Portugal’s Streets Flooded With Message: ‘Austerity Kills’. Swiss Overwhelmingly Vote to Curb Executive Pay. Meanwhile, in USA! USA!, Electeds play sequential and contrived Grand Bargain / Fiscal Cliff / Super Sequestration games and much of the Electorate yawns. Much, but not all. First, about the citizen actions in Portugal: Over 40 cities across Portugal on [...]
Tag Archives | fiscal cliff
“It’s Good to be a Banker” (VIDEO)
That’s the analysis of Peter Schiff, president of Euro Pacific Capital: “It’s good to be a banker.” With the DC self-created financial crisis of the moment, it seemed like a good time to consider a bit of the context of the Super Sequestration sequel to Fiscal Cliff, Grand Bargain, etc. The video below is of [...]
Top Story — As Obama Inauguration Nears, Republicans Realize They’re Powerless
THE LIGHT dawns on the Republican Party, just as President Obama’s inauguration is about to drive salt into their wounds. “We will raise the debt ceiling. We’re not going to default on our debt,” Cornyn told the Houston Chronicle editorial board. – Cornyn: Congress Will Not Allow Default It may be a dim bulb, but [...]
Unlike Dick Cheney, Joe Biden Exerts Real Power
“I appreciate the vice president’s willingness to get this done for the country.” – Senator Mitch McConnell DICK OR JOE? It’s now no contest. Where Dick Cheney manipulated people and policy behind the scenes, getting his aide indicted and convicted of a felony and then disbarred for doing his dirty work, Joe Biden exerts his [...]
Austerity 2013
…after this week’s fiscal cliff deal, the United States is now on pace to engage in about as much fiscal consolidation in 2013 as many European nations have been doing in recent years — and more than countries like Britain and Spain. – U.S. now on pace for European levels of austerity in 2013 FROM [...]
Fiscal Scheme Deal Done: 77% of Households Will Pay More Taxes, Corporations Get Subsidies
We have been subjected to a White House negotiating process that violates every standard of rationality and transparency. The public never once saw an integrated budget proposal that showed the quantitative and qualitative implications of various policy options. The public has not been told that yesterday’s agreement threatens the financing of crucial programs for education, [...]
New Year Beginnings, an F-Bomb from Speaker Boehner
OUR CONGRESS in a soundbite. “Go f*** yourself.” – Speaker of the House John Boehner It came upon Speaker Boehner entering the White House, where Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell were sitting on a sofa. The f-bomb was directed at Reid, who recently labeled Boehner’s leadership a “dictatorship.” I’d [...]
Krauthammer Should Take Heart, Boehner Humiliated when House Scuttled Sandy Aid Bill *Update – Video*
“Look, there are a lot of conservatives in the Republican caucus in the House who hate the bill for good reason. This is a complete surrender on everything.” – Charles Krauthammer THE CONSERVATIVE king of wingnuttery shouldn’t be too upset. The Fiscal Cliff bill passed. However, the House scuttled the vote on a $60 billion [...]
New Year, Another Fiscal Scheme [Obama's Remarks]
…In other words, the financial markets responded as many of us non-insiders predicted. As long as it was clear that a deal would be forthcoming, they didn’t give a damn about the fiscal “cliff”deadline. Chalk this one up as yet another example of the experts – the people who report on the budget and the [...]
Boehner Opens House on Sunday, Hoyer Invokes Child Hostage Being Shot on Debt Limit
SHOCKING! SHOCKING, I say. Speaker Boehner is bringing back the House on Sunday, because Republicans are looking really small in this and at the bottom everyone knows middle class tax cuts will pass at some point and they might as well appear in the game. But, yes, I still believe a deal will get done [...]
Obama, Pelosi Deserve to Lose on End of Year Grand Bargain Scheme
Hopes of a grand-bargain — to shave trillions of dollars off the deficit by cutting entitlement programs and raising revenue — are shattered. – Fiscal cliff deal increasingly unlikely NOBODY SHOULD think this is the end of the maneuvering by President Obama and Democrats to “reform” entitlements. But at least for now, here’s to the [...]
Fools on the Hill
Things were so bad for Speaker John Boehner Thursday night, support for his Plan B tax bill so diminished, the limits of his power with his own party laid bare, that he stood in front of the House Republican Conference and recited the Serenity Prayer. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I [...]
Social Security Cuts Coming Unless People Raise the Roof
THE HEADLINE says it all and the emergency is very real. Activist progressives across the spectrum have been working to defeat President Obama’s plan to cut Social Security and hand Republicans something they couldn’t do on their own. Social Security cuts are assured, with Nancy Pelosi and establishment Democrats joining President Obama, unless you get [...]
President Obama’s House Poodle, Nancy Pelosi, Puts Her Party Over Middle Class and Seniors
“Yes, I do… I believe the President has shown great leadership in what he put forth…” Pelosi, adding, “Yes, the Democrats will stick with the president — and maybe not every single one of them.” [Huffington Post] WHAT WILL the rest of the congressional Democrats and progressives do? As for Rep. Nancy Pelosi, she can [...]
Poll: 60% of Americans Oppose what Obama is Proposing for Social Security in Debt Deal
Most Americans oppose slashing spending on Medicaid and the military, as well as raising the age for Medicare eligibility and slowing the increase of Social Security benefits, all of which appear to be on the table in negotiations. Majorities call each of these items “unacceptable.” – Poll: Most want ‘fiscal cliff’ compromise but oppose cuts [...]
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