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News & ArtsMonday, December 10, 2012
Political Suicide How's the Fiscal Cliff Going?
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Dec 10, 2012 at 10:28 AM
According to Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, Republicans know they're going to have to raise taxes on the wealthy, but they're looking forward to using the debt ceiling to hold America hostage again:
The Republicans know they have the debt ceiling, that is coming up around the corner, and, the leverage is going to shift, as soon as we get beyond this issue. The leverage is going to shift, to our side where hopefully we’ll do the same thing we did last time and that is if the president wants to raise the debt limit by $2 trillion we get $2 trillion in spending reduction and, hopefully, this time, it is mostly oriented towards entitlement and with no process.
I'm not sure the American people want to see another hostage situation—especially if it results in Medicare cuts. But, you know, if Republicans want to test that theory, they're more than welcome to.
16
@14,
I agree with you. I've already heard that at one point, President Obama dangled the prospect of raising the eligibility age for Medicare to 67. That would be a kick in the face to his supporters.
I hope the Democrats in Congress make it clear to President Obama that they're not willing to destroy entitlement programs just to please the bloodthirsty Repubs.
I agree with you. I've already heard that at one point, President Obama dangled the prospect of raising the eligibility age for Medicare to 67. That would be a kick in the face to his supporters.
I hope the Democrats in Congress make it clear to President Obama that they're not willing to destroy entitlement programs just to please the bloodthirsty Repubs.
15
@12 yes.
Increasing the age for Medicare eligibility actually increases the cost of health care for business and for government. Medicare is cheaper than private insurance, and more effective.
Easier just to expire all Farm Aid and cut the Military in half, quite frankly.
Then let them renegotiate a reasonable level.
Increasing the age for Medicare eligibility actually increases the cost of health care for business and for government. Medicare is cheaper than private insurance, and more effective.
Easier just to expire all Farm Aid and cut the Military in half, quite frankly.
Then let them renegotiate a reasonable level.
14
I wish I could trust President Obama not to take the Republicans up on this deal, and needlessly cut Social Security and Medicare benefits.
The problem with Social Security and Medicare isn't the level of benefits. For Social Security, there's a problem coming in 20-25 years with payroll taxes being too low, in large part because income inequality has put a lot of aggregate income outside of the payroll tax. It also has a political problem because it loaned money to the rest of the government that was spent for tax cuts for the wealthy and lots of shiny weapons, and now the rich people and defense contractors that spent that money don't want to pay it back.
For Medicare, the problem is rising medical costs, and the solution to that is actually to expand Medicare, not end it.
All efforts to cut benefits to save money actually cost the government money in other areas (like shifting people to Medicaid), or transfer costs to retired people who can't afford it. They are a bad deal for everyone but the 1% of the 1% (and only those in that class who don't give a shit what kind of society they live in.)
And some Democrats seem willing to cave, probably because they are listening to that same 1% of the 1%. I really hope they don't make any deal that cuts earned benefits.
The problem with Social Security and Medicare isn't the level of benefits. For Social Security, there's a problem coming in 20-25 years with payroll taxes being too low, in large part because income inequality has put a lot of aggregate income outside of the payroll tax. It also has a political problem because it loaned money to the rest of the government that was spent for tax cuts for the wealthy and lots of shiny weapons, and now the rich people and defense contractors that spent that money don't want to pay it back.
For Medicare, the problem is rising medical costs, and the solution to that is actually to expand Medicare, not end it.
All efforts to cut benefits to save money actually cost the government money in other areas (like shifting people to Medicaid), or transfer costs to retired people who can't afford it. They are a bad deal for everyone but the 1% of the 1% (and only those in that class who don't give a shit what kind of society they live in.)
And some Democrats seem willing to cave, probably because they are listening to that same 1% of the 1%. I really hope they don't make any deal that cuts earned benefits.
13
Those fuckers know perfectly well that the debt ceiling has been raised in what amounts to an automatic process for decades, with plenty of supporting Republican votes. Now all of a sudden they want to puff out their chests and go after it like they did the last time? In exchange for gutting Medicare/Medicaid and/or reducing Social Security payments? It's like @3 says -- cut the damn military funding if you're so fucking set on budget reductions.
12
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't their debt ceiling BS last time the reason the sequestration is set to kick in Jan 1?
9
Go off the "cliff" then start the next Congress with bills to repeat the payroll tax cuts and income tax cuts on households making under $100 or 200K. Make the Pukes vote against tax cuts if they love deficit reduction so much. Assholes.
And fuck the debt ceiling. See you in court, Boner.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/10…
And fuck the debt ceiling. See you in court, Boner.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/10…
8
Why not? They lost some ground in Congress since the last time they did this, but not enough to give them pause about doing it again. The fact that their approval ratings also dropped like a stone last time they did this is unimportant to them, apparently.
7
Considering the last time resulted in many teabaggers losing their seats this election in Congress I say less power to them.
6
It's all bluster and typical "we'll fight to the end!" talk. I don't believe any of it.
They'll do the exact same thing they always do. Argue and complain on tv for weeks and then make a deal at the last minute.
They'll do the exact same thing they always do. Argue and complain on tv for weeks and then make a deal at the last minute.
4
We've seen this one coming for a while.
Let's potentially ruin the nation's economy unless Democrats agree to screw over the poor and elderly, just to win a political point!
Let's potentially ruin the nation's economy unless Democrats agree to screw over the poor and elderly, just to win a political point!
3
didn't they already agree to let BHO raise the debt limit 3x with only a vote of "disapproval"?
cut the military by 2 trillion if you love austerity so much, corker.
cut the military by 2 trillion if you love austerity so much, corker.
2
Didn't Christine Lagarde of the IMF publically spank the Republicans into working this bullshit out?
That item should be getting more airplay. They don't have the latitude to be playing games here.
That item should be getting more airplay. They don't have the latitude to be playing games here.
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