Hey GOP... In case you hadn't noticed, YOU LOST!!
By louisehartmann
Someone needs to remind Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner and his Party that they lost the election in November. On Monday, House Republicans presented their proposal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff and – as you’d expect – it’s a giant kick in the gut to working Americans. The Republican proposal extends the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans and reverses the automatic defense cuts, which could cut into the profits of war profiteers in Virginia.
But Republicans argue their plan still achieves trillions in savings over the next ten years by closing unspecified tax loopholes and by slashing spending on insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare as well as public healthcare programs and other social welfare programs for working people. The Republican proposal also raises the eligibility age for Medicare two years from 65 to 67, which poll after poll has shown a large majority of Americans opposing. Altogether, not a single dime is asked of the wealthy in America, while seniors, the sick, the poor, and the young are asked to make sacrifices.
The White House has already rejected the Republican proposal saying it, “does not meet the test of balance.” This issue should have been settled after the election, but Republicans still won’t budge and the American people know it. That’s why a new Washington Post poll shows that by a margin of 53% to 27%, the nation will blame Republicans more than President Obama if Congress takes us over the cliff.
Comments
#2
Not only have they lost seats the battle inside the party has started. We the people have spoken. People are not living longer the number of infants deaths have decreased. That is what has driven the average death higher.
#3
As tea-baggin Republicans implode into their fantasy-reality of misinformation and lies, ya kinda hate to throw them a logical life-line. Just let them sink into their own putrid quagmire.
Yet the big-finance patrons funding them from the top are just as well organized as they were before the election -- as evidenced by the current antics of the Big-Boehner and the other gladiators serving the supra-nationals above the top.
We say "They lost." Well don't bet on it. When living in a fantasy-space where lies are truth and loss is win, what was yesterday has no relevance to what is today. "Lost? -- Nah, the Democrats stole the election; everybody knows that. -- I heard it on the news. . . . Dems was flipping the votes in Ohio and Florida."
Meanwhile clueless Libs and Dems wander around, wondering "How can they say that?" Well Duhhh. they own the microphones, dipwit; that's how they can say that, over and over until it's true. And now the FCC is giving Rupert Murdock even more monopoly control of news-media. Boggles-the-mind.
Check back next year, and ask "Who lost?"
#4
To avoid the meltdown of the American economy, we need to reform the tax system to encourage both production and consumption. For example:
• Make dividends tax deductible at the corporate level, but fully taxable at the individual level unless used to make debt service payments on a loan used for capital acquisition.
• Treat all income the same, whether from wages, dividends, or inflation-indexed capital gains.
• Eliminate virtually all personal deductions, tax credits, and so on, but give each person an exemption large enough to meet ordinary living expenses, including education and healthcare.
• Impose a single rate tax on all income above this exemption, no exceptions.
• Allow a limited tax deferral, say up to $1 million over a lifetime, on income used to make debt service payments on dividend-paying capital assets.
We also need to change how we finance economic growth, i.e., shift from financing using past reductions in consumption (savings), to using future increases in production (earnings). Businesses can then expand by issuing new shares or other means of sharing ownership, which people could purchase by monetizing the present value of the shares they are buying, i.e., buy a share in a business on credit, and pay for it out of the future earnings attributable to the share itself.
Support the Capital Homestead Act at http://www.cesj.org/homestead/index.htm and http://www.cesj.org/homestead/summary-cha.htm
#5
The GOP has lost so much credibility within their own ranks, they're too busy grasping at straws to be thinking rationally, these days. They're all angry; they're all bitter; and the only people to blame are themselves. But they insist on taking it out on all the rest of the taxpayers, and those of us who collect any source of government income or benefits, even though we've served our country or worked long enough to retire, and have paid into those programs - either with our sanity or with our deductions. They continue to make themselves irrelevant players on the American Stage of Decency.
I think raising the retirement age again is circumspect. The weather cycles are changing, we're consuming pollution in everything we breathe, eat and drink, and we have no idea if we're really going to be "living longer" in another 15 years. Also, to cut back Social Security payments to those who are too old or infirmed to find a way to supplement the meager payments we currently receive, will do great harm to those who have already exhausted their retirement savings - from expensive health treatments to economical losses - if they had any other means of income aside from Social Security checks, would put them even further below the Poverty Level income bracket.
The GOP seem to all be wealthy enough to not have to worry about such matters, themselves. Might I suggest that someone ask the House and the Senate to accept being PAID for only the days they actually plan to work for us, next year? I doubt it would hurt many of their economical statuses, but it might wake them up to the fact that we're tired of their pettiness, and we don't want to have their ridiculous demands balanced on the back of the rest of us, any longer. They broke the bank; now they should give up non-working days to help rectify their recklessness.
#6
To our heh? sistern and brethren to the north--its amazing what clarity one can achieve when you havent eaten for a week. People south of you are still arguing we have no hunger in the USA and don't realize W changed all the places in the CFR hunger appeared to "food insecure!" I been food insecure for many years and my belly would argue this point. As to infant mortality, the US rate is dismal at best. People are living longer too but I argue that quality is more important than quantity and I got too little of the first and way too much of the second.
#7
Please explain to me why the Republicans should have any say as to how to address the deficit and revenue sources needed. Bush inherited a surplus and then left Obama with a huge deficit by not only failing to increase taxes to fight two wars, but actually authored hugh tax cuts without paying for them nor the wars, as well as not paying for Rx drug coverage for seniors. They allowed banks and Wall St. to self reguate which disastrously nearly produced the Second Great Depression. Republican Governors fired millions of teachers, police officers, and firemen to pay for tax cuts for Corporations. Under Bush, Republicans helped the Chamber of Commerce close 50,000 manufacturing operations and export 3.5 million jobs. The Republicans allowed the oil and gas business to self regulate and we had the largest oil blowout in history in the Gulf of Mexico. Republicans tried to pass legislation that would criminalize taking birth control pills. Can someone explain to me who has been a greater threat to this country more than the Republican Party?
#8
Once we go over the 'cliff' we will never have to hear the term "BUSH ERA TAX CUTS" again. We will enter a new ERA of "OBAMA ERA TAX CUTS"!. I am willing to suffer in the short term to never hear the name BUSH mentioned again.
Encourage your congressmen and women to jump over this 'cliff' into a new ERA!
Ask yourself: What would FDR do?
#9
What I think will happen is that we lower-income people -- elderly, disabled, chronically unemployed -- will (again) be (deliberately) savaged by cuts in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment compensation, food stamps and energy assistance.
Food stamps, energy assistance and Medicaid have already been slashed radically. The cutbacks -- particularly the loss of winter heating fuels -- are potentially death-dealing, exactly as the One Percent and its DemoPublican toadies intend. Medicare was cut in a more stealthy manner.
Less obvious but just as devastating are the cuts to the Social Administration's operations budget, which was hit so hard, access to its services is now severely restricted. Because this deliberate obstruction was imposed just as Baby-Boomer retirements are beginning to soar, it will radically slow the agency's ability to process claims. For some newly disabled people, this will undoubtedly be fatal -- obviously the One Percent/DemoPublican purpose.
This cutback in particular proves beyond a scintilla of doubt the Democrats' share the Republicans' murderous intent toward lower-income peoples. Had I known of it the before the election -- the reduced access was carefully concealed until the votes were counted -- I would have voted for the Socialist Workers Party's presidential candidate. (The Greens where I live -- Washington state -- tend to be viciously anti-labor.)
Face it, people, what is being done to us is genocide, just as I said in "Seasons Greetings: Why December Is 'the Cruelest Month'" (for which see http://lorenbliss.typepad.com/loren-bliss-outside-agitators-notebook/201... ). The One Percent is achieving by abandonment and neglect -- and by the heart-stopping terror of abandonment and neglect -- what the Nazis did with their death camps. But this new, no-death-camp mode of genocide is a lot less internationally embarrassing.
As to President Obama's role in all this, in 2009 he shape-shifted from Obama the Orator into Barack the Betrayer. To imagine the same transformation will not take place again in 2013 is to imagine a capitalist -- an avowed disciple of the Ayn Rand creed of infinite greed as ultimate virtue -- will not fatally rob the poor and afterward dance with glee while we die. Such is the forthcoming "grand bargain" behind its smokescreen of euphemisms and rhetoric: the continued pampering of the One Percent, the continued extermination of those of us cast aside as unprofitable.
#10
What is truly amazing is that republicans refuse to believe that there is anything wrong with their message. They blame not having a Hispanic on the ticket. They blame not "verbalizing" their message correctly to Blacks, Hispanics or women. Not one inkling that THE MESSAGE MIGHT BE ABSURD!!!.
Next cycle expect the following: Whatever Democrats say - they agree and promise to do it better. Whatever you want - we will do it but do it better. In other words lie , lie, lie. Then when (if) they win - do what they always wanted - privatize SSA, abolish DOE, EPA, etc., outlaw abortions, outsource every function of government, build a 100' wall along the border, end all welfare, end public schools, and of course - outlaw ObamaCare.
Then expect a major change in voting procedures so they can never lose power.
We have been expecting the wrong type of apocalypse. It will really be extinction by money in politics.
#11
From what I hear on MSNBC, many of these top Republicans don't think that the votes of minority people count, that these minority people really can't think for themselves, and that the white men know best, and that the white vote is the vote that counts. They can't see how they look to others, but from the outside, we all see them as they really are. They are showing their true colors.
#12
Syria, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain in America soon to come? And then it might be Obama threatening to use inhumane weapons of mass destruction upon his dissenting subjects. After all, it really is more like a kingdom than a democracy. The king being just the puppet whose strings are pulled by the wealthy ruling elite. But, of course, it will start out much more subtle..using drones and draconian white shirted bully boys from the police cracking heads. They already have the practice of using tear gas on the masses of demonstrators...wouldn't be much of a leap to resort to more lethal forms. Just how far would OUR government go if masses of Americans rioted in the streets all over America? Would Obama, like Bashar Assad, see fit to defend the realm at all costs?
Will Obama give in to the greedsters? He said “We’re going to have to see the rates on the top two percent go up. And we’re not going to be able to get a deal without it.” But is he also just as adamant about not cutting the social programs? Doesn't sound like it. Sounds like he's going to wimp out again and he'll agree to accept big cuts to social programs in exchange for "just pretend" tiny reduction in the Bush tax breaks of the wealthy. And even then the wealthy will have loopholes and ways of circumventing having to pay extra taxes....while those of us on Social Security, Medicare, etc will have our benefits cut.
Moving the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67 is unacceptable. There are those who are barely hanging on hoping they can last the extra year or so until they reach 65 so they can finally get medical attention. Many people just don't have healthcare coverage and even if you pay cash to see a doctor they seem to be "making you pay" (ie: punishing you) for not having healthcare insurance because they will not prescribe the medicines you need to say...reduce your blood pressure. After paying hundreds of dollars to doctors they refuse to write prescriptions. What do you do? Take them to court? Oh, but you had to sign an agreement, before seeing the doctor, where you give up your right to sue in a court of law...you have to agree to arbitration...with an arbitrator hired by the doctors. Yeah, right!
If they push back the medicare retirement age then many people will die....literally! And there will be a lot of really ticked off loved ones if they do.
#13
???? Are you serious about holding elections because of a budgetary disagreement! Do your brains freeze up during the winter?
#14
I would like to thank all of you conservative Republicans for signing the White House petition for succeeding from the Union, especially those of you in the South. Now the Secret Service, F.B.I.,T.S.A. and every other agency that fights terrorism has your name, number and computer information thanks to the cookies they placed on your computer when you logged on to the White House web site. And, when there is any problem in America with domestic terrorists your name will be on their list of suspects. That is one way to rid the nation of radical conservatives. Thank You!
#15
"Does not meet the test of balance"? How does one expect a balanced solution when dealing with the Tea-Cantor and his merry band of Feudal Fascists? Their mission remains unchanged, its simply enabling and defending a few obsessive individuals in their quest for endless wealth and power while simultaneously placing in jeopardy the general welfare and FREEDOM of, We the People.
As I've said before, expect obstruction for two more years at which time we have another shot at removing the Norquist from...... The House of Norquist.
#16
If the Democratic Party remains where they currently are........ pulled far to the right by the evil gravitational forces of big money, I intend to vote for the Socialist Workers Party's presidential candidate in four years.
#17
get rid of corp. welfare close half of military bases overseas & that would cut budget almost in half by getting rid of deductions like our mortgages means middle class pays more the rich own 4-5 houses with no mortgages so they don't have them deductions.the rich are not job creaters you mean like slavery they liked that didn't have to pay them at all.they are creating jobs overseas not here.the gop are only closing loopholes for middle class.how anyone who truelly works for a living which means they get their hands dirty building things could vote gop is mind blowing.the gop said they were going to move out of country hope they go to uk just saw a piece saying they are paying 73% taxes.
#18
"Everyone in the US is under virtual surveillance"--says NSA whistleblower William Binney who just won the Callaway award for civic courage "awarded to those who stand out for constitutional rights and American values at great risk to their personal or professional lives."
If I had a dollar for every email that has been stored by the NSA over the years...I could easily pay off the National Debt...some 20 trillion emails. And while they are trying to take away social programs they are spending $2 billion just on the Utah spy facility alone.
video and transcript:
http://rt.com/usa/news/surveillance-spying-e-mail-citizens-178/
#19
I wrote Representative Lynn Jenkins from Kansas. Yes Kansas did vote for the GOP this election, but the Kansas school children voted for Presidents Obama by a big margin. So that tells me there is hope here. Anyway I received back the form letter she probably has sent to everyone. Which actually told me nothing. Why don't they understand that the majority of the American voters want to go back to the higher tax rates for the rich? Why shouldn't the rich pay the most in taxes? Is it all about those who control the money that can buy which ever canidate will back their policies? What happened to being elected to represent what is best for America instead of lining their own pockets?
#20
Kids are smarter than their parents in the Sunflower State.
#21
For me the news is a mix of hocus pocus magic alakazam here we are at the edge of a cliff. One is to suppose misery grief and stress to unbearable lengths of evil will occur in our lives if we somehow go over the economic cliff. The day of reckoning is upon you if one fools around with the job creators. Mess with the job creators and America will be invaded by the evil empire, smashing into Americas tall buildings smothering the 911 telephone system, or thwart and stump our stock exchange. Oh, they already did that, sheesh they are good at thinking something new. Just wait.
Here the Wahhabi Bin Laden Arab family secretly sabre rattling in Persia saying go ahead jump, jump, and jump, relishing in the idea to wipe the infidels out of existence without bombs or weapons of mass destruction. Just use America’s dumb fricken media. “Ah La” Fox and hate radio.
“Al La” is great, Houston pop ups whereas a major in the military shoots American’s right on our soil. Young men who look muslin yet could be Christian with loud radio’s or pants hanging of their butt will get extra reasoning, if not to the woodshed perhaps shot for the same idiotic reason. They made some ones day. The ‘dirty Hairy” moment glorified by the Eastwood empty chair pantomime. The master of sedition in the silver screen what more appropriate way to be snookered to sedition. The news and politics mind melded into angry moments. Just a click, enough to trip someone off and loose that sense of direction. All while Colbert and Mathews laugh it off saying pretty funny ha.
The electromagnetic - journalist news theater is total dungeons and dragons. Economic demons, wizards, soothsayers, economic oracles, money mystics, and just everyone sits and listens, making an effort to hear something of truth, yet say here is what the message is understandable or of no reason. But for some unknown, parse words and meaning to incredible circles of dog by the tail logic swirling in a mobus sweat of chilling economic destruction is upon the American people plus now add the world to it. Seems they are all begging to watching America go insane. Got to do something to get that pepper spray off the shelf, it has a short life
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For what its worth here resource rich Canada where the maximum tax rate is 48% we just raised our pension age from 65 to 67. Poeple are living longer and it simply costs more.
How does your system work there I heard that you haven't passed a budget there for four years. Here our govrnment would shut down and a election is called. It is amazing how fast they can figure it out if they all can lose the jobs.