This week, as the debt ceiling debate inched its way closer to the Aug. 2 deadline, the acrimony became internecine, with former GOP standard-bearer John McCain deriding Sharron Angle, Christine O'Donnell, and "Tea Party hobbits," and one-time Tea Party poster boy Allen West bemoaning the faction's debt ceiling "schizophrenia." Cut, Cap, and Bicker. This week also saw the funerals of two very different artists: Amy Winehouse, a talented but troubled performer, who died at 27 (joining Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, and Cobain in a "forever" club you definitely don't want to be a member of), and Michael Cacoyannis, the 90-year-old director of my all-time favorite life-affirming film, Zorba the Greek. Winehouse's untimely passing drew worldwide attention, her legacy destined to be a cautionary tale; Cacoyannis, who died in my hometown of Athens, went quietly. But both deaths, in very different ways, remind us of Zorba's message to live each moment fully.
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Robert Kuttner: The Goons of August
Mitchell Bard: The Debt Ceiling "Compromise" Is a Total Democratic Capitulation to the GOP
Mohamed el-Erian: America Will Avoid Default But There's A Lot More to Do
Then along comes the debate on extending the "Bush Tax Cuts", what did he do?, did he fight tooth and nail for the 9.2% of the Americans unemployed?, he again folded.
Now we have the "Debt Ceiling" that the Republicans and the Tea Party were holding hostage in order to get what they wanted even thou the democrats hold the Senate and the office of the President, again he FOLDS.
This man is suppose to be a Constitutional Law Professor, I can't tell. He would have had the backing of the Constitution if he would have only used it.
Section (4) of the 14th amendment gave him all the power he needed to do what was right for the American citizens. I'm starting to think Obama is a Republican in Democrat clothes.
The Republicans held the unemployment extensions hostage for the Bush tax cuts extensions. Bush tax cuts for the rich are do to expire Apr 13, 2011. If Obama is re-elected I look for him to just do what he has always done, even thou it will be his last term. FOLD LIKE A CHEAP SUIT.
From hauling hay in the midst of disgusting summer, to my U.S. Marine service, to cleaning the fittings on my chartered gulet cruising the Aegean to spending endless hours printing, collating, stamping and editing in tiny business, to my aching to produce computer programs that users call, "the best" I have learned to find enjoyment in everything.
The problem in the U.S.A. is that we have become so rich and privledged that we believe we are entitled to a life without the understanding of sacrifice. We want instant gratification AND the ability to receive the most expensive health care regardless of our lifestyle.
Zorba would have the fine sense to say that "I am responsible for my indescretions".
There has been a total cowardly capitulation by Democrats to the bullying Republicans.
A compromise includes concessions by both parties.
The issue was whether the United States Congress would vote to increase the debt ceiling to honor America's already spent obligations and pay U.S. debt.
Republicans have chosen to not honor their commitments or their oath of office to honor the constitutions - the 14th amendment.
They bullied the cowardly Democrats with a threat to not honor their commitments.
It was always a, "my way or the highway" deal.
Heads I win, tails you lose - if you cave to my threats.
Cowardly Democrats caved to the threat.
No matter how Democrats wish to reframe it to save face for their cowardly caving to bullies, they received not one bit of compromise from Republicans.
Not one corporate socialist loophole closed.
Not one tax raised.
Cowardly Democrats caved to more supply-side cuts without the slightest concession in return.
"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I, therefore, intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt.” A quote from a tea party extremist, right? No. This is a quote from March 16 of 2006 from Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.
"Because this massive of accumulation of debt was predicted, because it was foreseeable, because it was unnecessary, because it was the result of willful and reckless disregard for the warnings that were given and for the fundamentals of economic management, I am voting against a debt limit increase.” Well, that must be from a tea party extremist member of the House, right? No. This is March 16, 2006, from Senator Joe Biden of Delaware.
"I find it distasteful and disturbing to increase the debt limit yet again. Clearly we need to change course and this debt limit bill is just another reminder of that." And that is from the distinguished Senator from Nevada, the majority leader September 2007.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/07/30/sen_rubio_save_the_whole_house_or_it_will_all_burn_down.html
Has any journalist asked any of them why they now call anyone making those remarks "extremists" and why they've changed their mind?
often it turns out.. "Friends are foes in disguise..foes are friends when they criticize - KKM 1994"
Secondly, the quotes you took are from the years 2006 and 2007. The times and the needs of the country were far different than they are today. Perhaps Senator's Barack Obama and Joe Biden were getting tired of paying for G.W.'s lying wars. I don't know.
But I do know one thing. Different times and circumstances require different decisions, based on the present circumstances.
I have no hope left that the government can do anything FOR the people. The entire focus of the government now is to halt any chance for getting out of this DEPRESSION. (I Know - It is officially a Recession). The reason for the insanity is to get rid of Obama AND crush any further influence that any factions left of far right might have in the future.
But keep following the talking points and link up the DEBT CEILING with "fixing" Medicare and Medicaid, Education, EPA, FTC, BANKS - Soon there will be a government which can be drowned.
A clean raise far greater than any raise in history without a plan on how to deal with it is borderline nefarious. Passing Obama's budget that was voted down 97:0 would have made this worse as well. That is the extent of his on the record solutions.
Continuing the game to see how big he can make government, the markets be damned, is the real risk. The Tea Party are the only sane one here and even some of the GOP do not want to cut as much as is necessary, much less the profligate dems. Plus even the Ryan plan keeps spending short term mostly in tact so as not to harm the economy.
The Tea Party gained momentum with Bush. Many voted for Obama after all the rhetoric of performance officers, cleaning up government and the like. That alignment ended with the accelerated spending under Obama coincident with demonizing the Tea Party. The GOP tried to take them over as well, but in the end the Tea Party is the antithesis of business as usual Washington and the true solution.
Trillions in unfunded liabilities, 75% entitlements. Play third rail politics at your own risk.
I must give Obama credit,because with all the power the executive branch now has,and the ability to use the military commissions act to abuse political enemies..like the TP..Obama has NOT abused his power,though he could have..and even now refuses to use that 14th ammendment to go around congress.
But Ron Paul would make sure we got rid of these new dangers to our civil liberties,Obama has not done so,I have no clue why...He has to live here too,and will one day be just another citizen like the rest of us.. if the wrong person gets into power ,we'reallinverydeeppooh
Remember, the movement began when the GOP became fiscally irresponsible. The fiscal conservatives lined up with the Tea Party do not want to go back to a Gold standard, that the Fed is essential and parts of government around the real safety net and infrastructure are ok.
McCain, is basically business as usual government is he not? He supports a big defense budget. Tea Party people are ok with cuts. On the other side, Obama’s health care plan became the worst of both worlds. Just pay more money on top of the most costly and wasteful system on the planet to cover people that already just walk into an emergency room today. Tea Partiers know that programs like that do not capture the 500B of cost savings, and the mandated 500B in tax increases and will end up being vastly more expensive than anyone ever thought.
Also novel, is how many of my uber liberal friends (I was once one of them) are now constitutionalists and that balancing a checkbook is radical.