About time there were means testing on some government benefits, but what might this lead to?
This legislation should have been easy to draft because it is was just an extension of what had been agreed to, two months ago. But that’s not the case. H.R. 3630 is 386 pages long. The Bill includes some interesting things:
*The Keystone Pipe line is a “go”
*There is a new provision for eligibility for unemployment benefits. In the future, some states will require you to pee in a cup
*There is regulatory relief from the EPA on environmental standards set for boilers.
*The Bill calls for a one-year extension of the 100% “Bonus” tax depreciation allowance. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) set the price tag for this at $28 billion. This is a gift to American companies. I think it is a payoff to GE’s Jeff Immelt for all the “hard work” he has done for Obama.
*There are new restrictions on Tribal Grants (the “party pooper” rules):
*96 pages (a quarter of the total document) is committed to changes in the rules and laws relating to flood insurance.
*Another 144 pages are dedicated to the sale of new narrow and broadband licenses by the FCC.
*Section 1327, ENTERPRISE GUARANTEE FEES, discusses fees that will be set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the future.
*The Bill provides a 100% tax on unemployment benefits for an individual making $750,000 or a couple making $1,500,000.
*There is language restricting the availability of food stamps
*Premiums on Medicare Part B and D will increase based on income
*Federal workers will pay a greater percent of their retirement benefits
I don’t have the attention span to dig into all the disturbing issues you highlight above. I think the last 3 years has shown any reasonable person that if a bill is presented by THIS House of Reps–it should be filibustered, blocked by the Senate, or Vetoed.
No good comes from this band of corrupt self dealing asshats.
Rich = Criminal
Lawyer = Criminal
Insider Trading = Criminal
Exempting Oneself from Laws Passed on Others = Criminal
Hiring Family Members on Public Tab = Criminal
Pork Barrel Spending that Benefits Yourself = Criminal
I could add 10 more.
Congress = Criminal.
We need a real house sweeping exercise. (HOUSE!)
What will it take to wake the electorate up?
I fear for my Republic.
We need a real house sweeping exercise. (the White House!)
Over past 3 years, “Change” has been:
More national debt
More foreclosures
More welfare
More regulation
More government
More wasteful spending
More green power corruption
We need 1 more change:
Vote him out
Would have been no different if McCain was in.
They are all the same. That is why we must start over.
New republic for a new era.
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What? 386 whole pages and they couldn’t manage to slip in some protections for their pals at NAMBLA and the drug cartels? Man, these guys are really getting incompetent. We need to elect some really CLEVER crooks!
As usual the plutocrats will help themselves to whatever they fancy as riders to any legislation.
This is why it is so important for the citizens to holding meetings to start a new republic and constitution as sson as possible.
And make sure that the oligarchy is removed from the process.
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Destroy all monsters!
….and it’s all paid for by lowering the amount you pay into Social Security. Genius.
George Washingmyhandsofthewholemess says:
“… protections for their pals at NAMBLA …”
Why would the North American Marlon Brando Look-Alikes need protection?
Who needs to fund social security when you can print money.
The bills are never really about what “marketing title” says.
In my observation, once you actually read the bill, it becomes quite obvious that the Bill ends up doing the exact opposite of what the title says.
as always, the mirror image rule applies..
-s
Who elected those bozos to office?…………Us.
We got nobody else to blame but us.
But given the our choices, what are we to do?
Start over, get involved, lean on your representitives.
They are always running for office, tell them they will be
voted out if they don’t behave………Hmmmm
I’m ok with most of this except for it being unfunded, but in the long run the tax revenue from the pipeline will more than make up for it’s short comings.
If I’m making $750,000 a year you can keep the unemployment benefits. Okay I suppose I could use them to hire some part time help around the place.
Just watched most of a tour de force presentation of Dylan Ratigan of his book “Greedy Bastards.” He made the point that nothing we do will prevent the debt from growing and our eventual bankruptcy except one thing. Right now, the us vs them, left vs right, Dumbos vs Puke, poor (99%) vs Rich (1%), cutting programs vs taxing the rich however formulated===WILL NOT PREVENT USA BANKRUPTCY.
What will?
Restructuring of the USA Debt. He didn’t go into it but I think this means a massive write down. Just what happens in many bankruptcy reorganizations. Point was made that in the past this has been accomplished by going to WAR. Foricing Germany to pay WW1 debt caused WW2. We forgave/restructureed the debt of WW2 and avoided WW3.
Not talked about: how to finesse this “restructing” with China.
As Dylan said: you don’t get the answer you need if you ask the wrong questions.
FANTASTIC INSIGHT OF THE YEAR: Dylan noted that in the RISK TO INVESTORS in the disclosure documents filed by FOR PROFIT PRISON CORPORATIONS is listed the risk that anti-drug legislation to lessen the penalties for Marijuana use could negatively affect their profitability.
Seems all you have to do is look, just Look====LOOK!!! and our problem and solutions are easy to see.
And what we see in broad scope is that things are going to have to get worse than they are now for the electorate to start voting these bastards out of office.
Same as it ever was.
This is why we need single issue legislation. The current system is just a vehicle for obfuscation, especially when the MSM helps hide this shit.
Pres A’Mabo – I have been saying for years, no bill should be passed that has an amanedment. There are only two reasons for an amendment (IMHO) one is that you didn’t do the work correctly in the first place and the other is to add on something completely irrelevant.
I’m also of the opinion that any legislation should be able to be fully expressed in 10 pages or less and written so that any fourth grader can understand the language. I have ten years of university education and can’t understand half the crap these people write.
Hmm… had to look at the list again. Still want single issue legislation, but this list is not all bad at least.
Pipeline – beyond excellent.
Pee tests – good. (I don’t give a shit if you smoke dope – but if you’re on unemployment, you’d be spending tax money to buy it – NFW!)
Environazi regulatory relief – good
Few others I’m not sure about yet.
“I’m for single issue legislation unless my issues predominate!”
Good political thinking.
And why our problems persist.
I said “at least”. Plenty of bad in there too. Best if each issue had to stand on its own merit.
Dear Congress;
I know your hearts are in the right place (your wallet) but please stop saving me money. I simply can’t afford it!
And, while you’re at it: could you please tell me when my “insurance contribution” became a tax? And if Social Security is underfunded, why are you cutting my contributions?
Just once, before the next election, could you all get together and do something that seems logical and, maybe, even intelligent? You could even try to make it an annual event!
Thank you for your attention deficit,
A. Nimby
FYI—while the contribution to Soc Sec from payroll tax takes a holiday, supposedly this shortfall is make whole by a funding from the general treasury.
The net effect is supposed to be that Soc Sec is maintained while the rest of the Country increases speed into the shit hole.
More theft from the next generation I would say, not that they will ever have 40 quarters of qualifying income to ever get Soc Sec to begin with.
Ha, ha. Lets hear the chorus: “♫They should stop being lazy and go get a job, or two!!” …////21st Century add on: “♫In China.”
Have to agree.
We need to build that pipeline so the oil companies can export more product. Same goes for the off shore drilling. I don’t want my stock in the oil companies to suffer. The more product available, the more futures / options we can purchase. I have a wager with a friend that we can get the price of gas up to $6.00 this summer. The fact that they shut down those refineries near Philadelphia will really help. Next we’re going to tell you that China is going to need more too. Just like 2008, we’re going to make a bundle!
The should give these Bills more accurate names. Like the “We Lumped It All Into One Bill” Bill, for a given session of Congress. Or in this case the “Payroll Tax Cut Extension Plus All Sorts Bill”.