No, ya think? WSJ:
House Republicans are finding more than a few flaws with the “Gang of Six” deficit plan, but haven’t rejected it outright.
The latest evidence comes in an analysis by House Budget Committee Republicans produced on Tuesday night. According to the analysis, the Gang of Six plan “appears to include a $2 trillion revenue increase” relative to current tax rules. That’s considerably more than the $1.2 trillion the plan claims to raise in new taxes.
The Gang of Six plan says its tax increase is $1.2 trillion compared to a “plausible” baseline that assumes the Bush tax cuts for the middle class are extended permanently. But that baseline also assumes a revenue increase of $700 billion or so from the expiration of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy – hence the $2 trillion total that the House Republicans claim the plan produces.
The plan appears to rely heavily on defense cuts for its near-term spending reductions.
The plan also is light on specifics when it comes to reducing costs of entitlements, and does not attempt to scale back the 2010 health-care law, which conservatives argue has increased problems with entitlements.
So, it’s like a Democrat plan. Awesome!
But that won’t stop our proud boys from climbing aboard the “Bipartisan Express,” nosiree:
That said, even the House analysis finds many features to like in the plan. It recognizes the need to overhaul the tax code and lower rates to enhance competitiveness and economic efficiency. It has reasonably strong enforcement mechanisms to contain future spending. And it calls for changes to curb medical malpractice excesses, the analysis says.
Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) said in a statement:“Unfortunately, it [the plan] increases revenues while failing to seriously address exploding federal spending on health care, which is the primary driver of our debt. There are also serious concerns that the proposal’s substance on spending falls far short of what is needed to achieve the savings it claims. Nevertheless, this effort serves as a sign that we can work together on a bipartisan basis to make a serious down payment now to avert the debt-fueled economic crisis before us.”
All the “serious” commentators will now debate the merits of the plan, all the while speaking in highminded and “serious” ways about pragmatism, compromise, bipartisanship, “what we can get,” how things really work in Washington, leaving ideology at the door, etc., etc. In other words, they’ll pretend that the wonkish attempt to cobble together another deal that kicks the fiscal can yet again down the road is somehow noble, conscientious, and the mark of real down-and-dirty leadership — while those Tea Party types, who are ruining everything, will just have to keep on bitching, the ignorant purists, because they just don’t understand what it takes to get ‘er done inside the Beltway.
You’ve heard this all week, as the House plan on Cut Cap and Balance has been either derided or dismissed by everyone from the President and the leftist media to the more sober and serious “pragmatists” on the right, as purely symbolic, because the Senate won’t have the votes to pass it, and even if they did, the President has vowed to veto it.
Nevermind that the American people seem to want it — and of course, let’s not stop to question why the Democrats and the President, who are now claiming to have concerns about debt and deficit, don’t support a plan that would structurally compel temporary politicians to restrain themselves, thereby preventing them from enslaving future generations under a crushing debt these politicians themselves will never have to pay back. These questions are so terribly beside the point.
No. Instead, we’ll pretend that Tea Party types are an insignificant group of fringe extremists, to be tolerated but ultimately dismissed, and whose policy demands are simply unworkable in the “real world” of Washington DC; we’ll pretend the 2010 midterm elections were a license for both parties to carry on as usual, with the Democrats pushing us closer to socialism and a centralized tyranny, and the GOP talking tough then folding, content to be the foils in power until it is their turn to steer the gigantic ship of state.
I’ve been saying this for some time now: this is not about political parties. It’s about a ruling class of professional politicians against the rest of us.
The message sent by the 2010 elections was clearly not loud enough. So now we have to figure out our next move.
Unfortunately, I predict that should the Gang of 6 prevail here, it will ensure Obama’s re-election. That’s how tone deaf are the GOP Senators who are willing to go along with this; or perhaps it’s just that they don’t much care either way: if they aren’t up for re-election, they can vote any damn way they please, and what seems to please them is surrendering rather than fighting, so they can get back to the business of spending our money and making laws telling us what kinds of lightbulbs and toilets we need to be using, and what kind of health care we need to purchase.
Nice work if you can get it.
There is simply nothing to cut Jeff, and the sooner you
wingersteabaggers accept that the better.Make sure to click on the link to search the jobs available!
Not to worry says Jon Chait, the fanatics are in control:
Suggested musical accompaniment: Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Party on Your Pussy”
gang of four was a pretty good r’nr band
should the Gang of 6 prevail here, it will ensure Obama’s re-election
Absolutely agree. And Obama’s re-election means the end of the American Experiment.
I think I absolutely disagree, since I don’t think Obama can be reelected. Everything he does ultimately works to his own disadvantage. Because he’s a stupid ideologue. Or to say it another way, actions having consequences and the consequences of Obama led policy being to the detriment of America and Americans in general, he will be in such disfavor he won’t be able to garner the necessary votes.
time to start saving monies the gang of six wants to rape my 401k!
they climbin in my window!
I’ve become sanguine about the whole thing. Bush’s second term was awful; Obama’s is like to be much much worse.
I’m thinking that should the Gang of 6 prevail — and right now the House is hanging tough, remarkably — and we get, say, a Romney as our nominee, conservatives will stay home.
That would be a shame to them. Especially were it to become the cause of an Obama reelection.
I hate politicians.
I can’t vote for Romney I can’t I can’t I can’t that was the price for debasing myself and voting for McCain
The message sent by the 2010 elections was clearly not loud enough.
No message is loud enough to wake the dead.
Or the venal.
sam cookie had a song about chain gang
and missy hynde had one too
but i like me some gang of four
cheeseburger!there best song[ in my opinion] was
what we all want
Not really sure how Obama gets beaten at this point. The GOP is in the middle of a civil war that has yet to play itself out–Tea-party vs. traditional GOP set–and I’m not sure that there is enough respect between the two to ensure unanimity whenever its resolved. A Romney win ensures that a percentage of the Tea-party stays home and keeps that energy and sheer force of numbers muted; the traditional GOP isn’t likely to hold its nose and vote Palin or Bachmann, nor write them a ton of checks.
I get that the economy is bad and Obama has been weak enough to make it certainly plausible, but he’s going to get a big win in this budget deal, let’s face it, and he’s spent enough money to forestall complete economic collapse. For all too many, that’s (sadly) enough. Plus, he’ll play the Osama card like a son of a bitch, 24-7, when he campaigns south of DC. He can kick the can down the road on everything else.
Beating a sitting POTUS is hard work.
A Romney campaign, even if it doesn’t keep Obama in office (which I’m not convinced is inevitable), would put Romney in office. What an improvement!
I maintain that the only way we’re going to preserve the Republic is by electing people who are willing to stand up for our states and districts. This means that come 2012, we need to make certain that Obamney faces another 70+ Tea Partiers in the House, another half-dozen (at least) in the Senate, and another dozen solidly responsible state legislatures and governors, who will push back on the Administration and its bureaucracy on every front, rolling back federal overreach and restoring some portion of our self-governance and our liberty.
I realize that 2012 may be too late. Another $5 trillion in debt, rolling over at ever-higher interest rates may be more than the nation can bear, and we may very well spiral into a debt-driven inflationary spiral that turns the entire Western world into turn-of-the-century Argentina. At the very least, I want several dozen Congresscritters and Governors who can stand in front of the cameras and explain exactly why we’re all suffering so badly, and what we’ll need to do to recover. The last thing I need is for the race-hustlers, the Alinskyites, the class warriors, and the community organizers to have an unopposed stage from which to blame everything on The Fatcats.
Well, second-to-last thing. The real last thing I need is gangs of roaming tax-eaters coming to steal my shit directly, after the State fails to steal it indirectly on their behalf. That would get messy.
Maybe, maybe not. This is very cloudy for now, but the consequences of increased spending are not cloudy at all. They are an existential threat.
I get that the economy is bad and Obama has been weak enough to make it certainly plausible, but he’s going to get a big win in this budget deal, let’s face it, and he’s spent enough money to forestall complete economic collapse. For all too many, that’s (sadly) enough. Plus, he’ll play the Osama card like a son of a bitch, 24-
I don’t know. YOu think we’ve reached economic rock bottom? It doesn’t feel that way in business. Regulations are still choking us, and people aren’t buying shit. We’re looking at letting go/laying off some people soon. Car sales tanked recently, no longer propped up by whatever.
combined with another housing crash and the coming commercial real estate collapse (I can’t tell you how many vacancies there are I see just everywhere – our main street in town is mostly empty).
It recognizes the need [but fails to do actually do anything] to overhaul the tax code and [also fails to] lower rates to enhance competitiveness and economic efficiency [but instead does the opposite by raising tax rates on the job creators]. It has reasonably strong enforcement mechanisms [that will no doubt eventually be found to be riddled with loopholes and bypassed with the greatest of ease by free-spendin’ Democrats and RINOS] to contain future spending. And it calls for changes to curb medical malpractice excesses [which are a fart in the wind compared to the overall costs and impact of ObamaCare], the analysis says.
I mean, what’s not to like?
Full speed ahead on the FAIL Express!
I’m inclined to remind you of the Hillary v. Obama bloodletting of the last cycle. Look at ’em now.
If the House holds firm, Obama loses re-election in a landslide.
since I don’t think Obama can be reelected.
sdferr I think you are underestimating the power of the MBM working their magic on the
left half of the Bell curvelow information voters.Gang of Four was a sad excuse for a punk band that morphed into a sad excuse for a dance-club band.
18. SDFerr–I take your point but I expect little from leaders like Olympia Snowe, Mitch McConnell, Lindsay Graham and John McCain. Your politics are your own, but I would counsel you to do the same.
21. Pablo–Yes, she traded a very possible defeat for tremendous, largely unchecked power. Rather than fight a Stalingrad like campaign, she read that a new political wind was blowing (more leftish than not), accepted her defeat and remained viable. That’s a grown up decision to have made.
19. Carin–I agree with you unreservedly. Except, and herein lies the rub, your state and its sizable electoral votes will go for Obama because of Union power. It’s not about helping people or governing judiciously; it’s about winning. Add NY, Mass., Penn., NJ, Illinois and California (natch) and you are handsomely down the road…if you are him. That’s all he cares about.
You needn’t believe that I expect any better from them, but that’s a long way from the American majority failing to recognize the depth of the problem the country is in, and hence from the first measure out of that problem, removing Obama.
I have no clue if bumblefuck will win or not there’s lots and lots what can happen but he’s done a good job taking away the debt issue from Team R
looks like doctor okietard threw an interception
Gangs suck.
My point was that they were at all out war…until they weren’t. Obama played the race card on Bubba, ferchrissakes. And then they went on to win.
No it won’t. In fact, say goodbye to Debbie Stabenow the Michigan cow.
One point that I keep trying to remind the “pragmatists” of: Obama got fewer votes in winning Ohio than Kerry did in losing it. With McCain on the tickets, conservatives and libertarians stayed home in droves. This type of action will only further cement the opinion that DC is no longer worthy of consideration during election year since the people working there don’t give a damn what their servants, um, constituents think.
This last election was a make or break situation for the GOP. Apparently, they’ve decided to squander that opportunity.
It’s not so bad for me: I’ve got some money, guns and place to hide. For a while, anyway. What does worry me is the type of life my children and their children will inherit. Looks like DC thinks that said lives should consist of service to our self-styled overlords.
“sdferr posted on7/20 @ 10:23 am
I think I absolutely disagree, since I don’t think Obama can be reelected. Everything he does ultimately works to his own disadvantage. Because he’s a stupid ideologue. Or to say it another way, actions having consequences and the consequences of Obama led policy being to the detriment of America and Americans in general, he will be in such disfavor he won’t be able to garner the necessary votes.>
sdferr,
Do you really think that Obama is very worried about manufacturing votes?
We, on this side, need to CRUSH these power-drunk thieves, or it will turn out just like Franken did.
TLD, I don’t know whether Obama worries or not, but from the looks of the damage he eagerly does himself, I’d be inclined to say not. But what has that to do with the price of eggs in China, or gasoline, for that matter?
Eggs in gasoline? That’s some hardcore pickling, right there!
Wait – the Senate actually came up with a plan of some sort? I guess that’s a start, but the House plan and the Senate plan will have to be reconciled. And there’s 13 days until the Apocalypse?
Well, this’ll be something to watch.
It’s kind of a plan of a vast unexplained emptiness MikeyNTH, lipstick on a pig, so to speak, which can’t be reconciled with the problem at hand. But it makes a good show for people like Obama to distract attention from reality.
So we’re putting on a summer stock version of The Music Man sdferr?
Needs more trombones.
define good rock . r band?
or punk? what we all want is a killer tune
g of 4 had a great bass/drum dynamic that has been often copied
what is rock? elvis, stones, beach boys, orchestral manouevres in the dark/joan jett, kraftwerk george jones?iggy pop?
ha- bob dylan!
Tactically speaking, if Obama’s softening on his opposition to a temporary extension of the debt limit because he’s hopeful the Senate GOP can force a
selloutGrand Bargain, I’d appear to go along with it; just so we can get to the August recess and then let these Tribunes of the People go home andget a taste of the howling mobrecieve a respectful hearing from the plebs.It would be good thing, I think, if Georgians would jump on Saxby Chambliss with both feet and keep on stomping him until he’s made to understand they don’t like his Gang idea here. Same goes with Idahoans and Mike Crapo, and Okies with Coburn. Give ’em all an earful unendingly.
Coburn on Hannity now defending plan: best we can get, and we have to do something. Like TARP.
But here’s the thing: we don’t need to do anything. We won’t default. Doing nothing forces spending cuts. Period.
Coburn is blaming leadership. And yet he’s in bed with the gang of 6. He says if we do nothing Moody’s will downgrade us. We’ll see a spike in interest rates. And then it’s game over. (Obama might want this, by the way).
My question is, how would forcing spending cuts lead to a downgrade? Not a rhetorical question. I’d really like to know.
We’re doomed.
Hey, the gang of 6 plan is pro growth! Fall in line!
It’s the Le Petomane maneuver!
Did Coburn get a harrumph out of Sean?
So who is “Hedley Lamarr”?
I’ve always thought it was Barry himself.
Moody’s will downgrade us regardless. The Debt-to-GDP curve is just too steep for them to ignore it much longer. These idiots seem to think that raising their credit limit, and then maxing it out in under two years, is going to raise their credit score.
Let’s lock Coburn in a room with happyfeet ’til at least one of ’em learns manners.
warriors, come out to [and?]play
I bop doctor okietard on the head with a frozen lasagna honey badger don’t care honey badger don’t give a shit
nasty
Taken on their own, the tax reform part of the whole gang of six scheme is pro-growth and, notwithstanding that we should have a flat tax system in the nation anyway (as a matter of both principle and practicality), are along the lines of the kind of changes that should have been made long ago.
The problem is that the lack of real cuts will essentially make the whole thing a wash, in terms of encouraging economic growth.
Not to mention that the rating agencies are going to downgrade any package that isn’t cut, cap, and balance…
Oh, and I neglected to add that no one, NO ONE, believes that the Democrats will allow the promised down-the-road cuts will ever come to pass anyway; just like in 1986 and 1990.
It’s a charade.
Jeff Sessions said the Gang of 6 plan amounts to a 1:1 ratio between tax increases and cuts.
He also said that the Senate will vote on Cut Cap and Balance Saturday. So we need to get the word out and call our Senators.
Paul Ryan on the gang of six plan:
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/paul-ryan-responds-gang-six-bipartisan-deficit-cutting-plan
That’s good enough for me. Take a moment, if you can, and read his 4 page follow up to the gang of six plan’s release.
so for every dollar they raise taxes there’s a dollar in spending cuts?
Did Moody’s fucking stutter?
Do you have any convenient link for that JeffG?
If not, I’ll look, but I’d be happy to copypasta that far and wide. I’ll put it up at Dan’s as well, although he doesn’t really get a whole lot of traffic.
We all need to be leaning on Senators, both our own and all the other Rethugs! and any Dems that are up for election in 2012.
here Bob you just click to email the senator
here’s a list if you don’t want to do the stupid form
Thanks happyfeet, but I was talking about a link to Jeff Sessions talking about the Senate’s planned vote on CC&B.
I appreciate you linking the Senate for me though :)
you are welcome Mr. Bob I can also link many other things including Baskin-Robbins for so you can check on the flavor of the month and also radish recipes
“a link to Jeff Sessions talking about the Senate’s planned vote on CC&B.”
check marklevin.com later for the podcast of today’s show hour 1 around 30 minute mark
here are fun Harry P{otter songs to sing along with
Here is a mention.
ot but the funny
link
Re: #16,
Another way to view things.
Thanks JeffG, I’ll do my best to spread the word.
charade was a movie thT I NOTICED AUDREY HEPBURN HAD A THIN LONG NECK
so srry/ caps lock
anyway- i like thin long necks even if david bowie had one
when he was all coked out
the thin white duke- y’know