No Big Deal? Debt Ceiling Talks Break Down (Again)
[Posted by Karl]
Talks between House Speaker John Boehner and Pres. Obama to raise the debt ceiling have broken down again. Given that I mocked the media’s coverage of this topic to date, let me point out some who are getting the story straight.
Jonathan Karl at ABC News notes Pres. Obama was “visibly angry” at today’s presser (which Jay Cost calls Obama’s “malaise moment“; it won’t be because it wasn’t a primetime speech and enough of the media will filter it for Obama’s benefit). More important — albeit stuck in mid-story:
Boehner held his own press conference after 7 p.m. Friday night and said the talks broke down because “The White House moved the goal posts.”
Specifically, he said the two sides had agreed on an unspecified amount of revenue to be included in deficit reduction, achieved by broadening the number of Americans who pay taxes and lowering general tax rates. But he said President Obama on Thursday demanded another $400 billion in revenue, which Boehner said “was going to be nothing more than a tax hike on the American people.”
It is clear, however, that Boehner and Cantor were ready to accept up to $800 billion in revenue measures as part of a grand bargain. But when that number jumped, in part because of pressure from Democrats, the talks broke down. (Emphasis added.)
CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller confirms this (twice). Indeed, Obama implied it at his presser:
“This was an extraordinarily fair deal,” Obama said. “If it was unbalanced, it was unbalanced in the direction of not enough revenue.”
ABC’s Rick Klein hypothesizes that the Gang of Six proposal (which included $2 trillion or more in taxes) triggered Obama’s demand for 50% more in “revenues.”
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says Dems may reluctantly accept a last-minute compromise to avoid a default that involves up to $2.5 trillion in spending cuts — without new taxes — if entitlements are protected. That may not suffice to avoid a downgrade of our AAA debt rating, and it doesn’t address the driver of the debt bomb… but it’s something.
It is getting increasingly difficult for anyone to miss that the GOP was ready to deal, while Obama is ready to campaign.
Update: DCCC already fundraising!
Update 2: Obama may have figured out his overweening desire for higher taxes is not playing well.
Update 3: Boehner claims that after the Gang of Six proposal and pressure from Dems, Obama started pushing for $1.2 trillion in revenue as a floor (with plenty more on Medicaid, Medicare, SocSec…).
–Karl
he’s a whiny whiny dildo is a big part of the problem, our president is
a whiny whiny tax-raising dildo
Comment by happyfeet (3c92a1) — 7/22/2011 @ 5:57 pm
feets,
You keep that up and people will think you don’t like him.
Comment by Karl (1c1b70) — 7/22/2011 @ 6:00 pm
President Obama never misses an opportunity to campaign as the victim and the MSM is more than willing to push his spin on the breakdown of talks,
“Can they [Republicans] say yes to anything?” Obama said. “… I have been left at the altar a couple of times now.”
Comment by Dana (4eca6e) — 7/22/2011 @ 6:04 pm
that was just an objective observation Mr. Karl from watching his press conference
I am a keen political observer.
Comment by happyfeet (3c92a1) — 7/22/2011 @ 6:06 pm
Those who try to renegotiate the prenup at the altar may get left there, champ.
Comment by Karl (1c1b70) — 7/22/2011 @ 6:10 pm
“…Obama was “visibly angry” at today’s presser…”
Poor baby.
I’m getting all choked up just thinking about it.
Comment by Dave Surls (28f866) — 7/22/2011 @ 6:28 pm
It’s all theater. McConnell’s plan is where we will end up. We just have to go through some drama first to give the Republicans hacks the excuse that they tried, but in the end they had to prevent a default.
Comment by Anon Y. Mous (cb1134) — 7/22/2011 @ 6:37 pm
Obama upped his demands for more taxes and sabotaged the debt deal. He’s not only manufactured this crisis, he also plans to use it to his advantage. It’s his SOP, and that petulant act on TV was so good even he believed it.
Look out kids, you’re gonna get hit.
Comment by ropelight (1def19) — 7/22/2011 @ 6:38 pm
Per your update: DCCC already fundraising,
DCCC already fundraising off Boehner walking away – “This is inexcusable,” Robby Mook says, asking for $3 donations
Except according to Boehner, it was the President who walked away,
“It’s the President who walked away from his agreement and demanded more money. At the last minute. And the only way to get that extra revenue was to raise taxes.”
But does being accurate and truthful even matter anymore? Taxes? Revenue? It’s all the same, eh?
Comment by Dana (4eca6e) — 7/22/2011 @ 6:39 pm
“overweening”? LOL
Comment by David Ehrenstein (2550d9) — 7/22/2011 @ 6:44 pm
Dildos are more useful than Obama.
Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/22/2011 @ 6:47 pm
Barry’s in over his head. Not only does he continue to dis Team R at every turn, but by excluding both the senate and house Dem leadership from talks he is offending them, too.
Surprisingly, on PBS tonight both Shields and Brooks agreed that Barry did not do well at all in his emergency presser and did not look presidential in the least. Being visibly angry, stomping his feet, and preaching to others who have far more experience than he does, is not setting a tone for deal making. Treating the house and senate leadership of both parties as kindergardeners and ordering them all to the WH for a meeting on Saturday does not set the proper tone for the sort of conciliation and statesmanship needed for deal making. Obama needs someone on his staff who can say to him, “You know what Barry? You seem a little emotional to give a press conference right now. How ’bout you chill a bit before talking to the media?
If you’ve lost Shields and Brooks….
Comment by elissa (21ece0) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:00 pm
just walk away Big
Zero you won’t hear the press
ask for reasons why
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:02 pm
the empty suited
Zero just ain’t the same he
need someone to blame
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:05 pm
Shields and Brooks!?!? Big
Zero has lost face, nation
and Shields and Yarnell
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:11 pm
elissa she so
eloquent make colonel feel
need to steal from her!
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:13 pm
BHO wins either way. If the GOP caves, there goes the tea party and here comes the 3rd prez candidate splitting the GOP votes. If they don’t he gets to rail on the lack of civility and compromise.
He needs the issue more than he needs any solution. It is that simple.
Comment by Ed from SFV (7d7851) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:16 pm
Comment by elissa — 7/22/2011 @ 7:00 pm
Isn’t that what his vaunted Chief of Staff is for?
Comment by AD-RtR/OS! (7b7c30) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:22 pm
King Barry the First
couldn’t win his way out of
a wet paper bag
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:23 pm
Will Barry yell at
wife and kick the dog because
he mad at Boehner?
Comment by elissa (21ece0) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:26 pm
==Isn’t that what his vaunted Chief of Staff is for?==
You know, AD, I sort of think Bumble’s unusually high staff turnover rate is because he does not listen to any of them or take their advice. Narcissists know they are right about everything and believe they are smarter than anybody else. Narcissists are not fun to work for.
Comment by elissa (21ece0) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:37 pm
The White House seems to want a default for campaign purposes. Congressional Democrats seem less enthused by the White House position, I think ( but could be wrong ).
No adults on the Democratic side of the aisle.
Comment by SPQR (26be8b) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:38 pm
According to Joe Biden there is no big effing deal.
Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:38 pm
I think Barcky should be forced to put, in writing, a complete list of all of the cuts that he has agreed to, and all of the tax hikes he wants. Very specific.
Comment by JD (318f81) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:47 pm
You know what I’d enjoy seeing? Boehner walking from the Capitol to the White House meeting tomorrow morning holding that great big gavel he inherited from Granny Mcbotox.
Comment by elissa (21ece0) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:47 pm
Know what I would love to see, Elissa? Boehner go golfing and blow of the imperious nozzle.
Comment by JD (318f81) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:54 pm
Until Obama’s recent pressers on the debt ceiling increase, I was unaware he fancied himself such an expert on Republican voter sentiment and thinking. He’s just like some of the trolls who come here and tell us what we think. Uncanny!
Comment by daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:54 pm
“Know what I would love to see, Elissa? Boehner go golfing and blow of the imperious nozzle.”
JD – He can’t do that, but he can always leave early for a tee time.
Comment by daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:55 pm
All they know is the Accepted Wisdom, for – except for Joe the Plumber – I doubt that Obama and his minions have ever met, let alone discussed anything with, a “real” person who lives in “fly-over country” and works with their hands.
Comment by AD-RtR/OS! (7b7c30) — 7/22/2011 @ 7:57 pm
“…moved the goal posts…”
Isn’t that what ProgLibs always do?
Comment by AD-RtR/OS! (7b7c30) — 7/22/2011 @ 8:05 pm
Why not, Daley? Is Barcky now in charge of the Legislature? I would flip him the bird, after how disingenuous and deceitful he has been in this process.
Comment by JD (318f81) — 7/22/2011 @ 8:10 pm
==I would flip him the bird, after how disingenuous and deceitful he has been in this process==
He’s set a whole new standard for transparency, too, JD.
Comment by elissa (21ece0) — 7/22/2011 @ 8:16 pm
“He’s set a whole new standard for transparency, too, JD.”
elissa – I bet he uses a teleprompter in the negotiations, you know, to keep himself on point, because he’s just so brilliant he’s got a million different ideas floating around in his head at any given moment. Why if he wanted to, he could solve this debt ceiling crisis just by snapping his fingers. He.Is.Just.That.Smart. He just wants to give the little people some credit, or so I heard.
Comment by daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 7/22/2011 @ 8:33 pm
I can not imagine that POTUS will benefit at all from the chaos of default or, worse yet, having to choose who to pay and not.
Barack deciding how to spend $200Bn in Revenue when obligations are $300MM?
He will fold if they simply say “Look, we passed a bill Mr President. I am sure we can find 5 Democrats to go along with you if you promise to sign it.”
Better yet for POTUS he can claim for re-election that he got a Balanced Budget Amendment on the radar and proved he was an adult who compromised.
So, he would be dumb not accept the current Bill — trick is finding 5 Senators.
Comment by Sponge Bob (786e37) — 7/22/2011 @ 8:33 pm
Dem senators do as they’re told. I’m with sponge bob on this, by accident or design, we have Obama boxed in. The media is in a blind panic, pulling out every trick in the book to save Teh One, hence all these stories about how the republicans are about to cave. Stories which, unfortunately enough, are easy to believe.
Comment by quiznilo (6151d2) — 7/22/2011 @ 8:59 pm
Well Barky ain’t ready for prime time as a negotiatior. And today was a particularly bad time to stamp his feet and appear angry–because tomorrow Peggy Noonan’s column in the WSJ will cut him a new one in that regard. She suggests that the country is starting to simply tune him out.
Peggy’s a slow learner; I tuned the dude out several months ago.
Comment by Comanche Voter (0e06a9) — 7/22/2011 @ 9:08 pm
Barcky, how’s that only adult in the room thing working out for you?
Comment by daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 7/22/2011 @ 9:14 pm
CV, Peggy’s column was in today’s (Friday) WSJ.
He probably choked on his waffle when he read it.
Comment by AD-RtR/OS! (7b7c30) — 7/22/2011 @ 9:34 pm
The President is in over his head and this mess has wounded his Presidency no matter how he spins the impotent Republican Party. The country already knows they are douche bags. As for the Tea Party— it is a grassroots movement that will vote again and again and toss the tossers out. The TP legislators who stuck to their guns will be rewarded.
The Soetoro Presidency and the Big Butt Wookie are tostitos. Enjoy your last ride on Air Force One…wont be nearly as fun as the NYC Dick Sniffing Date Night Run. Poor little Barry
Comment by bear1909 (c6caf5) — 7/23/2011 @ 1:01 am
Why all the hassle? Just do what we’ve done 80+ times before. Even better would be to just give treasury the authority to issue the debt necessary to carry out the laws that congress passes.
Comment by nada (48dff4) — 7/23/2011 @ 4:01 am
The comment that stunned me was his threat to raise the debt by executive order. He needs to reread Article I, Sections 7 & 8.
Comment by Arch (0baa7b) — 7/23/2011 @ 4:38 am
There’s a great book written by three Harvard profs entitled “Getting to Yes.” It outlines four steps to negotiating anything from raising your daughter’s allowance to achieving peace in the middle East.
Step one is preparation: define acceptable limits. What do you expect to get and where will you walk away?
Step two is establishing a personal relationship with the other side. If the teams have a personality conflict, replace your player.
Step three is to accept all the provisions where agreement has been reached. This step usually eliminates 90% of the proposal from discussion.
Step four is to drill down into areas of disagreement asking “why?” then seeking another solution.
It works quite well, but obviously Obama hasn’t read the book.
Comment by Arch (0baa7b) — 7/23/2011 @ 4:54 am
41. Sounds like a win-win for McConnell if Feckless does it his own self.
Morris says House should offer a $400 Billion raise for Debt Payements Only. Bar the Treasury from paying wages with the money or any other non-essential purpose.
Comment by gary gulrud (790d43) — 7/23/2011 @ 5:42 am
__________________________________________
The country already knows they are douche bags.
It’s funny because when I first saw your comment, I immediately interpreted it incorrectly. IOW, I thought the predicate of “douche bags” described this society looking at itself in the mirror…
^ The above applies a thousand times over to the very blue parts of this country, particularly states like California, New York and Massachusetts.
Comment by Mark (411533) — 7/23/2011 @ 5:55 am
Mark’s comment is on target and I have a modest proposal:
If every US citizen or resident paid federal income taxes we’d be in much better financial condition. Estimates are that about 40% pay no taxes and many actually receive so-called “refunds” under wealth redistribution schemes. Everyone should pay federal taxes, no exceptions. Institute a Universal Minimum Income Tax (UMIT) based on some reasonably fair formula, sort of like the Alternative Minimum Tax concept.
Means test Social Security and Medicare. Drug test all recipients of welfare, food stamps, housing assistance and every other social welfare program. No money for drunks, tobacco users, or dope heads. 5 year cumulative limit on eligibility, and all funds to be considered a loan to be repaid with interest.
Pass a Balanced Budget Amendment and send it to the States for ratification. Federal revenue to be capped at no more that 18% of GDP.
Outlaw public sector labor unions.
Reduce the size and scope of the federal bureaucracy to at least half its present size. Cap compensation to 75% of comparable private sector jobs.
Elect me POTUS and I’ll fix the economy, shoot every last terrorist at GITMO, toss Casey Anthony in jail along with Eric Holder and most of the crooks at DOJ, drill baby drill, restart the space program, eliminate Iran’s WMDs, defund the climate change hoax, and hold MSM accountable.
Campaign contributions accepted.
Comment by ropelight (2e7c50) — 7/23/2011 @ 6:29 am
PS: I’ll agree up-front to serve only one term and then be judged by a jury of my peers.
Comment by ropelight (2e7c50) — 7/23/2011 @ 6:35 am
“What does the president propose to cut and by how much? What taxes does he propose to raise or deductions curtail or end, and what revenues does he predict will materialize as a result?
What are the $800 billion in new revenues the Speaker offered up? (This is a shocking number and unwise concession by the Speaker, and it may represent an enormous breach with the Pledge to America. The Speaker would be greatly served by putting these details out asap before anger on the right grows.)
“I’m not going to negotiate in public” has been the president’s mantra, and it is simple code for “the public won’t support what I am proposing.” The president has bluffed, cajoled and filibustered his way through a month of closed door theatrics with the assistance of a compliant MSM, and the public is weary to the bone with the Community Organizer in Chief. His petulance, self-regard and overbearing ego combines into an unprecedented persona that is both ludicrous and also alarming in that he may truly be as clueless about the economy as he often sounds.
The president’s willingness to directly threaten seniors with a cut-off of Social Security and to abet a market panic Monday are also unprecedented, as well as irresponsible and wildly reckless acts of a blinkered pol, involved in negotiations way over his head on matters he quite obviously does not understand. His bluster, like the bluster of most amateurs, is an attempt to disguise a deep insecurity and his retreat last night to the the most bankrupt of poses –”I am for the little guy”– was unintentionally candid in that it revealed his complete contempt for promises made to voters while asking people to trust him.
Whatever John Boehner was thinking when he engaged in this doomed charade should be well and truly smashed up by now, and the Speaker should insist on everything in writing or there is nothing to talk about. “Fool me once” etc. The GOP Caucus as well must stand up and demand the details. They were not sent to D.C. to attend and applaud at the usual Beltway operas.
Put out all the details of any proposed deal and let the public see and let the public “score” the consequences. We are headed over the falls on August 2, and the public needs to know it was the president who decided on this course, who has been making empty gestures for weeks.”
http://www.hughhewitt.com/blog/g/d59cd0df-0a5a-4e4e-b164-38060104fda9
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 7:41 am
“We are headed over the falls on August 2″
Actually, Geithner had $400-odd Billion in Pension funding to pilfer when ceiling abutted. Still has about $300 left so we’re ‘good’ into October.
Comment by gary gulrud (790d43) — 7/23/2011 @ 7:45 am
Instead of going over the falls how about we prioritize spending cuts? You know, cut the fat out of the federal budget, eliminate duplicate programs, stop giving our money to China for idiot climate change projects, cut off any kind of social welfare spending to illegal aliens, make Obama Administration appointees pay their income taxes, tell Moochelle she can’t use the private jet, stuff like that, for starters.
Comment by ropelight (2e7c50) — 7/23/2011 @ 7:58 am
colonel say before
Tim a Keebler make tasty
crackers what he know
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:02 am
“abet a panic”
sound “presidential” to you?
oh, the petulance
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:04 am
he not president
he Petulant Obama!
that’s right I said it!
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:05 am
peeps trying to hold
breakfast down but colonel on
a manic roll now
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:10 am
you eat Captain Crunch
colonel eat his Wheaties® but
both lead to same place
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:12 am
you got a line and
colonel got pole and he lead
you to fishin’ hole
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:14 am
something colonel say
offend the peeps? or eggs and
bacon calling them?
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:17 am
the incredible
lightness of being colonel
must be acquired taste
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:19 am
colonel so lonely
he open heart and speak his mind
and chase peeps away
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:33 am
ColonelHaiku, breakfast of champions!
Comment by daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:37 am
daley colonel got
news he get busy with wife
and both reach sarcasm!
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:52 am
bada BOOM!
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 8:53 am
“Morris says House should offer a $400 Billion raise for Debt Payements Only. Bar the Treasury from paying wages with the money or any other non-essential purpose.”
What about contractors or medicare providers with payments due? Are they just out of luck? Farmers.. Congressional salaries? Courts? Payments to states?
The problem with these sorts of clever shenanigans is they don’t have time to figure out what to do without causing a mess. But I think that’s not going to stop them from trying.
Comment by nada (eef00e) — 7/23/2011 @ 9:24 am
POTUS was on record yesterday saying he did not move the goal posts on Boehner and, shocka, the WH confirmed he did.
Looks like the Gang of Six undermined a deal that both POTUS and Boehner could present to both parties but the ego maniac rush in Senate gave POTUS an opening to propose another $400MM in tax increase.
Comment by Sponge Bob (786e37) — 7/23/2011 @ 9:37 am
We’re all in a world of hurt when the Dems can’t even work in a good faith effort to cut the rate of growth in government spending, much less cut spending.
and Petulant Obama needs to start showing some leadership, instead of his usual preening, whiny shenanigans.
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 9:38 am
In a weird way, I hope Medicare doesn’t pay — I will immediately require Seniors pay cash for services.
It would be the most profitable thing that has happened for my businesses in its history.
Comment by Sponge Bob (786e37) — 7/23/2011 @ 9:38 am
If all patients paid upfront I can guarantee I could cut expenses by 50% even if patients “shopped less” as a result.
Comment by Sponge Bob (786e37) — 7/23/2011 @ 9:40 am
The Petulant should provide the minutes of these negotiations… e.g., written proof of these straight-forward proposals he preaches about. After all, he did say that he would. Pony up… MAN UP, Mr. Petulant.
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 9:42 am
first Hendrix Joplin
Jim M gone at twenty seven
now amy whinehouse?
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 9:46 am
didn’t see that one comin’…
Comment by ColonelHaiku (4de8c2) — 7/23/2011 @ 9:46 am
Greetings:
I wonder if First Mother-in-Law is worried about her Social Security checks or are the taxpayers supporting her sufficiently without them.
Comment by 11B40 (768818) — 7/23/2011 @ 9:50 am
I wish Congress would pass Sunset Review legislation that applied to all federally-funded programs and agencies. Not only would it force the programs/agencies to justify to Congress what they spend and what they do, it would also force Congress to vote up or down on each. Plus it would keep Congress busy reviewing everything — so it wouldn’t have as much time to pass new laws.
Comment by DRJ (fdd243) — 7/23/2011 @ 10:39 am
I’m sorry if this is a “radical” idea, but nothing seems more sensible and fair than to allow only people who own property to vote. I know that the Tea Party guy who said that was savaged but the arguments against the idea are only tautological.
Comment by quiznilo (6151d2) — 7/23/2011 @ 10:59 am
Comment by 11B40 — 7/23/2011 @ 9:50 am
Not only that, but Barry might have to spend his own “dime” to support that illegal alien aunt living in public housing and on-the-dole in Boston.
Comment by AD-RtR/OS! (c887fc) — 7/23/2011 @ 12:25 pm
Colonel waste haiku
early Sat. morning when his
peeps catch up on sleep
Comment by elissa (28d62e) — 7/23/2011 @ 1:19 pm
#72, quiznilo @ 10:59 am, we already tried a variation on the property theme. How about votes based on tax payments?
One dollar in taxes paid equals one vote, pay $2500 in taxes get 2500 votes, which could all go to one candidate or be distributed among candidates regardless of party affiliation.
Comment by ropelight (2e7c50) — 7/23/2011 @ 1:45 pm
Perhaps somebody will get over the delusions of economic schizophrenia that keep the Democrats believing that they can continue to spend at current levels merely by taxing the rich. First, the rich aren’t that rich and second, the federal government spending currently is that out of control. There isn’t an endless supply of money out there, even if they tax everybody.
The federal government has achieved the economic “Bridge Too Far” and will eminently lose all those programs that they complain about having to “give up” if they don’t come to grips with reality.
Comment by A. Weiner (d1c681) — 7/24/2011 @ 1:04 am
oshortbus has his Potemkin Budget Proposal™ with plenty of meaty platitudes and rhetoric. He’ll unveil it in December of 2012—honest!
Comment by ∅ (e7577d) — 7/24/2011 @ 1:33 am
The President said he did not move the revenue goal posts during his peevish news conference and declare he would release info to prove it. The Speaker said he did. OK, where’s the documents Obama promised!
Comment by Al Reasin (996c34) — 7/24/2011 @ 8:35 am
note to Barry O
thanks for foot stomp memories
Mister Petulant
Comment by ColonelHaiku (8a1a1f) — 7/24/2011 @ 8:54 am
In 2004, spending per capita was less than $8000.
Merely recycling this would lead to an expected budget surplus.
Comment by Michael Ejercito (64388b) — 7/24/2011 @ 9:15 am
Colonel Haiku say
Van Hagar lyric
times guy bow down low
Comment by Timesdisliker (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 1:46 pm
Big O 2012
Mike Anthony and Cherone
got room on the bench
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 1:49 pm
Dems paid for every
dance debt talk sound like humma
lay zeebuhla bop
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 1:55 pm
debt talk photo op
O look lighter than Boehner
that’s right I said it
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 1:59 pm
Boehner say he will
act alone times guy think this
regular habit
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 2:06 pm
Dude these idiots are playing with fire.
Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/24/2011 @ 2:21 pm
With all due respect
tipping point ain’t in China
might as well haiku
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 2:45 pm
Arthur Brown say
you fought hard you saved and learned
all of it will burn
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 2:53 pm
crazy world times guy
but this Mister Petulant
he the wackiest
Comment by Colonelhaiku (8a1a1f) — 7/24/2011 @ 3:02 pm
times guy crazy from
heat! must turn fire hose on him
he haiku to death!
Comment by Colonelhaiku (8a1a1f) — 7/24/2011 @ 3:06 pm
Obama the hypocrite accused Bush of overspending.
Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/24/2011 @ 3:09 pm
Harry Reid few fries
short of Happy Meal™ just like
Granny McBotox
Comment by ColonelHaiku (8a1a1f) — 7/24/2011 @ 3:09 pm
I swear the Botox caused Brain death in nanny Pelositard.
Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/24/2011 @ 3:10 pm
Keebler Tim Geithner
pay back taxes and return
to Elf Cracker fold
Comment by ColonelHaiku (8a1a1f) — 7/24/2011 @ 3:11 pm
People’s Republic
Nanski with the Laughing Eyes
match made in Heaven
Comment by ColonelHaiku (8a1a1f) — 7/24/2011 @ 3:13 pm
hold please, China on line
say “Nanski, dial it back, dear!”
give Commies a bad name
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 6:42 pm
Dems should not be too
concerned with the back taxes
tax the full frontal
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 6:45 pm
oh $@#! market speaks
‘oriental’ now ‘asian’
still inscrutable
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 6:47 pm
times guy surrender
Dem Repub think money time
go on forever
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 6:50 pm
Cue the DSM blaming the repubs if things go south.
Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/24/2011 @ 7:21 pm
“The President is in over his head…”
He’d be in over his head if he was running a lemonade stand.
Comment by Dave Surls (28f866) — 7/24/2011 @ 8:47 pm
Doh you say “if” but
fifty percent of households
have good thing going
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 8:48 pm
unlike some massage
parlors in Garden Grove there
no happy ending
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 8:49 pm
sad so f#@$!%g sad
times guy smile thru the tears
but D.C. content
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 8:53 pm
no loss is a win
when decision is delayed
O golf Boehner tan
Comment by Timesdislaiku (af5a31) — 7/24/2011 @ 8:57 pm
WTH? What’s magic about real estate, that qualifies its owner to vote? Are you just trying to drive property prices up again by making ownership a condition of the franchise?! Or are you the same lefty troll under yet another name?
That said, the franchise should be restricted to those who are net tax payers, rather than tax receivers. If a person receives more from the public fisc than he pays in, then his interests are opposed to those of the taxpayers, and he should not have the right to vote.
Comment by Milhouse (8f4156) — 7/24/2011 @ 10:17 pm
Hyprocrisy exposed:
June 2002: Congress raises the debt limit to $6.4 trillion. McConnell, Boehner, and Cantor vote “yea”, Kyl votes “nay.”
May 2003: debt limit upped to $7.384 trillion. All four approve.
November 2004: debt limit upped to $8.1 trillion. All four approve.
March 2006: debt limit to $8.965 trillion. All four approve.
September 2007: debt limit to $9.815 trillion. All four approve.
Comment by Anita Busch (a025dd) — 7/25/2011 @ 9:55 pm
“Hyprocrisy exposed: [etc.]”
LOL.
How unusual. An alleged journalist who doesn’t know what words mean.
That’s something you don’t see…more than a few thousand times a day.
Comment by Dave Surls (28f866) — 7/25/2011 @ 10:49 pm
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2011/07/24/opinion/sunday/24editorial_graph2.html?ref=sunday
Comment by Anita Busch (a025dd) — 7/26/2011 @ 8:21 am
All you show is that the Republicans increased the debt ceiling to a level 50% lower than demanded to today, and before Pelosi and Obama increased the deficit tenfold.
It’s like calling me a hypocrite because I can eat a double cheeseburger, but I can’t eat five of them.
True hypocrisy is how the democrats swore they would reduce the deficit by half, and now plan never to return to the $150 billion pre-Pelosi era deficits. And how Obama himself refused to raise a debt ceiling to 9.whatever trillion, calling it a leadership failure, and today demands a raise to 60-70% more than what he used to claim was too far.
Yes, the GOP raised the debt ceiling in the past, but with much lower deficits. They were on an unsustainable path, but it’s difficult to compare it to the Pelosi/Obama/Reid era deficits of well over a trillion per year. They won’t even let a budget pass now that the GOP has one house of congress.
Things are much different now than they were then. At $150 billion deficit per year, the problem was long term. today, the problem is short term.
The rating of our nation’s t-bills is in question because we have no plan to pay this debt down. Can’t you agree something is fundamentally different now? There is much more reason to reject a debt ceiling increase today than ever before.
Comment by Dustin (b7410e) — 7/26/2011 @ 8:34 am
They won’t even let a budget pass now that the GOP has one house of congress.
Dustin – their fear of actual budgets happened long before they lost the House.
Comment by JD (17575c) — 7/27/2011 @ 5:23 am