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SEQUESTER: The Horror!
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Hello, I Must Be Going
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Weekend Political Wrap-Up, Paul Ryan Edition
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Esquire Blogger Sees Paul Ryan, Shreds His Safety Net
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The Spectacle Blog
Democratic and Republican leaders seem to have agreed on a deal that would cut about $40 billion in spending for the remainder of the fiscal year and capping 2011 appropriations at or below $1.050 trillion. House Speaker John Boehner made the pitch directly to President Obama and is now selling it to the House Republican Conference. It looks like there may be stopgap funding to keep the government operating while the details are ironed out.
The challenge will be keeping everyone on board if it cannot pass quickly. This deal isn’t likely to excite either party’s base. Democrats may not like accepting the Republicans’ final offer and avoiding a shutdown many of them thought would hurt the GOP; Republicans may be displeased that $40 billion is a lot closer to the Democrats’ starting bid of $33 billion than the Republicans’ $61 billion. But both sides could also conclude that this is the best they are going to get.
UPDATE: I’m hearing that the Senate will be required to hold up-or-down votes on Planned Parenthood and Obamacare funding.
Dinkiedow | 4.8.11 @ 11:04PM
When waiting for all apples to ripen you chance losing whole crop!
Clint| 4.8.11 @ 11:17PM
More Big Government Parasite Leech Spenders scurrying about rearranging the deck chairs, as The Ship of State takes on water.
We Tea Party Patriots are ramping up for The Tea Party Tax Day Rallies.
Walk The Talk.
jharp| 4.8.11 @ 11:27PM
"I'm hearing that the Senate will be required to hold up-or-down votes on Planned Parenthood and Obamacare funding."
Great work guys. You must be proud.
So what is your goal? More cancerous vaginas for poor women? And more children without health insurance?
What in the f*ck is wrong with you people?
Dixie Pixie| 4.8.11 @ 11:44PM
Better a little of something than a lot of nothing.
Incrementalism does work as political policy if one's party has the will to push on to a larger goal.
It would have been better to force the $71 billion cut goal that Harry Reid was bellowing about but both compromises are a lot short of the $1.7 trillion dollars cuts needed to balance the budget this year.
On the other hand it is better to take what is in the store window than wait for something which may never arrive.
The real pity is the DOD General Staff had a golden opportunity to pull out of all three wars.
(RE...Afghan War, Iraq war and the Libyan War.)
All DOD had to state was with no money to pay the troops, all overseas operations must be shut down.
The DOD could then announce it is using the remaining funds to unilaterally bring all the troops home from all overseas posts.
The look on Harry Reid's and the Democrats face would be priceless.
The One Who Runs Like A Duck| 4.8.11 @ 11:46PM
There you go gayharp. I like the way you're explaining yourself. "And more children without health insurance?" Those would be the ones that white liberals like yourself talked their mothers into aborting. Very Darwinian talking those dark people into killing their young. As part of the deal we magically cure their cancer. Why does a gay guy like yourself want to kill other people's young? I mean you are from a Darwinian point of view just as screwed up as they are. Oh well. This type of thinking doesn't put me into a good golf mood. Wars, economic crisis and killing other people's children are such downers. I need to stay positive if I have any chance to beat Boehner. Take a poor person to an abortion clinic in a Chevy Volt, baby. By the way throw in even more profanities. I don't think they are hearing you. Also don't forget your gayness. Catchers like yourself really creep them out. All the way to Gitm0 on high speed rail.
Steve in Pittsburgh| 4.8.11 @ 11:53PM
They need to move that decimal point over a few more places. This is a drop in a rainstorm.
Nick| 4.9.11 @ 12:00AM
This whole exercise was like arguing about a leaky faucet while the Titanic was sinking.
Very disappointing.
Time to primary the leadership.
Dixie Pixie| 4.9.11 @ 12:00AM
Jharp... do you even bother to think before posting?
Balancing needs with ability is the heart and soul of any politics.
A straight up or down vote is exactly what is the American political systems calls for.
What do you fear anyway?
PS....Webmaster the above post is exactly what the (Reply To) function should be used for.
How else are we to confront the Trolls and defeat them.
Please, Pretty Please, bring back the most beloved of web functions.
(Reply To This) may you live again!
Paul McGrath| 4.9.11 @ 12:03AM
Hello Mr. jharp,
I hesitate to take you on because I suspect the experience will be unpleasant. Your unerring truculence does not seem to invite debate. But, for now, I will wade into the muck.
If it is a given that medical care should be provided to those who are incapable of providing for themselves, are there at least some medical procedures that should not be provided by the government? Abortion? Contraceptives? Viagra? I'm sure there are dozens of others, but to the extent that none of the above are required to sustain life, is it really necessary that these be funded by the taxpayer?
Your comment about "cancerous vaginas" escapes me. Are the Republicans planning to defund cancer treatment in some way? Please illuminate.
As to children without health insurance . . . well, I'm not sure what you mean by that either. To a large degree, thank God, children are insured by their parents' health plans. Those children who come from broken homes do have government funded health insurance, to some degree, and will, I'm sure, continue to have it. But your point is so vague that I'm not sure what you're referring to. Please, elucidate. We'll have a real debate. You and me.
Marco| 4.9.11 @ 12:06AM
Wow, all that sturm and drang over such a miniscule pile of poop. New Republican leadership, anybody?
Nick| 4.9.11 @ 12:06AM
What kind of sick pervert would defend Planned Parenthood?
An organization founded by the racist, eugenics promoting, abortion loving, God-hating, skank Margret Sanger.
The same kind of sick pervert who would worship Bubba 'the pervert' Clinton and lie about having a handicapped daughter, I guess.
Pelligrino| 4.9.11 @ 12:31AM
John Boehner has to go. No more majority leadership for him. He's done.
There is no reason to compromise.
$40 billion is toothpicks.
Why did he keep going to the White House? One visit was more than enough. Make Golfer Obamster come to Capitol Hill; make his ass sweat. Make him look the fool he is.
[Note to Boehner: You are always to be at varying levels of serious contention with the Executive Branch.]
Or just stop working at, say, 7 p.m. each day. I mean, like all that US Senate hurrah activity in December 2010 (extension of tax rates, etc.). Why do these idiot procrastinators need to be placated? Why allow 11th-hour sophomoric antics?
Like the motto, "I'm not going to do overtime and extra panic 'hair on fire drills' just because you are incompetent."
Let many federal bureaucrats go without work for a couple of weeks. No big deal.
Immediate: A 50% pay cut for all members of the US Congress and all senior staff in the US Executive Branch until we have a perfectly balanced budget. Do it.
Clint| 4.9.11 @ 12:44AM
The GOP Ruling Elite Fops Capitulate once again.
"Already, many conservative Republicans said they will oppose the deal.
“I’m voting no,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the powerful Republican Study Committee, which is the conservative caucus in the House. “It was RSC that pushed the number to $61 [billion]. We think that is just a modest down payment and so we are not pleased with the number. Frankly, we appreciate the speaker’s effort, but we wanted to make more progress on the life issue and we certainly, most importantly, wanted to get to the $61 billion in savings.”
Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican who pushed to have the bill withhold funding for health care, also criticized the deal.
“We’re at $39 billion, that doesn’t get us there and we made our stand at $61 billion,” Mr. King said. “If it were me, we wouldn’t be making a deal here.”
Same Old, Same Old Democrat Light Crap.
The Tea Tea Party Rebellion Escalates.
Walk The Talk At The Tea Party Tax Day Rallies.
jharp| 4.9.11 @ 12:46AM
Paul McGrath| 4.9.11 @ 12:03AM
"Your comment about "cancerous vaginas" escapes me. Are the Republicans planning to defund cancer treatment in some way? Please illuminate."
Sure. It escapes you because you are stupid.
Planned parenthood's main function is reproductive health. As in cancer screenings for women who have no other means. And early detection saves lives and taxpayer dollars.
And planned parenthood saves taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and lives with early detection of cancer.
You are welcome.
Idiot.
jharp| 4.9.11 @ 12:51AM
Nick| 4.9.11 @ 12:06AM
"What kind of sick pervert would defend Planned Parenthood?"
Pretty much your standard ignorant racist redneck bigoted religious nut bag cracker else wise known as a republican.
Seriously. Denying cancer screenings for poor women?
What in the f*ck is wrong with you people?
Intelligent Design| 4.9.11 @ 1:03AM
Relative to the national debt, cutting spending by $39 billion is like a person who is $15,000 in debt cutting his spending by $42 a year.
Pelligrino| 4.9.11 @ 1:24AM
Thank you, Intel Design. Right-o. One won't get to scream "I'm debt free!!!" like on Dave Ramsey's radio show, that's for sure.
Should we sign up the top 3,750 pols and bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. for a Dave Ramsey blowout Nashville arena Total Money Makeover seminar weekend?
Or would they all melt or vaporize in the "Financial Peace Plaza?"
SoCon| 4.9.11 @ 1:35AM
I'm not going to blame Speaker Boehner for the deal he struck with Obama and Reid. The Democrats had Boehner over a barrel by threatening to cut off pay for our troops.
That was unacceptable. The troops are already sacrificing too much.
If we want to stop the profligate spending by the Marxists in DC we are going to have to get off our asses and work for the election of more CONSERVATIVES in 2012!
The buck stops with us. Wisconsin came through for Prosser, we can do the same for the Senate and the Presidency. Let's get to work; November, 2012 is coming up fast.
Jefferson said it best, "The PEOPLE get the government they deserve." We won't deserve better government unless and until we fight for it.
It's on us. I know we can do it.
Nick| 4.9.11 @ 2:23AM
Anyone who would defend Planned Parenthood must also be a fan of Hitler and Pol-Pot, as they both wanted to get rid of all the undesirables, just like the racist, eugenics loving skank Margret Sanger.
Eugenics skank Margret Sanger = Hitler = Pol-Pot = Jackass-harp
mario| 4.9.11 @ 3:05AM
A leader who breaks down is sissy and I was fearful the very first day that he has no guts to go toe to toe with lying democrats. Need to change the Speaker. We need a new speaker. He is a cry baby and gutless.
SoCon| 4.9.11 @ 3:25AM
What about the troops? Michele Bachmann said they were besieged all week by calls from frantic military families worried about no paychecks. What would you have done?
Gold BC| 4.9.11 @ 3:49AM
When Michele Bachmann signaled compomise yesterday Congressional Tea Party resistance weakened hence the GOP defeat in the budget battle. Unfortunately for Bachmann and the GOP her Presidential hopes have been compromised and resistance to the next big vote, the raising of the debt ceiling weakened.
Pelligrino| 4.9.11 @ 4:22AM
SoCon, please don't believe the tripe from someone in the military who says he lives (gets by) from paycheck to paycheck.
If so, then this fellow (married or n0t) needs to LEAVE the service.
No, at least in the first decade of service, one does not get financially rich in the US military. But those presently serving are the best paid ever.
What we want in the military is mature adults, whether 20 years old or 34 years old. Mature adults DO NOT live from paycheck to paycheck.
And I don't want to hear about sob story 22 year old E-3s with a wife and three kids. If you want that size family AT THAT AGE, great! Knock yourself out. Have babies. But don't expect a military salary to finance 4 mouths to feed at 22 or 23 years old.
Just do the mature thing: Wait a few years/promotions and then plan with your wife to 'expand' the family.
One of the most pathetic places to see/hear/listen on any military base is the Community Services office where some lib/entitlements civilian bureaucrat NEVER stares these young immature troops in the eyes and says, "Live within your means and come talk to me when you don't have $13,950 in accumulated debt over the last year, you idiot!"
Parked outside is the troop's new tricked up, maxed out $31,899 year 2010 auto. (financed) At his quarters is a $2,789 flatscreen. His ultra gaming PC is somewhere north of $1,999 but that doesn't even begin to count the software, CDs, DVDs, etc. You get the picture.
(You see, a troop or officer who cannot handle his money is a risk/liability/vulnerability. Sadly, there are many. Ask any bank manager near a base or the reputable car dealership managers near military bases.)
NOBODY in America should be living paycheck to paycheck, certainly no government workers nor any active duty military.
They get a 'promise/voucher' anyway for the pay even if the electronic deposit wouldn't occur during a 1-3 week US govt. shutdown. Big deal. Maybe this would rattle the soldier, sailor, or airman's head enough for him to start practicing simple financial responsibility.
C Smith| 4.9.11 @ 4:36AM
The budget impasse tonight pivoted on one point – abortion, a miniscule fraction of the total. Yet Obama and Reid and a plethora of screaming feminists were literally frothing at the mouth over the suggestion abortion funding might be curtailed. They tried tirelessly to justify the "A" word, but God wasn't listening
David writes: "... thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.... My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them" (Psalms 139:13-16).
The words of Jeremiah: "Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations" (Jeremiah 1:4-5).
"And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; And entered into the house of Zacharias... And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb" (Luke 1:39 -41).
Tonight, as the cause of the innocent among us went again unheard, we all remain complicit in that euphemism called "a woman's right to choose." For a less sanitized rendition, go to Google, click Images, and enter the word "abortion."
In that Day Obama and Reid and a plethora of feminists (unless there is repentance) will stand before the Lord in silence.
"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hades delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged... according to their works.... And whosoever was not found written in the book of life..." (Revelation 20:11-15).
http://the-day-of-the-lord.blo.....u-say.html
SGT Tony| 4.9.11 @ 5:56AM
jharp:
my issue with federal funding for planned parenthood is this:
why are my taxpayer dollars being used?
why am I forced to give money out of my pocket to give to someone else?
If planned parenthood needs money, it can rely on the scores of people who donate to worthy causes. Don't force people to 'donate'.
I give around 5-10 percent of my paycheck every year to several charities, and an unknown amount to my soldiers via time and equipment to make sure that they are ready for war.
How much do you give?
More importantly, how much do you take?
Living the dream, experiencing the nightmare.
Go Army!
Lou Sarah| 4.9.11 @ 9:08AM
So, Boehner didn`t want to party like it`s 1996 again? What will the Know-Nothings in the Tea Party wing of the GOP say?
Clint| 4.9.11 @ 10:16AM
"Tea Party supporters are wealthier and more well-educated than the general public according to the New York Times/CBS News poll."
We Tea Party Patriots are at War with The Big Government Parasite Leeches, who " Party Like It's 1999" Prince.
Aaaand it's with Our Taxpayer Money, force confiscated by These Big Government Parasite Leeches.
Patrick| 4.9.11 @ 10:35AM
hey what TF'K is wrong with you jharp? why ignore all of the dead babies Planned Parenthood funds & carries out? Show me one proof that PP carries out ANY LIFE-SAVING SERVICES and then we can talk.
show me proof of LIVES SAVED? hmmm?
what a pathetic murderer-supporting liberal.
cantor & bonehead coked. caved. wiffd!!!!.
Patrick| 4.9.11 @ 10:42AM
PS
To Lu Sarah:
How about the "know-nothing liberals" faction of the congress? hmm? can you name me the last time the dem/lib controlled Congress passed a budget? can you name one plan they countered to ryan's beside whole the bullsh*t name-calling?
how about Obama who was MIA during this whole farce. vacationing in Rio? now Colonial williamsburgh?
"know-nothings"? please, the left didnt provide one iota of solutions or ideas during this whole mess, EXCEPT TO SUPPORT ABORTIONS. if the repubs have shown they have no spine, the dems are now on life support with their hearts & brains fading fast.
absolutely pathetic.
Patrick| 4.9.11 @ 10:42AM
PS
To Lu Sarah:
How about the "know-nothing liberals" faction of the congress? hmm? can you name me the last time the dem/lib controlled Congress passed a budget? can you name one plan they countered to ryan's beside whole the bullsh*t name-calling?
how about Obama who was MIA during this whole farce. vacationing in Rio? now Colonial williamsburgh?
"know-nothings"? please, the left didnt provide one iota of solutions or ideas during this whole mess, EXCEPT TO SUPPORT ABORTIONS. if the repubs have shown they have no spine, the dems are now on life support with their hearts & brains fading fast.
absolutely pathetic.
The One Who Runs Like A Duck| 4.9.11 @ 11:47AM
You're letting progressives down, gayharp. Being ashamed of your sexual preference is not what the left has fought for. It is time you came out of the closet and got in the faces of the right. Show them the inner gayharp. Give in to that dark side of which you just show glimpses. Sharp guys like Nick can get the connection between you and a mass murderer but you need to more explicit with dolts like Lou Sarah. You are willing to kill tens of millions of babies to keep them from not having insurance. You are man of "compassion" or a typical white liberal. More profanities and references to the various buggery that you practice will get your point across. Remember we are the party of ideas, the Chevy Volt, wind farms, high speed rail that nobody wants, man caused disasters, overseas military contingency operations, hitting the reset button, awarding no-bid contracts to Halliburton, bombing Libya, maintaining Gitmo, military tribunals, abortions for underage hookers, etc. There is no end to our ideas especially when they enrich our friends. Off to play golf again. Do you find it weird that Michelle lectures people on eating when she has a hind end that makes Hillary look petite? I need to get more mirrors in the White House, baby.
7d7| 4.9.11 @ 12:21PM
What, by this action, was done with the Federal budget:
.
A family with income of $26,000 a year is spending $38,000. (Add eight zeroes to each of those figures and you have the federal budget.)
.
The so-called “man of the house” tells his family, “We can’t go on like this. Our credit cards are near their limit, and soon we won’t even be able to pay the interest on them. We need to spend less, so let’s cut spending this year by $630 to $37,370”
.
After a few days of conflict at home, he can’t bear the pressure. He goes back to his family and sheepishly tells them he will be satisfied if they cut spending by only $390, and that he will accept the family spending $37,610.
.
Why should we have any confidence Republican leaders will have the courage to address the remaining $11,600 in my example (multiplied by 100 million in the federal budget) when they can’t hold out even a weekend over a lousy $240 that won't even begin to address the problem?
.
I’m thoroughly disgusted with not just them, but my supposedly conservative Congressman that voted them into positions of leadership. Why give majorities to Republicans when the allow Democrats to dictate the agenda and the results on any issue of consequence?
Oldefarte| 4.9.11 @ 12:54PM
Harpie, I don't hesitate to take you on, but rather relish your stupidity [not ignorance, since that would imply a possible intellectual capacity on your part, which is impossible]. Your point about starving poor women and children of governmental welfare is typically ludicrous. These women are poor because they have no gained intelligence/knowledge from our free public school system, and therefore have no obtained income from which to afford to purchase their own private health insurance etc. Tuff excrement! They're poor because basically they chose to be so. It not my/taxpayers' fault that they're stupid [like yourself] and poor. They need to go get a job [oh wait, they can't since Barry/Democrats have killed all prospects for that with their socialistic asinine policies]. Harpie, I have one piece of advice for morons like yourself and that is to .........STICK IT WHERE THE SUN DON'T SHINE [AND TWIST IT SIDEWAYS]!!!!!!!!!!
SoCon| 4.9.11 @ 12:57PM
News flash, Pelligrino; a lot of Americans live paycheck to paycheck--especially in this mess of an economy.
I agree with you about the wisdom of sound long-term financial planning; but sometimes life serves up a crap sandwich and it takes a while to recover financially. A sudden cut-off of pay would hurt most American families.
I worry about our combat troops and their families; they've been through an inordinate amount of stress the last 10 years. It infuriates me that they'd be caught up in the DC political meat-grinder.
It seems nonsensical to me that Boehner would betray us--he's got to know his future political prospects are in a world of hurt if he does.
I still believe the buck stops with us though. No one's going to give us anything--we're going to have to take our country back.
Truth is King| 4.9.11 @ 6:41PM
To SoCon:
Hear, hear! Great posts today & I heartily agree with you on all points.
SoCon| 4.9.11 @ 8:08PM
Thanks Truth! I've enjoyed your posts, too. :)
martin j smith| 4.10.11 @ 8:35AM
Be careful of defeatists sentiment. there is a great deal of difference between criticism and defeatism.
Am I satisfied --No--but here is my feeling why I do not dwell too much negatively: Knowing the NYT as I do. Whey the NYT says "both sides" came together it really means they are protecting Obama. That is their spin. Truth is this country will need to change its economic course away from spending. Save your energy and don't get oo taken by jharp or that idiot lou sara. Or are they the same thing ? How much of our tax dollars are they being paid to be on our show ?
Oldefarte| 4.10.11 @ 10:28AM
Amen, Martin J! My take is that Harpie is possibly one of Eric's [and Barry's] covert cyber operatives over at D of J, commanded to infiltrate conservative sites for mayhem purposes!!!!!!
Yosemeti Sam| 4.10.11 @ 1:37PM
Yo, HR Republicans - there are yet 18 months till next November.
How do you want to fare with Boner as your fearless leader?
86 the guy and vote in a new leader(ship).
Jo| 4.10.11 @ 4:20PM
Why don't we see how Boehner does in the next 18 months before we jettison him? You're premature.