Boehner, Obama Remarks on Budget Deal

cpwill said:

yes. that's why there is no such thing as "earmarked funds" ?

Click to expand...

Oh I see, I think.

American said:

Oh I see, I think.

Click to expand...

good.

you can explain it to me, then.

cpwill said:

"the future" in which social security pays out more than it takes in started last year.

welcome to The Future.


we do have plenty of time.


specifically, on our current path, we probably have about 5 years before we will be past the tipping point. assuming our creditors like us and are nice to us.

Click to expand...

Then we either raise funds or we alter the payment structure :shrug:

megaprogman said:

Then we either raise funds or we alter the payment structure :shrug:

Click to expand...

yes. that's what Republicans are trying to do. So far the Democrats response has been to deny there is a problem; but hopefully that changes this wednesday.

Deuce said:

Literally everything you just speculated about me is wrong. I talk about bad things my government is doing constantly. I've repeatedly said that Obama is not substantially different from Bush. Wasn't a fan of Bush.

Click to expand...

The Mayor recognizes that Bush was a major leftist, too. Why you disapprove of Bush can only be explained by arrrrrrophobia, the irrational fear of the letter (R).

I'm not "crapping my pants" about anything, and the IPCC's "ridiculous claims" usually turn out to be made up by climate "skeptics" so that they have something to attack. (or are journalists who just have no idea what they're talking about)

Click to expand...

You mean like it's absurb claims about sea level rise? How about it's use of a hiker's magazine as it's sole evidentiary source for alleged Himalayan glaciar decline? Then there's it's absurb Hockey Stick chart, since proven to be based on hoaxed evidence.

You want to talk about extrapolations? Look at your own post, my friend. I didn't even saythat medicare/SS wasn't even a problem. I've also repeatedly said that "fiscal responsibility" without taking cuts to medicare, social security, and defense is just impossible. All this talk about "non-defense discretionary spending" is just little morsels of a very big pie that politicians can point to in order to convince the public that they're actually doing something.

Click to expand...

"Taking cuts" sounds like a little bit of a manicure. What's needed is a backhoe digging out the roots of Social Security, Medicare, and Education, to name the three biggest unconstitutional programs currently destroying the nation's fiscal future.

So why don't you go ahead and just forget anything you think you know about my opinion, because you have just about all of it wrong. This is the biggest annoyance I have with conservatives: absolutism. Mention that maybe Israel should go easier on the Palestinian civilians? OMG YOU SUPPORT TERRORISTS.

Click to expand...

You are, of course, referring to the "civillians" who aid the Hamas terrorists who lob rockets into Israeli population centers, and then run away and hide. Or, perhaps you're referring to the civillians that use their own children as bomb carriers?

Think we should make a strong push towards renewable energy? YOU WANT TO CONTROL EVERYTHING WE DO AND USE AND ALSO WANT US TO BE IN THE STONE AGE AGAIN. It's absurd.

Click to expand...

No. The Mayor doesn't say that. The Mayor says the fascists pushing this agenda are damaging any realistic chances the nation has towards a legitimately useful energy policy because their ideology prevents them from taking their heads out of their asses. And yes, the alternative to drilling oil and gas, digging coal, and burning uranium is to freeze to death in the dark. Not one of the so-called "alternatives" have any widespread practicality.

cpwill said:

yes. that's what Republicans are trying to do. So far the Democrats response has been to deny there is a problem; but hopefully that changes this wednesday.

Click to expand...

What happens Wednesday?

Not doing anything simply isn't a solution. The Republicans are putting forth one, and that's apparently changing the pay out structure of Social Security and working towards its ellimination. To my knowledge, the Democrats haven't proposed an option yet. If they wish to suggest raising the SS tax, more power to them...I'll give them credit for at least admitting there's a problem AND offering their solution.

That said, to me raising the tax is simply putting a bandaid on the wound. We can keep bandaiding it so that we can go right back on our merry way until it bleeds through again, never really being healthy but never really having to stop. Or we can perform some surgery, end the bleeding, but have to go through a bit of down time for recovery. To me, the long term benefit of the latter is better than the short term indulgence of the former.

2012's budget is going to be a very interesting time. The true amount that we were talking about in the 2011 budget was laughable, and it was pointed out far too much for it not to be in peoples minds. The 2012 budget needs to start making significant and worthwhile cuts to the budget. You can't scoop out a few thimble sized buckets of water from a sinking ship taking on gallons of water and expect it to make a big difference.

reefedjib said:

What happens Wednesday?

Click to expand...

Supposedly Obama is going to release his no-this-time-for-real 2012 budget (i guess he's decided he get's to take a mulligan as his last 2012 budget sort of tanked) that's going to be an "answer to the Ryan plan".


here's a hint: stand by for tax increases.

Zyphlin said:

Not doing anything simply isn't a solution. The Republicans are putting forth one, and that's apparently changing the pay out structure of Social Security and working towards its ellimination.

Click to expand...

where? all i'm aware of is them switching Medicaid to a block grand and Medicare to a premium-support plan, like congresscritters get.

To my knowledge, the Democrats haven't proposed an option yet. If they wish to suggest raising the SS tax, more power to them...I'll give them credit for at least admitting there's a problem AND offering their solution.

That said, to me raising the tax is simply putting a bandaid on the wound. We can keep bandaiding it so that we can go right back on our merry way until it bleeds through again, never really being healthy but never really having to stop. Or we can perform some surgery, end the bleeding, but have to go through a bit of down time for recovery. To me, the long term benefit of the latter is better than the short term indulgence of the former.

2012's budget is going to be a very interesting time. The true amount that we were talking about in the 2011 budget was laughable, and it was pointed out far too much for it not to be in peoples minds. The 2012 budget needs to start making significant and worthwhile cuts to the budget. You can't scoop out a few thimble sized buckets of water from a sinking ship taking on gallons of water and expect it to make a big difference.

Click to expand...

yeah, there's just plain not enough rich people to balance the budget and save the entitlements by increasing taxes on them.

cpwill said:

where? all i'm aware of is them switching Medicaid to a block grand and Medicare to a premium-support plan, like congresscritters get.

Click to expand...

Whoops, you're right about this. I was going off another Senator's statement that we can't have these programs forever to get to where America needs to be, but looking at it he didn't have a specific plan regarding his comment.

I don't think Ryan's ideas go anywhere near far enough, I do like them better than a tax increase though.

rather than quibbling over what is or isnt the total debt picture, it might behoove all US citizens to focus on (and to demand their elected representatives focus on) the known 14.5 trillion dollar debt and annual budget deficits. This playing word games does nothing but obfuscate the problem. Its a little like driving the car over the cliff and then bitching about what channel the radio is on.