In discourse, statements get repeated because someone thought they were worthy of it -- not necessarily worth agreeing with, but worth rebutting. In current politics, statements get repeated mostly mechanically, because someone was paid to broadcast them.

Why not??

If the Unions are PAYING for it, why shouldn't they get all the air time they want!???

Michale
0107

Jeezus H!!!

The narcissistic tendencies of Obama knows NO bounds..

No wonder his numbers are going back down..

Michale
0106

Is that right?? :D

Michale
0105

Of course there are some things that people should not be free to do. But if you think it is Democrats that go over the top in limiting freedom based on their anachronistic religious beliefs you are BLIND to reality.

Spin it any way you want..

The fact is, Democrats have a FAR WORSE track record on freedom infringement than GOP does of late..

One only has to recall the recent Hate Speech discussion to know this is true...

Michale
0104

Yea.. And Democrats are the champions of freedoms, right???

Democratic Rep: Amend Constitution To Allow Control Of Speech
http://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2012/11/30/democratic-rep-amend-constitution-to-allow-control-of-speech/

I saids it befores and I'll says it again..

There ain't NOTHING that you can slam the GOP for that can't be turned around and pinned on the Dems...

NOTHING...

Michale.....
0103

Class act man !!!!!!!!!!

Thanx :D The most fun I have around here is the Holiday Fund Drive.. I get to get a little crazy(er)... :D

Michale
102

I don't think ANYONE here is dumb enough to think that the American people will let Democrats get away with that..

Like I said.. Ya'all speak of compromise.... Yet there is NONE coming from the Left...

Michale
101

This is why the current deficit discussions are interesting, because Republicans know this and for once are being FORCED to compromise. By 'compromising' to force progressive tax rates on to the rich, they avoid being forced to have to do this at a later date anyway...

I was shocked, shocked I tells ya, to read the CFTC has effectively shut US citizens out of the Intrade Prediction Markets. :-(

Me too :( Was only a matter of time, thanks to the UIGEA, effectively banning all online financial transactions for 'gambling' - passed by the Republican party, champion of freedom (except for when said freedoms contradict with their strict, backwards religious beliefs).

I am rearing the horse up on its hind legs. I am doffing my plumed hat and sweeping it low. (My back is gonna kill me tomorrow).

Class act man !!!!!!!!!!

I was shocked, shocked I tells ya, to read the CFTC has effectively shut US citizens out of the Intrade Prediction Markets. :-(

Shut out is of course a relative term, it's been inconvenient for US residents to move money into and out of Intrade accounts, and I'm sure clever traders will devise workarounds. Which may involve receiving unexpected visits from the IRS, or even Fat Tony.

Intrade really was useful, in part because it had so many markets that didn't involve sports. Intrade's track record was good. Taking Americans out of the picture won't kill it, but it may maim the utility, especially with regards to US politics and US economics.

Let's not forget the severe effects this is going to have on all the little people who work for a living. By little people I mean the Leprechauns who keep Intrade running, who will be forced to go back to tricking "Big Folk" and looking for gold on an island that has basically no gold. "Mummy, why is daddy chasing after that rainbow"?

Intrade claims it is working on a fix. I hope so.
Until then:

Taps

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/americans-shut-out-of-intrade/

pppppppppppfffffffffffffffffttttttttttttttttttttttttt

:D

Michale
0100

Make it 100!

The Benghazi talking points (coming mostly from 3 mouths, with lots of echo) would largely go away if Kerry would simply make a Sherman-esque statement.

"I have no interest in State.

If nominated, I will not accept.

If appointed in absentia, I will not serve.

Scott Brown is going to have wait his turn."

It's a locally safe for most reps (and the the prime directive for a rep is get reelected) but is arguably (very arguably IMHO) against the long term national success of the Republican Party.

That's an interesting tension. Short term usually wins out over long term in my experience..."The knee is nearer than the shin."

Or in 2008. Or 2009. Et cetera. Et cetera."

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/11/30/leno-very-dangerous-white-house-if-journalists-should-suddenly-start#ixzz2Di8QB1t6

"It's funny because it's true..."
-Fat Tony, THE SIMPSONS

Michale
099

It will be interesting to see how much of the Obama campaign style (combined arms of politics, that's for you Michael) becomes coordinated Democratic doctrine applied to Congressional races.

Of course, Democrats being Democrats.....

If Republicans walked away it would not be Democrats getting shellacked in 2014 Michale....

If Democrats refuse to compromise (seems to be ya'alls favorite watchword.. Except when it comes to Democrats.. Go figger) on spending cuts, you can bet it will be Democrats who get shellacked..

Transparency is not even an issue,

Of course not. EXCEPT when ya'all are talking about Republicans...

Once again, the power of the almighty '-D'.....

Michale
098

If Republicans walked away it would not be Democrats getting shellacked in 2014 Michale....

Once again, the irony abounds that it's the Democrats who are ushering in the age of 1984

Open Transparent negotiations, Dems..

What's the problem??

Personally, I believe that if Democrats can't come up with some real spending cuts (Ya know?? Compromise??), Republicans should walk away and let Dems get re-shellacked in 2014...

Michale
097

Boehner rules the most Gerrymandered district I've ever seen. I think this extremely convoluted district accounts for a lot of Boehner's low effectiveness as speaker. He's got to be the most politically purified Tea Party district in Ohio, if not the country. Utterly safe for JoBo in a general election, cause the TP is an absolute minority even in this Bizzaro district,but how about in a primary fight, where only the highly motivated tend to vote. He might just lose a primary in that district.

Every time Boehner talks compromise, there is a pause, then he jerks spastically to his right. Within hours, maybe minutes. It's fun to watch. I think the Tea Party Money is jerking his choke collar. Heel JoBo! heel! Pavlovian conditioning may do it alone by this point. Not only is John bad at his job, he really looks miserable most of the time. It's not the bouts of crying (he's sentimental) it's the persistent scowling.

The Tea Party may walk him about, but they won't clean up the mess he leaves behind.

...and the 4th section of the 14th does say the validity of the debt can't be questioned. There are some qualifying clauses, but these just excludes debt incurred by the Confederacy and disallow compensation for freed slaves.

Not paying your debt is the ultimate way of questioning it.

Time to go Full Monty. Mr. President, tear off this fiscal fig leaf. Of course, the Heavens will Rumble.

It is amazing how much of the media is completely ignoring the payroll tax hike in their drama filled over-the-top discussions about whether or not Republicans will break the 'pledge'. Yes, they will and are making the pledge.

But I disagree with your point here. Actually it seems that both Democrats and Republicans are happy to have this end. I'd have liked Obama to put up more of a 'fake fight' to try and save this before 'caving' but we all know that it seems (at least the way the media reports it) he is not a good negotiator...

But I don't think there will be a 'GB2'. I could be wrong, but even post-election Republicans are too insane to act moderately whatsoever. The fact they are willing to destroy the American economy in the 1st half of 2013 by playing hostage with the debt ceiling is enough evidence of this. You can't 'bargain' with insane people.

For this reason, I think the negotiations will result in tax increases for those >$250k with vague spending cuts to be negotiated at a future date. I don't see them agreeing much else, unless the Republicans magically moderate overnight (won't be holding my breath).

Republicans are pushing hard for large cuts to the big three social programs -- Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

This is another thing that amazes me. It is funny how they weren't pushing hard for these cuts pre-election. In fact, they were lying about Obama 'stealing' from Medicare to pay for Obamacare and wanted to give $700b 'back' to the Medicare insurers. Wonder why they weren't honest about their intentions (like how they tried to lie on almost every other unpopular policy issue they have)? Of course, once again the media gives them a giant pass on this.

I'm just sayin'....

Michale.....
091

Just start from what Obama wants, and then go three-halves of the way toward what Boehner wants. It's that, or no deal.

The only question is what Boehner wants.