Posted on 08/22/2011 8:06:41 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
couple of months ago, when the Republican Party suddenly got serious about America's debt-and-deficit problem after ignoring it for a decade, the suspicion among cynics was that this newfound religion was just a convenient way to get President Obama fired and themselves reelected.
After all, swing voters vote with their wallets, and if the unemployment rate is as high in a year as it is now, Obama's probably toast in 2012.
But this charge--that Republicans would put their own re-election campaigns ahead of the well-being of millions of Americans by intentionally tanking the economy--seemed a stretch, even given the ethics of Washington.
Couldn't it be that Republicans actually believed that suddenly cutting government spending and never raising taxes would solve the debt-and-deficit problem and help the economy--despite the ample evidence from across the pond that "austerity" doesn't help balance budgets or turbocharge economies?
Yes, it could be, said those who had faith in their elected representatives. The Republicans actually believed this. That's why they were willing to force the US into default rather than raise the debt ceiling so the government could fund the spending they had already approved.
Well, as the debt-ceiling debate went down to the wire, it became clear that at least some Republicans--the Tea Party kind--would happily have tanked the economy to advance their own political goals (how else to explain the crazy voting of folks like Michele Bachmann, who actually wanted to put the country into default?). But perhaps the mainstream Republicans weren't so selfish and venal.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
serious-crack-smoking alert.
Nine Signs That a New Global Recession Has Arrived
Posted: August 22, 2011 at 6:25 am
1. Shipping
2. GDP Forecasts
3. Oil demand falls
4. Stock markets retreat
5..Unemployment
6. Civil War
7. The Poor
8. Government spending cuts
9. Wall St. turns against growth
Read more: Nine Signs That a New Global Recession Has Arrived - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/2011/08/22/nine-signs-that-a-new-global-recession-has-arrived/#ixzz1VlnhhiWk
A sincere splurt of drivel. The man should not be allowed in public with a pen and ink
“That’s why they were willing to force the US into default rather than raise the debt ceiling...”
Tthere’s that old, tired lie again!
They just can’t give it up and they can’t win an argument that actually relies on the facts!
“crazy voting of folks like Michele Bachmann, who actually wanted to put the country into default?”
So this weasel prefers our current slip-sliding, Weimar/Banana, just-print-more-money default to an honest and above-board reckoning?
Henry is part of the Wall St. crowd that wants to continue printing money and sending America the bill so they can get fat bonus checks. Anyone who wants to put a stop to this is nuts. They hate the Tea Party because that would put an end to their party. Time to burst Blodget’s bubble.
I think the current crop of repubs are doing the very best they can ....... how sad is that
and how the hell did they every get a job in the first place
I submit that Obama really doesn’t need any help tanking the economy. He seems to be doing a fine job all on his own.
This idea on the right isn’t a sudden epiphany in Washington. The voters have systematically been removing big spenders with people intent on cutting. The party followed suit (whether genuinely or just lip service is yet to be determined), and the Democrats were forced to change their focus, too, to deficit reduction.
While I agree that Bachmann’s stance is not the best one, it is no more damaging than the president’s focus on either a ‘clean’ debt raise with no cuts, and their policy the past few years of astronomical spending increases. IMO, a debt ceiling raise was necessary, but had to be exchanged for other policy changes to reduce some spending. The simple fact is that the deficit spending was voted on and implemented already, and there was no realistic way to get such massive cuts through this senate and white house to avoid it. The Republicans should have stated such. They needed to say, they would do this increase because of past congresses spending errors, but that all budget policy and appropriations moving forward would be based on not doing another debt limit raise in the future for deficit spending.
Oh, wait . . . . No. That was the Democrats . . .
(Never mind...)
8^p
What they need are a couple of good struggle sessions
Where’s the barf?
Yes, the “Republicans” (with 1/2 of 1/3 of the Gov) have MORE POWER than “THE ONE”!
Blodget was at the center of a pump and dump scandal during the dot com era.
The following response on the Business Insider site says it all...
_____________________________________________________________________________
Henry,
As much as I’d like to let it go, I can’t let you get away with the lie that “Republicans are intentionally tanking the economy”. THAT IS A COMPLETE FALSEHOOD.
Firstly, The Republican Congress has made TWO CONCRETE PROPOSALS to save the economy, reform entitlement and slow down the growth of spending and debt ( EXACTLY THE ISSUE THAT S&P was concerned about ).
The first proposal was the one submitted by Congressman Paul Ryan called the ROADMAP TO PROSPERITY. There is NOTHING SECRET with that and Ryan has PUBLICLY presented his plan in Townhall after townhall around the country.
Ryan’s proposal was EVOLUTIONARY and GRADUAL.
The second one was when the debt ceiling debate was going on. Congress presented to Obama the CUT, CAP and BALANCE proposal which among all things, allowed the $2.5 Increase in the debt ceiling that Obama demanded. However, the provisions of the bill included a cut in the total amount of federal government spending, a cap on the level of future spending as a percentage of GDP, and, on the condition that Congress pass certain changes to the U.S. Constitution, an increase in the national debt ceiling to allow the federal government to continue to service its debts.
Secondly, BOTH PROPOSALS WERE TABLED BY THE DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLED SENATE. They did not even bring the proposals up for a vote.
Thirdly, Democrats have MADE NO EFFORTS to give a proposal of their own. The only proposal made was from Obama last February which would have INCREASED our debt further by $9 Trillion for the next decade. It was so unserious that NOT ONE Senator voted for it. It was rejected 97-0 by his own Democrat controlled Senate.
Fourthy, Senate Democrats have failed to pass a budget for 825 days and counting.
Those are the facts Henry.
Now please tell us this — in light of the above facts, can you explain to us how the Republicans are deliberately trying to tank the economy when all facts point to their trying to save it?
We await your reply...
Get this through your head:
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ECONOMY--NOT WHO OCCUPIES THE WHITE HOUSE!CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THIS?????????????
THAT IS THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Even a child could understand that giving Washington more money with the "wink and nod" promise to cut spending is just throwing money down the toilet.
These rabid lefties are on a roll.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.