Keith Hennessey writes that in the fiscal cliff negotiations, President Obama is bluffing when he threatens to veto any deal that does not include a big tax hike on the rich.
It’s a good piece, but I’m not sure that it’s right. Here’s the heart of the post.
This conventional wisdom makes three key assumptions.
- The President’s top economic policy priority is his fiscal policy goal (raising taxes on the rich).
- In a veto / no bill / blame game scenario, the President can shift most of the political blame to Republicans.
- He will make his veto decision on these two bases: fiscal policy and relative political blame.
Key flaw in the conventional wisdom: The President’s veto decision is not about tax increases or political blame; it’s about causing a recession in 2013.
I make different assumptions.
- If there is no bill, the U.S. economy will probably dip into recession for much/most/all of 2013, and it’s impossible to predict whether such a recession would be short-lived.
- A 2013 recession would be terrible for the country and terrible for the Obama Presidency. It would limit the President’s options across his entire policy agenda, economic and non-economic. And it could define and dominate his entire second term.
- President Obama believes #1 and #2, and therefore avoiding the risk of triggering a recession with his veto is an even higher policy priority than his fiscal policy goal.
- The President wants to get things done. He cares more about his own chances for policy success (across the entire breadth of his agenda, whenever he figures out what it is) than he cares about relative political blame. A scenario in which Republicans get most of the blame for a veto-triggered recession is still a loser for him if it means he can’t accomplish his second term goals.
If my assumptions are correct, then the President cannot afford to veto a bill and have no compromise enacted.
But what if the president isn’t actually interested in getting things done? Or, to focus in a bit, what if the things the president wants to get done are not the things presidents usually want to get done?
President Obama essentially campaigned for another four years in office on the promise that he would tell us what he wants to do once he has won. He didn’t run on getting any specific things done, other than one thing: Raising taxes on the rich. That’s point one in the conventional wisdom points above. He explicitly said that he would view winning re-election as a mandate to raise taxes on the rich. Four years prior, he explicitly said that he wanted to raise taxes on the rich “for the purpose of fairness,” not because hiking those taxes would lead to more government revenue or stronger economic growth. He doesn’t care about those latter two things as much as he cares about hiking taxes on the rich. He rightly believes that much of his own base puts taxing the rich above economic growth and sound fiscal policy. They all know that hiking taxes on the rich does nothing to fix our fiscal problems. But they don’t care.
Hennessey’s first point is probably true. Going over the fiscal cliff without a deal will probably result in a recession. But his second point may not be true. While a recession would be terrible for the country, it may not be terrible for the Obama presidency. Obama knows that he has the media standing by to blame Republicans for any failure to reach a deal, and he knows that there are enough low-information voters out there to believe whatever the media says. The media covered for him both on Benghazi and the fiscal cliff during the elections; it’s likely to keep covering for him. He also knows, based on his own re-election victory, that a terrible economy leads to more dependency on government, which leads to more people seeing him and his party as the guarantors of their government benefits. This dynamic is a very effective way to kill arguments favoring smaller government. Who needs abstractions and Milton Friedman when there’s no food on the table?
A recession in 2013 obviously comes on the calendar before the mid-term elections of 2014. If President Obama and the Democrats intend to cause a recession and blame it on the Republicans, their real game could be to use a spike in economic misery to take the House back and hold the Senate in 2014. They already face a daunting task in both; Republicans have a strong grip on the House and have to defend fewer seats than the Democrats have to defend in 2014. The Democrats need something to upset that plus deal with history: the party in the White House tends to lose seats in mid-terms.
I’m not saying that this strategy is without risks, or that it is anywhere near something that a responsible president and party would even contemplate. But we’re dealing with a president who despite his rhetoric is far out of the mainstream on policy, and is quite capable of ignoring public opinion in the short term to achieve his goals in the long term. He could trade some pain in early 2013 for 18 months to spin that pain as the Republicans’ fault, and present himself and his party as the only defense for Americans who have found themselves depending on government services to survive. The Democrats are a party without elder statesmen who ever think of putting the country ahead of their party.
So the president may well not be bluffing, and he may be willing to risk hurting millions of Americans in order to make them loyal to him.
– blame the shell of what remains of the GOP while Republican voters switch to Decline to State, blending into the electorate until Great Depression II is full-blown in 2014 and 2016.
The key to stopping them is in Chicago. When I say them I mean the DEMS and the GOP
When will the Chicago Sun Times get their copies of the Blagojevich tapes and transcripts?
http://illinoispaytoplay.com/2012/11/28/when-will-the-chicago-sun-times-get-their-copies-of-the-blagojevich-tapes-and-transcripts/
Blame anyone you want. But while we are fraking blame, we all need to go and again read Stanley Kurtz.
Obama is doing all of this on purpose. And the purpose is pretty nasty.
Exactly…I have no earthly idea why this concept seems so hard for many on the right to grasp. Obama wants to destroy America as we know it. Normal rules of logic do no apply to someone as extremely radical as he is.
Fundamental Transformation
Incompetence has become the norm or as I like to call it “patheticism”; the act of being pathetic. It amazes me that the left leaning Media and society stick a narrative that is so blatantly stupid to make a stand on an issue only to save face with their political group/party. I have lost all hope that this country will ever recover from the new norm, “idiocracy”! We keep dummying it down so the idiot savants will soon run this country simply because they haven’t had their fair chance to do so. Is this our countries path, “patheticism/idiocracy” or can reasonable people come together and simply do what is right, not what is fair, but the correct thing to do and not to do it just to save face?
Cloward-Pivin.
Alinskyism is the tool.
What is the reference to Stanley Kurtz? I do think that a big part of the Obama agenda is to take America down a peg. I didn’t see 2016, so I am not sure exactly what that says, but I do think there is a Bandung/Frantz Fanon lite agenda here.
What is the reference to Stanley Kurtz?
He’s nearly the only reporter who’s researched the history of Obama’s political development, associates, mentors and actions since he was a jolly leftist at Columbia. What the TV and paper media in the US refused to do, Kurtz made a good beginning at. He’s published a couple of books on it.
http://www.amazon.com/Radical—Chief-Barack-American-Socialism/dp/B004Q7E0V8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354171579&sr=1-1&keywords=radical+in+chief+stanley+kurtz
Paul, to state the he is actively seeking to throw the country off the fiscal cliff, and to enslave as many Americans as possible, is beyond an understatement.
Despite all else, that is his plan, if people prefer to believe it or not. Whereas any other POTUS would hardly want to be remembered as an anti-American, he is proud of it! And as far as the Dems are concerned, he is willing to throw them off the cliff too, as long as America NEVER recovers.
Those who refuse to see the handwriting on the wall will be totally devastated, even people who championed his election. They too will be in far worse condition, when the sh-t hits the economic fan, plus so much more – http://adinakutnicki.com/2012/08/07/barack-hussein-obamas-deconstruction-plans-green-wise-via-the-economy-disarming-the-citizens-via-gun-control-connecting-the-dots-addendum-to-the-second-term-plans-of-an-obama-presidency-c/
He IS every American’s worst nightmare. Guaranteed.
does this mean 20 million illegals won’t get ”free stuff”..then i say go for it.
Consider what termination of the Bush II administration tax cuts means at the lower end, i.e., on working class and lower-middle class incomes. They might pay substantially more taxes (as opposed to none or almost none).
Good.
Let it all go up. Let everyone take a tax hit.
HE OBAMA DDI THIS HE WANTS CONTROL, DESTROY AMERICA, BECOME THE KING, I SAY GO FOR IT OBAMA AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS….AMERICANS WILL FIGHT TILL THE END & SOON..
AMERICANS HAS HAD ENOUGH OF ALL THIS B.S. WE WILL NOT BE CONTROLED?
The GOP needs to create their own tag lines regarding all of this stuff. If you look at the impact of the tax hikes that Obama wants, “Taxing the rich” really is “preventing other classes from getting rich”. If you are already rich, you really don’t give a hoot about the tax rate. You’ll just let your assets sit and grow in ways that don’t generate taxable income.
Also if $200k per year is “rich” then every government worker who makes over $80k is also comparatively in that category. Say you are in the private sector and want to work for 30 years and retire at 55 with $70k per year to spend and gold platted benefits. You probably need to save about 3 million dollars after taxes to do this (assuming you live until 85). That means you have to earn about $160k gross above and beyond what you need to live for each and every year that you work. The math is rough and it is a little more complicated that that but it is accurate within 10% or so to say that the public employee earning $80k gets the same economic benefit that a $240k per year private sector worker realizes. Who knew we had so many “millionaires and billionaires” in our midst.
The math is more than a little rough; it’s completely bogus. $160k/year for 30 years is $4.8 million before taxes, or $2.88 million after taxes, assuming returns sufficient only to keep pace with inflation. Realistic returns would require a much smaller contribution, more in line with the $22,000/year Roth 401(k) plus Roth IRA contribution cap. Equally bogus is this talk of $70k/year pensions for a typical white-collar worker. Maybe such a thing is possible under the old CSRS plan, but not under FERS, except for the most senior ranking government workers. To qualify for CSRS, you had to have been hired before 1983, so while there are a few such people left, most have retired by now, and the rest are quite near retirement.
Concur. He’s not bluffing.
Of course, others aren’t either.
Make this offer–the President may set his tax rates of choice. He must give in on entitlement reform. And then leave it.
In fact, just let the President name his terms. When it proves inadequate in the future….We’ll know he is no great man of history, but a hack.
And that’s the important thing. Trunst me.
You don’t understand. There is a plan being implemented and a con being perpetrated. And so far it’s working.
And the RINOS are in on it. Their top priority is keeping their jobs in the Legislature. They care not a whit for what we think or how we live, or what suffering we endure because of their insane notion that they know how to run our lives better than we do.
RINOs dont want to get in the way of “history.” They can tell which way the winds blowin’.
…the government has said and continues to say the wealthy aren’t paying their “fair share”… but they never define what “fair share” means.
fair and balanced?….hahahahahahaha….phoney and disgusting is more like it…
why !!! why are all the people so naive.
obama plans to go over the cliff and has from day one. get your heads out of the sand. the GOP will be attacked and blamed for all the failures about the economy which obama plans to crater.AND ALL OF YOU TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE HE CARES ABOUT THE ECONOMY.
HE IS A COMMUNITY ORGANISER WHICH IS ANOTHER WORD FOR COMMUNIST.
Cloward-Piven
I believe it is time for a collapse to weed out the “takers” and the survival of the “makers” .It will be painful but necessary, just as cancer surgery is.
America’s Ruling Class — And the Perils of Revolution By Angelo M. Codevilla from the July 2010 – August 2010 issue
The only serious opposition to this arrogant Ruling Party is coming not from feckless Republicans but from what might be called the Country Party — and its vision is revolutionary. Our special Summer Issue cover story.
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/americas-ruling-class-and-the/print
Bottom line: It was, is, and forever shall be “all about the O”.
Judging from the past few days, Obama is still campaigning. He’s like the proverbial shark: he has to keep swimming; otherwise, he’ll sink like a stone.
So say you’re riding along with someone in their car and he threatens to drive you – him – and the car off the cliff over yonder at 100mph unless you give him your wallet – and if you comply he’ll cut the speed at which you are approaching the cliff to 60mph. End result? Well you get their a bit later but the results are the same.
I say “LETS GO”! Put your foot on his and push the pedal to the metal.
This has nothing to do with the economy anyway – its about finishing off the Republican party as a viable option for at least 51% of Americans forever. Its about power over all the land. PERIOD!
“its about finishing off the Republican party as a viable option for at least 51% of Americans forever. Its about power over all the land. PERIOD!”
Even if, by doing so, you completely wreck the means of your own party’s grip on power? When the bond market finally turns off the tap and the Fed printing press turns up to Ludicrous Speed the resulting hyper-inflation will make rent-seeking and power grabbing impossible. What you posit here sounds a lot more like a Samson Option strategy than anything else.
You’re assuming that the progressives (in the Democratic Party and elsewhere) believe that they would lose power as a consequence of such a scorched-earth procedure.
The trouble is, from all indications, they simply do not believe that this could ever happen. They are convinced that no matter what occurs, as long as they stick to The Plan, they will be the ones on top, either in their new Utopia, or atop the ruins they will blame everyone else for creating.
When you are convinced you are never wrong about anything, you consider defeat to be a logical impossibility.
And warnings of disaster to be purely a propaganda ploy by your enemies.
True believers are not especially interested in facts that contradict their beliefs, as Eric Hoffer observed.
That’s why they tend to make good clerics, and bad leaders.
clear ether
eon
I agree. The Dems -rightly or wrongly – believe that they will continue to get at least 51% of the votes in a presidential run. This premise is proven out by a near thorough trashing of the economy and culture these past four years by The Feckless Won and he still got reelected. How the hell do you deal with idiocy like that? Even most Dems had him at long odds until the last few weeks before the election. I suppose the conspiracy in me might think that some of those deeply Democratic county auditors were working overtime to systematically toss out many of the Romney votes – and created some Obama votes in the meantime.
Just like a hard charging hell-bent-for-leather out of control horse is hard to make change course and whoa down its going to take a nasty downturn in everyone’s standard of living to convince that 51%+ voter block to turn against the Democrats. When the crack-ho waddles out to the mail-box on the first of (whatever) and there’s no welfare check – state and federal governments fail in their medical and retirement payments to retired workers – when there is no gas for the ships of the USN because of budget cuts – etc etc – the crap will hit the fan – and there is no guarantee that those affected won’t blame the Republicans even if they don’t hold the white house or either houses of congress. The MSM has made that good of a case (propaganda) against them.
You fail to grasp the full magnitude of what will happen:
The check will always arrive, and it will be the expected amount.
That amount will buy very little, however, because to cut that check the federals will have to trigger extreme inflation.
The proles on the dole will scream about how prices are skyrocketing and the dems will dutifully hold hearings about nationalizing all food/essential goods production and distribution.
And then follow through, because the companies are “rich” and it’s “for the children”.
Practice your queue-ing skills, folks. And if you’re moving, try to make sure you’ll be in walking distance of a distribution center.
–JC
It’s bigger than the Stupid Party; he wants to bring about communism by destroying America as she used to be.
Why are they/we even discussing this? If the Bush tax cuts expire, taxes go up, which is what the Dems want. If sequestration takes effect, across the board spending cuts take place, which is what the GOP wants. Just go home for the holidays and everyone gets what they want.
IF they happen to come to an agreement to forestalls a recession/depression, they are just kicking the can down the road, again. They created this mess, it’s going to be painful for all of us, and if they just leave it alone, the economy will work itself out in less time than anything the government can do.
Just go home.
I agree completely. Let it happen. Any compromise will be worse.
I agree. It would definitely cause some short-term pain (though perhaps not as much as the hyperventilating press and pundits claim). But the long-term gain could be substantial. It would signal an end to our spendthrift ways, and that should make the bond markets happy as well as boost the dollar.
Giving Obama the tax hikes now with no attempt to rein in entitlements and very small cuts to other spending is just taking one step further towards European style social welfare and a slow dwindle just like they are experiencing. He’s not going to negotiate on entitlements, ever. Going off the fiscal cliff would at least force him to discuss long-term problems now.
We are watching Atlas shrug in real-time.
Nope.
More like watching Atlas cower.
Nah. More like “Scarface”.
“You wanna play rough?
Okay…
…say ‘hello’ to my little friend!”
The Anointed One’s minions are arming and training several Federal agencies, including the IRS and the SSA. They’re equipping them with ammunition which is banned for use in warfare by the Geneva Convention. I guarantee they’re not doing this for grins and giggles. The BammieReich WANTS us to go over the fiscal cliff. It WANTS a recession/depression. It WANTS mass unrest and rioting in the streets, so Bammie can declare Martial Law and order His minions to start murdering U.S. citizens wholesale. Pray remember, The Anointed One is a psychopath who gets off on having the power of life and death over large groups of people. That’s His Exalted primary – and possibly only – motivation. (Well, that and more power, and golf outings).
Bring it on, I say. The Tree of Liberty needs refreshing..
OH DEAR G-D, NO. I am not as sanguine about this oncoming CF as you are. My kids just came of age.
Listen to William Wallace…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLrrBs8JBQo
Thank you for that…
Ha. I studied law for a year in Scotland (University of Dundee). My Scottish friends consider you Americans to be a nation of wankers, descendents of the trash, deadbeats, losers, and ex-cons who couldn’t make it in Europe. I guess the fact that I’m a Black American allowed them to confide freely around me. BTW, don’t kiss the Blarney Stone in Blarney, Cork, Ireland. The local teens drink beer and piss on it all night, then laugh at all these so-called Irish-Americans tourists standing on thier heads, slobbering over it. Yup, as an African-American, I love traveling overseas. You’d be amazed at info we are privy to.
Reminds me of my travels to Southern Africa.
Well, my dear…
Sorry to break the news to you, but The War is coming whether they are “of age” or not.
The very soul of the nation, this singular, rational place of mankind, is quite nearly extinguished
Never mind the carnage of a last, final armed resistance among the Patriot Class before their extermination. The moral vacuum ALONE after The Fall will bring a greater chaos and destruction as the rabidly competing (and yet incompatible) interests that forced her demise are at last fighting among themselves…Gay Rights and Sharia Law…a lifetime welfare with no one to pay for it….
Thus there are but stages of death that await us:
The bloody Last Stand of the Republic,
followed shortly thereafter by
The Orgy of The Unrestrained.
The only variables are where and when one choses to die, fighting
It’s coming, whether anyone likes it or not.
I hope nothing is done and no bill is reached/passed to stop the so called “fiscal cliff”. We need to cut and this seems the only way to force that to happen. As for as a recession, we have been in one for 4 years. Food price continue to soar with idiots saying there is no inflation. This would also make people pay taxes, that are part of the 47%…..if you vote, you have to pay taxes. We got what the 47% voted for, a lying, socialist progressive bent on destroying the Constituion and America.
America’s Lost Decade In One Simple Chart Submitted by Tyler Durden on 11/27/2012
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-11-27/americas-lost-decade-one-simple-chart
Are you kidding? We know EXACTLY what he wants to get done. He said it in his books, his speeches and interviews. He wants to transform this nation from nation of independent minded doers into a nation sheeple who depend on the central government fulfilling the promise of “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs!”
Exactly.
That’s been my analysis all along. with sequestration and no tax deal, EVERYONE gets a tax increase (the liberals/Democrats unstated goal), they cut the crap out of the military, and they get to blame it all on the Republicans. What’s not to like?
It just doesn’t matter.
It’s the economy that is broken, it’s the culture that’s broken, and tax rates are barely deck chairs on the Titanic.
I haven’t heard any proposals by either party that come to any more than one last call before the ship sinks.
I’m inclined to agree. Even Paul Ryan’s plan would have been a mere babystep toward fiscal realism and it was decisively rejected by the electorate as being too “draconian”. Neither party is talking seriously about how to keep the deficit below $1 trillion, let alone reduce the national debt.
You’re right. At this point it’s really just about where to put the deck chairs.
Yup, I’d say so.
There are ways that we could possibly get the US out of debt, but you don’t need me to tell you that we don’t have the political will to do that.
Bryan had about the same reaction to Hennessy’s piece that I did. He assumes that Obama wants to get things done in the policy realm, and that a recession will harm those efforts. I think we may have the recession no matter what happens on the fiscal cliff, and I don’t think the President cares. He will do most of what he wants by executive order. His main priority is to destroy his political opponents’ ability to win elections. He is in Pennsylvania today doing campaign-style events in service of that goal.
Plausible; but I don’t think Obama’s intentions are anywhere near to being this good. He’s making what he believes is a rational calculation to reduce the Republicans to an appearance of powerlessness. Since perception is reality in politics O will proceed from there with a wide range of social and economic transformations of this country into something like the rest of the world.
In parallel to the policy of eviscerating the Republicans O is pursuing the Cloward-Piven strategy of weakening American institutions to the point of crisis. The level of crisis needed for him to accomplish his ultimate goals is many orders worse than the Financial Crisis of ’07-‘08. O believes he can bring it on. He believes what dem TV tells him and what his own self-generated propaganda informs him and believes he is cruising toward victory. He will not compromise. Boehner and the Republicans would be abject idiots if they give-in to him without significant entitlement cuts. And those that do will be out of power soon enough.
O is playing a very high stakes game because he does not care about this country. Any president that cares about this country would ever put it to such risk. The Republicans should sober-up about who it is they are dealing with in Barack Hussein Obama.
I wonder why entitlements are the focus of cuts as a bargaining chip for tax increases on the wealthy. Aren’t there a lot of other places cuts could be made? Isn’t the FedGov so big that ten-percent across-the-board would hardly be noticed? If done for several years, no tax increase may be necessary at all. (Remember when Obama had to be dragged to the “taxes shouldn’t be raised during a recession” position in 2010?)
How about Carter’s Energy and Education departments, couldn’t they be jettisoned? As someone above suggested, a real President would be looking for non-essential things to throw overboard when taking on water, rather than….wait, I just realized… he wants to throw Republicans overboard- so his motley crew of communists can divide the bounty created in America among themselves. Well, if that don’t beat all. Before you know it, they’ll introduce a wealth tax or something.
As well as I’ve been able to discern, President You Didn’t Build That has a grand total of two goals:
1.) Finish eviscerating our original constitutional republic from within and “fundamentally transform” our national government into a European-style socialist paradise on earth, which is to say: a “progressive” oligarchy.
2.) Bask in more—and more and more and more—attention.
I see no reason to suppose for a moment he’s bluffing about pushing the government over the fiscal cliff if the Republicans don’t agree to “reasonable” tax increases on “the rich.” The record of his first four years in power makes it abundantly clear dire consequences are of no concern to him. He continues to draw pay checks whether the national economy begins to do well, continues to stagnate, or collapses; worse, he believes economic travail works to his advantage: it kept his “progressive” and looter constituency stirred up, and didn’t pose a hundrance to his reelection. Economic trouble could well serve, as Emmanuel remarked:
You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.
as a large enough, drastic enough crisis to justify taking additional, still more drastic extra-constitutional action by executive decree.
Let the whole thing go over the cliff. Taxes are going up anyway. Let them be forced to cut back in every aspect of government too. Bowles-Simpson outlined how every area of government can cut spending…let it be done.
The best thing that could happen is that no deal is made and across the board cuts reduce government and that taxes are raised on all, including those who dont pay taxes currently so that they may understand the limited government arguemnt first hand.
I think Krauthammer had it exactly right a couple of days ago: Obama’s entire second-term agenda isn’t trying to fix our fiscal issues, it’s to destroy the Republicans.
Since Obama has compared himself to Lincoln, so will I. Lincoln said after Ft. Sumter that his number one goal was to preserve the Union. “If I can do that by freeing all the slaves, I will,” (slight paraphrase), or by freeing none, or by freeing some and not others – it was all on the table because emancipation was not the reason Lincoln was fighting the CSA.
Similarly, if Obama can destroy the Republicans without another recession, he will. But if it means recession, that’s okay, too, if it brings about the end of the Republican Party as a lasting, national political power.
The only thing restraining him, maybe, is the 2014 mid-terms. But I am not very sure that is restraining him very much.
The 2014 election is no hindrance at all. If we go into recession, it will be the Republicans fault for not giving him what he wants. If it doesn’t go into recession, it will be the Republicans fault that we aren’t doing better.
Either way, I’m guessing the Dems win back control over both houses, because the Republicans we have in charge are too stupid to play Dem style politics, and the media is/will cover for The Won even as they go down with the rest of us.
This past election was national suicide IMO.
And a most ignominious suicide at that.
But when people vote, they don’t vote for Congress. They vote for their Congressman. Everyone hates Congress, but individual incumbents are typically re-elected.
Obama can blame it on a Republican House all he likes if we go off the fiscal cliff, but just as people didn’t (apparently) base their vote for their Senators on a very-well defined and much despised entity called Obamacare, they’re even less likely to base their vote on as vague a topic as fiscal cliff negotiations.
this: a terrible economy leads to more dependency on government
Obama is playing a masterful con game.
I think he wants to be FDR Jr. And I think he wants to change the American government and culture as radically as FDR changed them. And without the depression there was no way FDR was going to get those changes through.
I don’t think Obama wants a recession. It think he wants something worse. Probably a depression.
The part about the media blaming Republicans? that’s on the money. But make no mistake about Obama. FDR Jr, baby. FDR Jr.
We’re already IN a depression. Like FDR, BHO is making sure we never get the opportunity to work ourselves out of it.
It’s about to get much worse, because the student loan bubble has officially burst (statistics here).
Depression
I don’t think that word means what you think it means.
It’s an economics technical term. Try to keep up.
I think it is time to give the Democrats whatever they want. If I were Boehner, I’d say: we are agreeing to whatever tax increases Obama wants. He can send us whatever floats his boat, within reason. I would then say: we think this is bad and destructive policy, but it is apparently what the election decided. We take no responsibility for the consequences of the chosen policy. If this is a great success, we will commend the President for his insight.
That would be hard to spin in any other way than the Democrats own the whole thing. I suspect the “consequences” will be known in short order. And that may be what turns the ship around. The media war is a waste of time. The Rs will always lose. Either they go over the cliff or they should abandon the fight (for now).
Exactly.
Pericles had the right strategy. It would have worked had there been better sanitation.
Sam Houston also used the same strategy of steady retreat until the point his enemy was exactly where he needed them to be. Eveybody thought he was mad in so doing, yet he proved to be the master tactician against overwhelming numbers.
Of course there was destruction and many casulties before the deciding battles were fought. But who goes to Sparta to walk antiquity? Mexicans are still coming here to escape poverty, even in the midst of our own decline.
Throw the rich over board and make Obama and the democrats explain why the economy and prices are heading in the wrong direction. And them call them on their lies or mock their ignorance.
Rep. nor Dem. care about anyone or thing about the USA. They are all in it for themselves.
The only compromise that the Rep. are working on is: what share of the pie Obama will allow them to have.
They have no cliff. Only those that voted for them have the cliff.
Everyone continues to make the assumption that a Recession is a bad thing. To some, a Recession is a profoundly good thing because it can be powerfully transformative.
Keys — Recession changes people’s lifestyles in ways that many (on the left) consider good.
–People stay at home and do not travel to exotic places like Disney World.
–People eat less beef.
–People consume less liquor.
–People stop spending money on expensive entertainment but entertain themselves locally by doing things like attending the local high school play or community theatre.
–People buy children fewer toys.
–People drive less and do not buy new cars.
–People do fewer things that pollute.
–People have fewer children.
–People handle their own home repairs.
–People do not hire nannys or maids.
From the stand point of the “rich” who hold liquid assets–
–A recession gives you a great opportunity to purchase distressed assets at great prices.
–A recession gives you an excuse to cut payroll (at your company) without hurting morale (those who still work are grateful)
–A recession dramatically increases the pool of talented workers who are willing to take jobs at low wages.
–A recession lowers the rate at which you must pay to borrow money.
–A recession helps countercyclical businesses (those who sell lower cost goods)
–A recession helps those who understand how to sell short in a declining market
Do not believe that EVERYONE wants to avoid recession.
More to the point:
A recession means that those pesky older people won’t live as long.
A lot of us pesky old people planned ahead a long time ago. We have means to survive. There you go painting with that large liberal paintbrush.
a Recession is a profoundly good thing because it can be powerfully transformative[sic]
Read some history books about FDR. In other words, transforming as a good thing for Barack Obama.
During a con, it is important to watch both hands.
If a co-worker invites you over to play poker you assume he’s going to play to win. If you get there and start to think he’s playing to lose you might begin to realize that his real goal is to keep you sitting there while someone else cleans out your home.
Solution?
Leave the silly penny ante game and protect what really matters.
Good point.
Thomas — If I read you correctly, you’re saying that going over the fiscal cliff and, thus, going into a recession is Obama’s way of creating a diversion. A diversion so we won’t see what’s really happening.
That sounds about right: Obama isn’t criticizing Morsi taking over the judiciary, because he’s also going for a power grab. And creating chaos is the first step.
Fight it all every step of the way, or roll over and let the D’s own the consequences. No middle ground. Why does one think the MSM pushes for a middle ground? Remember who the MSM works for. Personally, I vote to roll over. Make them own the things they break. This is the only way to get to the low information voters. Make them face the architects of their increasing misery. That is the only chance we have.
In a sane system that would work. The problem is that in today’s America the media would just point and say: “If those Republicans knew it was such a bad idea then why didn’t they try and stop it? See! They have no values and can’t be trusted! Vote Democrat!”
No matter what a failure will never be allowed to be revealed as the one’s fault. If the Republicans completely cave, it will not win over Democrat voters no matter what. They’ll just cheer and become even more aggressive while Republican voters may well stay home in 2014.
Here is my comment on Hennessey’s essay:
Optimism is completely uncalled for. Hussein is completely immured in cliche leftist thinking, like that displayed by Krugman. He has no skill at negotiation. The most likely outcome of the current process is stalemate.
In either event he does not care what happens to the USA. He is only concerned with his image and with blaming others for the inevitable disasters. In that process he has the invaluable aid of his media fluffers, who will spend the next four years blaming the Republicans for everything from a recession to epidemic halitosis.
In any event, a recession, or more correctly a deepening of the recession that began in 2007, is inevitable because of the decline of international trade caused by the EU currency crisis and China’s expanding woes, and because the implementation of Obamacare will clobber everyone with reduced employment opportunities and skyrocketing insurance costs.
Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate.
Ronnie Schreiber, who is a good guy, a small businessman, and a clear thinker wrote:
“Call his bluff. Republicans should vote Present, let the Democrats negotiate with themselves and make it clear that Obama and the Democrats own this.
“Then the Republicans in Congress immediately introduce a series of laws to raise taxes on the wealthy in a way that disproportionately impact wealthy Democrats. Start with eliminating the mortgage interest deduction on homes worth more than $250,000. That would affect California, New York, Illinois and Massachusetts, all blue states with high property values. Next we eliminate the federal deduction on state and local income taxes, which tend to be higher in blue states and Democratic dominated cities. Tax the investment income of university endowments and foundations, those tilt left as well. Tax trust funds – conservatives are more likely to make wealth, not inherit it. Restore the 20% tax on movie gross revenues that we had following WWII to pay down that debt, only extend it to all entertainment like music and video downloads, concerts, CDs and DVDs. Institute a 33% tax on trial lawyers’ contingency fees (lawyers like that 33% figure). Sell them all as soaking the rich.
“Frankly I think we should let the Democrats drive the country’s economy over the cliff. It appears that the only way to convince Americans that the Democrats will harm the country is to let them.”
I think this is sound thinking and the Republicans should follow Ronnie’s advice. The MSM will still blame them, but it will be hard to articulate what they are to be blamed for.
Mike McGowan, in a reply to Ronnie wrote:
“8 out of 10 of the wealthiest counties in the country voted for “tax the rich”. If they’re begging for higher taxes, I say we take Krugman’s advice and give them the 1950s era 91% tax rate. Close down all the loopholes, tax capital gains, tax dividends, tax property, tax all of it at a 91% rate. Why should I spend another 4 years of my life arguing for their right not to be taxed just to have 80% of them beg for it? Give them the Full Monty.”
To which Ronnie Schreiber replied:
“Frankly, at this point, I’m willing to take the 1950s era marginal rate of 91% in exchange for 1950s era government size. Leftists like Krugman want 1950 or Clinton era tax rates but not 1950 or Clinton era spending.”
I like it.
One thing though, that 33% for contingency fees? Not high enough. Another dream that we will not see is , loser pays. Yet all these ideas could stem some of the tide.
What if the Republicans in the House had the guts not to raise the debt limit again? Ever?
It’s our pain, his gain.
You guys seem to think that a Chicago Machine politician has some larger aims than to get re-elected, reward friends, and punish enemies. The president could not care less about how the economy affects Americans.
He’s bluffing, but not as we know it Captain. The bluff is that he wants to raise taxes on the rich, and hold them steady for everybody else. The reality is that he wants to raise taxes on everybody. He thinks higher taxes, higher spending, bigger government are good things. He would like the Bush tax cuts to expire in their entirety, but he doesn’t want to come out and say so openly. He’d much prefer to have a spoof “negotiation”, followed by a collapse in the negotiation, an automatic expiry of all the Bush tax cuts, and then two solid years of the media loudspeaker message that the GOP is so in hock to the rich that rather than concede higher taxes for the rich they were willing to stiff everyone with higher taxes.
The real question is whether, once the House GOP cries Uncle on Obama’s current offer, Obama will take “Yes” for an answer. Or will he just up the ante again ? A GOP surrender on his current demands is second best for Obama – it raises taxes by less than full Bush tax expiry. So no deal would be a much better outcome, so long as he can avoid the blame. I suspect that he will up the ante, but will eventually do a deal when it risks becoming too obvious even to low information voters that he’s the one who doesn’t want a deal. But the final deal may still be worse (from the GOP point view) than the current offer.
…fiscal policy goal (raising taxes on the rich).
To call raising taxes on the rich a fiscal policy goal is a stretch.
Alleged raised taxes (assuming revenues even increased) would hardly scratch the surface of wild over spending and the monstrous deficit.
But the dweebs that voted to re-select this guy love the idea of punishment for “the rich”, bringing everybody down to their useless level, what Winston Churchill called “the equal sharing of the misery”.
Couple that with Obama’s own natural re-distributionist impulses, and therein lies the true explanation for his obsession.
But what if the president isn’t actually interested in getting things done? Or, to focus in a bit, what if the things the president wants to get done are not the things presidents usually want to get done?… Obama knows that he has the media standing by to blame Republicans for any failure to reach a deal, and he knows that there are enough low-information voters out there to believe whatever the media says…They all know that hiking taxes on the rich does nothing to fix our fiscal problems. But they don’t care.
Yes, just like that.
Yesterday Dickie Durbin (D-Illinois), seen in the background in this video, said that Medicare was off the table in current fiscal policy reform discussions.
This is one of MANY times Obama (in bashing his predecessor) singled out Medicare as the really HUGE problem in a potential for the nation falling over the fiscal cliff.
The hypocrisy, the bait and switch, are astonishing
Everything in this country is coming down to some kind of stand off between a dogmatic, ignorant, ideologically bent guy in the Executive and diehards in Congress, many of whom are more worried about their falling testosterone levels than they are the future of these United States or the survival of that very fine document (despite Obama’s and sundry Supreme Court Justices’ problems with it), the United States Constitution.
These serial crises (“never waste a good one” according to Obama’s good buddy and the current mayor of Chicago) are getting way (way!) beyond tedious.
I’m just so happy that FINALLY…now that we have a black president, that blacks in America are doing so much better. All these taxes we productive people provide are paying to support these generationally-dependent welfare families is finally paying off. They can now afford cell phones…and I can’t. They can finally afford new cars…and I can’t. I’m just so glad to work so hard and pay so many taxes, so that more and more baby-mamas and baby-daddys and their bastard offspring can sit around collecting welfare, safe in the knowledge that their black president will buy them dinner at my expense. What a relief.
10 Signs That You’re Fully Awake
Isn’t it obvious that there is a significant global awakening happening? Just as the Mayans predicted so many years ago, the apocalypse would become apparent in 2012. But many misinterpret the apocalypse to be the end of the world, when in fact it actually means an “un-covering, a revelation of something hidden.”
As many continue to argue the accuracy of the Mayan calendar, it can no longer be argued that a great many people are finally becoming aware of what has been hidden from them for so long. Of course this awakening is not an overnight process. It takes time to peel away the many layers of lies to get to the core of the ultimate truths.
It would be beyond pretentious for us to claim to know all of the secrets of the universe. We don’t. Everyday we are humbled by what we don’t yet know.
However, it is becoming clearer by the day what isn’t true. And by that measure alone, it is possible to determine if you’re one of the people beginning to wake up.
Here are ten signs you may be fully awake:
1. You know there’s no meaningful difference between major political parties (Democrats and Republicans): It’s so easy to get caught up the left-right debate and believe there’s a difference between the two major political parties. However, debate is one thing, while actions are another. By their deeds you shall know them, and it is indisputable that there is no significant difference between political parties when it comes to action on the most important issues. Even hardened ideologues like John Cusack are beginning to wake up.
2. You understand that the Federal Reserve, or international central banking more broadly, is the engine of our economic problems: Debt slavery is the totalitarian force that threatens all of humanity, not some temporary political puppet or some greedy Wall Street trader. When a small group of people have the ability to create wealth out of nothing and charge interest on it, they have the ability to enslave the planet to their ownership despite what type of government a country claims to have.
3. You know that preemptive war is never necessary: When we realize that self-defense is the only acceptable form of violence, then we become awakened human beings. To suggest war because someone is different from you, or they may pose a threat in the future is simply ludicrous. And when did the idea of bombing civilians become humanitarian? No one wants war except for the immoral creeps that benefit from it.
4. You know that you’re being systematically poisoned, how, by whom, and why: Admittedly, there’s a lot to learn in terms of how we are secretly being poisoned. But the fact remains that we are being systematically poisoned, and it is likely for the deliberate purpose of dumbing us down and, ultimately, culling the population. Who could believe anyone is so evil to do that to innocent people, you may ask. Well, once you begin to seek the answer to that question, you’re one step closer to enlightenment.
5. You understand that government can never legislate morality, nor should they: When you realize the role of government is only to protect your liberty and work for the well being of the citizens, you’re awakened. There should be one simple law regulating morality: Do no harm. Thus, it’s impossible for the government to enforce morality with guns, cages, and taxes because those clearly cause severe harm to your liberty and our well-being.
6. You know that the mainstream media is wholly owned and manipulated by the ruling elite: A dwindling number of people still actually believe what they hear coming from the establishment media as if it’s gospel, even when they already accept that they are bought and paid for by the elite controllers. Yet, recognizing that they are nothing more than a propaganda machine and a form of mind control are the first steps in being able to critically think beyond the scientific messaging they broadcast.
7. You know that your neighbors are not your enemy even if you have fierce ideological disagreements: This is perhaps the most difficult thing to overcome in the awakening process. But it’s vital to understand that your neighbors have been indoctrinated and hypnotized like the rest of the us, until someone helps shine a light on inconsistencies in our thoughts and beliefs. Most of their ideas are not their own. They are suffering just like the rest of us. It’s okay to condemn their actions if they’re harmful, but those who are awake will not give up on spreading information that can enlighten those who might still be in the dark. None of us were born “awake” and all of us can learn even more.
8. You know that the endgame is one-world control of planet Earth: Once you understand that the endgame for the ruling elite is to have complete control of all vital facets of society through a global government, one-world currency, international armed forces, and so on, it is simple to see through the lies and propaganda surrounding even the most confusing world events. You will never go back to sleep when you fully accept this reality.
9. You recognize that there are esoteric powers manipulating our physical world: Whether you’re a religious or spiritual person, scientific or just plain curious, there are many theories about an invisible force at play in all of this. Obviously it’s impossible to prove exactly what it is. You may not want to believe it, but the ruling elite takes their occult rituals deadly serious. And they likely know something we don’t. Just by keeping an open mind about this possibility, you’ll forever keep an open mind about the things we can actually see, hear, taste and touch. Current science has shown that we can only “see” what the visible light spectrum reveals, which amounts to the tiniest fraction of all that can theoretically be seen within the full spectrum of energy. Part of any awakening is realizing that there is much more that is possible than impossible.
10. The power to change the world rests with you and you alone: For too long people have believed themselves to be weak, or relied on others to change the world for them. You’ll know that you’re fully awake when you realize that you have infinite power to change the world by simply living the change you want to see. First, you have to identify the principles that you believe in and then go out and live by them. If just a small minority took steps to do this, it would shake the establishment to its core.
What kind of world do you want to live in?
~Our Own Government,is Our Own Enemy~
Nice list. Folding #6 and #7 together, the media’s job is to provide fig leaves for the hypnotized. In response to F&F, “Bush started the program”. In response to government paid contraceptives, it’s a “war on women”. And so on. Terribly effective, and why it is useless to argue with the hypnotized. They have memorized their lines well, and have absolutely no interest in seeking the truth, no matter where it might lead. Also explains why the two sides seem to live in different universes, because they truly do.
3. is absurd. The whole world would have been much better off had Chamberlain chosen to fight Hitler before Hitler was ready. It’s not a question of what may happen in the future, but rather of what surely will if you do nothing. You don’t wait for a robber to actually fire the gun he’s pointing at you or another before you engage him; you engage in self-defense as soon as he demonstrates he poses a threat and intends to do harm.
5. All laws of any importance enforce morality, and conflict between good and evil is inevitable, so it should not be shied away from. Saying that we can’t enforce morality is to say that it was wrong to enforce abolition of slavery on the slavers. The abolitionists were right and the slavers were wrong, and it was not only the abolitionists right but their duty to enforce their morality on the evil slavers. There are no other relevant facts to consider.
So, the one constant in any scenario is that the GOP gets the blame. Yeah, that’s a damn shame. Life is unfair. Sucks to be us.
Ok. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, can our representatives please stop whining about the inevitable, and maybe focus on doing the job they were elected to do?
Duh. You are just figuring this out? Obama hates America and 49% of the voters are too dumb to to figure that out. The other 2% have figured that out but they hate America too so gladly voted for him.
The President ISN’T bluffing. He’s calculated that he can do anything and no matter what happens, he’ll escape blame. We have a nation of people who have spent a minimum of 13 years in government propaganda centers learning about the benefits of “social justice” instead of liberty. They’ve watched statist media propaganda for as long as they’ve been alive. They watch 4+ hours of “entertainment” propaganda per DAY. And we wonder why they can’t recognize that their benevolent government has stolen their God-given liberty? Really? I dare you to turn off all media for 30 days. Even the internet.
And then compare the reality you live with the outrageous and *literally* unbelievable propaganda you see/hear/read when you encounter it again.
“How I learned to quit worrying and love the Fiscal Cliff”
We have to figure out a way to take credit for this thing…it gives BHO (newly elected) what he wants and the spending cuts we want. The folks at the low end will be paying income taxes again too. Just go home (above) has it right, call his (BHO) bluff. He doesn’t understand poker (re comments to Cantor “Eric don’t call my bluff”). As has been stated, he expects we will come out to limit deductions only and that’s easy to reject.
Embrace the cliff, but emphasize restructuring of entitlements as priority for 2013. The debt ceiling is Boehner’s ace in the hole to foster this.
This /\
Don’t forget though, since that IS what he wants, the scariest part is what their plans are for the other side of that crisis! Don’t fall into that trap either!!!
A flaw in Hennessey’s argument is in his third assumption, that Obama believes that going over the cliff will trigger a recession. What if he doesn’t? He acts as though he doesn’t believe that his policies have anything to do with the record setting slow recovery we’re in, so he may well believe that going over the cliff if he doesn’t get his way is perfectly o.k.
Bingo.
Judging this President by normal standards is a fundamental mistake. He is an out-and-out Marxist, and he’s got no worries about reelection. He WANTS to harm America.
The ONLY reason he would refrain from hurting the economy would be IF his political calculations tell him that’s bad for 2014.
Other than that, hurting the U.S. is success for this traitor.
A guy who thinks there are 57 States and not 50 is DUMB, not smart.
A guy who talks about Navy corpse (as in dead body) men is DUMB, not smart.
A guy who has mismanaged US government the way Obama has for the last four years is DUMB, not smart. Unless, of course, he is trying to destroy America.
And how does a guy who is 1/2 white and 1/4 Arab even count as a “black man”?
But, smart or dumb, Obama is simply the worst President in US history. Deal with it!
You do know 1/2 + 1/4 = 3/4 don’t you?
Why would we listen to a dumb guy try to paint another person as a dumb guy?
Try to calm down and type without your racist tinged glasses on.
The republicans and their backwards message were clobbered on Nov. 6th,
deal with it !
Americans have been dumbed down, intentionally, for more than 4 decades in public education.
You guys who voted to re-select the unaccomplished incompetent guy are the fruits of their labors, so brainwashed to not even have a clue that you’re brainwashed.
Deal with it !
For once, clarity of vision. Regardless of what any one tells you, the economic headwinds are just too strong to keep the US out of recession. Most likely 2013. Count the ways: still huge backlog of bad mortgages, huge printing press creating a stock bubble, inflation showing up in shrinking products (look inside a Kleenex box sometime), shuttering coal and as much of the hydrocarbon energy industry as possible, Obamacare implementation — just to name a few. Then there’s the Euro recession underway along with the rest of the world including a teetering Japan and China. Oh, and earnings are starting to return to their historic medium as “forward earnings” are starting to be revised. All the other “indicators” are mostly hype and spin.
Obama and the Dems know one thing: 2014 can be a slaughterhouse for them since not only is it a mid-term where the sitting Pres’s party loses seats but the economy is going to bounce between trading fever and crashes. Adjust for even the fiction of Bernanke’s core CPI and you get negative “growth” in real terms.
What to do — make sure the GOP shoulders, again, the blame. Then demonize and demonize and demonize until everyone, including Boehner, actually believe the GOP caused not only the W recession but the O recession.
People are forgetting one big thing sheltering Obama from the blame, and that is the Senate. Harry Reid already said they won’t even consider anything that doesn’t raise taxes on the rich, therefore Obama will never be in the position of having to choose between signing a bill that doesn’t give him what he wants or vetoing it and going off the cliff. If Obama doesn’t want a deal he just has to tell Harry Reid not to let it happen and it won’t. The media are host of vile toadies who will spin it all as house Republican’s fault anyway. For example, last time Obama proposed a budget the media reported “Republican house easily defeats Obama budget” nowhere did they mention that not a single Democrat in the house voted for it either.
Sen. Rand Paul Voices Support for Feinstein-Lee NDAA Amendment – 11/28/12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdMU4N-Xo2E&feature=plcp
What you most need to fear is that Republicans (and conservatives) lack the will to change any of it once (if) they regain the upper hand in D.C.
They’ve never gotten rid of any extra spending nor have they ever made government any smaller while they held power.
So, whatever Obama and the Dems do, you can be fairly sure that if the Republicans gain power that they will not reverse any of it.
That’s the bottom line. That’s what you need to fear.
Mr. Bonesteel is right. The only cure for the current madness of our addictive spending and taxing and borrowing–at least as a first step–is to tell the truth: the spending and borrowing is ruinous and will eventually result in pain for every American. Then graph that reality. What does every American family now owe as their share of the national debt? Numbers please. What will happen when interest payments on the national debt alone exceed all other government spending? Numbers please. But did we hear any of this in concrete, specific form from any Republican during the recent election? No. But we did hear about “small businesses” and “job creators,” and a vague plan to reform Social Security in forty years, and . . . The “opposition” party is a joke. The reality is that all Americans will have to pay dearly for our current excesses, and they will be asked to receive much less and pay much more in the years ahead. Who wants to deliver that bad but inevitable news? Absolutely no one. Certainly not the “opposition” party. And so blithely on sails the ship of state, as the debate rages over whether the chairs on the Titanic should be stained oak or walnut.
“Fiscal cliff” means ACTUALLY paying the bills on time. I’m with Thelma, “let’s keep goin’”. Drive off the cliff full speed and watch what happens. Government spending would DEcrease. What a concept.
It’s a SHELL GAME! If the GOP capitulates, the recession is still Bush’s fault. If they don’t, it’s their fault. Either way, it’s not O’s fault! The last point in the blog is the most likely, IMO. O has to know that raising taxes won’t fix anything. The resulting entitlements from such an act would wipe out whatever insignificant gains were made. What he needs is a country to believe that he’s only doing what he must in a post free market America. Cloward-piven IS his model. The only thing that fits his actions.
Wow – it only took you guys four years to figure out that he would run the FDR playbook. Again.
I figured that out in 2008, BEFORE he won the election.
An impoverished country made FDR an American dictator through four Presidential elections. National poverty is a winning theme for Democrats – always has been.
As we’ve already seen, people vote for govt. handouts when they’re poor.
The only thing that broke the Democrat hold on the Presidency was WW II.
Major war is the only way we’ll get rid of Obama and his cronies.
Elections don’t matter anymore, and won’t matter again until there’s a major national upheaval. We’re into another post-election Presidency, just like FDR.
Who will be our Valdimir Putin? Our Hugo Chavez?
Obama wants the Republicans to Panic. And since most don’t have a spine he will achieve that. Total surrender including a moral one.
You guys don’t get it.
Arsonists LIKE fires.
….yes, they do….and the real sociopaths among them hang around to watch the target burn to the ground, often rushing in dressed as a fireman to grab a hose, pretend to help to put the fire out, all the time grinning in glee underneath the mask….right there–at the fire he set–acting like he’s helping–completely hysterical with his mad success.
President Wile Coyote does not want America to win. He is doing everything to destroy our country to see if he can do it.
Dear Reader desperately wants to bring about a socialist state via Cloward-Piven’s plan. That should be abundantly clear by now.
Reading some of these posts set me to thinking about how quickly a society and a culture can change. 4 or 8 years ago I would have been a bit shocked at the way people are so openly talking about the possibility of a revolt against our government. While it doesn’t feel inevitable yet it certainly seems that we are creeping towards something big. I expect that creep to speed up – like when you enter a black hole – as the further power grabs this regime has in store for us becomes apparent in the coming new year. It should be an interesting year.
Will people protest their electric bill as the coal fired plants dwindle and more expensive gas and even so-called green energy take its place? Will the millions of out of work citizens begin protesting when the unemployment funds dry up and still there is no jobs? Little by little over time more and more people will be out of work – maybe homeless – all of them will be broke because of energy prices. When the local state and federal governments can no longer pay Cadillac class medical and retirement benefits to millions of retired workers – what then? These problems are going to creep over the USA state by state. There is a breaking point – a critical mass – you just need to watch – and be prepared for when the crap hits the fan. I suspect if people don’t soon start paying attention to where this country is headed there won’t be much to revolt against – the rats will have left the one time proud but sinking hulk USS America for good – leaving us ‘holding the bag’. An empty one at that.
When it rains rainmakers show up and turn everything to dirt. A lot of people don’t pay attention. The guards are worst than the inmates. The warden is worst than the guards. The question is will the new boss be better than the old boss when they figure out what is going on in the prison.
In 1776, Adam Smith wrote the wealth of our nation. Companies play free market basketball on diving boards is my way of summarizing how the free market works and the role of Government. Government is only suppose to do a little refereeing and score keeping. Despots are always trying to turn innovative diving boards in Czar mats with bailouts, code, barriers to entry, and personal politics so the petty dictator can play with his drone stick – it the only way they can get some loving. Coach does not want King James to argue with the Government referees but King James wrote the bible – democrats are losers.
Free markets and human nature are like gravity so lets design. Truly desirable Americans have talk and talk about free markets, an insightful $10 game called Ultimatum, earn success, and the role of Government leading up the train wreck. What the Democrats or Obama wants is unsustainable but the despotic party has always been that unsustainable way. Tipping points are very important.
Solomon knew how to find out who really cared by threatening a compromise and cutting the baby in two and splitting the halves.However, I doubt the republicans will get the same respect from the electorate the real mother got when they do the “right thing for the country” and cave in.
FIVE NEW OBAMACARE TAXES COMING JANUARY 1. 11/28/12 Although some of the “fiscal cliff” taxes can be avoided through a deal made in Congress, new ObamaCare taxes are guaranteed to kick in on January 1, amounting to $268 billion tax hike. From Americans for Tax Reform: The Obamacare Medical Device Tax – a $20 billion tax increase: … READ MORE: http://bwcentral.org/2012/11/five-new-obamacare-taxes-coming-january-1/
Cloward-Piven. Don’t forget who his mentors are.
Published on Nov 29, 2012 John is joined by Rep. Ron Paul, Russ Roberts (Hoover) and Ben Friedman (CATO) to discuss the implications surrounding “the fiscal cliff.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q6O8oMsnao
He’s not bluffing. Obama, in spite of his “stand up comic ability,” is a humorless stiff. This is really a national emergency and ALL politics should be forgotten by both parties.
It really concerns me that the man is pushing his agenda when probably most of the people who voted for him have no idea what he believes. They don’t seem to recognize the fact that he lives like a king while the “little people” are flailing about. This situation will only get worse as some minorities have kids and become majorities. The Republicans..all of them…put Romney through those terrible debates and ran a very nasty primary. I hope they are kicking themselves to death.
Why do you people support the wealthy so much, and none of you is wealthy? How many of you bozos make over 250k? Not even the schmucks in congress make that much. Most of you fall in the middle, like everyone else. It’s all about denial, you don’t really care about the uppper class, you just don’t want the lower class to get anything. No emergency support from government, no health care, no education, no jobs, just die basically.
Ah, such a graphic demonstration of the wonders of a government school education; so stupid and so confident!
What makes you think Obama has ever cared to get anything done? Once he shoved Obamacare down our throats, campaigning that we should roll over like a little b*tch and we should roll over and submit to it, he went right back campaigning to get re-elected for the rest of his first term. He’s been re-elected and he doesn’t know how to lead, only campoaign. So expect to shell out another $400,000 for Michelle Obama to jet off somewhere and blow the tax payer dollars while she pulls a Marie Antoinette berating the poor that they should eat organic food (in between trips to the Shake Shack) while her husband places the former VP of Monsanto as head of the EPA.
“Let them eat fair trade, sustainably raised, organic, reduced sugar, low-fat cake.”
I agree with many of the comments above, POTUS wants to go over the cliff, full speed ahead. He wants taxes raised on everyone and his magic bean to address the debt problem will be a value added tax. He will continue to devalue the dollar, the way out of the debt is to crash the currency. This is now being done on a global scale as the EU Central Bank is in lockstep with The Fed.
The GOP will get blamed no matter what especially with the weak leaders Boehner, McConnell, Cantor, they just don’t understand progressivism and the full force of The Left (homebase is Chicago, duh). The public consists mostly of low and uninformed voters. We (meaning ordinary citizens) will have to continue to take on the GOP establishment – both elected officials and Karl Rove / DC consultants + take on the Left. The MSM has fused with this administration which makes our task all the more difficult so we must rely on the internet, talking in our communities and utilizing social media. ObamaCare will be a shock to many, saw this piece today, maybe a few more people will wake up “Unaffordable Cost Seen for Some Under Affordable Care Act” http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-29/unaffordable-cost-seen-for-some-under-affordable-care-act.html
We must Be Breitbart and think outside the box, I refuse to give up. Buy 2016 and share it with others, play videos of POTUS in his own words – energy prices will skyrocket, etc. No more of the “he’s a nice guy, just in over his head” comments, he is transforming America as he promised.
C’mon, man; Obama doesn’t know a bluff from a turd.
Are you really trying to bestow some intelligence on him? Heh; Good luck with that.
Nobody can whine like a sore losing republican…Obama won ….get over it…
…but they won’t get over it. Thats the thing. Hey, I come here for laughs. This website is a zoo.
A piece I read months ago, highlights are below but I recommend the full piece:
“Besides adopting the Leninist strategy of seeking greater control over the commanding heights of the economy, if one reviews Marx’s 10-point platform for how to socialize a country’s economy in stages
1. State control of real property. Team Obama repeatedly has thwarted the development of domestic energy supplies by asserting government ownership and asserting arbitrary regulatory control over massive acreage.
2. Progressive income taxes. Obama has an Ahab-like obsession with raising taxes on “the rich” even though the top 1 percent of earners already pay 39 percent of the total income tax.
3. Abolition of inheritance. Obama favors re-institution of estate taxes.
4. Confiscation of the property of emigrants and rebels. Team Obama has declared war on offshore tax havens; has sought legal jurisdiction to tax the offshore income of multi-national corporations as well as foreign citizens and banks that have any investments in America (causing Switzerland’s oldest bank to recommend that its clients avoid all American investments);
5. Centralization of the country’s financial system in the hands of the state. Dodd-Frank was a huge step in this direction.
6. State control of means of communication and transportation. Team Obama has attempted to cow conservative media outlets like Fox News into submission through denunciation and has suggested reviving the so-called “fairness doctrine” and imposing heavier licensing fees on station owners. In the area of transportation, Obama insinuated government into the auto industry, has favored the high-speed rail boondoggle, and wishes he could compel us all to convert to “green transportation.”
7. Increase state control over means of production. Through his green energy subsidies, his failed cap-and-trade scheme, now via EPA regulation, Obama has sought state control over the industry on which most other industries depend—energy.
8 Establishment of workers’ armies. Obama has ramped up the number of Americans working for Uncle Sam by securing a large expansion of Americorps and winning passage of his Serve America Act. He also has done everything he could to strengthen labor unions
9. Control over where people live. Team Obama doesn’t go quite this far, but one of the clear implications of cap-and-trade is that government could start to limit human mobility by controlling how far they can travel by capping energy consumption. In Brian Sussman’s book, “Eco-Tyranny,” you can read an executive order that Obama signed on October 5, 2009 that would “divide the country into sectors where all humans would be herded into urban hubs” while most of the land would be “returned to a natural state upon which humans would only be allowed to tread lightly.” (Marx wanted more equal distribution of the human population between town and country, whereas Obama favors urban concentration, but both want to control where people live.)
10. Free education. Obama has sought a federal government monopoly on student loans for higher education, and in his 2012 State of the Union Address, he called for additional funds for new federal education programs.
Marx knew that his 10 strategies would move a society toward socialism. Lenin said, “The way to crush the bourgeoisie [middle class] is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhendrickson/2012/07/26/president-obamas-marxist-leninist-economics-fact-and-fiction/
Let it go over the fiscal cliff. That way the increase in taxes will be felt by all that have jobs and pay income tax instead of giving in to obama’s class warfare. Then maybe they will think twice about voting for another divider in chief in four years. Let the long term unemployment benefits quit, then they will have to find a job instead of sitting on their a** waiting for a “big dollar” job to fall in their lap. Life is tough, and people should learn to be responsible for themselves.
GOING OVER THE FISCAL CLIFF IS OBAMA’S VERSION OF ‘CRISIS MANAGEMENT’
Obama believes in creating a crisis, so he can then do whatever he wants. It’s the other side of: “Don’t let a good crisis go to waste.”
The fact is the Republicans are too stupid to realize that Obama wants to go over the fiscal cliff. That’s why the WH proposed the idea in the first place. Our Campaigner-in-Chief has moved from ‘Blame Bush’ to ‘Blame the GOP’. The MSM will support him in this.
Bottom line: Obama will never be blamed for causing a recession. The GOP is the one who’ll be blamed. And if that helps him win the House in 2014, so much the better.
I was never a Romney fan, but somehow bought into the fantasy that going down the middle and being bland was the way for the GOP to win the election. I like Newt but, unfortunately, bought into the fantasy that he was just too polarizing.
Now, I think, IS the time for being polarizing. The GOP has to come out strongly against Obama’s power grab, starting with his trying to have sole control over raising the debt limit.
Screw ‘em. Plunge over the Cliff, it can’t be any worse than what we have now, with Obama putting a pistol to the heads of the elderly and saying “Better give me what I want, or Grandma’s had it!” Then the people will see the utter uselessness of both parties, demand some overdue impeachments (including our Clueless Leader), and the Tea Party will sweep BOTH houses in 2014. Joe Biden COULDN’T be worse than Obama – he was raised here in America and has a much deeper respect for American democracy and the Constitution.
When recent history is considered in light of the past 70 years or so, American government begins to look like a great ceramic machine constructed by the Democratic Party according to a blueprint smuggled from Europe sometime in the dank past. The blueprint promises a brilliant future to whomever can complete the proposed machine and set it in motion. It seems to have been completed by the last election, and now we are circling the bowl.
It’s difficult to find well-informed people on this topic, however, you sound like you know what you’re talking about!
Thanks