A Tragic Comedy... The United States Congress

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny


Gridlock and political gamesmanship. Apparently the favorite spectator sport in America in the 21st centuty. As DC (and America) burns. Nero would be proud!

WASHINGTON (AP) - Top House Republicans said Sunday they oppose a bipartisan, Senate-approved bill that extends a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits for just two months and said congressional bargainers need to write a new version lasting a longer time.

Their comments, along with a House GOP conference call Saturday in which lawmakers voiced strenuous objections to the Senate bill, made clear that House Republicans were intent on changing the measure and left its ultimate fate uncertain.

The Senate used a 89-10 vote Saturday to approve the legislation, which was negotiated by Senate GOP and Democratic leaders and backed by strong majorities of senators from both parties. The House planned to vote on the measure Monday.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Sunday that the bill - which includes the payroll tax cut, unemployment benefits and a halt to scheduled Medicare reimbursement cuts for doctors - needs to last an entire year. That was the original goal of President Barack Obama and congressional leaders as they worked on the legislation in recent weeks. {Read More}

What say you?

Via: Memeorandum

Comments

  1. SilverfiddleSun Dec 18, 06:45:00 PM EST

    I say if they stopped trying to do stuff we'd all be a lot better off...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jersey McJonesSun Dec 18, 06:59:00 PM EST

    They had no choice. The only stimulation this economy has right now is cheap breaks for the working class.

    Meanwhile the debt and deficit, the costs of cheap management, keep mounting.

    At some point, if we do not raise taxes, we are going to lose our good faith and credit. It's amazing that we have any at all even now. Heaven forbid this nonsense goes on for much longer, or we'll be looking at a frighteningly fast decline.

    It's time to pay the bills.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMon Dec 19, 12:01:00 AM EST

    >It's time to pay the bills.

    Go ahead. I didn't order anything from that menu. I'll pay for what I both want and receive. That's all.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jersey McJonesMon Dec 19, 09:33:00 AM EST

    Bastiat, if you're an American, you will pay what the Constitutional government says you'll pay. I'm sorry you have a problem with our representative democracy, but that's just the way things are. I suppose you could break the law, if you really wanted.

    Besides, I don't think you'd be able to survive without our government. I mean, you could never drive on an interstate highway, never use any federally subsidized public institution, take your chances consuming completely uninspected products, do completely unregulated interstate trade, but I doubt you'd last long.

    You are not superman, Bastiat. You do not live in your own little Fortress of Solitude in the arctic. You are not nearly as self-sufficient as you think.

    In a childish-fantasy sorta way, I wish we could pay for what we wanted and nothing else, because then I wouldn't foot the bill for the military empire, or the drug war, or subsidies for off-shoring - but hey, whatcha gonna do? The only thing you can - vote.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  5. Les CarpenterMon Dec 19, 09:58:00 AM EST

    em·pire n.

    1.
    a. A political unit having an extensive territory or comprising a number of territories or nations and ruled by a single supreme authority.
    b. The territory included in such a unit.

    2. An extensive enterprise under a unified authority

    3. Imperial or imperialistic sovereignty, domination, or control

    jmj - Perhaps the above will help you understand the concept if empire just a bit better.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jersey McJonesMon Dec 19, 10:58:00 AM EST

    Les, we pretty much meet all that. What's your argument here? You really want to argue on a simpleton's semantic level here? Really?

    WE'RE AN EMPIRE! WE'VE BEEN ONE FOR GENERATIONS! WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN???

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  7. Les CarpenterMon Dec 19, 01:28:00 PM EST

    jmj - You live in a world of make believe. Concepts, and thus words mean whatever you wish them to mean. Typical progressive. And always to put the United States in the worst possible light.

    Discussing shortcomings is one thing. Changing definitions to fit your world view is quite another.

    Like I said, typical progressive.

    Perhaps one day we shall meet and have an opportunity to go head to head in a greatly expanded forum.

    Or not.

    ReplyDelete
  8. JohnMon Dec 19, 01:51:00 PM EST

    "if you're an American, you will pay what the Constitutional government says you'll pay."
    The trouble with that argument is, that we do not really have a "Constitutional government"!
    Before Woodrow Wilson, income tax was ruled unconstitutional! Which BTW reminds me of the other post here about people not learning from history! So JMJ, you seem to have no knowledge and therefore no credibility to make any argument about what is "Constitutional"!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jersey McJonesMon Dec 19, 06:37:00 PM EST

    Les, we have military forces in well over a hundred nations. Hundreds of bases all over the world. Over a hundred of countries depend on our economy for their livelihood and stability. To you, that's not an empire??? Really???

    Okay. So, what shall we call it for the sake of future conversation? Our "international presence sector?" Our "billions of dollars spent on maintaining our interests abroad thingy?"

    Really, man. What would you call it?

    It sure walks and quacks like an empire. Are you just willfully blind of ducks?

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jersey McJonesMon Dec 19, 06:46:00 PM EST

    John,

    ""if you're an American, you will pay what the Constitutional government says you'll pay."
    The trouble with that argument is, that we do not really have a "Constitutional government"!"

    Really? We don't? Well, how so?

    I agree that we have behaved unconstitutionally over the years, but I'd love to hear your take on it.

    "Before Woodrow Wilson, income tax was ruled unconstitutional!"

    The 16th amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1913, after Wilson was already president. The history and impetus of that amendment well predates Wilson, and has little or nothing to do with him, let alone "progressive" desires.

    Corporate interests in America wanted heavier taxation to bolster their industries, by war, agricultural export, product import, and banking/investment schemes.

    You have a grammar school understanding of American history. Step it up.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  11. Les CarpenterMon Dec 19, 07:13:00 PM EST

    jmj - Your ignorance of, and or misunderstanding of concepts ever ceases to amaze me.

    Not that I really give a hoot because your lack of intellectual clarity and honesty is really of no concern to me.

    Perhaps one day you will rub the fairy dust from your eyes and grasp exactly why it is I advocate for Ron Paul. As opposed to, you know, the fascist Newtie or the establishment Mittens.

    Until then please think before you spew.

    Deal?

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousMon Dec 19, 11:06:00 PM EST

    Jersey, it's kind of cute when you spout statist drivel. Grownups prefer freedom.

    Why do you have liberty?

    ReplyDelete
  13. dmarksTue Dec 20, 07:17:00 AM EST

    Jersey said: "It sure walks and quacks like an empire. Are you just willfully blind of ducks?"

    The big problem with this is that it doesn't walk or quack like a duck at all. There;s no evidence of military empire.

    ReplyDelete

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