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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio holds up a gavel in the House chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, after being re-elected House Speaker as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Are we ready for the next crisis?

BY Dave Ross  on January 4, 2013 @ 5:30 am (Updated: 8:08 am - 1/4/13 )

The 113th Congress has been seated and will get right to work on the next step in the big budget debate - spending.

Already we are being warned of yet another event horizon: the Debt Crevasse.

Conservatives are warning that unless they can win substantial cuts in government spending, they will block any increase in the debt ceiling. That will force the United States of America either to refuse to pay its bondholders, or to start closing its offices and withholding government checks.

We all roll our eyes and wonder, what kind of crazy system sabotages itself like this?

But if you reflect for a moment, you realize that's how MOST unpleasant tasks ultimately get done.

Everybody wants government run the way we run our own lives, right? Well, wish granted.

How did you finish your big college papers? Using careful time management techniques?

No. You partied, you BS'd about it, and then the night before it was due, you picked up two six-packs of some energy drink, and churned out 50 pages cut and pasted from the internet.

Human beings need a deadline. A threat.

Congress, being the highest legislative authority in the land, must impose its own threats, but it's the same thing.

We don't have absolute rulers, which means the difficult decisions require the consent of at least 278 people. It's the 217 members of the House, 60 members of the Senate, and one president, each of whom was stubborn enough to survive an election to get where they are.

It's happened throughout our history and based on everything I read about the debt ceiling, it's about two months away from happening again.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (96)


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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Don't Worry - Be Happy
    January 4, 2013 5:22 am
    You're far to early with this post, Dave. .. As if anyone's going to care or even notice for a month or so. .. And, yes, it IS like that high school term paper. An all-nighter the night before it's due will be just fine.

    And whatever posturing done now will be long forgotten by then. Besides, we wouldn't really ever let the country default -- would we?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    congressional failure!
    January 4, 2013 5:47 am
    Not everyone partied and BS in college....some of us applied ourselves and studied hard. The house caved...it's embarrassing. The bottom line is....Obama spent us in to this disaster...America has a major spending problem! The only thing growing in America is Govt and handout recipients... wake up! cut spending! be realistic! The people ruling our country are an absolute embarrassment!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    Sick
    January 4, 2013 6:07 am
    Just keep listening to Fox News and Rush Limbaugh tell how much Obama spends. Just keep listening to them tell you how he is going to pull out his credit card and spend, spend, spend. Never mind the fact that they have no idea how The Constitution works. Never mind the fact that they don't bother mentioning that the president has no power to spend. That is the job of Congress. If Congress is controlled by The Dems and they do everything that Obama proposes, then you have a legitimate beef. That hasn't been the case. Yes, we do need to cut spending, no arguments there. I hope when The GOP discusses spending cuts, they are serious as well and we can start with a 15% cut in military expenditures. Afghanistan costs us $2 billion a week. How about no more aid to Pakistan? Let's not talk Social Security. Reagan even new that one was not part of the deficit. In fact, as strange as it sounds, Dick Cheney said that deficits don't matter. Now I never heard anybody from The GOP cry "foul" when he made that insane comment.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Uh, Wazzu. In case you haven't noticed, Obama has been president for the past 4 years.
    January 4, 2013 6:19 am
    And regardless of all spending originating in the House, the president DOES have the power NOT to spend. .. No one forced him to keep Afghanistan running. No one forces him to send aid to Pakistan. .. Not that much is actually mandated, save social security, et al.

    And I know it's old hat, but in 2008, Oz called Bush unpatriotic for running up debt on that Bank of China credit card. So (unless he's planning on stiffing China) has he evolved on debt ?

    .

    And BTW. Deficits DO matter and I, for one, have always found Dick Chaney insane.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    ron p
    January 4, 2013 6:59 am
    No one forces him to send money to Israel either but could you imagine the up roar that would occur if he said cut of the $$$.You don't seem to have a grasp on how things work.Our POTUS is Not a Dictator and can't make decree's
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Only in his dreams, messiah
    January 4, 2013 7:21 am
    only in his dreams.

    But just WHO IS 'forcing' him to stay in Afghanistan??????? And last time I looked, there wasn't a really powerful Pakistani lobby back in DC.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    ron p
    January 4, 2013 10:40 am
    Follow the money ron p.As I said before you don't seem to grasp how things work
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    well, messiah, if YOU'VE got such a good grasp. ...
    January 4, 2013 11:28 am
    what are you doing wasting your time on these blogs ?

    I'm old and done playing that game. ... But if Obama is keeping us in Afghanistan for some money reasons, he's far more corrupt than even I thought. Quite frankly, I'm thinking he's just in way over his head (and likes those drones), but if YOU know better.............

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    ron p
    January 4, 2013 12:28 pm
    Thats the problem with many of you Rightys you don't seem to have the capacity to think outside the box.You seem to be a bright enough guy to understand that Obama or any other POTUS could not have simply pulled the troops out of the conflict as it would have been a irresponsible thing to do.We also have a group of American business's making a fortune by supplying the US Military with the needed tools of war.These business's are situated in most every State in the USA and because of that have political power throughout the House and Senate.By the way RonP I don't feel I'm wasting my time on this blog I'm simply giving folks like you another point of view
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Messiah - what part of four years later and more troops than when he started don't you understand ?
    January 4, 2013 2:41 pm
    So --- is your hero being paid off by the military industrial complex ? ..... But, like everything else, Obama TALKS a good line, but results are something else.

    .

    And, Hey. I thought you concluded a couple of weeks ago that I was only a 65 on the left to right spectrum. Some of us try to think instead of simply grabbing talking points.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    ron p
    January 4, 2013 4:43 pm
    I gave you an excellent example of how the profiteers can keep things going.So why ask?Obama my HERO? No he's another Democrat with a missing backbone he is way too moderate for my taste.Let me ask you this,why does it not seem to bother anyone on the Right when the Speaker of the House states that he will NEVER meet the POTUS one on one in the future?Doesn't that show you that he is now being led by the nose by the Tea Party?Seems to me that GOP leadership needs a back bone also,perhaps with Obamacare they can obtain one
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Oh, that's right.
    January 4, 2013 5:00 pm
    I forgot you considered Oz on the right side of the spectrum.

    But is ObamaCare can implant backbones, why (by your own words) why not start with Mr. Obama himself? ... I suspect, though, the most frequent ObamaCare operation will be wallet removal.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    Ron
    January 4, 2013 7:08 am
    So much of the spending that occurs is to keep the current government running. You say no one forced him to keep Afghanistan going, yes you have a point there. He made the decision to surge troops in that area because that is where he felt the larger threat was occurring. He also meet huge opposition from The GOP when he reduced troops in Iraq. Remember McCain complaining that Obama was denying this country a victory? Yes, Obama could have said we are not going to spend, we are going to stop the bailouts. Do you think he could have actually ceased those plans? Do you think that would have had serious implications on the recovery? I find it interesting that The GOP passed the ceiling debt EVERY time when Bush was president and said we needed to pay for our debts. They did not once complain about out of control spending and no payment plans. They now are concerned about record debt, when there was record debt occurring directly under their nose during The Reign.
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  • Uilleam wrote...
    Socialists
    January 4, 2013 6:48 am
    Whenever someone mentions cutting spending, "the deficit" or living within some spending constraints you liberal kool-aid drinkers spout the "Fox News" mantra. Everytime. Obama is the President, bottom line. The leader of the Democrat Party, your party. Just over half of America voted for him but he has no plan and we are spiraling down. He needs to step up and stop blaming others for his lack of leadership. Fix Medicare, fix social security, stop spending. Does you leg tingle? Maybe you should turn off NBC News and stay away from liberal media. Chris Mathews won't miss you.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    the simple way liberals follow congress and the inner workings
    January 4, 2013 8:17 am
    Dems are good and Repubs are bad. You dont need to read or study when u r a lib, just believe their side is good, the other bad.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    WSU
    January 4, 2013 8:49 am
    Will you EVER come with something other than FOX News or Rush Limbaugh or George Bush to make your narrow minded, liberal hate speech relevant ? You are laughable with the same talking points over & over & over & over & over.....you sound like a moon. And I honestly don't think you are that stupid.
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  • wsualumn wrote...
    Maple
    January 4, 2013 10:04 am
    When I go to fox News(Last night) and I listen to them go over and over about what a big spender Obama is and they have a congresswoman talking about how he is going to "run up the credit card," it will be mentioned. Especially when I see posts that mirror those same thoughts. Fox News isn't up on how The Constitution works and they don't bother informing their "ditto heads" about it either.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    WSU
    January 5, 2013 2:55 pm
    God, you are an arrogant A - WHole. You are the epitome of the Liberal Left who is so totally blided by their ideology that if someone on the right told you the sky was blue, you would still deny it. Aparently, its only you trendy, hipsters on the Left who understand how the Constitution works...PISS OFF!Just when I think you're actually somewhat intelligent, your narrow minded BLAME GAME completely destroys any shred of crediblity you may have earned. Grow up and quit BLAMING EVERYTHING on FOX NEWS. You sound like an IDIOT! And I really dont think you are that much of an idiot
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  • wsualumn wrote...
    NOW, NOW, MAPLE
    January 6, 2013 7:24 am
    Rather than rage anger, please tell me where I am wrong in what I call fair criticism of a so called "News Channel," that claims to be "Fair and Balanced?" To be honest with you, I have problems with a station that constantly reminds their ditto heads that they are fair and balanced. They are the furthest thing from the truth. It's sort of like the person that very frequently tells people about how "smart" they are or how "hard" they work or how "wonderful" their marriage is. It always turns out to be the furthest thing from the truth.
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    Sicko
    January 4, 2013 6:55 am
    I will use the same arquement as you on the Far Far Right and that is that the Congress controls the spending the GOP controls the Congress so its OBVIOUSLY the fault of Congress when the Gov spends too much.Who ever is POTUS asks for the Debt ceiling to be raised when Congress spends TOO much.After all the bills need to be paid RIGHT?
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  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Messiah
    January 4, 2013 8:53 am
    When are you going to learn What CONGRESS is, Congress is made of the HOUSE and the SENATE. The HOUSE has passed budgets over the last 4 years, The SENATE has not passed anything.

    Both sides of Congress control the purse strings but the PRESIDENT Proposes Budgets.

    So far None one wants to curb spending in fact the SENATE and the PRESIDENT want to INCREASE the debt limit so they can SPEND MORE.

    Do you get it now?

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  • messiah101 wrote...
    Rick
    January 4, 2013 10:57 am
    Suggest you read the politifact Ohio article on how the process works.The way our government is set up either party can muddy the waters to a degree that nothing of substance gets done and it does not matter if you control the house or the senate
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  • akorage wrote...
    Let me Guess
    January 4, 2013 12:45 pm
    Your Granma is on Medicare!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Dave dont you think its wrong
    January 4, 2013 5:51 am
    to constantly say hey I'm spending more than I'm taking in and I have limits, But just lets raise the limit and spend Even more.

    We cant as a nation continue this.

    This fiscal cliff vote was a joke on both sides if you ask me. You increase taxes 60 Billion, but put almost a trillion more in spending attached to it

    Its just wrong.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    All the hand wringing and crying about overspending by conservatives...
    January 4, 2013 6:06 am
    would be better received by the other side if they included defense spending, corporate welfare, farm subsidies, congressional perks, medicare drug benefit...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    Yes we do have a spending problem
    January 4, 2013 7:20 am

    With defense spending. Yes we do have an welfare entitlement problem with Farm subsidies, corporate subsidies WELFARE, money they did not earn and it surely didn't make them hire people.

    About $59 billion is spent on traditional social welfare programs.

    Corporate welfare: Big Oil and Big Gas Tax Breaks 2011-2015 savings: $80 billion (Taxpayers for Common Sense). Big Oil has made almost $855 billion in profits in the past decade. There is no need to give such a profitable industry a tax break.

    Deferral of Taxes on Income of U.S.-Controlled Corporations Abroad 2011-2015 savings: $199 billion (Citizen for Tax Justice estimate). Encourages off-shoring of work and capital. End Accelerated Depreciation on Equipment 2011-2015 savings: $141 billion (CTJ estimate). Accelerated depreciation can result in a very low, or even negative, tax rate on profits from a particular investment.

    Deduction for Domestic Manufacturing 2011-2015 savings: $76.7 billion (CTJ estimate). Provides virtually no benefit to the economy and is blatant corporate welfare.

    Last-In, First-Out Accounting (LIFO) 2011-2015 savings: $24.2 billion (CTJ estimate). Corporations use LIFO to hide their true profits.

    Subsidies to Big Agribusiness 2011-2020 savings: $52 billion (Taxpayers for Common Sense). Small farms are disappearing while big agri-business racks up huge profits—with corporate welfare support.

    Permit Government to Negotiate Drug Prices for Medicare. Savings 2012-2021: $157.9 billion. (Congressional Progressive Caucus). Barring government involvement is an indirect corporate subsidy.

    Tax Breaks For Drug Companies. 2011-2020 savings: $50 billion (estimated based on figures from Rep. Jerrold Nadler). Stops a $5 billion-a year annual tax break for direct-to-consumer advertising. We should pay for drug companies to market to us?

    Enact A Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee. 2012-2021 Savings: $70.9 billion (Congressional Progressive Caucus). Imposed on largest banks as a repayment of corporate welfare extended via bank bailouts for financial crisis precipitated by banks.

    Enact a Derivatives and Speculation Tax. 2012-2022 savings: $650 billion (Congressional Progressive Caucus). Wall Street receives indirect corporate welfare/subsidies via a regulatory system and infrastructure investment for which it pays virtually nothing. A very tiny transactions tax will end the corporate welfare.

    Cut Military Budget 2011-2020 Savings: $550 billion (Sustainable Defense Task Force). According to the Task Force, weapons research, development, and procurement activities…“now routinely cost taxpayers over $200 billion a year. Procurement costs are up 110% in real terms since 2000. Setting aside war-related expenditures, DoD “peacetime” spending on research, development, and procurement has increased 75% in real terms.” This focuses only on the Task Force’s cuts that reasonably have a “corporate welfare” component, primarily weapons systems that don’t work and/or aren’t needed to fight an enemy that does not exist.

    A little history lesson just to make it clear, none of America's problem starts or ends with the Obama administration, Giveaway of public lands is one of the oldest forms of corporate welfare. The National Mineral Act of 1866 gave millions of acres to mining companies free.

    Railroad corporations received more than 100 million acres and millions in federal subsidies for rail construction. The 1872 Mining Act still gives companies the right to extract resources on public lands at $5 per acre with no royalty fees. Mining companies gave congressional candidates $17 million from 1987-1994 (Reagan & Bush administration,lol) to ensure Congress did not repeal the act. During that time, they extracted $26 billion in minerals from public land paying no royalty fees.

    YES there is a spending problem, but I do say sir, social welfare is not were the problem lay. Educate yourself and quit being useful IDIOTS.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    sports- u are way, way, way off on your welfare spending. U must be picking out just one ting part of welfare. In 2011 total welfare spending was $910 Billion
    January 4, 2013 8:34 am
    Plus Sportg-look at the chart and see it is climbing like the slope of Mt Rainier. Sorry-you are way off. In fact I think the by-product of welfare needs to be added-drug use, criminal-justice cost, lack of productivity by offspring etc etc. total means-tested welfare spending (cash, food, housing, medical care, and social services to the poor) has increased more than 17-fold since the beginning of Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty in 1964. though the current trend is unsustainable, the obama administration would increase future welfare spending rather than enact reforms.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Welfare Spending
    January 5, 2013 7:14 pm
    Topped $1TRILLION in 2012 up 32% since Obama took office. Look it up. Go to the CBO Website. Obama has encourage and has made no secret of increasing entitlement spending through wealth distribution, which is pretty much the definition of socialism...do the math guru...
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  • wsualumn wrote...
    MAPLE
    January 6, 2013 7:25 am
    Thank goodness previous policies had nothing to do with it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    Maplefish
    January 6, 2013 11:57 am
    You have to learn how to read those numbers a lot better, over have of those number are social security payments and medicare payments to the senior citizens which is considered welfare payments. You need to find somebody who can help you decipher what those numbers means.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    sportsg- the 2011 budget for traditional welfare was $466 BILLION
    January 4, 2013 8:51 am
    However, this number does not include things like Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP: Three health insurance programs - Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) - together accounted for 21 percent of the budget in 2011, or $769 billion. Nearly two-thirds of this amount, or $486 billion, went to Medicare, which provides health coverage to around 48 million people who are over the age of 65 or have disabilities. The remainder of this category funds Medicaid and CHIP, which in a typical month in 2011 provided health care or long-term care to about 60 million LOW-income Children, parents, elderly people, and people with disabilitiese medicaid or housing subsidies.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kato1967 wrote...
    All except Defense
    January 4, 2013 7:41 am
    I agree with you on everything except Defense. That is the one area that the constitution actually authorizes congress to spend money on. In case you haven't noticed, the world is still quite dangerous. The rest should be cut out completely.
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  • logical open mind wrote...
    Forest, if u knew any libertarians or conervatives you would know that defense, farm subsidies need to be cut.
    January 4, 2013 8:20 am
    But what is corporate welfare? explain. Boeing got some tax breaks to keep the company here. Why is that welfare? Boeing provides jobs and tax money, welfare people provide zero.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    "Everybody wants government run the way we run our own lives, right?"
    January 4, 2013 6:21 am
    No, not correct, as a single parent for the past 20 years I didn't bend to every whim and desire my two children wished for....there was no lobbyist. It was pretty much a dictatorship, I don't expect my government to become that although it appears they are doing their best to create one. Maybe some day our government will start working for Americans and not so much their political parties, and maybe someday they will understand that the person most qualified to take care of their personal lives is the person themselves. And that would allow government to take care of those that are incapable of taking care of themselves.
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    OK Rightys,I'm on your side on this
    January 4, 2013 7:08 am
    You guys want less government spending lets CUT 50% from the military budget IMMEDIATELY,and see how things go.You guys want less spending?. there you are.The US will still have the ability to defend itself so the Constitution is followed and we save TRILLIONS over the next few years.Are you with me.If the defense cuts don't solve the problem then look at other cuts in the future.I'm sure we can learn to live without the Blue Angels,the Thunderbirds and flyovers of NFL and MLB stadiums
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  • logical open mind wrote...
    sufre lets cut defense 50% but what u dont realize i the dem would never go for this drastic of cut.
    January 4, 2013 8:36 am
    but sure, make Europe defend themselves for once.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Uilleam wrote...
    Obama
    January 4, 2013 6:53 am
    >"When the deal was passed by Congress late Tuesday, President Obama said it prevented 'a middle class take hike that could have sent the economy back into recession' and have a 'severe impact' on American families."< He lied. My taxes are going up, my paycheck will shrink and Obama supporters will get an increase in unemployment benefits, food stamps and a tax refund. Rich people will see a proportionally less increase in taxes than I will. Thank you Obama, thank you Senators. Obama lies, socialist cheer.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cdbtx wrote...
    You're wrong Dave
    January 4, 2013 6:53 am
    Ever read a term paper produced in the last hour or read a budget produced in the last hour.... 99% of the time they're pure garbage. It tends to be an indicator that those doing the last minute work only do so because it's a requirement - not because it's something they have a passion for or a desire to do.

    Can you imagine Nasa waiting until the last minute, or the military, or Boeing, or MS, or Apple or a Government?

    We've had much more devisive Gov't in the past...what's set them apart though is that we had a President who was a leader

    Obama is not, nor has he ever been a leader - he's an orator, much like a Hollywood actor - reading a script produced by someone else.

    All we have to do is look back at Obamas history - The State of Illinois, this is Obama's legacy, it's where he gained his political, economic experience and direction.

    Illinois - Ranked 50th for fiscal Policy

    47th in job creation

    1st in unfunded pensions

    2nd largest budget deficit

    1st in failing schools

    1st in bonded indebtedness

    1st in highest sales tax

    Most judges indicted

    5 of the last 9 Governors indicted - more than the entire US combined

    32 Alderman indicted and over 1000 State and Muni employees indicted

    And that's just scratching the surface - Now do you notice any similarities before Illinois and our Federal Gov't? Keeping in mind tha tthe Mainstream media has only reported a tiny percent of the Obama administration stories..

    Divided Congresses have been around for over 200 years.... Obama's only been around for 4...

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    cdbtx: During what years was Obama...
    January 4, 2013 6:58 am
    governor of Illinois? Thanks. I missed that entirely.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    chuck a better question to ask is what party has controled Illinois for ever?
    January 4, 2013 8:38 am
    Answer-Democrats, just like that wonderfully run California
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    logical mind: but that wasn't cdbtx's point
    January 4, 2013 9:25 am
    he didn't blame the Democrats for Illinois, he blamed Obama.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    ok I will make it more clear-I blame the democratic machine in Illinois for the mess the democratic party has made with the state.
    January 4, 2013 1:08 pm
    and I blame the democratic party in Cal for the mess. Take a look at texas, not nearly as nice or beautiful, same population, both border states and companies are leaving Cal for Texas--guess what Texas is run by republicans-shocking!!
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    logical
    January 4, 2013 2:54 pm
    As usual you show us all that you don't know what your talking about.As a former long time California resident that financial problems are the result of the many voter initiatives that require funding without going through the normal political process.Many States through out America pay company's for moving to their States including Texas
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  • logical open mind wrote...
    dream on Messiah if u think the Cal democrat controled congress (for years) has nothing to do with the fiscal mess or companies leaving the former "paradice"
    January 4, 2013 6:28 pm
    wise up. I have been involved in companies changing states due to punitive rules and business taxes. Duh!!
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  • wsualumn wrote...
    cdbtx
    January 4, 2013 7:15 am
    What a joke! You are going to blame Obama for Illinois when he was state senator? How long was he senator? I thought the governor and legislature had a heavy hand in this situation. He just reads a script? The debates proved that wrong. If he is the failure that you believe, what does that say when this guy can handedly defeat McCain and Romney? It says that the people believe that The GOP has even less to offer than what this current president is doing.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    WSU
    January 4, 2013 8:55 am
    Exactly! Obama was a Senator for 2 years then spent 2 years campaigning for POTUS. He never had a job in his life before that... And lecturing at college is a far cry from running the US. Obama is still in so far over his head that its pathetic. And for him to defeat McCain & Romney means there are a lot of stupid, ill-informed, lazy, useful idiots on the Left....
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  • wsualumn wrote...
    Maple
    January 4, 2013 10:13 am
    So blame the left, correct? If your party had come up with a better plan and better candidate, you guys would have had no problem. The problem is, your party has ABSOLUTELY no business dictating fiscal responsibility when they have proven they don't practice what they preach. They also aren't about small government. They insist on wanting to change The Constitution as to what they feel the official religion should be and what the official language should be. They claimed in 2010 their priority would be JOBS,JOBS, JOBS. Instead, they spent countless time writing new laws about the national motto, prayer, abortion, Sharia Law. What a joke of a party. And you choose to blame the left for voting in Obama. Look at what our other choice was. guys like you just don't get it. Have your party stick to the message of fiscal responsibility(and actually practice it), smaller government(and actually practice it) and you guys could actually win an election.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    WSU
    January 5, 2013 6:09 pm
    We'll see wont we. Obama will blame everyone for the upcoming recession. Just watch. I'll try to explain it to you one more time. When the government takes more more money from business owners, it shuts down growth of those businesses. THen, those businesses need to make up that lost revenue so they pass that expense on to the consumers who in turn have les to spend, which slows down overall tax revenues. YOu have got to be either a cpomplete and total IDIOT or you are a government employee if you cant figure this out. So sad they didn't teach you about basic economics while you were at WSU. Obama will destroy this country. Better use your government pesion and start buying gold. Or take Math Class.
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  • wsualumn wrote...
    MAPLE
    January 6, 2013 7:34 am
    Small businesses got tax breaks in this new bill. Big business still continues to get big breaks. Just look at Boeing. If businesses are paying more in taxes, then they are making large profits. As long as businesses reinvest their profits, they have very little taxes to pay. If their business is struggling as you claim, very little taxes to pay. How about a jobs bill to put the country back to work? Our infrastructure needs to be rebuilt. Put the masses back to work and expand the middle class. They are the ones that drive the economy. I know, according to you I am just an idiot and don't get like you because it isn't "trickle down" economics. For some strange reason Maple, I believe in "trickle up" economics. The idea that when the middle class expands, the wealthy benefit as well.
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  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    My five year plan to fix the mess.
    January 4, 2013 7:30 am
    Year one: 2013

    Freeze spending at the current level. Do not spend one cent more in 2013 than was spent in 2012. This will ease us into more drastic measures required during the next four years. Raise the age of eligibility for Social Security by 90 days and the age of eligibility for Medicare by 6 months- effective immediately. Begin means testing Social Security COLA. (Somebody hauling in $200,000 a year in corporate dividends probably deserves the social security he or she paid into, but doesn't really need a $75 per month bump-up to offset the rising cost of living).

    Also in year one: Means test for Medicare. Establish a Medicare "deductible" equal to 10% of annual income. Our relatively affluent retiree hauling in $200,000 per year would still qualify for Medicare in case of catastrophic situations, but the first $20,000 per year would be out of pocket. A retiree with $30,000 income would pay the first $3,000 of their own medical expenses, etc.

    Year two: 2014

    Reduce real dollars spent by 5%, across the board, in every department. Allow payrolls to shrink by attrition as federal workers retire. Demand that government departments and agencies increase efficiencies in order to maintain the current levels of service. Expand no department of government. Create no new department of government. Once again, raise the age of eligibility for Social Security by 90 days, and eligibility for Medicare by 6 months.

    Year three, four, and five: 2015, 2016, 2017....Cut another 5% each year, and duplicate the other aspects of year two.

    Also, put a new and very heavy tax on any US company that moves its operations or its money to a foreign country. Dedicate every cent collected from that tax to retiring outstanding bonds and paying off the national debt.

    That's tough medicine, but when the patient has an aggressive cancer sometimes it takes something as radical as poison or radiation to intervene and save life itself.

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    5 years puts us into the Rubio administration.
    January 4, 2013 7:46 am
    Credible plan BUT the president has shown no willingness so far to actually reduce spending. .. Slowing the rate of increase is mirrors to go along with the smoke of speeches.

    I'm afraid the only workable 5 year plan is to abide with Obama another 4 and hope a new administration can be serious about spending in 2017.

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  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    That's a defeatist attitude, Ron
    January 4, 2013 8:11 am
    We don't have 4 or 5 years to wait for new leadership in DC. Plus, there's no guarantee that the new leadership would be any more effective than the current.

    We the People need to delay our turns at the Social Security and Medicare troughs, and forgo COLA for higher income recipients of Social Security. We need a Medicare "deductible", once again tied to income.

    Them the Government need to start writing checks like they are dealing with a diminishing supply of real money, for a change- because they will be.

    We can't wait five years to cut spending. Cutting it across the board eliminates months of trying to figure out which programs to cut...I say, cut 'em all. We have no choice.

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    I know it. You know it. BUT............
    January 4, 2013 8:59 am
    Do those lovely people in DC know it ?

    Much as you may like him, I'm convinced Me. Obama has no desire to cut spending. .. Other than possibly the military.

    But maybe not even that, given his recent addiction to drones.

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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Or...we can look at the facts and realize that
    January 4, 2013 8:20 am
    Obama has slowed spending to the lowest level in 50 years. Annualized growth of federal spending since Reagan: Reagan 1st Term 8.7, Reagan 2nd Term 4.9, Bush I 1st Term 5.4, Clinton 1st Term 3.2, Clinton 2nd Term 3.9, Bush II 1st Term 7.3, Bush II 2nd Term 8.1, Obama 1st Term 1.4
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  • logical open mind wrote...
    gay- u certainly have drunk the lefty Obama Kool aid.
    January 4, 2013 8:36 am
    now go back to msnbc and your bong.
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Your tag name is so funny to me...you are neither
    January 4, 2013 4:38 pm
    logical or open minded. Facts are facts.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Gay marriied hollywood tool
    January 5, 2013 6:06 pm
    Please provide us a link....?
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    I found one...yeh!
    January 5, 2013 10:35 pm
    http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:wRwMTMsJYsUJ:www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/may/23/facebook-posts/viral-facebook-post-says-barack-obama-has-lowest-s/+obama+lowest+spending&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
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  • Lonestar wrote...
    56 posts before 9 am
    January 4, 2013 9:01 am
    It's sad that there are so many geniuses out of work.
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  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Fair warning, kids..(Democrat's)
    January 5, 2013 11:23 pm
    The debt ceiling will only be raised with substantial cuts in spending.It will also be a one time only debt ceiling raise.It's time to start taking our medicine.
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  • CH wrote...
    Good Morning Seattle Flounders !!!! Rick - I am not CH. I am William Lawn . . . .
    January 4, 2013 9:44 am
    good luck with that one William. I have told them I don't smoke happy smoke for the last year. You have to remember your dealing with Fox News Flounders. They have no brains. When they get their talking points they can't let go. 'You' sir opened that can of flounders. Did you not read the label " DO NOT OPEN"? You are on your own as keeper of the Flounders. I work for King Obama and have to produce for the King unlike the BOOKKEEPER. Why MYNW lets CH pull this crab with multiple accounts is beyond me. Update I did a pee test for MNW and the results found CH & It's Me Ha ha are one and the same. So put that in your pipe and smoke. Got to go the red phone is a ringing- ring ring ...hello KING Obama . . . . .
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