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markhas2 08/28/2012 03:37 PM Report
ryan a compulsive liar.
samaritan 08/04/2011 02:05 AM Report
Paul Ryan is right. Give the most well-off more money; and take it from those that can least afford it. Only the rich know how to manage my money. That is why they are rich. They really, truly deserve even more of our money. Paul Ryan probably has not gone far enough. We should de-fund all social programs, education, infrastructure, et. al., so that the rich might not have to ever pay for any of "the least of these." If we don't cave in, then certain individuals are willing to throw our (and the rest of the world's) economy into the toilet, via a default on our debt.
Furthermore, if we don't agree with them, and applaud their "true patriotism" they will call us socialist, and other "unpatriotic" names enough times that people will stop questioning their hate and fearmongering.
Honestly, I think most Republicans and Democrats are different sides of the same coin: and they prescribe to a Neoliberalism. (Wikipedia: Neoliberalism seeks to transfer control of the economy from public to the private sector....) Somehow I don't think the corporations have my interest, or the best interest of our country at heart. Essentially (as it is proven in the "tax code") the corporations and the wealthiest buy off Republicans and Democrats for favorable laws (i.e., so GE, et. al., don't have to pay taxes)...the rest of the "drama" may very well be a "slight of hand" to distract the few of us that aren't consumed by tabloid and/or corporate news, "reality" shows, pop culture, sports, etc.
In response to Neil and Doodah's earlier comments, I think it is more accurate to describe our current model of government a plutocracy. Maybe there is freedom of speech, but the only voices that seem to be heard by our elected officials are those that have "enough" money.
"As you have done unto the least of these, you have done unto me." (Jesus)
doodah 05/18/2011 07:43 AM Report
Ryan's response to the conservative's criticism was quite revealing, something like, "who needs Liberals with friends like that". ? . Hah! Those are fightin words!
Time to clear a space in the country club. But no, the Das Newt retracts his torpedoes, to please 'the Press' (like Politico). This kind of debate doesn't fit into their box. Shame on Das Newt, No more is he a Hoot.
machngunjoe 05/05/2011 01:51 PM Report
His Ayn Rand philosophy is better suited for 8th graders
machngunjoe 05/05/2011 01:48 PM Report
A little disappointing, that Charlie is not challenging Paul Ryan and his budget. What about giving tax breaks to the rich and super rich?
doodah 05/02/2011 07:06 PM Report
I hear ya, winter. But last night, the Truth was a SOLID for Osama Bin Dolly Lama :) A SOLID right between the eyes! Damn Straight.
Free at Last! Free at Last! Good God Almighty! Free at Last! ... please forgive me, but I do just feel like dancing a jig. :) lol
winter 05/02/2011 06:54 PM Report
"The real Truth does stand on its own merits" Well sure, if Truth were what prevailed but the problem is getting at it as its often buried. The truth, unfortunately for some and fortunately for others, is that Truth is a liquid not a solid.
doodah 05/01/2011 08:49 AM Report
"It will work, if we do." - That's IT in a nutshell, NeilMacCallister. I'm going to add those words to my daily Lord's Prayer. :)
NeilMacCallister 04/29/2011 01:36 PM Report
I am not right, I am just one vote. If we step back and see everybody's votes, we see our amateurish representation of the truth.
The real Truth does stand on its own merits, it doesn't need us to agree, it is like a black-hole, it knows we will all get to it one day.
I too appreciate our 200 year old American experiment in self-government. I hope it lasts.
It will work, if we do.
doodah 04/28/2011 06:22 PM Report
I suppose you're right, NeilMacCallister. But it's really not so much a CapitalistDemocracy as our trusted republican and tea party politicians pretend to support (with the exception of, Buddy Roemer) as it is more of a SocialistElitistDemocracy. It's a SocialistElitistDemocracy because ALL the politicians are bought by big banks, big business, and 'special' interests; and that corrupts the capitalist system. The 'Truth' should be able to stand on it's own merits and sell itself. But the fact is, the voting American public can't handle the truth, because if it is a Democracy like you say, then why do they allow this corruption to exist.? Because each and everyone of them want THEIR 'little deal'. And so, it's a battle of corrupting little Lies, and whichever little lie the majority of voters feel is the lesser of 2 or more evils is the Lie we're supposed to believe.
But having said that, I am glad I live in a country where I am Free to say what I want most of the time and own a gun and other weapons of modest destruction (the option to practice self-defense on disrespectful intruders and send them back where they came from).
When you look at the rest of the world, America ain't so bad in many respects.
NeilMacCallister 04/28/2011 01:00 PM Report
Best wishes in your "struggle" through life, doodah! ..It's fun sometimes, isn't it!!
But democracy itself is NOT a lie! ..It is the most accurate representer of truth that exists!! (..see: "Blind men and an elephant" on wikipedia)
So you think we don't have "democracy"????
Hah! ..I think we DO! ..and this is what it looks like!!
Let's vote on it!!!!
doodah 04/28/2011 12:00 PM Report
...talk about 'class warfare' and 'social engineering'.?.
Ever notice how the biggest critics of such 'anti-American' talk, are Actually the biggest HYPOCRITES in the church?.?!!!
So we're All Guilty for calling it what it is...and what its gonna come down to
Can you say, 'UPRISING'? lol
doodah 04/28/2011 09:00 AM Report
@ NeilMacCallister 04/27/2011 10:24 PM
Yes. I know they will spend it as their highest contributing Lobbyists will see fit. And since I'm not a Lobbyist (Elitist Socialist) it won't be spent on me (a common, struggling, (trying to be) capitalist; believing in the American LIE called Democracy)
NeilMacCallister 04/27/2011 10:24 PM Report
winter? ..We did not "trust the private sector". We gave out TARP money because we DIDN'T trust the private sector. We were just too afraid of what the "change" might look like if we were to let a failing (..but familiar!) business disappear from our view. So we gave them money to stay.
Next, we gave out Stimulus Money to maintain government employees and civil pensions. We didn't want any "change" to happen there either.
After the government spent all the money it had (..or could borrow or print), we discovered there was just no money left for those new roads-and-bridges jobs we were promised.
Nor did we ever see those promised "Youth Corps" jobs.
***
Two weeks from now, the government wants to print some more money (.."Raise the Debt Ceiling").
What do you think? ..Would you trust the government to spend it as promised this time?
winter 04/25/2011 06:49 PM Report
I for one am tired of always bribing business to do the right thing and calling it incentives. How about we invoke disincentives for doing the wrong thing and put the fines back into cleaning up the environment and the messes left by chemicals.
NOONE is going to hire when there isn't a corresponding demand for a product. Thats called demand side economics. AIG demonstrated what happens when government heaps money on business with no ties to the money ...they passed it out as bonuses. That would be would funny if it weren't pathetic. AND we impose tariffs ...it afterall is OUR market. How many times do we "trust" the private sector's
interests vs taxpayers?
TheCrooner 04/24/2011 08:09 PM Report
When it comes to all the programs liberals try to initiate...All those Democratic millionaires are put to shame when confronted by the facts that Republican donations give the bulk of $money$ to their social programs...But! All we hear from them is "When are you going to start taxing the rich??"
TheCrooner 04/24/2011 08:04 PM Report
Liberals complain that the only thing stopping the budget deal is Conservative ideology. We call it conviction. Either way, it's the Liberal ideology that spends money we don't have on programs we can't afford trying to force policies on the American people we don't want. To our Liberal friends, we say: We want our freedom and can't afford your ideology anymore!
doodah 04/24/2011 06:30 AM Report
No doubt, Paul Ryan has Some good legitimate points, but since he also holds holds dear to Some far right LIES, I think it would be fitting for another (more Realistic and Fair) politician to steal the best that Mr. Paul Ryan has to offer make it his or her own. It would serve Mr. Ryans One Way mentality right; And he'll just be a caricature like the Das Newt. :)
doodah 04/22/2011 07:36 PM Report
...people are making too much money off of the common cold. ..REINVENTING the common cold!
Enough is Enough
And the rich who want the middle-class to fund their quest for immortality can go to Hell. :)
doodah 04/22/2011 07:32 PM Report
I agree with winter; it's far too easy for pharmaceutical salesmen (and their afflitates) to make a way too damn good a living for glad-handing. The Healthcare Industry has Everybody by the balls and boobs. Yes, good doctors should be able to make a good bit of money for their sacrifices to be educated and their experience and expertise. But everybody needs healthcare, So socialize the damn thing with the public option, like President Odrama first recommended. These god damn Fake conservatives would get More cooperation if they weren't such Lying Basterds. If Paul Ryan had the balls to get off the partisan politics bullshit, I'd have some respect for him.
NeilMacCallister 04/22/2011 03:24 PM Report
Beating the drums and chanting "voodoo" is the most likely way to keep yourself "sick and regurgitating" in the future, tony.
What Ryan has asked for, is that we stop taking such world-high levels of money from American businesses; because the best person to offer jobs is a person who is running a business, and job offerings require available cash.
If we listen to him, we may get back to those days of growth that we enjoyed in '81-'87 with Reagan in the White House, and Republicans controlling the budget advising Senate; or in '95-'01 under Clinton, when the Republicans controlled both the budget writing House of Representatives AND the budget advising Senate.
But if you still prefer chanting "hope and dream", ..you go ahead.
tonytrupp 04/21/2011 08:40 PM Report
More disproven voodoo economics. I'm so sick of republicans just regurgitating poll tested talking points. the fact is that Ryan pretends to balance the deficit while giving another trillion dollars in tax cuts to the rich. The GOP are the ones engaging in class warfare, except it's on the poor and middle class americans.
winter 04/21/2011 07:05 PM Report
Just nationalize Health Care Insurance. Hire all the same people but taxpayers keep the profit or just put any profit
right back into costs. Should do that with utilities and big oil. Taxpayers not boogey man Government. If you want to get rich do it by starting something that doesn't exploit
consumers. Read the Rolling Stone article about the Fed's "Other Budget" and how they've printed trillions. Where the money falls thats where you'll find the problem because wealth and work aren't the same thing.
NeilMacCallister 04/20/2011 07:43 PM Report
Exactly, rob!
The federal government TARP'd billions of dollars of publicly-collected and publicly-borrowed money into the accounts of select private "receivers", with the expressed intent of "protecting them financially".
The borrowing of that cash has put America into a negative credit rating, and the rest of us (.."the unchosen people") are definitely NOT "protected financially".
Why did the government do that????
Because they were also able to skim off about half of those TARP monies, and secrete them within a bottom desk drawer at the DNC, so that the Democrats can use those billions as a warchest for their 2012 Presidential war-campaign.
The Democrats so love a good war!! ..lots of screaming, bigoted name-calling, and Joe McGinness burning the midnight-oil on some republican contender's front lawn.
Yet NOT A WORD on America's health! (..das wird verboten!!!)
Do we really want this federal government in charge of our nation's healthcare? ..or any other of our finances?????
robdverity 04/20/2011 05:55 PM Report
Neil - it's too late. Big bank CEOs already selected for that cat-bird seat. Ask LLoyd Blankfein.
NeilMacCallister 04/20/2011 03:12 AM Report
If, on the other hand, we leave future medical costs "uncapped", they will undoubtedly continue to rise at a growth rate higher than either our GDP or our Cost-of-Living.
If we then tax the general population to cover our high medical costs, ..wouldn't we then be taxing orchestra leaders, astronauts, and sous-chefs, ..for more money to give to doctors, hospital administrators, and medical-insurance executives?
I don't think our government should be picking out which professions in our economy should be the "high performers" financially.
NeilMacCallister 04/20/2011 02:54 AM Report
rob, to put US Bonds back into a positive credit rating, we have to show good economic decisions, correct?
A good economic decision would be to select the exact percentage of the GDP we want to use for government spending, and then what percentage of that money we want to devote to medical subsidies.
We then divide that medical subsidy account between Medicare and Medicaid.
We divide the Medicare amount by the number of seniors to be covered, and we get the size of the "vouchers" available to secure their individual healthcare contracts.
When we divide the Medicaid portion by the number of states in the union (weighted to their population), you get the size of each state's block grant.
It's simple math, ..but someone has to do the work of accounting a size for those percentages and portions, and then start arriving at the resultant numbers.
I believe that is what Rep. Ryan has done with his budget.
He is doing his job.
robdverity 04/19/2011 05:16 PM Report
So once again S&P (Standard & Poor's) ratings have an ironic and undeserved influence on the mkts. Rated subprime mtgs as AAA to start the decline, now US Govt bonds as future potential risks to continue it.
All Republicans for damn sure.
What a screwed up culture.
BryanTap 04/18/2011 06:47 PM Report
"Vouchers give the money to the person, they go out in the marketplace. That's not what this is. People get a choice, this is 54 year-old's and below, they get a choice of Medicare-approved comprehensive plans to pick from, then medicare subsidizes that plan."
How is that not a voucher program??
NeilMacCallister 04/18/2011 04:03 PM Report
Congressman Ryan???
I demand a HealthCare Plan for Mother America!
..And I want it now!!!
NeilMacCallister 04/18/2011 03:59 PM Report
hmmm,..writers like jirwin and winter, ..are in fact acting as "lobbyists" for the 'Congressional Spending Corporation'.
You two are lobbying so diligently for those diamond-studded 'big spenders' who make such trillion-dollar profits off the marketing of money piles demanded from the public.
Have you two seen the fine-wine corporate restaurants, the oak-paneled cigar rooms, and the brightly-lit hair salons these towering bureaucratic giants maintain within the huge Congressional Office complexes??, ..or the jets these Congressional CEO's fly around on, at public expense, to places like Brazil, Switzerland, and Macau, ..to do "business"?????
***
Yet you fight so HARD to demand their "right" to keep Mother America strapped down upon a gurney, forced to accept a tube-feeding of Chinese-sourced life-support, ..stuck in a steel-vaulted Emergency Care Unit located several floors below ground level under the Federal Reserve Building, ..and held under sedation by Doctors Geithner and Bernanke.
If anyone dares raise their voice over this maltreatment of Mother America's poor health condition, ..they are immediately fired by Major-General Biden.
No one is even the least bit concerned over the absolute absence of even the slightest "HealthCare Plan" for Mother America.
..Why is that???
***
These writers just lobby, lobby, lobby for more and more trillions of dollars to be delivered by bullet-proofed limousines to this High Council of Congressional Spenders.
By the way, ..what are the Price/Earning ratios that these Titans of Industry have achieved for us?
What does their Profit/Loss statement look like?
Are they doing a good job for all their trillions of dollars in salaries and spendings?
..Or should we as shareholders revolt? ..and re-vote???
***
Has anybody heard from Mother America lately?
..Does anyone know if she is okay????
I worry about her.
jirwin71 04/18/2011 10:40 AM Report
To me, Congressman Ryan's proposals to cut Medicare and Medicaid represtent everythign ugly about our country. He disgusts me.
SharkswithfrikingLazers 04/17/2011 11:53 PM Report
Corporations need to pay taxes!!!
John Stossel reports on this (19:08 includes American Indians and Rich People): http://youtu.be/icS5eLWYv0w
“There’s class warfare, all right,” Mr. Buffett said, “but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.” http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/business/yourmoney/26every.html
Warren Buffet loves GE. "Buffett said he doesn’t regret investing $8 billion of Berkshire’s money in investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and conglomerate General Electric Co. in 2008 when they could not get any cash. Both companies gave Berkshire preferred shares paying 10 percent interest that Buffett said he doesn’t think he could get now." (Yeah, why can't we get those preferred shares paying 10% interest!!!)
Bowles-Simpson DEBT Plan:
Would reduce the corporate tax rate to 26 percent and eliminate corporate tax expenditures.
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/bowles-simpson.cfm
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Tax-VOX/2010/1116/Bowles-Simpson-plan-raises-everybody-s-taxes
PAUL RYAN Plan:
Business taxes would be lowered to 25 percent from 35 percent--paid for through eliminating “loopholes” and several exemptions, though the scope of the changes was not apparent in his initial draft.
See, we are moving forward.
SharkswithfrikingLazers 04/17/2011 11:49 PM Report
This is an interesting game--the Budget. Where is Milton Bradley?
Paul Ryan--thank you! Finally the Republicans are off the bench and in the game. For two years their plan was to be deadwood.
Fascinating--Paul Ryan sits on the front row of the President's speech and the President tells him he got it wrong. WOW! That really is in your face politics.
The military-industrial complex is too expensive. If you Republicans have to have it so big--bigger than all the other countries combined--then we need to start getting that Iraqi oil so the pump prices are around $2.00--make it the plunder of war(s).
Healthcare costs are obscene. We all know that. For Paul Ryan to suggest that Affordable Healthcare Act be repealed is a slap in the President's face--especially after all the work. He is the one who needs to work with the President instead of against him. Move forward Paul--not backward.
SharkswithfrikingLazers 04/17/2011 11:39 PM Report
Social Security is really not part of the budget issue as Paul Ryan has said.
(THE SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM SHOULD NOT BE ON THE TABLE)
THE Actuary Speaks
The speech:
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/298428-1
By Chief Actuary Stephen Goss
MY NOTES:
The calculations for Social Security are VERY sensitive to population growth rather than increases in productivity.
3.3 workers per beneficiary (1975 to 2008) moving to only 2 workers per beneficiary after 2030!
Our population is really aging from 2010 to 2030 and will create a great deal of change! There is something more than just a bulge of baby boomers—also life expectancies are increasing (perhaps not with all the obesity). 2.5-3% growth of the labor force with Baby Boomers. The now predicted 1% growth of labor force means much slower GDP growth.
THE BIG FACTOR—changing birth rates of two children per woman versus three per woman. 1965 is when we saw this transitional shift.
Now the average benefit is $1,000 per month per beneficiary. So after 2030 when there are only two workers (341 times 2) you will only get $682 a month instead of $1,000 in benefits. (The math is a 32% drop in benefits but calculates to a 25% reduction because in 2022 benefits are lowered by 7% and more of the benefits are taxed over time. 1.2% CPI average is slower than average wage growth so there is a predicted fall for social security beneficiaries. They will fall behind the worker standard of living.)
Social Security's net effect on the total federal debt is really nil. If publicly held debt is the issue then Social Security has a big impact. However, Social Security is really not part of the budget issue as Paul Ryan has said.
How long will Social Security be solvent under the current law? 2037 is the projected year until the trust fund uses all the reserves--$2.6 trillion--if nothing is done. Disability insurance will run out in 2018. However, DI can get a larger percentage of the pot to bring it up a bit.
The $2.6 trillion reserve augments the benefit payments until 2037. (Now there is 75 cents coming in for every dollar of benefits. The 12.4% is a flat tax rate except the tax on benefits. Social Security has NO borrowing authority. In 2010, $16 billion was drawn from the Trust Fund for benefits but interest alone on the money in trust was well over $100 billion. )
SOLUTIONS FOR 2037: retirement age increased, reduce monthly benefit, increase tax of 12.4% above $106,800 (current ceiling), increase immigration further (need more workers to pay), increase births. Choices in a nutshell: lower benefits by 25% or increase revenue by 33% or a combination of the two.
Social Security has progressive bend points which means income redistribution. So then $800 monthly earnings you get 90%, next $4,000 you get 32% above that you get 15% return. HOWEVER, higher income folks, on average, live longer than lower income folks so this is, for the most part, a wash—you live longer, and over this longer time at less money, get about the same as those who die earlier getting more net money.
The 1977 amendments in Social Security made huge changes—the problem was three to four times larger at that time. The 1983 amendments raised the age and turned Social Security around dramatically.
SOCIAL SECURITY & THE BUDGET: Social Security is a mandatory program. The revenue is DEDICATED. The General Fund of the Treasury has borrowed from this $2.6 trillion. Social Security is its own separate entity operating on its own trust fund basis. Two debts: total debt and then publically held debt. There is on-budget and off-budget and Social Security is off-budget. So Social Security has ZERO effect on-budget (except perhaps interest that is owed by the General Fund to the Trust Fund of Social Security). There is NO net effect to the on-budget flows. Even when the $2.6 trillion is gone there is no net effect to the on-budget. (This accounting system is confusing and makes it easy to con the public.)
Productivity assumption is 1.7% growth which is the average per capita over the last century. However, Social Security is VERY sensitive to population growth for benefits rather than productivity.
winter 04/17/2011 08:03 PM Report
Did I use the term "famous" where I should have used "infamous" in describing sub Saharan African dictators?
It may be more true that neither of those modifiers are accurate since just what goes on there the average American aas well as the main stream media seldom delves into. Its just too uncomfortable for our and the rest of the industrialized worlds multi national corporations. For that sort of Truth you have to dig in sources like Global Witness and Noam Chomsky.
winter 04/17/2011 07:32 PM Report
Are these Health Care Insurance companies, the same ones Ryan suggests are going to compete at keeping premiums and
deductables low for grandma and pa, that United Health Care was a member of? United Health Care's CEO Wm. McGuire was allowed to resign after allegedly back dating stock options. His GOLDEN PARACHUTE -- 1.1 BILLION DOLLARS. During his tenure it was said that 1 out of every 700 dollars paid into health insurance went towards paying Mr.Mcguires salary. On WikiPedia it states that in 2005
UHC's revenues were 71 Billion dollars. This is the sort of thing that sub Saharan African dictators are famous for and
its part of "The American Way"? Americans have become the ant farm for the wealthy, and it is THEY who pull Washingtons strings TeaParty ...Pay Attention.
doodah 04/17/2011 06:17 PM Report
...a bunch of FAKES
doodah 04/17/2011 06:16 PM Report
the mental problem with many tea partiers is they confuse Conservative social and cultural Values with lying fake-conservative republican politicians; who, in a time of surplus would Much rather privatize social-security (because the market Only goes up Up UP!) than chop down the debt (like they are presently Preaching). They don't really want to resolve the debt, even Greenspan (a conservative republican) was worried about paying down the debt TOO SOON during the surplus. The tea partiers are a bunch whining crying sheep being led to the slaaughter by their million dollar an hour shepherds funded and backed by the Bankers Lobby and Vince McMahan.
blank 04/17/2011 08:39 AM Report
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/16/science/earth/16enviro.html?_r=1&hpw - G.O.P. Push in States to Deregulate Environment
the tea party isn't that they are evil it's that they are really really really stupid they really do have down syndrome
you would think that they would look at the places and the people who are doing way better than they are and try to be like them rather than try force the people who are succeeding to be complete pathetic failures like they are
it's disgusting the way these people think and how stupid they are
NeilMacCallister 04/17/2011 08:20 AM Report
You're right, clive. The Invisible Hand HAS always been here, and WILL always be here.
Meanwhile, the Democrats controlled both the House and Senate from 2006 until 2010. They quadrupled our deficits.
Republicans controlled both the House and Senate from 1994 to 2000, and from 2002 until 2006. In both of those periods, they reduced our deficits.
And yes, "We take care of our elderly, poor, and disabled". And we take care of our kids, our homes, and our neighbors.
And then we send people like Paul Ryan to Washington to take care of America itself. For we want America to survive well, too!
cliveklg 04/16/2011 06:01 PM Report
"The Democrats threw a great convention in Denver, Colorado. For two years there was much singing and celebration. Trillions of dollars were spent.
And then, over-night, the loans of money stopped: An "invisible hand" had burst upon the celebration and devoured millions of jobs, homes, and savings."
Gotta love the revisionist history here. That invisible hand was working long before Obama came into office.
And its interesting people like yourself are so willing to sacrifice others in combat of the so called "Dragon" rather than working together to defeat it with mutual cost.
How we take care of our Elderly, poor, disabled (physically, and mentally), and others at need says a lot about our moral character as a Nation. Ryan's plan lacks any morality.
jason 04/16/2011 03:40 PM Report
very simple question folks..
where is the President's plan? show me the numbers?
the guy has no plan to fix the problem
continuing borrowing, higher taxes and even higher spending is the Obama plan.
doodah 04/16/2011 12:05 PM Report
Ah!!! The 'Artistry of Politics'. It's all about Selling your (The) Story (BS). both parties say the same thing, "we are all for protecting and strengthening the "middle class". They repeat that over and over and over. BUT, the Demogogcrats say they will accomplish that goal by stopping the dirty rotten rich from their Greedy ways. And the Repugnantcans say they will accomplish that goal by stopping the dirty rotten poor from their morally depraved ways. When in actuality it is MUCH more dynamic and overlapping then that. There is a time and place for everything. So WHY? a 'healthcare reform' in the midst of a economic catastrophe. And then the opposite absurdity! Of of a job killing budget spending deficit ideology in the midst of HOPEFULLY, What's supposed to be an economic recovery. Why wasn't this done 15 years ago?! WHEN IT WAS POSSIBLE!!!!!!
I'll tell you why, folks. Because it's ALL About Bullshit. This Paul Ryan and his lobbyists wants us common people to think that the government should be run like a person's own financing. It's common sense, staying out of debt is best. So first thing, get rid of debt. But that's NOT how the whole financial system works at all. The ONLY way to have money available to enable commerce is to increase debt continuously, FOREVER!!!!! It's a big good cop bad cop game these politicians play (depending on the season). They're all working for the same bosses, and their jobs is to keep your eyes off of the ball so they can pick your pocket without you ever noticing, and the morons that just give their wallets away (ie. tea party fools and political ideologists of every persuasion except dirty $$ lickers) sure makes Power grand for the likes of the Paul Ryans and Alan Simpsons of the world. So Dodd is off to be a Lobbyist now?. How original.
pcalhoun 04/16/2011 09:32 AM Report
I am from Wisconsin and I have often asked myself where Mr. Ryan's credentials and expertise come from? He gives the appearance of self assurance and credibility, and yet his suppositions and predictions have no basis in theory or our historical experience. As most know, Mr. Ryan is a friend and collegue of Scott Walker, our governor in Wisconsin, whose credentials or even more suspect than Mr. Ryan's (college dropout), and a man who proceeds to turn the lives of working people on their collective heads based on the same baseless ideas espoused by Paul Ryan. It is unfortunate that our future is in the hands of people who in spite of their public posturing, seem to have never taken the time to study the ideas they so confidently present as gospel.
BarackMcBush 04/16/2011 06:37 AM Report
So, according to Mr.Ryan ,Insurance companies will be almost "fighting" each other to insure Old people ,with a high % of pre-existing conditions, given the history of the profit first insurance companies,that doesn't seem likely.
BarackMcBush 04/16/2011 06:22 AM Report
Mr Ryan's numbers don't add up (His plan takes 70 years to pay off the debt assuming the unemployment rate is 2.8% for 60 of those years) ,does anybody in Washington have a business degree?, these Tax rates that will hurt the "Job Creators" seemed to be fine during the Clinton years and we did well then ,Mr Ryan's plan lowers the top personal rate to 25% ,the government needs revenue,so the poor and middle class are left to pay the bills.Ryan's plan is simply "Voodoo" .Version 3 economics!
NeilMacCallister 04/15/2011 10:29 PM Report
The Democrats threw a great convention in Denver, Colorado. For two years there was much singing and celebration. Trillions of dollars were spent.
And then, over-night, the loans of money stopped: An "invisible hand" had burst upon the celebration and devoured millions of jobs, homes, and savings.
From the northern state of Wisconsin came Representative Paul Ryan, who with the permission of his House Leader John Boehner, took up his budget-sword and vowed to defeat that unfeeling, uncaring, and indiscriminately murderous beast, The Invisible Hand, which had come to roar its ominous threats against their nation.
Many people in the Great Hall did creep under covers to protect themselves. Some others were to caution that Rep. Ryan could never defeat the crushing consequences that loomed from this Invisible Hand of immutable truth.
The blows now start to rain upon Representative Ryan. His budget-sword is hacked upon. Hateful roars burn down upon his body.
Perhaps President Obama, or some other praise-worthy fellow-warrior will find themselves able to overcome their own fear of this dragon, and go stand beside their kins-person there, and also engage in this battle.
And with success, that unforgiving and unforgetting Invisible Hand will be forced back down into its murky lair.
To bubble its wrath in a silent perpetuity.
cliveklg 04/15/2011 07:28 PM Report
"Socialists and communists tried to have full employment and full production. But they did not succeed in protecting liberty, free speech, free thought, private enterprises to compete with government and with each other."
Check your history on unrestricted Capitalism. It failed stop the exploitation, and corruption that ran rampant. It did not succeed either.
The real solution is somewhere in the middle, not the extremes. A system that encourages business while protecting the workers.
Germany can do it, why can't we?
winter 04/15/2011 10:22 AM Report
I don't know, maybe I'm paranoid but it seems to me we've gotten to a place in America where everything is a ripoff.
From the fast food joint who fills your drink 3/4's full with ice to wall street and trying to "invest" when the stock market has more to do with market makers trying to scare "newbies" out of their shares by artificially tanking
them to where the fear part of the fear/greed motivations
take them cheap. Caveat emptor ad absurdum, yea, we should begin adding the ad absurdum part to the popular phrase that seems to stand in for regulations that either don't make it into legislation (...some of us know why!) or even if they do, they don't get enforced. Even Madoff almost got away, having a relative on the inside at the SEC ( a republican appointed head there then!) and the financial crisis where personally I lost 6 figures in that crash, noone went to jail. We try to ease the pain by calling it Freedom, but this Freedom to the hucksters is just the first line of defense for how they do business. Lobbyist
magic skills for rhetorical alchemy that deconstructs any
regulation or laws original intent just shoots any hope of
justice and learning from history out of the water. Read somewhere "the only thing we learn from history is that we never learn anything from history" ...how true. I trust republicans less than democrats and I trust the private sector less than both of them put together to hold the line
on what the market will bear as my utility and health care bills outpace inflation like Secretariat. Cynical? If you're not your'e either an idiot or a crook. If Ryan had his way he'd limit the number of lifeboats on cruiseships to half the occupancy of passengers to save money and have the wealthy first before women and children. We either adopt the European style of social net civility or the future holds that the number of homeless out in front of
your 5 star restaurant panhandling triples and Hollywood Housewives become our new standard for stay at home moms.