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Friday, July 8, 2011 at 10:00 AM EDT
Week In The News: Casey Anthony, Debt Ceiling, Biblical Dust Storm

A week in the news: Debt ceiling summitry, Case Anthony uproar, Minnesota shutdown, a Murdoch tabloid shut down.

Casey Anthony talks with her attorneys before the start of her sentencing hearing at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Fla. While acquitted of killing and abusing her daughter, Caylee, Anthony was convicted of four counts of lying to police officials trying to find her daughter. (AP)

Casey Anthony talks with her attorneys before the start of her sentencing hearing. While acquitted of killing her daughter, Anthony was convicted of four counts of lying to police officials trying to find her daughter. (AP)

Casey Anthony and a jury verdict seized the nation’s headlines this week. She will walk in the death of her daughter.

Meanwhile, the future of the country is being banged out –- or maybe not -– behind closed doors at the White House. Republicans want massive cuts before the debt ceiling. President Obama, apparently doubling down, with Medicare and Social Security on the table.

All in a rush.

We’ve got a Minnesota shutdown, Roger Clemens in the dock, Murdoch in trouble, Phoenix in a Biblical dust storm.

This hour On Point: our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines.

-Tom Ashbrook

Guests:

Major Garrett, congressional correspondent National Journal.

Ruth Marcus, editorial writer and columnist at The Washington Post.

Jack Beatty, On Point news analyst.

From Tom’s Reading List:

 
  • Ellen Dibble

    Site monitors — in case you want to just delete this, please do — Tuesday night into Wednesday, I posted something about the Sciolino hour in re “DSK” et al, and then experienced a massive crash of my computer as I was moving from one OnPoint program to another.  The next day was spent “recovering,” with much “molasses” and malfunctions and re-sets back to Monday that would fail and sort of succeed, maybe disabling my mouse or forbidding this and that — and I’m still thinking some ghost in my computer is trying to piggyback on my OnPoint shortcut.  So it’s interesting that Tom seems to be migrating to tweeting.  I’m thinking Tweet-land doesn’t need my germs.  I’m thinking maybe I’m not the only one.  I’ll be fine, but just FYI.

  • Terry Tree Tree

    DEBT CEILING;  Anyone that voted for, or advocated raising the Debt Ceiling, during the ‘W’ administration (7), should abstain voting on this matter.  Let’s see how much honest debate is left!

    GOP PRIMARIES;  Each and every one of them have critical flaws, mostly hypocracy! 

    MINNESOTA SHUTDOWN;  The party of ‘NO’, extremely exhibits NO sense!!

    CASEY ANTHONY;  Over a month to report that a child is missing??”  So many reasons to make sure she is NEVER around ANY children, as far as I understand the case.  My children couldn’t be gone Hours, before I’d be trying to find them. 

    ‘News International’, could that be a Murdock company, like Fox News??   A surprise that they used unethical, and criminal methods to generate “news”??  If it gets exposed for what it really is,  Fox will claim some kind of bias, or some other distraction from the truth.

    Terry, in Brewstertown, Tenn.

  • Fredlinskip

    I believe anyone who believes less revenue = more revenue, as GOP has been advocating for 30 years ought to be shipped out on a permanent mission to Mars, so that people with slight grasp of reality can debate and solve America’s problems effectively (you can put all those who not believe man-influenced climate change does not exist [although 98% of qualified scientists world- wide believe it does] on there too). Allow those with mental faculties enough to comprehend up is not down, yellow is not blue, and less is not more, have an intelligent discussion.To pay down debt revenue is required. It’s not that tough to understand.     When in America’s short history was debt low, employment high, strong middle class, economy strong, etc.? What policies were in place? It’s not difficult to look up. Look it up and then speak intelligently so that our grand compromise to raise debt ceiling is not half policies that are good and half that are lunacy. We need clear -eyed people at the helm right now.

    • http://richardsnotes.org Richard

      While I agree with the spirit of your post, looking at the policies that were in place when good things were happening isn’t quite right, we need to look at the policies in place before good things were happening. No doubt we agree that the policies of George W. Bush have led us to where we are now and Obama has been thrashing around attempting to correct things. Looking back even further, the deregulation that happened during Bill Clinton’s Presidency (Greenspan, Rubin, Summers) was a future disaster that only a few could see.

      So, unfortunately, things become a bit more abstract for the average American mind when the very experts who supposedly created a lot of growth also planted the seeds that would undercut it in future years.

      • AL

        I agree, Richard.  There is so much that went into where we’re at right now, but it’s part of a worldwide economic shift, not just a simple matter of the US deficit.  Obviously these things get oversimplified in the media and by politicians, especially, but I feel like this is the wrong time for Congress to go into slash & burn economic policies regarding social programs…while nakedly protecting the interests of the rich & corporations.

        There is no easy answer, especially when we have our very expensive commitments in the Middle East going on for the forseeable future.  Our politicians need to quit the partisan BS and work for the good fo the country.  The GOP’s strategy for quite awhile has been purely obstructionist toward anything Democrats want to do.  That’s not to say that the Democrats have been without blame, either, however the GOP party line seems to be to demonize anything the Dems want to do.

        Sorry for the ramble, but I’m fed up with all the political gamesmanship.  There is no quick and/or easy way to “legislate” us out of the current economic malaise.  It’s a worldwide issue.  But the petty squabbling is getting us nowhere, and Congress is not really showing that they have the good of the entire country in mind, only those powerful interests to whom they are beholden.

        • http://richardsnotes.org Richard

          Right on Al.

          Let’s not forget to factor in that during the Clinton years China and India weren’t doing what they’re doing now and Korea was just getting its act together. 

          When economists who I admire like Simon Johnson talk about these things I’m quite sure it sounds like a total abstraction to many Americans. Unfortunately we (Americans) don’t have a good history when it comes to strategic thinking on a global scale.

      • Fredlinskip

        To Richard (and other replies of similar note):    “While I agree with the spirit of your” reply, when I said, “In what administrations in America’s short history … (paraphrasing)… were times good?”, I was referring not ONLY to Clinton administration. There were others as well. I am advocating examination of past “successful” administration policy, Rep and Dem, so as to more accurately discern which current policy suggestions might be worthwhile and which ones ludicrous.    Personally I don’t believe it will take anyone with slightly open mind and willingness to actually learn something to come away with powerful honest lessons which SHOULD shed light on present debate considerably.

        • Fredlinskip

             I’m just advocating “Intelligent life on Earth”. If you allow yourself to be informed by million different snippets of information thrown at you from many different and questionable sources, or from some talking head staring with “deer in headlight” gaze from a screen, you’re views are bound to be skewed.     Do your own research. This country was founded on principle of an informed public. We ain’t got that now. Almost half the country STILL believes Saddam still had something to do with 9/11. Almost half doesn’t believe in evolution. Our education standards are low- this needs be countered. Those whose views are colored only by selfish self-interest need be countered by people who actually care enough to want to understand.      Don’t look back 20 years from now wondering, “What the Hell was I thinking?” Disagree with me on the issues, but at least be informed.Do your part. Don’t be passive. Your country needs you.

    • Gregg

      The ol’ “98% of qualified scientist” lie, such a meaningless talking point. It’s so easy to say and so impossible to back up. No wonder you didn’t but I don’t mean to quibble and I certainly won’t change your mind if you believe what you have been fed.

      I have to agree with the “spirit” of the replies below. It is meaningless to compare what’s happening now to what happened 15 years ago. The economy is influenced by too many factors. Better to look at what has failed now and change it now to address issues facing us now. Look at Greece and Portugal then Canada and Germany. Look at Wisconsin, Virginia, Ohio and New Jersey. Look at the successes and failures happening now under these circumstances. It is far too easy to put our heads in the sand and say just turn back time and history will repeat itself verbatim. It’s shallow thinking.

      But just to go there, I have a question for those who advocate going back to Clinton’s tax rates. I think it’s a horrible idea that would hurt the poorest, especially the 6 million that saw their tax burden disappear completely under Bush. But leaving that aside, why are those same people not advocating going back to Clinton’s spending levels? Is it just easier to pick and choose which policies you like and project their influence onto the entire economy. I guess so.

    • Anonymous

      @963de30d9891006167e13f1c2510ca40:disqus I also agree in spirit, but strongly argue for MORE spending right NOW; see:

      http://blogs.ft.com/the-a-list/2011/07/07/only-further-stimulus-can-tackle-america’s-jobless-wage-less-recovery/?ftcamp=rss#axzz1RWPzEGFU

  • Jay’s Reading List

     President Obama’s stimulus has cost $278,000 per job.

    • Anonymous

      Does that average include the $million per year for EACH deployed troop? 

      • Michael

        4 people hired in the U.S. or keeping 1 in afganstain? Ill take the 4

    • Terry Tree Tree

      Jay,  How much did the jobs created by ‘W’ cost each?  Oh, yes, we LOST jobs, creating the need for more!  Conservatives are only conservative of the wealth and power of the rich and powerful!   Who’s pay has gone UP since ‘W’ took office?  Who’s pay went DOWN?  Pay staying the same , with inflation, is a reduction.

    • heidideidi in BTV

      @font-face {
      font-family: “Cambria”;
      }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }

      The stimulus saved jobs that would have otherwise been lost
      due to drastic decreases in revenues due to the loss of jobs. The proof of this
      is that states are now laying off public sector employees due to the continued
      loss of jobs and revenues without the needed support of the federal government.

       

    • heidideidi in BTV

      Site your source please.

    • ThresherK

      “The Bush tax cuts cost $329,220 for each job it created.  That, according to the math recently employed by The Weekly Standard in its analysis of the cost per job from Obama’s stimulus package.”

      http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/05/991693/-Bush-tax-cuts-cost-$329,220-for-each-job-created

      “Let’s apply the Boehner Math test and see how it worked.

      * The estimated cost of the Bush tax cuts through 2008 was $1.5 trillion.

      * The number of jobs created during the Bush presidency was 3 million.

      * Using Boehner’s Math and a trusty handheld calculator, and you end up with
      $500,000 per job.” ”
      http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2011072705/boehner-math-bush-tax-cuts-cost-500000-job

      I’m not the one saying the simpletonian math, which nobody used until the propagandists at Weekly Standard, proved anything. But if it means anything, it may be very different than you think.

    • Anonymous

      Since none of the people holding any of these jobs is making $278,000, just where do you think that money went? 

  • Yar

    The end of the shuttle program has gotten me thinking.  Maybe we are at the end of a cycle.  One plan is to get the right minds on-board and then decide where you want to go.  As a nation I believe we are in the process of reloading the bus.  How many supreme court decisions were 5-4 this term?  The country is experiencing differing realities.  The generational gap is real, I am not even sure the music of today has the language to express what is going on.  What are we fighting for?  I wish it was for the next generation, I fear it is for the status quo.  

    • Anonymous

      @Yar_From_Somerset_Ky:disqus  The quibble I have is on What/which “status quo”? I am afraid, just like nostalgia, the status quo the radical right is “for” is nothing but a mythological beast, a unicorn for the rich.
      They need to be reminded of the axiom, “Beware what you wish for!”

  • Jeffreysc

    confiscating productive people’s earnings in order to build empires of bureaucracy here or abroad is unAmerican.  power to the people, let them decide what is the best way to spend their hard-earned dollars.  stop the envy, starve the beast!

    • twenty-niner

      confiscating productive people’s earnings in order to build empires of bureaucracy here or abroad is unAmerican.

      The thing is no one was ever taxed sufficiently to cover these expenses, so there was never any real outrage. This was largely done on borrowed and printed money.

    • heidideidi in BTV

      Envy? What do you mean?

      Employers who inadequately compensate their employers so that they receive the profits is called unearned income. However, I assume you’re referring to taxes when you say confiscating. Without government to provide the infrastructure needed to create and build business, private employers wouldn’t have what they need to employ people in the first place.

  • Son

    I am very happy with the Casey Anthony verdict!!She is too cute to be sent to jail. The law that takes precedent is the same as applied by judge Hiller Zobel previously. Louise Woodward too was too cute to be in jail, even though the jury had CONVICTED her for killing a child. The MANDATORY jail term was life in prison. But the entire British public was up in arms because the skin color of the child was way too dark. Taking that into account the judge had correctly sentenced her to time served by changing the crime to manslaughter even though the jury had convicted her of second degree murder. You just had to see the cute smiles and giggles she had for the judge!!I hope Susan Smith is released soon also.

    • Terry Tree Tree

      Son,  Perverted view of Perverted Justice!

    • heidideidi in BTV

      I hope you’re being sarcastic.

  • Mary

    The recent discovery of the massive cheating and fraud scandal in the Atlanta school system indicates there needs to be a federal law with very harsh punishment for teachers and administrators caught doing this type of fraud. We need much stronger laws to protect our children from dishonest teachers and administrators.

    • http://richardsnotes.org Richard

      We also need to get rid of high stakes exit tests that determine funding. These tests have led to nothing good and obviously plenty bad.

      • Gregg

        Please, there has been marked improvement. Schools must be held accountable somehow. If testing isn’t perfect then what do you suggest? Don’t blame the test and the Ted Kennedy written “No Child Left Behind” blame the abhorrent action of these criminal teachers.

        When I got my Contractors license I took a course to prepare for the test. The course had very little to do with building or contracting. It was all about how to take the test. An friend of mine just got a 3rd shift job stocking shelves at Walmart. She was required to pass 3 days of tests first. Teaching to the test has real world applications.

        Here’s a test for eighth graders from 1895.

        • http://richardsnotes.org Richard

          “there has been marked improvement.”

          Prove it.

          It’s been shown by many studies including one by Rand in the state of Texas during both the Bush Governor years and the Bush Presidency years that students doing well on these tests failed similar tests from other states. In Texas (and Michigan and Florida) teachers have been teaching to the test for years. This is not real teaching and it does not produce real learning.

          My niece grew up in El Paso spending an hour a week on “bubbling in exercise” so the scantron would read the multiple guess tests correctly. This is pure idiocy and not real teaching.

          I consulted in the state of Texas for twenty years. The TAAS was the worst thing that ever happened to that state and it drove real learning and literacy down markedly.

          • Gregg

            There is now accountability when there was none. There needs to be more because it’s dern near impossible to get rid of bad teachers. Dollars to donuts the horrible activities that went on in Georgia will not result in anyone being fired. I’m all for finding a better way than test but don’t know of any.

            http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2010/01/nclb.html

            http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/overview/importance/difference/northcarolina.pdf

          • http://richardsnotes.org Richard

            If accountability doesn’t lead to better outcomes then what good is it?

            It’s very much like capital punishment: might make victim’s families feel better but doesn’t do a thing for lessening the murder rate.

          • Gregg

            I think the links I provided prove otherwise but I agree with your sentiment.

        • Terry Tree Tree

          Gregg,  Don’t you contradict yourself by saying your Contractor’s course had little to do with building or contracting, but was about the test, but advocating for teaching to the test, which detracts from the actual learning needed?

          • http://richardsnotes.org Richard

            Well said Terry.

            A contrator’s license doesn’t necessarily make for a good contractor.

            I don’t think there’s any coincidence between skill as a teacher and certification. Some of the best teachers I know (and have evaluated) were and are teaching in private schools that don’t require certification.

            That’s not to say that a certification process is bad, it just doesn’t reliably lead to a good contractor or teacher.

          • Gregg

            TerryTreeTree and Richard, I am merely pointing out my personal experience. A contractors license is not about building. It is about putting yourself on the line to take responsibility. It’s about being able to read and understand the building code and pass inspection. It’s about understanding blueprints made by others that had to pass a test. And I agree a “contrator’s license doesn’t necessarily make for a good contractor.” But if you can’t pass the test you can’t be a contractor.

            I am at fault for steering this conversation here but I did not intend to. My heart is not really in to defending NCLB. My point was, and remains, the horrendous actions by the Georgia teachers should not be excused because of a hatred for the law of the land. I fear it will be and Richard’s remarks seemed to indicate it was. I don’t want to put words in your mouth so please correct me if I’m wrong. It will be more convincing if you condemn the actions in no uncertain terms and offer no excuses.

          • Terry Tree Tree

            Gregg,  I agree with you on these points.  I also have advocated for years, for National standards testing of students, at various grade levels, but the NCLB testing is despised by most teachers, that I have talked to about it.  It was activated too fast and furiously, and they didn’t take many important factors into account for it.
                 Thanks for the clarification.

          • http://richardsnotes.org Richard

            I’m in no way defending what happened in Georgia nor do I defend teachers unions and entrenched fossil teachers (and I’ve had my share of them). But, if you remember the movie Stand and Deliver, the way to get students learning is to find excellent teachers who love teaching (not necessarily credentialed) and inspire students.

            These kinds of teachers can come from lots of places, not just the “professional teacher corp.”

            From the perspective of a person who’s consulted and taught in both regular and special education for much of my professional life, high stakes tests have not worked (I did read your links but I disagree with the research methodology).

            What we’ve learned in the 25 years I’ve been involved in all of this is that we don’t learn well from experience and we tend to make huge swings one way or another.

            I must say, one of the biggest problems with American education is not school, it’s home. Parenting has become a serious issue and it’s class related: people with resources read to their kids, prize literacy, and push their kids to take school seriously. People without resources aren’t pushing literacy as much and this, among other things means kids are entering school unprepared to learn.

            And, among the middle and upper class parents we have an epidemic of “helicopter parents” who make a teacher’s job impossible.

            My wife is a teacher and we discuss these and related issues all the time. Both of us are seriously depressed about American education and parenting as well. Our country is in big trouble but we don’t really know it yet.

          • Gregg

            Thanks (above and below). Ain’t common ground great?

          • Terry Tree Tree

            Richard,  As a concerned and involved parent that has also been a substitute teacher, I AGREE with you that parents are a HUGE problem to teaching!   Many parents don’t want their children becoming better-taught (considered smarter), than the parent.  Some insist that their child get better grades than the child earns, and cause all kinds of problems for the teachers that stand on principle.  Some helicopter parents are afraid that their ‘little precious’ might get their feelings hurt, by stretching their minds to learn, and become considerate, productive, citizens.
                 I trust that your wife is an excellent teacher that loves teaching.  My best to her, and PLEASE hang in there!  The children need them, and so does this nation, and the world. 

          • Terry Tree Tree

            Richard,  As a concerned and involved parent that has also been a substitute teacher, I AGREE with you that parents are a HUGE problem to teaching!   Many parents don’t want their children becoming better-taught (considered smarter), than the parent.  Some insist that their child get better grades than the child earns, and cause all kinds of problems for the teachers that stand on principle.  Some helicopter parents are afraid that their ‘little precious’ might get their feelings hurt, by stretching their minds to learn, and become considerate, productive, citizens.
                 I trust that your wife is an excellent teacher that loves teaching.  My best to her, and PLEASE hang in there!  The children need them, and so does this nation, and the world. 

          • Terry Tree Tree

            Richard,  As a concerned and involved parent that has also been a substitute teacher, I AGREE with you that parents are a HUGE problem to teaching!   Many parents don’t want their children becoming better-taught (considered smarter), than the parent.  Some insist that their child get better grades than the child earns, and cause all kinds of problems for the teachers that stand on principle.  Some helicopter parents are afraid that their ‘little precious’ might get their feelings hurt, by stretching their minds to learn, and become considerate, productive, citizens.
                 I trust that your wife is an excellent teacher that loves teaching.  My best to her, and PLEASE hang in there!  The children need them, and so does this nation, and the world. 

    • Michael

      Sounds like the teachers took the wrong proffession, maybe Wall Street would have been a better venue where cheating and dishonesty is the norm and rewarded to bat.

    • heidideidi in BTV

      It seems to me this scandal occurred because the pressure to improve test scores was directly tied to funding. When teachers have to teach to the test in order to keep their jobs, you’ll see drastic measures taken.

    • Stillin

      Yea, go after those bad, bad teachers…keeps the eys off the REAL problem, our government. I teach lady, and I can tell you the Atlanta School System is NOT everybody’s school system. You might want to protect your children from the assholes running the country.

  • Ed

    Given that same sex marriage passed in New York, with all the other things they’ve made legal, we can repeat what Billy Graham’s wife said: ‘If God doesn’t chastise New York soon, God will have to apologize to Sodom and Gemorrah’.

    • Brett

      Maybe this is just wishful thinking on your part, Ed! Maybe you want God to punish New York? Would that help you maintain your belief system?

      • Jeffe68

        I asked God to smite me. I did this over a few days and nothing happened. Then I asked my dog to give me a kiss and he did.

        • Brett

          This is my favorite post of the day (but only Cory buys the beer)!

    • Anonymous

      Spare me!

    • Terry Tree Tree

      Ed,   When will God apologize to all those children molested by Catholic priests, condoned by the Catholic leadership, and by the Catholics in general?  That has created a lot of the homosexuals that you claim are an abomination.  Hypocracy, anyone?

      • heidideidi in BTV

        It’s incorrect to say these priests were homosexual. They were/are sexual predators. Sexual violence is about the abuse of power, not sex. Sex is the weapon used to take power away from someone else.

        • Terry Tree Tree

          heidi,   MOST of the predation was of a homosexual nature.  I am aware, and deplore the rape of school girls in Ireland, and other places.  I was replying to Ed’s comment.

          • heidideidi in BTV

            Terry, I get your point that Ed’s comments are hypocritical. However, as to the sexual abuse by priests, sexual predators are opportunistic. The reason boys were assaulted is not necessarily because these priests are gay, but because the victims available to them were more often boys, such as alter boys, choir boys, etc.

            I just want to make point clear that the victim’s gender does not indicate the perpetrator’s sexuality. My uncle abused my brothers because there were more of them and they were easy targets, not because he’s a homosexual or bisexual.

          • Terry Tree Tree

            heidi,   My sympathy, and empathy to your brothers and you.  I hope they found a way to overcome this travesty.
                 I have read that over 80% of females are raped before they reach age 18, so sexual predators are a major problem for ALL.
                One study states that each predator will average 180 victims.
                 I am a heterosexual male, and detest the hypocracy of the Catholics denouncing homosexuality as an ‘abomination’, while CONDONEING the priests’ rape of boys, which is a homosexual act, opportunistic or not. 

          • Anonymous

            I understand your wanting to point out the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church in condemning homosexuality while their priests were raping children but your constantly identifying the offending priests’ acts as being homosexual echoes the slander that homosexuals are pedophiles.  The predatory priests chose their victims based on who they had access to. 

          • Terry Tree Tree

            J_o_h_n,    I was not intending to slander homosexuals as pedophiles.  I am a heterosexual male, that is tolerant, but not interested in guys.  I have posted that comment many times, and will probably again.
                 The HYPOCRACY of the Catholics, was indeed my aim.   Consenting adults with consenting adults, is their choice.

    • Michael

      If such story was true than did god not do the same against Greece? Or Smite the Catholic Church. If touching little boys and girls in the house of the lord doesn’t bring down gods wrath not sure what would than.  

    • http://richardsnotes.org Richard

      Ed: The way you’re whipping this issue to death (over many years now), me thinks you like whips. Either you’re Indiana Jones or Larry Craig.

    • Anonymous

      Isn’t he too busy flooding the socially conservatives plains states and breaking oil pipelines of those sinners in Montana?

    • Jeffe68

      It’s quite possible that God just does not give a hoot.

    • heidideidi in BTV

      It appears your ideology prevents you from understanding this is a human rights issue, not a religious one.

  • Jay’s Reading List

    President Obama’s “kinetic” bombing of innocent Libyan civilians is costing $9,421,000 a day.

    Are you getting your money’s worth?

    • Michael

      What’s funny is we now have liberals backing this with a total  disregard of UN resolution 1970(arming rebels least by Franch).

      I guess it just be argued that the 9421000 a day will be cut in
      Social programs.

    • Michael

      We have to protect civilians in libya by bombing and supporting groups attacking them. Funny how the U.S. now sees no problem working with hezbollah(backed government) which got (at first) the support of the Arab L. for a (sic) NFZ.  Or Qatar (which disallows the same thing in there on country) the place where one cannot not protest with being beaten,arrested, jailed or killed.  Or how about the french? the same ones who are allowing flee immigrants to strave in the sea, charging 6 to 7k per fleeing immigrant or libyan to come to franch. How about those rebels? the ones who also engage in rape, torture (based on being black of course).

      NFZ-9421000 a day
      UN resolution of protecting civilian-bombing of civilian targets.

      Stating the U.S. supports democracy and freedom of protest in libya while supporting countries such as Saudi A. and Qatar 

      priceless.

  • Anonymous

    Today’s employment numbers prove yet again that cuts in government spending are killing us.

    The private sector added 57,000 jobs.
    The public sector lost 39,000 jobs.

    The GOP cut hundreds of billions from the Stimulus bill, then lied about the fact that it saved or created millions of jobs.

    They are deliberately sabotaging this economy in order to drive Obama from office.

    How do I know?

    Because they told us so:

    MCCONNELL: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.

    “http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/27/news/la-pn-obama-mcconnell-20101027

    • Gregg

      What spending cuts? If you first increase spending by a coupla hundred percent then cut a few dollars here and there it’s not really a cut.

      The best possible thing we can do for the economy and America is to realize McConnell’s goal.

      • Anonymous

        Just now:

        CARL QUINTANILLA (CNBC): Does it strike you that as the unemployment rate goes up that your chances of winning office also go up?

        MICHELE BACHMANN: Well, that could be. Again, I hope so.

        At least you’ve got to give her credit for being honest. Not many Republicans are willing to publicly admit that they hope sabotaging the economy will help them win in the 2012 elections.

        http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/08/992474/-Michele-Bachmann:-I-hope-higher-unemployment-helps-my-campaign?via=blog_1

      • ThresherK

        Yes, let’s reason with the toddler who has a grenade. They know what’s best.

      • Terry Tree Tree

        Gregg, McConnell is a hypocrite.  WHERE ARE THE JOBS?  Promise by ‘W’ in 2000, to get tax cuts for the rich.  Repeated by Boehner, and McConnell, holding Unemployment HOSTAGE, this Spring.

    • Anonymous

      And how many of those public sector job cuts were to the staffs of republican members of congress?  You would think that if they were serious about public employees suffering the same fate as private sector workers, and their view that government is too big, they would put their beliefs into action now that they have the opportunity. 

  • Jay’s Reading List

    Half of the new jobs created in May came from a single employer – McDonald’s.

    • heidideidi in BTV

      Exactly. It’s not the number of jobs but the type/quality of jobs that we should focus on.

  • Terry Tree Tree

    We had eight years, when the self-proclaimed ‘decider’ and ‘uniter’, could have led a considered, and reasonable reduction in the budget!  Most of that time the ‘conservatives’, that NOW want to reduce the budget, increased it greatly, simultaneously ALLOWING  the banking crisis to form, the Deepwater Horizon to drill without proper regulation, the hijackers to get pilot training here, and a whole hose of other ‘conservative’ values.
         WHERE ARE THE JOBS?    The ‘conservatives’ have promised jobs, for tax cuts, for the rich, for over ten years.  Now they want to hold the budget hostage, to increase those tax cuts!  How low will they go?  I’m sure they haven’t stooped as low as they want!

    • Jeffreysc

      the gao noted that 18 million jobs have been saved by the tax cuts, please pay attention, considerably more than those saved by the $1T “shovel-ready” stimulus package

      • Terry Tree Tree

        ‘W’ said “We need TAX CUTS for the rich, to CREATE jobs!”  Saving is not creating.  Creating is creating an increase of NEW jobs.  Most of the jobs in ‘W’s administration here, were illegal alien jobs, that took the place of U.S. Citizen jobs, at less safety, and other aspects.  The ‘Stimulus’ would NOT have been necessary, had the ‘conservatives’ kept their word!

        • Jeffreysc

          everybody got tax cuts, so i guess not paying attention is nothing new for you; cute use of quotes; obama said “government is the solution for everything!  we need to grow the government so i can pay off my debt to the public worker unions that paid me.”

          • Terry Tree Tree

            Jeff,   I cannot argue your quote, because I never heard it.  I did hear ‘W’, however, and Boehner, and McConnell.  My tax cuts were nowhere the percentage, and certainly nowhere near the amount, that $Millionaires, and $Billionaires got.  They did promise jobs for the tax cuts, and I know a lot of people out of work, that wonder WHERE ARE THE JOBS? , like I do!  Boehner is asking that of Obama, when the promise by ‘W’, was ten years ago!  Boehner’s party made it, why are they attacking Obama for two years, when they are ten years tardy?
                I do pay attention, just notice things you don’t, and miss things you catch.  I’ll keep trying to make my country better, as I have for decades. 

      • heidideidi in BTV

        What kind of jobs? Mcjobs or jobs that employ skilled employees and compensate them well.

  • Yar

    Murdoch’s only loss from closing the News of the World will be the cost of new signage.  I expect he will reopen the paper under a new name, possible The Sun on Sunday.  What he gains is the appearance of doing the right thing while maybe limiting the ability to hold his parent corporation accountable for the actions of the paper.  In this era where corporations are given the rights of people it seems they have none of the accountability an individual would face.
    News International could be preparing to replace the News of the World with the Sun on Sunday, after it was revealed that two related domain names had been registered earlier this week.http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/internet/3290185/news-international-to-launch-sun-on-sunday-website/

    • Anonymous

      This just goes to show that this “news” (cough cough) organization only knows how to do play one way: By Lying! In fact, they will lie, cheat, steal, defame, and play dirty any opportunity they get to screw people over. Karl Rove-type politics of smear, defame, and drag through the mud the good names of people in order to win at all costs. Is that really what you look for in a “news” organization?  

  • Jeffreysc

    obama is not focusing on job creation, and it shows.  his solution is apparently to increase the size of the white house staff and consultants.  he’s going to pay for these great, productive jobs by taxing the earnings of people who do real work.  increasing the size of government makes no sense when it requires the rest of us who pay to pay even more, especially when his energy policy is increasing gas prices like crazy

    • Cory

      And since the last election the Republicans are focusing on same sex marriage, abortion, and crashing the whole economy with their debt limit threats.

      You should listen more to Rush Limbaugh so you could at least get the conservative talking points right.

      • Jeffreysc

        must be the incredible lack of presidential leadership that explains why he and the dumbocrats can’t get any traction with whatever proposal they supposedly made.  all we hear out of the wh is crickets.  condo association president would have been a better role for this guy.

        • ThresherK

          “Lead” that petulant bunch of whining brats in the GOP? Those tantrum-throwers?

          • Gregg

            Tantrum? Did you see Obama’s last press conference? Halperin was right.

          • ThresherK

            Once again, Mark “Beltway Inbred” Halperin sees something and can’t help but frame it as “Such Good News For Republicans”.

            So long inside the right-wing self-reinforcing ignorance loop you can’t stand it when a Democrat starts becoming too partisan. (By which I mean, “A Democrat says something about taking their own side in a fight.)

          • Gregg

            No, I just said he was right and it was Obama throwing the tantrum.

          • ThresherK

            And that says more about you than you think.

            If you call that a tantrum, when a real liberal goes really off, you just might soil yourself.

        • Dpweber83

          “the dumbocrats can’t get any traction with whatever proposal they supposedly made”

          So, the health care bill never happened?  

          Pick a side: either the Democrats are incapable of action OR they’re ruining the country by their actions.  You don’t get to argue out of both sides of your mouth.

          • Jeffreysc

            we’ll only know in 2014 how big a job-killer obamacare is when it goes into effect; meanwhile we know right now how little he cares about american families

    • Dpweber83

      How would you like him to “focus” on this?  Stimulus spending?  

    • heidideidi in BTV

      Obama is working with private industry to create jobs because the GOP and Tea Party refuse to allow any discussion of government spending to create jobs. 

  • Jay’s Reading List

    President Obama rewards big donors ($500,000 or more) with lucrative goverment jobs.

    • Cory

      Don’t all powerful pols reward those who bankroll their campaigns?

      • Gregg

        One bad behavior does not condone another bad behavior.

        • Terry Tree Tree

          Gregg,  Were you publicly denouncing ‘W’s policies and actions in the same arenas?

          • Gregg

            Dern tootin’ I was! We stood up and denounced and stopped Bush’s immigration bill and the nomination of Harriet Meyers to the SCOTUS. We were so fed up with the spending that pales in comparison to today’s that we sat home and lost Congress in 2006 and the Presidency in 2008. We formed the most dramatic grass roots effort in recent history known as the Tea Party. 

            How about you? Are you denouncing the spending now and were you then?

            Anywho, why do you ask?

          • Terry Tree Tree

            Gregg,  I asked, because there are so many, like John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, et al,  that ONLY started worrying, and clammoring, after Obama was elected.  Many of these problems we are discussing trigger selective memory in those people.   I just thought I’d ask, to see if you were one of them.
                 How do Tea Partiers of your vintage, see the influence of the Koch brothers, to control it, to eliminate regulations that they violate, putting lives and property at risk?

          • Gregg

            I don’t know anything about the Koch brothers, A google search indicated Democrats want money from them.
            http://dailycaller.com/2011/07/08/democratic-senatorial-campaign-committee-begs-koch-brothers-for-donations/
            The tea party is as grass root as it gets and I don’t believe they are controlled by anyone. I’d be much more worried about George Soros and his influence on NPR.
            http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/28970

      • Dpweber83

        Yes, they do.  Thank Andrew Jackson for that system.

  • Terry Tree Tree

    ‘News International’ personnel will just be shifted to other outlets, to continue the same old , same old.  Little will actually be done to the ones truly responsible!  CEO’s get the big bucks, for leading, and deciding when their crimes go unpunished, then sacrifice the lowest-possible flunky, for Executive crimes!  ALL profit, and NO punishment!

  • Heidideidi in BTV

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    Calling Social Security an “Entitlement” program buys into
    the falsehood that it gives people something for nothing. Social Security is a
    pension program that returns deferred earnings to the people who made those
    contributions. Also, the Social Security Trust Fund is not broke, but flush.
    Saying it’s broke or in crisis is also a falsehood. It is also a red herring
    that is used to distract and create fear and to imply the notion that
    government programs don’t work. Social Security works.

     

    • Jeffe68

      I agree, the word “entitlement” is misleading as we all pay into this.
      I don’t hear republicans calling 401K’s “entitlements”. If people would stop and think about it for one moment or at least make an attempt they would clearly see that 401K’s and Social Security are very similar. With the exception that 401K’s are subject to the whims of the market.  The republicans have been after the New Deal and LBJ’s programs since there inception. They smell blood and are now going in for the kill.   

    • Jeffreysc

      if it were dollar for dollar, you’d have a point; but most people get out much more than they put in
      ss works as another in a long line of income redistribution programs; it’s role has been perverted over time

      • Dbianco74

        Its role has been perverted or demographics have shifted?

      • Terry Tree Tree

        How much do the deceased get out of it?  The rich pay less, because there is a cutoff limit, as in Medicare withholding.   The interest on, and the money ‘borrowed’ from these programs, would make a lot of difference too!

        • Jeffreysc

          facts appear to avoid you; survivor benefits, rich pay more; government borrows at 0% so interest meaningless

      • heidideidi in BTV

        I have to guess that they get more out because it pays according to current economic conditions including COLA increases. SS keeps elder retired workers out of poverty. This costs much less than a redistribution program would.

        • ThresherK

          Don’t forget the disabled, widows, and orphans. Somehow they’re never part of the discussion among the millionaires and their media courtiers.

          • heidideidi in BTV

            Excellent point.

      • Terry Tree Tree

        Jeffreysc,  Social Security was instituted as an insurance.  Insurance companies in the past, sold policies for less than dollar-for-dollar, because they invested those policy payments to make money.
             Not everyone that dies before collecting all their SS, has survivors.
             Another fact that does not evade me, is that SS, or any other program should NOT give money to drug addicts, or drunks.  If we are to take care of them, provide minimal decent lodging, and commodity foods. 

      • Anonymous

        Name one other government program that is self-funded and is on anywhere close to the same actuarial soundness as Social Security.

        And as far as people getting more out of it than they put in, it’s called “interest” on savings.  The same interest that wealthy purchasers of US bonds rely on to park their money.

    • Stillin

      I agree. It’s like a bait and scam to me, I was of the belief that you paid in, and in exchange for all those years of paying in, you received this amount for this remainging time. It’s a false sale if you try and change the rules…oh, wait a minute, actually that’s changed, reeeeally you may not get that exact amount of money now. Bullshit. You need money for the big heads playing Iraaq for all their government money, you need money for all the border patrol employees, customs, immigration, cops, and anybody else but social security? Now there’s something we can tweak. This country looks and feels more like a sugar plantation from the West Indies 1800′s every day. 

  • heidideidi in BTV

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    The debt ceiling should not be subject to any deal, but a
    separate issue in and of itself. To fashion a deal to raise it ignores the
    government’s responsibility to pay the debts previously incurred. The call for
    a deal to raise the debt ceiling inaccurately assumes that that the debt and
    deficit can be reduced through political maneuvering. The GOP’s insistence on a
    deal holds the entire economy hostage to their ideology that the government
    should not play a role in the economic well being of the nation. This is false
    as history proves (see pre-government roles in the economy and the vast
    disparities between wealth and poverty, the 1929 crash, the 2008 crash).

     

  • heidideidi in BTV

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    The essential role of government is to provide for, protect,
    and serve its people in times of need and when the private sector does not
    provide adequate support. That is our current situation. Until Main Street
    recovers from the recession, the government must provide economic support in
    order to prevent continued and further economic stress.

     

  • heidideidi in BTV

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    Government is not the problem. The problem is the
    co-optation of government by corporations and wealthy interests.

     

  • Jay’s Reading List

    Plan to Let Drug Cartels Buy Guns in U.S. Approved at ‘Highest Levels’ of Justice Dept. – Operation “Fast and Furious”.

    Only whistleblower Vince Cefalu has been fired from the A.T.F. for revealing that the federal goverment sold 2,000 semi-automatic weapons to Mexican drug cartels who in turn used the weapons in several murders, including the death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.  

    • Jeffreysc

      what did obama do with the cash he got for selling the guns to murderers?  can we track the money?

      • Terry Tree Tree

        Was Operation ‘Fast and Furious’ instituted during ‘W’ administration or Obama administration?  Sounds like a decision by the ‘decider’.

        • Jeffreysc

          my suggestion, activate google toolbar and find out for yourself

      • ThresherK

        Congratulations on passing the Reality Event Horizon.

  • Cory

    Casey Anthony is a celebrity now.  She will probably never have to work another day in her life.  Let the book deals begin!!!

    • Anonymous

      She didn’t work a day in her life yet! LOL she was a party girl!

      • heidideidi in BTV

        So she’s guilty?

  • Anonymous

    Tom,

    Having learned from past “deals” between Obama and the Republicans, the Republicans should do to him what he previously did to them.  Agree on the “deal” but stipulate that the spending cuts are immediate and the Tax increases come over the next 12 years (most of which would be 4-12 years in the future)

    • Gregg

      Brilliant!

  • Kittyattack

    Please Pres. Obama do not cut Medicare and social security, our eldery need this money, its just down right mean to cut there services. why not cut some services that the white house and the rich get, cut out limo. services, private flights, bankers who get hugh pensions, ect ect…..
    This country is one of the only ones that dont take good care of the people before us that made this country great……god bless our troop and America…..patricia

    • Gregg

      He already cut Medicare by $500 billion.

      • heidideidi in BTV

        That is part of the health care reform plan, not a cut to the program in an of itself.

        • Gregg

          I suppose you could make that argument but he counted it twice.

  • Dpweber83

    Re: the last caller, if Obama’s a poor poker player, then I guess it’s a good thing that very few public policies are created as a result of poker games.

    Shut.  Up.  If you have a better solution, let’s hear it.  It’s awfully easy to say “We should have let taxes go up!” in hindsight, after you’ve already paid taxes at the lower rate.

    -dan
    Boston, MA

  • Ellen Dibble

    On Charlie Rose show last night, Republican Idaho Senator Mike Crapo said that what’s coming down the pike in a Grand Budget Deal is a “win-win,” which to me means that the rich are going to find tax deductions in supporting the less rich, in the manner of the home mortgage deduction, which surely helps out the banks and pushes people toward something that increases sprawl and global warming.
        We need a deal that pushes us towards kinds of work that the future will need, and kinds of purchases that the future will appreciate — NOT the past.  Win-win for the past is lose-lose for our future.

  • Jay’s Reading List

    No recession for President Obama’s 454 White House aides:

    They’ll “earn” $37,121,463 this year. 

    • heidideidi in BTV

      This number means nothing because it is w/o context. What were the earnings of previous WH employees? Is this a large increase? Do we only know this because this admin has a commitment to transparency other admins did not?

      • Gregg

        Yes it’s an increase. No, it’s not the hope and change we were promised.

    • Dpweber83

      So those aides make, on average, $81,765.34. 

      In a city where the median income is $85,000.  (http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/28/pf/household_income_report/index.htm)

      In a city surrounded by 4 of the 5 wealthiest counties in the country. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highest-income_counties_in_the_United_States)

      Math is hard, huh?

      -dan
      Boston, MA

      • Gregg

        So we need to confiscate some more taxpayer money and give them a raise? The government cannot spend a dime until it first takes it from somebody else.  We need to quit thinking dipping water out of the deep end of the pool and pouring it in the shallow end accomplishes squat.

  • Bill

    Don’t expect big cuts to help the economy – the feds will be spending billions less, states and consumers will be spending billions less – the resulting layoffs and businesses dying will be enormous.

    Granted we can’t spend debt forever – but what is going here is the government downgrading the US as an economic power.

    • ThresherK

      Bill, to defing things further, “big cuts not helping the economy” is a GOP feature, not a bug.

  • nj

    Obummer sells out again, this time by selling out seniors. Jack B. is entirely correct. Good corroborating analysis on the political and substantive stupidity of this move:

    http://www.commondreams.org/video/2011/07/08-0

  • ThresherK

    “If you put everything in the mix you might get a political consensus,” says a panelist.

    Can we get some news analyst who remembers the bad old days when political consensus was not the goal, and we got some damned good policy out of it?

    This goes back to the whole “magic middle” crap: People don’t want moderate policy, they want the same policies they’ve always wanted. They simply don’t like the labels Democratic or Republican to be part of it like it was in decades past.

    (Certainly the GOP hasn’t given a crap about being less partisan since election night 1992–their collective brains exploded and they went apesh!t ever since.)

  • Patricia

    If we don’t change the direction we are headed, we will end up where we are going.  Also, to paraphrase, there is a saying something like “we cannot fix the problems with the same thinking that got us there”

    • Anonymous

      Simple but very true. 

      We are currently headed towards a Greece like outcome and since Obama cam into office, the change he has made was to push down on the accelerator. 

    • Anonymous

      Perhaps.  But imagine if this were term 2 of Bush instead of term 1 of Obama.  I suspect the news on the economic, military and employment fronts would all be worse.  Results sacrificed at the pitiless altar of ideology, where Mr. Bush often prayed.

      The problem many folks have is that they cannot imagine worse outcomes than the facts on the ground.  Same reason a lot of people simple can’t fathom evolution.  They simply can’t begin to even glimpse the magnitude to time that has passes since the first little self-replicators went to work in the primordial soup.  And so, an eye was either created by god or it is “impossible”. 

      So too, Obama must be the worst president in the world.

      No?

  • Jay’s Reading List

    Senator Thune says the best way to meet President Obama is to ‘set up a tee time’.

    • ThresherK

      Such a stunner from a moderate Republican who doesn’t have an axe to grind. Surely Obama should be spending less time golfing.

      “Now watch this drive.”

      • Jeffreysc

        i would kill for that swing

        • Terry Tree Tree

          ‘W’ DID, over 4,000 U.S. troops, tens of thousands of U.S. troops wounded, tens of thousands of Iraqi dead, and so forth!

    • Jeffreysc

      how about at the side entrance of the wh, where the smokers hang out

    • Anonymous

      gotta admit, that’s a pretty good line.

  • http://abellia.myopenid.com/ Andrew

    What a ridiculous discussion.  The government can’t save money, the government MAKES the money.  Should the people suffer because the government chooses not to make more money?  If there wasn’t enough food, housing, doctors, etc., then we should worry, but not enough money?

    Learn about where money comes from and you’ll see how misinformed the whole deficit discussion is.  One quick note, the Fed (our bank), holds almost 2T of our debt.  It could simply write off (tear up) those notes tomorrow, and what happens — absolutely nothing.  It’s all numbers on a spreadsheet people.

    Money is the way we keep score in our economy and the government is the scorekeeper.

  • Mike in PA

    The Casey Anthony trial is a shining example on how the media can distort facts.  The Nancy Grace cabal, forgot to switch from reporting on the suspicion surrounding Ms. Anthony to what actually was presented as evidence at trial, thus bearing an enormous responsibility for the vitriol towards her counsel, who did nothing but zealously represent their client and save her life and towards the judicial system as a whole.

    While this example of distortion is more vivid, we should remember that this happens in all facets of journalism.

    Moreover, as to the facts of this case, not one of the round-the-clock tot-mom-journalists, many of whom are so-called lawyers (as myself) scrutinized the charges that the prosecution brought against Anthony.  They put all their chips in the death basket, when there existed plenty of other criminal charges that could have gotten her 5-15.

  • Anonymous

    The budget deal should be framed in JOBS.  If Obama can show us that his tax increases on anyone can create private sector jobs, then I will support him, but I don’t know of any buisness owners that would say…. I would like to hire more people, but I am waiting for my taxes to go up before I do it.

    • ThresherK

      *yawn*

      And I don’t know anyone who is saying “It’s uncertain. I’d hire more people but my marginal (next) dollar might be taxed at 39% instead of 35%.”

      Demand drives hiring. Especially at this point in the business cycle. Ask anyone who is being worked to the nth degree–y’know, becoming more ‘productive’, but has been (on average) waiting for a raise since the beginning of the Bush expansion.

      • Anonymous

        So do you think that increasing taxes on anyone increases demand for products?  your logic makes no sense!  Logic tells you that taking money out of the consuming public reduces demand!

        • Jeffreysc

          amen, let’s see if he can connect the dots!

        • ThresherK

          Logic would start with not considering a million extra dollars redistributed to the rich as having the same multiplier effect as the same amount going to the middle class or working class.

          Logic would continue with a lot of other things, but knows it’s a long gap between where it is and where you are.

          • Anonymous

            If you’re redistributive logic + a random multiplier effect works, than why don’t we take all of the wealth from the wealthiest Americans, only leaving them $1M?  Wouldn’t  all that redistribution make us the richest country on earth!

            Oh wait, Russia and some African countries tried that in the past (except they killed the rich people and redistributed their wealth to the poor) and the results were wide spread starvation and product shortages for decades.
             

          • Terry Tree Tree

            Brand,   I KNEW someone was going to equate requiring the rich to pay equal-percentage-taxes to Stallin’s world.   Remember that Stallin and cohorts were rich, holding everyone else down.  A lot like the ‘conservatives’ are trying to achieve.

          • Anonymous

            Please note that conservatives are not for a progressive tax system, progressive liberals are.  A rich person doesn’t really care  that much about a  progressive tax system because it doesn’t affect them since they have already accumulated their wealth.  A a progressive tax system only hurts the poor man that seeks to be rich by making it harder to do. 

          • ThresherK

            “A progressive tax system only hurts the poor man that seeks to be rich by making it harder to do.”

            Nice to know you’re not sugarcoating your ignoriance. Are you Joe The Plumber, by any chance?

          • ThresherK

            To those afflicted with the peasant mentality, it’s only class warfare when the non-rich start fighting back.

            And funny you mentioned Africa. Your dream nation: Low taxes, no oppressive government, all the freedom you can secure unless your neighbor has more weapons than you, no infrastructure for your delivery truck, your high-speed internet, your e-commerce, your water? It’s there. It’s called Somalia.

        • Anonymous

          Incorrect.  And although anecdote is not data, I still offer one.  I personally know a guy with his own stable of businesses.  His new worth exceeds $50M.  The rate of taxation, within a few percentage points, has no influence whatsoever on his hiring decisions.  It absolutely does not discourage him from growing if the market can support it.

          Also you distorted the point of thresher.  He did not say that higher taxes increases purchasing demand.  He said that it does not affect hiring decisions for anyone he knows.  Big difference.  But of course, also a much more difficult proposition to convincingly argue against.

          • ThresherK

            I’m having (as Daffy Duck would say) pronoun trouble. “He did not say” means which “he”? (Genuinely asking, no snark.)

            I, too, am not claiming that higher taxes increases overall consumer demand.

            There are a few “opposites” to that concept, against which I’m arguing: The meme which states that (especially at this point of the business cycle) that well-off people or people who do the hiring are afraid of making more money because, somehow, they’ll end up with less in their pocket. The other opposite, also, that putting chunks more money into the pockets of the awfully wealthy, or corporations, will result in them spending it immediately or hiring with it immediately, rather than paying dividends, buying back their own stock, or launching a corporate takeover.

            I considered it bunkum when Joe The Plumber’s Unlicensed Little Helper sandbagged Obama about that $250,001st dollar he was soooo close to worrying about having to declare to the IRS, and I consider it bunkum now.

          • Anonymous

            Apologies.  He (Thresher) did not say…

  • Ellen Dibble

    Casey Anthony.  I think the media erred in creating so much publicity. There are cases where we love to hear all the evidence come in and justice done.  Consider reading Agatha Christie mysteries or watching the PBS detective series.
         Consider what happens when a defense lawyer knows, pretty much for sure, that his client, a defendant, is innocent.  The defendant maybe has quite a record, gang affiliation and so on, but in fact happened to be in the wrong elevator at the wrong time.  Another individual there was never identified.
        That defense lawyer gets REAL focused on defense.  And the media, once they figure out that the lawyer is SERIOUS that the evidence isn’t there, the media back off.  People might post wherever they can that people are getting away with murder, but the fact of the matter is, if the defendant was a murderer, there will likely be other “chances” to catch him or her.

    • RM Guy

      People have gotten too marinated in the American Idol atmosphere, where they think they’re entitled to vote on every damned thing they can click on.

      • Ellen Dibble

        If an entire Justice System convicts someone in error, that is a sin of a different order entirely than an individual pouncing on someone for whatever reason.
            How to say it.  To sentence an innocent person to death (to prevent them, if they might have been guilty, from killing again?), to do that in the name of justice, in the name of the American justice system, that is a lot more horrendous than individuals taking it upon themselves to murder another.
            It doesn’t SEEM so.  It SEEMS a lot more horrendous for an individual to commit a murder — and get away with it.  But  you’ve got the Kangaroo Trial making an appearance if people are just restless for revenge, or whatever it is that ignores “reasonable doubt.”

  • Ellen Dibble

    The BBC was reporting this morning that Murdock’s son James has different values from his father and has won out in this case and is poised to re-steer the Murdock empire, as other son Lockwood (I heard) failed to do a few years back.
        So where did son James go to school?  What are his values?
         Does he understand what we fear about plutocracy and media submersion into corporatist thinking?

    • Jeffreysc

      more importantly, boxers or briefs?

      • Terry Tree Tree

        YUCK!!!

  • Michael from STJ Vermont

    I barely make the median income level here in Vermont — no complaints there.  But if the man I voted for makes a deal where GE still pays little or no taxes and I’m still paying a higher rate than Warren Buffet, hedge fund billionaires, and phama CEOs *and* he cuts into SS and Medicare — then, screw voting — b/c that will confirm all we have is an oligarchy and the fix is in. 

    • Jeffe68

      Where have you been? We live in an oligarchy and have been for the past 20 years.

      • Michael from STJ Vermont

        Well, I’ve been hoping otherwise.   But I guess you’re right.  I always like to quote my late father on Reagan’s election: “Mark my words — this bunch is going to make the poor Public Enemy Number One.”

        • Jeffe68

          Your Dad was a wise man. He was right. Orin Hatch just said the poor should do more to help shrink the debt.

          http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/07/orrin-hatch-debt-poor-rich_n_892177.html


          “At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge,” said the
          gentleman, taking up a pen, “it is more than usually desirable that we
          should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer
          greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common
          necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.”

          “Are there no prisons?” asked Scrooge.

          “Plenty of prisons,” said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.

          “And the Union workhouses?” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?”

          “They are. Still,” returned the gentleman, “ I wish I could say they were not.”

          “The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?” said Scrooge.

          “Both very busy, sir.”

          “Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something
          had occurred to stop them in their useful course,” said Scrooge. “I’m
          very glad to hear it.”

          “Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer
          of mind or body to the multitude,” returned the gentleman, “a few of us
          are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink,
          and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all
          others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I
          put you down for?”

          “Nothing!” Scrooge replied.

          “You wish to be anonymous?”

          “I wish to be left alone,” said Scrooge. “Since you ask me what I
          wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don’t make merry myself at
          Christmas and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to
          support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those
          who are badly off must go there.”

          “Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.”

          “If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it,
          and decrease the surplus population.           Besides — excuse me — I don’t know
          that.”

          “But you might know it,” observed the gentleman.

          “It’s not my business,” Scrooge returned. “It’s enough
          for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with
          other people’s. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!”

  • Adamsonjh

    With regard to the NOW story, I hear immoral behaviour, underhanded behaviour, disgusting etc. how about ILLEGAL behaviour

  • Dixon

    I think that Obama has sold out his base… and he might loose some of it.  The youth vote may not be going to the Republicans, but apathy has been polling pretty high lately.

    • ThresherK

      Given the typical turnout of Prez years v. off years, it’s hard to say.

      Women are paying more attention to Job 1 of the GOP (hint: It’s nothing to do with jobs) and will respond accordingly.

      But GOP voter suppression bills–y’know, stamping out the non-existant voter fraud–show that they want to win. By any means possible.

      • Anonymous

        Exactly why shouldn’t every voter be required to show photo ID?

          You have to have one to drive and I would guess about 99% of people under the age of 60 have one and people over 60 are more likely to be Rs then Ds.  So your logic once again doesn’t make sense since according to your logic Rs are trying to keep their base away from the polling booth!

        • ThresherK

          For the new GOP, voter suppression bills are job 2. Jobs are job n+1.

          Non-existant voter fraud is their hobbyhorse, and it’s overcovered in the low-information media of which you are fond. Making obstacles and running voting like crap so people don’t get to go vote and walk away from their polling places with the assurance that their votes counted is the goal.

        • Anonymous

          Scalia should find this unconstitutional as the founding fathers didn’t have photo IDs.

        • RM Guy

          Because voting is a right and driving is a privelege.  More questions?

          • Anonymous

            Voting isn’t a right of the world, it is a right for americans.  How does the workers at the polls know you are not a Chi-Com?

        • Ellen Dibble

          People over 60 more likely R’s than D’s?  Oooh, you’re onto something there.  Think of the  major shifts in national consciousness that occurred for the babyboomers, who are now entering that over-60 range.  Attitudes toward the poor (war on poverty), toward minorities (civil rights actions, marches, various acts of  Congress), toward sex (gay rights, women’s liberation, The Pill and its spinoff realities), toward religion, toward drugs?, toward military service (pretty unified attitudes immediately post World War II, and quite different post-Vietnam, after the draft ended, and after the Cold War ended, with hopes of a Peace Dividend, which the defense industries pretty much scrapped, perhaps) — so those are some of the attitudes that have not shifted the same degree in the Democrat party, most candidates, as compared to the Republican party, most candidates.
               So I anticipate that those over 60 in the coming decade will be very different in voting behavior than those over 60 who came of age before the 1960s.

  • Jay’s Reading List

    Misery Index is the worst in 28 years.  (CNBC)

    • Anonymous

      Hmm.  I’m pretty happy, though I do wish you could buy decent single-malt for less than $40 a bottle…

  • http://twitter.com/FilipinoBoston FilipinoBoston

    How about TAX BREAK FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS. Always the rich are the priorities. They don’t need our help tax breaks or not it does not Hurt them. They don’t care because they the money.

    The middle class Americans are hurting so bad that we can’t even buy a tylenol to numb our pains.

    • Anonymous

      Why should politicians do anything for a constituency that can’t give them boatloads of money?  That makes no sense.

      • http://twitter.com/FilipinoBoston FilipinoBoston

        The Politicians are the rich people my friend. Romney and Kerry are good examples. Hey about Sarah Palin. she rich too.

  • E H Doss

    It’s all about cheating.

    * Spend no money on schools, but expect world class students.
    * No taxes for millionaires, but great roads and airports.
    * Import cheap goods made4 from slave labor but have full employment in the US. 

    No free lunch.

    • Anonymous

      Concise, and to my mind, accurate.  Well done, sir.

    • Margbi

      Right on! You can’t have mass production without mass consumption. However, read Paul Gilding’s “The Great Disruption” to see what awaits everybody when the oil runs out. Scary!

  • http://twitter.com/FilipinoBoston FilipinoBoston

    I Paid $68.14 for Federal tax deducted from my paycheck plus state,fed med and fed oasdi. 4 taxes totalled $130.82 every god damn week.

    How about Reducing those Fed Tax and I will be a happy middle class.

  • Anonymous

    Well, maybe we voters should just call their little bluff.  Rather than die of a thousand cuts, let self-immolate all at once.  That’s right, let’s elect Michelle Bachman, let her gut services and the safety net for the un-rich, and allow the eventual rioting in the streets to finally bring about a rational discussion about the proper role of government and the proper rights of citizens.  Because I’d prefer to face the pain and move on, not pretend that the hurt isn’t really coming.

  • Anonymous

    FLASHBACK: Pelosi vows health care reform will create 400,000 ‘almost immediately’…

    Boy I am glad we passed that bill.  Just immagine where we would be without those 400,000 jobs it created.  Wait… It didn’t create any jobs?  how is that possible…

    http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/02/25/pelosi_health_reform_will_create_400000_jobs_almost_immediately.html

    • ThresherK

      Flashback: It hasn’t been implemented yet. And fleckspittle Republicants are finding and filing every tantrum-throwing excuse to keep it from being run.

      But I don’t expect you to care about the facts.

      • Anonymous

        I know you can sometimes be slow, but Pelosi promised health care reform will create 400,000 ‘almost immediately’… not after it has been fully implamented!

        • ThresherK

          I know you can be immune to things, but the GOP simply doesn’t believe in governance any longer. And the best way to get them to not want to do something they used to support is for President Obama to come out for it.

          I understand Obama now says he’s in favor of not jumping off a bridge.

      • nj

        Obamacare is rubbish, but mostly for reasons other than what the Repubs are whining about. Remember, the multiply compromised load of crap that passed was, in many ways, similar to the alternative the Cons offered as an alternative to Clintoncare. 

        This plan throws a few people some bones, but mandates everyone to buy crappy insurance products, the cost of which cannot be effectively controlled. Insurance companies will use the windfall profits they will reap from this and make any real change in the future just about impossible.

        The only solution that’s really a solution: Universal coverage, single payer. Medicare for everyone. Health care needs to be permanently and thoroughly decoupled from for-profit insurance swindlers.

        • ThresherK

          Agreed for pretty much all. Of course, there’s no point telling some folks that there’s a better-working solution to the left of a Democratic president.

          Now if so many of the people who believed that weren’t the gatekeepers to our media and its scorekeepers.

    • Jeffreysc

      first we need to read it, then we’ll find out how great it is …

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_O7C5ZLQ2GANQ5HVBOUZXHKB6XY kelly

    No one with wealth and power (meaning the wealthy and those who interact with them- pol, media, etc), including Tom, wants to talk about how someone who works 40 hrs/wk and has 2 kids to care for can survive. Please, do us a favor and just list for us in the state you live in the avg. rent, heating, electricity, childcare, gas, car note, water, phone bill, healthcare, car insurance, food and clothing. Then please explain how someone who make $280 week before anything is deducted is supposed to survive?

    • Ellen Dibble

      I think you are supposed to find an unscrupulous banker and set up in a house, and then your taxes will be lower, plus you can count on the value of the house “appreciating,” and you can borrow off the money in your house.  Or, you can starve your family while you set aside a few thousand dollars and hope some investment firm will put you in a bucket with other small stockholders, and then hope that Wall Street will reward your stinginess with the kind of 30% gains that “wise” investors achieve.  And those gains are taxed at lower rates, so again you are ahead.
          How are you going to get to that point, where you are a cog in the great profit-churning machine where everybody is making a profit off of you (and you off of them)?
          “Jobs” in our economy don’t “work.”  The employer isn’t invested in the employee to the extent that your well-being is their well-being and vice versa.  At this point, there are too many people looking for too few jobs, so people are expendable.
           The job situation — the issue of where are we needed, where is our energy and skill needed, that is a real issue.  As the people in Congress say, “The jobs will go overseas if labor is cheaper there.”
          And guess what.  Labor is cheaper overseas, because life is cheaper there.  I can’t get my brain wrapped around this.  I don’t really think there are answers that Obama et al can come up with before August 1st.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_O7C5ZLQ2GANQ5HVBOUZXHKB6XY kelly

    Apathy is the undoing of America

    • Jeffreysc

      whatever

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_O7C5ZLQ2GANQ5HVBOUZXHKB6XY kelly

    Not to accuse anyone in our political system (I am being quite serious) but just for us all to remember. Individual members of the nazi party may have had qualms about what was being done- but since the political consensus was anti-semitism, no one who knew wrong was happening spoke up. A political consensus is rarely the thing to aim for. Rather, I think the sentiment that is being distorted, that all groups have a voice- since participation in power IS freedom- has been distorted and morphed into ‘political consensus’ which has done much to abandon our ideals of democracy.
    As M.L.King, jr stated ‘The negro problem is not only America’s greatest failure but also America’s incomparably great opportunity for the future. If America should follow it’s own deepest convictions, it’s well-being at home would be increased directly’
    he wrote this shortly before his death (after Selma, Birmingham, the Voting Rights Act. etc.) had already occurred. Although Martin Luther King, jr. gave his life for our ideals- in our apathy and indifference we have betrayed him and abandoned our quest to make our ideals a reality. We have become traitors to our children and our fellow human beings -’To see evil and remain silent is to be an accomplice to evil’ – and this is not saying that anyone is evil- but we allow fears to rule us, and we should not abide by it.

    Let me ask, would you rather live in a society that values power and wealth over equality and justice for all?
    If you value and believe our best future lies ahead when all disparate parts of our country of all races and class have a voice, what are YOU doing to make it happen?
    As Margaret Mead said, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever does.’

    • Jeffe68

      Well said Kelly.

    • Vsraha

      Unfortunately to some people equality and justice means socialism, or worst, communism. The powerful and the wealthy have controls on our livelihood. They can close down factories and move them abroad at will. They can downsize operations at will. They can throw tantrums when they asked to pay their fair shares. More regulations will just make them close the operations and move to Dubai. Why invest in America while there are lucrative emerging markets in the rest of the world.

  • William

    If Casey had come from a better, more “connected” family, attended all the “right schools”, I don’t think she would have been charged with murder and most likely only manslaughter. We really don’t have a equal justice system in this country.

    • Kate

      Wow, what a stretch. I suppose the wealthy can see any situation as being an injustice to them. 

    • Anonymous

      Are you high?  Do you think we should really base our views of the justice system on your opinions?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_O7C5ZLQ2GANQ5HVBOUZXHKB6XY kelly

    How have we allowed a group of (predominantly) millionaires-our government- and composed almost entirely of those with more than $250k- the top 2%- tell the rest of us that they will keep more for themselves while the interests of those they serve are abandoned? The other 98% of the country feels betrayed for a reason- we have been betrayed. What are we going to do about it?
     Is that not a dereliction of duty on all sides? How is our government not an aristocracy- is an aristocracy not the wealthy having power and serving themselves and those in their ‘group’ to the detriment of all others?

    • Anonymous

      I hope you are not one of the 47% of US citizens that pays NO federal taxes because if you are, you should start paying some so you can have some of Obamas favorite “shared sacrifice”

      • Anonymous

        You mean like General Electric?

        • Anonymous

          You mean the company most connected to Obama? General Electric!

          Boy Obama sure loves the little guy… LOL

          • Anonymous

            Believe me, I’m not defending what Obama has done on taxation and the economy.  His problem is that he has capitulated to Republican/Norquist economic policies that have destroyed the middle class.  And appears ready to do so even more.

  • Anonymous

    US Needs To Generate 254,000 Jobs A Month For 65 Months To Get To Pre-Depression Employment By End Of Obama Second TermJust another sign of the failed Obama policies.

    • http://twitter.com/FilipinoBoston FilipinoBoston

      problem is there is no Jobs.

  • Vsraha

    It seems to me nobody in the goverment is acknowledging the real issue of this budget crisis : shrinking revenue caused by the exportation of jobs in manufacturing and outsourcing. Let’s make believe some company comes up with a great product idea, the jobs created in the US is miniscule in comparison with the jobs created in China and India, cause it will be manufactured in China, and IT will be supported by India. Off the US citizens that are lucky enough to be hired by this company, they will go out and spend the money buying stuff that create more jobs in the rest of the world than the US. In other words, we have a trickle out economy, not trickle down , as demonstrated by our massive trade deficit. The Bush era economic boom was caused by our people spending on borrowed money. Until we address the trade imbalance, any economic remedy is just a band aid. 

  • http://twitter.com/FilipinoBoston FilipinoBoston

    Save the middle class Americans. the life blood of the American economy and Casey not guilty doesn’t mean you are innocent.

  • http://twitter.com/FilipinoBoston FilipinoBoston

    Universal Healthcare has no impact in American economy of there’s no Universal Healthcare majority of Hospitals with be billing the patients. Do you want to receive a bill from the hospitals?

  • Malia1001

    The minute we lose the middle class is the minute we lose democracy.

    • Anonymous

      The minute the middle class pays no federal taxes is the minute we loose our country because there will be no reigns on federal spending aka waste!

      • Jeffreysc

        if you’re not paying for it, then there’s no incentive to curb it, much less control it or even monitor it; free lunch who cares what’s on the menu!

      • Anonymous

        You do understand that EVERYONE, except those making more than $106,000, or those who get their income from capital gains, carried interest, or dividends, pays over 15% of their gross income in payroll taxes, don’t you?  If they don’t pay income tax in addition to paying a greater portion of their income than a hedge fund manager making millions, it’s because THEY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH INCOME.  See how that works?

        BTW, that’s why the programs supported by payroll taxes are fiscally sound for years, if not decades.

        • Anonymous

          Do you UNDERSTAND that my comment was limited to Income Taxes and Income taxes are what people always want to increase to pay for wars, social spending, and most other misc spending that isn’t self funded through user fees or specific taxes.  Because of this most increases in government spending don’t affect 47% of us.  Do you think that is right?

          • Anonymous

            Glad to hear you are so vehemently opposed to the Bush tax cuts, and apparently want low income citizens such as deployed troops (many of whose families fall into that 47% you complain about) pay more of the type of federal tax that pays for things like our military, but the fact remains that basic reason that some people don’t pay income tax is THEY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH INCOME.

             

          • Anonymous

            Is it too much to ask everyone to pay at least 1% income tax?  People tend to appreciate what they pay for much more than what they are given for free.

          • Michael

            You sound like a democrat, raising peoples taxes what nerve. Havn’t you heard the republicans are against raising even 1% you state.

  • GMG

    I disagree with Jack’s point of view about Roger Ailes and Fox, saying this country is too big for that kind of propaganda to have a significant effect.  I doubt we would have had either the Bush 2000 election results or the Iraq war without the pivotal role Fox played in the way each unfolded, and the current political climate regarding healthcare reform and the the budget seem to me to be heavily influenced by the constant drumbeat of right-wing propaganda, courtesy of Fox News.

    • Jeffreysc

      how do you figure that, so few people watch cable news, no matter what it’s bias?  NYT hardcopy paper circulation is higher than most primetime cable news shows.  you’ll have to look elsewhere for an explanation. 

      • GMG

        I’m not sure I get your point. There isn’t a one-to-one relationship between circulation/viewers and influence – for example, Glen Beck was hugely influential on the “Tea Party”, and they, by making a lot of noise continually amplified and re-echoed by Fox, have had an influence on the policy discussion disproportionate to their numbers.  

        • Jeffreysc

          ok i get that you don’t like Fox, but where’s your data, evidence, or something other than your dislike; the TP was influential on GB, not the other way around; and he was only going where the momentum had already shifted b/c it’s good for ratings; data regarding self-described TP members or subscribers to its ideals dwarfs Fox viewership; the numbers just don’t support your simple conspiracy

    • John

      I called in with the question about FOX and if there would be blow back here in the US from the fiasco at the News of the World.  I was disappointed with the panel’s response.  Predictably, the former FOX commentator tried to deflect the question to another topic.  More disturbing was the Washington Post’s Ruth Marcus, who also seemed not to “get it”.  Tom, to his credit tried to get back to the question, albeit in a rather oblique fashion.  My point – that FOX has damaged the US political process by giving voice to the GOP/ Tea Party line, and facts be damned – is more eloquently made at this link:http://www.readersupportednews… show more show less

  • Jay’s Reading List

    $5 raffle ticket buys dinner with President Obama.

    (I’d rather keep my 5$.)

    http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-campaign-5-buys-dinner-president

    • Jeffreysc

      don’t be surprised if you get stuck with the dinner bill

  • John

    I called in with the question about FOX and if there would be blow back here in the US from the fiasco at the News of the World.  I was disappointed with the panel’s response.  Predictably, the former FOX commentator tried to deflect the question to another topic.  More disturbing was the Washington Post’s Ruth Marcus, who also seemed not to “get it”.  Tom, to his credit tried to get back to the question, albeit in a rather oblique fashion.  My point – that FOX has damaged the US political process by giving voice to the GOP/ Tea Party line, and facts be damned – is more eloquently made at this link:http://www.readersupportednews.org/opinion2/276-74/6537-rupert-murdochs-american-sins

    • Jeffreysc

      *yawn*
      change the channel

      • Sam Walworth

        yes, baby.. keep sleeping..  lets not anyone of us waken up by anthing..

  • Jay’s Reading List

    Plan to let Mexican drug cartels buy guns in U.S. approved at the highest levels of the Justice Department.

    Operation “Fast and Furious”

    http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/atf-gun-tracking-probe-approved-highest

  • Anonymous

    The Birth/Death Adjustment Was Responsible For Over 50% Of The Payroll Gains In The Past YearDespite the endless din from the clueless economist brigade attempting to couch the impact of the Birth Death adjustment on actual non farm payroll numbers, there is a workaround which confirms that of the 1 million “job gains” in the past year, well over 50% of these have come from the statistical fudge factor known as the Birth Death Adjustment. We wonder when anyone in the administration will mention that of the 1 million jobs “created” in the past year, 606,000 have been purely the product of overzealous excel models.

    • Jeffreysc

      can’t spell bulls**t without BLS

  • Jay’s Reading List

    -only 18,000 jobs created in June, fewest in 9 months

    -unemployment rises to 9.2%, highest rate of the year

    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/07/unemployment-june.html

    • Michael

      Sounds like the congressional republicans are doing a great job in creating jobs like they said.

      • Anonymous

        Joe Biden was the one that said if we passed Obama’s stimulus, we would create 500,000 jobs / month!

        • Terry Tree Tree

          Brandstad,  ‘W’ said, “We need TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH, TO CREATE JOBS”. , in 2000.  When there was an uproar, he modified it to tax cuts for everyone.  John Boehner and Mitch McConnell used the same mantra, while holding Unemployment Benefit Extensions HOSTAGE.  Michael is right!   WHERE ARE THE JOBS, RICH, GREEDY, LIARS??

          • Gregg

            I think you are rewriting history. Bush campaigned on lowering tax rates for everyone. It was NEVER just for the rich.

          • ThresherK

            Loaves for the rich, crumbs for the rest, and it would never pay for itself. But don’t worry, I’m sure the GOP “Birthrighteousness” of fiscal prudence will never come off, reality aside.

          • Terry Tree Tree

            Gregg,  The first time I heard ‘W’ proposing tax cuts, he said for the rich, to create jobs.  There was almost instant uproar.  Then he modified it to tax cuts for everyone.
                 Most of my employed life, I have read, or heard of people making several times my income, paying less income taxes than I do.  That tells me they aren’t paying their fair share, as they can far more afford to do.

          • Gregg

            It’s just not true TerryTreeTree. We have a progressive income tax system and the rich pay much more. The lie many fall for is Social Security being capped at $200,000 but that is not income tax it’s paying into a system that will pay you back. ThresherK (below) is a big proponent of cutting taxes below nothing but doesn’t have the guts to call it what it is, redistribution.

        • Michael

          and you believed Biden? whose the fool now? not even Joe Biden believes what Joe Biden is saying.

        • Michael

          and you believed Biden? whose the fool now? not even Joe Biden believes what Joe Biden is saying.

  • Jay’s Reading List

    2.4 million jobs have been lost since President Obama’s $787 billion economic stimulus bill was passed.

    http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/24-million-fewer-jobs-obama-signed-econo

  • Anonymous

    Thanks to Jack Beatty for speaking truth about Obama’s “deal.” It’s one of the benefits of not being sunk in the DC echo bubble.

    Maybe even the DC-based reporters may start reporting facts & not just the pundit gossip from the DC experts.

  • Christopher Alan Dillon

    Has anyone considered that we are taking an extremely short view here? Has the confidence in Obama dried up so fast that no one is considering the potential benefits that could be accomplished from a second term? I propose that President Obama knows exactly what he is doing and is playing for the big pot not the currnet hand.

    • Jeffreysc

      in audacity of hope, i believe he noted he was a coke-man not a pot-man; but i think you’re probably on the right track, he is probably in an altered state most of the time

  • Larry

    Nobody seems to understand the real problem regarding jobs.  It has nothing to do with the president or congress.  The cause is the current U.S. business model.  The model is to make as much money as possible and use the lowest labor rate possible.  That labor rate is not in the U.S. so why anybody expects jobs to be created beyond me.  As an example everyone ravies about Apple corporation and their great products but the only jobs they create in the U.S. are a few managers and engineers.   They are however creating gobs of jobs in China.  I’m not smart enough to figure out a business cases that will benefit the U.S. but until someone does its all down hill.

    • Jeffreysc

      the only organization that can afford to ignore labor costs is apparently the federal government, it appears to believe its budget are boundless

      • Anonymous

        You’re right.  $1million per troop is not too cost efficient.

  • Jay’s Reading List

    Real unemployment rises to 16.2% in June

    25.3 million Americans are unemployed

    http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/real-unemployment-rises-162-june-253-mil

    • Michael

      Wow,

      What success the Congressional republicans are having.

      simply amazing……

  • JonS

      Obama is not a “bad poker player ” as one caller mentioned. He’s just incompetent and completely over his head while “leading from behind”.. He has absolutely no plan for growing the economy and I dare anyone to tell me otherwise. And please don’t insult my intelligence by mentioning “green jobs” or the auto bailout.  What a farce! Finally, the caller comment that republicans support public sector layoffs in order to increase unemployment sounded remarkably stupid.

    • Fredlinskip

      Sorta disagree with you there.     Obama has disappointed me in some ways, but considering the degree of animosity and lack of cooperation from other party, I think it’s a bloody miracle his administration has been able to accomplish what they have.     Considering the degree of crisis’s that faced the country, you might have suspected some cooperation from GOP in the interests of American people. Instead they have filibustered EVERYTHING. This leads me to believe they are either deluded OR don’t give a #*^@ about American people or are puppets of the wealthy capable of supporting their campaigns (or combination of above). Seems Dems went out of their way to support W after 9/11- What a MISTAKE that turned out to be.     But back to Obama. He’s not the sort of leader like Roosevelt who uses bully pulpit to stir up American fervor. That’s a fault. He wants to reconcile differences and make progress. GOP figured this out fairly early and has used this against him.     Also mistake was expending much of his “political capital” gained in ‘08 election on health care. He could have used it on ending Wars or green jobs or ending tax cuts for wealthy or…. whatever.        My instinct tells me this may have something to do with Hillary. I see her hand in attitude that “us Dems are tired of being kicked around as being against military, so we’re gonna keep these wars going and by the way Barrack if you don’t do something about health care I’m going to punch you in the nose.”Think Barrack did much to stave off worse financial collapse, revive auto industry and in general did more than most other Prez’s in such a short period.     Should he have done more? Differently? Probably. But praise the lord we didn’t get McCain, cuz I suspect things would be much worse.

      • Gregg

        ” you might have suspected some cooperation from GOP in the interests of American people…. But back to Obama. He’s not the sort of leader like Roosevelt who uses
        bully pulpit to stir up American fervor. That’s a fault. He wants to
        reconcile differences and make progress.”

        Clean up the mess

        Get in their face

        Punish our enemies

        Bring a gun

        ” Do your own research. This country was founded on principle of an informed public.”

  • JonS

      Obama is not a “bad poker player ” as one caller mentioned. He’s just incompetent and completely over his head while “leading from behind”.. He has absolutely no plan for growing the economy and I dare anyone to tell me otherwise. And please don’t insult my intelligence by mentioning “green jobs” or the auto bailout.  What a farce! Finally, the caller comment that republicans support public sector layoffs in order to increase unemployment sounded remarkably stupid.

  • Jay’s Reading List

    Los Zetas drug kingpin:

    “We (the Mexican Zetas drug cartel) bought guns directly from the U.S. goverment”.

    The A.T.F.’s Operation  “Fast and Furious” which sold 2,000 semi-automatic weapons to Mexican drug cartels which in turn were used in several killings, icluding the murder of U.S. Border Patrol agent, Brian Terry.

    http://www.infowars.com/los-zetas-kingpin-we-bought-guns-directly-from-u-s-government/

    • Michael

      Nice,

      The NPR must be proud…..

  • david

    There are no more rabbits to pull out of Obama’s hat.
    We have wasted a ton of money on a plan that failed!
    Obama has only 1 member of his original economic team remaining, all the other rats have jumped ship.
    What remains is his gift of gab, yet! it is only working on the faithful lifetime Democratic/Entitlement voter mentality.
    Both sides are playing politics, it is a voter contest. Who will present the golden egg or the govt. teet to a dependant salivating voter!
    Meanwhile, our country is sinking, the can will be kicked down the road, each party side will be given assurance that everything that can be done is being done.
    We will tax more and spend more and the end will still come!
    Wake up America!!!! As Obama promised,”We” are going to transform America into something NOBODY will want.
    Get out of debt, stay out of debt and save all of the devalued dollars you can, the waters are going to get ruff!

    • Michael

      how are we taxed more when we are at our lowest levels of taxes in 50+ years while in (now) 3+ wars? And as conservatives keep(attempting)pointing out a large chunk of Americans don’t pay income taxes.

      Oh yea republicans clearly state no new taxes but more tax cuts which will increase that 40 something % who are currently not paying.  Remember cutting corporate subsidies or requiring them to get off the government’s teet is considered a tax increase(which again the republicans have stated no new taxes) aka the grover norquist pledge.

      Oh we can’t cut defense cause if will hurt or troops or security or whatever bs excuse they can come up with. 

      BTW red states tend to rely/use more entitlement programs than blue and more times than not are the ones getting more than they pay in.

      Maybe if the red states where fiscally more responsible they could actually pay there fair share in taxes instead of feeding off the others.

      http://www.visualeconomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/tax.jpg

      New Jersey receives 0.61 for each tax dollar paid. Nevada receives 0.65
      per tax dollar paid. Connecticut receives 0.69 for each tax dollar paid
      New Hampshire receives 0.71 for each tax dollar it pays. Minnesota
      receives 0.72 per tax dollar paid. Illinois receives 0.75 for each tax
      dollar it pays. Delaware receives 0.77 per tax dollar paid. California
      receives 0.78 per tax dollar paid.

      Indiana receives 1.05 for each tax dollar it pays. Ohio receives 1.05
      per tax dollar paid. Pennsylvania receives 1.07 per tax dollar paid.
      Utah receives 1.07 per tax dollar paid. North Carolina receives 1.08 per
      tax dollar paid. Vermont receives 1.08 for each tax dollar it pays.
      Iowa receives 1.10 per tax dollar paid. Nebraska receives 1.10 per tax
      dollar paid. Wyoming receives 1.11 per tax dollar paid.
      Kansas receives
      1.12 for each tax dollar it pays.
      Arizona receives 1.19 per tax
      dollar paid. Idaho receives 1.21 per tax dollar paid. Tennessee receives
      1.27 per tax dollar paid. Maryland receives 1.30 for each tax dollar it
      pays. Missouri receives 1.32 per tax dollar paid. South Carolina
      receives 1.35 per tax dollar paid. Oklahoma receives 1.36 per tax dollar
      paid. Arkansas receives 1.41 per tax dollar paid. Maine receives 1.41
      per tax dollar paid. Hawaii receives 1.44 per tax dollar paid. Montana
      receives 1.47 per tax dollar paid.
      Kentucky receives 1.51 per tax
      dollar paid. Virginia receives 1.51 per tax dollar paid. South Dakota
      receives 1.53 per tax dollar paid. Alabama receives 1.66 per tax dollar
      paid. North Dakota receives 1.68 per tax dollar paid. West Virginia
      receives 1.76 per tax dollar paid. Louisiana receives 1.78 per tax
      dollar paid. Alaska receives 1.84 per tax dollar paid. Mississippi
      receives 2.02 per tax dollar paid. New Mexico receives 2.03 per tax
      dollar paid.

      • david

        Great effort Michael, yet! your man is incharge of the ship(maybe car) and it is worst than before. Just a few months ago, the Dems. proposed raising the ceiling by 2+ Trillion with No mention of ANY type of cuts. I have no love lost for either party, they both spend inorder to buy our votes.
        You can tax everyone making 250k and above at 100% and that still will not solve the problem. You can blame everyone but that will not solve this problem. You can win the political argument and beat your chest in victory and still that will not solve this problem.
        The problem is simple economics, we are spending more than we are taking in, we are living outside our means and the problem will not be solved till we cap the spending first!
        Taxes are coming on everyone, that is a known, but if the rate of spending continues, no amount of money will keep this ship afloat!
        It is funny, the Dems. want to tax the Repubs. interest, while they say hands off cutting spending on their interest.
        Go to this site, go to debt clock time machine(upper right corner) and you will see the crap we are headed for by 2015 if we stay on our current course.
        http://www.usdebtclock.org/2000.html 

        It makes no difference where your loyalty lies, something must give or we will not have enough wallets to pillage to keep this up!
        Hopefully, sanity will prevail.
         

         

    • Michael

      how are we taxed more when we are at our lowest levels of taxes in 50+ years while in (now) 3+ wars? And as conservatives keep(attempting)pointing out a large chunk of Americans don’t pay income taxes.

      Oh yea republicans clearly state no new taxes but more tax cuts which will increase that 40 something % who are currently not paying.  Remember cutting corporate subsidies or requiring them to get off the government’s teet is considered a tax increase(which again the republicans have stated no new taxes) aka the grover norquist pledge.

      Oh we can’t cut defense cause if will hurt or troops or security or whatever bs excuse they can come up with. 

      BTW red states tend to rely/use more entitlement programs than blue and more times than not are the ones getting more than they pay in.

      Maybe if the red states where fiscally more responsible they could actually pay there fair share in taxes instead of feeding off the others.

      http://www.visualeconomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/tax.jpg

      New Jersey receives 0.61 for each tax dollar paid. Nevada receives 0.65
      per tax dollar paid. Connecticut receives 0.69 for each tax dollar paid
      New Hampshire receives 0.71 for each tax dollar it pays. Minnesota
      receives 0.72 per tax dollar paid. Illinois receives 0.75 for each tax
      dollar it pays. Delaware receives 0.77 per tax dollar paid. California
      receives 0.78 per tax dollar paid.

      Indiana receives 1.05 for each tax dollar it pays. Ohio receives 1.05
      per tax dollar paid. Pennsylvania receives 1.07 per tax dollar paid.
      Utah receives 1.07 per tax dollar paid. North Carolina receives 1.08 per
      tax dollar paid. Vermont receives 1.08 for each tax dollar it pays.
      Iowa receives 1.10 per tax dollar paid. Nebraska receives 1.10 per tax
      dollar paid. Wyoming receives 1.11 per tax dollar paid.
      Kansas receives
      1.12 for each tax dollar it pays.
      Arizona receives 1.19 per tax
      dollar paid. Idaho receives 1.21 per tax dollar paid. Tennessee receives
      1.27 per tax dollar paid. Maryland receives 1.30 for each tax dollar it
      pays. Missouri receives 1.32 per tax dollar paid. South Carolina
      receives 1.35 per tax dollar paid. Oklahoma receives 1.36 per tax dollar
      paid. Arkansas receives 1.41 per tax dollar paid. Maine receives 1.41
      per tax dollar paid. Hawaii receives 1.44 per tax dollar paid. Montana
      receives 1.47 per tax dollar paid.
      Kentucky receives 1.51 per tax
      dollar paid. Virginia receives 1.51 per tax dollar paid. South Dakota
      receives 1.53 per tax dollar paid. Alabama receives 1.66 per tax dollar
      paid. North Dakota receives 1.68 per tax dollar paid. West Virginia
      receives 1.76 per tax dollar paid. Louisiana receives 1.78 per tax
      dollar paid. Alaska receives 1.84 per tax dollar paid. Mississippi
      receives 2.02 per tax dollar paid. New Mexico receives 2.03 per tax
      dollar paid.

  • Janice200

    Pres. Obama seems to be seeking consensus, which is a familiar approach in Asian society. This is interpreted by Americans as weakness and failure to lead.
    Washington leadership and legislation as fist fight and poker game?
    Is that how Americans deal with each other in a crisis?
    Interesting idea of patriotism.

     

    • Terry Tree Tree

      Janice,   Democracy=Consensus Government, considering what is best for the COUNTRY, not what is best for a group of MYTHICAL ‘citizen corporatios, with NO Birth Certificates!
          Fist-fight, or poker game, more like Mutually-Assured-Thermonuclear Global Destruction.
           Since Democratic Government is government by consensus, those that refuse compromise are a form of totalitarian regeim, not part of a democracy.   Some of them are evidently, albeit slowly realizing just that.  A hundred years more of education, and thought, and they may wish they had been part of a democratic, representative republic.   We don’t HAVE that much time!

  • Jay’s Reading List

    President Obama rewards big donors, $500,000 dollars or more, with goverment jobs.

    http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/report-obama-administration-rewards-big-donors-jobs/story?id=13849435

  • Jay’s Reading List

    Attorney General Eric Holder lied about Operation “Fast and Furious”

    Obama Administration approved selling semi-automatic weapons to Mexican drug cartels

    http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july092011/holder-atf-death-tk.php

    • david

      Wait till you read about the backdoor amnesty for the illegals that comes in the form of new ICE guidelines. All agents are to pursue only the hardcore criminals, the rest will be considered low, leave them alone, priorities. In other words, Obama is hispandering!
      My question, has anyone really looked into Obama’s core ideology, what is his vision of an ideal America??
      Are do we really care?

  • Gregg

    Why are the press parroting the Democrats torturing of the language by saying “revenue increases” instead of “tax hikes”? They are not synonymous.
    Why is anyone even talking about tax cuts when there are none proposed?
    It’s not honest debate, yet the taking points have become conventional wisdom. What kind of willful ignorance is required to be influenced by the lies?

    • JayB

      A lot of these “revenue increases” are merely closing loopholes in the tax codes.  I don’t think any reasonable person could conclude closing loopholes that were never intended amounts to raising taxes.

      • Gregg

        No, he wants to raise rates. IMHO “Loophole” is a meaningless talking point. It’s not specific, what does it even mean. IT’s the tax code. Is the standard deduction a loophole? The EIC?

  • L armond

    Our local talk show in Norfolk, Virginia, “Hearsay”WHRO, featured an hour discussing the jury system.  Yes, there are many serious issues, and this may seem minor, but I am just asking what you think of this budget cut: Coffee is no longer provided for the jurors.  If they want some they can use a vending machine.  You can’t bring either brewed or grounds in because of security.   I just can’t imagine that the budget cuts mean no coffee and wonder how that effects morale, and community, and ‘awareness’ of Norfolk juries.  This must be to the advantage of prosecutors.  Is this a national trend, no coffee for jurors, not even tea?   Please, let me know what you think of this.

  • Gregg

    “Leave the political rhetoric at the door” – President Obama July 5.
    The next day:

    “The debt ceiling should not be something that is used
    as a gun against the heads of the American people to extract tax breaks
    for corporate jet owners, for oil and gas companies that are making
    billions of dollars because the price of gasoline has gone up so high.”

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