Well, I went out for a walk...to get the batteries...but I've seen the prices (and know that some capitalists are really bilking us) so I crawled back into my cave (man cave) and if the lights go out I'll do without light...unless I go back to Costco for the "bargain" batteries...name brand mind you. Yes, some of us still use old-fashioned batteries...like D cells for my newly acquired Mag-lite flashlight...and 9 volt batteries for my smoke detectors.

And I agree with practically everything that bicyclingjroad said about "big box" stores. I know that they are not our friends any more than any other merchant is...they all want our money. And there is not anything particularly wrong with that either...but there is also not anything wrong with my expectation of our government system upholding it's promises and responsibilities in paying back those hard working people who made their contributions...their payments...for the INSURANCE programs they were forced to participate in. And anyone (now pay attention Republicans!!!), who tries to destroy that obligation to it's retirees is an enemy of the retirees..many of which have the option of shopping where-ever they desire. And if their shopping location choices can make political statements then they can fight back. My idea is that although we would be aiding one big enemy to social security...we would be, effectively, fighting an even bigger enemy to social security (all the little right-winger business owners, in total, swamps the few "big box" enemies to social security). It's not about the product (whether the small business can hold your hand...yeah...right...how often does that happen?) but it is about fighting for our existence (without social security and medicare, etc) many people would be destitute.

And Mr. bicyclingjroad, I know there is no such thing as a free lunch..we are not asking for a free lunch..but we all paid our FICA insurance premiums and expect to be paid our due. It is no difference from making deposits in a bank account and expecting the bank to make good on your demands when you make those demands. But I have a very strong feeling that what we are seeing in the attacks on our social security INSURANCE programs...we will soon be seeing on our bank accounts. The crooks have already stolen the money and now all they have to do is to default and claim that the FDIC insurance can not be honored with a 100 percent payout.

Not as much thought went into this statement as what you provided, but D-cells and 9 volt? Flashlights and old smoke detectors? What else takes these batteries? I don't disagree with your train of thought, I just think maybe you should go out for a walk once in awhile.

Let me explain something to you Mr. Palindromedary. First, there ain't no free lunch. I shop at Costco, and now and then at Walmart. I like the Kirkwood brand, I find the quality to be top shelf. But, a lot of the big ticket items purchased at the "big box" stores is not the same product you would get at a smaller specialized business. For example, you may want a gas grill. After pricing the grill at the smaller specialized stores, you find the exact same model for a few dollars less at one of the "big box" stores. So you purchase the grill from the "big box" store. You falsely believe the "big box" store sells for less because they are consumer friendly, and pass the savings on to the customer. You couldn't be more wrong. Models offered by the "big box" stores are similar, but not the same as those offered by the specialized store. Usually, parts cannot be replaced in products purchased from the "big box" stores. They are "throw away" products. The specialized stores sell the "true product, and service what they sell.

I'm a former executive for a manufacture who sold produts to distributors, and the "big box" stores. The "big box" stores are all about reducing costs, which for the manufacture means reducing features. So spend your money were you want, If you want "throw away" products go to "big box". I want to be able to have my products serviced and maintained, so I choose the smaller specialized stores.

So I went to Costco to pick up my new glasses and since I needed several kinds of batteries I thought I'd pick them up there also...thought they might be cheaper than elsewhere. So I get to the battery section and was shocked at the prices of batteries (I haven't bought batteries in a while). I often like to buy in bulk to save money. So there was a dozen D sized batteries for just under $11 and the 9 volt batteries I needed was 8 for just over $14. Since I needed to pick up something from Home Depot..I checked on prices over there...nothing in bulk...but a pack of two D sized batteries were over $4. Yikes! So I go to Radio Shack...Yikes! $4.79 for a pack of two D batteries. I thought...I'll just go back to Costco or go to Walmart...or buy them on-line.

And I got to thinking about the idea that every dollar we spend at a business that is a right-wing, Republican-oriented, business who probably just loves, and are probably members of, the US Chamber of Commerce, is helping out the very people who want to take away my social security.

But then isn't that what happens when you buy from Costco and Walmart? So, then I thought, but if we all buy mostly from Costco and Walmart (which really ticks off local businesses--most of whom are right-wingers anyway) then couldn't it be a way of punishing those millions of right-wing, Chamber of Commerce loving, Republican small business owners (smaller than Walmart anyway) for being against social security?

If the masses of "smaller-than-Walmart" (which is everyone else) business owners are made to pay for screwing retirees by the people turning the system back upon itself by buying only from Walmart or Costco...(even though they may be enemies of social security themselves)...then maybe so many businesses would not be so Republican and/or ruling-elitist oriented. The country would finally crash and burn as it is slowly doing anyway and we, the people on social security, would, perhaps, have fewer enemies from the business sector.

We might at least have more merchants regretting they supported such a "ruling class" system once they are all put out of business. Walmart and Costco may be huge but not in relation to a total of all the other businesses. So I guess what we need to do is to boycott everyone but Walmart and Costco (and, of course, known progressive-oriented companies--good luck finding any).

If the Social Security Trust Fund isn't real, then neither is the National Debt. Problem solved.

Here's the deal - the Social Security Trust Fund is made up of Treasury bills, and if they aren't real, then neither are the T-Bills that make up ALL of the rest of the national debt. Therefore the debt isn't real. No problem, no need to cut spending or balance the budget! There is no debt

The "Gangsters of Six" reneging on (stealing from) the Social Insurance programs to make rich people richer!

Just a thought about the source of Thom's spoonerism of sacrosanct. Maybe Thom has it right as "sancrosacked" in reference to Social Security. What was once "sancro" i.e. a sacred sacrament with great sanctity (taking care of elderly people) is being "sacked" by both parties in their incessant good cop-bad cop routine.

My thoughts on the Balanced Budget Amendment's role in the current debt ceiling austeria (austerity hysteria) are in the post Heed Lincoln's Warning: Restore American Democracy. We need to get money out of politics and support ONLY the politicians who will stand with the We The People against corporate control of our country.

Okay, I've managed to become confused about what the debt ceiling is. If the debt ceiling is a restriction on increasing the national debt (which is what it sounds like, of course), then that wouldn't mean the Treasury couldn't pay off the bonds that come due, that would mean it couldn't sell more bonds until an equal value of other bonds were paid off, meaning that the debt could stay the same but not increase. That makes sense. The effect, then, of not raising the debt ceiling is that the rate of expenditure of the Federal Government could not increase, which is exactly how the Republicans are portraying it.

Some left-winger on the radio (I forget who, it might have been an interview guest) has said it would mean no money is coming in to the Treasury to pay off the bonds, which doesn't make any sense. That's not a limit on debt, that's a limit on revenue. It would actually keep the debt high--by not paying it off. But it's a better explanation than saying the debt limit would simply not allow the Treasury to pay off the bonds.

The Gephardt Rule ----------------

Thom, dunno if you've seen this, but in 1978, Rep. Dick Gephardt introduced a new rule tying the Debt Limit to the budget. Republicans suspended the rule in 1995, but it is otherwise still in effect.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0104/Five-ways-Republicans-wi...

Thom,

I love your show, and I love that you're out there getting common sense ideas out to the American people, and that you cut through the BS.

One quick note though: I always hear you use this word, but you equivocate from saying it correctly to saying it "spooned". The term is "sacrosanct". I've heard you say this as "sancrosact" a few times over the past week, and I just want to get you on the right path here, because conservatives will take any opening and attack you for it:

Sacro = sacrament - something likened to a religious sacrament

sanct = sanctity- The state or quality of being holy, sacred, or saintly.

So when you're speaking think: "Sacrament, sanctity" "sacrosanct".

Love you, Thom! Keep up the great work! Sorry about being a word nazi...

If there were Eisenhower Republicans to take over the party, I would return to Republican roots. Our country is being destroyed by the Regan-Bush Republicans, the Libertarians, the Teabag Party, and the Blue-Dog Democrats. I have eliminated the preposition “of” and I have replaced it with the preposition “in.” We are the United States in Mortal Sin. The “in” is most appropriate because our nation is always “in” a constant state of Mortal Sin. We are also the Anti-Christ.

I saw a recent poll from Michigan. Mitt Romney defeats Obama 46% to 42%. Romney was the hatchet man for corporations that eliminated American workers from their jobs and shipped these jobs to other countries. This is how Romney was able to accumulate his $500,000,000 million in wealth. American stupidity will never surprise me.

Remember these words!!! ONCE MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY ARE HISTORY IN OUR COUNTRY AND THEY WILL BE HISTORY. THESE SOCIAL SAFETY NET PROGRAMS WILL NEVER EVER RETURN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!!!!! Yes, Americans will get what they deserve.

I plan on repeating these words today.

I am disgusted / sick to my stomach over this debt ceiling / SS-Medicare cuts clown show. USA is being black mailed- held hostage I never thought US could sink so low. Its like a freaking nightmare. What good is voting anymore ? Huge US and foreign Corps - 5 con judges and the Goldman FED OWNS USA.-our economy & courts. It took 30 yrs of Reaganomics deregulation, Bush 1-2 Cheney -GOP fat cat policies, lies, corruption -GREED, fear tactics- long failed wars- to bring up to our knees. I can not take this anymore. This is a true tragedy for our once beloved country. I mostly blame ignorant ill informed illogical voters .