is). I clearly stated "long term". Your way only prolongs a lesser impact while the real pain is still inevitable. I swear, by your logic no government spending, once enacted, should ever be ended.

 

[Matt1970]

Where do you think the money goes? It pays federal workers (middle class), federal contractors (middle class), state and local workers through block grants (middle class). They didn't cut entitlements and they didn't fix the capital gains tax fiasco. Sequestration cuts work hours and salaries of middle class workers. Sequestration is an assault on the middle class for the purpose of shielding the wealthy.

Oh it's gonna hurt, but the fact is we cannot sustain this kind of borrowing and there isn't enough money at the top to tax to pay for it.

 

[ccbadd]

Someone that has a clue.

The ordinary citizen will be most impacted.

They always go for things that will affect the little people the most,for example all the National Parks will be closed.

Oh it's gonna hurt, but the fact is we cannot sustain this kind of borrowing and there isn't enough money at the top to tax to pay for it.

Now here is someone that has a clue!

 

[nehalem256]

The fiasco being that capital gains are income to the individual enjoying them, income that is taxed at a lower rate than income earned through work. The lower capital gains tax rate has pushed executive compensation from salary to capital gains, resulting a highly regressive tax system at the upper end. Add to this the general shift of income up the food chain and general revenues and specifically social security revenues are significantly lower that they would be than under a progressive tax system. Sequestration is a direct result of folks in Congress protecting the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.

This is incorrect.

Imagine you buy a house for $200,000. Then 10 years later you sell it for $300,000. Would you say you had an extra $100,000 income for that year due to capital gains on your house?

Also, note that currently you can write off a fair amount of the capital gains on the sale of a residence. I assume you would want to change that, because all income is the same right? :sneaky:

 

[Engineer]

Don't kid yourself. Neither side wants this but both sides want this. I listened (during the summer) as defense CEO's went to Congress to tell us how bad this was going to be and the GOP told us that we were going to be crippled on defense.

Now we have the dems telling us that teachers and firemen will be cut because of grant cuts to the states.

Well sure, if you cut out large amounts of spending, people will be cut somewhere. This is not rocket science, but it is about the cutting priorities and both sides use fear mongering to keep their side from being cut.

My mother in law told me that if we cut defense spending by 10%, we would be invaded and taken over (yes, she told me that and would not listen). The fear mongering has worked....and very well.

 

[dmcowen674]

Don't kid yourself. Neither side wants this but both sides want this. I listened (during the summer) as defense CEO's went to Congress to tell us how bad this was going to be and the GOP told us that we were going to be crippled on defense.

Now we have the dems telling us that teachers and firemen will be cut because of grant cuts to the states.

Well sure, if you cut out large amounts of spending, people will be cut somewhere. This is not rocket science, but it is about the cutting priorities and both sides use fear mongering to keep their side from being cut.

My mother in law told me that if we cut defense spending by 10%, we would be invaded and taken over (yes, she told me that and would not listen). The fear mongering has worked....and very well.

We need to be invaded anyway.

 

[unokitty]

"According to The Wall Street Journal ”federal domestic discretionary spending soared by 84 percent with some agencies doubling and tripling their budgets” during Barack Obama’s first two years in office. In fact the sequester would scale back just one of every six dollars in discretionary spending increases since 2008 – hardly a “huge blow.” Also, discretionary spending in 2008 was already tremendously inflated – having increased by more than 60 percent over the previous eight years.

In other words this isn’t even really a cut – “devastating” or otherwise – it’s a modest growth rate reduction following years of unnecessary, embarrassing and unsustainable excesses."
...

"More to the point it highlights the extent to which leaders of both parties in Washington, D.C. are abandoning taxpayers in order to curry favor with the legacy media and special interest establishment – both of which are dead set against any reduction in the size and scope of government."

--Forbes

 

[teddyv]

Remember, for a piece of legislation to reach the President's desk generally it must be passed by both the House and the Senate. Normally one house will pass something and the other will take it up and pass it, often with amendment, or pass its own version. If the two bills differ the two sides will meet in conference and report a unified bill that goes back to both for passage.

The Republican controlled House of Representatives passed legislation to avoid the sequester last year, twice. The Democrat controlled Senate took neither of them up, not to pass or even to pass their own version. I am looking forward to seeing a Senate passed piece of legislation the House can take up and pass, or pass with amendment and go to conference for a unified bill that can be passed and go to the President. The ball is in Harry Reid's court, though with his record of failing to pass a budget for years now not many are hopeful he will do anything about it.

 

[michal1980]

We need to be invaded anyway.

wtf? by who? and why?

 

[zsdersw]

See my signature.

Everyone wants everyone else to get screwed, not themselves. Everyone agrees on the need for sacrifice, unless they themselves have to. And, more to the point, everyone feels they personally have already sacrificed too much.. even though none of them have sacrificed much at all.

 

[Genx87]

We need to be invaded anyway.

Sounds like your town will be invaded by the army soon. Good luck.

 

[Ausm]

I thought Obama both created and passed it himself?

 

[Genx87]

Where do you think the money goes? It pays federal workers (middle class), federal contractors (middle class), state and local workers through block grants (middle class). They didn't cut entitlements and they didn't fix the capital gains tax fiasco. Sequestration cuts work hours and salaries of middle class workers. Sequestration is an assault on the middle class for the purpose of shielding the wealthy.

Give us a break.

100 billion less in spending increases over 8 years. This is the end of our economy?

This sequestration will account for far less full time job destruction than obamacare.