NEWS FLASH...
For those of you whom have - like myself - long been lead to believe (often by Republicans who are frantically crying: Wolf!" or, perhaps, in this particular case: "Panda!") that China holds the greatest percentage of America's Debt...
Here's A Little Priceless Nugget O' TRUTH:
The nation of China holds only (Drum roll, please)...: 8% of America's Debt.
That's E-I-G-H-T Percent, people. 8. Period.
Feel Better, Now? (I do.)
And, if you don't believe me - no worries - just, please, check it out for yourself...
From The Rachel Maddow Show:
Showing posts with label budget deficit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budget deficit. Show all posts
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
GOP State Of The Union Rebuttal Choice Mitch Daniels: Excuse Me While I ROFL!!
If you need any more proof that the GOP is either:
A.) Insane. B.) Completely Out of touch with REALITY. and/or C.) All Of The Above...
The guy they picked to deliver their rebuttal to Obama's State of the Union address was Mitch Daniels.
The same Mitch Daniels who was George W. Bush's Senior Budget Director. The very same dim-witted dolt who claimed that the Iraq War would cost us $50 billion.
(*It cost $3 TRILLION.)
...And now Mr. Daniels/the GOP is promoting himself/themselves as "Mr. Fiscal Responsibility"/"Fiscally Conservative"?
Riiiiiiiigghhtt. (*cough*) Iraq War! (*cough).
Enjoy this revealing article on GOP Rebuttal Choice Mitch Daniels from TruthDig:
TruthDig: Mitch Daniels: Bombast From The Past - Joe Conason
A.) Insane. B.) Completely Out of touch with REALITY. and/or C.) All Of The Above...
The guy they picked to deliver their rebuttal to Obama's State of the Union address was Mitch Daniels.
The same Mitch Daniels who was George W. Bush's Senior Budget Director. The very same dim-witted dolt who claimed that the Iraq War would cost us $50 billion.
(*It cost $3 TRILLION.)
...And now Mr. Daniels/the GOP is promoting himself/themselves as "Mr. Fiscal Responsibility"/"Fiscally Conservative"?
Riiiiiiiigghhtt. (*cough*) Iraq War! (*cough).
Enjoy this revealing article on GOP Rebuttal Choice Mitch Daniels from TruthDig:
TruthDig: Mitch Daniels: Bombast From The Past - Joe Conason
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
House Republicans Willful Refusal To Raise Debt Ceiling: Is It A Bluff?... Or Treason?
Congressional House Republicans have been ignoring/downplaying/denying what not only would be but, in fact, already are some significantly damaging effects of their party's unwavering refusal to raise the debt ceiling...
What they don't seem to understand is that, by their uncompromising action (or inaction) and the single motivation/intention behind it (if they actually follow through with the threat) they will, ultimately, go down in history as being the sole cause of America going into default...
Unless, that is, they're just Huffing & Puffing & Bluffing (A likely scenario - one which is already causing unnecessary damage to our economy and our nation.).
Regardless, they're being silly.
Well, no... they've been silly. Now they're being ridiculous...
*No, Representative Mo Brooks (R.) of Alabama ~ The United States Of America's global credit rating will most definitely NOT improve if House Republicans cause our country to go into default (And, may I add: "...You Moron.").
Recently, when thousands of Americans defaulted on their home loans, I didn't hear of a single bank or mortgage company that raised their credit ratings as a reward for doing so... did you?
The Simple Reality is simply this: These (irrational? incompetent?) GOP assholes will (obviously) stop at nothing - including potentially throwing our economy into yet another tailspin - if they think it will reflect badly on our sitting Democratic President.
That's been their unabashed, self-proclaimed goal from day one - not "Jobs. Jobs. Jobs."
Simply Put: Actions speak louder than words.
Stop listening to all the rehearsed rhetoric.
Do one simple thing: Look at/Watch their actions (or inaction).
I don't know about you (though I'm certain that I'm not alone) but I have One Word for their abhorrent behavior: Treason.
Here's a brief clip from the July 20, 2011 The Rachel Maddow Show. It includes a quick diary entry penned by the one and only late President Ronald Reagan - on the day he'd met with an up-till-then uncooperative Congress about raising the debt ceiling during his Administration (they did so 18 times in that period).
Enjoy!
What they don't seem to understand is that, by their uncompromising action (or inaction) and the single motivation/intention behind it (if they actually follow through with the threat) they will, ultimately, go down in history as being the sole cause of America going into default...
Unless, that is, they're just Huffing & Puffing & Bluffing (A likely scenario - one which is already causing unnecessary damage to our economy and our nation.).
Regardless, they're being silly.
Well, no... they've been silly. Now they're being ridiculous...
*No, Representative Mo Brooks (R.) of Alabama ~ The United States Of America's global credit rating will most definitely NOT improve if House Republicans cause our country to go into default (And, may I add: "...You Moron.").
Recently, when thousands of Americans defaulted on their home loans, I didn't hear of a single bank or mortgage company that raised their credit ratings as a reward for doing so... did you?
The Simple Reality is simply this: These (irrational? incompetent?) GOP assholes will (obviously) stop at nothing - including potentially throwing our economy into yet another tailspin - if they think it will reflect badly on our sitting Democratic President.
That's been their unabashed, self-proclaimed goal from day one - not "Jobs. Jobs. Jobs."
Simply Put: Actions speak louder than words.
Stop listening to all the rehearsed rhetoric.
Do one simple thing: Look at/Watch their actions (or inaction).
I don't know about you (though I'm certain that I'm not alone) but I have One Word for their abhorrent behavior: Treason.
Here's a brief clip from the July 20, 2011 The Rachel Maddow Show. It includes a quick diary entry penned by the one and only late President Ronald Reagan - on the day he'd met with an up-till-then uncooperative Congress about raising the debt ceiling during his Administration (they did so 18 times in that period).
Enjoy!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
GOP Senators Vote To Keep Greasing The Palms Of Big Oil - With $21 Billion In Taxpayer Subsidies
GOP Deficit Reduction Ideas:
Liquidate Fort Knox?
(This was satirical suggestion which appeared in The Onion about 3 weeks ago. And, it has actually been a suggestion offererd by some conservative politicians)
Sell Off Utah?
(The Federal government owns about 70% of the state. Armed with this little fun-fact, one conservative congress member, Dennis Ross (FL), voiced his opinion that we should liquidate Utah,)
Well... How 'bout this:
Let's end the ludicrous $21 Billion in taxpayer subsidies given to enormously profitable oil & gas companies?
* 74% of Americans say "End the subsidies.".
* Several GOP Congress members even said, on the record, that they supported ending the subsidies.
So...Why, then, did those same GOP Senators vote (only yesterday) to keep those ridiculous oil & gas subsidies in place?
Those very same elected GOP members of Congress who most recently voted in support of Paul Ryan's Budget Plan and it's plan to End Medi-Care... those same GOP members who want to make the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans permanent... have now refused to end $21 Billion (with a "B") in taxpayer-paid subsidies which have - for no conceivable reason - been given to two of the most profitable industries on the planet.
But, it's perfectly reasonable to them to begin liquidating the gold bouillon in Fort Knox and to start placing federally-held parcels of Utah on the auction-block?
Uh, yeah... Riiiiight.
Please enjoy this funny & informative clip from last nights Rachel Maddow Show:
Liquidate Fort Knox?
(This was satirical suggestion which appeared in The Onion about 3 weeks ago. And, it has actually been a suggestion offererd by some conservative politicians)
Sell Off Utah?
(The Federal government owns about 70% of the state. Armed with this little fun-fact, one conservative congress member, Dennis Ross (FL), voiced his opinion that we should liquidate Utah,)
Well... How 'bout this:
Let's end the ludicrous $21 Billion in taxpayer subsidies given to enormously profitable oil & gas companies?
* 74% of Americans say "End the subsidies.".
* Several GOP Congress members even said, on the record, that they supported ending the subsidies.
So...Why, then, did those same GOP Senators vote (only yesterday) to keep those ridiculous oil & gas subsidies in place?
Those very same elected GOP members of Congress who most recently voted in support of Paul Ryan's Budget Plan and it's plan to End Medi-Care... those same GOP members who want to make the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans permanent... have now refused to end $21 Billion (with a "B") in taxpayer-paid subsidies which have - for no conceivable reason - been given to two of the most profitable industries on the planet.
But, it's perfectly reasonable to them to begin liquidating the gold bouillon in Fort Knox and to start placing federally-held parcels of Utah on the auction-block?
Uh, yeah... Riiiiight.
Please enjoy this funny & informative clip from last nights Rachel Maddow Show:
Monday, December 27, 2010
Pin The Debt On The Donkey Or, More Accurately: Pin The Tail On The Pachyderm
A Brief Clip From Tonight's Rachel Maddow Show:
On Pin The Debt On The Donkey, Game-Show Contestants Try To Outsmart Each Other By Correctly Guessing Which Recent President Has The Distinction Of Being The One Who Saddled The U.S./Us With The Most Debt.
(Think not in $Millions... not in $Billions... But, in $$$ Trillions).
Stumped?
Here's A Hint: Pin The Tail On The Pachyderm Would Be Much More Accurate.
Enjoy!
L.
On Pin The Debt On The Donkey, Game-Show Contestants Try To Outsmart Each Other By Correctly Guessing Which Recent President Has The Distinction Of Being The One Who Saddled The U.S./Us With The Most Debt.
(Think not in $Millions... not in $Billions... But, in $$$ Trillions).
Stumped?
Here's A Hint: Pin The Tail On The Pachyderm Would Be Much More Accurate.
Enjoy!
L.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
What The Heck Are Republicans Whining About?
What The Heck Are Republicans Whining About?
Over the last 21 months - less than a full 2 years into the Obama Administration...
The 111th (Democratic-majority) Congress has accomplished a significant amount of work that they should be proud of and for which they should be respected and admired.
The cries, cracks and complaints of the most-shrill of the small-in-number/full-of-bluster and (frequently) apoplectic critics of President Obama's Administration and this Democratic Congress... the ones who have repeatedly displayed their expertise in the art of taking audio/video clips completely out of context and then creating a crisis where none existed... the ones who have, quite inexplicably, been given a spot in front of a functioning tv camera and/or radio microphone... have been singularly-obsessed with this Congress' significant, positive and yet, somehow, controversial, banner legislation: Health-care reform, Financial regulation, the (successful) Economic Recovery Act, etc....
So caught up in their singular obsession, these perpetual panic button-pushers have completely overlooked a vast number of significant and effective pieces of legislation successfully-passed by this Congress. (Or, they didn't think they could be transformed into ranting-and-raving, ratings-boosting issues.)
Examples: Passage of several bills aimed at assisting all of our veterans, the 25 separate tax cuts passed, a land conservation bill (the most significant in 2 decades), the creation of the very first Consumer Financial Protection Agency, etc.
Another noteworthy and ignored fact: Contrary to the gloom-and-doom forecasts of: "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" by the far right-wingers...
This Democratic Congress has actually reduced federal spending and reduced the deficit, too.
And yet, despite these and other accomplishments, if one tunes in to a network news program or talk show, one will consistently be presented with clips of people considered to be "in the know" who've made predictions that - after the final tally of votes in tomorrow's elections - Republicans will have won a number of seats in the House of Representatives and, perhaps, a few in the Senate.
If their predictions turn out to be correct, the change would be an unfortunate one for our country.
Even though it was the Bush Administration and its Republican Congress who were wielding their political power/influence over all of us a mere two years ago, it seems that many Americans are suffering from a very specific type of short-term memory loss. The barely two years gone two-term Bush Administration definitely wasn't eight years of "Happy Days Are Here Again" - unless, that is, you were one of the uber-wealthiest Americans gifted with big tax cuts.
Doesn't anyone remember those multiple tax cuts for the upper-echelon of wealthiest Americans (May they be allowed to Expire)?
How about those fictional findings fabricated and, repeatedly, shoved down our and the world's throats by Bush's war-mongers/profiteers as their justification for the utterly unprovoked multi-billion dollar Iraq War?
Of course, even before that happened, there was the (now-seemingly endless) Afghanistan War?
Or, don't any of those people recall a monstrosity/pile of bureaucratic crap Bush & Co. came up with called: "Medicare Pt. D"?
All of the above were obviously going to be mind-bogglingly expensive and, alas, not just at that point in time but, also, for the foreseeable future.)
Not only that... when it came time for the Bush Administration to present their budget... GWB's bean-counters were... ah, shall we say creative?
Like many members of the Bush Administration, these imaginative accountants were utterly unencumbered by commonly accepted concepts like "Reality" (and honesty, integrity, etc.). Without hesitation, they intentionally neglected to include the costs of the aforementioned, phenomenally-expensive items/actions. Why? Because doing so meant the amount of their deficit total would be much lower and - needless to say - completely inaccurate (their made-up total was, of course, many billions of dollars below the actual deficit total.)
(Sigh...) Regardless, I still hope for the best.
I have faith (hopefully not misplaced) that plenty of Americans, when standing alone in the voting booth, have enough good sense to differentiate between political bluster and basic facts.
Here's a Fun Fact:
Showing "The Right Stuff", certain members of the 111th Congress saw to it that important legislation - designed to be of long-lasting benefit for our country - was successfully passed. Not only that... they did so with the knowledge that, in the upcoming midterm elections, their Republican opponents would likely attack them for supporting that legislation and, in doing so, would possibly defeat them.
If actions speak louder than words, they showed themselves to be persons of considerable integrity, admirable character, backbone and that they were true patriots (rare traits in politicians).
They made a conscious decision to do what they'd been elected to do: They did what they knew to be in the best interest of Americans instead of doing what was in the best interest of prolonging their personal political careers. It's worth repeating: This type of personal sacrifice is extremely rare - especially in politics.
Call it "Policy Ahead Of Politics".
(*I encourage everyone to take a moment to remember what such a sacrifice looks like and what it entails. Because it's possible that, after tomorrow, we may not see it again for a while.)
What other accomplishments, you might ask?
Want a brief but detailed summary?
(No problem. I would, too.)
Take a look at this:
Over the last 21 months - less than a full 2 years into the Obama Administration...
The 111th (Democratic-majority) Congress has accomplished a significant amount of work that they should be proud of and for which they should be respected and admired.
The cries, cracks and complaints of the most-shrill of the small-in-number/full-of-bluster and (frequently) apoplectic critics of President Obama's Administration and this Democratic Congress... the ones who have repeatedly displayed their expertise in the art of taking audio/video clips completely out of context and then creating a crisis where none existed... the ones who have, quite inexplicably, been given a spot in front of a functioning tv camera and/or radio microphone... have been singularly-obsessed with this Congress' significant, positive and yet, somehow, controversial, banner legislation: Health-care reform, Financial regulation, the (successful) Economic Recovery Act, etc....
So caught up in their singular obsession, these perpetual panic button-pushers have completely overlooked a vast number of significant and effective pieces of legislation successfully-passed by this Congress. (Or, they didn't think they could be transformed into ranting-and-raving, ratings-boosting issues.)
Examples: Passage of several bills aimed at assisting all of our veterans, the 25 separate tax cuts passed, a land conservation bill (the most significant in 2 decades), the creation of the very first Consumer Financial Protection Agency, etc.
Another noteworthy and ignored fact: Contrary to the gloom-and-doom forecasts of: "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" by the far right-wingers...
This Democratic Congress has actually reduced federal spending and reduced the deficit, too.
And yet, despite these and other accomplishments, if one tunes in to a network news program or talk show, one will consistently be presented with clips of people considered to be "in the know" who've made predictions that - after the final tally of votes in tomorrow's elections - Republicans will have won a number of seats in the House of Representatives and, perhaps, a few in the Senate.
If their predictions turn out to be correct, the change would be an unfortunate one for our country.
Even though it was the Bush Administration and its Republican Congress who were wielding their political power/influence over all of us a mere two years ago, it seems that many Americans are suffering from a very specific type of short-term memory loss. The barely two years gone two-term Bush Administration definitely wasn't eight years of "Happy Days Are Here Again" - unless, that is, you were one of the uber-wealthiest Americans gifted with big tax cuts.
Doesn't anyone remember those multiple tax cuts for the upper-echelon of wealthiest Americans (May they be allowed to Expire)?
How about those fictional findings fabricated and, repeatedly, shoved down our and the world's throats by Bush's war-mongers/profiteers as their justification for the utterly unprovoked multi-billion dollar Iraq War?
Of course, even before that happened, there was the (now-seemingly endless) Afghanistan War?
Or, don't any of those people recall a monstrosity/pile of bureaucratic crap Bush & Co. came up with called: "Medicare Pt. D"?
All of the above were obviously going to be mind-bogglingly expensive and, alas, not just at that point in time but, also, for the foreseeable future.)
Not only that... when it came time for the Bush Administration to present their budget... GWB's bean-counters were... ah, shall we say creative?
Like many members of the Bush Administration, these imaginative accountants were utterly unencumbered by commonly accepted concepts like "Reality" (and honesty, integrity, etc.). Without hesitation, they intentionally neglected to include the costs of the aforementioned, phenomenally-expensive items/actions. Why? Because doing so meant the amount of their deficit total would be much lower and - needless to say - completely inaccurate (their made-up total was, of course, many billions of dollars below the actual deficit total.)
(Sigh...) Regardless, I still hope for the best.
I have faith (hopefully not misplaced) that plenty of Americans, when standing alone in the voting booth, have enough good sense to differentiate between political bluster and basic facts.
Here's a Fun Fact:
Showing "The Right Stuff", certain members of the 111th Congress saw to it that important legislation - designed to be of long-lasting benefit for our country - was successfully passed. Not only that... they did so with the knowledge that, in the upcoming midterm elections, their Republican opponents would likely attack them for supporting that legislation and, in doing so, would possibly defeat them.
If actions speak louder than words, they showed themselves to be persons of considerable integrity, admirable character, backbone and that they were true patriots (rare traits in politicians).
They made a conscious decision to do what they'd been elected to do: They did what they knew to be in the best interest of Americans instead of doing what was in the best interest of prolonging their personal political careers. It's worth repeating: This type of personal sacrifice is extremely rare - especially in politics.
Call it "Policy Ahead Of Politics".
(*I encourage everyone to take a moment to remember what such a sacrifice looks like and what it entails. Because it's possible that, after tomorrow, we may not see it again for a while.)
What other accomplishments, you might ask?
Want a brief but detailed summary?
(No problem. I would, too.)
Take a look at this:
Monday, August 02, 2010
Forget About The Cake, Marie... Eat The Rich, Instead!
Eat The Rich:
Under President George W. Bush, the GOP never seemed to make a big fuss about nor any decisive moves to curtail his kid-in-a-candy-store spending habits.
Yet now, under President Barack Obama, the GOP is all about the importance of controlling spending and cutting the Deficit.
O.K.... But what, exactly, are Republicans in Congress willing to cut?
How about cutting the $35 Million in tax breaks given to the (highly-profitable) oil and gas industry?
The GOP said, "No."
How about off-setting those Bush tax-cuts?
The GOP said, "No."
How about the Dems "Pay-as-you-go" plan to off-set all new spending?
GOP: "No."
Well gee, GOP, what the heck are you willing to cut?
Answer:
Well, Republicans in Congress finally said, "Yes" (Didn't think they had it in them)...
To cutting $6.7 Billion from The Food Stamp Program.
The Food Stamp Program!
This is a national program which both creates economic stimulus AND puts food on the tables of America's poor and their families.
Eviscerating the Food Stamp Program is a terrible, callous and contemptible course of action for the GOP.
Think about it.
The GOP doesn't want Congress to allow the multi-$Billion Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans expire.
But hey, when it comes to cutting the Deficit by taking food off the tables and out of the mouths of the poor, instead... They're all for it.
Disgusting.
Under President George W. Bush, the GOP never seemed to make a big fuss about nor any decisive moves to curtail his kid-in-a-candy-store spending habits.
Yet now, under President Barack Obama, the GOP is all about the importance of controlling spending and cutting the Deficit.
O.K.... But what, exactly, are Republicans in Congress willing to cut?
How about cutting the $35 Million in tax breaks given to the (highly-profitable) oil and gas industry?
The GOP said, "No."
How about off-setting those Bush tax-cuts?
The GOP said, "No."
How about the Dems "Pay-as-you-go" plan to off-set all new spending?
GOP: "No."
Well gee, GOP, what the heck are you willing to cut?
Answer:
Well, Republicans in Congress finally said, "Yes" (Didn't think they had it in them)...
To cutting $6.7 Billion from The Food Stamp Program.
The Food Stamp Program!
This is a national program which both creates economic stimulus AND puts food on the tables of America's poor and their families.
Eviscerating the Food Stamp Program is a terrible, callous and contemptible course of action for the GOP.
Think about it.
The GOP doesn't want Congress to allow the multi-$Billion Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans expire.
But hey, when it comes to cutting the Deficit by taking food off the tables and out of the mouths of the poor, instead... They're all for it.
Disgusting.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)