I don't even know how to respond to this...

[Panjandrum]

The nation's financial future is in the hands of this guy.  Jesus Christ.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/28/hardliners-in-debt-talks-have-debt-problems-of-their-own/?hpt=hp_t1

Then there’s the case of freshman Rep. Joe Walsh, Republican from Illinois. Walsh is another tea party favorite who has pushed for a tougher line with Democrats in negotiations.

This week Walsh told CNN, “Thank God congressmen like me were here. Imagine - step back and imagine - if Republicans hadn’t taken over Congress, this city would have raised the debt limit who knows how much.”

But Walsh’s ex-wife Laura Walsh says he needs to pay up on a big debt: $117,437 in child support. That figure is part of a lawsuit against Walsh she filed.

CNN could not reach Walsh’s attorney, R. Steven Polachek, for comment. But Polachek told the Chicago Sun-Times the claim of a $117,437 debt is “unfounded”: “I dispute that he owes the child support that she’s claiming or anywhere near that amount.”

Contacted by CNN, Walsh issued a statement saying in part: “It is not lost on me that a court case filed almost 8 months ago regarding a marriage that ended more than 8 years ago would be brought up today … I’ve always given everything I have to meet my financial obligations to my children and I will fight until my last breath against anyone who says otherwise … These latest attacks against me are false and I will fight them in the appropriate venue.”

The attorney for Laura Walsh told CNN that Walsh has not paid any child support since 2008.

In an interview with CNN, Walsh admitted that he had struggled financially and had lost a home. “Look, I’m the most openly vetted candidate in the world. I have had financial troubles and I have talked about them throughout the campaign,” he said, “This is where the real America is.”

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

That's because you are an idiot

[Panjandrum]

That's because you are an idiot

Yes, I'm an idiot because a major mouthpiece for budget reform owes over a hundred grand in child support, lost his house, and can't balance his own books.

I'm not going to go to a guy in this situation for financial advice, and I really don't want him voting on debt reform because he obviously has no idea how it works himself.

Come on, FSD.  I know you're thick, but I'll give you a little more credit than to be that much of a shill.

[Cire]

just another racist conservative nothing to see here.

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

And the personal smear campaigns begin. If you can't argue policy, bash the person.

Oh no! This person has experienced financial difficulty and his ex wife is bitter, so he must be a moron and have nothing to contribute.

Very enlightened view of life.

Walsh was born and raised in North Barrington, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He grew up in a family of nine children. He graduated from Barrington High School. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Iowa and a Master of Public Policy from the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago.

He began his career working with the Jobs for Youth program in the inner-city Chicago area, teaching high school dropouts basic academic and job skills. He has taught American government and American history at the Oakton Community College.

Walsh has been married twice, and has five children.  On July 28, 2011, the Chicago Sun Times reported that Walsh's ex-wife, Laura, was suing him for more than $117,000 for neglecting to pay child support payments. Walsh's attorney called the claim "unfounded."

Fundraising career

He was the Executive Director of the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, overseeing an annual budget of $2 million. The fund is a Chicago-based privately funded school voucher program which gives high school scholarships to low-income students.

Walsh has advanced the issue of school choice while working for The Heartland Institute, a Midwest free market think tank. He raised funds for two organizations advocating this issue, the American Education Reform Council, and the Milton and Rose Friedman Foundation.

He raised nearly $1 million in the past five years for the Fabretto Children's Foundation, an international charity which uses education and micro-enterprise to deliver Nicaraguan children from poverty

What a horrible person.

[Panjandrum]

I'm saying that I don't want someone lecturing me about how our government should spend money when he obviously didn't know how to handle his own finances.

We can debate the finer points of the deficit and reforms until we're all blue in the face.  We need to raise the debt ceiling.  Some form of deal needs to get done.  Whatever gets done will most definitely favor the conservative viewpoint, so in effect, they've won.  Let's vote and get on with it.

Guys like Walsh need to stop acting all preachy and principled about it when they don't have a leg to stand on

Rep. Kevin Yoder, a freshman Republican from Kansas, said in a recent press release, “Washington needs to cut up the credit cards.” But Yoder’s own form shows he amassed at least $15,000 in what’s called a “revolving charge account” with Citigroup.

[jtksu]

I don't know or care jack crap about this situation but I think it's only fair to say that I could sue anybody, for any amount of money.  Doesn't mean it's justified or that it won't get thrown out in court.   I am curious how, if the dude does actually owe that much in child support, he's not in jail.  I know how we have a ton of dudes in the Sedgwick County jail for much less child support owed.  Once again, I really don't give a eff either way but it seems like they would have garnished his wages or locked him up long before it ever hit 6 figgas. 

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

I'm saying that I don't want someone lecturing me about how our government should spend money when he obviously didn't know how to handle his own finances.

We can debate the finer points of the deficit and reforms until we're all blue in the face.  We need to raise the debt ceiling.  Some form of deal needs to get done.  Whatever gets done will most definitely favor the conservative viewpoint, so in effect, they've won.  Let's vote and get on with it.

Guys like Walsh need to stop acting all preachy and principled about it when they don't have a leg to stand on

Rep. Kevin Yoder, a freshman Republican from Kansas, said in a recent press release, “Washington needs to cut up the credit cards.” But Yoder’s own form shows he amassed at least $15,000 in what’s called a “revolving charge account” with Citigroup.

There you go again. Who gives a crap about someone's credit card debt. Unless he is taking money from his neighbors to pay his credit card, it is completely irrelevant. Maybe he uses it for airline miles.

[jtksu]

I thought credit cards were all (except AMEX) revlolving charge accounts?  Dude makes solid money, 15k on a citibank card is pretty normal.  Not a great idea but pretty standard with Americans.  Hell, the dude may have a crazy high limit, that 15k is just making his credit score go up.

[jtksu]

"Revolving credit allows a borrower to get access to funds when needed and then pay them off when desired without having to reapply for credit again in order to re-borrow funds again at a later date."

[Panjandrum]

I thought credit cards were all (except AMEX) revlolving charge accounts?  Dude makes solid money, 15k on a citibank card is pretty normal.  Not a great idea but pretty standard with Americans.  Hell, the dude may have a crazy high limit, that 15k is just making his credit score go up.

True, but it's not fiscally responsible.

If there's one thing that I can't stand about politics, that has been true since the beginning of time (but still disgusts me), is the proselytizing of some issue and the zealot preaching it doesn't practice it themselves.

And they're leading the march right off of the cliff.

[OK_Cat]

r's, d's, tp's, they are all complete morons.

[steve dave]

That's because you are an idiot

fabulous boom roast fsd 

[Panjandrum]

That's because you are an idiot

fabulous boom roast fsd 

It was well thought out.

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

That's because you are an idiot

Yes, I'm an idiot because a major mouthpiece for budget reform owes over a hundred grand in child support, lost his house, and can't balance his own books.

I'm not going to go to a guy in this situation for financial advice, and I really don't want him voting on debt reform because he obviously has no idea how it works himself.

Come on, FSD.  I know you're thick, but I'll give you a little more credit than to be that much of a shill.

You an idiot because you can't figure out how to respond.

You don't know crap about the merits of his wife's case, and you don't know why he lost his house.  If any of that crap is true, he is not a very credible source on finance, however relatively speaking, he might be considered an expert on finance in congress. 

[Panjandrum]

That's because you are an idiot

Yes, I'm an idiot because a major mouthpiece for budget reform owes over a hundred grand in child support, lost his house, and can't balance his own books.

I'm not going to go to a guy in this situation for financial advice, and I really don't want him voting on debt reform because he obviously has no idea how it works himself.

Come on, FSD.  I know you're thick, but I'll give you a little more credit than to be that much of a shill.

You an idiot because you can't figure out how to respond.

You don't know crap about the merits of his wife's case, and you don't know why he lost his house.  If any of that crap is true, he is not a very credible source on finance, however relatively speaking, he might be considered an expert on finance in congress. 

I can't respond to it because the fact that THIS guy is one of the most vocal mouthpieces out there speaking out about the issue is dumbfounding.

You'd think that if the Tea Party wanted to gain more credibility on this issue, they'd want to take this guy, valid claims or not, out of the public sphere.  Once this information really got out there, it didn't really help the cause or shed positive light on the group holding this bill from even getting voted on in Congress.

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

That's because you are an idiot

Yes, I'm an idiot because a major mouthpiece for budget reform owes over a hundred grand in child support, lost his house, and can't balance his own books.

I'm not going to go to a guy in this situation for financial advice, and I really don't want him voting on debt reform because he obviously has no idea how it works himself.

Come on, FSD.  I know you're thick, but I'll give you a little more credit than to be that much of a shill.

You an idiot because you can't figure out how to respond.

You don't know crap about the merits of his wife's case, and you don't know why he lost his house.  If any of that crap is true, he is not a very credible source on finance, however relatively speaking, he might be considered an expert on finance in congress. 

I can't respond to it because the fact that THIS guy is one of the most vocal mouthpieces out there speaking out about the issue is dumbfounding.

You'd think that if the Tea Party wanted to gain more credibility on this issue, they'd want to take this guy, valid claims or not, out of the public sphere.  Once this information really got out there, it didn't really help the cause or shed positive light on the group holding this bill from even getting voted on in Congress.

I would guess the only people affected by this information are liberal bloggers and the media. I doubt very much if this info has any affect on what goes on in congress the next few days.

[ednksu]

youre a rough ridin' idiot if you think a public official who built his reputation of fiscal 'responsibility' and criticizing the spending of others shouldn't be criticized for leaving his children behind the 8 ball because he is a rough ridin' prick.



Hey, maybe, since personal finances are....personal.....we could talk about the 35k he loaned his own campaign while claiming he was "in between jobs" and was unable to pay child support. 

Once you make personal and public finances of others a matter of your public record and once your finances become part of the public record (court proceedings) because of your failure to be a good citizen it is all evidence which should come into the court of public opinion for a politician. 

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

That's because you are an idiot

Yes, I'm an idiot because a major mouthpiece for budget reform owes over a hundred grand in child support, lost his house, and can't balance his own books.

I'm not going to go to a guy in this situation for financial advice, and I really don't want him voting on debt reform because he obviously has no idea how it works himself.

Come on, FSD.  I know you're thick, but I'll give you a little more credit than to be that much of a shill.

You an idiot because you can't figure out how to respond.

You don't know crap about the merits of his wife's case, and you don't know why he lost his house.  If any of that crap is true, he is not a very credible source on finance, however relatively speaking, he might be considered an expert on finance in congress. 

I can't respond to it because the fact that THIS guy is one of the most vocal mouthpieces out there speaking out about the issue is dumbfounding.

You'd think that if the Tea Party wanted to gain more credibility on this issue, they'd want to take this guy, valid claims or not, out of the public sphere.  Once this information really got out there, it didn't really help the cause or shed positive light on the group holding this bill from even getting voted on in Congress.

the "tea party" gained all the credibility it needed when it put about 100 people (no idea what the actual number is) in congress


if the fed govt wasn't such a financial disaster you may actually have a point

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

youre a rough ridin' idiot if you think a public official who built his reputation of fiscal 'responsibility' and criticizing the spending of others shouldn't be criticized for leaving his children behind the 8 ball because he is a rough ridin' prick.



Hey, maybe, since personal finances are....personal.....we could talk about the 35k he loaned his own campaign while claiming he was "in between jobs" and was unable to pay child support. 

Once you make personal and public finances of others a matter of your public record and once your finances become part of the public record (court proceedings) because of your failure to be a good citizen it is all evidence which should come into the court of public opinion for a politician. 

Link?

[ednksu]

youre a rough ridin' idiot if you think a public official who built his reputation of fiscal 'responsibility' and criticizing the spending of others shouldn't be criticized for leaving his children behind the 8 ball because he is a rough ridin' prick.



Hey, maybe, since personal finances are....personal.....we could talk about the 35k he loaned his own campaign while claiming he was "in between jobs" and was unable to pay child support. 

Once you make personal and public finances of others a matter of your public record and once your finances become part of the public record (court proceedings) because of your failure to be a good citizen it is all evidence which should come into the court of public opinion for a politician. 

Link?

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view.bg?articleid=1354700&srvc=next_article

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

youre a rough ridin' idiot if you think a public official who built his reputation of fiscal 'responsibility' and criticizing the spending of others shouldn't be criticized for leaving his children behind the 8 ball because he is a rough ridin' prick.



Hey, maybe, since personal finances are....personal.....we could talk about the 35k he loaned his own campaign while claiming he was "in between jobs" and was unable to pay child support. 

Once you make personal and public finances of others a matter of your public record and once your finances become part of the public record (court proceedings) because of your failure to be a good citizen it is all evidence which should come into the court of public opinion for a politician. 

Link?

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view.bg?articleid=1354700&srvc=next_article

meh, he said, she said. I'll wait for the court outcome.  Divorces almost always causes the man financial problems.

[Bookcat]

youre a effing idiot if you think a public official who built his reputation of fiscal 'responsibility' and criticizing the spending of others shouldn't be criticized for leaving his children behind the 8 ball because he is a effing prick.



Hey, maybe, since personal finances are....personal.....we could talk about the 35k he loaned his own campaign while claiming he was "in between jobs" and was unable to pay child support. 

Once you make personal and public finances of others a matter of your public record and once your finances become part of the public record (court proceedings) because of your failure to be a good citizen it is all evidence which should come into the court of public opinion for a politician. 

Link?

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view.bg?articleid=1354700&srvc=next_article

meh, he said, she said. I'll wait for the court outcome.  Divorces almost always causes the man financial problems.

Don't confuse alimony with child support. Wait, do you know the difference?

You make it sound like this guy owes alimony to simply line the pockets of his undeserving ex-wife, ie...as if he's being victimized. Shameful.