July 2011 Archives

As we've heard so many times during the debt ceiling circus, nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed to, but reports are emerging of a tentative deal. ABC has this:* A debt ceiling increase of up to $2.1 to $2.4 trillion (depending on the size of the spending cuts agreed to in the final deal).* They have now agreed to spending cuts of roughly $1.2 trillion over 10 years.* The formation of a special...

I'm sure you're familiar with some of the following.The Peter Principle states:In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence. This is exemplified daily in Corporate America.Peter also argues that a class or caste system is supposedly more efficient at avoiding incompetence. For example, if you have a gonad-less class of people, they will most likely be more inefficient and incompetent when it comes to solving problems quickly. Perhaps it has something to...

Sen. Jon Kyl: 'Democrats are blocking progress on a deal':"Republicans have tried to work with Democrats to solve the debt crisis, but "behind the scenes" Democrats insisted on huge tax increases, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz) said Saturday."Unfortunately, after weeks of negotiations, it became clear that Democrats in Washington did not view this crisis as an opportunity to rein in spending," Kyl said in the GOP's weekly address. "Instead, they saw it as an opportunity to...

Here's a talking point you won't hear from Speaker Boehner, the Tea Party inmates who have taken control of the asylum formerly known as the House of Representatives, or any other Republican involved in this ginned-up "crisis." Sadly, you'll hear it from damn few, if any, Democrats as well: The cost the United States pays to service its debt, as a percentage of GDP, is about half of what it was under Ronald Reagan. Zachary...

UCLA Law Professor Jonathan Zasloff and Lawrence O'Donnell last night on The Last Word discussing President Obama invoking the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy...

If Speaker Boehner's attempt to get his debt ceiling plan passed by the House last night was a referendum on his leadership, the results are in and they are clear--Boehner is not in charge, the inmates are truly running the asylum, and fully intent on running the economy over the cliff. As Ron Beasley at The Moderate Voice put it, Boehner's " not trying to herd cats, but lemmings."Despite all the arm-twisting, coercing, and cajoling...

Bill O'Reilly, never missing a chance to play the poor, persecuted Christian card, said on his show that the media is only reporting that the Norway terrorist, Anders Behring Breivik, is a Christian because they don't like Christians and want to diminish social conservatives.I'd like to show this segment to you.As you can see, O'Reilly is outraged that anyone could link this type of terror attack to an entire religion.  Obviously this was a man...

In the battle of the dueling plans, after being chastised by Eric Cantor ("stop whining") and John Boehner ("get your ass in line") yesterday the House is expected to vote today on the Boehner plan. The Hill is calling it a "referendum" on Boehner's ability to lead. Meanwhile in the Senate:"Mr. Reid sent Mr. Boehner a letter signed by all 51 Senate Democrats and two independents assuring that his legislation, which would raise the debt...

Congressman Joe Walsh, (R-IL) released a video earlier this month in which he called on President Obama to "quit lying" and asked the president "Have you no shame, sir?" He also spoke of the need for a balanced budget amendment, and re-iterated his refusal to raise the debt ceiling because he "won't place one more dollar of debt on my kids."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Here's the Honorable Congressman Walsh's stance on lying, how he balances his own...

...that if I were president of these here United States and;  I knew for certain, or had been advised by those whose business it is to know such things for certain, that in 6 days the country was facing the probability of a financial and economic crisis; I knew  that there was no plan on the horizon that had much of a chance of being passed by both Houses of Congress in time to keep...