Politics as usual instead of, you know… what’s the word… Oh yeah. Governing.




  1. dusanmal says:

    Obama “plan” – cut Government spending next year for 2Bil$ (the only real and accountable part of his 2T$ over 10 yrs “cut”).
    Crisis: 2Bil$ per DAY in borrowing…

    What a plan.

  2. WmDE says:

    “Hey guys! You are supposed to fill the buckets inside the ship.”

    “We’re lost in the Red Ink Triangle.”

    “Too bad we didn’t have carbon credits for the bilge pump.”

    “The East IS red.”

  3. jescott418 says:

    A great headline could be. “The President says we are making progress convincing the American people we are making progress” But of course in the end they are not. It will always come down to the wire and a hastily made legislation will be voted on and passed because nobody wants a shutdown. The President will have no choice but to either sign it or face ridicule for allowing the first US default. Which would mean certain political suicide.

  4. Tommy Paine says:

    You let him go down.
    Then you get to run the ship.
    Then the ship goes down.
    Then we come to the wheelhouse and burn you alive.

    signed,

    The Passengers

  5. atmusky says:

    At this point pretty much everything is just politics.

    If you can actually find people who are not just pimping a political point of view and base their recommendations on economic reality they will tell you that:

    1. Don’t increase taxes/revenue until the economy improves.
    2. Don’t decrease Gov. spending until the economy improves.
    3. They will also be fairly evenly split on if additional tax cuts or increased Gov spending can do much at this point but will not rule out doing either or both.
    4. Long term we have to decrease deficit spending and to do so with minimum impact to economy will require less spending and more revenue.

    Frankly the show in Washington DC is getting old.

  6. B. Dog says:

    Say, isn’t Obama the guy that bought his way into office with the money from some billionaire who made his money from shorting currencies and destroying many national economies? The plan is working again.

  7. Buzz Mega says:

    We are Republicans! Dammit, we are allowed to crush everybody’s hopes and dreams in the name of power. What do you think that whole president Cheney thing was all about?

    We never wanted war. We only wanted the cash flow wars bring.

    We wanted the full blown depression. That $%#@!! black guy foiled our carefully laid plans. So we created the tea bag party to take the heat while we drafted new plans. And also to take the racist heat, too. Those stupid morans.

    This is our Big Opportunity. Let’s not blow it.

  8. jbenson2 says:

    So Captain Obama steered the ship directly into the iceberg (actually several icebergs) and now, in classic Uncle Dave fashion, is trying to shift the blame from his atrocious Presidential leadership fiasco to the minority party.

  9. Uncle Dave says:

    #8: Given all the characters in the cartoon are Dems, how exactly is that?

  10. atmusky says:

    Which minority party are you talking about?

    In the house the only party that can propose and approve anything is the Republicans.

    In the Senate neither party can do anything without the other party’s OK.

    Our current reality is that either party can stop everything but neither party can do anything without the other party’s OK.

    Which either means we can all crash and burn or we can negotiate a compromise.

    What is different now than in the past is there seems to be a bunch of people that think crashing and burning gets them more than a negotiate compromise.

  11. Breetai says:

    The only thing missing are the banksters taking off in the only lifeboat petting a Persian cat and laughing maniacally.

  12. jbenson2 says:

    #9 Uncle Dave asked: Given all the characters in the cartoon are Dems, how exactly is that?

    Geesh! Don’t you even look at your own postings?

    Who are the two sailors on the upper portion of the ship?

  13. jbenson2 says:

    #10
    The title of Mitch McConnell is:
    Senate Minority Leader

    atmusky said: Which either means we can all crash and burn or we can negotiate a compromise.

    I agree that the current spending rate will definitely cause the USA to crash and burn. And what do the Democrats want? More taxes and more spending.

    The only solution is to slow down the spending. As long as the Democrats insist on heating up the spending, there is no chance of a compromise.

  14. LotsaLuck says:

    I stand amazed that I was able to post before bobbo hijacks this thread.

    Anti-kudos, bobbo!

  15. Traaxx says:

    You shove any tax increase up your pie hole Uncle Dave Stalin, the government doesn’t need anymore of my money and F!@# President Hussein and King George F!@#ing Bush, the elitist New World Banking Order scum.

    Whatever…………………………………
    Traaxx

  16. GregAllen says:

    Obama has a plan. It cuts 4 trillion from the deficit.

    http://tinyurl.com/3n65fcp

    But, because it has a mild tax increase for millionaires and billionaires, the GOP would rather crash the country than vote for it.

  17. GregAllen says:

    >> Derek said, on July 19th, 2011 at 7:58 am
    >> In reality, investors are not going to invest unless they see a stable profitable future.

    Which is why THE GOP ARE AS DUMB AS A BAG OF NICKLES for playing chicken with the good faith and credit of the US.

  18. MikeN says:

    So now it’s the Republicans fault that the Democrats are wrecking the economy further?
    The Keynesianism they claim to follow calls for tax cuts during a recession.

  19. Animby says:

    “Hope and change” was a misprint.

    He meant to say, “Hope for enough change to buy a cup of coffee.”

    18 GregAllen “Obama has a plan. It cuts 4 trillion from the deficit.”

    That’s over ten years! Some of us don’t think that’s fast enough. And, besides, it calls for vast borrowing for the first couple of years before it slows down. To me, that just seems like he’s hoping for a miracle to give him a second term and a congress that believes in him. In which case, he’ll get that changed.

  20. bobbo, the pragmatic libertarian Existential Anti-Theist says:

    “The Plan” represents the magical thinking present when an excess of ideologues impact the colon of a political system.

    From Obama’s first day in office the Pukes have been pushing their magical thinking on the American Public with piling on by too many Dumbo’s: the TARP program was 1/3 jobs stimulus, and 2/3rds Magical Thinking: we can continue raping the American Public and blame the other side. This continues right now.

    Democracy: 80% want program cuts with Tax increases. Can so many be so wrong? Of course. Who understands the consequences of international credit arrangements when USA is the largest debtor nation? The richest AND the one most in debt. Who can understand what that means?

    Human Folly.

  21. Dallas says:

    Another good analogy that the GOP mission at all cost is to assume power.

    I believe that even if the GOP does succeed in plunging the country into a decade long depression (nuclear option), they will still lose.

  22. arpie says:

    @#23 From Obama’s first day in office the Pukes have been pushing their magical thinking on the American Public with piling on by too many Dumbo’s: the TARP program was 1/3 jobs stimulus, and 2/3rds Magical Thinking: we can continue raping the American Public and blame the other side. This continues right now.

    But… but… tax cuts create jobs… kill the death tax!… government can’t run anything!… keep your dirty government hands out of my medicare… it all really started with Clinton!… The deficit!… 9/11! 9/11! (Oh, wait, can’t use that anymore since Obama got Bin Laden, dang!)

    Ok, let’s negotiate. We want this, you want that. Let’s just meet in the middle. Oh… What? Silly, we didn’t mean a middle-ground! We meant the middle of what we want! Mommy! They don’t want to play by our rules!

    /s

  23. chris says:

    #5

    “If you can actually find people who are not just pimping a political point of view”

    What’s wrong with having views?

    “They will also be fairly evenly split on if additional tax cuts or increased Gov spending can do much at this point but will not rule out doing either or both.”

    No. You’re equating splitting the difference with being fair, without considering the merits of each view. I think the consensus on the economy is that investors see low consumer demand, and are sitting on a lot of cash.

    The government can directly hire people tomorrow and stimulate the economy. That will work. Checks will go out. People will spend that money. I don’t trust that it would be spent well. Assuming the money was spent well it would have the advertised effect.

    On the other hand we can cut taxes, but where is the evidence that will do a damn thing? Cutting taxes under Reagan and Bush II led to higher deficits but the extra growth never showed up.

    #20

    Keynes main idea was for the government to spend counter-cyclical to the rest of the economy. Spend when times are tough, and cut back spending when times are good. You seem to be casting him well outside of his brand. Got any support for that?

    #21

    Uh… Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in the nation and that appears to be about demand. If you’re not doing secret squirrel stuff in Nevada, you’re likely working directly or indirectly in a tourism industry.

    That is the first thing that gets cut in tough times.

    Obama doesn’t look too frightening. Wynn obviously wouldn’t know that… (ouch!)

  24. bobbo, the pragmatic libertarian Existential Anti-Theist says:

    #26–chris==you have misplaced the em-PHA-sis. Views are just fine. Its pimping them that is wrong. You know what a pimped idea is right? Hint: shes not really in love with you.

  25. Derek says:

    Spend when times are tough, and cut back spending when times are good.

    See, those that tout Keynesian economics seem to realize that our government spends when times are tough and spends when times are good. A politician realizes that he must buy votes, regardless of political affiliation. Regardless if they are buying the vote of the elderly, or buying the vote of the union. Keynesian economics doesn’t work because the saving never happens.

  26. chris says:

    #27

    I certainly misplaced an html tag! 🙂

    Wynn is the uber-upper end of Vegas. He’s just trying to stay in fashion. His stuff reminded me of another killer quote that I saw about a week ago.

    I would like to see a new FDR, and watch Wynn wet his pants:

    “For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up. We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace—business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering. They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob. Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred. I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master.”

    http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2011/07/when-the-forces-of-selfishness-and-of-lust-for-power-met-their-match.html

    That, folks, would be change we could believe in.

  27. bobbo, the pragmatic libertarian Existential Anti-Theist says:

    Oh Derek!!!!! Thats not Keynesian economics not working===THATS KEYNESIAN ECONOMICS WORKING JUST THE WAY IT SAYS!!!!!! If you choose not to save in good times that is not a failure of Keynesian economics==that is Keynesian economics working telling you that you will not have saved for the bad times that will cycle back.

    Water doesn’t fail to hydrate just because you walk into the desert without any.

    Jeesh!

  28. Uncle Patso says:

    This is a sick country, mentally and physically. Most especially mentally. All you have to do is read these comments.

    # 3 jescott:
    “…hastily made legislation will be voted on and passed because nobody wants a shutdown.”

    I find your faith touching. I hope you’re right, but right now I give it no better than 30% odds, and that’s pushing extra hard to be as optimistic as I possibly can.

  29. bobbo, the pragmatic libertarian Existential Anti-Theist says:

    #29–chris==yes, still stirring and needed even now. Imagine “compromising” with evil? Obama is trying to play 3 dimensional chess when the game is mumbletypeg. Throw your knife into his foot and kick him in the balls. “Him” being the Teabagger of current incarnation. Previously, they were Birchers, and before that the Whigs.

    I’ll say again: time for Obama, the Constitutional Scholar from Harvard, to stop this silliness at its root: ignore the Debt Ceiling silliness.

    I hate these stupid f*ckers on both sides of the argument. …… and their hangers on.

  30. atmusky says:

    #28: In order to determine if Keynesian economics works or not the Government has to follow it first.

    I am 54 years old and as far as I know the Federal Government has never implemented a Keynesian economic policy.

    The Governments economic policy (if you can say it even has one), is to continually increase spending, occasionally reduce or increase revenues while always spending more than than what came in from revenues, and always borrower the difference. That is not a Keynesian economic policy.

    In the past all compromises always increased spending as both parties have always wanted spending increases just deferent spending increases. The compromises also sometimes decreased revenue and sometimes increased revenue.

    At this point in time we have actually reduced revenue to the lowest percentage of GDP and increase spending to the highest percentage of GDP in my life.

    It is clear we can never have a balance budget at current revenue levels (less than 15% of GDP) and it is also clear we can not maintain current spending levels (more than 24% of GDP).

    So unless someone believes in magic revenues need to increase and spending needs to decrease. What percentage of GDP spending and revenues needs to is what the negotiations need to be about. My guess is the range they are looking at is some where between 19-22% of GDP. Which again unless you believe in magic requires both spending cuts and revenue increases to meet.


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