The power of TOD is massive, grows daily and will be harnessed to influence Congress.
Next week the press will throw everything they have at us to distract us from the sequester. We need to ignore it.
We make a tremendous difference when we stay focused and on message.
I need 10 people to pledge to make 10 phone calls. If you are willing to participate post below, list your zip code so I can look up your district.
I need folks to help me identify senators and members of the house who are in districts that supported the President or who lost by a slim margin. Republicans who can be moved – lets ignore the extremists.
To magnify our voices we will call the DC office and all local offices. Most senators have 3-4 local offices and many members of the house have more than one office.
My contact congress page now has a column for local offices, I have that info for all Rs but did not get it done for all the Ds.
If you are willing to call outside your district use the zip code of their local offices. Calling after hours and leave a message is an option if you are nervous about calling.
I would be willing to call outside of my district because my district is fully supportive of PBO (my Rep is Chris Van Hollen, district 8 MD). I don’t mind calling during business hrs.
Linda, thanks a million for all your hard work. After I did the tidy-up of the right sidebar ages ago I meant to put back the link to your ‘Contact Congress’ page and completely forgot – fixed! The link is there permamently now, so anyone who needs it, just click and it’ll take you to Linda’s site.
Great idea which I think OFA will also implement. I’m in true blue 97239. The only Republican in Oregon’s Congressional delegation is Rep. Greg Walden, Boehner’s right-hand man. OFA OR has targeted him. I’m willing to call out of state if you think that would help.
MUST SEE — first copies of furlough notices sent to federal criminal prosecutors as a result of #sequester go.usa.gov/2Y8k— House OversightDems (@OversightDems) March 01, 2013
President Obama: "Every time we get a piece of economic news, we’ll know it could have been better if not for Congress’ failure to act."— The White House (@whitehouse) March 01, 2013
Obama: "We just need Republicans in Congress to catch up to their own party and their country on this, and we could make a lot of progress"— The White House (@whitehouse) March 01, 2013
"There is a caucus of common sense….it's just that it's a silent group right now." — Obama.— The Fix (@TheFix) March 01, 2013
Very touching and heartwarming story. Just an example how three adults did the right thing for this child I wish all children can have a happy ending like that.
OK folks, time for my daily beg. Please vote for my #2′s attempt to win this travel correspondent job and $50G. Just copy the URL for her video and paste it on the icon/s in the “vote for this entry” box next to her video. Thanks so much. http://www.mydestination.com/users/kelauni/bbb#.US-V0Fcnw2Q
Thanks wiw for your vote. No arm twisting necessary. I’m a frequent caller to my congress critters. I’m happy to help out. I’m in Illinois and the zip is 60153. My rep is Danny Davis, my Senators are Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk (ugh)
Mornin’, TODville. The President’s remarks were wonderful, as usual. Apparently, he’s quite aware there is a “silent caucus of common sense,” more or less, among both Ds and Rs in Congress, and I’m sure he’ll let us know who those people are one of these fine days! Of course, we know the Democrats among them. I almost muted the Q&As, but I have it on because I want to hear everything the President says to the American people about this fiasco. And if he can listen to the jackals, so can I. Proceed, jackals.
what inspired me most is how he told us that he understood what the GOP is about ..but that he is still moving forward with his agenda…and as PBO said…this is the agenda that the American People voted for……that no matter what they threw at him that he is moving Foward!!!!!!!!!!!..i sooooooooooooo needed to hear that from PBO…that JOBs…Immigration reform…gun saftey…education…infrastructure repair…are on his agenda…
He warned the GOP he would call them out if they didn’t cooperate. And he is giving cover to any GOPers that want to do the right thing. Splendid politics.
If only the media did its job
Why can't the media, instead of saying "Congress failed to pass" be honest and say "Republicans in Congress blocked" a solution to sequester— john miller (@deaconmill) March 01, 2013
I’m going to bring the topic back to gun control. WY has a population of less than 500,000 people. We have more antelope than people. We also have deer, elk, moose, Big Horn sheep, etc. here is a link to 2012 WY Hunting Regulations. It gets very specific about the size of rifle you can use, down to the size of the barrel. But there is a portion I’m going to post that I think is idiotic. It should be under the link. http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/HUNTING-1000179.aspx
Firearms; automatic weapon or silencer prohibited. No person shall take into or possess in the game fields or forests of Wyoming any fully automatic weapon or device designed to silence or muffle the report of any firearm. Wyoming has no restrictive laws concerning firearms that may be legally possessed under the laws of one’s home state. Firearms may be carried uncased in vehicles, although safety dictates that all firearms in a vehicle should be unloaded with action open.
It seems the Game is better protected than people. There are also regulations on fowl, usually done with a shotgun. You can have no more that three shotgun shells loaded in the gun. In ND, the limit is two shells according to Ed Schultz. If you want to check our own states regs, it shouldn’t be hard. Just google your states .gov site. I just googled Wyoming state government. People should be respected and protected more than antelope and deer.
As someone told me last, Turkeys are better protected than people.
Yes, the sequester is awful. But the thing about Americans is that they have to be hammered on the head over and over again before they change direction. The sequester is a humongous hammer. The GOP has dug its own grave, and is now building the coffin.
President Obama says billionaire NYC Mayor Bloomberg may not feel the impact of the #sequester but middle-clas families will. Zing!— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) March 01, 2013
This is absolutely devastating for the Republican Party. President Obama is schooling everybody with this presser. The only adult in the room is making it plain.
His ability to deal with these people (I can’t call them journalists)is to beyond me. Now this question about how he as the leader of this country plans to deal with these crisis, nothing about how congress has to deal with them.
We’ve heard a lot lately about the members of the lunatic caucus who have been elected from solid red districts and are unlikely to do anything as sane as compromise out of fear of a primary challenge. But there are also House Republicans who currently represent more swing districts – mostly in the Northeast part of the country – that are equally threatened by association with this lunacy.
By comparing the 49 Republicans who voted for Sandy Relief with those 19 who challenged Speaker Boehner on VAWA, I see a list of somewhere between 14 and 21 Republicans that might be willing to work with Democrats on some sane legislation. We need 18.
//….By comparing the 49 Republicans who voted for Sandy Relief with those 19 who challenged Speaker Boehner on VAWA, I see a list of somewhere between 14 and 21 Republicans that might be willing to work with Democrats on some sane legislation. WE NEED 18 [italics mine].
If folks like BooMan and I have figured this out – what do you think the odds are Organizing for America and the White House are on to it? You can bet that OFA has a list and is working with voters in those districts to amplify their voices.
…//
SP reminds me here of what Bobfr is always tweeting – Let’s flip 18 Repubs and try to give the gavel back to NancySmash.
If you haven’t already, go read Smartypants’ article. It’s a short one, and the support would be nice.
Note to Ms. Yellin: You don't cite an independently-wealthy billionaire to illustrate how middle-class families will fare during sequester.— (@aspirational12) March 01, 2013
Every single voting House Republican from a district President Obama won last November supported the bill, while nearly two-thirds of the whole Republican conference voted no. Rep. Gary Miller, R-Calif., was absent, but his other 15 colleagues from Obama territory all voted yes. GOP Reps. Mike Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Peter King of New York, who represent the two districts Romney won most narrowly, also voted for the VAWA reauthorization.
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This is good to know about Mike Fitzpatrick…he will not accept email from outside of his district….but i plan to call him to thank him for his vote on the VAWA….
POTUS is heartbreaking as he describes how this sequester will injure our people.
I couldn’t love hm more.
Everything he’s said so far as been about compassion for his country.
I can only hope the day will come soon that no American can hear GOPTP/MSM lies without gagging.
A reporter citing Michael Bloomberg on effect of sequester is like someone citing Donald Trump on good hair care.— Liberal Librarian (@Lib_Librarian) March 01, 2013
PBO brought it all into focus…that the deficit is not allllll he is focused on….he plans to move onJOBssssss….. immigration…gun safety..education….etc…the agenda that the American People voted for him to do….
I hate to pile on (Ha!) and say I loved that, too, but I loved that, too. PBO knew exactly what he was doing, and I’m guessing Jay gave him the call-on-these-people-even-the-guy-nobody-ever-heard-of-with-the-zits list.
This is just a scene for one of the middle seasons, where the President walks straight out of the WH up 1600 and to congress, then leaves b/c they made him wait. The press destory the R Speaker for making POTUS wait, which ends up helping get the Bill passed.
It was all a ploy by the WH staff b.c they knew the GOP would overplay their hand.
@markknoller That's all you got from the entire press conference on a serious issue? And you're being paid a 6-figure salary. #SHAMEFUL— (@aspirational12) March 01, 2013
Congratulations on 1st, and thanks for your excellent effort for us to work harder.
Our President is doing an excellent job explaining to the flippant White House Press Correspondents why sequestration coming into being is not his fault. I also liked when PBO said he is not a “dictator”. If Boehnor and the House decides to leave, the President explained he can’t make SS keep them from boarding their planes. I hope the MSM will carry this message clearly to the public without any distortions. Hopefully, those buying into PBO is not leading will see the obstructionism of the GOP and those Tea Suckers.
It’s ridiculous and intentionally evil for the bas-turd republicans to go home at a time like this when our nation needs them to stay and workout negotiations.
Why can't the media, instead of saying "Congress failed to pass" be honest and say "Republicans in Congress blocked" a solution to sequester— john miller (@deaconmill) March 01, 2013
Love how the President was so relaxed in the briefing room this morning. That’ll explode all of the RWNJ heads who expect to “defeat” him. Ha! Ain’t gonna happen.
What's Wrong with Today's MSM No. 1,008: Pundits concentrate on the "Jedi" portion of President Obama's remarks, not sequester effects.— (@JOBoomr) March 01, 2013
Yep. I don’t mind when somebody like David Corn of Mother Jones does it, because he always supports the President and he was lulled into a feeling of “we’ll get through this” by his remarks and went for the joke, but the others have no brains. No cognitive skills. No reason to be there!
The Press is so outclassed and outsmarted by PBO..they try to find any tidbit they can to try and lay him low….it is really personal with them/shows more and more every day…
Sometimes I think it’s just their obsession to find something “new” or “original” to say. Talking about the effects of the sequester is boring for them. The President made a joke about the Jedi, they laughed, they liked it, so they HAD to make it the main focus of their report.
They’re not all evil. Jessica Yellin for example is a good person I think. And she’s not stupid. She just lacks knowledge. And, for the love of God, can someone explains to her that in the REAL LIFE, Washington politics are MORE DIFFICULT than in The West Wing !!!
Seriously, sometimes I wonder if, at some unconscious level, many people are comparing President Obama to President Bartlett and find him lacking. They have to let go of their fantasies. The Washington of The West Wing was nasty, but compared to the REAL Washington, it was a paradise.
You are both on my list – I will have names, numbers and talking points for both of you by Monday AM. the smartypants and booman articles are SOO HELPFUL.
That was a bloody fantastic press conference. Welcome to the 2nd term scumbag GOP.
Shorter Obama to the WHPC: "You think I'm going to stand here and let you blame me for what I didn't do? Welcome to the 2nd term scumbags."— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama walks out of the room as Chuck Todd begins screaming nonsense questions. Thank you for the visual Mr. President.— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama: "Washington spends a lot of its time talking about deficits; it needs to spend more time on creating jobs"— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama: "This is not an apocalypse as some people have termed it. It's just dumb and it's going to hurt a lot of people." #sequester— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama is killing it at the press briefing. Letting the nation know that #sequester occurred because the GOP wants to protect the 1%.— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Apparently to the millionaires in the WHP; janitors, security guards, & bus drivers who will suffer from the #sequester are just lazy bums.— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
POTUS: "The economy will not grow as quickly as it could have. There are lives behind that. This isn't necessary and that's the problem"— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama reminds the callous WHPC that #sequester is not a joke to janitors, cleaners, & people working hard everyday. They'll be hurt.— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama on teachers, workers, families: "I don't think they feel that this is an exaggerated impact." #sequester— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama reminds Yellin that he's not concerned with politics. He's concerned with teachers & military members who'll get a pay cut.— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Jessica Yellin of CNN wants POTUS to lock up Boehner & McConnell in a room. Pres. Obama: "Jessica, I am not a dictator. I am the president."— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama reminds Jessica Yellin of CNN that he doesn't have a "Jedi Mind Meld" that magically works on the GOP.— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama to Julie of the WHPC: "What more do you think I should do?" Shorter Obama: "No response? Then please shut up." #sequester— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama: "This is not a win for anybody. This is a loss for the American people." #sequester— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama: "We're not here for politics. We're not here to advance our electoral prospects. We're here for families." #sequester— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama points out that Democrats are compromising on a deficit reduction deal and the blame lies with the politics w/in the GOP.— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama on GOP obstruction: "I wonder sometimes, if there's something I can do to make House Republicans not paint horns on my head."— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
POTUS says he wants a balanced plan but what he won't do is ask seniors & young ppl to bear the burden alone. 1% has to pay their fair share— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama reiterates again to the dumb WHPC that over $2.5T in spending cuts have been enacted. We don't have a spending problem.— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama says he will continue pushing on the economy, gun control, immigration and universal pre-K because Americans voted for this.— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama: "The greatest nation on Earth doesn't conduct its business in month-to-month increments, or by careening from crisis to crisis"— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
POTUS: "We just need republicans in congress to catch up to their own party and their country on this, and we could make a lot of progress"— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama: "The majority of the American people agree with me." #sequester— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama on the GOP: "They've allowed these cuts to happen because they won't budge on closing a single tax loophole." #sequester— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama: "We shouldn't be making a series of dumb arbitrary cuts to things Americans depend on." #sequester— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
Pres. Obama: "the longer these cuts remain in place, the greater the damage to our economy." #sequester— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) March 01, 2013
@chucktodd @NerdyWonka
Pres. Obama walks out of the room as Chuck Todd begins screaming nonsense questions. Thank you for visual Mr. Pres— Jean,Ohio (@SaveRepublic) March 01, 2013
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Of all the falsehoods told about President Barack Obama, the biggest whopper is the one about his reckless spending spree.
As would-be president Mitt Romney tells it: “I will lead us out of this debt and spending inferno.”
Almost everyone believes that Obama has presided over a massive increase in federal spending, an “inferno” of spending that threatens our jobs, our businesses and our children’s future. Even Democrats seem to think it’s true.
But it didn’t happen. Although there was a big stimulus bill under Obama, federal spending is rising at the slowest pace since Dwight Eisenhower brought the Korean War to an end in the 1950s.
Pres. Obama is channeling his inner Harry Truman. Making sure everybody knows that when the effects are felt it is solely due to the GOP.— john miller (@deaconmill) March 01, 2013
>>>>>>>PRESIDENT OBAMA IS EXPOSING THE CAUSE OF THIS MADNESS <<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>> THE DYSFUNCTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY<<<<<<<<<<<
Ending the permanent crisis
By EJ Dionne
————————————————-
This has to stop.
Ever since they took control of the House of Representatives in 2011, Republicans have made journeys to the fiscal brink as commonplace as summertime visits to the beach or the ballpark. The country has been put through a series of destructive showdowns over budget issues we once resolved through the normal give-and-take of negotiations
.
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What Obama can do is expose the cause of this madness, which is the dysfunction of the Republican Party.
Journalists don’t like saying this because it sounds partisan. But the truth is the truth, whether it sounds partisan or not.
And a staunch conservative has succinctly explained why this problem really is a Republican problem. In an admirably candid interview Monday with Ezra Klein on MSNBC, Ben Domenech, a conservative blogger, said the new tea party Republicans in the House don’t want their leadership to sit down with Obama to talk because “they have their doubts about the ability of Republicans to negotiate any better situation.”
Oh Holy Shit: Rick Snyder, who was supposed to be a ‘moderate’ Republican governor of MI, has deemed Detroit a financial emergency and is invoking his emergency management powers.
“The state-appointed manager, who could be selected later this month, would ultimately wield powers aimed at swiftly turning around the municipal government’s dire circumstances — powers to cut city spending, change contracts with labor unions, merge or eliminate city departments, urge the sale of city assets and even, if all else failed, to recommend bankruptcy proceedings.”
Who won the fucking election a few months ago?
It seems the Republicans did and we lost!
How are they doing what they want and yet we won by 5 million votes?
Snyder was elected in 2010, convincing a whole lot of people he was ‘moderate’.
2010 should be a rallying cry to all Dem’s – VOTE. Vote in EVERY election.
I remember so many people from MI believing that this jackass would be ‘moderate’. This emergency manager bill is one of the most outrageous overreaches by any Republican, and that’s saying a lot. They’re using it to take away beautiful areas like Saugatuck and turn them over to development. It’s a disgrace.
I thought some of these powers had been cut back, but from what I can tell, Snyder can send in anyone he wants, to do anything he wants.
The gist: because of Snyder’s action 49% of AA’s in Michigan will no longer have democratically elected local representation. Because what this law does is take away any authority of locally elected officials.
As it turns out, every few months the Republicans will have a manufactured crisis.
This month it’s Sequester. End of this month is government shutdown, the month after that is the debt limit again.
It’s the Tea Party house that totally rejects the President because he is black.
They think by cutting spending, they will teach the blacks.
Meanwhile, the Suoreme court is having Jim Crowe over for dinner.
I don’t know what the President can do, he is totally powerless, unless he caves. And that will nor be a good thing fir the majority of the country.
Maybe Marshall Law, over ride congress, stimulus bills, debt reduction, energy plan, immigration reform.
But after all that he would have to resign, give the power back to the people.
And of course, it might ruin the democratic institution.
Short of that, the President is powerless, and it all boils down to good old fashion racism and a rejection of the President.
Oh Jovie, I feel for your despair.
I don’t agree that PBO is powerless. And I doubt he will cave.
POTUS is using the sequester as best he can by patiently explaining over and over that his opponents speak for the rich and themselves and that the President speaks, acts, and feels for our entire country.
Barack Obama was elected twice by sizable majorities. Winning while black. Good to remember that when feeling hopeless.
I am optimistic that the VRA will be held up.
PBO will prevail and in 2014 we will give him more help in Congress.
My point is, if they have decided to do these crisis every few months, the public is just going to get suck of the federal government and say we will do it by ourselves.
At that point, People who have severe issues will probably not make it. Survival of the fittest!
It’s called patty Hearst syndrome. The Republucans think everybody can do everything by themselves, regardless of mental health issues or Physical ailments.
That’s what they are imposing in you and me.
This is EXACTLY what Grover Norquist is telling them to do. Not only did he say “make government small enough to drown it in a bathtub”, he also said in an interview last year re: PBO, and I am paraphrasing, “If he is good, we will only threaten once a month, if he is bad we will do it weekly”. Anybody else see or remember this interview? Chips, can you find it and post? I remember watching it and feeling my BP go up while screaming at the TV machine. God I dispise this asshole!
Yes I remember that interview. The problem for Norquist is that the Republicans are only hurting themselves with this nonstop foolishness. Bush wrecked the country’s finances. President Obama is fixing things up the best he can. What is attractive about grown adults who do nothing but throw a fit when serious business needs to be conducted?
Hope they lose seats in 2014 and the Presidency again in 2016.
Governor Sneider declares Financial emergency in Detroit. Of course, now he can put in his own Mayor, tax cuts fir the rich and cut programs to the poor.
It seems we did not even win the election, It seems that the Republicans are in charge.
Obama Was Technically Correct With His 'Jedi Mind Meld' Comment That Nerds Are Freaking Out About read.bi/Z6QNnj— Business Insider (@businessinsider) March 01, 2013
And once again the media looks dumb in their rush to criticize…
Funniest thing about "Jedi Mind Meld" is a media so obsessed with one-upping the president they make themselves look stupid every time.— (@eclecticbrotha) March 01, 2013
I’m trying to think of a way to explain this in a way Boehner will understand. As the Speaker sees it, the very idea of a balanced compromise is ridiculous — a compromise would necessarily include revenue, Democrats already got new revenue, so it’s outrageous for anyone to even raise the possibility.
Let’s put this as plainly as possible: in the summer of 2011, both sides accepted a debt-reduction deal that cut spending by over $1.2 trillion without any additional revenue — a win for Republicans. In late 2012, both sides accepted another deal that raised about $600 billion in revenue without any additional cuts — a win for Democrats.
Now it’s time to add another piece to the puzzle, and the Speaker of the House only remembers part of the very recent past.
This sentence…
“Let’s make it clear, the president got his tax hike on January 1st. The discussion about revenue, in my view, is over.”
…makes exactly as much sense as this sentence:
“Let’s make it clear, Republicans got their spending cuts in 2011. The discussion about spending cuts, in my view, is over.”
Meanwhile, wall street and the market is doing great, they live this cutting of spending, love it.
Who knows, maybe it will be good for our economy? But, this type of cutting iEngkand did not work. Albeit, England did their cutting all at once and did not spread it out over ten years. So, their is that!
Today the GOP cheered the sequester, on 9/13 Cantor said it sequester will harm education, medical research, law enforcement, and jobs.— Dan Pfeiffer (@pfeiffer44) March 01, 2013
@pfeiffer44 Which is why Leader Cantor sponsored a bill to replace sequester. It has negative effects. Still waiting on you and the Senate.— Rory Cooper (@rorycooper) March 01, 2013
@rorycooper Your bill died in the last Congress, why not bring it up again? is is it bc you cant pass anything with out Leader Pelosi?— Dan Pfeiffer (@pfeiffer44) March 01, 2013
Tax expenditures offer Republicans and Democrats alike the opportunity to cut spending and increase revenue
BY JARED BERNSTEIN
———————————————————-
OK, maybe the title to this post is slightly inflated, but only slightly.
A central reason we’re heading into the self-inflicted wound known as sequestration is because R’s refuse to budge on any new revenues in a deficit reduction deal to offset the $85 billion in auto-cuts about to hit our already wobbly economy. The problem, they say, is on the spending side, not the revenue side. D’s insist on balance—the solution must include both spending cuts and revenue increases, they maintain.
But what if I offered you–them–a solution that scratched both of those itches at once…a way to simultaneously both cut spending and raise revenues? That would be irresistible, right?
Well, I’ve got exactly that. I’m working up testimony on this for the Senate next week but the solution is so damn compelling—and the sequestration deadline only hours away—it would be downright unpatriotic to keep it to myself a second longer.
Sequester Real Talk: The 3 Dumbest Things About This Truly Dumb Law
By DEREK THOMPSON
——————————————
There are many things to say about the sequester, but I want to focus on how it’s not merely a silly law, but a rather absurd law that rewards muddled thinking about both our debt and our politics. So here are the three silliest things about this very silly law.
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History remembers many things, but most crucially, it remembers what journalists tell it to remember. We are, after all, the authors of its first draft. If I’m wrong about the deficit, and the sequester, and the debt, and the Republican Party, I expect history will probably remember my account rather poorly. But all the evidence I see is that the sequester is not merely a bad law foisted on the president but also a bad law motivated by a bad misreading of what the economy needs. The most frustrating part of the latest frame of the budget war has been that the media’s fetish for evenhandedness prevents us from seeing the simplest truth: That there is no evidence that the deficit is a danger — and too much evidence that the Republican Party’s behavior is.
Automatic across-the-board budget cuts will take hold on Friday, affecting job growth, state education programs, environmental agencies, and women’s health programs. The sequester actually shares an important anniversary — with Big Oil tax breaks. It is not as well-known a date, but one type of deduction, the percentage depletion allowance, celebrates its 100-year anniversary today.
Depletion allowances let oil companies treat the oil in the ground as capital equipment, and thus allows them to write off a certain percentage for each barrel that comes out. (See more here).
Oil is 90 bucks a barrel, yet gas is approaching 4 bucks a gallon in my area.
Last time we saw 4 bucks a gallon in my area, oil was 106.
So, what gives?
My prediction: PBO will continue kicking GOP ass over this madness until they start crying for their momma. The tears are already welling in those Republican eyes.
Who’s best for America: Democrates Vs Republican last 50 yrs:
To #GOP: PLEASE Keep Scorning& Ignoring Public Opinion&Violating Public Trust! Best Thng U Cn Do4 Dem Party & 4USA! twitter.com/GeeOhPees2/sta…— William McDavid (@MountainMole) March 1, 2013
The power of TOD is massive, grows daily and will be harnessed to influence Congress.
Next week the press will throw everything they have at us to distract us from the sequester. We need to ignore it.
We make a tremendous difference when we stay focused and on message.
I need 10 people to pledge to make 10 phone calls. If you are willing to participate post below, list your zip code so I can look up your district.
I need folks to help me identify senators and members of the house who are in districts that supported the President or who lost by a slim margin. Republicans who can be moved – lets ignore the extremists.
To magnify our voices we will call the DC office and all local offices. Most senators have 3-4 local offices and many members of the house have more than one office.
My contact congress page now has a column for local offices, I have that info for all Rs but did not get it done for all the Ds.
http://www.whatisworking.com/2011/05/contact-congress-address-phone-twitter.html
If you are willing to call outside your district use the zip code of their local offices. Calling after hours and leave a message is an option if you are nervous about calling.
Congrats on 1st…WiW…
and i have my boots on…
my zip code is 19144
my state is PA
Got it – I will have names and numbers for you on Monday.
Congrats WIW on the top spot! You are one hard working supporter. Thanks!
Thanks Cookeman
Can we count on your help with this – what is your state or zip code? thanks
I would be willing to call outside of my district because my district is fully supportive of PBO (my Rep is Chris Van Hollen, district 8 MD). I don’t mind calling during business hrs.
Great hopeful – what is your zipcode? I will find vulnerable elected officals near you
20852
thanks – preparing a report for you right now, more to come soon.
Cool!
I will call 10. 27704
thanks Sara – your help makes a real difference
Congrats What is Working.
19070; PA-07
Thanks Alycee
80134
Thanks Cindy – more info coming soon
Linda, thanks a million for all your hard work. After I did the tidy-up of the right sidebar ages ago I meant to put back the link to your ‘Contact Congress’ page and completely forgot – fixed! The link is there permamently now, so anyone who needs it, just click and it’ll take you to Linda’s site.
Thanks Chips – you are the best
Happy to call 98418 WA Thanks Otter
CA , 90275
Thanks Betsy – I was hoping a fellow Californian would volunteers. We will rock the Repubs who live in CA now and in 2014
Great idea which I think OFA will also implement. I’m in true blue 97239. The only Republican in Oregon’s Congressional delegation is Rep. Greg Walden, Boehner’s right-hand man. OFA OR has targeted him. I’m willing to call out of state if you think that would help.
I will take a look at the folks near you and have the info for you on Monday. So happy to see so many folks willing to sign on.
WIW, I’m in: 98105
Thanks Pamela – I really appreciate your help.
98801 WA glad to help
Waiting for our President.
” Barack Who’s Sane Obama “
luv that.
perfect!!
Indeed.
Happy Sequestergeddon everybody.
Whenever i look at the WHPC…i often wonder why they are there…to do what …for who…
It is a better job than they would have back in East Bumfuck, more fun and more glamorous. I think that is why they are there.
there’s that
His is FED UP, and so am I. I am DAMN sick and tired of these worthless Republicans and their enablers in the left, right and centrist MEDIA
O/T but here’s a nice feel good story:
That’s a heartwarming, tear jerking story. Just shows why we shouldn’t care about someone’s sexual orientation.
I’m blubbering. What a beautiful, touching story. How lucky they are to have one another.
Very touching and heartwarming story. Just an example how three adults did the right thing for this child I wish all children can have a happy ending like that.
Thank you so much for posting this. Made me cry, and makes me happy!
OK folks, time for my daily beg. Please vote for my #2′s attempt to win this travel correspondent job and $50G. Just copy the URL for her video and paste it on the icon/s in the “vote for this entry” box next to her video. Thanks so much.
http://www.mydestination.com/users/kelauni/bbb#.US-V0Fcnw2Q
HI Cookeman
Just voted for your daughter, can I twiist your arm to help me call congress next week, what state are you in?
Thanks wiw for your vote. No arm twisting necessary. I’m a frequent caller to my congress critters. I’m happy to help out. I’m in Illinois and the zip is 60153. My rep is Danny Davis, my Senators are Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk (ugh)
Mornin’, TODville. The President’s remarks were wonderful, as usual. Apparently, he’s quite aware there is a “silent caucus of common sense,” more or less, among both Ds and Rs in Congress, and I’m sure he’ll let us know who those people are one of these fine days! Of course, we know the Democrats among them. I almost muted the Q&As, but I have it on because I want to hear everything the President says to the American people about this fiasco. And if he can listen to the jackals, so can I. Proceed, jackals.
hello Jackie…
what inspired me most is how he told us that he understood what the GOP is about ..but that he is still moving forward with his agenda…and as PBO said…this is the agenda that the American People voted for……that no matter what they threw at him that he is moving Foward!!!!!!!!!!!..i sooooooooooooo needed to hear that from PBO…that JOBs…Immigration reform…gun saftey…education…infrastructure repair…are on his agenda…
FORWARDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
noooooo noooooonooooo…Chips Plllllllllllllllllllllllz delete this ,,,this is not what i meant to put here…..dang
lawddd….this is what i meant to post….
He warned the GOP he would call them out if they didn’t cooperate. And he is giving cover to any GOPers that want to do the right thing. Splendid politics.
If only the media did its job
the Senate DID have a majority to pass an alternative to the sequester. Republicans made that vote moot.
Oh my – PBO threw that Republican-shilling question right back in her face: “Well tell me what you think I should do?” Crickets….
A beaut Hopefruit – the crickets were, well, deafening!
Chips could you plz delete my first post above…i posted the wrong video….ty so very much
PBO is so smart and so calm. If I had young children I would use POTUS and FLOTUS as role models everyday.
I’m going to bring the topic back to gun control. WY has a population of less than 500,000 people. We have more antelope than people. We also have deer, elk, moose, Big Horn sheep, etc. here is a link to 2012 WY Hunting Regulations. It gets very specific about the size of rifle you can use, down to the size of the barrel. But there is a portion I’m going to post that I think is idiotic. It should be under the link.
http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/HUNTING-1000179.aspx
Firearms; automatic weapon or silencer prohibited. No person shall take into or possess in the game fields or forests of Wyoming any fully automatic weapon or device designed to silence or muffle the report of any firearm. Wyoming has no restrictive laws concerning firearms that may be legally possessed under the laws of one’s home state. Firearms may be carried uncased in vehicles, although safety dictates that all firearms in a vehicle should be unloaded with action open.
It seems the Game is better protected than people. There are also regulations on fowl, usually done with a shotgun. You can have no more that three shotgun shells loaded in the gun. In ND, the limit is two shells according to Ed Schultz. If you want to check our own states regs, it shouldn’t be hard. Just google your states .gov site. I just googled Wyoming state government. People should be respected and protected more than antelope and deer.
As someone told me last, Turkeys are better protected than people.
Guess you missed my happy tweet on last post and I missed PBO. Still trying to fix alerts.
Good morning TOD. I am listening to the President and I want to throw up at this WHPC. They are a bunch of A$$es.
Well, he is President and he probably wants to do the same thing.
Did the President just reference Jedi mind trick? I’m melting.
Jessica Yellin = Affirmative Action DUMBARSE who think she’s smart.
Jessica Yellen ? Really ?
Yellen hit a nerve. PBO is schooling she and Bloomberg.
Morning Obots!
Yes, the sequester is awful. But the thing about Americans is that they have to be hammered on the head over and over again before they change direction. The sequester is a humongous hammer. The GOP has dug its own grave, and is now building the coffin.
THIS!!!!
Indeed.
THISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
This is absolutely devastating for the Republican Party. President Obama is schooling everybody with this presser. The only adult in the room is making it plain.
I love waking up in the morning and President Barack Hussein Obama is President of the United States.
I don’t know how our President deals with these idiots. He is amazing!
His ability to deal with these people (I can’t call them journalists)is to beyond me. Now this question about how he as the leader of this country plans to deal with these crisis, nothing about how congress has to deal with them.
Another amazing post from smartypants that offers hope and a strategy…
http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-republican-house-majority-gets.html?spref=tw
We’ve heard a lot lately about the members of the lunatic caucus who have been elected from solid red districts and are unlikely to do anything as sane as compromise out of fear of a primary challenge. But there are also House Republicans who currently represent more swing districts – mostly in the Northeast part of the country – that are equally threatened by association with this lunacy.
By comparing the 49 Republicans who voted for Sandy Relief with those 19 who challenged Speaker Boehner on VAWA, I see a list of somewhere between 14 and 21 Republicans that might be willing to work with Democrats on some sane legislation. We need 18.
//….By comparing the 49 Republicans who voted for Sandy Relief with those 19 who challenged Speaker Boehner on VAWA, I see a list of somewhere between 14 and 21 Republicans that might be willing to work with Democrats on some sane legislation. WE NEED 18 [italics mine].
If folks like BooMan and I have figured this out – what do you think the odds are Organizing for America and the White House are on to it? You can bet that OFA has a list and is working with voters in those districts to amplify their voices.
…//
SP reminds me here of what Bobfr is always tweeting – Let’s flip 18 Repubs and try to give the gavel back to NancySmash.
If you haven’t already, go read Smartypants’ article. It’s a short one, and the support would be nice.
Must be paid extra every time she says “Bloomberg.”
another article showing how there are cracks in the GOP house majority……
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2013/02/vulnerable-republicans-side-with-dems-to-reauthorize-vawa-28
Every single voting House Republican from a district President Obama won last November supported the bill, while nearly two-thirds of the whole Republican conference voted no. Rep. Gary Miller, R-Calif., was absent, but his other 15 colleagues from Obama territory all voted yes. GOP Reps. Mike Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Peter King of New York, who represent the two districts Romney won most narrowly, also voted for the VAWA reauthorization.
****************************
This is good to know about Mike Fitzpatrick…he will not accept email from outside of his district….but i plan to call him to thank him for his vote on the VAWA….
Called his office…i hope more folks do the same
President Obama just makes sense. The Republicans are just incoherent.
POTUS is heartbreaking as he describes how this sequester will injure our people.
I couldn’t love hm more.
Everything he’s said so far as been about compassion for his country.
I can only hope the day will come soon that no American can hear GOPTP/MSM lies without gagging.
Why does the press think he can just “order ” Congress to do what he wants ?
They know fully well that he can’t. The press is as dishonest as the Republicans they shill for.
‘deficit deduction alone is not an economic policy.” yea, PBO!
YESSSSSSSSSSS,,,,
PBO brought it all into focus…that the deficit is not allllll he is focused on….he plans to move onJOBssssss….. immigration…gun safety..education….etc…the agenda that the American People voted for him to do….
I LOVE it. President Obama did not call on the male front row jackels.
Yes was gonna post the same, stiffed NBC,CBS,FOX,ABC went to……AP,NPR,L.A. Times,Washington Post, and dimwit Jessica Yellin. For those who may have missed this from Jessica a month ago http://www.nationaljournal.com/whitehouse/why-obama-s-white-house-is-not-like-an-episode-of-the-west-wing-20130115 Carney smacks her down there too.. “I’m not going to indulge your West Wing Fantasy”
I hate to pile on (Ha!) and say I loved that, too, but I loved that, too. PBO knew exactly what he was doing, and I’m guessing Jay gave him the call-on-these-people-even-the-guy-nobody-ever-heard-of-with-the-zits list.
So what happened in the end on the West Wing? Never watched the show.
This is just a scene for one of the middle seasons, where the President walks straight out of the WH up 1600 and to congress, then leaves b/c they made him wait. The press destory the R Speaker for making POTUS wait, which ends up helping get the Bill passed.
It was all a ploy by the WH staff b.c they knew the GOP would overplay their hand.
Blasphemy!
PBO finished strong hoping that this short term insanity will pass and our country will be stronger than ever.
Greg Sargent @ThePlumLineGS
———————————————
Obama: Unlike the GOP plan, my plan demands concessions from both sides.
——————————————-
Good morning TOD and Chips
whatisworking my zip is 60610
Congratulations on 1st, and thanks for your excellent effort for us to work harder.
Our President is doing an excellent job explaining to the flippant White House Press Correspondents why sequestration coming into being is not his fault. I also liked when PBO said he is not a “dictator”. If Boehnor and the House decides to leave, the President explained he can’t make SS keep them from boarding their planes. I hope the MSM will carry this message clearly to the public without any distortions. Hopefully, those buying into PBO is not leading will see the obstructionism of the GOP and those Tea Suckers.
It’s ridiculous and intentionally evil for the bas-turd republicans to go home at a time like this when our nation needs them to stay and workout negotiations.
Got it thanks for your help relellit
Do you mind if I post your link and message on Facebook and other places I comment?
I would be very grateful if you would pass it on
WIW did you get mine …
PA…19144
yep – you are in
Just want to confirm: Is everyone else seeing tweets that say “eecceeeec;e:e;e;e;eecD9:9ce”
Love how the President was so relaxed in the briefing room this morning. That’ll explode all of the RWNJ heads who expect to “defeat” him. Ha! Ain’t gonna happen.
That is what Propaganda is…..bury the truth under piles of bs.
Yep. I don’t mind when somebody like David Corn of Mother Jones does it, because he always supports the President and he was lulled into a feeling of “we’ll get through this” by his remarks and went for the joke, but the others have no brains. No cognitive skills. No reason to be there!
The Press is so outclassed and outsmarted by PBO..they try to find any tidbit they can to try and lay him low….it is really personal with them/shows more and more every day…
Sometimes I think it’s just their obsession to find something “new” or “original” to say. Talking about the effects of the sequester is boring for them. The President made a joke about the Jedi, they laughed, they liked it, so they HAD to make it the main focus of their report.
They’re not all evil. Jessica Yellin for example is a good person I think. And she’s not stupid. She just lacks knowledge. And, for the love of God, can someone explains to her that in the REAL LIFE, Washington politics are MORE DIFFICULT than in The West Wing !!!
Seriously, sometimes I wonder if, at some unconscious level, many people are comparing President Obama to President Bartlett and find him lacking. They have to let go of their fantasies. The Washington of The West Wing was nasty, but compared to the REAL Washington, it was a paradise.
WIW. TN here……37922. Give me an assignment……can even tell me what to say and I WILL do it!
DITTO For Me!!!
You are both on my list – I will have names, numbers and talking points for both of you by Monday AM. the smartypants and booman articles are SOO HELPFUL.
Hi please count me in 98498 otter
Gotcha -thanks
That was a bloody fantastic press conference. Welcome to the 2nd term scumbag GOP.
UT The Fabulous! Thanks!
FANTASTIC Tweets
The epitomizes exactly what is wrong with the jackals. An endless supply of tabloid trash.
E.X.A.C.T.L.Y
Isn’t tornado season coming up? We need to have a devastating tornado in the south to make these bastards get to work.
ha ha for reals!
Thurston Howell III needs to go back under the rock he crawled out from under.
Is anyone interested in anything RMoney has to say about anything?
Loser needs to stay in his car elevator.
If the American people gave a dam what Mitt Romney thought, he would have been elected, but he wasn’t.
Obama spending binge never happened
By Rex Nutting
—————————————
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Of all the falsehoods told about President Barack Obama, the biggest whopper is the one about his reckless spending spree.
As would-be president Mitt Romney tells it: “I will lead us out of this debt and spending inferno.”
Almost everyone believes that Obama has presided over a massive increase in federal spending, an “inferno” of spending that threatens our jobs, our businesses and our children’s future. Even Democrats seem to think it’s true.
But it didn’t happen. Although there was a big stimulus bill under Obama, federal spending is rising at the slowest pace since Dwight Eisenhower brought the Korean War to an end in the 1950s.
—————————————————-
- See more at: http://articles.marketwatch.com/2012-05-22/commentary/31802270_1_spending-federal-budget-drunken-sailor#sthash.tbYvgTaQ.dpuf
>>>>>>>PRESIDENT OBAMA IS EXPOSING THE CAUSE OF THIS MADNESS <<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>> THE DYSFUNCTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY<<<<<<<<<<<
Ending the permanent crisis
By EJ Dionne
————————————————-
This has to stop.
Ever since they took control of the House of Representatives in 2011, Republicans have made journeys to the fiscal brink as commonplace as summertime visits to the beach or the ballpark. The country has been put through a series of destructive showdowns over budget issues we once resolved through the normal give-and-take of negotiations
.
.
What Obama can do is expose the cause of this madness, which is the dysfunction of the Republican Party.
Journalists don’t like saying this because it sounds partisan. But the truth is the truth, whether it sounds partisan or not.
And a staunch conservative has succinctly explained why this problem really is a Republican problem. In an admirably candid interview Monday with Ezra Klein on MSNBC, Ben Domenech, a conservative blogger, said the new tea party Republicans in the House don’t want their leadership to sit down with Obama to talk because “they have their doubts about the ability of Republicans to negotiate any better situation.”
——————————————————————–
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ej-dionne-ending-the-permanent-crisis/2013/02/27/32c4f81e-8119-11e2-b99e-6baf4ebe42df_story.html
Nancy Smash LIVE now:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=4
http://twitter.com/TheObamaDiary/status/307538098668056577
Oh Holy Shit: Rick Snyder, who was supposed to be a ‘moderate’ Republican governor of MI, has deemed Detroit a financial emergency and is invoking his emergency management powers.
How MI didn’t go 80-20 for PBO is beyond me.
here is what MI voted for:
“The state-appointed manager, who could be selected later this month, would ultimately wield powers aimed at swiftly turning around the municipal government’s dire circumstances — powers to cut city spending, change contracts with labor unions, merge or eliminate city departments, urge the sale of city assets and even, if all else failed, to recommend bankruptcy proceedings.”
Who won the fucking election a few months ago?
It seems the Republicans did and we lost!
How are they doing what they want and yet we won by 5 million votes?
Snyder was elected in 2010, convincing a whole lot of people he was ‘moderate’.
2010 should be a rallying cry to all Dem’s – VOTE. Vote in EVERY election.
I remember so many people from MI believing that this jackass would be ‘moderate’. This emergency manager bill is one of the most outrageous overreaches by any Republican, and that’s saying a lot. They’re using it to take away beautiful areas like Saugatuck and turn them over to development. It’s a disgrace.
I thought some of these powers had been cut back, but from what I can tell, Snyder can send in anyone he wants, to do anything he wants.
I’ll even give this dKos diary a link, because it’s from Eclectablog (Chris Savage and he’s one of the best:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/01/1190807/-With-Detroit-under-an-Emergency-Manager-half-of-Michigan-blacks-will-have-no-elected-local-govt
The gist: because of Snyder’s action 49% of AA’s in Michigan will no longer have democratically elected local representation. Because what this law does is take away any authority of locally elected officials.
OMG. This is insane.
Well this ios one way to put blk folks back on the plantation and take away their rights as citizens….TAKE AWAY THEIR RIGHTS AS CITIZENS…
As it turns out, every few months the Republicans will have a manufactured crisis.
This month it’s Sequester. End of this month is government shutdown, the month after that is the debt limit again.
It’s the Tea Party house that totally rejects the President because he is black.
They think by cutting spending, they will teach the blacks.
Meanwhile, the Suoreme court is having Jim Crowe over for dinner.
I don’t know what the President can do, he is totally powerless, unless he caves. And that will nor be a good thing fir the majority of the country.
Maybe Marshall Law, over ride congress, stimulus bills, debt reduction, energy plan, immigration reform.
But after all that he would have to resign, give the power back to the people.
And of course, it might ruin the democratic institution.
Short of that, the President is powerless, and it all boils down to good old fashion racism and a rejection of the President.
Oh Jovie, I feel for your despair.
I don’t agree that PBO is powerless. And I doubt he will cave.
POTUS is using the sequester as best he can by patiently explaining over and over that his opponents speak for the rich and themselves and that the President speaks, acts, and feels for our entire country.
Barack Obama was elected twice by sizable majorities. Winning while black. Good to remember that when feeling hopeless.
I am optimistic that the VRA will be held up.
PBO will prevail and in 2014 we will give him more help in Congress.
My point is, if they have decided to do these crisis every few months, the public is just going to get suck of the federal government and say we will do it by ourselves.
At that point, People who have severe issues will probably not make it. Survival of the fittest!
I don’t understand, Jovie. “do it by ourselves?”
It’s called patty Hearst syndrome. The Republucans think everybody can do everything by themselves, regardless of mental health issues or Physical ailments.
That’s what they are imposing in you and me.
This is EXACTLY what Grover Norquist is telling them to do. Not only did he say “make government small enough to drown it in a bathtub”, he also said in an interview last year re: PBO, and I am paraphrasing, “If he is good, we will only threaten once a month, if he is bad we will do it weekly”. Anybody else see or remember this interview? Chips, can you find it and post? I remember watching it and feeling my BP go up while screaming at the TV machine. God I dispise this asshole!
Yes I remember that interview. The problem for Norquist is that the Republicans are only hurting themselves with this nonstop foolishness. Bush wrecked the country’s finances. President Obama is fixing things up the best he can. What is attractive about grown adults who do nothing but throw a fit when serious business needs to be conducted?
Hope they lose seats in 2014 and the Presidency again in 2016.
Whoa….insane.
Governor Sneider declares Financial emergency in Detroit. Of course, now he can put in his own Mayor, tax cuts fir the rich and cut programs to the poor.
It seems we did not even win the election, It seems that the Republicans are in charge.
Crazy!
This is as bad as you say.
Only answer is vote in Democrats in 2014 and 2016.
I’m at work , I wish I could watch. Thi is just crazy.
I looooooooooooooove my nerd president.
And once again the media looks dumb in their rush to criticize…
Boehner wil only accept a 100%-0% deal
By Steve Benen
————————————-
I’m trying to think of a way to explain this in a way Boehner will understand. As the Speaker sees it, the very idea of a balanced compromise is ridiculous — a compromise would necessarily include revenue, Democrats already got new revenue, so it’s outrageous for anyone to even raise the possibility.
Let’s put this as plainly as possible: in the summer of 2011, both sides accepted a debt-reduction deal that cut spending by over $1.2 trillion without any additional revenue — a win for Republicans. In late 2012, both sides accepted another deal that raised about $600 billion in revenue without any additional cuts — a win for Democrats.
Now it’s time to add another piece to the puzzle, and the Speaker of the House only remembers part of the very recent past.
This sentence…
“Let’s make it clear, the president got his tax hike on January 1st. The discussion about revenue, in my view, is over.”
…makes exactly as much sense as this sentence:
“Let’s make it clear, Republicans got their spending cuts in 2011. The discussion about spending cuts, in my view, is over.”
——————————————————————————
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/01/17148387-boehner-wil-only-accept-a-100-0-deal
Meanwhile, wall street and the market is doing great, they live this cutting of spending, love it.
Who knows, maybe it will be good for our economy? But, this type of cutting iEngkand did not work. Albeit, England did their cutting all at once and did not spread it out over ten years. So, their is that!
Dan Pfeiffer doesn’t play. He is on fire.
Hugs to you Dan Pfeiffer!
I just solved the sequester!
Tax expenditures offer Republicans and Democrats alike the opportunity to cut spending and increase revenue
BY JARED BERNSTEIN
———————————————————-
OK, maybe the title to this post is slightly inflated, but only slightly.
A central reason we’re heading into the self-inflicted wound known as sequestration is because R’s refuse to budge on any new revenues in a deficit reduction deal to offset the $85 billion in auto-cuts about to hit our already wobbly economy. The problem, they say, is on the spending side, not the revenue side. D’s insist on balance—the solution must include both spending cuts and revenue increases, they maintain.
But what if I offered you–them–a solution that scratched both of those itches at once…a way to simultaneously both cut spending and raise revenues? That would be irresistible, right?
Well, I’ve got exactly that. I’m working up testimony on this for the Senate next week but the solution is so damn compelling—and the sequestration deadline only hours away—it would be downright unpatriotic to keep it to myself a second longer.
So, are you ready?
It’s tax expenditures!
—————————————
http://www.salon.com/2013/02/28/i_just_solved_the_sequester_partner/singleton/
Here’s a great line (from dkos – sorry). But a great line nonetheless:
” America Deserves Better News: Sequester Pope Coverage And Cover the Sequester Effectively”
Sequester Real Talk: The 3 Dumbest Things About This Truly Dumb Law
By DEREK THOMPSON
——————————————
There are many things to say about the sequester, but I want to focus on how it’s not merely a silly law, but a rather absurd law that rewards muddled thinking about both our debt and our politics. So here are the three silliest things about this very silly law.
.
.
History remembers many things, but most crucially, it remembers what journalists tell it to remember. We are, after all, the authors of its first draft. If I’m wrong about the deficit, and the sequester, and the debt, and the Republican Party, I expect history will probably remember my account rather poorly. But all the evidence I see is that the sequester is not merely a bad law foisted on the president but also a bad law motivated by a bad misreading of what the economy needs. The most frustrating part of the latest frame of the budget war has been that the media’s fetish for evenhandedness prevents us from seeing the simplest truth: That there is no evidence that the deficit is a danger — and too much evidence that the Republican Party’s behavior is.
—————————————
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/sequester-real-talk-the-3-dumbest-things-about-this-truly-dumb-law/273640/
Happy 100th Birthday, Big Oil Tax Breaks
————————————————–
Automatic across-the-board budget cuts will take hold on Friday, affecting job growth, state education programs, environmental agencies, and women’s health programs. The sequester actually shares an important anniversary — with Big Oil tax breaks. It is not as well-known a date, but one type of deduction, the percentage depletion allowance, celebrates its 100-year anniversary today.
Depletion allowances let oil companies treat the oil in the ground as capital equipment, and thus allows them to write off a certain percentage for each barrel that comes out. (See more here).
————————————————————
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/03/01/1654501/oil-subsidies-century/
They were for ‘starting up’ the oil business.
And yet they threaten us if we don’t continue to subsidize the most profitable business in the world.
Despicable.
Oil is 90 bucks a barrel, yet gas is approaching 4 bucks a gallon in my area.
Last time we saw 4 bucks a gallon in my area, oil was 106.
So, what gives?
For those of us old enough to remember, Bonnie Franklin has died at the age of 69 from pancreatic cancer.
I used to watch that show religiously. RIP.
One Day at a Time star dies at age 69 (Pancreatic cancer).
wow, I used to love watching that show. RIP Bonnie Franklin.
New ost:
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/03/01/the-republicans-have-a-fully-functioning-marionette-in-the-speakers-chair/
My prediction: PBO will continue kicking GOP ass over this madness until they start crying for their momma. The tears are already welling in those Republican eyes.
Who’s best for America: Democrates Vs Republican last 50 yrs: