Republicans stand against the will of the voters...verified fact

[Bookcat]

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/14/republican-tax-stand-a-bust-with-public/?iref=obnetwork

But House Republicans - an overwhelming majority of whom have signed a pledge to this effect - refuse to consider any kind of tax increase, not matter who it hits.
Turns out, most Americans don't share their conviction.
A full 67% of Americans favor a deal to raise the debt ceiling that includes taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations, according to a poll released Thursday by Quinnipiac University.
And according to Gallup, only 20% of Americans want a deal that consists only of spending cuts. That's the position of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and many of his colleagues.

time to shoot the messenger 

[jtksu]

They did a segment about this on Stewert or Colbert's show recently, highlighting the insane differences in the existing polls.  They should an assortment of polls that stated everything from extreme public favor to extreme public disfavor. 

[pike]

Raising the debt ceiling is just putting off disaster a little longer.

[Rage Against the McKee]

Raising the debt ceiling is just putting off disaster a little longer.

This is true with every single thing we do, though. I'm not sure why we would stop with the debt ceiling.

[michigancat]

I would guess most of the people that elected these guys/gals support them, even though much of the country does not.

[Panjandrum]

I think there's a shift (and this was on Meet the Press yesterday, too) where politicians care more about placating their base than what most American's want because they are facing stiffer competitions in the primaries than they used to.  They need to placate the base to continue their political careers more than the majority of voters because it's pointless to satisfy them unless you can get out of your own primary.

The debt ceiling has to get raised.  I think anyone with a brain understands the implications of it not being raised.  What I don't think the Republicans understand is that all of this sabre rattling isn't really helping them.  I think the vast majority of the nation is under agreement that we need to have serious conversations about how our nation does business, but it's not going to get done in a matter of weeks.  They have one major 'to-do' that needs to get done before they can start hammering out specifics, but they don't want to let this opportunity to essentially hold the economy hostage to get what they want pass them by.

Personally, I couldn't be more disgusted with House Republicans than I am right now.  They're playing chicken with a train.

[michigancat]

Personally, I couldn't be more disgusted with House Republicans than I am right now.  They're playing chicken with a train.

I think this lib rag sums it up well:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/congress-continues-debate-over-whether-or-not-nati,20977/

[steve dave]

Personally, I couldn't be more disgusted with House Republicans than I am right now.  They're playing chicken with a train.

I think this lib rag sums it up well:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/congress-continues-debate-over-whether-or-not-nati,20977/

 

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

What I find interesting is Obama's refusal to accept a short term increase in the debt ceiling. It's as if he knows he can't "not spend" and will need another increase right away. It would be an opportunity to be reelected if he took the smaller increase and made it last through his term, and could actually run on his fiscal record.

[Kat Kid]

What I find interesting is Obama's refusal to accept a short term increase in the debt ceiling. It's as if he knows he can't "not spend" and will need another increase right away. It would be an opportunity to be reelected if he took the smaller increase and made it last through his term, and could actually run on his fiscal record.

Fascinating, did not know Obama had the power to unilaterally budgets.  Must be part of his redefinition of america everyone's been talking about.  Congrats Hussein!

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[pike]

I think there's a shift (and this was on Meet the Press yesterday, too) where politicians care more about placating their base than what most American's want because they are facing stiffer competitions in the primaries than they used to.  They need to placate the base to continue their political careers more than the majority of voters because it's pointless to satisfy them unless you can get out of your own primary.

The debt ceiling has to get raised.  I think anyone with a brain understands the implications of it not being raised.  What I don't think the Republicans understand is that all of this sabre rattling isn't really helping them.  I think the vast majority of the nation is under agreement that we need to have serious conversations about how our nation does business, but it's not going to get done in a matter of weeks.  They have one major 'to-do' that needs to get done before they can start hammering out specifics, but they don't want to let this opportunity to essentially hold the economy hostage to get what they want pass them by.

Personally, I couldn't be more disgusted with House Republicans than I am right now.  They're playing chicken with a train.

So our problem here is debt....to solve the problem...let's incur more debt!

[Rage Against the McKee]

I think there's a shift (and this was on Meet the Press yesterday, too) where politicians care more about placating their base than what most American's want because they are facing stiffer competitions in the primaries than they used to.  They need to placate the base to continue their political careers more than the majority of voters because it's pointless to satisfy them unless you can get out of your own primary.

The debt ceiling has to get raised.  I think anyone with a brain understands the implications of it not being raised.  What I don't think the Republicans understand is that all of this sabre rattling isn't really helping them.  I think the vast majority of the nation is under agreement that we need to have serious conversations about how our nation does business, but it's not going to get done in a matter of weeks.  They have one major 'to-do' that needs to get done before they can start hammering out specifics, but they don't want to let this opportunity to essentially hold the economy hostage to get what they want pass them by.

Personally, I couldn't be more disgusted with House Republicans than I am right now.  They're playing chicken with a train.

So our problem here is debt....to solve the problem...let's incur more debt!

Do you think the problem would be solved by leaving the debt ceiling where it is and defaulting?

[pike]

I think there's a shift (and this was on Meet the Press yesterday, too) where politicians care more about placating their base than what most American's want because they are facing stiffer competitions in the primaries than they used to.  They need to placate the base to continue their political careers more than the majority of voters because it's pointless to satisfy them unless you can get out of your own primary.

The debt ceiling has to get raised.  I think anyone with a brain understands the implications of it not being raised.  What I don't think the Republicans understand is that all of this sabre rattling isn't really helping them.  I think the vast majority of the nation is under agreement that we need to have serious conversations about how our nation does business, but it's not going to get done in a matter of weeks.  They have one major 'to-do' that needs to get done before they can start hammering out specifics, but they don't want to let this opportunity to essentially hold the economy hostage to get what they want pass them by.

Personally, I couldn't be more disgusted with House Republicans than I am right now.  They're playing chicken with a train.

So our problem here is debt....to solve the problem...let's incur more debt!

Do you think the problem would be solved by leaving the debt ceiling where it is and defaulting?

I guess better default now rather than later.

[Rage Against the McKee]

I think there's a shift (and this was on Meet the Press yesterday, too) where politicians care more about placating their base than what most American's want because they are facing stiffer competitions in the primaries than they used to.  They need to placate the base to continue their political careers more than the majority of voters because it's pointless to satisfy them unless you can get out of your own primary.

The debt ceiling has to get raised.  I think anyone with a brain understands the implications of it not being raised.  What I don't think the Republicans understand is that all of this sabre rattling isn't really helping them.  I think the vast majority of the nation is under agreement that we need to have serious conversations about how our nation does business, but it's not going to get done in a matter of weeks.  They have one major 'to-do' that needs to get done before they can start hammering out specifics, but they don't want to let this opportunity to essentially hold the economy hostage to get what they want pass them by.

Personally, I couldn't be more disgusted with House Republicans than I am right now.  They're playing chicken with a train.

So our problem here is debt....to solve the problem...let's incur more debt!

Do you think the problem would be solved by leaving the debt ceiling where it is and defaulting?

I guess better default now rather than later.

How is that better?

[pike]

I think there's a shift (and this was on Meet the Press yesterday, too) where politicians care more about placating their base than what most American's want because they are facing stiffer competitions in the primaries than they used to.  They need to placate the base to continue their political careers more than the majority of voters because it's pointless to satisfy them unless you can get out of your own primary.

The debt ceiling has to get raised.  I think anyone with a brain understands the implications of it not being raised.  What I don't think the Republicans understand is that all of this sabre rattling isn't really helping them.  I think the vast majority of the nation is under agreement that we need to have serious conversations about how our nation does business, but it's not going to get done in a matter of weeks.  They have one major 'to-do' that needs to get done before they can start hammering out specifics, but they don't want to let this opportunity to essentially hold the economy hostage to get what they want pass them by.

Personally, I couldn't be more disgusted with House Republicans than I am right now.  They're playing chicken with a train.

So our problem here is debt....to solve the problem...let's incur more debt!

Do you think the problem would be solved by leaving the debt ceiling where it is and defaulting?

I guess better default now rather than later.

How is that better?

Because were just piling on more debt, which someday we'll have to pay. Eventually it's gonna collapse.

[Rage Against the McKee]

someday we'll have to pay

Have fun with that.

[Panjandrum]

I think there's a shift (and this was on Meet the Press yesterday, too) where politicians care more about placating their base than what most American's want because they are facing stiffer competitions in the primaries than they used to.  They need to placate the base to continue their political careers more than the majority of voters because it's pointless to satisfy them unless you can get out of your own primary.

The debt ceiling has to get raised.  I think anyone with a brain understands the implications of it not being raised.  What I don't think the Republicans understand is that all of this sabre rattling isn't really helping them.  I think the vast majority of the nation is under agreement that we need to have serious conversations about how our nation does business, but it's not going to get done in a matter of weeks.  They have one major 'to-do' that needs to get done before they can start hammering out specifics, but they don't want to let this opportunity to essentially hold the economy hostage to get what they want pass them by.

Personally, I couldn't be more disgusted with House Republicans than I am right now.  They're playing chicken with a train.

So our problem here is debt....to solve the problem...let's incur more debt!

There is no choice in the matter.  If we don't increase the debt ceiling by 8/2, our rating is going to get downgraded.  If that happens, the global stock markets are going to suffer immediately.  The bond market is going to crash.  The consequences would be worse than 2008.

How we tackle the debt going forward is inconsequential to this debate.  They are two separate issues.  The only reason they're linked together is because House Republicans are holding the economy hostage to get what they want.  I mean, it's smart on their part, politically, to do this.  However, realistically, it's been absolutely moronic to do this because A) we're getting critically close to doing something monumentally devastating, B) it shows the world how broken and polarized our political system has become, and C) it's shown the American people that there is no place in this political spectrum for centrists; we are apparently only interested in pushing forward agendas that extremists on the right and left are interested in pushing.

This country can tackle the debt problem by reworking the tax code, rethinking entitlements, slashing extraneous defense spending, and being more judicious on discretionary spending.  However, every single one of those topics is a monumental task in and of itself and will not be fixed, intelligently, in the next week.  To think we can is asinine.

[Dugout DickStone]

I think there's a shift (and this was on Meet the Press yesterday, too) where politicians care more about placating their base than what most American's want because they are facing stiffer competitions in the primaries than they used to.  They need to placate the base to continue their political careers more than the majority of voters because it's pointless to satisfy them unless you can get out of your own primary.

The debt ceiling has to get raised.  I think anyone with a brain understands the implications of it not being raised.  What I don't think the Republicans understand is that all of this sabre rattling isn't really helping them.  I think the vast majority of the nation is under agreement that we need to have serious conversations about how our nation does business, but it's not going to get done in a matter of weeks.  They have one major 'to-do' that needs to get done before they can start hammering out specifics, but they don't want to let this opportunity to essentially hold the economy hostage to get what they want pass them by.

Personally, I couldn't be more disgusted with House Republicans than I am right now.  They're playing chicken with a train.

I agree but the problem is once the ceiling is passed, the whole issue is tabled until it is up again and everyone panics.  Assuming that if the new ceiling gets passed both parties will sit down and take a long hard look at reducing the debt, balancing the budget and developing a long term strategy to pay off the debt while enacting an equitable tax system is more than a fairy tale.

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/14/republican-tax-stand-a-bust-with-public/?iref=obnetwork

But House Republicans - an overwhelming majority of whom have signed a pledge to this effect - refuse to consider any kind of tax increase, not matter who it hits.
Turns out, most Americans don't share their conviction.
A full 67% of Americans favor a deal to raise the debt ceiling that includes taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations, according to a poll released Thursday by Quinnipiac University.
And according to Gallup, only 20% of Americans want a deal that consists only of spending cuts. That's the position of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and many of his colleagues.

time to shoot the messenger 

I assume you felt the same way when Healthcare "Reform" was passed on Christmas Eve or whatev, in the face of public opinion*.  Guns up hypocrite 

*including in the face of many "Representative's" constituents


 

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

What I find interesting is Obama's refusal to accept a short term increase in the debt ceiling. It's as if he knows he can't "not spend" and will need another increase right away. It would be an opportunity to be reelected if he took the smaller increase and made it last through his term, and could actually run on his fiscal record.

Fascinating, did not know Obama had the power to unilaterally budgets.  Must be part of his redefinition of america everyone's been talking about.  Congrats Hussein!

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

Veto is a unilateral power.

If he has no place in the discussion, why does he constantly feel the need to inject himself into the forefront of the convo?  I think he's done a press conf on average every 3 days over the last couple of weeks re: the debt ceiling.  Clearly his propaganda team feels it benefits him to be "out in front" on this issue and to ram his message (which is totally devoid of substance per usual) into the mainstream.  Strategically this doesn't seem to be working because his rhetoric is flat out nonsensical at this point.  He just says numbers and then criticizes repubs. 

It's like we have one house, two senates, and no executive (e.g. leadership).

[hemmy]

Cut spending, nothing else matters.  Close all the worthless government agencies that do nothing, and fire all those people.

[Kat Kid]

Cut spending, nothing else matters.  Close all the worthless government agencies that do nothing, and fire all those people.

like...

[jtksu]

Yeah, just fire a bunch of people, that will solve all our problems.

[Dugout DickStone]

Cut spending, nothing else matters.  Close all the worthless government agencies that do nothing, and fire all those people.

like...

Education

[hemmy]

Downsize:

Department of Agriculture
Department of Education
Department of Labor
IRS
Military
Department of Defense

Eliminate:

US Botanic Garden
African Development Foundation
Vietnam Education Foundation
Broadcasting Board of Governors
The Office of National Drug Control Policy
FCC
National Agricultural Statistics Service
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
OSHA (they are self-sustaining but they rough ridin' suck)
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation
US Border Patrol
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Postal Service
Office of Government Ethics
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
National Gallery of Art
Rural Development
National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare
National Drug Intelligence Center
Environmental Protection Agency
Migratory Bird Conservation Commission
Lead Hazard Control
Institute of Peace
International Broadcasting Bureau
Government Accountability Office
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration
Bureau of Indian Affairs
ATF
State of California
Council on Environmental Quality
Defense Security Cooperation Agency
Defense Security Service
Drug Enforcement Administration
Economic Development Administration
Economic Research Service
Energy Information Administration