Posted on 03/17/2013 11:32:26 AM PDT by Kaslin
"In short, this document gives voters no reason to believe that Democrats have a viable plan for — or even a responsible public assessment of — the country’s long-term fiscal predicament."
Washington Post Editorial, March 14, 2013
Somebody must have realigned the planets. That's the only explanation I can fathom for the harsh criticism the editors of the Washington Post unloaded on the Senate Democrats newly released budget. The first budget Harry Reid & Co. has even bothered to introduce in four years, in case anyone is still keeping score.
The WaPo editors took some jabs at the House GOP's budget, as expected. But, the dissing of the Dems is nearly unprecedented.
The editors establish the foundation for their criticisms by citing a Feb. 28 analysis by William Gale and Alan Auerbach of the left-leaning Brookings Institute, as follows:
There has been halting but real deficit reduction progress in recent months. The United States faces no imminent budget “crisis.” Nevertheless, the economists write, “the 10-year budget outlook remains tenuous.” Even assuming steady economic growth, the national debt in 2023 will be twice as high as its historical average, as a percentage of the economy — and poised to resume rising. That long-term fiscal problem, driven by the growth of entitlement programs for an aging population, remains unaddressed. Dealing with it, Messrs. Gale and Auerbach write, will take tax and spending changes “several times the size of those adopted under the recent legislation.”
Thereafter, the editors unload:
Except for the part about no imminent crisis, the Senate Democratic budget recognizes none of this. Partisan in tone and complacent in substance, it scores points against the Republicans and reassures the party’s liberal base — but deepens these senators’ commitment to an unsustainable policy agenda….
It is on the issue of entitlements that the Democrats’ document really disappoints. There is literally nothing — not a word — suggestive of trimming Social Security, whether through greater means-testing, a more realistic inflation adjustment or reforming disability benefits. The document’s fuzzy call for $275 billion in “health savings” is $125 billion less than the number President Obama has floated.
As for the coming flow of baby boomers into Medicare, the Democrats declare that “new retirees deserve the same promise of quality, affordable health care from which their parents have benefitted — and it is the position of the Senate Budget that they ought to get it.” There’s plenty of excoriation for the GOP “premium support” plan. But there’s no explanation of how the Democrats would pay for their “promise” — nary a hint of the many cost-saving reforms that would extend Medicare’s life without embracing the GOP plan.
In short, this document gives voters no reason to believe that Democrats have a viable plan for — or even a responsible public assessment of — the country’s long-term fiscal predicament.
Them death panels better be more than warmed up...
“It’s time for the people living in this country to stop thinking about themselves ALL OF THE TIME and start thinking about the future of America.”
Therein lies the problem. Liberals have created a culture of narcissism, selfishness, and “I, Me, Mine.” A nation such as this is doomed without divine intervention.
Now you’re talking.
The Washingtonians from both parties intend to steal everything not nailed down from those outside DC and then bug out under military protection when the collapse comes and the riots start.
An electorate that elected Clinton and Obama twice and gave algore the popular vote is no different than the Venezuelans and Cubans electing Chavez and Castro; stupid and dangerous.
It’s all over but the shouting for the 1st American Republic, it is predictably self destructing due to the imposition of Universal Suffrage.
Honest Ape mortally wounded the Republic when he brutally attacked and murdered the sons of the Founders, the last 150 years have been merely death rattle.
“Proven: the two dozen howler monkeys in the washroom of the WaPo, banging away 24/7 on typewriters have finally produced a piece worthy of print!”
“to be, or not to be. That is the Gazornenplast.”
(Old Bob Newhart routine)
This is why the Dems chose to find the biggest idiot in the Senate to bring it foward. You know Patty Murray does not know whats in it cause she can’t read it.
No, there has been no budget since 2009. There have been just a series of "stop gap" appropriations bills.
We don’t need to make ‘quick’ decisions - that’s something every two bit dictator in the world does... we need to make responsible decisions - using ‘our ways’. Our ways? The ways put out in the Constitution...
Maybe the boys at the Washington Post have decided to put out a newspaper - NOT an in-house rag for Democrats... Stranger things have happened.
We’ve been under Continuing Resolution status...no budgets
since the Kenyan/Reid/Pelosi circus took over.
Like it or not, a LOT of what you listed is needed...”
Compare government agencies to a once wonderful tree in your yard that all of a sudden became so big its roots were growing so fast and becoming so large that it was threatening all the surrounding structures. So you decided to remove the tree. But you replaced it with a much smaller, manageable one.
There is no reining in of the government. It has become too large to control. So portions of it need to be ended and then reconstructed on a much smaller plane so that it truly meets the needs of the people it is to serve.
Tell you what, then. You delete this article from Wikipedia, since you’re convinced it’s bogus...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_federal_budget
Let me know when you’re done and we’ll see how long it stays down. We’ll see who’s right.
I can’t argue that...you’re not saying that the all the functions have to go, but rather the structure has to be uprooted, destroyed, and then rebuilt.
Now we just have to convince 329,999,998 others of that...not easy, but is there any choice?
BTW this is how the left will deal with the budget - simply cut off seniors. They're indicative of the old white majority and, being familiar with a freer America, they tend to vote republican. Its a win win for them.
Bob, when you are done patting yourself on the back, read the article more closely.
You might be surprised to find that the 2010 fiscal year budget was submitted and passed in 2009.
Have a nice day.
“You might be surprised to find that the 2010 fiscal year budget was submitted and passed in 2009.”
Thanks, that was how I thought it was supposed to be done. Generally the budget for the next year takes effect Oct. 1 of the given year, and would be submitted about 8 months prior. So the 2010 budget would be submitted early in 2009.
Makes sense now, thanks again.
Yep!
Smashing the unions, lowering individual taxes, eliminating corporation taxes, defunding (or disbanding) the scumbag EPA, and decimating the rest of the bureaucracies that regulate businesses into oblivion is the only way to go!
Bring jobs back to America NOW!
Patty Murray is more stupid than Barbara Boxer?
I didn’t think such a thing was possible.
“...we need to bring back US jobs...”
Who is “we”? You could start a company tomorrow and create some jobs but will you? Do you have any idea what it takes to create a job in this country? If you did you would not be quite so glib.
I quit reading all liberal blogs several years ago but this morning I did read some of the comments posted on articles dealing with Sarah’s CPAC speech and particularly responding to her zingers against BO.
Quickly realized why I quit reading them. There seemed to be an underlying theme to all of them: Life may not be quite as good as it was but there is slow and steady progress under BO rather than the erratic times and wild spending under GW; the housing market is being revitalized; there is more welfare in populace areas because there are more people; the stock market is surging; more high school students will now be able to attend college; finally everyone will have healthcare; women are now being paid on a scale equal to men, the red states are doing well because they take all the tax money from the blue states, etc.
And then we have Boner who had publicly stated he not only trusts BO but agreed there is no spending problem.
IMO there are three trigger issues that, depending on which way they go, will determine whether or not Republicans control the House after 2014: Defunding Obamacare, amnesty for illegals and the right of citizens to bear arms.
How do we convince others? It has to start at the local and state level. For those of us who live in Red states, we can have an influence on our Governor and State Legislators but we are going to have to be in their face 24/7. We have to engage people in conversation, we need to block walk and knock on doors. It’s gut check time. Can we do it? I honestly don’t know.
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