"The Obama administration and congressional Democrats are betting their political futures on the hope that the American electorate is ignorant and forgetful, and hence the memo has gone out to functionaries hither and yon, from David Axelrod to John Kerry: This is to be called the 'tea-party downgrade.' That this is said with straight faces bespeaks either an unshakable contempt for the mind of the American voter or an as-yet unplumbed capacity for Democratic self-delusion. Let us revisit the facts. The original debt-ceiling deal put forward by the Democrats totaled $0.00 in debt reduction. This would have fallen approximately $4 trillion short of the $4 trillion in debt reduction the credit-rating agencies suggested would constitute a 'credible' step toward maintaining our AAA rating and avoiding a downgrade. ... The Democrats have suggested that Republicans' refusal to accede to tax hikes is the main reason Standard & Poor's felt it necessary to issue a downgrade, the first in American history, last Friday evening. In their assessment of Standard & Poor's reasoning, the Democrats are acutely at odds with Standard & Poor's. The credit-rating agency did not call for tax hikes in its assessment. ... But S&P, along with the other credit-rating agencies, has long taken a position on one aspect of our fiscal troubles: entitlement reform. ... As anybody who has looked at our long-term deficit projections knows, entitlement spending is the major driver of our future deficits. ... Tea-party leaders, far from being a barrier to entitlement reform, have demanded it. ... The deal that finally did pass would have contained significantly more in deficit-reduction, except for the fact that Democrats categorically refused to consider -- is this sounding familiar? -- entitlement reform, the most important issue. ... Democrats believe that they have discovered a cartoon villain in the Tea Party, and they are hoping that American voters are gullible enough to be distracted by the political theatrics. Come November 2012, Americans should keep in mind both the insult and the injury -- to the nation and its credit." --National Review
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Progressives almost never get the labeling right. (To be fair, conservatives almost never get the policy right, which is worse.) What did we label an innovative tax credit to encourage work and reward those who leave welfare? The Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Wow, that's gripping. Not.
But it appears that this time we got the branding right. Within hours of the announcement that Standard & Poor's had downgraded U.S. Treasury debt, progressives were all calling it the Tea Party Downgrade. I think it will stick because, as Henry Kissinger said in another context, it has the added virtue of being true.
It used to be that even contemplating a refusal to raise the debt ceiling was taboo. Ronald Reagan, in appealing to then–Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker (R-TN), wrote: “The full consequences of a default—or even the serious prospect of default—by the United States are impossible to predict and awesome to contemplate. Denigration of the full faith and credit of the United States would have substantial effects on the domestic financial markets and the value of the dollar.”
Reagan worried about “even the serious prospect of default” because he knew that when a taboo is broached as a subject the result can be the same as if it were breached as a rule. For generations there was no serious discussion of not raising the debt ceiling. Sure, politicians made self-serving statements and cast grandstanding “nay” votes (as Sen. Barack Obama did when President George W. Bush needed to raise the debt ceiling), but our leaders understood that our full faith and credit had to be sacrosanct.
This ended with the Tea Party takeover. Although they claim to revere America’s Founders, many Tea Party politicians are anything but conservative. They did not, for example, conserve the tradition of protecting our debt. In fact, when asked about layoffs as a consequence of his party's radical proposals, House Speaker John Boehner said, “So be it.”
This is the way with all taboos—whether it is divorce or body piercing or listening to Rebecca Black's “Friday”—even entertaining the notion of doing it makes it more likely that you will actually do it. So be it.Leaders like Speaker Boehner, prodded by Tea Party activists, openly flirted with default. Even a veteran moneyman like Mitt Romney, who should have known better, refused to speak out against the Tea Party position. And the downgrade came.
Now, counter to prevailing stereotypes, it is progressives who proudly wave the flag and right-wingers who run down America. While Romney whines about “the failure of leadership of the president of the United States in Washington D.C.” (glad you clarified that, Mitt. For a minute I thought you were talking about the president of the United States in Baraboo, Wisconsin), the billionaire Democrat Warren Buffett defends our country and mocks S&P, boldly announcing that we deserve a quadruple A rating.
One-hundred-fifty-one years ago, in his address at Cooper Union, Abraham Lincoln, the founder of the Republican Party, addressed his opponents bitterly: “Your purpose, then, plainly stated, is that you will destroy the Government, unless you be allowed to construe and enforce the Constitution as you please, on all points in dispute between you and us. You will rule or ruin in all events.”
The Tea Party Downgrade. Brought to you by Rule-or-Ruin Republicans.
Are you kidding me? This happened because S&P has no confidence that the current administration and Congress will do anything to stop the reckless spending. I have no confidence either, Democrat or Republican, Tea Party or Communist, or anything in between.
Those in Washington believe that our hard earned money that is taken from us in the form of taxes (and not just income taxes. we pay taxes for almost every breath we take) is their money.
What a joke that budget "compromise" was. They are going to cut $2 trillion over 10 years. That's like me taking a dollar out of my wallet.
It's unfortunate that every decision made, or not made, is based on someone being re-elected (both parties.
I particularly find it offensive that our so-called POTUS has been seeking re-election from about the first week he was in office. It disgusts me that he goes on national TV in the name of the public interest and continues to make campaign speeches. And every time he opens his mouth, the stock market tanks.
Now the liberals want an investigation into S&P...Next thing we’ll be hearing is that Standard & Poors is a racist organization….. These fools don’t understand that hyperbole, demagoguery and specious blame casting doesn’t obscure or change reality. Particularly, for a credit rating agency. They think they can do to S&P what they have been doing to Republicans all these years. Unfortunately, the people at S&P are hired for their expertise, they are not answerable to the public at large, and they are not voted in by a bunch of mindless idiots. Chicago jesus and his thugs think they will intimidate S&P and are claming the folks who run S&P are good friends of the Bush family (there it is again blame Bush) Once again the liberal THUG mentality rears its ugly head. “Disagree with us and we’ll sick the IRS on YOU! AND believe me, WE WILL FIND SOMETHING to use against you even if we have to FABRICATE IT!” How much longer are we going to allow this TYRANNY go un-checked and un-confronted ? There should be news reports on every channel exposing this EVIL agenda of repercussions for not agreeing with the LEFT. McCartyism was not a “SCARE” it was “REAL” and our enemies FORCED their way into our country and into positions of influence and initiated their subversive plot to make America “vulnerable”. They succeeded. And we just stood there and watched them do it. Today it's like this with these morons.Soros demands that the Dems stop all bills. Harry Reid and Obama say “yes, sir”. Reid tables good bills while calling Tea Partiers racist. Crap bill gets passed after “compromise” that consists of no cuts worth anything. S&P downgrades. Soros makes a Billion. Soros gives money to Obama and Dems. Dems call Republicans corrupt. Not too difficult to figure out. By NOBAMA on OBAMA EXPECTS YOU TO BELIEVE THIS at 6:00 PM
President Downgrade, I mean Obama,Obama is a flawed man. So too were men such as Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Fidel Castro, Karl Marx, Mao Zedong and a host of others who thoroughly disrupted nations in their attempts of Socialism. As Winston Churchill once said, “Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery…”
Obama has adopted and lived the Marxist understanding of American black resentments. In short, young Barack Obama manufactured himself into a facsimile of a very peculiar black American, whose racial identity is at the service of an essentially trans-racial, anti-American ideology.”
The above best describes the ideological sea into which Barack Obama was launched. It is where he still navigates. From his vantage point, the wealth of America is vast, boundless and there for the takings.
Obama has so lowered the bar of the presidency that all presidents after him will face challenges
like crawling out of the abyss. He lacks any common decency, and would probably need a teleprompter to speak at a birthday party about his own kid!
The reality is that Obama has spent like three drunken sailors and a tipsy cabin boy." My take is that Obama spends like an addict on cocaine. His addiction to spending other peoples on himself and the country is comparable to cocaine euphoria. Let's not forget that it was Obama who wrote in Dreams from My Father that, "Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." And that, "Everybody was welcome in the club of disaffection." Obama's addiction has downgraded America. His disaffection and his ego will lead to outright treason. President Downgrade will hit bottom so hard he will have to reach up to touch bottom, hopefully the citizens will wake up before the country reaches the bottom along with him.
Hmmm some of the commentators at IS refuse to address their past calls for VOAI, but love to throw quotes, statistics and platitudes. Allowing those most guilty for the nation's fiscal condition namely incumbent Senators and Congressmen to carry on business as usual.
I have been an advocate of VOAI every election. Until term limits are established at the local, state and national levels I will continue to do so.
President Obama told a crowd at a battery plant in Holland, Michigan, this afternoon that Republicans must “find a way to put country ahead of party.” Obama went on to say, “There are some in congress right now who would rather see their opponents lose than see America win.”
Underlining the takeaway of Obama’s speech today, White Hosue Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer tweeted: “Key element from today’s remarks — Put Country before Party.
Obama’s new slogan, “Put Country before Party,” is awfully close to Sen. John McCain’s, R-Ari., failed 2008 presidential slogan “Country First.”
After telling Congress to “Put Country before Party” Obama is scheduled to fly to New York City where he will raise money for the Democratic Party at the Ritz Carlton.
Lincoln freed the slaves….Obama enslaved the free!!!
Barrack Hussein Obama: American (?) disaster...
Do you remember the bailout of GM aka as Obama motors?GM is investing 150 million of our money into a mfg facility in Indonesia creating 800 new jobs. Yes more jobs...for Muslims. Bush began the bail outs and Obama wants more money.
Well boys and girls they both violated the CONSTITUTON: >Amendment 28: Congress shall make no law guaranteeing any loan or giving any money to any individual, company or charity.
Nobama ,can you tell me when the 28th amendment was added to the constitution? Nut job right wing B.S.
This site has no need for the truth.Twenty-seven amendments have been ratified since the original signing of the Constitution, the first ten of which are known collectively as the Bill of Rights. The procedure for amending the United States Constitution is governed by Article V of the original text. There have been many other proposals for amendments to the United States Constitution introduced in Congress, but not submitted to the states.
Key word was missing: proposed. First time you have been able to debunk any statement. WOW
WOW. President Put Putt lectures the country and GM on making SUV's and trucks. This comes from the Clueless Capitalist.Profits are nice but green car are the future. Well the future for GM Obam motors doesnt look good for Obama Motors They sold a whopping 125 Obama Dolts the battery charged car.
General Motors detailed sales data this week revealed that only 281 Chevrolet Volts were sold in February, down from 321 in January. There are a few moving parts to consider before making any definitive statements about Volt’s success or failure.
Autoblog Green surfaced the news via GM’s detailed sales breakdown and gets to the key question in one word: Why?
We can certainly speculate on why Volts aren’t flying off the shelves. Here are a few thoughts about why there’s no need to panic just yet.
First, the Volt isn’t available across the U.S. yet. In fact, the Volt is available in seven states: California, New York, Michigan, Texas, New Jersey and Washington D.C. area. Roughly speaking, GM sold 40 Volts in February in each state. That sales pace in 50 states would equate to 2,000 Volts a month. For comparison, GM sold 2,760 Chevy Aveos in February.
Production and availability matters too. It’s still a bit fuzzy on how many Volts GM can actually produce. In late January, GM said it would speed up the nationwide rollout of the Volt. Deliveries will begin in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, GM will have Volts available nationwide. Simply put, we won’t know how Volts are really performing until 2012.
Price is key. GM’s Volt splash page features an MSRP of $32,780 with a big footnote. That net price includes the full $7,500 tax credit. However, after April 15 you can’t claim that credit until 2012. In other words, the Volt isn’t cheap and needs to come down in price without tax credits.
GM is changing consumer behavior. Let’s face it, the Volt appeals to early adopters. I ran into one Thursday in fact. Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff is a Volt owner. He has had the Volt for two weeks roughly. Key points from Benioff:
He enjoys the car and says it’s fun to drive.
Benioff doesn’t drive that far—about 40 miles a pop in mostly city driving. In fact, the gas engine portion of the Volt has yet to come on.
Charging hasn’t been an issue since Benioff equipped his home with a heavy duty charger.
The user interface of the Volt isn’t as intuitive as it could be, but overall is well designed.
However, Benioff isn’t the average bear. Benioff plans to take Salesforce.com’s new San Francisco headquarter off grid with a wide array of technologies (fuel cells, solar etc). Benioff is a front runner and a sustainability evangelist. The average consumer, who will choke on the additional expense of upgrading their electric system to support faster charging, has to rethink the Volt thing. I expect $4 a gallon gas may speed up that process.
In short, the Volt remains in the experiment mode. I doubt we’ll get a definitive read on Volt sales until 2012 at the earliest.
Also see: First drive: Chevrolet Volt
GM sells 300 Volts in January
GE to buy 25,000 electric vehicles, 12,000 Chevy Volts
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