Debt Ceiling Stalemate Illustrates the Tea Party's Reality Gap

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Teabaggers must hate this country to wish to crash our economy.
The reactionary wackos wish to repeat the failures of bush's polices that crashed the economy and created most to the deficit the teabaggers don't want to pay off. The infighting in the GOP is destroying the country just like the civil war in the House has essentially ended Beohner's career in his failure to be able to control his ranks to pass anything, much less simple house keeping.
Frankly we can do without the Bush groupies and the teabaggers. What we need is radical - moderate centrists who want to get things done.

Ron of IL 3:26AM July 29, 2011

SURE. We came into existence because of obama's spending. We did good Nov. 2, 2010, voter's unhappy with obama...
"Economic Armageddon". That's obama:
"Bush Deficit vs. Obama Deficit in Pictures"
March 24, 2009
"President Barack Obama has repeatedly claimed that his budget would cut the deficit by half by the end of his term"
"What’s driving Obama’s unprecedented massive deficits?"
1. "President Bush expanded the federal budget by a historic $700 billion through 2008. President Obama would add another $1 trillion."
2. "President Bush began a string of expensive financial bailouts. President Obama is accelerating that course."
3. "President Bush created a Medicare drug entitlement that will cost an estimated $800 billion in its first decade. President Obama has proposed a $634 billion down payment on a new government health care fund."
4. "President Bush increased federal education spending 58 percent faster than inflation. President Obama would double it."
5. "President Bush became the first President to spend 3 percent of GDP on federal antipoverty programs. President Obama has already increased this spending by 20 percent."
6. "President Bush tilted the income tax burden more toward upper-income taxpayers. President Obama would continue that trend."
7. "President Bush presided over a $2.5 trillion increase in the public debt through 2008. Setting aside 2009 (for which Presidents Bush and Obama share responsibility for an additional $2.6 trillion in public debt), President Obamas budget would add $4.9 trillion in public debt from the beginning of 2010 through 2016."
"UPDATE: Many Obama defenders in the comments are claiming that the numbers above do not include spending on Iraq and Afghanistan during the Bush years. They most certainly do. While Bush did fund the wars through emergency supplementals (not the regular budget process), that spending did not simply vanish. It is included in the numbers above. Also, some Obama defenders are claiming the graphic above represents biased Heritage Foundation numbers. While we stand behind the numbers we put out 100%, the numbers, and the graphic itself, above are from the Washington Post. We originally left out the link to WaPo. It has now been added."
"CLARIFICATION: Of course, this Washington Post graphic does not perfectly delineate budget surpluses and deficits by administration. President Bush took office in January 2001, and therefore played a lead role in crafting the FY 2002-2008 budgets. Presidents Bush and Obama share responsibility for the FY 2009 budget deficit that overlaps their administrations, before President Obama assumes full budgetary responsibility beginning in FY 2010. Overall, President Obamas budget would add twice as much debt as President Bush over the same number of years."
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/03/24/bush-deficit-vs-obama-deficit-in-

Bill Hedges of MO 4:25PM July 28, 2011

I can't help but think that Christian Fundamentalist Tea Partiers are orchestrating an "Economic Armageddon" so Jayzuz will come down and smite the crap out of everyone who disagrees with them. Their emotional and social immaturity will be their downfall, but will they pull everyone else down with them?

Incredulous of WI 2:02PM July 28, 2011

I'm not American and an observation that I can make is that you treat your politics like it's a "team sport". It doesn't seem to matter whether your team is being idiotic or sensible, you will cheer and support it while booing the opposition. The thing is that sometimes both parties will have brilliant ideas, but the public will completely ignore the merit of the idea because it's from the other team.
Before the parties can be partisan the people who vote for them have to become more willing to see the value of other ideas. The opposite is happening now, Americans are divided and that's reflected in your politics. You guys could do so much if you worked together.

Dan 9:13AM July 28, 2011

I supported Obama in 2008 because the GOP ignored and mocked the plea of Dr. Ron Paul. Dr. Paul was the only anti-war candidate that held a conservative focused for personal liberties before it was popular like it is today. Now everyone is channeling elements of Dr. Paul's message - Mitt Romney has changed his tune (again) and it's par for the course even for dark horses like Rick Perry.
Another Texas Governor? We have such short memories.
The GOP did not take responsibility for the destruction and waste of Bush/Cheaney, and Obama won on the backs of the young because of their continued arrogance. Obama ran as a peace candidate, but he has disappointed me and I cannot support his campaign this time around. Furthermore, the GOP has yet to show me that they have learned their lesson. After decades of a debt binge, we are waking up to financial hangover.
We've been defaulting on ourselves since the 1970s by printing more money and the traditional establishment wants us to print our way out of this. The AAA rating has been overstated for years, so it's time we get real with ourselves. Our rating will go down as it should have years ago.
Let's admit to what we all know and start making better financial choices.

Brian of IN 8:37AM July 28, 2011

I cannot believe that there are people in our government that would gouge out their own eyes in exchange for a little power. And what power is that? The power to stand on a soapbox and cry about our "values" as a country. Until a few years ago, was proud to call myself a Republican, but lately things are just getting ridiculous. I cannot think of a family that if given an alternative, would sit back and watch while their credit, jobs, livelihood, and existence wilt away. We can do something about this people! If we think that this isn't working, vote these idiots out! There are enough sensible people in this country to choose reps that will do just that, represent US...not just the party lines. I just wish that they would listen to what normal folk say and not just their own rhetoric.

Steven of TX 8:05AM July 28, 2011

From my blog, Liberty-Lost.com
At this point it would seem we are looking down the muzzle of a double barreled shotgun and being asked which barrel should shoot first. The end result is the same either way so why bother? As of this morning, I owe the national debt just under $47,000. That will go up tomorrow to some other stupid amount. You owe the same thing. Did you tell your congressman that you would be happy to mortgage your soul for the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen or anywhere else we are but haven't been told about yet? How about $57 billion plus so the government can check your shorts or your grandmother's depends? The FDA says walnuts are a drug and it has the right to regulate them.
These are just three examples of liberty lost to a faceless regime that cares nothing about you. Do you honestly believe that you have any worth to a power base that that is willing to sacrifice 500,000 children in a decade of sanctions against a people subjugated by a dictator they originally supported in Iraq? The underlying power group is still there, republican or democrat, and is elected by us, so our complicity is very real. It would seem that our only choice it to take back our government and the first place to start is to prevent it from spending any more of our dollars or, more correctly, our future.
Washington has no concept of what money is, and as long as they can print what they need, they never will. There is a finite amount you and I can afford to pay, and I would wager it is far less than our current 47k obligation. Raising the debt limit, under either proposal, raises our personal debt to just under $54,000, how does that work for you? By the way, that does not include interest on the new debt, just the principle. WE ARE BROKE, borrowing more money and raising our debt is not the fix we need.

Steve Teters of OR 12:16AM July 28, 2011

The TP philosophy boils down to a single thing, they hate Obama and anything and everything he is in favor of. Obama says the debt ceiling has to be raised, the TP is against it. That's the reality. Frankly, I'm astonished the Secret Service has managed to protect him from these idiots.

madsatyrist of DC 12:06AM July 28, 2011

barry daily debt is $$$ 4.5 billion. 3 TIMES more than Bush. barry spent all our money PLUS. He wanted to add $$$ 9.5 trillion in new debt in his 2011 budget.
You can donate to IRS. His thirst for debt seems unending...

Bill Hedges of MO 10:40PM July 27, 2011

Will the Tea Party reimburse me if my 401K declines in value because they deny that default would damage the economy? I'd rather pay higher taxes and see the country invest in bridges, highways, schools and research than "save" the tax dollars.
I've never voted Republican and I never will. IMO, the GOP has demonstrated that they are not fit to govern in a representative democracy. They are perilously close to breaking their oath of office (to support and defend the constitution) because they have made a pledge to ATR. All Hail Grover Norquist?
We all benefit from public investment - the investments of the past 100 years are what has made America exceptional today. How will America be exceptional in 2111 if we don't educate our youth, build modern infrastructure and support research for the next great era?

Tom of IL 10:25PM July 27, 2011