Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
It seems like everywhere you turn there is a story about the how bad the deficit is and how the government must make drastic cuts to save the economy and reduce the deficit. The Tea Party is clinging to their demands for $100 Billion in budget cuts or they say they will shut down the government. “Rep. Mike Pence (R) of Indiana, a tea party favorite in Congress, urged taking a hard-line on budget cuts – and if that meant a shutdown, then so be it. “If liberals in the Senate would rather play political games and shut down the government instead of making a small down payment on fiscal discipline and reform, I say, shut it down,” Congressman Pence said, eliciting a chant of “Cut or shut! Cut or shut!” from the crowd. Republicans worried about blame for a shutdown might not be so happy with Pence for that.” Christian Science Monitor
It is interesting to note that cuts in the bloated defense budget were not included in the demands made by the Republicans and Tea party faithful. They want to cut the programs that seem to do the most good for the poor and the middle class, all the while allowing the wealthy and corporations to get tax breaks and tax credits. We have seen the stories detailing so many of the big corporations that paid little or no federal tax. “Last week, the New York Times reported that General Electric (GE), the world’s largest corporation paid nothing in federal corporate income taxes in 2010. In fact, the company made over $14 billion in profits and actually received a $3.2 billion tax benefit.” Think Progress
That is an amazing statistic. GE not only paid no federal taxes, they actually got billions in tax credits! That means that all of those nurses, and firemen and state workers who were in danger of losing their jobs, paying more in insurance premiums and losing their collective bargaining rights in states across the union because of the dire economic situation in their states, actually paid more taxes to the Federal Government than the Third largest corporation in the world! Why aren’t the Tea Party faithful going after the GE’s of the world to share in the sacrifice?
The Tea Party is not satisfied with the large cuts that have been already made and those offered by the Democrats, they simply want to tear away at the heart of the programs that help you and I. They want to end all funding to Planned Parenthood that would actually put poor women in the street looking for serious health care programs because they are also demanding to defund The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare as they refer to it as. “With a hard deadline looming, talks to prevent a government shutdown have been stymied for a week because Tea Party members of the House have demanded everything: not just some of their cuts but almost all of them, and not just a reduction in spending but a reduction only in the programs they don’t like. Many are insisting Democrats also agree to nonbudgetary riders, like ending the financing of Planned Parenthood or health care reform. “ New York Times
Why does the Tea Party want to attack the programs that help the most people? Why doesn’t the Tea Party include the Defense budget in its budget cut plans? Why does the Tea Party not want to force our largest corporations to pay their fair share of Federal taxes? I submit that the Tea Party is only concerned about helping themselves. Just who makes up the Tea Party? According to one poll, the majority of the Tea Party is comprised of white, male, wealthy Republicans. “The 18 percent of Americans who identify themselves as Tea Party supporters tend to be Republican, white, male, married and older than 45. They hold more conservative views on a range of issues than Republicans generally. They are also more likely to describe themselves as “very conservative” and President Obama as “very liberal.” And while most Republicans say they are “dissatisfied” with Washington, Tea Party supporters are more likely to classify themselves as “angry.” ‘ New York Times
If I read this poll correctly, the Tea Party hates Obama and they think black people and poor people are getting all of the breaks from the government. They also want to end wasteful government spending, but most of them want to keep “government’s big hands” off of their Medicare and Social Security! In other words, I want mine, but the hell with everyone else! These guys might be well-educated, but they must not be well read if they think the poor and minorities are getting all of the “big breaks” from the Federal government. Maybe they need to stop listening to intelligent politicians like Michele Bachmann and Rand Paul and start reading Prof. Turley’s blog! What is your take?
Respectfully submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
Isn’t beer liquid cereal?
I will take the ice cream, but you can keep the beer.
You wouldn’t say Ice-cream was beer unfriendly if you’d tried a Milk-Stout float.~ Gyges
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you are kidding….right?
Buddha,
“It’s just that I don’t think my system would like sweet dairy and beer combined.”
Then don’t eat milk chocolate with beer. Besides, bittersweet chocolate is better for you.
Buddha,
Thanks for clarifying… 🙂 (Checked out the chili and waffle recipes — thanks for the tip. I’m not certain where I’ll find Pronghorn Antelope, but the recipe sounds great…) First, though, there’s this banana dessert recipe that I’m dying to try… Soon. And I’ll let you know…
(Sorry rafflaw… Good food makes me a little crazy sometimes.)
anon nurse,
Gyges and I have discussed the beer and chocolate combo and I’m down with that. Beer and cheese too. It’s just that I don’t think my system would like sweet dairy and beer combined. It just seems like asking for trouble. 😀
Buddha,
Re: “I think I’m still going to have to pass on beer and ice cream.”
You might want to rethink that… and I don’t often disagree with you. 🙂 It’s an acquired taste, perhaps… Beer and chocolate is another good combination… (Good beer… and good chocolate… or beer and chocolate ice cream…)
anon nurse,
Gyges chili recipe is on his blog. Just click on his name to get there. It’s worth the trip.
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Gyges,
I think I’m still going to have to pass on beer and ice cream.
Chan,
“Biology is not destiny.”
Really? Because that’s not how you prefaced your own argument when you said “I have always thought political orientation is something one comes to by some sort of preexisting condition. People don’t necessarily make a rational decision about their political views but find a political philosophy based on how it ‘speaks’ to them.”
That you tried to blame that contradiction on nurture – i.e. education – when education by definition is not a preexisting condition but an ongoing process is simply funny.
You contradicted yourself.
What I did was kick your ass with your own contradiction again.
I knew that trick a long time before law school.
Deal with it.
Gyges
My mouth is watering… Are the recipes available?
O.S.,
You’re looking at it all wrong. Beer IS food. Unlike some lesser fermented beverages, it’s a good source of nutrients. Heck, Dupplebock’s were originally brewed to help sustain monks during their Lenten fasts.
Stew meat is the way to go. There’s a reason pretty much every culture uses roughly the same sized chunks of tough meat for stews. They hold up to long cooking. Smaller pieces (ground or otherwise), may not have the connective tissue needed.
The chili recipe I have up there is my family friendly version; having a three year old places a pretty low upper limit on heat.
Buddha,
You wouldn’t say Ice-cream was beer unfriendly if you’d tried a Milk-Stout float.
Buddha is Laughing:
“You still can’t teach a child without optic nerves to see.”
I never said you could, but then you always do manipulate the argument to something having nothing to do with the original thought and attack that which can be attacked but was never part of the persons original argument.
Biology is not destiny.
What about a child with no optic nerve. You cant make him see.
What?
I will admit that you are very good at it, in fact I would say you are a master at that methodology. However it is probably a typical lawyer’s trick and the only one you were clever enough to learn at private law school.
Someone here has a case of sarcasm…you jest surely you do…
rafflaw
1, April 8, 2011 at 11:30 pm
Blouise,
I like your solution to he Waukesha County problem.
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They should really have a do over for the whole damn county. Who knows what kind of damage that clerk did to the voting rights of those citizens.
Given her shady past, there is honest to god reasonable doubt as to her integrity as clerk and the integrity of her count.
She and the Orangeman should do a crying duet at the next convention. Teabaggers love that kind of out of control emotionalism.
Otteray,
I LOVE Matt Taibbi! I read everything he writes.
OS,
Excellent. Now all I need is a job at Rolling Stone. Taibbi and I can do a bi-monthly featurette entitled “Dualing Smartasses for Truth”.
BIL, I think you have met your equal in the sarcasm department.
“prickish, over-coiffed, anal-retentive deficit Robespierres”
lol
I’ll have to say I do like the turn of phrase.
Blouise, do not lose hope. The drama queens are still preening their feathers for Act II in a couple of days. The shutdown will be averted for only a couple of days. John of Orange is going to make sure he has some TV time and milk it for all it is worth.
Anyone see Taibbi’s slapdown of the right wing poster boys in Rolling Stone? Definitely worth a read. Sarcasm raised to a fine art. Taibbi writes as though his pen is a razor blade.
Here is a teaser:
Julie Gulden summarizes Taibbi:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/08/964996/-Taibbi-At-His-Finest
Original article in Rolling Stone:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/tax-cuts-for-the-rich-on-the-backs-of-the-middle-class-or-paul-ryan-has-balls-20110407
Was there really ever any threat after Rove got involved and told em…the damage they can cause their own party by pulling the crap and using the people as pawns….Hey, where that 100 Billion Tax Cut….I want to know… or at least 2.1 billion tax cut for the week extension…this is a rough number 100 billion divided by 365 days…one week…333 million…times 7 days…
I think they are behind the 8 ball….or maybe using the magic 8 Ball…or doing a Bulushi….and shooting an 8 ball…. It would be kinda of funny and see then running like Pryor…after doing an 8 ball….