The Congressional stupor committee has failed to reach a “bipartisan compromise.” As far as I’m concerned, that means they’ve succeeded: instead of puny tax increases and punitive spending cuts, if nothing else happens, the Bush tax cuts will expire in 2013. That, in turn, means a return to the Clinton era tax rates and $14 trillion (yep, trillion with a T) in the guvmint’s coffers. Sounds like a winner to me.
It turns out that President Obama outmaneuvered Congressional Republicans by placing spending cuts on the table that GOP couldn’t agree to because they were tied to tax hikes. That smug prick Grover Norquist’s ridiculous no tax pledge helped ensure the “failure.” Nothing succeeds like failure, y’all.
The stupor committee was *designed* to fail since it had an equal number of Dems and Goopers as well as House members and Senators. Equality equals gridlock equals failure equals success all things being equal. Guess I need to adjust the equalizer right now…
Well-informed Americans should know by now that searching for a “bi-partisan compromise” is like sending some poor bastard on a snipe hunt. The nostalgia for the good old days among some people is a bit nauseating. We’ve gone through many periods of partisan polarization and the cross party compromises engineered by LBJ and FDR were possible because there *used* to be moderate Republicans and were done despite Conservative Southern Democrats. Now that the solid South is solidly Republican such compromises are as rare as the dodo bird.
I only hope the Obama-ites will stick to running against the “do nothing” Congress ala Harry Truman in 1948. The cool and cerebral President may be a bit miscast as a populist firebrand but Harry Truman was a poor speaker and Obama at his best is one of the best orators in our history. Now that I think of it, Mitt Romney is not a bad comp for Tom Dewey: he’s dull and cautious. The difference is that Dewey was a genuine moderate with a distinguished record on Civil Rights issues. In short, Dewey was dull but he believed in something. Mitt, of course, only believes in himself and the LDS church’s weirdo doctrines.
And if you are middle-class and your taxes go up with the expiration of the deficit-ballooning Bush Tax Cuts, you can thank the Republicans.
If you want a slight decrease in your marginal tax ratem, they believe that it is only fair that such multi-millionaire “Job Creator-Class” stars as Donald Trump, Tiger Woods, Rush Limpdong, Bill O’Reilly, Paris Hilton, Warren Buffett, Lady Gaga, Ariana Huffington, must get a break from the burden of taxes, as well.
If Paris Hilton and Rush Limpdong, are taxed an extra 4% on income above $250,000, they’ll be forced to shut down their small businesses and lay off their thousands of employees.
Yes all of the teeth gnashing and hair pulling is just more political theater. And we’re getting tons of ammo — no pun intended — from the GOP’s ridiculous bill that would prevent Defense spending cuts as part of this across the board measure. You know, you guys agreed to this … what, you won’t go back on it now? “Oh no! We didn’t mean the Pentagon, too!” Hilarious. Especially since everyone, even a shit-ton of Teanuts, agrees we don’t need to be spending so much on Defense. Who are we fighting? People armed with box cutters? Give me a break. The one and only thing I agree with Ron Paul on is the ridiculous military expenditures. Why the fuck do we have military bases in Germany? Anyone?
This is where mainstream GOPers look like idiots, even to idiot Americans.
Let me add — and forgive my typos, I’m in a hurry as I have a hockey game to get to — but all of this smoke-and-mirrors, political theater would be amusing were it not for its very real effect on our stock market and people’s IRAs, 401(k)s, investment accounts, etc.
I mean, I’d been giggling along with everyone else were I not shitting my pants because I’ve just lost my retirement money in yet another downward turn in the Wall Street roller coaster.
That’s what makes these exercises truly evil. It would be funny if it did’t actually AFFECT PEOPLES’ LIVES.
Assholes.
the bush tax cuts must die like no child left behind. worst preznit ever!
I don’t care if you worship Buddy Hackett in “The Love Bug” or Steve McQueen in “Bullitt”, both are car movies that don’t contain any insight about how cars work. Mitt Romney’s faith is no weirder than Barack Obama’s life as a “devout Christian” or Russ Feingold’s Judaism. It sure is easier to mock somebody who believes in the Life of Herbie than somebody who thinks driving an old Mustang makes them a badass but the two pastimes are equally weird in the context of what can be proven real. I don’t see what is gained by singling out Herbie worshipers over Mustang worshipers. Also, flubber.
@Triple Joe: I hear what you’re saying BUT Mormonism has some weird tenets such as the fact that LDS men think they’re demi-Gods. It’s the source of Romney’s eerie calm and self confidence.
@adrastos – I agree that Mitt is eerie! As the kids say, he’s one part robot three parts asshole.
Hmm, was this some sort of briar patch gambit? I know the Uncle Remus stories are considered a bit racist these days, but there’s lots of wisdom in there.
@Kaleberg: I agree with you. The stories are rooted in African folklore and do indeed have some worth in a sort of Aesopian way.