The Republicans Are the Adults
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The debt ceiling circus in Washington is not going to lead to any meaningful outcome.
While the president is attempting to act like an adult, he and his Democrat stooges in Congress are acting like adolescents. They have offered nothing except tax increases and no concrete spending cuts. The United States does not have a revenue problem; the problem is spending.
Mr. Obama, abetted by his cronies in Congress, has increased the national debt by at least $3 trillion. Obama even touted the extension of the Bush tax rates this past December; seven months later he wants to raise them. The Republicans appear to be the only adults. They know that raising taxes will not stimulate private sector growth. Only lower permanent taxes and reduced federal regulation will stimulate economic growth.
While I do not believe the debt ceiling should be raised, it probably needs to be raised modestly as a compromise. Here is my proposal. The House Republicans should pass a bill that grants a $500 billion debt ceiling increase with the following provisions:
The federal debt interest would be fully funded.
All federal government civilian employees’ pay and benefits would be rolled back to 2007 levels, including the executive and Congress.
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid would be fully funded.
Federal department and agency spending (except for defense) would revert to 2007 levels.
No tax increases. In fact, permanently lower tax rates to those proposed by the president’s Debt Commission and the corporate taxes to 25 percent or lower.
Let the Senate Democrats and the president do what they want. If they reject the proposal, it will be at their political peril.
Peyton E. Cook
Southern Pines
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Comments
Hembloche 1 year, 10 months ago
Good luck getting anyone, Republican or Democrat, to agree on a pay cut. I agree that the Democrats are acting like children, but the Republicans aren't any better. We've apparently voted a bunch of 4th graders into office.
TOYTIME 1 year, 10 months ago
When did the republicans have 8 years of control?
TOYTIME 1 year, 10 months ago
"I wonder - during 8 years of TOTAL republican control - why the budget was NEVER balanced or the deficit ever reduced."...john_boy.
did you forget Speaker Polosi, or Majority Leader Reid?... Or perhaps YOU were trying to forget. The blame pool runs deep, make sure you can swim.
TOYTIME 1 year, 10 months ago
Fair enough, but you mentioned 8 years of total control, and that has not been the case. With republican controled congress our financial house was in much better order. Look at the last 2 administrations and you will see I'm right. There is plenty of blame for both parties, I just ask you look at them honestly and objectively, without a predetermined agenda. 8 years of total republican control is not factually accurate, that's all.
MJI 1 year, 10 months ago
You mean the 8 years of Democratically controlled congress!
DaveyNC 1 year, 10 months ago
Yeah, number 2 isn't gonna happen. Likely none of this would happen but in general, rolling the budget back to 2007 levels would be just fine with me. It's not like we were suffering from a shortage of government back then.
It's hard for me to understand the lefties who seem to think that keeping the government growing faster than the public sector is imperative. The government is funded by the activities of the public sector and if that activity flattens or drops, so should the federal budget. I know, I know--Keynes says otherwise. If the knuckleheads in DC were true Keynesians, they would have boosted spending and then balanced the budget, which is what Keynes said had to happen.
We now have an understanding of how our bureaucracies view the world that we did not have before. When things go bad, let the public sector go first and protect the state and local governments. (Now, state and local are getting hit.) Protect the federal government at all costs, as if it is somehow vital to our survival. I do not understand why we must always feed that beast first and most. Time to starve the beast.
carlj1161 1 year, 10 months ago
I think all of congress is a bunch of worthless crybabies. Congress as a whole needs to get with reality. Seems like no one ever taught these bunch of children that in REAL LIFE you have to compromise. It's not all one way or the other. I also suggest you look at some of the polls regarding Congress, they have an abysmal approval rating. In fact, in one CBS poll the Republicans approval of the handling of the debt crisis is around 20 percent. Of course the Democrats aren't much better at 30 percent and Congress as a whole is horrible. Before you start chastising one side or the other, examine what the majority of the American people think and feel. Look at the whole picture, not what "Rush" and "Fox News" tell you.
TOYTIME 1 year, 10 months ago
Or, to be fair MSNBC, right carlj1161?
carlj1161 1 year, 10 months ago
If your a liberal, yes to MSNBC... I should have clarified that one should listen to everyone and get a rounded coverage...Not just MSNBC, Fox news, or "Rush" You can't understand what the other side is saying unless you listen to all of them. Point taken...
TOYTIME 1 year, 10 months ago
Read the pink slips from the old "Air America" and there you go... MSNBC.
JER 1 year, 10 months ago
This comment gives us great insight into the source of your positions on various subjects. If the names of the talking heads are well known, then they are credible. If they are "noames" (sic), ignore them. Hey, did you ever notice that almost every talking head on your favorite News Corp. channel is selling you their latest book. It's like a giant infomercial. They're worse than a girl scout cookie drive.
JER 1 year, 10 months ago
Which gives us an insight on what it takes to impress you.
teufelhunden 1 year, 10 months ago
That sums it up, Ed.
carlj1161 1 year, 10 months ago
Now I do agree with that statement completely
carlj1161 1 year, 10 months ago
Now I agree with that statement, completely....
Courseaire 1 year, 10 months ago
The only problem is finding new capable idiots to take their place.
carlj1161 1 year, 10 months ago
The problem is are the American people stupid enough to vote for the idiots..Or demand better?
BigE 1 year, 10 months ago
Oh brother, another faux economist speaks out that America does not have a revenue problem. No taxes, low taxes, no new taxes... that's an ideology not a mathematically supported position. Cutting taxes is not a garanteed revenue neutral activity, e.g. the so-called "Bush tax cuts." There is a cost.
We have an aging population with a high healthcare cost structure plus a large military spend. Is there inefficiency and waste in government? YES. But... if we are talking about anything other than healthcare and military we are not focused on 75% of the budget and have no chance of slowing down this deficit freight train. Blame Obama all you want but the reality is reduced revenues (from the banking crisis, housing bubble, recession), unfunded tax cut, unfunded wars, and bailout/too-small-to-suceed-stimulus programs.
The knucklehead (I apologize for the name calling.) freshmen class who sign a pledge to vote no to new taxes are not adults. They are the blind following the blind. :(
carlj1161 1 year, 10 months ago
Yes, Boehner proved to be a perfect example of an adult yesterday. I don't care how much you hate the President, how much you disagree with the President, or how much you despise his party. You do not disrespect the man under any circumstances. Ignoring phone calls from the President of the United States is just juvenile and ridiculous. He just a perfect example of what was mentioned earlier, Congress, as a whole and needs to grow up and represent the American people, not their own self serving garbage.
carlj1161 1 year, 10 months ago
Apparently, the Mr. Boehner has called the President. But my point still remains, if the President of the United States calls you...Pick up the phone immediately. One of the things I was taught in the military, you may not like the commander, but you darn well better respect the position of commander.
carlj1161 1 year, 10 months ago
You missed the whole point of the statement...
Bigguy 1 year, 10 months ago
Justpassing by, what an idiotic statement!! He is the Commander and Chief as was President Bush, Bill Clinton, and other presidents who did not serve in the military. He was overwhelmingly elected by the American people. If that is not good enough for you, just keep passing by and keep your stupid comments to yourself.
sgmartin 1 year, 10 months ago
"...except for defense, should be rolled back to 2007 levels". How quaint. Because it is not like military spending has contributed to the deficit. Come on. Get real. Do some research
TreadLightly 1 year, 10 months ago
The problem is NOT between Democrats and Republicans--there is no difference between a Democrat and a PROGRESSIVE Republican. (Bush 1 and 2 would qualify as progressives.) With a few progressive republicans joining the Democrats, they have put us in a financial black hole.
The big questions that are vital to survival of the nation:
Are these politicians STUPID?
If not, are they just playing the Cloward-Piven card of self-destruction of the nation in order to build their dream government upon the ruins. If so, there certainly seems to be no shortage of the old Soviet era "useful idiots."
carlj1161 1 year, 10 months ago
There is no difference between Bill Clinton the Democrat and George W. Bush, the Progressive? What are you smoking and where can the rest of us get some....
JER 1 year, 10 months ago
"Are these politicians STUPID?" Here is a question that needed answered BEFORE you voted them into office. Remember this simple fact: We get the government we deserve.
moonchild7 1 year, 10 months ago
The Republicans are far from being adults. Charles Blow's NYT, June 22nd Editorial: "...there is no reason we should be in this pickle. The debt ceiling has been raised numerous times with a simple vote. But Grover Norquist's Tea Party pledglings shot that down. And now they can't agree to a "grand bargain" because of their Faustian pact with big money. We shouldn't have to wait till the last minute to see the light and prevent cataclysm...I guess if people with money can convince you that destruction is a jobs program, anything is possible." In his editorial he also notes that a Pew Research poll shows that the Republican Party is gaining more members...from the poor, the young, and less educated. The fear-mongering brain washing tactics they are using are criminal in my opinion. How do you fix stupid? You don't.
Roorke 1 year, 10 months ago
And the democrats are trying to to have felons being able to vote, even the ones still in jail. Of course people like Charlie Rangel would appeal to them. Maybe even John Edwards.
carlj1161 1 year, 9 months ago
Maybe even Tom Daschle, Ted Stevens, and George Ryan too...Or did you selectively forget to mention them too....If you are going to mention them is it not fair to mention the Republican side as well?
Roorke 1 year, 9 months ago
George Ryan is in jail, thank heavens. Ted Stevens is dead, and Tom Daschle is a democrat. Charlie Rangel is still in Congress, and John Edwards is still walking around looking pretty. Where is this social justice the black activist are always spouting off about.
MikeNC 1 year, 9 months ago
Moody's has already indicated that raising the debt ceiling alone, is NOT enough for our AAA rating to stay in place. Good faith has to be brought to the table by our government to show they are serious about reducing spending. I will be very disappointed if Boehner lowers the spending cuts to only a Trillion and raises the ceiling. It equals to little more than "let's buy the Porsche and cancel Cinemax." Diane
JimHeim 1 year, 9 months ago
Looks like Moody's wants to blackmail us into letting them off the hook for their part in the housing bust.