Thursday, July 7, 2011

Oh, HELLLLL NO!

The Washington Post:

President Obama is pressing congressional leaders to consider a far-reaching debt-reduction plan that would force Democrats to accept major changes to Social Security and Medicare in exchange for Republican support for fresh tax revenue.

At a meeting with top House and Senate leaders set for Thursday morning, Obama plans to argue that a rare consensus has emerged about the size and scope of the nation’s budget problems and that policymakers should seize the moment to take dramatic action.

As part of his pitch, Obama is proposing significant reductions in Medicare spending and for the first time is offering to tackle the rising cost of Social Security, according to people in both parties with knowledge of the proposal. The move marks a major shift for the White House and could present a direct challenge to Democratic lawmakers who have vowed to protect health and retirement benefits from the assault on government spending.

[...]

It is not clear whether that argument can prevail on Capitol Hill. Thursday’s meeting at the White House — an attempt by Obama to break the impasse that halted debt-reduction talks two weeks ago — will provide a critical opportunity for leaders in both parties to say how far they’re willing to go to restrain government borrowing as the clock ticks toward an Aug. 2 deadline for raising the debt limit.

You damn right that argument won't prevail on Capitol Hill! Time to hit the barricades again...damn, I swear I should just get a condo there or something....

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Day 5 - "No Flags Flying, No Bands Playing"

The clueless & uninformed cry, because they can't buy lottery tickets, or go to the track. State parks remain closed and roads aren't getting paved (and let me tell you, some of them look like they've been under artillery attack), while 20,000 state workers and counting have been furloughed, Thousands more in state-supported non-profits and dependent businesses nervously wait for the hammer to fall. The Republicans seem to be actually enjoying the shutdown, and T-Paw -  the author of this goddamn mess - has the nerve to brag about the first shutdown he instigated?

Rachel Maddow is right: they have no shame.

Meanwhile, back in my home state of New Jersey, Democrats in the state legislature have just now - after he screwed them on a budget deal of their own-  figured out that Chris Christie is a rat bastard. What took 'em so long??

Fools everywhere, and not enough time to count them all.