Hannibel Lechter,

RE: your post 1.1

Is that why the American Public elected him President of the United States Of America? Duh!

Talk about media hyperbole; the updated article changed the wording from a "convincing victory" to a "resounding victory"!

NOT!

and then when it is extended to Dec 31, is that kicking the can again? How far is far enough?

Politicians need to leave their dirty paws off the medicare and ss trust funds. They are not part of the budget deficit. Unfunded wars are a major part of the deficit, and we need to raise taxes or cut spending to "finance" the wars.

arm: The Keystone part of the bill is that the president will look at it in 60 days. Nothing more...nothing less at this point. Like it or not the GOP/TPers effed this one up. They do not know when to walk away. If Obama get re-elected, it will be with the help of the GOP not know when to back off and when to pounce. Pouncing all the time might get the right out with pitch forks and all happy, but it doesn't play well on a national stage. One thing Americans do not like and that is piling on. I will see you guys in two months, now that you gave the president some much needed leverage.

Obama also wanted this paid for with a tax on millionaires so he caved on that. On the pipeline if he agrees it is a victory for the Republicans because they forced him to do something that he was against and if he says no he loses because he then gave in to the far left when even the unions wanted the pipeline.

Exactly Jerry. The keystone decision puts him over a barrel. He loses to one of his factions either way.

CBurroughs

it's just that the liberals want to keep playing with us tax payers until they can bleed us some more...

Funny because you pay less in taxes than you did under Bush and his Republican Congress so how are you being "bled" by these liberals????

brendan-4

go get a job.

so exactly how many people are you hiring this month? I can send you my resume right away

Armuray..

Yes. I also ask...What happened to Keystone?

The reports are not all in so any demand for consideration is ignoring due process.

"And very Soon, CHINA will not be bailing us out"

Where have you been greg? China cut us off some time back. They kept warning us about the massive debt we were getting ourselves into, but our government didn't have the brains to stop begging from them, until China said enough, and stopped the bond buying for good. Now, there is no other country willing to buy more debt from us. That's why the Federal Reserve started buying it up. Just think about it, China said enough, then the Fed started doing it, thus putting us even deeper into the massive debt hole. Nice of them, isn't it? Like the Fed gives a damn if the people can pay it back or not.

Hannibal Lechner,

RE: your post #1.12

Too smart to buy your "bait and switch" response to me. I did not ask how YOU voted in 2008. I simply replied to your statement in your post 1.1. I'll restate, most American Voters and the Electoral College voted him President of the United States Of America. I'd say that is statement enough about being, to quote YOU, "a woosie"! Now care to change the subject--AGAIN?

I wish the media would make up its mind. The original article used the term "convincing victory" then in the first updated article they used "resounding victory" and in this latest update they changed it back to a "convincing victory".

I suppose the "final" article will call it a "setback" for Obama.

Sounds like a definite maybe to me...

I dont think anyone gets 99 months af unemployment,brenden-4

Hannibal Lechner,

More from your post #1.12

You "think that you read somewhere". Why don't you actually know, for a FACT, if a statement about the Electoral College and the election of Obama is true or not? I know it may be difficult for you to Google up some ACTUAL FACTS, but it may very well lend creedence to your posts! Good idea, huh?

CBurroughs

Former Marine Sgt.

Well I guess we know why you are a former Marine Sgt. and not Retired Marine Sgt. no friggen brains... The plan is not toxic, it's just that the liberals want to keep playing with us tax payers until they can bleed us some more...

Former Marine Sgt...Thank you for your service. Some answer the call to serve their country, some only complain about how much it costs them.

CBurroughs - So, you feel you are being taxed too much. I feel your pain. How about we revert the tax rates to those under Ronald Reagan (50% top tax rate) or perhaps Dwight D Eisenhower (90% top tax rate). You think Former Marine Sgt should "get a job"? How about you get a part time, minimum wage job and try supporting your family. Or better yet, let's save you all those taxes and disband the Military. When trouble pops up you can just ruck-up grab your rifle and defend your own damn self.

scrambledeggs

When responding to another's post it would be nice to use their correct moniker spelling.

I before E except after C ... thank you for that.

@DA_STALKER

The figures are $40.00 a week, and yes $40.00 is a LOT to someone that lives from week to week....Get your facts and figures straigh you dolt!

40$ a week? That would be 2080 per year, even the politicians aren't using a number that big to try and sell this. Here is a realese from the White House yesterday-

In the afternoon, the President will continue to urge House Republicans to do what’s right for the American people by allowing a vote on the short term bipartisan compromise passed by almost the entire Senate. If Congress fails to extend the payroll tax cut, the typical family making $50,000 a year will have about $40 less to spend or save with each paycheck.

$40 PER PAYCHECK. Most people get paid twice a month for a savings of $20 PER WEEK. Yeah, so guess whose the dolt with the incorrect facts and figures? That's right, YOU are.

Wait a minute!!

Wasn't it Mr. Obama that was AGAINST this while running for office and the GOP pushing to extend it?? I'm speaking of the tax portion.

Or is my old timers kicking in again????

@scrambolo

More from your post #1.12

You "think that you read somewhere". Why don't you actually know, for a FACT, if a statement about the Electoral College and the election of Obama is true or not?

WOW!!! You took that post seriously?? You think there is actually a possibility that they gave Obama extra electoral votes because he's a minority?? REALLY?? You thought that might be possible??

Well I will admit that it does explain a lot about the people who support Obama and how he managed to get elected. Apparently they'll believe anything which I guess makes his ludicrous BS somewhat effective.

But all the details are overlooked in the media hyperbole produced by the GOP.

@Bosslimo - You are ABSOLUTELY right. I am shocked that the media fails (likely willingly) to point out the details on the earmarks contained in that silly and poisonous House republicans' bill.

yay! now we can all get $40 per paycheck! what a victory! so sad to see everyone complain over $40, when the real reason why this was enacted was to get the sheep that can't think for themselves to think that obama actually cares for them and that he's not doing it just for the votes, which he is. its also the same tactic as blame the people making over $250k, and that they need to pay more in taxes because that will reduce the deficit. all while he adds more to the deficit every second than any president in history, and he has spent more than any president in history... this is just like how the gas prices rose up over $2.50 for over a couple of years and people got used to it so now when it drops $0.10 people cheer and call it a win. it's not a win! you just have gotten so used to it that you think it's a win. just like how the economy is in the crapper and obama will win the votes of millions over a $40 tax cut per paycheck, when he's wasting millions of times that amount elsewhere... also, he was against tax cut bills when Bush was president and he was in congress. now he's all for it. flip flopping for the votes like usual. and the sad thing is people don't know any of that... WAKE UP EVERYONE! IT'S BEGINNING TO GET PATHETIC!

TXHorseman - I'm afraid it's the old timers again. That was the Bush Tax Cuts.

To everyone who somehow thinks this was a Republican victory or an Obama failure, in what alternative reality do you live?

All that the average voter sees is that Obama and the Senate wanted to extend the temporary payroll tax cut beyond the end of this year and the Republican-controlled House wanted to raise that tax back to its old levels, starting January 1.

You can nuance it all you want, and do a deep dive on the details, but all that the voters will remember is the headline: Republicans wanted to raise taxes, Obama and the Democrats wanted to keep taxes lower, and eventually the Republicans caved.

The GOP really stepped on their d**ks on this one.

azdad,

That is a lie, the Republicans wanted to extend it for one year so they would not have to go through this again in 2 months and the President pushed for 2 months and then the tax will go up unless they pass another bill.

Two months, big whoop. Call me when they actually do something that makes a difference.

Gee Backcountry: are you laughingly trying to claim that a MAJORITY of Americans of all colors didn't support Obama? Guess that mandate whopping victory kind of passed you right by eh? (take a clue genius: Your boy McCain had 1.4 million FEWER white voters than GW).

The hijacking of our government by industrialists has been going on for decades. NAFTA was a 100% pro-business plan that should be renegotiated. It's free for industrialists in developing nations but all but depleted the middle class.

It's not kicking the can down the road. The GOP wants to kiss the ring of the big oil people as Bush did by shoving the Keystone Pipeline down the throats of the American people. Jobs? Temporary. Damage to environment? Permanent.

Vote for progressives and kick the TP Party to the curb along with their Norquist minions, the GOP.

Lets tax the rich so that we will have plenty of money to pay the bills. The Republicans only care about the rich - almost every Senator and Congressman are millionaires and don't have to worry about health insurance or pensions for life. But us middle class workers don't have those same benefits and we are at the mercy of the uncaring Republican congress.

It is time to let those expire. It is a tax rebate right now, letting them expire IS NOT a tax increase. We keep spending more, but taking in less. Do any of the Democrates understand you can not continue to do this. Epic Fail for all of Congress. We can not continue to support people that do not want a job. The paper is filled full of want ads. Go pick one up and look. The problem is that unemployment pays more then a job does and that is wrong. We need to cut unemployment payments in half and stick to them only being for so long. Time for the lazy Aoles to get off the Government tit and earn an honest pay check.

martvol
It is time to let those expire. It is a tax rebate right now, letting them expire IS NOT a tax increase. We keep spending more, but taking in less. Do any of the Dewmocrates understand you can not continue to do this. Epic Fail for all of Congress. We can not continue to support people that do not want a job. The paper is filled full of want ads. Go pick one up and look. The problem is that unemployment pays more then a job does and that is wrong. We need to cut unemployment payments in half and stick to them only being for so long. Time for the lazy Aoles to get off the Government tit and earn an honest pay check.

That's what Mr Limbaugh and Fox says, but it's a lie. I know people that have looked tirelessly for any job for a couple years. Those jobs that you mention--where are they? They're not in the newspaper, nor online. My daughter works in HR for a major corporation. There are 100's of applications for a single entry level job.

Point is--your post is untrue. The income gap widens by the day and has turned our economy into a 2 class system. the 1% has, the 99% don't.

Go pick up the paper and look, they are there. They are not $80,000 a year jobs, no. But there are jobs to be had if you are willing to work.

True story. We went on work share a couple years ago at a plant that I work at. Instaed of laying people off outright, everybody got a day off a week and got unemployment for it. We got paid more for the day off then if we had worked!!!! That is not even close to being right.

Hell yeah, lets take the whole week off if I am going to get paid more for it.

Wake up and understand why people are still on unemployment.

Ol Doc, Yes that is exactly my point. While running for office.............!!!

@AP-1414066

Gee Backcountry: are you laughingly trying to claim that a MAJORITY of Americans of all colors didn't support Obama?

Ummm, no I'm not nor do I have a clue how you'd come to that conclussion.

I believe that the majority of Americans of all colors with any political affiliation are easily duped. I just happen to believe Obama is exceptionally good at spewing the BS making those who would be inclined to support him especially susceptible.

The income gap widens by the day and has turned our economy into a 2 class system. the 1% has, the 99% don't.

I hear a lot of bitching about the "income gap" but no one ever mentions the fact that even those at the very bottom are better off today than they were 60, 40 or even 20 years ago. Sure those at the top are getting a bigger piece of the pie but the pie is getting bigger also resulting in more for everyone.

Would you all please stop trying to suggest that the gains of the weathy come at the expense of the poor? The poor are gaining also, just not as quickly.

Mark...Or perhaps that money will help pay for the mortgage or rent. Perhaps it will pay for a dentist or doctor bill or prescriptions. Maybe some will be spent on food or clothing. Perhaps it will go to pay for the power and light bill or the water bill. Why are you assuming 160 million people will be squandering their increased paycheck?

I am not for reducing the amount of money that goes into the social security fund. It will need the money. I am not for spending the social security money on things other than social security. I also don't want to pay anyone social security that did not earn it or their spouse.

This deal is a poor one. Making laws two months at a time just shows how worthless our government is. Our government needs a substantial pay cut.

Wow.

The Republicans were holding out for a 12 month extension of the tax cut, but the Democrats refused to allow anything but a 2 month extension, and it's hailed in the media as a 'great victory' for the Democrats.

But it's the middle class that has to worry all over again in only 2 months.

So who is looking out for the middle class? Not Harry Reid.

Let us hope Obama doesn't gloat over this little meaningless bandaid that was worked out! And I also hope he's taking his meds to prevent the excessive use of pronouns he's so fond of in his previous speeches.

Let's count the number of times he says "I", "me", "mine", etc... lol!

brendan-4 -

Unemployment compensation has been part of the nation's "safety net" for nearly 80 years. It has been supported by Republican and Democratic administrations alike. It is not some sort of "welfare" for lazy, undeserving people. Those who qualify must persistently seek employment, and prove it.

The benefit to the country is that these benefits keep people at least marginally afloat during very difficult times such as the Bush Recession. That translates into more local and national social stability, some continued spending that helps promote economic recovery, less homlessness, better-cared-for families, and considerably more.

It is not a question of "personal responsibility," as you so dismissively wrote. It is a question of a country as a whole that needs to try to make itself healthy, and the nation's well-being is in large part measured by by the well-being of all its people. When there are on average four candidates for every job - and in some areas quite a few more than just four - it's clear that the problem of employment is a daunting one.

Your attitude is not exactly shared by an even large minority of Americans. You're welcome to your opinions, of course, but your opinion, to most of us, is abhorrent. I guess you will wake up Christmas morning and flog the kids out the front door, telling them to go earn their own money if they want to buy themselves presents, too. Even 4-year-olds, after all, can do things like pick up trash, huh?

And by the way, I most certainly do have a fine job - but yours seems to be putting up snarky posts for Grover Norquist.

Roy - The democrats are looking out for the middle class than the republicans ever dreamed possible. OBAMA asked for a 1 year extension, he got 2 months in the Senate, and then by bipartisan support. Boehner and his cronies realized if they did NOT support a 2 month extension, they would be blamed for the tax increase on the middle class. They had no choice but to finally GIVE in and actually DO something that wasn't intended to cost Obama his job.

This is a small victory for Obama, but the road to economic recovery is still a very long one. It would actually be "GOOD" If this do nothing Congress, and Obama put aside their politics and actually did what's right for the entire nation..

Amazing,,, After all the excesses and lies coming out of D.C. still the party faithful babble on. Why can not see you being sold a bill of goods? Check your favorite politico's portfolio if you want to see where their loyalties truly lie. It isn't with the American people unless it just happens to coincide with them making money. Check their tax returns and explain the hundred fold gap between the salary we pay them and the numbers of their returns. One such return, $1.7 million in personal adjusted federal income on a salary of $160,000. Think you could post those numbers with a visit from the IRS? I don't think so. What part of ALL dirty, ALL the time don't you brainwashed Brahmin get? They made money on both sides of the bail out, housing pre and post collapse and the stimulus, not that it stimulated anything aside from the personal fortunes. You bitch about Wall street, big banking, Insurance, etc. Your favorite politicos are all major share holders. Believe them if you chose, As for me, I'll continue to see them for what they are. Liars, Thieves and Scoundrels all.

cutting any spending is to toxic to the democratic party because they remain in power by promising things that are not sustainable.

That is simply not true. We need to make cuts where it makes sense to make cuts. We neeed to go through existing programs and find out where duplicative effort is and where we have wasteful spending. Repubs only want to look and the social safety net education and the epa.

John A.-400474 "Unemployment compensation has been part of the nation's "safety net" for nearly 80 years. It has been supported by Republican and Democratic administrations alike. It is not some sort of "welfare" for lazy, undeserving people. Those who qualify must persistently seek employment, and prove it."

Thanks for my morning laugh.

Numerous studies show that once their unemployment benefits run out, the vast majority of people find a job within 60 days. What's that old saying about 'Necessity is the mother of invention'? I guess when you really need to, you will take that job that you thought was 'beneath you' when the government was supporting you.

The whole Tax cut issue that just played out was a cynical attempt by the Democrats to look like they care about average americans so Obama can get re-elected even though he spent his first term stabbing his base in the back.
Both parties want massive cuts to social programs like Social Security and Medicare that will devastate the living standards of average americans for generations to come.

And why? To reduce the deficit that was caused by the recession that was caused by the swindling of the banks that mostly benefited the richest 1% (who or course bankroll the two major parties to a large extent)

They are trying to reverse all the gains made by working people during the first half of the last century back to the feudal/capitalist "gilded age" when the so called Robber Barons like Carnagie and Du Pont, etc. ruled American society.

Here's any article I found online:

Christmas of crisis in America

23 December 2011

America at Christmas 2011 is a society of mass poverty, on the one hand, and vast wealth accumulation, on the other—tens of millions of people are poor and desperate, while a relative handful enjoy riches undreamt of by the Egyptian pharaohs or the aristocracy of Louis XIV.

Government agencies and social service groups document the tidal wave of human need in statistics that are increasingly mind-boggling: 50 million Americans live below the official poverty line, while another 100 million live in "near-poverty," struggling to support themselves on incomes so low that they are one misfortune away from destitution.

Some 25 million workers are either unemployed or underemployed, 50 million live without health insurance, one out of every seven Americans receives food stamps. The number of self-employed Americans has fallen by two million over the past five years. Nearly six million of the jobless have been out of work for more than six months.

The jobs crisis has steadily worsened, not only year-to-year, but decade after decade. American capitalism continues to generate record corporate profits and wealth for the super-rich, but is less and less able to provide employment for working people….

…While the vast majority of the American people confront increasing difficulty in meeting their basic social and economic requirements, the financial aristocracy lives in a different universe. One recent example sheds considerable light.

As the New York Times reported this week, one charter member of this aristocracy, former Citigroup chairman Sandy Weill, has just sold his penthouse apartment in Manhattan for $88 million. The purchaser was 22-year-od Ekaterina Rybolovleva, daughter of Russian oligarch Dmitriy Rybolovlev, the monopoly owner of the former Soviet fertilizer industry.

The squandering of such a vast sum to house a single individual naturally provokes outrage and revulsion. The $88 million expended for the penthouse at 15 Central Park West is greater than the entire annual operating deficit of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($68 million), or the 2010 annual budget deficit of the city of Detroit ($58 million). It approximates the cost of all free school lunches in the New York City schools for an entire school year.

By a straightforward calculation, $88 million would provide 2,000 jobs for unemployed workers at the average US wage of $44,000 a year. While Mr. Weill and Ms. Rybolovleva are among the "job creators" celebrated by American politicians, Democrats and Republicans, who oppose raising taxes on the super-rich, neither of them provided employment on that scale. And if anything, the demeaning employment of chauffeurs, doormen, maids and security men who serve the whims of such billionaires constitutes a drain on society, not a benefit.

There is another yardstick for measuring this waste of social resources. Sandy Weill is best known as the wheeler-dealer who combined his Travelers insurance empire with Citibank, creating Citigroup as the first and largest of the financial supermarkets, companies able to throw their weight around in every area of financial services.

In 1998-99, Weill launched an all-out lobbying campaign to sway the Republican-controlled Congress and the Democratic White House to support repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act, the Depression-era law, passed in the wake of the 1929 Wall Street crash, that made illegal the type of financial octopus created by Weill.

Weill bought Congress and the Clinton administration for $100 million, not much more than the price at which he sold his Manhattan penthouse last month.

Patrick Martin

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/dec2011/pers-d23.shtml

All of you country folk here for whom reading is clearly a challenge, maybe a picture will do you some good:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_Debt_Trend.svg

And, in case you've never seen a graph before, in this one 'up' is bad. Yes, BHO has done little for this or, at least to this observer, done much at all to change previous policies. But, since our 'economy' seems to depend on domestic spending (us, big screen TVs, et al, 'demand'), to suck all excess monies out of the system would quickly deflate the system (depression). The rich are withholding their monies from the true 'job creators' the herd's entrepreneurs, us, because this has a hugely beneficial effect for the monopolistic large corporations. Profit reports should have already told you this. The key here is your neuroanatomy. If it is saturated with fat and/or flaccid from 'reality tv', religion, toxic corporate foodstuffs, and other poisons, it may be more difficult to see through the fog of lies that you swallow daily with no critical analysis or even need for consistency. If YOU believe it, it MUST be true. And we of little 'faith' are just troublemakers and 'liberals' and them dern smart-people... 'Smart' is not what is necessary, just the capability of smelling the reek of a self-serving, greed laced lie is all that is required, and the determination that constantly being victimized by the liars, thieves, and murderers who constitute the foul 'upper crust' of our genepool is an evil way to spend one's so short time here on earth. Believe who you will, but it is your children who will pay the ever increasing price, as we are now, thanks to the slugs who came before us and called themselves the 'greatest'. B'wah hah hah hah...(sob). They were fools, and the seed does not fall far...

If this is what the media, lefties and Obama call a victory, boy are they going to be surprised when the 2012 election results are tallied.

What a great time to be alive!

While everyones attention was focused on the payroll tax extension;

quietly and without any fanfare or reporting Obama signed the defense authorization law, allowing for imprisonment of American citizens with trial by the military, homeland security and U.S. Marshals office, be very careful what you now say in chat rooms and the vine, you could easily disappear.

Hannibel Lechner,

Well, if spelling is your bag, better enter a spelling bee and NOT debate politics, poorly!

The politicization of the Dumocrats' approach is now undeniable; perhaps their new approach will be to propose another idiotic and unhelpful tax cut once a week, just so they can attack the GOP when they rightly oppose it.?

How far the party of Truman, Stevenson, and JFK has fallen.

brendan-4

I guess if you call personal responsibility and individiual freedoms crazy then by all means listen to John A.

There is no reason the government should pay someone to be unemployed for 99 months john. thats a little rediculous don't you think?

We can only hope that people like you lose your job so you'll stfu. Gotta be the most asinine post today.

Oops... update...

Hannibel Lechter Comment collapsed by the community

I think I've read somewhere that the only reason he was elected was because our nation's Electoral College had to give him extra votes because he is considered to be a "person of color".

Sorry brendan, you've been unseated with an even more asinine post.

Backcoluntry164,

RE: your post #1.40

The answers to your two questions are: NO! and NO! That was the claim Of your brother, Hannibel Lechner! Next try statements of fact rather than questions you already know the answers to!

eugene

do you realize that if you taxed every man, woman, and child in this country 100% you would not have enough money to pay off the national debt? So even a 100% tax only on the "rich" won't even make a dent in our money problems. Notice i said "money" problems and not "budget" problems...the last budget we had was signed by that evil GWB, we have been operating on continuing resolutions since then

azdad48,

RE: your post #1.40

Hint! There is only ONE REALITY. There is NO such a thing as an 'alternative reality' as you claim. If you believe there is more than one reality it's past the time to see the Psycho Dr. Another hint! Things, all things, are either reality or fantasy, true or false! Capice?

@scrambolo

The answers to your two questions are: NO! and NO! That was the claim Of your brother, Hannibel Lechner!

Even a simpleton could see that he was being facetious and yet you are still referring to it as a "claim" as if it were intended to be serious. I was asking if you were dumb enough to believe it was a genuine statement and even though you say no it's pretty clear the answer is yes.

John A says:

Unemployment compensation has been part of the nation's "safety net" for nearly 80 years. It has been supported by Republican and Democratic administrations alike. It is not some sort of "welfare" for lazy, undeserving people. Those who qualify must persistently seek employment, and prove it.

Give me a break. Study after study has proved people will get off their butts and find a job when the dole check stops! And stop with the bs that to qualify you must persistently seek employment - what a joke. And it is a question of personal responsibility. There are plenty of places in the country that unemployment is very low. So maybe you have to make the decision to move to were the jobs are instead of living on welfare.

You do not make people strong, healthy and proud by wiping their butts! That only creates a sad, pathetic, weak, needy and dependent non-participating person in our society. There is help, and then there is total destruction of the human spirit. Or would you prefer the Soviet model of waiting in line for government bread and cheese? That's Obama's utopia!

The time will come when the people say "enough." That's when the Waltons will need that series of bunkers they built. You people on the right shill for wealthy industrialists and turn on your own. This country is slated to spend $1.2T to $1.4T on defense related for 2012 with total revenues of $2.2T. The balance needed to operate the government will be borrowed. Until the mass exportation of jobs stops along will the massive spending on a military that is out of hand, there will be no peace.

Why do you folks think that this economy is in ruins? Answer = wars and NAFTA. Unions didn't design inferior products--corporations did. The right is aiding in the depletion Middle Class and blue collar workers in attempts to break the backs of the worker. The rich took the jobs to foreign soil to exploit cheaper labor yet sell to the world's largest consuming economy in history. Insurers make sure that your premiums stay high and they price fix.

Regulate and cap the amount that the price gougers can charge. The Roy's of the US will be consumed by the masses. It won't be done by looking down the barrel of a gun either. Let there be peace and let's reverse that historically wide income gap.

ROY WILSON-336103

For being a guy that's all about facts, you sure have been twisting them lately. And you're going to stick with your statement that this was only about 1 year versus 2 months? Nothing else in the bill that was in there as rewards for the hostage taking?

And I can't believe you're on the side of "non-math"! I guess when math is convenient, you use it, when it's not, you don't... disappointing. So when people run out of unemployment insurance, they find a job... anything... whether it's a match or not, whether it pays the bills... you are probably right. It's called desperation... and a great many probably resort to collecting aluminum cans... so what?

The point is that there are not enough jobs available to employ any where near the number of people needing a job. It's math. So yes, when someone with a degree runs out of unemployment insurance, they will take a job. And they will displace someone without a degree. And they will take a lesser job. And they will displace someone that is less capable or older or otherwise less "desirable" in the job market. But at some point we have math that says people that need jobs cannot get one. They need a lifeline called unemployment insurance.

It's not emotion that is causing joblessness. It's not laziness that is causing unemployment. It was irresponsible banks, and irresponsible deregulation, and underfunded regulatory departments, and greedy Wall Street brokers, and idiotic insurers... it had NOTHING to do with the people suffering today because of no job.

Get a heart people. This rancor is ugly.

The right-wingers in here can b!tch and moan (which is all they know how to do) -- Though small, the measures in this bill to extend the payroll tax cut, UE, and Medicare assistance increases the GDP significantly. That's because a strong middle class always creates demand, and demand will help create jobs, which will help improve the economy for everyone including the rich.

Now if you want to know about the pipeline that would only benefit Big Oil and the Chinese, I believe the president has the option to say 'no' to this and not address it until later. If you want to know what the two-month extension is worth, it's giving the Speaker his conference as it were in which both Parties in both chambers can continue to negotiate a way to pay for this middle class bill for an entire year.

But the deeper issue is whether congress will remain dysfunctional due to a minority of far-right extremists in the House, or will the more sane Republicans shut them down as they finally did regarding this 2-month extension? If the more sane Republicans fail to take back control of their Party, they will suffer along with the Tea Party members, who voters now realize need to be thrown out in 2012.

So brace yourselves for the negotiations that will start in January. As we see in this thread, the Teabagger's petty, misguided, and destructive world view will take time to silence. Not only are the Dems finally united, but the Republicans are splitting apart. May the right-wing fascist theocratic plutocracy never see the light of day.

Obama/Biden - 2012!

Note: I am not a democrat but a concerned proud american, who loves this country to death, but the republicans (conservatives) have to go. I don't understand (unless it is just pure brainwashing and/or stupidity) how people vote for the republicans and conservatives. Obama is an amazing politician, person, and true American. However, the awful and hateful republicans continue to hurt and destroy this country by not allowing the government to pass these wonderful policies and
laws that are being brought to the table by Obama and his administration and some other democrats. It's like he is giving us the solutions and corrections on what will make this country progress, develop, and get so much better, and then the crabby/difficult and manipulative/evil republicans do not support and vote for the potential policies and laws. And, they don't support them because they are not going to work or be good for America, but they don't support them because they are from a brilliant Democrat who is trying to help the country, but is having a difficult time because the republicans don't care about this country.

The dirty republicans want to continue to play games, slander others, lie, cheat, steal, and be (what needs to be said) racist. If Obama was white, the republicans would probably at least respect him a little. In addition, all the republicans care about is themselves and no one else, even not other republicans (unless you are a billionaire) and are going to donate a lot of money to their campaigns. If the policy or law focused on tax cuts for the rich and their businesses, the republicans would vote for those in a heartbeat, but when it comes to helping the poor and middle class, the republicans have to say that the potential law is going to be socialist and bad for the country. Are you kidding me?

Wake up America!!! Stop voting for republicans and their selfish and evil ways. Support the current President and his brilliant ideas. This country would be in such an amazing and better place if Obama and the other democrats have been able to pass more of their policies and laws due to the stubborn and mean republicans. In addition, which is also another long discussion, Obama is trying to clean up the infinite mess and devastating decisions that were made by Bush and previous
Republicans. All Bush and the republicans did was drive this country into the ground and steal millions of dollars for themselves. They also hurt millions of innocent Americans just so they could get rich. Shame on you Bush and all the republicans. You all are criminals and should be locked up or please just leave this country and get out. All you care about is yourself and your money. It is going to take decades for us to recover from the horrible and awful decisions that were made by Bush, previous republican presidents, and other stupid republican policies and laws. America is about the people and helping people, not about keeping the rich rich and making the republicans more money. republicans are horrible and sick people.

Please support and continue to support these wonderful and amazing decisions, bills, policies, and laws that Obama and the democrats are bringing to the table. You will not be sorry. They are for the people and the greater good, not just for a specific group of people to help make them stay or get rich.

P.S. I am not a democrat but just really care about this country and its people and after decades of studying republicans, democrats, and other political ideas, it is obvious that the republicans are lying to everyone and have a selfish agenda. If everyone would stop taking sides, they would be able to see the truth of what the republicans and conservatives are really trying to do, which is try to make themselves rich and everyone else poor. Shame on all of you republicans and conservatives, especially the tea party members.

For you republicans who read my post, please please please wake up and quit being brainwashed and/or quit being selfish and think about the greater good. In addition, collapsing my post is proof enough that you do not want the truth to be told. And, you are the hypocrite.

hopefull american; I believe you have unemployment insurance mixed up with welfare payments, the transfer of tax money's to the welfare system, since 1965, over 16 trillion dollars, is what has collapsed the system; unemployment compensation funds always had a surplus , until the depression started in 2007-2008. tell a person with a masters degree in scientific, engineering, biology, who worked steady for 25 years, whose company moved overseas, if he is 50 years old or older, the only job opportunity for them is a greeter at wal-mart, which they could not get, because of being over qualified.

this entire fiasco was caused by outsourcing, welfare mentality, and a tax code that gives company's a break from overseas earnings, oh yes and a political system in Washington that is totally controlled by corporate lobbyists.

Note: I am not a democrat

translation- "Note: I am not willing to admit that I am a democrat because I realize that doing so would completely discredit everything I have to say"

Absolutely amazing! Every time that I read a thread full of asinine, uninformed, uneducated GOP/Teabagger comments, I think to myself that it just can't get much worse. Well folks...I was dead wrong...this thread is the "current" all-time champion! We are ALL dumber now having read this Conservative BS! Maybe your "home schooling" isn't working out too well. God help us. I can't wait for November 6, 2012!

Backcountry164,

RE: your post #1.74

If you already knew the answers to YOUR OWN QUESTIONS, why did ask? Is it only to reinforce your own convictions, or what? Perhaps it was to show how brilliant your are! Right!

@TruePatriot-445959

Now if you want to know about the pipeline that would only benefit Big Oil and the Chinese

This is where I realized you were full of shti and stopped reading your post. You think the pipeline would benefit the Chinese? I feel fairly certian that the Chinese would prefer the pipeline NOT be built so Canada will sell their oil to them instead of piping it down to us.

@scrambolo

If you already knew the answers to YOUR OWN QUESTIONS, why did ask? Is it only to reinforce your own convictions, or what? Perhaps it was to show how brilliant your are! Right!

I asked because it was hard for me to believe anyone could be that dumb so I was giving you the benefit of the doubt. Obviously it was a waste of my time.

, I think to myself that it just can't get much worse.

Yeah right! You expect anyone here to believe you think for yourself after you parrot the standard liberal rhetoric? Nice try. LOL!

@1.50 -- martvol, if it's such a good idea to let this temporary payroll tax reduction expire, then why not also let the temporary Bush income tax cuts expire? Well, for one thing, there are valid concerns that such a tax increase across all income levels at this time might destroy this very fragile recovery and plunge us back into another recession -- destroying rather than creating jobs.

These tax cuts and the deficits that go with them are not sustainable in the long run, but pulling the plug on all stimulus before the patient can breathe on his own is also unwise.

You said unemployment pays more than a job? You must live in a liberal high tax state that can afford to be excessively generous. Where I live, the most anyone can collect in unemployment benefits is $240/week, no matter how much they made at their last job -- $50k, $100k, or whatever. $240/week is equivalent to $6/hour in a 40 hour workweek, which is well below minimum wage.

And that is the way it should be. Nobody I know can pay all their bills on $240/week, but they can buy food and enough gas to go job-hunting. Even a minimum wage job beats $6/hour.

Backcountry164 -- Hahaha (snort) haha! Do some research for a change before you come into forums like this and post your ignorant drivel. The pipeline will take oil to the gulf ports, by which it can be more easily sold on the global market, for which the Chinese are highly competitive in cornering. Why do you suppose the Chinese are trying to buy Canadian oil companies?

The botton line:

The Party that focuses on jobs, the economy, and income inequality (the middle class instead of the richest 1%) wins in 2012.

If we elect a clear majority of Tea Party Conservatives there will be NO further gridlock.

Clearly the voters did not vote for the old Establishment in 2010. They voted for the more conservative Tea Party-leaning because that's what voters wanted to keep the wild over spending down.

It just does not make any sense to have the old establishment in leadership positions after that 2010 election gave such a CLEAR voice against it.

Put a Tea Party Conservative as Speaker of the House. That's what voters voted for!

It's not personal but we voted for the old ways of being a squishy establishment RINO to be over. Voters deserve to get the conservative leadership we asked for.

Backcountry,

RE: your post #1.85

Yea, sure, right, so forth, so on, and etcetera! Better see 'Doctor Feelgood'--SOON!

Each country’s economy revolves around it’s natural resources and the processing of those by people to enrich their own lives and the lives of others through exports. The United States is blessed with abundant fertile soils and abundant underlying mineral resources, and abundant water and clean air.

Business will manage U.S. resources and provide jobs for everybody if government will stay out of the way. The greater the intrusion by our government into business the lesser will be growth and the greater will be unemployment.

People who rightfully should be paid by the government are the elderly who had faithfully made lifelong contributions into Social Security. Not funding Social Security in order to keep a few dollars in the pockets of American workers is not fair to the elderly.

Backcountry164

You think the pipeline would benefit the Chinese? I feel fairly certian that the Chinese would prefer the pipeline NOT be built so Canada will sell their oil to them instead of piping it down to us.

They mine it in Canada just miles from our border. They want to pipe it all the way through the United States to the port best equipped to SHIP the oil. Why?Our oil EXPORTS just recently topped our oil IMPORTS... you saw that didn't you? So let's say that most, if not ALL, of this oil gets shipped to other countries, like China for large profits? What you say then? Does that help with our oil and gas prices? Does it really reduce our oil dependence? Is all that manipulation worth the environmental risk?

There are too many questions surrounding this pipeline deal. They need answered.

Zen love....where to start with you're comment above???

Note: I am not a democrat but a concerned proud american, who loves this country to death, but the republicans (conservatives) have to go...Obama is an amazing politician, person, and true American.

You obviously voted for Obama and I'd bet you always vote Dem. Or do you not vote at all?

republicans continue to hurt and destroy this country by not allowing the government to pass these wonderful policies and laws

A fundamental difference between Dems & Repubs. Dems look to WashDC for help and Repubs want WashDC out of the way and allow us to live a life free from over taxation and govt regulation.

If Obama was white, the republicans would probably at least respect him a little.

Ah, the old race card....we always know that one is coming. Obama is being held accountable like he should be, white or black. Quit propping him up and making excuses for his failures. Of course if Obama was white, he would never have been elected in the first place.

All Bush and the republicans did was drive this country into the ground and steal millions of dollars for themselves.

Another difference between Dems & Repubs. I, like many Repubs am willing to look critically at those in "my party". Most conservatives didn't agree with Bush policy and especially his spending on bailouts and TARP. Many Dems seem willing to follow Obama right off the cliff b/c he can do no wrong.

Ok, race baiter...claim the race card and then say he wouldn't have been elected if white? Yeah, keep claiming you are a "critical" thinker...you're neither critical or much of a thinker. What a joke--Your mission accomplished guy drove up huge deficits, launched two wars and kept them off the books, massive tax giveaways for the wealthiest Americans and you're proud you suddenly discovered red ink?? Boy do you fit your party...that's why you're an anachronism...

Azdad48 post 1.87

I live in Kansas. Far from being a "liberal" state. $420 maximum unemployment and then there was the $25 a week added bonus that the Federal Government added to it. That $25 was given for just the one day off too. It was not prorated to $5 a day. And for the first $2400 we didn't need to pay any tax on unemployment money. That was $109 dollars tax free for one day of not working. I was at $13 an hour then. A normal day at work I earned $104 and had to pay tax on it.

Obama is an amazing politician, person, and true American. However, the awful and hateful republicans continue to hurt and destroy this country by not allowing the government to pass these wonderful policies and
laws that are being brought to the table by Obama and his administration and some other democrats.

Zen Love, Really!! You may not be a democrat but you obviously are a socialist. If socialism is so great why is virtually every socialist country in the world swimming in red ink? Obama want our country to be like Europe. WRONG! Lets be like AMERICA, like America that was envisioned under the founding fathers and the constitution. Obama is the worst thing to ever happen to America. He is the most divisive president ever bar none.

@TruePatriot-445959

Hahaha (snort) haha! Do some research for a change before you come into forums like this and post your ignorant drivel.

Considering all you do on these boards is spew the the standard liberal rhetoric I doubt seriously you have any clue the meaning of the word "drivel".

"Keystone XL Pipeline: Canada Eyes Asia After U.S. Delays Project"-http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/13/keystone-xl-pipeline-canada-asia-us_n_1091439.html And this from the "huff and puff post" a source I assume you trust.

"The U.S. State Department’s decision to delay its review of TransCanada Corp. (TRP)’s $7-billion Keystone XL pipeline until after next year’s presidential election may doom the project and accelerate Canada’s efforts to ship crude to Asia, Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said."-http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-11/u-s-review-delay-may-doom-transcanada-s-keystone-pipeline-flaherty-says.html

Numerous studies show that once their unemployment benefits run out, the vast majority of people find a job within 60 days.

Care to post some sources? Go on, surprise me.

Hey Moose and Squirrel, Lets go back in time just a bit Obama himself said indirectly I don't want to help the hard working American people, I want to continue my social agenda and raise taxes on the wealthy while I keep jobs from the lower to middle class by sending their jobs to white collar middle to upper middle class socialistic liberals...So I will use the EPA and the Department of homeland security to squash the keystone pipeline. This will keep the people on the federal handout program needing a unemp extension and reward those on my side of the equation happy. Then I'll come back and say that I want to extend the tax cut to those who are still paying tax who are already living on the edge, in fear. This was said to a Republican controlled House. At that time he also said it would be "inexcusable" for congress not to pass a tax cut... They did, and it was for a full year their plan was even more practical for the lower middle and middle class because it was tied to the keystone pipeline...(12 MONTHS AND JOBS) Mr. President JUST WHAT THE PEOPLE WANTED!!! OH NO! REJECT!! Then comes our saviors the DEMOCRATIC controlled Senate...Leading the charge, ready to go on christmas break like a bunch of high school kids, with a brilliant TWO MONTH Plan. What's that in $ according to the Almighty Ones Figures $80.00! Quick let me kiss their feet. This s a smashing victory!!!

By the way Whatever your name is

Funny because you pay less in taxes than you did under Bush and his Republican Congress so how are you being "bled" by these liberals????

All I can say again is GROW UP and GET OFF THE SOCIAL WAGON!!!

They mine it in Canada just miles from our border. They want to pipe it all the way through the United States to the port best equipped to SHIP the oil. Why

Several hundred miles from the border of Montana technically. Aside from that small distinction the total capacity of refineries in the north is a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of that in the gulf. Both Texas and Louisiana have individual refineries that can handle more crude than all of Montana's refineries combined. Without the pipeline we’d never be able to keep up.

Conspiracies make good headlines and are useful for riling up those who are easily manipulated by their respective political party but sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one.

@flbikerchick

Care to post some sources? Go on, surprise me.

Whenever I doubt something I try to find some facts for myself before I suggest someone else is full of shti. Took me a couple seconds to find these-

"As much of a quarter of the recent decline in the U.S. jobless rate is due to long-term unemployment benefits running out, according to research from the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank published on Tuesday. When people exhaust their benefits, the Chicago Fed study found, many find jobs or give up and leave the labor force altogether..."- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/31/unemployment-rate-declining-jobless-benefits_n_869234.html

"Indeed, several recent economic studies have found that UI extensions can account for 0.5 to 1.5 percentage points of the increase in the unemployment rate during the most recent recession and early recovery."-http://www.chicagofed.org/digital_assets/publications/chicago_fed_letter/2011/cfljuly2011_288.pdf

So are you surprised?

The United States is blessed with abundant fertile soils and abundant underlying mineral resources, and abundant water and clean air.

And these resources belong to all of us -- not just for greedy companies to profit from, and are of no use if not properly managed. Big Oil using tax-built roads and bridges, utility companies using tax-built dams or canals, logging, etc. -- All these industries need to stop destroying the environment and/or gouging US citizens. They should "pay it forward" or be nationalized. As for high gas prices, you can thank speculators on Wall Street for that.

Back to the topic... Buckle up for the Bush tax expiration, the Fight for Fairness is only beginning!

YEA!!! You always know that something very good happened for Middle Class America when the teabaggers hop on line crying like spoiled 5 year old girls. You little baggers are all too young to remember the GW Bush years, so let me give you the little mantra he used to use when driving us into this economic disaster...."Deficits are good for the Economy. Deficits are good for the Economy". It was invented by the now notorious Uncle "Dead Eye" Dick and was chanted constantly by every eunuch on FOX news. It worked beautifully for the angry and dumb back then...it should work just as well for you now.

When you baggers can stop pouting and sucking your thumbs, you may want to consider defeating John Boehner. We all know that the only way he is going to go down with this sinking ship of a Republican congress is if he passes out drunk, again, on the tanning bed.

I think you're really being unfair to spoiled 5 year old girls.

@Shockedanddisgusted

You little baggers are all too young to remember the GW Bush years,

The Tea Party formed as a protest against the bailouts which were started by Bush. In fact the Tea Party ousted several incumbent republicans with some of those seats going to the dems. I think it is pretty clear that the Tea Party is not in line with the policies of GWB. But please don't let any facts interfere with your desire to parrot your partisan rant.

AP...you have a point. Even spoiled 5 year old girls eventually learn their lesson....

Backcountry....then quit your crying and go after Boehner. He is your worst enemy if you really do care about fiscal responsibility.

Don't try to pretend the the "tea" party even resembles a coellescent unit. We all know it was nothing more than the "moral majority" in disguise and has done nothing but leach off the Republican Party. If the "tea" party had any substance, they would form their own party. Until that happens, they will always be considered to be the poor loser cry babies that they are.

Willing.Sniper -- There are many problem with your "reasoning" such as low turn out in mid-term elections, and how the Teapublicans ran on jobs yet never did a damn thing to create jobs, and instead went for complete overreach and abuse of power (have you not noticed the backlash already in Wisconsin, Ohio, Arizona, etc.?).

The ultra conservatives in the House only represent about 5% of the population. Arguing for Tyranny of the Minority, wow! Me, I prefer our constitutional democracy. Go Occupy, go Dems, go President Obama!

"Bonehead and the T-Nuts look like Fools, they shot themselves in the foot."

• Yet ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF OBAMA LEADERSHIP!!! TP days are numbered in Congress!!!!

@True Patriot, GO TRUE PATRIOT...right on man!!! Merry Christmas..

I get pretty tired of the blame games by this Administration and Obama. Obama and the Left had control for a few years, why didnt they worry about this problem and the budget when they had the power. I agree a year should of been in play like Obama wanted in the first place and now he goes back on his word just to please Reid the idiot. More time is wasted when they have to go back and do it ALL over AGAIN when other important issues could of be worked on. It's Pitiful how this Government is working.

Backcountry....then quit your crying and go after Boehner. He is your worst enemy if you really do care about fiscal responsibility.

WORST enemy?? ROTFLMAO!! He's on the list but I can think of a few who are worse when it comes to fiscal responsibility. If you think he's at the top of that list you don't have a clue what "fiscal responsibility" is.

Plain and simple they (all) falled to produced a budget for which they ALLwere elected - It is time we the American people kick their cans out of office just as if would happen to you if you failed to proform the duties in which you were hired to do. They want you to pick side so cose to pick their back sides.

Looked like the man was smiling as he signed the Congressional Bill.

William Bjornson, Aloha, Orygun-I checked out your Graph, I think that it's wrong unless the current national debt is only $5-6 trillion.

I'm amazed at the spin put on this whole situation - The President wanted a year extension, the Senate fought it out until they wanted to go on vacation and passed a 60 day extension. The Republicans in the House said no, the President was right this needs to be for at least a 1 year term, so that's what they passed, and that makes them the bad guys. Yes, damn those evil bastards for trying to give us an extra 10 months of garaunteed extra income! Damn those evil bastards! How could they try such a thing! And they tried to take the money from someplace other than Social Security too! Oh the horror! Bastards I say! Evil ones at that!

All hail the leadership of this great president, a 2 month extension. How amazing, what a true visionary. The whole world will be a better place now. A 2 month extension, how impressive, everything else in life pales to such a monumental Obama accomplishment. A 2 month extension, now I can just sit back and watch all the money roll in. All hail this amazing man!!!

Oh, backcountry....You proudly proselytize that the "tea" party began after the Bush bailouts....and none of you had any complaints before that??? You were all silent while Bush and Co. were spending away like drunken frat boys with Uncle Dick's limitless credit card...and now everything is Obama's fault.

Suddenly you people care about the budget?? My guess is that you and the rest of the moral majority were a part of that idiot group that were calling people like me "traitors" because we dared object to an unnecessary war that we knew we couldn't afford. Sound familiar?? Your patron saint Hannity was even calling for the banishment of people that dared question a sitting American President during a time a war!!! Where were you then, Backcountry?? You waited until the last MONTH of the Bush regime before you figured out the guy was bankrupting our country???

Your purpose for the "rise" of the "tea" party doesn't hold water and you really should scan your memory banks back to 2003 before you lecture anyone on fiscal responsibility.

this one is for you:

July 31, 2011:

"The Republican Debt Orgy in Pictures".....

http://crooksandliars.com/jon-perr/republican-debt-orgy-pictures

in colors.

Damn Obama for helping the average American instead of crooked Corporations looking for a hand out. Most of you far right neocons educated by Fox News don't have a clue that Obama just hit a home run for people like you. Unless your making over 110,000 a year it didn't help you that much at all for the rest of us and the chronically unemployed he hit a home run.

If you want to see a waste of Government spending go to http://costofwar.com/en/ and see the two ill-gotten a poorly managed wars are costing us. 250,000 dollars per second!, 112 billion a month that is the legacy we were given by the last Republican President.

The Republicans are toast now and it's to bad because before Karl Rove, the Tea Party and Fox News took over the party I was a Republican. Now I only have one friend left out of my old Republican buddies that still believes in this poor pathetic party.

LMarcT "ROY WILSON-336103 For being a guy that's all about facts, you sure have been twisting them lately."

So which 'fact' have I twisted? I'm all for providing unemployment benefits to those that qualify - that's what they paid for while they worked, and they are certainly entitled to it.

Why don't we discuss the REASONS for the bleak employment picture. I'm sure you will disagree, but perhaps we could have done without the record 81,000 pages of new regulations in Obama's first year in office (2009). Or perhaps we could have done without the the expensive new mandates that provide expensive new health insurance coverages. Or perhaps we could do without the moratoriums on drilling for oil and gas (perish the thought that we would consider reducing our dependence on our 'friends' in Venezuela and Iran). Or perhaps we could have waited on the new EPA regulations that will cause businesses far more money in energy costs. Or perhaps they could stop talking about tax increases (virtually every responsible economist will tell you that's bad for the recovery). Or perhaps we could have waited on those expensive new financial regulations that make borrowing far more expensive and difficult for everyone to qualify for a loan. And the anti-business policies of Obama go on, and on, and on.

I'm sure many of these things have some perceived benefit (at least to Liberals), but I think we could have waited until the economy started to recover before hitting businesses with nice sounding but job killing ideas.

The Democrats had complete control of Congress (even filibuster proof for a while) and what did they do with it? They piled on tons of anti-business regulations and far-left policies, and then they wonder why we have such an anemic recovery. I guess they didn't learn to 'connect the dots' in Kindergarten.

Scumbag Republicans won't raise taxes 4%on income over $500,000 a year, but fight tooth and nail to raise the taxes %3 on wages under $106,000 a year.

How is any working class American with a Brain not lining up to vote these GOP scumbags out of Office!

The Keystone ultimatum is interesting. Since the rest of the reports are still out, it may force the president to say no, instead of allowing it after all the environmental reports are in. That would be a funny outcome, wouldn't it? Sure, we would be giving up about 6,500 temp jobs, but we could let China put in the extra expense to refine that goop, and our gas prices wouldn't go up as a result. Sure, US big oil loses, but I think they can handle it.

I wouldn't say Obama got a victory here. He and the GOP have let this thing come back up in 2 months. Washington gridlock is ruining Obama's chances in the upcoming election and now they will have more gridlock in the public eye even closer to the election. I think the GOP got just what they wanted. When are any of them going to start doing something the voters want?

spg64,

I think you should look up your facts before posting.

ROTFLMAO!!!!!

So, where was the adoring entourage of Obama sniffers for the grand ceremonial signing of this historic, epic, convincing - oops, I mean resounding - piece of legislative partisanship? Where was the parade around the Beltway to celebrate this fiscal piece of malinvestment? Where was the swooning Lamestream media praising this benevolent flip-flop of revenue from one side of the ledger to the other?

"Bread and Circuses" are victorious again. As the elitist criminals in our government give the illusion that this is some kind of victory for American's they laugh at us all as they enjoy their First-Class flights back home to wallow in their deception over Christmas break. Nothing was gained other than convincing us that a paltry $700-$800 (after taxes) rebate, which most Americans will burn through repaying their Holiday spend-a-thon, will save our collapsing economy.

Remember the vast majority of the $50 Billion you all spent on all those Christmas presents MADE IN CHINA just enriched China's $410 Billion dollar sovereign wealth fund, China Investment Corp., which will be used to buy more overseas assets, mostly here and in Europe. This will help create a new $300 Billion dollar vehicle associated with China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange. This is the part of their Central Bank that manages their $3.2 Trillion dollar foreign exchange reserves. Thank you American's and our ridiculous consumption based economy. China LOVES our government redirecting our funds from Social Security to the General Fund to cover that massive interest on our National Debt.

We are effectively funding China's investments in our real economies here and in Europe, along with their investments in our growing debts. A 5-10% investment in German carmaker Daimler is expected. A 25% stake in South Africa's Shanduka Resource Group. Portugal's state utility EDP will receive $3.5 Billion dollars. China uses our Christmas spending for investments in global resources, our government invests in Solyndra and just increased our Debt by $180 Billion Dollars by stealing from one massive Unfunded Liability to spend out of the General Fund. Again, NOWHERE in the legislation is there a clause demanding any of this fuzzy math manipulation will go to paying down our Debt. Nowhere.

We just added $1 Trillion dollars more of debt with the Omnibus spending bill, we still need to reconcile this disastrous payroll tax extension, the $250 Billion Dollar Doctor Fix needs to be reconciled also. By early 2012 we will have burned through over $1.7 Trillion of the $2.4 Trillion Debt Ceiling increase. By the end of next year our Debt will be ominously close to $17 Trillion dollars. Then what? How will Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch view our non-existent austerity moves and uncontrolled spending?

So, go right ahead and wallow in your pathetic beliefs that our criminal incompetent government has a clue what they're doing to resurrect our once envied economy. In a related article right here on PMSNBC business leaders stated, and more amazingly PMSNBC reported it, that they need to see significant tax-reform, regulation reform, decrease in spending and certainty before they begin to even think about hiring or expanding their businesses. Where is our tax reform, other than the pathetic class envy rhetoric many are espousing? Where is the regulation reform that Obama promised, other than the "Swag" executive order that cut back on travel mugs and mouse pads.

Our government will need new shoes soon for all the can kicking they have been doing for the past 3 years. Maybe a new pair of Air Jordan III's will help, I heard they went on sale today amid riots and violence to buy them.

This tax payroll really doesnt matter to me one way or another, after I pay just my rent for the year I clear a whole 7,658 dollars a year and that doesnt include my utilites , car insurance , food , gas , and whatever we need , so I dont feel sorry for anyone making 50 k or more a year I am way below any poverty level.

Misinformation flying furiously, both left and right, in defending who's party won or lost this minuscule battle. Is there not a single patriotic American amongst you? Not even one who is smart enough to think for himself(or herself)?

Karl Rove, (the greatest architect of dirty tricks, deception and lies in modern history), may have told the truth time for very the first time since he denied masturbating to a poster of Adolph Hitler. "GOP stalwarts including strategist Karl Rove and the Wall Street Journal editorial board warned that if the tax cuts were allowed to expire, Republicans would take a political beating that would harm efforts to unseat Obama next year."

For the first time ever, I'm inclined to believe him. Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread. Rove is certainly no Angel, but his devious ploys were never those of a fool. Boner and Cantor, on the other hand, are obvious fools following the hand of fools.

@Shockedanddisgusted

....You proudly proselytize that the "tea" party began after the Bush bailouts....and none of you had any complaints before that??? You were all silent while Bush and Co. were spending away like drunken frat boys with Uncle Dick's limitless credit card...and now everything is Obama's fault.

Good luck trying to find one single post where I've held that position. I'm a libertarian and I bitch about Bush ALL the time and did so for the entire 8 years he was in office. Face it, the only credible defense you libs have of Obama is to compare him to the man you believe to be the worst President ever, GWB. Any time someone bitches about Obama all you can say is "at least he's not the very worst ever". Of course we all know by now that you'll only be able to say that for a very short time if he gets a second term. Hell, I'd bet Obama gets GWB's vote for that very reason.

So yeah, I'll lecture YOU on fiscal responsibility ANY day becasue your rant only proves that you can only see the fault in the other side while you bend over in front of those in YOUR party.

Those who qualify must persistently seek employment, and prove it.

This is true only in a theoretical sense. It's a federal program but it's run by the states, and each state has its own rules, which vary enormously. In PA, you don't have to submit any proof of anything. In VA, you must show 5 contacts per week. Huge difference.

Scumbag Republicans won't raise taxes 4%on income over $500,000 a year, but fight tooth and nail to raise the taxes %3 on wages under $106,000 a year.

That's highly misleading. Republicans wanted the extension too, but sensibly pointed out that we have to do something to pay for it.

Reading all this rah-rah-rah non sense about Obama and the Senate saving the country makes me want to throw-up. Can't you see these idiots are putting band-aids on bullet wounds?

Biggest problem I have with todays liberals is their flat out refusal to own up to the fact that their party is failing. Todays far left wingers can NOT look themselves in the mirror and be honest. This two month budget extension should EMBARRASS you...quit tooting your horns.

Funny how so many die-hard Republicans decided to become Libertarians or Independents rather than defend Li'l Bush. Who did you support in election 2000 and 2004? Gimme a break man. It wasn't Gore or Kerry. GW had you from "hello".

You can never accept that GW's colossal failures and his still loyal minions minimized the efforts of his successor to clean up the mess. We can't blame GW because the blame rests solely on you for electing and supporting such a doofus in the first place.

You can run to another party. You can't hide from your own professed ideology.You didn't like Bush when all was said and done? Neither did I. Yet, you elected Howdy Doody(twice) as President of The United States while I fought to put him back in the box of his puppeteers.

History will prove GW as the worst President of The United States. You can never escape the fact that your votes put him in office. Blame President Obama, if you wish, to assuage your guilt. You and I both know better. I can forgive you if you're ever able to forgive yourself, instead of living in constant denial.

You may fault the janitor for not cleaning up the mess fast enough to your liking. You can never blame him for the mess created by drunken fools that you partied with.

FINANCING this could actually be EASY, if we go on the premise, as intended, that the "payroll tax would benefit the poor and middle class".! Just "cap" the lower rate at $75,000. (single) & $150,000. (married). The Republicans know all about "caps" & "cuts" and usually like 'em?. Then revert it back up for the higher incomes, to help the budget deficit.

Fools voted for hope and change and the economy got worse than it has been in nearly 80 years, with democrats in control of the budget for most of the last 5. The fools think the president makes the budget so they blame Bush. Still blame Bush. Maybe they should read the constitution, at least once.

Who did you support in election 2000 and 2004

Didn't cast a vote for Pres in 2000 and voted for Badnarik in '04. I've actually never voted for a Presidential candidate that won the election. As for pretending they are independents, Dems are the kings of denying their political affiliation so you probably shouldn't blast those on the other side of the fence for using a favorite tactic of your own cohorts. And if you doubt my political affiliation I'd be happy to discuss my views regarding the war on drugs and discrimination against gays.

You can never accept that GW's colossal failures

Dude clearly YOU are the one with acceptance issues. What I can't quite decide on is whether GWB was "Obama lite" or if Obama is "GWB on steroids". You libs STILL cry your eyes out about Bush but at the same time you defend Obama BLIND to the fact that his policies are a carbon copy of what Bush did. Spend, spend, spend and then print, print, print. The only difference between Obama and Bush is that somehow (didn't think it was possible) he has done as much damage in 3 years as Bush did in 8.

Personally, I think most of the charlatan leaders in the run today, and especially the unworthy example set by Americans, have missed a valuable lesson and have failed to learn our lesson. We all have a right to an opinion, but that doesn't mean that makes our opinions right. What matters is fact against fiction. When issuing an opinion, there are allot of people who are responsible for the problems right now that our country faces, and its citizens with blind stubbornness and misguided opinions are as much to blame as are this nation's politicians.

Ever since the dark ages when people gathered to jeer the condemned criminal on the gallows or at the guillotine, everyone felt empowered to have an opinion. It did nothing for the poor sob on the podium though, whether the king wanted his head for the fun of it or if they were truly guilty. Everyone out in the crowd wanted to throw a rotten tomato though.

Just like then, so too now, people are far more self-righteously worthy only to themselves if they can merely throw that rotten vegetable at the head of the claimed guilty party, and that's the end of their responsibility so they think.

When people with true energy put forth the effort to try to attempt change, whether it is the highly criticized Party of No “Tea Party” supporters enclave, or the highly disregarded and condemned OWS members, we always have far worse influence on the truth of the nation when it comes to the ignorant, poor slobs who with uneducated abandon think it’s the total demand of their duty as citizens to sit and criticize and throw half-decomposed garbage back and forth as if it would make a viable change for the good of everyone’s future?

The truth of the matter is that the Republican War Engine has finally come to a “stump and grind” halt just before Christmas, faced with refusing tax cuts for all of the American Working Class, and not wanting any longer to be irrefutably branded as the villains by even their own. They rather would have the Tea Party pissed off at them than a whole nation, especially with the early results of the caucuses, and the damning numbers for Romney, Ginrich and Perry. If any of the republican candidates had half a brain to them, one of them would have surely realized that at a time when the nation was so totally disappointed with Congress, one of those idiots should have realized that to win the ticket, they needed to rally support for more bipartisan approvals in all three Houses.

If one of those fools had of rallied support in the Senate and the HoR, and fought to get early passage of the debt/deficit bill, they would have had enough momentum to nearly wipe out most competition. They would have been noted for being an angelic savior of the nation from a poor credit rating decrease; they would have stood out as a messenger of the people.

The way they wished to feed off the frenzy of the media and the public, they parasitically took the easy ride and promoted stranglehold, sterilizing manipulations that cost our country dearly. Continued efforts to keep this nation in a hostage negotiation scenario in order to recover will do nothing other than heap coals on their own heads.

The nation has fast become a more alert people in general, and that doesn't apply to the fools that wish to keep casting insult on the current administration for all the country's problems we face, just to feel good about themselves for throwing garbage at someone.

If we need a different President in office then so be it. Although I personally can find several faults with President Obama, I am not against him serving another term just to find out if his policies and programs truly work. No president, no one could have solved this country’s problems and troubles he was left with when he came into office in merely one term, and he has come a long way and been successful in many areas, especially imposing new banking and Wall Street regulatory control, creating new departments to control consumer concerns and control oil and energy regulation.

Yet I also strongly feel that if republicans refuse to be more lenient and cast a more bipartisan vote on the problems we face, then it may be time to elect one of their own in the form of Ron Paul into office.

Yet anyone that thinks that the Republican Party shall become untied once Ron Paul is in office is a fool too. They may act like they have a victory, they may pretend like they are supportive of Ron Paul, but they will find themselves tied into a knot as they try to resist his policies and implement their own, while opposing the Democrats and their own goals. Ron Paul is not the type of person who will lie down and roll over for either party, and if the Republican Engine begins to try to manipulate and control the White House, they will find themselves made of fools and folly once they find the bitter taste of Ron Paul's administration stuck in their craw.

So far, the numbers for Ron Paul are looking better than other Party members, but not so much as to win a landslide victory over Obama. If Ron Paul does not grab the ticket with a firm grasp, then the nation will be looking at a bunch of idiots who cannot decide which imbecile to vote for in the choices provided for them by the Republican nominations. Only a fool could miss that with all the claimed influential power of the Republican Engine at bay, they could only find this misfit, ignorant, bunch of morons to run for office?

This allows the undecided or those just thoroughly fed up with Repukes and Repugs to change over to voting for the Obama ticket just because at least they know what he is like, and are scared to put some fool like Ginrich (a joke and money seeking grave robber) or Bachmann (you gotta be kidding me) in power. Perry is fast heading for a withdrawal, and that leaves you with Romney, and casting your hopes into the wind to see where they fall is about the best you can brag on for that against an all out race against the Democrat ticket.

Doing so merely creates a foundation for the people to believe that President Obama, though racked with faults and mistakes since taking office, has been about the only one who is truly lenient enough to enable the country to sway in the hard winds of the storm and survive. Yes, he said he would veto any bill that included a pipeline attached, but he showed a much wiser face in the midst of adversity when he agreed and signed the bill into law in order to prevent a stalemate from once again grasping the nation, and going into the end of year holidays with more turmoil to negotiate as we seek to navigate through.

I myself am hard put to say that there are any other actual real choices for Americans who hold a true respect for our nation, and possess a sense o’ wisdom in realizing that throwing foul garbage doesn't clean up the stage, it only clears it of any and all actors with no one else who are in their right mind and willing to cope with the crowd, who would be willing to go back out onto the stage and continue the show.

We need people who truly seek to find a captain in the similar likes of those two personae to wisely pilot this boat folks, and if I find anyone standing at the rail seeking to merely get good aim with rotten garbage, your ass if over the side in a heartbeat likely, and no shouts of man overboard to save you. We don't need your company on the rest of this journey, one still wrought with serious problems of high winds and heavy seas, and a ship in need of sea worthy passengers having enough courage and wisdom to help out as the voyage continues with so precious a cargo, a nation worthy of leaving to our grandchildren and their grandchildren, in its holds.

If you are merely a rotten tomato thrower, then get off the boat, quit thinking yourself the high and mighty citizen you claim you are, for you are unwo

They kept warning us about the massive debt we were getting ourselves into, but our government didn't have the brains to stop begging from them, until China said enough, and stopped the bond buying for good. Now, there is no other country willing to buy more debt from us. That's why the Federal Reserve started buying it up. Just think about it, China said enough, then the Fed started doing it, thus putting us even deeper into the massive debt hole.

Wow .. such information. Do you know what you're even talking about? The Chinese haven't stopped buying US debt. They can't. There's no other debt market big enough to absorb their purchases. If you have credible proof to the contrary, please produce it.

Puchases of debt by the Fed doesn't put us any more deeply in debt than purchases by the Chinese, except that when the Chinese do it money is soaked up. When the Fed does it, money is added to the financial system (that's how the Fed works). That's why the Fed buys debt (and, conversely, it soaks up money when it sell debt that it holds). Perhaps you need an Econ 101 refresher.

What a tax break!

$20 a week for the "average" worker.

$20 a week X 8 is $160

Not even enough to buy a pair of Nike Air Jordans.....

Furthermore, it is being paid for by a $15 a month charge on all new mortgages controlled by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, who control about 90% of the mortgages.

So, a $160 "savings" today will cost $15 a month for 30 years on a new mortgage.

$15 x 12 is $180 X 30 is $5400.

"We are from the Government and we are here to help."

Really, you are sooooooo right. It get's even worse when you read more about it. I've posted this before but it bears repeating......

So Obama wants to get Joe a little extra money for Pizza night with the kids. NO PROBLEM!!!!! Cut Federal Income Tax. The Republicans will cheerfully vote for it. Perfect!

So why target FICA? Obama's plan specifically targets FICA? WTF is WRONG with him?

"Roberton Williams, an analyst at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center in Washington, said that “60 percent of an extended payroll tax cut would go to households making more than $100,000.”

So Obama wants to cut funding for SS to give a "tax break" that 60% of the benefit will go to households making more than 100K per year

Obama wants to cut funding for SS to give a tax break to the wealthy! OBAMA WANTS THIS!!!

But wait, it gets even better. "The Senate Bill would be offset by higher fees on home mortgages guarunteed by federally backed Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae".

Wait, WHAT? OBAMA wants people paying mortgages, people who didn't default, people who did the right thing....

That's who Obama wants to pay for it? THE WORKING STIFF WILL BE PAYING FOR A TAX BENEFITTING THE WEALTHY!!!!!!!!!!!

Face it Obamanites, your fearless leader is completely out of touch with reality.

How many of you have mortgages? You would be paying for all the people who don't!!!!

Do you know whose mortgages are NOT backed by Fannie/Freddie? The Rich. That's right, really REALLY rich people have jumbo morgatges that are not backed by Fannie and Freddie.

Typical Obama, pitting one group of people (mortgage holders) against another (non-mortgage holders) to give a tax break to the wealthy.

Gimme a break. He makes me sick.

so you want thousands of people to loose their Unemployment I hop there is someone around that knows who you are so they can kick your sorry butt.

Even Ron Paul won't vote no.

Time for a different plan. Give a 2% payroll tax break to the employers and give them 2% more money to hire workers. When we get a payroll tax cut it cuts into Social Security stability folks. Nobody wins here today.

Priceless James

You don't agree with responsibility so the answer is to beat them up for it. Grow up 99 weeks is enough unemployment.

James,

Actually, I'd like the 160 people to have Social Security a little longer when they retire. I don't see how reducing payments to Social Security helps anybody...

remember guys, unemployment creates jobs according to Nancy Pelosi, its the quickest way to stimulate the economy LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Hannibel, speak for yourself!!!!

oh n when the repiblicans spent " out of control" did you complain.....grow a heart and care for other americans , not just yourself

djb,

I absolutely complain. I didn't agree with adding prescription coverage for Medicare when Bush signed it.

I believe we should have a law requiring balanced budgets (with certain extreme conditions such as the US or an ally being invaded).

Oh and the average credit card debt is over $15,000 per American. Where were you when Americans created the biggest bubble in human history. Because of out of control spending.

I suggest people start worrying about themselves, instead of what others can do for them.

I blame everyone for this mess, government, businesses and citizens. Always have and always will.

The worst part is this mentality is getting worse not better. It's true people never learn. They don't learn because some people in Washington can convince people nothing is their fault.

Hey dumb common man, that bill has pasted and will be signed into law by Obama within a few hours.

On monday a lady came into my office looking for work even though we have a sign outside saying we are not hiring. She said she had been unemployed for awhile. I gave her the name of a lady next door who was looking for a part time worker but guess what? She left our office and headed to her car. Did I mention she ask if she could list us for her job search for un-employment? Do you think maybe she wasn't actually looking for a job? That sort of thing happens all the time to business owners. There are tons of people who flat just don't want to work or they want what they used to make at their old job. Those people make it rough on the people who truely are looking for work but something has to change. We can not afford to keep handing out money.

Common Man-3493893

Every economist, analyst, expert, and professional disagree with your assessment. If it is indeed the right thing to vote NO, you will be the only expert to claim it... if, of course, you're an expert.

Bobby Jones Bia

I suggest people start worrying about themselves, instead of what others can do for them.

I suggest people start worrying about government and what they can do to you. Such as the republican plan to make it 10x harder to get unemployment.

brendan-4

It is a proven fact, successfully achieved in every recession, that government can boost the economy. Unemployment is one means by which it can do that. It even does more than that. It saves foreclosures, prevents starvation, spares family break-ups, and eases the burden on other family members forced to help the unemployed.

As a matter of fact, whatever negative that can be thought of against unemployment, that each employer pays into, a more morally profound positive can be found.

so you want thousands of people to loose their Unemployment I hop there is someone around that knows who you are so they can kick your sorry butt.

Let's not be short on the facts shall we? Technically it would be "thousands of people who have already been on unemployment for 79 weeks to loose..."

I'm just going to go out on a limb and suggest the majority of people who have collected unemployment for a year and a half aren't looking too hard or aren't willing to settle for something lesser until they find the job they really want. Maybe we need to find a way to help those with legitimate need without enabling the professionally unemployed.

As for butt kicking. I'll go out on a limb again and suggest that most people who haven't found a job after 79 weeks likely are going to lack the motivation required to kick anyone's butt.

Spartan... you're demonstrating how little people know about how the economy works. Employers don't hire people because they have the money to do so. Employers hire because they have to to meet demand. In our economy, employers have very little to do with hiring... it's a consumer driven economy. The more people buy a product, the greater the demand... this forces employers to hire to meet the demand. If they fail to do so someone else will hire to compete for the same demand.

To grow the economy you need to strengthen the consumer base. When people have money to spend, they spend it and the economy grows as demand is maintained.

To sum it up... businesses do not create jobs. Consumers do. Strong consumption drives the economy, not rich businessmen.

@Bosslimo

Every economist, analyst, expert, and professional disagree with your assessment. If it is indeed the right thing to vote NO, you will be the only expert to claim it... if, of course, you're an expert.

Every one? Give me a break, that statement may be the biggest pile of steaming BS on this whole board.

"One who doesn’t believe that extending the payroll tax cut will do much good is Andrew Biggs, a resident scholar of the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute,"-http://news.yahoo.com/suspect-claims-obama-60-minutes-interview-000731987.html

Took me 5 seconds to find one and you can bet most conservative economists would agree. Try taking off the blinders and you would be less likely to make foolish statement.

It is a proven fact, successfully achieved in every recession, that government can boost the economy.

Whoa, another steaming pile. Since it's a "proven fact" why don't you go ahead and provide that so-called proof so we'llall know that you're not just making shti up?

get a job or starve!

Common man, let's go further. I would hope every single congress person understands what continually taking out of Social Security is doing when in 2010 it started to pay out more than taking in. It is sad that the American people do not see what this is doing. SSI was projected to become insolvent by 2036. When you take hundreds of billions more out of the program, it can do nothing but bring that date nearer. Every single government official that votes for this should be voted out of office.

Bosslimo - if it is a "proven fact" that government spending can boost the economy, why do we have 2 million less jobs in America than we did 3 years ago? If you add in how many jobs should have been added to keep up with population growth, we now have 5 million fewer jobs (not workers, jobs) than 3 years ago.

With TRILLIONS of government dollars being spent, and TRILLIONS in new debt, why is it that the only real progress in unemployment figures is that millions have now fallen off of what is counted as unemployment not because they are employed, but because they have stopped looking for work, and/or no longer receive unemployment payments?

If government spending was the answer, why is Greece bankrupt? Why are several European nations teetering on the edge of bankruptcy due to overspending and debt?

You can keep believing "experts" but drivel is drivel, regardless of how many degrees these idiots have. And remember, they all missed the recession until after it was underway, so you might want to consider that when trusting their opinions.

greg berry - VERY obtuse for you to even BLAME Obama for the situation we are in. Obama did NOT create the unemployed or gave up looking for employment. Obama is TRYING to get a jobs bill and more through congress, but is those DO nothing republicans that care only about themselves.

I do agree with your post about people 'becoming re-educated' or looking at alternatives, and perhaps.. switching careers.

Obama is TRYING to get a jobs bill and more through congress, but is those DO nothing republicans that care only about themselves.

Obama is doing no such thing. He is pushing a miniature version of his epically failed "stimulus" plan. He has just re-branded it as a "jobs bill" to placate the lemmings who follow along behind him and so he can try to blame the republicans for not promoting jobs. I doubt even he believes it would do jack shti; it's just a tool used to promote class warfare and buy him some votes from the people stupid enough to believe it is actually a "jobs bill".

Bosslimo - the only way your argument holds any bearing is to consider that 70% of this economy is driven by consumer spending, its only obvious that unemployment money will be most likely be spent "consuming" in some form thus "stimulating" the economy. That's the only justification there is. The problem with that sir is that eventually we can't print any more money and this little thing called inflation comes knocking on your door. I'm assuming you took this all into consideration before vomiting out that post. I love how the media spins this and sheeple just follow. How is cutting from social security to help the unemployed a morally strong argument? It isnt. Also, why is the pipeline being tagged as a "bonus to corporations?" There are hard working Americans that would like to go to work on that pipeline, not just a corporation with robots polluting the atmosphere. It's give and take and I see clouds of BS when I try to interpret these arguments...You can't have your cake and eat it too.. Is the solution just sitting and letting Uncle Sam "stimulate" us so we can barely get by, then bickering with one another about how wrong the other is? This is becoming a joke. The problem isnt Obama. The problem is that people are dumb enough to vote him in. The problem is the lack of education and thinking for yourself instead of regurgitating sound bytes from Fox and MSN.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Economics 101 - Supply and demand folks. Tax cuts for corporations are not incentive to hire, and tax cuts or the richest 1% are not incentive to spend. Tax cuts that increase income for the middle class is what creates demand, demand creates jobs, and everyone benefits including the corporations and rich.

Measures such as this payroll tax cut and UE will help stimulate the economy (and keep people from needing other services that are not funded). Social Security has been funded and will continue to be funded in the meantime. We are already seeing inflation, so interest rates will go up--no problem because interest rates are so low and cheap money has only benefited banks so far. These measures are temporary until the economy is stronger.

Gees, turn off FOX Noise and Hate Radio. Make that you New Year's resolution, and maybe 2012 will be a happy and prosperous year for us all.

No wonder you revere Reagan...facts aren't your strong suit either. Might want to take a look at those so called "new jobs" the pipeline is supposed to create...they will evaporate before your eyes. The real problem is the people that cannot seem to relate cause and effect. For example: start two wars, keep them off the books, spend indiscriminately, push through huge tax cuts aimed at the already wealthy, and bring this nation to the brink of financial ruin and sure enough someone will be along to tell you it wasn't your fault..it's the fault of the next guy who was left with the debacle. Now, as we recover from that recession Bush left us, NOW we're supposed to slash and burn the economy to hell (just so Republicians can have the pleasure of dancing on America's grave when the recovery sputters? I don't think so.) Social Security is solvent until 2037, even if nothing at all is done. You ought to take your own advice and educate yourself instead of all this chicken little sky is falling nonsense.

Mark-292995 -- Thanks for pointing out how tenacious the unemployed are that they still walk into a business though it's not advertising a job. And then think how you would support yourself and family on a part-time job -- I guess if you can live out of your car and keep a bottle to pee in and hope to shower at the YMCA? That woman can't even consider this option you simpleton.

Heck, even a full-time living wage job (not minimum wage) won't cut it unless there is more than one income in the household. I think the new poverty level for a family of four is $40k a year. For a lot of unemployed, they are simply hoping to hang on until hiring picks up. And for older workers, they may be blocked from reentering the workforce forever -- How do you propose we address this?

Let me guess, raise the Social Security age and privatize Medicare, if they can hold out until then. The ultra conservatives in this country apparently have never faced adversity, or have but are unable to connect the dots (I see the second case all the time--mind bending as it is).

The Party that focuses on jobs, the economy, and income inequality will win in 2012, and we know that's not the Greedy One Percent (GOP) Party.

Thanks for pointing out how tenacious the unemployed are that they still walk into a business though it's not advertising a job.

You actually believe this nonsense? I've known several people who would do the same thing. They had construction or farm related jobs that kept them employed through the summer months but when they got laid off in the fall they just did what they needed to do to keep the UE checks coming until the following spring. They never had any intention of finding a part timer over the winter because it just didn't make "sense". Why fill up your gas tank and drive to work when you could make almost as much money sitting on your @ss smoking pot. None of these guy EVER went back to work until their 26 weeks was used up.

@Brendon, remember guys, unemployment creates jobs according to Nancy Pelosi, its the quickest way to stimulate the economy LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"The unemployment insurance extension is not only good for individuals. It has a macroeconomic impact. As macroeconomic advisers have stated, it would make a difference of 600,000 jobs to our economy," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said at a briefing on Capitol Hill.

Nancy Pelosi was simply telling you what the macroeconomists had found through their research!If you don't know what Marcroeconomics is, you should probably educate yourself before making dumb remarks like that, it makes you look very STOOPID!!!!
Merry Christmas!

"The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale."

Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Taylor, 1816

Obama prefers to ignore history, then let him suffer the criticism as well!

Doctor Seuss for 2011: "I do not like Barack Obam, I do not like his health care scam. I do not like that sneaky crook, or how he lies and cooks the books. I do not like it when he steals, I do not like his secret deals. I do not like that metro man, I do not like his 'YES WE CAN.' I do not like his spending spree, does he not know that nothing's free? I do not like his smug replies, I do not like his constant lies. I do not like his kind of hope. I do not like i

Free Market ..... you left off the last line of Jermey's Seuss poem:

I do not like i(t nope, nope, nope!)

But otherwise a good effort, thanks!

True Patriot,

Good comments. I like your sense of irony because it's mostly Tea Party folks who like to use the P word and drag it in the mud. Those people aren't patriots. The real Patriots don't want to move backwards, but instead move forwards and recognize the real source of problems in our changing country. The original patriots knew that the country would grow and change as time went by. They didn't try to go backwards, they went forward. The woes of our country are not caused by abortion, minorities, gays and the poor. Yet we seem to make these major issues in every election whether blatantly or with subtle innuendos.

It's about time we began to progress again and not sit still sticking with failed policies that take us deeper and deeper into trouble. It is time to equalize the playing field between the 99% and the 1%. Anything taken to extremes is detrimental in the long run. We have favored a select few for far too long and none of their gains are trickling down. I see a wake up call taking place among the sane people in this country. There is a limit to how often they can be fooled. These people will turn the tide. The far right will continue to stick to their guns and will not flip flop even when proved wrong. But their numbers are small and dwindling by the day. It's time for the real patriots, the progressives, to take our country back. We have the numbers.

I think the new poverty level for a family of four is $40k a year.

Try $22,350.

http://www.coverageforall.org/pdf/FHCE_FedPovertyLevel.pdf

I think what may be confusing you is that eligibility cutoff for many programs is for TWICE the poverty level.

james-3199489

"so you want thousands of people to loose their Unemployment I hop there is someone around that knows who you are so they can kick your sorry butt."

It is millions. I lost mine and was actually surprised that the dems let it last 99 weeks. It made no difference. I still can't get a job because I am 58. Maybe you should get them to extend unemployment forever. SSI at 40.

I have no health insurance and am living on savings, something you probably never thought about. Now you want more tax cuts for yourself while wanting others to pay more. There is a picture of you in the dictionary next to the word "selfish."

"One who doesn’t believe that extending the payroll tax cut will do much good is Andrew Biggs, a resident scholar of the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute,"

Did you just link me a conservative's talking point??

It's my fault really. I should have said non-partisan expert. I keep forgetting, common sense isn't all that common.

Tax Policy center says over 60% of the benefit will go to people making 100k or more per year.

If Obama wanted to give Joe another pizza night, he could have just cut federal income tax. The republicans would cheerfully vote for it, no problem!

Instead he cut FICA, funding for SS. No cool people, very very NOT COOL.

A cheap political trick from a cheap political trickster.

Alil Common Sense,

RE: your post #2.36

That means 40% of that savings will go to people making less than $100K per year, right? People who earn $50K or less would receive approximately $80 per month more. This could mean the difference between their children going to bed hungry during the week or perhaps having enough to pay the heating bill or part of the heating bill. Where is your sense of empathy during this Christmas Season? Except for the Grace of God, YOU could be the next person who NEEDS this savings! You should thank God that you seemingly do NOT need this pay-roll tax cut! Since you have 'common sense', perhaps you will consider that it is just absolutely horrible to be selfish. Remember, selfish people end up with ONLY THEIR SELF! That, my friend, is worth remembering. Happy New Year!

brendan-4, How did you get 23 yeas? Unemployment is bad for all of us. From the richest to the poorest. Unemployment compensation, on the other hand, is good for most of us. With the exception of the bastard that shipped our job overseas. His unemployment insurance goes up. The system works. I doubt you're even remotely connected to the bastard. He knows the difference between unemployment and unemployment compensation. He is the one paying the bill for his traitorous behavior. Not you.

Obama will just need to say that the pipeline is not in the best interest of the nation, and things will continue as before. The bill does not require him to approve it.

Exactly, Mr. Allen. The so called tax cut is smoke and mirrors to obfuscate the poison hidden in the deal. "Thousands of jobs", short term jobs hacking and slashing corporate's way through some of our most pristine heartland which, when over, will leave only jobs for environmental disaster workers when the pipe fails as these pipes routinely do. And when the sludge gets to the Gulf Coast what becomes of all of the enormous amount of 'tar' when the crackable fuels are removed? Send it back? Or dump it locally? Or directly in the Gulf? And what of all of the energy used to build this monstosity and then, totally inefficiently, pump all of this thick, poisonous guck completely across America? These pumps will use stunning amounts of energy. It would take considerably less energy and still create those 'thousands of jobs' if several large refineries were built just across the border or at Mandan, North Dakota where there has been an existing refinery since 1954, and ship the fuel to feed the upper tier of states, also saving energy in shipping costs from oil ports on the coasts. Mandan is much, much closer to Alberta and most of the pipeline could be run through the exporting country who will profit, Canada, and through one of the most 'conservative' states who will be happy to do their part, North Dakota. Not much to damage there anyway.

Big Oil wants to EXPORT this oil as we are now doing with fuels from other domestic sources. Yes, EXPORT. This is why they want to move it to the Gulf Coast. This isn't about jobs or self-sufficiency (this is IMPORTED tar oil, we do not yet own Canada), this is about psychopathic people who would do serious and permanent damage to America's future to make more money for themselves. By all everyday standards of the American people, these oil-rich slugs and their corporogovernmental sycophants are treasonously mentally ill and anyone who falls for their lies is developmentally disabled. The media is owned by those who also benefit by this perversion so don't expect the media to tell you the truth. They are the biggest part of the smoke and mirrors. For jobs and energy supply, this pipeline is not only unnecessary but is exactly counter to these interests and America's best interests in general. The only interest served here is psychopathic greed. Don't be fooled yet again by stupid made-up 'crises' such as tax-cuts, sex scandals, budget disasters. Whenever these kinds of stories appear, look behind them and you will see the elite/corporate snake slithering after your young under cover of the noise and confusion. Kill that snake now or it will, certainly, devour what's left of your children's futures.

Well said!

So does someone want to explain why is that when the middle class get a tax break, WE have to pay for it, but when the WEALTHIEST get a tax the middle class has to pay for that too.

Something wrong with picture???

@William, Hell Yeah, you tell'em Marine! You know that arguing with a Tea Bagger/Republican if futile...be careful when you do..some people might not know the difference and mistake you for the idiot!!!! Semper Fi Marine...Merry Christmas

JezzaBelle1

"William, Hell Yeah, you tell'em Marine! You know that arguing with a Tea Bagger/Republican if futile...be careful when you do..some people might not know the difference and mistake you for the idiot!!!! Semper Fi Marine...Merry Christmas"

That is funny coming from a leftist. I hope your welfare check is still coming. It would be terrible if you had to provide for yourself.

Take the blinders off.

Are you happy with a two month extension that will result in the same crap two months from now?

Will not be the same crap two months from now, It will be even further entrenching in NO MONEY, NO BILL. NO FUNDING NO BILL NO way to pay for it, IT will not be voted into law. ITS Something that Washington is NOT USED TO Its called SANITY in SPENDING, Thanks to the TEA PEOPLE

Dave, didn't congress boot another House speaker out of office a few years ago because he couldn't lead either? Name was Newt!! Now congress has another House speaker who seems to be having a hard time controlling his party too, especially TEA Party members???

Notice the one thing that they always have money for is their pay checks.

Derf, we voted the most incompetent speaker out about one year ago. That was Nancy. I can't understand how any person can be happy with a two month tax cut versus a one year. Shows the mentality of many.

The weakest and most incompetent speaker in modern times is Bonier. He's been continually under retreat trying to appease the Tea party Republicans and doing it badly. Once again, an epic fail on the part of the Speaker to keep his juveniles in line.

bobby Joe: YOUR side is the one that fought the one year extension. Read up.

Mark, Nancy was not booted out of the House, she was voted out. Newt was booted out and Boehner, another GOP, needs to be booted out too.

Most of the World and a lot of Americans, including the "grown ups" in our Government realize that Obama is a rank amateur. Some of the life long members of the diplomatic corps are finally taking action to stop the disastrous credibility bleeding going on.

he should be called uncommon man what a fool

What is common about being uninformed and uneducated?

Apparently its quite common. How do you think all of the current incumbents were elected?

You have all just witnessed the latest BAD JOKE being played by your elected officials on the American people. And they are laughing at all of us.

Rather than hold their feet to the fire, you all keep doing exactly what they want you to...arguing amongst yourselves using their rhetoric while they continue to stuff their own pockets, serve their special interest masters (corporations, unions, PACs, etc.) and walk away from their responsibilities to YOU!

And then like ignorant lemmings walking off a cliff, the vast majority of Americans re-elect these same professional politicians to continue putting one over on the citizens of this country.

What a bunch of pathetic idiots the vast majority of Americans keep proving themselves to be!

had enuf of our elected ones,

RE: your post #8.3

Your post is MOSTLY TRUE, sorry to say! In other words I agree! GOOD POST! However, until we ALL "somehow" unite we must choose the lesser evil of the two majority parties; I am open to your ideas on HOW to unite!

There is no lesser "evil". The rhetoric may make many believe there is, but the facts are obvious:

1) We spend more than we take in

2) We spend more than we can afford to spend

3) We have been stealing from the future to pay for the present for decades

4) Our government has made promises to the American people that there is no way to keep

5) Both sides have been using their positions to "slant" things in favor of their special interest "masters" whenever they have had the upper hand, and things are so imbedded in our laws, regulations and tax code that it is next to impossible to get rid of it all without massive overhauls

So lets start at the beginning. Let's unseat 435 ineffective (and mostly corrupt) professional politicians in the House and vote in people who have ZERO political background but basic life and business experience and some common sense. Let's do the same with 33 senators for each of the next 3 election cycles and also the President. NO ONE WHO ACCEPTS POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SPECIAL INTERESTS SHOULD BE ELECTED.

First steps to take (in no particular order and certainly not all going to happen in the first 2 years):

- term limits for the House (maximum of 3)

- term limits for the Senate (maximum of 2)

- make illegal ALL special interest political donations to candidates for/occupants of ALL Federal offices

- set reasonable maximum campaign spending limits that cannot be exceeded by candidates for Federal offices

- Complete re-write of the current personal and corporate tax codes to be revenue-neutral with current levels BUT elimination of ALL loopholes for corporations. Let Bush tax cuts expire for ALL. Make all Americans subject to paying SOME level of income tax (even those who end up receiving money from social safety net programs). ANY INCREMENTAL REVENUES ACOMPANYING THIS RE-WRITE TO GO DIRECTLY TO PAYING DOWN THE CURRENT $15 TRILLION DEBT!

- Across-the-board federal budget cuts of 15% for all departments/line items with the caveat that no permanent, part-time or contractual employment position can be eliminated (they can have compensation cut by up to 15% maximum, as to be determined by the person in charge of each department/line item).

- Replacement of Obamacare with something that is more of a consensus involving local clinics for basic care services, catosptrophic insurance coverage (high-deductible plans and MSAs), interstate competition and needs-based subsidies for those who qualify

- Begin revamp of Social Security to make it solvent through a combination of increased contributions (e.g. removal of cap) and/or later qualification for benefits

- Begin revamp of Medicare based on cost-based pricing for medical products and services, needs testing, waste/fraud elimination increase in payroll taxes, increased co-payments

- Reinstatement of the separation of the Social Security/Medicare trust fund from general revenues, and strict requirement to put trust fund monies to work for INVESTMENT-ORIENTED GROWTH (not paying for current day expenses)

- Balanced budget amendment with reasonable exceptions for true national emergenices

NONE of this is a 100% solution, but any combination of these are steps in the right direction that can be adjusted as we see where we have gone too far or not far enough

Fair?

The media has "special interest" in Obama.

boy are you going to be surprised next Christmas

Bobby Jones Bia - How true!

So the media plays no role in getting people elected huh? That's the funniest thing I have heard all week.

How many people even knew Obama before 2008? Why do campaigns spend millions on media advertising?

Obama won last time with 19 States, It only takes 18 to win, but this time, Obama can only musted about 16 States, NOPE HOPE WITH THIS DOPE But CHANGE IS COMING IN NOVEMBER

I like how this story, as the media usually does, couches this issue in terms of one party being victorious over the other party, as if this were a sporting event where there were only two teams and the whole goal was for one side to beat the other. That is not how our government iss supposed to run!

The U.S. was never designed or intended to have a two party system (in fact, our founding fathers were agianst political parties in general because of the problems they create). Instead, democracy is about representatives of various groups of people in distinct locations and with distinct issues coming together to reach a solution that is in the best interests of the country as a whole. However, that is not how our system works anymore due, in large part, to the exscessive power that the Reps and Dems have created for themselves over the last century and the campaign finance system that both keeps these two parties in power and causes elected representatives to be beholden to and to focus only on the needs and desires of the party with which they affiliate and the few large organizational contrributors to that party.

That is why we need systemic changes that cause our elected representatives to refocus their energies on the American citizens that they represent! I encourage everyone to check out the American Overhaul Act at www.americanoverhaulact.org, which proposes the very types of changes that are needed to fix these problems. The Act forcuses on six separate areas of concern: Congressional Term Limits, Federal Election Campaign Reform, Congressional Size Limits, Congressional Compensation Limits, Elimination of Party Favoritism, and Federal Budget-Deficit Reform. Check it out! And, if you agree with the proposals in the Act, share it with your frineds and family so that we may continue to gain the support that we will need to make our government officials take notice!

I see a bunch of sore losers posting today. Go cry in your Wheaties.

Bobby Jones Bia,

RE: your post #9.5

Most Americans, who were paying attention, knew of Obama since 2004. He gave a "Keynote Speech" that won RAVE REVIEWS by BOTH parties at the Democratic Convention in Boston, MA. Now he is president. I suppose you and those millions who voted him President have heard of, and from him, now, right?

The only people that won were vote grabbing politicians. An extension is a failure. The 3rd failure this year. Will people wake up and realize what is going on here.

You have two parties fighting for votes, not focusing on the issues holding our country back.

If anything this has solidified the notion I will never vote democrat ever again. They claim to care about solutions, yet show no effort to solve anything.

Teri - you lost too...if you pay taxes for the underserved salaries of these nitwit politicians. They are supposed to be the smartest leaders we have, right? ...and all they can come up with is a 2 month extension that nets $160 per worker after all this debate! It has no lasting beneficial effect and they have to meet again in 2 months and waste more time and our tax money debating this same issue. Totally unacceptable and incompetent!

Forget the dog and pony show, as congress has been for a hundred years or more, I am just happy there are a few folks who are registered voters who can articulate the circumstance as well as Overhaul America. I do not even necessarily agree with all of those points, but the statement is so well presented it asks one to listen. Well done! ... oh and I DO agree with George Washington on the dangers of the two party system. I also opine that congress is a mess because they represent what the American Electorate keeps demanding ... that is the true underlying problem.

Aw sweetie, it pretty much already has. :-)

You mean like Faux News and the rest of the Murdoch chronicles? Great and trusted media mogul. Despised on every continent. Except where they hold Tea Parties.

Greg: you may want to turn down the faux news and actually read up. Barring coming up with a last minute savior unknown on the scene, the party of no is going down to another stunning defeat they've been angling for...Even Bonier was smart enough to see this train wreck coming.

I like how this story, as the media usually does, couches this issue in terms of one party being victorious over the other party, as if this were a sporting event where there were only two teams and the whole goal was for one side to beat the other. That is not how our government iss supposed to run!

Very well put!

Bobby Jones Bia,

RE: your post #9.10

To quote you: "...I will never vote Democrat again." I'm hoping you will change your mind because, after all, the Democratic Party will miss you Bobby--like a bad headache!

Never was a "democrat". I don't let parties determine my thinking. I would actually rather think for myself. Unlike many blind partisan supporters.

Democrats are so out of touch with reality, I don't know ho people can actually call themselves a democrat. I suspect too much "reality TV" has something to do with it.

Just because I once voted for a democrat does not mean I voted for Obama either. Hillary was a better choice. She already ran the country once.

Bobby Jones your a true scumbag, you better start sleeping with your eyes open you incompassionate POS

bobby: that's really hilarious...you do your independent thinking so you're a let em eat cake Republican with a little mysogeny thrown in (look it up)?? Thanks...made my day.

Social security shouldn't be in the mix.

Nor a pipeline from Canada that hasn't been proved safe or economically sound.

Social Security and the XL Pipeline are part of what the Republicans were hoping to get, as part of the deal.

I wonder who is pulling Boehners strings? The man has absolutely NO leadership abilities and needs, to be voted out of office; along with that little "Micro chip off the old black" Eric Cantor!

I live in Ohio, I hope my fellow Buckeyes, have seen the lack luster Boehner, for the the leader he is not! We need to elect someone, who knows how to be loyal to all Americans, not the ones, who are lining John's pockets with money and most likely his stomach, with "Scotch neat", as well!

Too bad President Obama didn't play hardball, the first two years he was in office. I believe things would have never gotten as bad, as they are now and, we would have a brighter future, in jobs, in the infrastructure, education and the economy.

Now that President Obama has gotten the taste of Victory, he will be more vigilant, in backing down the Tea Party and get more cooperation, from the Republicans who are willing to stand up to Norquist and the Super PAC.

Obama/ Biden 2012

Keystone pipeline. Owned by Canadians. Designed to ship product to Texas where it goes to the world market not to US consumers. Shovel ready alright. You gotta ask yourself, What is getting shovelled here? The Keystone pipeline is the biggest scam proposed by the GOP in this century and they have given us us good ones to compare it to.

Like calling the people that shipped all of your jobs overseas "Job creators".
or how about trying to convince you that Social Security is somehow part of the Debt that wasn't already paid for by you in hard earned cash.

They will keep pushing for this 'Keystone Giveaway to Big Oil' That is who paid for their seats in congress and the Oilmen want their payback from their GOP puppets.

Navy: Always have loved the Navy uniform.

I agree, this pipeline has nothing to do with the plight of the economy or jobs. It is about helping the rich get richer, while using our land to do it. Instead of "Drill baby Drill" it should be "Spill Baby Spill!"

Ahhh sailors!

Derf, they have already studied the pipeline for years and was approved. The only reason obama backed out was to satisfy the environmentalists.

http://www.keelybrosnan.com/food-for-thought/2011/04/associated-press-%E2%80%9Cus-says-new-oil-pipeline-study-shows-no-new-issues%E2%80%9D/

Sad that obama puts the environmental whackos in front of jobs.

Mark: "approved"??? nope, never happened...The US never committed to this. Only wack jobs here are the folks who thought they could ram this pipeline down America's throats without anyone questioning anything, that conservative states would welcome them with open arms regardless of consequences, as long as they just kept saying "jobs" in those ads---. Apparantly, they didn't have to work to hard to fool you. 200-20,000...what the heck, you'll buy anything as long as Obama is on the other side, right?

Why would the tempory jobs involved in building the pipeline come before the the environment? The only people that gain anything is the big oil companies, not Americans. Why would we risk our water supply and environment to put huge dollars into oil company pockets? This will not help anyone in the long term and will permentaly damage our environment when, not if, the pipeline breaksdown. It is just an GOP backed by super pacsmoney idea. That is why the two months extension is important because the GOP packed into the one year deal other bills that are hidden and need time to evaulate. I know the President did what is best for our country at this time. Why else would the Grover followers not want to vote for the two mo. unless there are other issues they have hidden into their plan?

As I said above Russ, there is no benefit for American jobs Creation and a lot of risk, for our environment. The Republicans tried to tie it to the two month extension. Now, President Obama had to say NO! But there is some doubt that he will stand strong. If anyone is in agreement, with stopping the Keystone XL Pipeline, sign the petition to the President asking him not to approve it. I found it on Moveon.org site.

Sorry About the misinfromation above. The site you need to vist is creedo.org.

How can you build a pipeline without creating a LOT of jobs?

^ easy. Build it over existing business farms and real estate which you devalue.

now you've destroyed jobs, even after the temp jobs from building the pipeline are gone.

it's funny that you're a huge supporter of a foreign country seizing american land to pipe their oil thru and out the gulf.

honestly - i sometimes think GOP'ers are completely daft and simply parrot whatever the GOP says.

at the rate he is buying votes and the gop is shooting itself in the foot instead of uniting to save the usa it will be close.

The class warfare you talk about is a made up, completely false argument. The reality is that the house version cuts unemployment benefits from 99 to 59 weeks, freezes federal pay for another year on top of the two it is frozen already (and originally wanted to lay of 200K workers), plus insist that the pipeline happens without review and many environmental regulations are scrapped.

The house GOP only added on the tax cut to sugar coat the damage they want to do to America and the middle class. They are pitting one part of the middle class against another. It is a good thing for this country that they failed.

How long do you let these people stay on unemployment? There are jobs out there. People need to move to another state. A study was done in France that just about 6 months before unemployment expired in their country, people looked and found jobs. They went from 5 years to 3 years of unemployment.

Well, "ignorance of average Americans." Hmm, I'm so glad that we have someone of your obviously superior intellect and muted sense of self worth to guide us through these troubling times.

It's easy to pretend that you want to cut out UE benefits for the good of the country. The fact is that anyone that opposes this already has their own job and they don't want to pay anything to help anyone else. It's all about greed.

Class warfare is real.

Here's what Warren Buffett had to say about it:

"There's class warfare, all right, but it's my class, the rich class, that's making war and we're winning."

Warren Buffett is one of the billionaires who feels that taxation needs to be changed so the rich really do pay their fair share.

I have collected unemployment in my life. 99 weeks is way too much and ridiculous.

Reading some of these comments reaffirms the notion that ignorance truely is bliss.

You all look right over the point. I never stated what ideology is right. Lets get one thing straight that's all either party has is ideology too. The point is this is the 3rd time they voted for an extension, instead of doing their job. I guess most people are fine with government not doing their job. Hell 47% of people pay no federal income tax, yet they all know how the government should run.

I would worry more about only 47% of people paying any form of federal income tax, before I worried about who pays what.

Just curious, Bobby - what do you do? The more specific the experience, the harder it is for a lot of folks. For example, there are quite a few people out of work these days who did manufacturing jobs for decades before those jobs went away - it's hard to find a job in a market where jobs are few and far between, and employers that are hiring don't necessarily want to retrain upon entry. What do you suggest for the 60 year old factory worker in the rust belt who finds himself suddenly unemployed? Is it his fault if he's not hired right away? Is he just lazy? If he doesn't pay federal income tax because he's got NO INCOME, does that mean he's not as American as that Exxon CEO?

Bobby Jones Bia, Speaking of Ignorance...Judge NOT your Fellow Americans! the GOP didn't MAKE the can, nor did they pay for the road they want to kick it down.

Hey Bobby:

How'd you get so smart?

Set a budget and create a sense of certainty in our country. I am sick of these extensions. Our government is a complete joke.

Yes, I agree.

The Senate is a joke with no concern for real problems.

Is the House really any better?

They have bought right into this class warfare crap and are pandering to the ignorance of average Americans.

This is way too tempting of a sentence.... e.g. "as opposed to the ignorance of below average Americans (i.e. you)?" You make it too easy! ;)

That being said, how do we know if we're not average? Doesn't everyone think of themselves as above average? { Of course, I know I am! ;P }

I love it!!!! Tactical VICTORY for Obama...may be a small victory but it is a VICTORY...the Republican/Tea Party is on their way out next election...people are onto you thanks to the OWS movement...LOL, bet on it! btw, We didn't Invent this class warfare, the friggin' 1% and the Republican Presidency's of the past did...don't want to pay their fair share of taxes, well we're coming after them next year...batten down your hatches, it's gonna be a long hard ride for the GOP and 1%!!!!!!
OWS ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012

morrigan: Buffet is 80+ years old and couldn'd spend his money before he dies so who cares what Buffet says. You do know he is a conservative!! He should have opened his mouth 40 years ago, oh thats right, he was busy building wealth then and didn't want higher taxes.

scott-857198,

Scott, I want to give you some facts so that you will KNOW what you are talking about. In 1952 the top federal income tax rate was 92% for anyone having over $400,000 in taxable income. John F. Kennedy, a Democrat, lowered this rate; it became effective in 1964 at 71%. In 2011 The maximum federal income tax rate is 35%. To say that Warren Buffet is irrelevent because he is 80 years old is somewhat juvenile. Would you say that George Washington or Abraham Lincoln are less relevant because they have been dead for well over 100 years. How about Jesus Christ, dead for over 2000 years. Many truths transend time! Anyhow please take a serious look at the federal tax rates since their inception in 1913. You may be surprised!

http://ntu.org/tax-basics/history-of-federal-individual-1.html

scott -- 80 years gives you some wisdom and some perspective on life.

Warren Buffett sees what is happening and he is calling things the way he sees them.

It does not matter whether he is a liberal, a conservative, or whatever -- what he's responding to is what's out there, and he is right about fairness.

How is a two month extension a victory for anything? They have to revisit this issue again in 2 months! It is like being ahead 14-0 in a football game at halftime and saying that you won the game.

acutally, its more like down 14 points at half, and still claiming victory.

Poor Greg: you keep trying that "it's actually a secret defeat" for the President stuff...let's see how that works for ya.

You're exactly right, BOENER got his ass spanked...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Expect More To Come!

Wow gregy poo, you sound like one of the 9% backers of the Boner-Can't(or) TeaGOP Congress...how's it feel to be a minority there dude? Are you in this country as a minority legally there guy (if not, LEAVE) or are you just a sabateur of our Country by nature (if so, LEAVE)....typical Boner-Cant TeaGOP, all lip service and "NO" action.

Take solice where you may. The fact remains the Tpers bowed before the superior intellect and kissed his ring. Merry Christmas and thanks Big O!

Tear of joy. He gets to go home for Christmas.

he wont have a very merry Christmas busy licking his wounds

in case you are not aware steve........social secirity paid out what has been brought from our grandparents. read up on the system and how it works! the money going there now is for generations to come.....

See, it IS a pnozi scheme...

There is no money in the Social Security fund. Its all Treasury Bonds to the tune of about 2.6 trillion dollars as required by law. That is, the law requires that all SS funds be invested. The funds are invested in Treasury Bonds that draw about 4.6% interest per year. Thats about 120 billion interest paid into the SS fund on interest.

Steve - With the money from the payroll tax plus the $120 billion in interest the government must pay to SS, all SS payout obligations are covered. Notice I said the government must pay the SS fund $120 billion from the General Fund or borrow it.

Steve: Sorry to disappoint: social security is solvent even if absolutely nothing is done until 2037. I take it you geniuses were just all upset at the Bush tax cuts in the midst of two wars, right? Right? Oh yeah...only red ink when you hate the guy in charge, forgot.

djb, where do you get your facts from? In 2010 Social Security started to pay out more than it takes in.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/05/news/economy/social_security_trustees_report/index.htm

Please show your facts. This only brings the date of insolvency nearer than 2036.

Will you and your other liberals be crowing about this payroll tax cut then? Tell it to the millions that will have their SSI cut and the millions who will never see it.

Don't hold your breath waiting for those facts.

Wrong Mark: Social security doesn't pay out more than it takes in until 2037 (Congressional budget office). Don't hold your breath waiting for those facts from republicans.

The CBO doesnt take into account how much interest the federal government owes on its treasury bonds held by the ficticious Social Security "trust fund"

Of course you knew this.

You just can't accept that it's solvent and will stay solvent that long, now can you...

@ Steve, It may be headed for Hell but the GOP drove us there! But now it's OBAMA at the wheel where he will REMAIN for 5 More Years...get used to it!

Can't you tell the difference between a ponzi scheme and paying it forward?

One is intended to enrich the folks who started it. The other is to make sure that folks in the future continue to benefit.

That is a BIG difference.

gon - right on. the House repubs did what was right but not for the right reason. All they care about is getting re-elected - not the 160m people it would help. Now, if only our elected officials would find some balls and start taxing those who can best afford it, strengthen import tariffs, stop catering to the 1%ers, bring jobs back to this country, etc, etc, etc

jpintar, how about the 47% who do not pay any federal income taxes? I am all for fair share, but for everyone.

They pay--they just don't pay in federal income taxes. If you rent, you pay, if you buy groceries, gas, you pay state and local and federal taxes. I think your side has tried the squeezing blood from a turnip route before...you're created a lot of turnips with your trickle down mess...this is what happens.

Mark-384387

Im so glad to see a well educated man like your self to be soooo Stupid!!!

One, part of that 47% are almost 20% of the 1% Top Income earners. The rest are below the Poverty Level and don't make enough to pay taxes.

Two, How about we stop the Welfare to foreign Oil Corporations to the tune of Over 5 Billion a year. Corporations that make 10s of Billions in Profit should not be exempted from paying taxes. It was U S Military that kept the oil fields safe in Iraq for Shell, B P. and others, yet they paid not one dime to support our troops.

Three. You put money in a savings account and pay up to 35% tax on your investment. Millionaires and Billionaires invest in High yield accounts and pay a Max of 15% tax. Now that's Class Warfare!!!

Mark you need to watch somthing other than FOX, their talking points are so stale and disproven time and time again.

Mark-384387...

We have a parrot that can learn your lines in about 30 minutes...he's pretty smart though (for a bird)!

About as Independent as The Man In The Moon - roflmao.

You Rock Mr. Independent!!!!! Keep up the Good Work...Merry Christmas

"this" generation is stopping the destruction of our country by overwhelmingly supporting and trying to get ron paul elected. (highest support among young people)

if anyone should be sickened it should be the failure of the boomer generation to take personal responsibility and keep voting themselves additional handouts.

I respect your fathers contribution to this country, WW2 was the last war america has fought to defend our freedom.

you do have a point. Those who grew up during the 60s are now elected as the politicians who run the country.

And look at what they've done to it. We have a Federal Government who ignors it's citizens in favor for those who are not citizens [the illegal immigrants demanding rights as citizens vs american citizens].

What ever happened to "We the People of the United States" ? What happened to patriotism? We have judges who rule saying the Pledge of Alligence in school is unconstitutional ?

The United States is in decline and we have only ourselves to blame for it. We elected these characters to run our country.

It's obvious we need to stop spending ourselves into bankruptcy.

The boomers are partly responsible for this mess. They bought into the policies of the 80's. Since then it has continually gotten worse. Manufacturing has been sent overseas. Steel mills have closed, blue collar jobs have disappeared. Wages have stayed pretty much the same. You can't even buy anything made in the USA. Some of you don't know that, you didn't get a paycheck then, you weren't even in diapers yet. I went from $4 per hr pre vietnam to $12 into the early 80's. Since then, wages haven't increased much. Corporations actually paid taxes then. They hired because they had jobs available, the country was growing. Do some research and see why things have changed. Inform yourselves, this computer really opens a window for you see what has happened. Quit believing the talking heads.

I grew up in the 60's. I'm Not in politics. But you are right Steve Allen. Since the 80's we've bought into the trickle down effect. We gave corps big tax breaks. Real big tax breaks. We've de-regulated business. And they were rich.. They hired they had manufacturing plants. We have bought into this scheme. They aren't bringing jobs back. Why would they, they can hire cheap, and pollute to their hearts content without regulations and get even richer. Our country is run by the rich. Dem's and Repubs. Notice how anything that gets put into laws helps the rich more than us.

Anyone notice that the Koch Bros. have a refinery near the termination point of the keystone pipeline. Think about it.

Alan, obvious to everyone but a Democrat!!!!

Don: "This" generation did its best to overcome the huge mistakes of those gawd awful Reagan years (what Bush very rightly called "voodoo" economics). It took Clinton to party clear up that mess and then look what we got, 8 years of the "decider" with two off the books wars, massive debt, and a war on logic and reason. We're not down for the count yet...already getting back on our feet (I know, I know, much to the chagrin of republicans everywhere).

@ AP

Ya those god awful reagan years where he corrected the double digit inflation and contained the wrecklessness of jimmy carter. we had 4.5% unemployment under reagan and the pro growth policies, must have been a real god awful time. clinton's policies had nothing to do with the effect of growth during his years, he did nothing but ride the dot com bubble ( which popped in 2000) during his tenure. Clinton did not have a budget surplus - this is infact a lie and just a simple budget gimmick that politicians like to use.

People seem to forget that george bush ran on conservative and pro growth policies in 2000. People also seem to forget that after 9/11 the majority of the country stood with Bush in going into afghanistan. What he did with the iraq war was essentially a war fought for israel.

I wouldnt say 1.16% growth is getting back on our feet. Regulations and Obama's burdens are still hurting business everywhere.

Ok, consistency and geo politics is clearly not your strong suit. First of all, of COURSE this country stood behind Bush in declaring his two wars, because they were LIED to. This wasn't about Israel, this was about "weapons of mass destruction" remember? He had Colin Powell lie directly to the UN about it (still no sign of them in case you are still losing track). People absolutely do not forget why Bush ran...A complete joke to call that man pro growth (unless you are purely looking at the growth of wars and deficits). Clinton racked up the largest surpluses in history--hell even Newt isn't ridiculous enough to claim REAGAN did it...you need to do some homework. You'll find it was due to tax hikes pushed through in his first year in office--a booming economy allowed him to balance the budget AND create the largest surpluses in history. Don't just read right wing rags --look at the bi-partisan Congressional Budget Office. Unlike you, a lot of voters are not so easily fooled. (how is business "hugely overburdened by regulation"?? and making record profits? ) You may say growth for three quarters is no big deal after the worst recession in modern times...you are clearly, sir, no economist.

Brendan4,

RE: your post #17.9

I'll make this short and very simple for you to fully understand. Your post #17.9 is completely nonsense. Capice?

brendan-4

Hmmm...are YOU a VETERAN there brenden? If not, why not?

brendan-4...

Could it be that "Freedom" to you means never having to put YOUR own a$$ on the line for your country there brenden? Who the hell do you think you have to thank for THAT freedom son...mommy and daddy? ...family of VETERANS!

HELLO, Congress does not Pay for anything, They reach into the working class pockets to Pay for EVERYTHING, Including their out of Control Pay and benifits packages. Get with the program.

Oh come on GOP: I agree the GOP is a joke of a party with no new ideas, but you are not going to hike employment in this country by pretending we are not under-educated . Face facts: there's a reason we import engineers and scientists and other highly skilled workers and it sure isn't because they're cheaper, because they are not if they are working here. While we sneer and focus on all those crop picking brown skin people--the real joke in this country is our failure to keep up with these higher skills. You want higher employment for Americans? Work for it. Get rid of this little red school house mentality where the Texans get to think Jefferson is "too controversial" and the Kansans get to only learn bible theory. As long as Americans continue on this course--a mere 30% with higher education and only a portion of those with advanced degrees--this is what we'll get...importing brains, fighting over what's left for the millions of under-educated American work force left behind...and thousands upon thousands of American jobs requiring SOME kind of education, going unfilled.

AP, I can debate you all day long on how pathetic the democrats are. What liars they are. They are truly a party that is obstructionists. There are at least 24 bills on reids desk waiting to be voted on for jobs and he will not allow one of them to come on the floor for an up or down vote. For three years now, the senate has been without a budget, which is against the law. I cannot believe someone is not holding them accountable. The democrats are not for the lower and middle class, they just tell you that and people believe it. The democrats want to tax each mile you drive. The democrats want cap and trade to tax your heating oil, natural gas, electricity, etc. The democrats want to move your benefits over to be taxable. The democrats with healthcare are forcing you heatlhcare premiums to skyrocket, forcing you to pay a penalty/tax if you do not get healthcare insurance, forcing you to pay a tax if your plan is over $8,000, forcing people to lose their coverages. This the party for the middle and lower class? You add up all that the democrats want to do to us and a middle class family is looking at thousands upon thousands in additional taxes on the lower and middle classes. The democrats are trying to orchestrate the largest lie and fabrication in our history. I can back up every single thing that is in this comment. I have done it before.

Mark: and you'd still be wrong. Spew your lies all you like--Yours is the party of no for a reason. The bills are a joke--nothing but pork barrell and your own party won't support them. Nothing but deregulation (gee if I didn't have to worrry about miner's actually breathing oxygen below ground, I might squeeze out a few more jobs in W. Virginny too). You are a political hack for the party of let em eat cake and you don't even know it. The R's were FOR healthcare before they were against it (do some reading for gosh sakes)--You may want to go back to you're on your own care, where insurance companies decide what a 'pre-existing' condition consists of --where tens of millions go without even minimal insurance--until they hit the emergency rooms and we all pay--but claiming the US joining the rest of the industrialized world in some minimal health care (without even a single payer mind you) is "forced" only in your Alice in Wonderland world.Yours is the party of the middle class???? What a joke! You're being played and you're too clueless to even know it.

Better than squashing that can and pretending the party of let em eat cake has any solutions to offer. We're not broke genius---debt isn't the same thing as not being able to pay your bills. And you were this hysterical when bush started this ruin with two wars off the books and massive tax giveaways, right?

Bush has nothing to do with the current decisions being made.

Bush was wrong, and I WAS against unfuded spending, whether wars or government programs.

America has to cut government waste, government spending.

No one can continue to pay the escalating costs of this give a way government.

If it can not be paid for, this country's citizens can not have it!

Government intervention is the problem, not the solution!

AP, tell that to Greece, Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland, etc. You have got to be a liberal/socialist. That is what got these and other countries in trouble. Huge debt. Obama has run up more debt in two years than any other President. In obama's four years, his debt will be more than every other Presdient combined.

Oh look at those crockodile tears!...you suddenly wake up after your boy launches two wars, keeps them off the books, tells you life is rosy and hands you tax cuts, brings the nation to the brink of bankruptcy with lunatic spending and NOW you're worried because we have a President you hate?? What a sick joke...it's going to take more than 2 and a half years to fix that debacle of an 8 year presidency...and a long, long time before voters forget those theatrics from the so called "fiscal responsibility" party--There's a reason voters have fled the Republican party...better hope you can talk some of those independents back into not being embarrassed to be on the same continent

Bush handed this mess to Obama and said deal with it , and eb blames him ( Obama) how do u fix something when u have no help or support

Eric Teabagger Cantor is doing his best to wreck this country. I sure can tell you I did not vote for any of these tea party kool aid servers, but a lot of people sure fell for it. there seem to be a real lot of dumb voters out there they will fall into lock step with any crazy that comes along IE Ross Perot, Wallace, its really sad it was the cock brother and rich special interests that started and funded the tea Party and thousands of uninformed people fell for this Scam

You both hit the nail on the head, but really, I think the old Bone man prefers to be called 'The Grim Weeper". Cantor is the Mad Hatter from another famous Tea Party.

It is pathethic what all three of you believe and how wrong you actually are. The democrats have put us on a path of bankruptcy and total collapse. How naive people are. We can not afford the debt the democrats have put upon us.

Yep, keeping blaming the TEA Party. It’s your FLEA party that will destroy America. Keep filling the ones with their hands out and see how long this country last. Eventually everyone will realize there is no need to keep working. Then you will beg Cantor to be in charge. Until then you just offer up your usual blaming and name calling.

FLEA party??? That's rich...and you then say OTHERS are name calling?? Pot...meet kettle. You go right ahead and kick back. The rest of us working Americans know exactly what's required to keep this country moving (don't get run over).

Amen Brother