http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-adviser-blames-tea-party-downgrade-155220470.html Whew! I'm so glad the White House has stopped blaming President Bush for everything. What a relief. Now we can move on to blaming the Tea Party for everything. It's a much more sensible strategy.
Shooter, on the one hand it is clear the dems are pushing the same talking points of blaming others for their failures. That's been their strategy for some years now- no accountability and it's every one else's fault. On the other hand, those who probably represent the "Tea Party movement" got to Congress on a no compromise, do what's best for the country platform. Considering the situation we're in, I have to admire that. Eventually they did compromise for the sake of the country, but it was a deal witht he devil. So I can see why Obama blames them. Sort of, anyway.
Blazer Prophet, the Tea Party is a very minor player in this country's debt problems. Our debt has been mounting for years, and now a few Tea Party members of Congress are finally saying, "Enough is enough." To blame them for the downgrade of U.S. credit is like blaming a homeowner for being in the way when a criminal breaks in and shoots him.
I love the idea that the only people to present an actual budget that S&P said would keep us from being downgraded are being blamed for negotiating with the Left and coming to a compromise agreement.
Where were these tea party republicans when Bush was in office? Obama administration has to blame someone for this bad economic news, tea party seems like an easy target.
Living their lives assuming the Republicans would fight for limited government. When they saw the Republicans turn into Democrat-lite, then stayed home and allowed those RINOs to get wiped out of office. As for assessing blame, President Obama is too proud to admit his policies have failed. Too bad for him. It's the only thing right now that could save his Presidency.
I still don't get the strong desire not to touch the tax system -- it's been the butt of jokes for years, but suddenly becomes perfect and untouchable now. A little compromise and common sense can go a long way. Instead, we're now deeper in the hole with the debt problem and it's going to take a lot of work to bump up the credit rating. It also seems like our two parties are even further from being able to actually work together. The ex-SEAL talking about the 22 SEALs killed in the copter crash got it right: "(To be a SEAL), you have to have a dedication, a commitment, a love of country, a love of God and country, and you have to be willing to go out on a daily basis and put your life on the line. I mean, I'm appalled when I look at our country right now, I see the news on the weekend and we got our politicians pointing the fingers about who's to blame for our credit rating, and in the meantime, you've got the best and the brightest out there giving their lives, sacrificing themselves on a daily basis. And my words to our administration, our leaders need to take a play from the playbook of the Navy SEALS, be a team and quit all the infighting." http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/08/earlyshow/main20089390.shtml?tag=mncol;lst;2 I'd love to stop hearing about "sacred cows" and lines that can't be crossed -- when it comes to getting the ship righted, both sides need to go into it with eyes and ears wide open, ready to find the best path forward.
The deficit is $1.5T. Eliminate the Bush tax cuts on EVERYONE, not just the rich, and the deficit is $1.3T. Eliminate the Bush tax cuts on the rich and the deficit is $1.44T. It's not about making a serious reduction in the deficit, it's about some misguided principle.
You're not parsing the words properly. The gist is that they're not satisfied with the amount of deficit reduction, period. They're not satisfied that govt. can reach an acceptable deal.
Bush didn't sign the largest spending bill ($800 billion) in the history of the country, increasing the federal debt by 35%. He also didn't try to shove a massive healthcare bill down our throats, didn't take over Chrylser and AIG, didn't call for tax hikes, and didn't try to turn us into a marxist-socialist regime.
So Bush decreased spending and lowered the federal debt . . . I see why tea party memebers weren't vocal against him (they are clueless )
I'm reluctant to play around with the one we have now as it's clearly broken. I'd like to scrap the current system and have a flat tax. Everybody pays the same amount (exempt SS, Medicare, Unemployment... as taxable income). Studies I have seen state somewhere 6-8% on a flat tax will generate more income than we take in now. For me, I think it's time to stop making the same old mistakes and risk making new ones.
