American Politics during the Obama Presidency

Obama's team came up with sequestration but now it's a baby no one wants to claim. While it was Obama's idea there is plenty of blame to go around for both parties who voted for it in the 2011 debt ceiling vote.


That said, don't you find it a little strange the Obama administration's way of dealing with the cuts is to penalize government employees who are working and paying taxes with layoffs and reduced pay and curtailing services to the public which paid the taxes with threats of longer lines at TSA check points, slower Customs inspections, fewer air controllers, closing parks ect. Ect. To punish the public they should be serving but not a word about cutting their cherished entitlements?

If Obama deems it necessary to delete federal workers, I suggest he abolish the Department of Energy (a hold over from Carter) and eliminate most of the EPA. Those are folks who could go! How about we cut the White House staff, Congressional staff, make everyone fly commerical coach when they travel, no more private jets from the Air Force, no more franking privilidges from the government (cut down on all that pesky mail) and printing all our forms in only one language - ENGLISH!


Yea, Obama seems to be saying "let's screw the people who work and pay taxes but continue to coddle the totally unproductive with food stamps, welfare, ect. Obama seems to be saying "FU*K the productive people" and UP with the unproductive!

Go figure. OK Esten, WT69 lets hear all about the helping out the unfortunate.

[QUOTE=Doppelganger;431883]Obama's team came up with sequestration but now it's a baby no one wants to claim. While it was Obama's idea there is plenty of blame to go around for both parties who voted for it in the 2011 debt ceiling vote.


That said, don't you find it a little strange the Obama administration's way of dealing with the cuts is to penalize government employees who are working and paying taxes with layoffs and reduced pay and curtailing services to the public which paid the taxes with threats of longer lines at TSA check points, slower Customs inspections, fewer air controllers, closing parks ect. Ect. To punish the public they should be serving but not a word about cutting their cherished entitlements?[/QUOTE]They just talk about it. It will never happen. Sequestration doesn't involve any real cuts. They only reduce the rate of growth.

The "sky is falling" tripe is complete BS.

For example, Peneta stated that the DOD might have to lay off 800 K civilian employees. Gee, as of May 2012, the Pentagon estimated that they had 801,000 total civilian employees. How did they decide on which 1,000 get to stay?

Only about 50% of the sequestration is to be implemented in FY2014 and only about half is to come out of defense. Therefore, there would be a max of $20 B to come out of the DOD. If they fired 800 k employees, making an average of $25 k / year it would hit all $20 B of DOD's sequestration. So, if they do that, I guess the military won't have to make any more cuts for the first year.

No one in the government will lose their jobs (unless they are conservatives) No one is being fired from DOD. The truth is that if the DOD does anything, it will furlough some civilian employees. However, the furloughed people get back pay when they are reinstated. Therefore, it is impossible for Peneta's plan to reduce spending by any amount.

In the private sector, all of this BS is known as lying and fraud.

[QUOTE==]Yea, Obama seems to be saying "let's screw the people who work and pay taxes but continue to coddle the totally unproductive with food stamps, welfare, ect. Obama seems to be saying "FU*K the productive people" and UP with the unproductive![/QUOTE]That is because the only people that can oppose their power are people who have their own means. If you eliminate all means that are independent of the government you eliminate all but the most ardent opposition.

[QUOTE==]Go figure. OK Esten, WT69 lets hear all about the helping out the unfortunate.[/QUOTE]It helps the unfortunate by making all of us equal in our mud huts.

[QUOTE=WildWalleye;431884]It helps the unfortunate by making all of us equal in our mud huts.[/QUOTE]The only way we can all be equal is if we're all equally poor.

WW, while the "cuts" maybe only reductions in growth you can bet your bottom dollar Obama and friends will make cuts that will cause the most pain for the working folks then try to blame everything on those mean old Republicians.

[QUOTE=Doppelganger;431914]WW, while the "cuts" maybe only reductions in growth you can bet your bottom dollar Obama and friends will make cuts that will cause the most pain for the working folks then try to blame everything on those mean old Republicians.[/QUOTE]You should have seen the look on virtually all of my employees faces after their first paycheck in January. All my support staff (democrats) could not believe the shrinkage in their take home pay as it was raided by Obamanation and his liberal buddies like Esten, GH, WT69, etc. No more payroll tax holiday, obamacare surcharge, etc. Etc. "But we are the middle class they whined and the Savior said they would be protected! Call Obamanation and your liberal representatives I calmly explained as I clearly outlined what had happened to their paychecks. Boo hoo, privately I could not help but chuckle as I watched their disbelief in the outcome of their political decision! Proactively, I told them that they had better save their pennies this year preparing for the health exchanges coming on line in 2014. I showed them our companies healthcare bill that had increased 27% in 2013 over 2012 and explained that this is why their employee contribution had now increased from 10 to 30% of the cost (depending on their age) to now 50% in 2013 (the max allowed by united and kaiser for enrollment) Boo hoo, they said "the savior told them that obomocare would have no impact on their current plans (I believe that was also one of dickheads last orations on the subject). LMAO, of course mandating that private insurance companies cover things that were not covered before was supposed to be free! Obamanation told them so. Just wait till 2014 when the exchanges come out as bloated expensive costly programs and the private insurance companies increase their rates to be just slightly less expensive! Its called competition don't ya know. I expect another north of 20% increase next year when the exchanges come on line.

As I said all last year on this thread to the true believers such as Esten (the others like GH, WT69 and Snakeboy and his ilk are just retards howling at the moon) BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR AS YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT.

As my brother once said, "life can be hard but it is especially hard when you are stupid" Monger on fellas. Toymann.

P.S. I guess we will call tonight's GH stripper party the Obomanation Party. So much was promised, he berated those that came before him, but in the end, nothing was actually delivered! IALOTFLMAO! Monger on Rockstar.

Maybe I don't know what I am talking. But I thought the payroll tax holiday was to help working people weather the recession and to stimulate the economy. Of course, people got used to eating all the candy they want and now it is no longer there, they have to resort to sucking on their thumbs.

But wasn't this provision demanded by the Republicans or at least, did not oppose it's demise? Fiscal discipline is badly needed in American households. So why so much nailing on the cross?

You Cheap SOB.



[QUOTE=Toymann;431920]You should have seen the look on virtually all of my employees faces after their first paycheck in January. All my support staff (democrats) could not believe the shrinkage in their take home pay as it was raided by Obamanation and his liberal buddies like Esten, GH, WT69, etc. No more payroll tax holiday, obamacare surcharge, etc. Etc. "But we are the middle class they whined and the Savior said they would be protected! Call Obamanation and your liberal representatives I calmly explained as I clearly outlined what had happened to their paychecks. Boo hoo, privately I could not help but chuckle as I watched their disbelief in the outcome of their political decision! Proactively, I told them that they had better save their pennies this year preparing for the health exchanges coming on line in 2014. I showed them our companies healthcare bill that had increased 27% in 2013 over 2012 and explained that this is why their employee contribution had now increased from 10 to 30% of the cost (depending on their age) to now 50% in 2013 (the max allowed by united and kaiser for enrollment) Boo hoo, they said "the savior told them that obomocare would have no impact on their current plans (I believe that was also one of dickheads last orations on the subject). LMAO, of course mandating that private insurance companies cover things that were not covered before was supposed to be free! Obamanation told them so. Just wait till 2014 when the exchanges come out as bloated expensive costly programs and the private insurance companies increase their rates to be just slightly less expensive! Its called competition don't ya know. I expect another north of 20% increase next year when the exchanges come on line.

As I said all last year on this thread to the true believers such as Esten (the others like GH, WT69 and Snakeboy and his ilk are just retards howling at the moon) BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR AS YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT.

As my brother once said, "life can be hard but it is especially hard when you are stupid" Monger on fellas. Toymann.

P.S. I guess we will call tonight's GH stripper party the Obomanation Party. So much was promised, he berated those that came before him, but in the end, nothing was actually delivered! IALOTFLMAO! Monger on Rockstar.[/QUOTE]

Do YOU Mean the do nothing Congress?



[QUOTE=Doppelganger;431914]WW, while the "cuts" maybe only reductions in growth you can bet your bottom dollar Obama and friends will make cuts that will cause the most pain for the working folks then try to blame everything on those mean old Republicians.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=BlackShirt;431925]Maybe I don't know what I am talking. But I thought the payroll tax holiday was to help working people weather the recession and to stimulate the economy. Of course, people got used to eating all the candy they want and now it is no longer there, they have to resort to sucking on their thumbs.

But wasn't this provision demanded by the Republicans or at least, did not oppose it's demise? Fiscal discipline is badly needed in American households. So why so much nailing on the cross?[/QUOTE]

You are wandering in the wilderness Black Shirt. Best not to offer facts, creative insights or, God forbid, reasoned argument. Get thyself to a monastery, or a Wat !;)

WT, the House has passed many bills which Reid declared dead upon arrival in the Senate. Who has done nothing here?

As I recall the Democrats insisted on raising taxes and the "holiday" was just one that was included. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't it take a MAJORITY in both the House and Senate to pass the bill? Since the Democrats control the Senate are they not just as responsible as the Republicans in the House?

Now my liberal friends, tell me again how reducing tax payments to Social Security was going to help a financially failing program stay afloat? Show me the wonderful affects of lifiting the economy and helping the Middle Class this little holiday had!

Esten, you're a fine one to talk about American households getting their financial affairs in order. American households did not borrow $16+ trillion dollars – Washington did. Obama and the Democrats have added $5+ Trillion to the debt in 4 years. As I see it, Washington needs to get it's Fiscal house in order FIRST.

Toyman, I experienced a similar increase in healthcare costs but I did not hear any gasps from my employees. Being an accounting and management consulting firm they knew what was coming and the three Democrats I employ are seeing the light and have move to independents. 2014 is going to be UGLY when people wake up to all the new costs and new bloated insurance exchanges for all the new FREE services.

[QUOTE=PeterSideburn;431877]This is an insult to those who live in the South and to people of all races. Esten would you please put your brain before your ideology. Even if you don't' believe the analysis, this chart, at best, shows, an association, but it does not in any way prove racism. Here are just a few of the reasons why. [/QUOTE]

Good reasons, but the twitter article is not being presented as "proof". It is anecdotal, not evidential. Of course the article by itself doesn't "prove" anything. But, it is consistent with the considerable amount of information that already exists about racism in the South. I thought it was pretty interesting that it matched up so well.

This reminds me of when Republicans refer to liberals as lazy freeloaders, who just want free stuff. I wonder what is more common in the US: Racist Republicans or Lazy Liberals ?

[QUOTE=Toymann;431920]BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR AS YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT.[/QUOTE]

Amen !

Tax cuts in 2001 and 2003. Where did they get us ? A major contributor to record deficits. Less regulation ? A major contributor to the financial meltdown and great recession. Ideological rigidity ? The thwarting of a grand bargain in the 2011 debt ceiling talks, missing the opportunity for greater deficit reduction, and triggering a credit downgrade.

Now looming spending cuts ? Time will tell.

It's funny to hear Republicans try to exploit the payroll tax holiday as an "I told you so" moment. It was in fact an idea that had bipartisan support. Like the Stimulus, it was a temporary measure to stimulate economic activity. As they say, "put more money back in people's pockets". It served it's purpose, and it was time to end it. I love the stories Republicans pass on of Democrats who were surprised and upset by their lower paychecks. These are isolated and anecdotal. I'm perfectly fine with it, and in fact I still have a net take-home increase because I got a good raise this year. Most people upset with the expiration are likely to be happy that SS and Medicare will be strengthened as a result. And BTW, I don't have any "Obamacare surcharge" either. My health insurance rate increases haven't been significantly more than in past years.

You're going to hear a lot of hot air and negativity from Republicans, as they vent from their election losses, and stubbornly cling to their delusions that things are really bad and it's all Obama's fault. Meanwhile, take note that business owners on this board are still in business and apparently doing well, as judged from their ongoing, multiple trips to Argentina.

[QUOTE=Esten;431962]I wonder what is more common in the US: Racist Republicans or Lazy Liberals ?[/QUOTE]Lazy Liberals are more common. Contrary to the belief of most Democrats, not voting for Obama does not mean a person is a racist.

[QUOTE=Esten;431967]And BTW, I don't have any "Obamacare surcharge" either. My health insurance rate increases haven't been significantly more than in past years.

Meanwhile, take note that business owners on this board are still in business and apparently doing well, as judged from their ongoing, multiple trips to Argentina.[/QUOTE]

Just wait. Much of Obamacare hasn't taken effect yet. Higher taxes only started on January 1.

This country has the highest healthcare costs as a % of GDP in the world, by far. The marginal income tax rate on an unincorporated, successful business in California is now 56.7%. The future is bleak.

This Photo is Perfect for Some Of You.

Check Again on California.
More like 80% Growth.
You Guys still have your finger Up YOUR, Guess What!!

[QUOTE=Tiny12;432118]Lazy Liberals are more common. Contrary to the belief of most Democrats, not voting for Obama does not mean a person is a racist.



Just wait. Much of Obamacare hasn't taken effect yet. Higher taxes only started on January 1.

This country has the highest healthcare costs as a % of GDP in the world, by far. The marginal income tax rate on an unincorporated, successful business in California is now 56.7%. The future is bleak.[/QUOTE]