What really burns my ass...

[kentuck]

^
|
|
|
|
|
...is a flame about this high |

But seriously, when the Republicans are ranting about the huge deficits, why can't we offer an alternative plan? They want to cut Medicare, Social Security, NPR, Planned Parenthood, etc.

What could we cut to balance the budget? No one will say. It is a top secret. Not a whisper from our side. And that pisses me off.

We can end these frigging wars and save over $300 billion per year. That would be a minimum of $3 trillion dollars over the next 10 years. We can also restore the tax rates to Clinton levels and have the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes. We could close the loop holes in our tax system and we could save another $3 trillion dollars over the next 10 years. Take that, Paul Ryan!

But we hear nothing but silence from our side. What are we supposed to think? This is just another chess move?

[Mz Pip]

1. They have been talking about

closing tax loopholes that favor corporations and the wealthy and cutting the defense budget. But those two things are non starters for the GOP.

[TxVietVet]

2. A Democrat with balls is about as rare as a chicken with teeth.

[jaxx]

3. Cuts from the Dems have been announced.

We've also been informed by the Dems that big cuts will endanger growth. Unfortunately the teabaggers have demanded gutting the government to satisfy their blood thirsty followers. To say we hear nothing but silence is wrong.

[kentuck]

8. Wimpy, watered-down responses...

I have heard nothing on the TV this morning except Paul Ryan's plan. Where is the Democratic plan? I can understand their fear of being called soft on defense if they call for savings in the Defense budget. I can understand their fear of being called "big tax raising" liberals if they call for fairness in the tax codes. I can understand that but I don't agree with it. I think it is chicken shit.

[jaxx]

11. You ignore the cuts that have been made

because the DOD isn't supposedly being cut. There have been cuts in the DOD. You'll hear plenty on tv when Ryan gets his moment in the spotlight to destroy the safety net for the people of this country. The President has given his 2012 budget to congress....so yes, we have been heard.

[kentuck]

12. How much?

$70 billion over the next ten years?? That's just my guess. Do you have a more accurate number?

[jaxx]

17. $1.1 trillion over the next ten years

By Jeanne Sahadi, senior writerFebruary 14, 2011: 5:27 PM ET


WASHINGTON (CNNMoney) -- President Obama on Monday unveiled a $3.7 trillion budget request for 2012 that proposes painful cuts in many government programs but fails to address the largest drivers of the country's long-term debt: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

The budget, which is likely to face stiff resistance in Congress, takes a big bite out of domestic spending and would slash deficits by $1.1 trillion over the next decade, according to White House estimates.

Two-thirds of those deficit cuts would result from spending reductions, while a third would come from an increase in tax revenue, according to senior administration officials.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/14/news/economy/obama_budget/index.htm

[kentuck]

20. Just curious...

How much would be cut from the Defense budget?

[jaxx]

21. $178b page 3

The fiscal 2010 and fiscal 2011 budgets ended a number of major programs that were no
longer needed or that were troubled by cost or execution problems. During preparation of the
fiscal 2012 budget, DoD continued a comprehensive search for efficiencies, focusing on its
business operations. This far-reaching effort resulted in savings totaling $178 billion in fiscal
2012 to 2016.
The military services themselves developed savings of about $100 billion. These savings
were achieved through improvements in business practices, reorganizations, and streamlining of
lower-priority programs. The military services also restructured or terminated some programs.
The Army, for example, will terminate procurement of the SLAMRAAM surface-to-air missile
and the Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System, while the Marine Corps will terminate the
Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) which would have consumed $12 billion in future
procurement budgets.

http://www.defense.gov/pdf/SUMMARY_OF_THE_DOD_FISCAL_2012_BUDGET_PROPOSAL_%282%29.pdf

[emulatorloo]

13. TV is in full-blown Republican Ecstasy Mode. They don't get excited about

Democratic plans. Obama presented a budget a while ago. TV only covered that in relation to what the Republicans were saying about it.

[raccoon]

4. You got that right. Politicians--not just Republicans, though they are worse about it--

are like drug addicts/alcoholics.

The more money drug addicts/alcoholics have to spend, the more they are going to spend on drugs/alcohol.

The more money politicians have to spend, the more they are going to spend on war.

[Angry Dragon]

5. And take the caps off of SS

[ProSense]

6. There have been several

proposals, PDFs:

Jan Schakowsky Deficit Reduction Plan

Our Fiscal Security: Investing in America’s Economy

Joseph Stiglitz: Principles and Guidelines for Deficit Reduction

In fact, deficit commission member Andy Stern's proposal cut nearly $4 trillion.

[kentuck]

10. Did you have to google those to find them?

Or were they on the television responding to Paul Ryan and the Republicans? Most Americans are not going to "google" looking for a response.

[ProSense]

14. The question is:

Why is the media pretending that cutting the deficit is more important than protecting America's safety net?

The whole point of the debate was to protect the safety net for future generations. Suddenly, cutting the deficit for the sake of cutting it is being hailed as courageous?

Yeah, Republicans have a lot of nerve, but the media is hyping Ryan's plan as if someone agreed that this was the goal. It's a ridiculous plan, but consider David Brooks' article

Here is the first comment in response to Brooks:

..."His proposal will set the standard of seriousness for anybody who wants to play in this discussion. It will become the 2012 Republican platform, no matter who is the nominee."

Oh goodie! Another Republican program that cuts the bejezzus out of domestic spending, but completely neglects cutting defense spending! What the? I just cannot figure out why you seem completely unable to discuss, neigh to mention, our bloated, outrageous defense budget, Mr. Brooks. Are you allergic?

I am from Wisconsin, and I can tell you that support for Rep. Ryan is not as you would suggest. He is thought of (outside of his district) as an opportunist whose elevator does not go to the top floor--not at all as you have depicted him. Universe help us if Rep. Ryan and his ilk predominate. I am betting they will not. Though so much of the American public has overdosed on Kool-Aid, people in Wisconsin have HAD IT! And, after all that has happened with their crazy guvner, they get it. Ryan will most likely not be re-elected in 2012!

Will you really support any Republican, Mr. Brooks, no matter how immature and outlandish his/her ideas? Please just say "no!"

This is not a plan to match, it's a plan to reject. People shouldn't be waiting on politicians to reject it.

On edit, check out the response to Ryan's video, only six people hit dislike.

To quote Krugman: Suckers!

[kentuck]

18. The media is raving about the plan...

because they stand to profit, as usual, from the lowering of the top tax rates. They should recuse themselves from even commenting on the subject.

[emulatorloo]

15. What makes you think the TV is going to allow Democrats the same unlimited access they

give to Paul Ryan and the Republicans?

Plus you need to remember this is the first time the Republicans have actually presented a REAL budget.

[kentuck]

19. They are not.

That is the problem. They have a vested interest in 25% tax rates for the wealthy.

[Shagbark Hickory]

7. They aren't known as the "party of no ideas" for nothin' ya know.

[LiberalEsto]

9. Tax the rich,

and then tax them some more.
Make GE give back its gigantic corporate tax "refund".
Make all the corporations pay taxes at a 50% rate.
Remove the income cap on Social Security.

And if all else fails, shop on e-bay for used guillotines.

[lonestarnot]

16. Silence kills.

[sarcasmo]

22. Kick.

[elehhhhna]

23. Kentuck, WAKE UP!!! We don't HAVE A SIDE anymore.

Kennedy's dead.

[Enthusiast]

24. I guess Democrats seeking reelection

want to curry favor with the military industrial complex. Has there ever been a more unaccountable bloated entity in this nation than the military industrial complex at this juncture in history? I don't think so.