By NBC's Garrett Haake
NASHUA, NH -- In his most forceful language yet, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney today assailed President Obama, saying the president's lack of leadership will be to blame if the congressional Super Committee fails to generate a workable debt plan before Wednesday's deadline.
"What's most disappointing about that is that our president has had no involvement with the process," Romney said. "I find extraordinary that there would be set up a committee with such an important mission as finding a way to provide fiscal sanity in America and with the penalty if that fiscal sanity is not found of a $600 billion cut to our military."
He added, "I would have anticipated that the president of the United States would have spent every day and many nights working with members of the Super Committee trying to find a way to bridge the gap, but instead he's been out doing other things -- campaigning and blaming and traveling. This is, in my view, inexcusable."
As he wrapped up his speech to employees at defense contractor BAE Systems here, Romney used even more rhetorical flourish to decry the defense budget cuts that would occur should the Super Committee fail to reach a deal.
"They set this trap by saying we're going to cut the military by $600 billion," Romney said of the automatic cuts that would happen if the Super Committee did not reach a deal. "With the world that's a dangerous place, we're going to put the military on the chopping block. It's like holding a gun to your own head. I can't imagine the circumstance that ever makes any sense at all. Then with that as the possible outcome, you have a president who didn't get involved in the process."
Yesterday, Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt pushed back against Romney's repeated attacks on the issue, saying the former Massachusetts governor had let Congress off the hook for their failures, and that policies which Romney supports led to the debt crisis in the first place.
"Mitt Romney rejected asking the wealthiest for a dime to reduce the deficit -- instead, his plan would give them more tax cuts -- and he would leave our troops in Iraq indefinitely," LaBolt said in a statement. "That's the approach that led to the recession and created the deficit in the first place. While President Obama laid out a balanced approach to reduce the deficit by $3 trillion, Mitt Romney now wants to absolve Congress of any responsibility to act."
The back-and-forth between Romney and the President comes one day before President Obama visits the Granite State, where Romney's campaign has largely been centered, and where he picked up another congressional endorsement today.
Rep. Charlie Bass, of New Hampshire's 2nd District, announced his support from Romney this morning, becoming the second of the state's three-person Republican congressional delegation to do so in the last 48 hours. Sen. Kelly Ayotte endorsed Romney at a rally in Nashua yesterday.
(Interestingly, Bass today told reporters that he supports getting new revenue out of debt deal. He added that he and Romney don't have to agree on everything.)
Speaking to a group of some 75 employees of BAE, Romney focused his message on defense and foreign affairs. He praised the controversial -- and costly -- next-generation Joint Strike fighter, whose electronic systems are built by BAE, as an "extraordinary piece of equipment" and "desperately needed" to keep America's potential enemies at bay.
Romney also painted a dark picture of a changing world, with a "fragile" Pakistan on the verge of failure, a rising China and a resurgent Russia, and called for President Obama to halt any future defense cuts before they lead to a "doomsday" scenario.
"In a setting like this, this is no time for the United States of America to withdraw its commitment to a powerful and strong military," Romney said. "And a doomsday scenario for our military is not the right course, given where the world is headed. I actually think that there is a battle going on among the various players on the world stage to reshape the planet in their own way, to their own liking."


Get back to us Willard when you understand the three seperate branches of our Government!
President Obama offered up a 4 TRILLION dollar deal over the summer & your right wing cronies gave him the middle finger!
Go back to serving up your turd sandwiches & erasing computer hard drives Willard! ;o)
So Feisty is is "Leader of the executive Branch?'
Ok, ok so if Obama's not in charge and ultimately responsible, then why did he appoint the debt commission?
Just for fun, right Feisty?
Spanky, you need to go back and watch those School House Rock videos. The Congress passes laws and controls the money. Obama's roll in this is to see that laws are carried out. Feisy is right. if they had listened to the "Executive Branch" in August, there would be no catastrophe now! Your party believes in getting more money to rich folks, taking more money from poor folks, and getting mixed up in people's private lives.
Hey Feisty, congrats on the promotion. You are now the Leader of the executive Branch.
Spanky, want to go back to civics class. 3 branches of government.
During the World Series I pointed out the huge standing ovation for President Bush. Even though the game was in his home state of Texas I commented that the reception would be the same no matter what state he was in.
Then I suggested that had Obama thrown the first pitch it would have been in a hail storm of boos.
Well if his wife's reception at a NASCAR event is any indication my theory is spot on.
When exactly was the last time Obama stood before a crowd that wasn't orchestrated loyalists? When was the last time he attended a public sporting event?
Guess what folks, no matter what the polls have to say, Obama and the wife have over stayed their welcome.
BOOOOOOOO! BOOOOOO!
So Wayne he appointed Simpson Bowles just for fun, right?
"My party' wants to allow me to keep more of my money. See Wayne 'we' don't take anything from anyone. "We" already pay 40% of the fed taxes.
So Wayne since "we" are but one percent, yet pay 40%, how is it that 'we' take from the poor?
But it's cool Wayne - economic reality is kicking in. SS is insolvent and the other entitlements are in bad shape.
I hope you have a nice retirement fund. Looks like you are going to need it.
So Rob, you think the nascar crowd speaks for the nation? Mrs. Obama's reception there only proves that one segment of one segment of the nation never learned basic manners.
And this dolt claims to be an attorney! lmao
Thanks phinephancy! ;o)
You nailed it Wayne - look at how giddy Rob is at the total lack of etiquette displayed by the right wing!
Hey, Spanker, just for giggles, what do you think Congress would have done with anything concrete put forward in a resolution from Simpson-Bowles?
1) Republicans request Obama not get involved because they are concerned Obama's involvement would politicize the "Super Committee."
2) Democrats put everything on the table, including entitlements, as long as Republicans put revenues on the table.
3) Republicans refuse to put revenues on the table until they figure out a way to pretend to do so while giving the uber-rich more unneeded tax cuts.
4) Democrats realize the Republicans revenue offer is a sad joke that, like all Republican ideas, just serves to funnel more money to Paris Hilton and those like her.
5) The Super Committee fails and Republicans instantly blame it all on Obama, even though it was Republicans that asked he stay out of it.
Let us be clear here people, the Super Committee failed because Republicans refuse to budge on taxes.
So Rob, you think the nascar crowd speaks for the nation? Mrs. Obama's reception there only proves that one segment of one segment of the nation never learned basic manners
To answer your question.... YES, I think they do speak for the nation. All Obama has to do is show up at any sporting event. The reception will be the same.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Simpson Bowles had tax increases. Republicans wanted no part of that plan.
Republicans specifically said to keep the President out of discussions and negotiations as they felt it would give the far right elements in the party an excuse not to except any resolution offered.
Additionally, the overseas trip the President took had already been put off twice. It could not be cancelled a third time. Does Congress really need a babysitter to do their job?? Get real.
Rob - That's right, you should be proud of your NASCAR watching brethren booing the First Lady!
I don't care what the facts and anecdotal evidence shows, NASCAR fans are not all a bunch of inbred troglodytes! A few of them are smart! And they are all so classy!
Greg Sargent actually has a lot more up on what actually doomed the Super Committee:
The GOP plan offered by Toomey would have exchanged increased revenues through the closing of loopholes and deductions in exchange for tax reform that would have cut all tax rates, but would have locked down the tax rate for top earners at 28 percent. This is the “concession” the GOP offered.
But in truth, what the GOP proposal would have really meant is that that the wealthy would pay less in taxes towards deficit reduction than they would if we just did nothing, i.e., let the Bush tax cuts expire, as stipulated by current law. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities explained, this not only would have taken further tax increases on the wealthy completely off the table in future deficit reduction talks; the cutting of tax rates across the board would also have disproportionately benefitted the wealthy.
GOP aides themselves told the Times that when Dems said No to this, because it would reduce what millionaires and billionaires would pay towards deficit reduction, little more could be accomplished. So again: One side wanted the rich to pay less towards deficit reduction; the other wanted the rich to pay more towards it. This is the difference that doomed the agreement.
nisl - it's not my fault or the fault of "my" nascar brethren that this President BLOWS.
Obama can't just stay in front of those union suck up crowds forever.
Results do matter! Get use to the boos.
Obama can't just stay in front of those union suck up crowds forever.
He isn't in front of union crowds now.
This is the kind of thing that makes people think the Republican Party is the Party of Stupid. You come on here and brag gleefully about how the First Lady was booed at a halfwit convention, er, I mean NASCAR event. Then, when called on your gibberish, you say Obama can't stay in front of union crowds. Are you saying that NASCAR fans are, "Union suck up crowds?"
No - what I'm saying is aside from union suck up crowds Obama has NO supporters.
Anyother crowd that he stands before will express their displeasure with him.
Seriously, how gutless (not surprisingly to me anyway) that he would send his wife out there instead of taking the heat himself?
The arrogance of the Obama's is palpable.
Rob - Obama has a lot of non-union support.
I'd suggest you stop getting all your news from Fox and hate radio. You keep repeating their nonsense and it makes you look the fool.
Rob, get a grip on this nascar thing! You sound like my kid! "Are we there yet? are we there yet?"
Romney doesn't have an opinion of his own--the "it's President Obama's fault" came straight from the GOP begging last week for our President to return and do their jobs for them. Three branches of Government, each has their own duties and responsibilities. What part of the Constitution does Mitt not understand?
I swear the GOP candidates get more ridiculous and dumber by the day.
reminds me of the cheers Parry received at the debate when the number of Texan executions was asked about.
Wayne
That was good, I am crying right now lololol All republicans should watch the School house rock series!! lololol
So Rob, does the NASCAR booing incident make you proud? You speak as if it does. Ranks right up there with cheering for 270 plus Texas executions, cheering for allowing a young person without health insurance to just die, and booing a military man currently serving in Iraq because he's gay. Let's see, Sarah Palin was booed when she appeared at a hocky game, too. None of those things make me proud; in fact, I find it sad that such blatant disrespect is acceptable to so many and that apparently includes you, Rob in Ma. How sad that the First Lady was there to support our Veterans and was met with boos. Apparently, NASCAR fans have no respect for them either.
Obama has no support? Really , are you serious? lololol Hes pulling in more money then the entire GOP field lololol Who is going to beat him? Perry? lololol Newt? lmao Romney? lolololo or maybe the pizza guy Cain ? lolololol The GOP field is full of lunatics tea baggers that will never win a general election!! Rob you use Nascar as a indication of his support lololololololololo Really ? that is your poll lololololololololololol
After watching Mr. Norquist pull the strings on 60 minutes last night, I have to ask; do you actually need any more proof of who runs this country? That video alone tells me everything I need to know. Nascar? Do you think most people who attend the event where "dem cars go round and round" have any idea of what they cheer or boo?
The Debt Commission was just that -- a commission. It was not a committee of Congress.
The Commission's only job was to make recommendations.
The Super Committee's job was to make a deal.
Making the deal wasn't President Obama's responsibility. That was Congress's responsibility.
p.s. I didn't like the Debt Commission, either, as like the Super Committee it was designed to relieve Congress -- and the President -- of having to do any actual work and taking the political heat for it. But we probably could have lived with that, in retrospect.
With the debt ceiling looming again, what have we got to fall back on now?
Yes boo to the losers in the white house, GTFO!
The Super committee failed due to the Norquist Factor! When 275 sign a document that says ,No New Taxes" after the other party puts everything on the table who is to blame?
Romney is already behind in looking at the polls. The latest polls blame the Republicans more......to late Mittsy.
Call me a nut.... But If any of these candidates or current president gets anymore time in their offices.... We're all going to be eating sh!t on a shingle...
its worth pointing out that bushco's crowds were always very managed.It's a bad joke to throw that at Obama after they way the 'pugs bullied everyone who opposed bushco. Also, let's set aside the fact that Mrs. Obama and Biden aren't the ones running the executive branch for a minute. They were there to support veterans. Are the repugs now against veterans? And BTW, the 'pugs on the supercommittee proposed cutting medical benefits to the veterans for one way of deficit reduction. You wanna try to defend that one,Rob?
As bad as the dems are, the lying and hypocrisy of the repugs is enough to take your breath away. They have elevated lying and manipulation to an art. It's stunning how completely without conscience and compassion they are.
NASCAR? They're a bunch of rednecks if I ever saw one. And how can you sit there for hours watching cars going around and around. It's sort of like watching Fox News and their endless tripe. And they dare even calling it a sport. I think most of them are there to see a spectacular multi-car crash!
Does anyone (including Romney) really believe that having Obama in Washington or in the room would have had any effect on the GOP committee members other than making them dig in their heels even more?
The GOP knows it has a good chance of losing the White House challenge, so they want to be sure Obama gets the credit for fallout of the automatic cuts when they happen on his second term watch. It's all about the elections for the GOP for holding on to seats in 2012, trying to gain more seats in 2014, and a White House bid in 2016 (with real top tier qualified candidates).
Hey Rob in MA-- what kind of reception did you think she would get in redneck populated race track. Give me a break. By the way no where but the White south would bush get a warm welcome.
Okay everybody, calm down. Romney will change his position tomorrow and praise the President for allowing the committee to work without his involvement and influence.
Then on Wednesday or Thursday he'll blame the President and by Friday or Saturday he won't. First you flip to the right and then you flop to the left. That's what it's all about, just like the Hokey Pokey.
As for NASCAR and lack of manners...PUL-leeeze. NASCAR is the very definition of lack of manners. Let's remember that NASCAR is based on the boot-leggers of the 40's and 50's who'd load their suped up cars with booze and run it into "dry" counties and states for sale at a profit. Remember "SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT"? The trailer park version of "Macbeth"?
The only reason people go to NASCAR is in the hopes they'll see a deadly, blazing, pile-up. The going round and round part they could watch on the freeway only they can't (legally) drink beer while they do it. These same people would go to gladitorial combats, extreme martial arts and bullfights.
The only time we should care what they do or think is if they get into a power position...oh....wait....they did, they are the TEA PARTY!
Holy Crap!
The fact remains . How can you assaile anything that was set up to fail in the first place ?? It was nothing more than a dog and pony show for the media to spin. Every voter in this country new it was a joke from the start .
bob
Anna Molly,
Obama did engage them a few times, he just took a very hands off approach. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/11/news/la-pn-obama-super-committee-20111111
You must not have watched the NCAA basketball game on the carrier in San Diego a couple of weeks ago...
Speaking of class...here's Romney in all HIS glory:
by Ken Layne
1:55 pm September 6, 2007
www.wonkette.com/ 297093/ mitt-romney-arrested-for-acting-like-an-asshole
Subject ROMNEY has been arrested on two occasions, in Massachusetts and Michigan, and, per Utah law enforcement, been verbally abusive with sheriff's deputy there. Known associates are currently under investigation for impersonating a police officer and fraud and money laundering.
Other Names and Aliases
"The Jobs Senator" (1994)2
"Team Reform" (c. 2002-2004)3
"Conservative Republican" (c. 2006-2007)4
Arrests and Other Contacts with Law Enforcement
WAYLAND, MASS. (1981) -- ARREST- DISORDERLY CONDUCT.
In June 1981, ROMNEY attempted to launch family motorboat at Cochituate State Park despite park ranger advising that he was prohibited from doing so because his boat did not display proper registration. ROMNEY was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. ROMNEY handcuffed and transported in bathing suit to Natick police station, where released on own recognizance.5 Disposition: Charges were dropped when ROMNEY threatened to sue the state for false arrest; case dismissed at Natick District Court in February 1982. ROMNEY successfully petitioned that the files be sealed.6
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MICH. (c. 1965) -- ARREST- CHARGE NOT KNOWN.
ROMNEY was arrested along with future wife Ann Davies for actions in connection with practical joke at Cranbrook Academy. Reportedly ROMNEY and several friends "bought huge blocks of ice from the local gas station, laid towels over them, and went sliding down the slopes of a nearby golf course."7
HUNTSVILLE, UTAH (2002) -- USE OF PROFANITY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT
On February 10, 2002, while overseeing 2002 Winter Olympics, ROMNEY became extremely angry upon encountering a traffic jam at a venue and proceeded to berate two persons authorized to direct traffic there, including with obscenity laced tirades, according to a police captain at the scene and a volunteer targeted by ROMNEY. The traffic volunteer Shaun Knopp stated that ROMNEY "asked me who the f__— I was and what the f__— I was doing. We got the Olympics going on we don't need this s__— down here."8 Weber County Sheriff's Office Capt. Terry Shaw, commander of the Snowbasin venue, stated that ROMNEY twice used the F-word while also berating one of his officers, Deputy Kodi Taggart. Capt. Shaw stated that ROMNEY "was abusive" to his officer and advised, unsuccessfully, that "he needs to apologize."9 ROMNEY denied part of the allegation, insisting he hadn't used the F-word since high school -- but admitted he used a word he described as "H-E-double hockey sticks." Disposition: The Utah Department of Safety advised it had decided against initiating a "profanity probe.
Known Associates
FABIAN, ALAN: Until August 2007, FABIAN was a national finance committee co-chair for ROMNEY. Now under federal indictment for mail fraud, money laundering, bankruptcy fraud, perjury, obstruction of justice and defrauding companies of $32 million in Maryland.11
GARRITY, JAY (a/k/a "Trooper"): Until July 2007, GARRITY provided security and advance for ROMNEY whom he codenamed "LXX"; GARRITY now under investigation in Massachusetts and New Hampshire for impersonating a police officer and other charges.
lahater:
Engage is one thing. Take responsibility for their failure is something else, altogether. And as someone else here points out, they didn't WANT his help.
This goes right to my theory that it was doomed to failure, right from the start.
Everyone needs to remember that the Debt Committee is part of the 98 percent that John Boehner said he got.
And now he owns it. But he still won't take responsibility for it.
You are right Anna,
They didn't want his help and now their puppet masters will change the story with lies and fabrications. Boehner got what he wanted because Norquist got what he wanted. The American people? Who are they? The republican party is an establishment for those who have too much money already and now want all of it. If someone votes republican with the idea that they are preparing for the day that they too can be wealthy, forget it! They will not let you in the car! They have made this mess, and they want to see that the poor and middle class pay for it while they laugh all the way to the bank! They make the maximum use of their puppet masters to see that they don't have to worry about things like personal responsibility. That is for the "little people" to worry about.
What is being missed is this...Romney and all other political want to be's have bashed Obama from day one...not one politican is addressing the real problem //.that is a congress that has been a huge waste of tax payers money fro years...these politicans in congress have been there a whole lot longer than Obama or most other presidents for that matter..and we still have the same problems...a congress that is incapable of doing what they were elected to do..but have no problem protecting all that lobbyist money in every way they can. Neither party is worth their weight in spit. It would be nice if at least one of these want to be's actually had real answers to questions rather than talking around every issue. If they are going to create jobs..tell us how..not how much they want to cut the taxes of the wealthy..the track record of the wealthy creating jobs for the past 10 or more years is dismall...except of course for the jobs they managed to create in other countries using tax payers money through the tax breaks that our "honest" politicans have given them.
nice work,Skip. I like it!!
Just an FYI, most of the race car fans I know of work in Union shops, Factories, government, truck drives, many of these people you are spouting are against Obama are unionized. Just a little tidbit.
Rob - clearly you don't have a clue. Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Biden were at the NASCAR event to promote their charity for military families. President Obama DID NOT send them. This is a charity they have supported since before the President took office. So, your calling the President a coward for sending them is just another indication of how totally out of touch the GOP is with reality or the facts.
Romney assails Obama for Super Committee's failure
Gee, I didn't know Obama was even IN the House of Representatives, much less a member of the stupor committee.
Let's see, did Romney rally the Congressmen around a great plan to save the day? No?
As a CANDIDATE, Obama had the guts and forsight to make sure the Republican TARP plan got changed from corporate welfare to a bunch of loans that had to be paid back.
Candidate Romney has no solutions whatsoever. Ship more jobs overseas?
rico-3714896
You missed the fact that he brought the Homosexual Pedophiles into the Mass Dept of Education to teach homosexual sex practices also.
I'm hearing Romney will ask Perry to run with him when he wins the nomination. Could yet become interesting. Old confederacy and southwestern republicans love Perry. Northeastern states like Romney. The midwesterner's will hold their noses. With all the NH endorsements for Romney, Huntsman couldn't win the favors of a $2.00 prostitute on a sale day in that state. Course, this speculation doesn't mean I think these "peddlers of poverty" can ever beat Obama/Biden. They can't, but such a combination would likely generate an extra multitude of queer flies.
I find it fascinating that any G W Bush supporter would claim that Obama has only scripted audiences.
Rob in ma-3189632
After all "shrub" was the master of the "right" people only audience. The press was hand picked (even down to that male prostitute that was given press credentials) and the "audience" were all dyed in wool supporters of the village idiot from Texas.
A SHIFT is occurring througout the world where the rich will be brought into the light to focus on the ways and means by which they earn, have earned and will earn income.
The people of the world will constantly look to approach a point of a fairness & balance in income.
If we can't have a fair and balanced system of pay then we'll have to go another route.
For instance...
Every individual born on this planet have an INNATE RIGHT TO A PORTION of LAND!!!!
WHEN EVERYONE WAS BORN ON THIS PLANET NO ONE SIGNED ANYTHING AGREEING TO HAVE LAND OWNED BY OTHERS!!!!
YOU CAN"T STOP ONE FROM PLANTING FOOD TO SURVIVE BECAUSE YOU CLAIM THAT LAND IS YOURS!!!!!
GOD DIDN'T SAY THIS Is THEIR LAND AND YOU HAVE TO ASK THEM TO WALK ON THEIR CONTINENT.....
In other words we'll come from different angles tearing away at the foundations of those who are causing regular people pain and this is just one subject.
Obama has been disengaged from America for sometime now! It is only the liberals don't seem to know it!
As Bachmann said recently 'Where's Waldo?'
Indeed! Where is he?
Where's Waldo is Bachmann's favorite I'm sure. A very challenging read, full of suspense and drama(for her).
Of course President Obama took a 'back seat' in his dealings with the Super Committee! If Mitt had only dug a little deeper, he would have noticed that ALL MEMBERS (Dems and GOP) agreed before the committee commenced that Obama would only be seen as political influence if he had any direct hand in the Super Committees' negotiations. Again, it was agreed to BEFORE the committee even began! You would think that anyone who is running for president of the U.S. would know the facts before running his mouth and looking very uninformed!
Campaigning is easy.
Leading is hard.
Heck, for this guy - following the advice of his own committee is a bridge too far [Simpson-Bowles].
Whaaaa!Whaaaa!
Well how do you republicans feel when the gun is at YOUR head instead of the head of the unfortunates who rely upon the "entitlements" you always complain ablout? Not pleasant, is it; yet you continue to do what you don't like to others... hypocrits!
BTW: the DOD "trigger" reductions are part of the "98% of what we wanted" that you hostage takers insisted upon last summer, so don't start crying about it now. If you had not been so busy playing your partisan games over keeping the government in operation, you wouldn't find yourselves in this position today.
Republicans should learn to think before acting and forcing their will on others IMO>
Spanky is correct - leading IS hard, and this situation proves we do NOT need knee-jerk Republicans in positions of leadership when this is the results of their actions and ideas...
Spanky you are silly! Remember when I owned you last Friday about the staying on topic issue with your own post from 24 hours earlier...that was fun. Now it is me that is off topic!
On the topic at hand, it is funny to listen to your side in situations like this. Where was the leadership from the Republicans? I happen to think that Boehner could probably be an effective middle grounder if it weren't for your pledgees. This whole issue wouldn't have been a problem if they would have signed on to the very balanced and hard fought deal in the summer. Of course we could have avoided this even further had we nixed the wars, tax cuts and unfunded senior vote buys if the last administration. But there I go again, blaming Bush.
The fact is Spanky, I think the trigger cuts will be better in the long run, and our President knew that to begin with. Cuts to defense without partisan whining about the "Safety of America!", GREAT! Cuts to Social Programs that while dangerous probably won't harm too much, GREAT! Lastly, the expiration of the Bush tax cuts...DOUBLE GREAT! Ofcourse, they will still try to blame and pander and pass laws to avoid them, but then who looks rediculous?
So, snark all you want Spanky, your friends likely played right into the President's hands. And how nice that the Worst, Congress, Ever is crowned after the "shallacking" and insurgence of the Republicans.
Its ok Spanky, the lefties love to toss blame around on these parts.
Fact of the matter is that the rightys that want the bush tax cuts to expire will be the most affected by them.
Lets hear them cry and whine when they realize that 85% of the bush tax cuts went to the lower/middle class and 15% went to the rich.
Theres no debating facts, but lets see them cry when the tax man comes around next year.
Tell me Spanky...what is it about "Congress controls the pursestrings" that you don't seem to unserstand?
I'd love to see you back up that number,Brendan. I suggest you are full of it. Prove me wrong.
The comments from the true believers of the Right on this post are definitive of who they are; ignorant, gullible, and misinformed. Not only are they proud to be that way, they believe anyone who isn't is being uppity and putting on airs.
Spanky and his gang are typical backwoods bigots who demonstrate lack of originality and insight, think with their anus, and have no clue. Such people are more to be pitied than pilloried. Their opinions are like their underwear, no amount of reason will ever make them change.
These are the type of voters Republicans adore and cultivate.
I understand the different levels of government and I understand their role in our political process. One other thing I know is that the president is the leader of this nation. If he can't get the government to work together to solve these issues he is not a leader. By blaming others he is defining himself as being insignificant or worse - a follower.
Marv Leit
QUOTE:
"These are the type of voters Republicans adore and cultivate."
Well I guess they hate me, and they hate Ron Paul also.
Paul wants to take even more out of the pentagon's budget than the liberal democrats do....
Pretty liberal of Ron Paul don't you think?
They are big boys and girls. The Congress has the purse strings. If they had listened to the president on his big deal they would not be dealing with this disaster of their own making. The republican party has made it abundantly clear that the number one issue for them is more tax breaks for rich folks, and their god is grover norquist.
So Wayne - let's assume they raise taxes and get $500 billion in additional revenue.
Do you really think that 'extra' cash will go anywhere other than for more spending?
You don't actually believe any of it would be used to reduce the deficit that year, do you?
See Wayen they take in $2.3 Trillion, but spend $3.8 trillion.
Seems like they all like to spend. So yeah, sure let's give them more. Cause that's all an addict wants, right Wayne?
More.
Here's a good read for ya'. Repubs did the spending and tax cutting that got us into this mess. Now they need to get out of the way while dems fix it for them.
So spank - with 600 billion is DOD cuts, we will only be spending 3.2T instead of just the 2.3T revenue we have... whadda you think? Should we raise revenue?
Generate an additional 900billion?
But wait... according to your illogic spin, we will be wasting it on other things if we do that and we will still be in a deficit situation....
Doomsday! Beyond help!
May as well give up NOW. Maybe Mexico or Canada will be willing to annex us.
Remember that old saying Spanky: "Somebody said it couldn't be done...
so I didn't even try!"
Don't believe we will listen to your rantings.
The 600B is over 10 years. The 3.8T is per year so the actual spending after the DOD cuts is 3.74T. Go ahead an try and raise that amount of revenue.
BTW, the repeal of the Bush tax cuts for everybody would raise 400m a year, so you would only be looking for an additional 3.34T. The fun part is that the Bush tax cuts were actually pretty progressive and took many low-income families out of paying any federal income tax. Also, you could end the payroll tax cut but that's also a pretty regressive move.
Your move what's next? 20% VAT?
These Leftists constantly rant, but the have no idea what they are ranting about.
Expect to get a vacant stare from "Not as stupid as yo uthink", who can't even get his name typed in correctly when creating an account.
And Alan, the Left doesn't want the Bush/Obama Tax Cuts to expire for the middle class, they just want it for the so called "rich". That would bring in about $70 billion a year in tax revenue. $70 billion will fund 17 days of borrowing at $4 billion a day by the government.
Well, Alan, let's close the loophole "tax entitlements" - that generates about a trillion dollars per year. Now we only need 2.34 additional.
Now we are getting to the "brass tacks."
How much can we save from effective managment and elimination of duplicate programs? Alot over time with continued improvement, but at least 340 B pretty quickly.
With additional revenue from reduced unemployment, elimination of perks/bonus/healthcare/expenses for government employees and pensions for former congressmen and judges, and modified pensions/perks/expenses for former Presidents, we are getting close.
Now, after ALL the above, take a hard look at our programs, get a sharp pencil, and lets git-er-done.
And remember, as we emerge from economic ressision/depression, revenue will continue to increase.
What do you think? Any alternative solutions?
Reduce corporate tax to zero. This would also reduce crony capitalism as there would be no need to get your company a tax break as it wouldn't be liable for any. After the story that GE paid nothing on 5B, and has a 3+ B credit for next year we're wasting our time.
Get rid of the SS and Medicare taxes. They've spent the surplus as general revenues, now they can fund the deficit from general revenues.
Remove all exemptions from the personal tax system and create 3 to 5 bands that include all forms of income, dividends and capital gains. The lowest rate of these bands should be around 6% to 8% This means no effective tax increase for the lowest earners. (8% being roughly what they currently pay into SS and medicare).
Now if a company wants to retain earnings to invest it will save it's investors tax liability. If it pays a dividend the money will be taxed at the appropriate rate. It also means there is no loophole for hedge fund managers. Further, with the report that half of capital gains go to the top 0.1% it also means that there is nowhere for them to hide their gains.
Retirement accounts should stay the same.
Using this system it would now be easy to see who is paying for government and it would be very easy to catch the tax cheats. It would also remove some lobbyist money as they would not be paid to create exemptions for their company or industry.
BTW My proposal to reform the tax system does not mean that entitlements can continue as the are currently structured. For example, no one has explained how a public option or single payer actually cuts costs. Even if you remove the 12B that insurance companies make, the overall cost of healthcare is around $8,000 a year. So if 50m new patients, many of whom are poor and/or have pre-existing conditions, it's going to cost 8K x 50m = 40B.
Obamacare ducked the major question of reform of health care because they didn't want to take on the AMA or Pharma, so simply changing the entity that pays the bills will not reduce costs.
So what is your solution?
ALL citizens should receive care, not just the wealthy and those who may be able to afford it. Thus, national healthcare was and is necessary. We, as a nation, will face far more expense in the future if we do not address this problem now; therefore, I personally applaud the President for initiating a program. Is it the answer? Probably not in its present form, but it is a necessary step in the correct direction. It has to be done, plain and simple. We can not and will not allow people to just suffer and die, and any politician who advocates such measures should be executed himself in my opinion.
The United States of America is a compassionate nation and a world champion of human rights. This is who we are as a people and none should allow partisan politics to change them nor dictate a different character. Just the fact.
You may not see how modifying the payer will enhance our national healthcare initiative, and you may be corrrect; I'm not certain. But the truth remains that we must do something to provide this care. You may be upset with the President for starting this program, but that does NOT alter the fact of its necessity, not just for our fellow citizens, but for the future of this nation.
And that is the way it is.
If a man or woman can't run for public office without condemning and running AGAINST someone else, then he or she has nothing whatsoever to offer.
Don't tell us about your competition, and talk about what a terrible person they are. Tell us who YOU are, what YOU believe in, what YOUR vision is and what YOU will do for our country.
Don't just wallow in the mud, and then try to persuade us that you won't also come out dirty.
it seems the 'libtard collapsables' are out in force today! The truth hurts does't it carrot top, et al?
Yes where is Waldo, and why is he hiding?
Let's see, the President just commited troops to be stationed in Australia, increasing our presence in the region as a check against China. And the defense budget is bloated. You can cut a lot of the fat out without losing a bit of our strength. Now, the defense contractors will cry about being kicked off the gravy train - but, hey, I thought the Rebaggers wanted to cut the deficit and the size of government.
And a question, if you please. If the Congress can't do its job unless the President does it for them, what's the point of them being there? How is that cost effective - a cry baby Congress that does nothing but say no.
So you are advocating for dictatorship and seem off put by the cleverly devised checks and balances system.
Fantastic.
Although that system you advocate does seem to be doing wonders for Hugo Chavez, eh phine?
In case you couldn't tell, I was being sarcastic in the second part of my statement. You seem to be willing to forgo the checks and balance system by expecting the President to do the job of the legislative branch. Seems like the only legislation they can agree on is pizza is a vegetable.
Not the job of the executive branch.
His job.
Leaders lead. He needs to get the two sides together and act to forge/facilitate a deal.
Like Matthews said - he just doesn't want to be around any of them.
Bush is a hero for sending revenue back to taypayers (corporations included) instead of paying down debt and increasing spending so more debt was accumulated...and Obama is villified for wanting to raise revenues to cover spending and stop accumulating deficits. Amazing the lack of intelligence and perception.
So once again...I ask the question of the anti-Obama crowd...why do you think Bush was right in NOT paying down the debt?
OBOMBO has triple it and he gave 550 million to a fake green company!!!
Ervin Cohen, much of that "triple" is the result of the existing debt created by Bush and the GOP. Do some research, you'll be surprised. You see, it's called interest and if you never pay down the principle, and only pay the interest, the debt just keeps growing. Thank you President Bush and your GOP friends in Congress for all you did for the country--tongue in cheek.
Asking the right wing trolls to do research or look for facts is almost as much a waste of time as reading anything Spanky posts. Come on phinephancy, don't feed the troll. Haven't you noticed Spanky never admits the truth, when he is wrong or that the sky is blue. Don' t play with trolls!!!
daryl-2183015,
Spanky has a valid argument here, Obama should be leading, and facilitating. After all he will ultimately have to accept what comes out of the committee. I just don't think he is serious about fixing this issue. He is the president, if it is not his job to lead then what is his JOB?
Where have you been for the past year? The President has tried many things. Leading, facilitating, cajoling, compromising... He has met with opposition at every turn.
It's hard to work with a group that has stated several times they want to see you defeated and a one-term President.
Please,Ervin. You're embarrassing yourself,boy. The debt was 5 trillion when Boy George took over. It was 10 trillion when he left. Now it's almost 14 trillion. Please explain how going from 10 to 14 is tripling. Also explain how you were vociferously protesting the shrub's drunken spending spree when he doubled the debt while accomplishing nothing in two wars that he started. You might also explain how much bang-for-the-buck he gave us for Medicare reform. You're embarrassing yourself,son. Sit down. FDR beat 2 world-class powers in less time than Boy George wasted in Asia. And he did it with less money. You want to try and explain again how the left wastes money? Puhh-leeaase...spare me
Oh yeah...the 550 mil that the DOE (not Obama) "gave" to Solyndra pales in comparison to the several billion that bushco gave to Pharma with absolutely no expectation of getting it back. And of course, don't we all just love how Georgy Porgy liked to just pretend negative numbers weren't there- like not including the funding for the wars or his subsidy to Pharma when he submitted his budgets.
Ervin - you didn't answer the question. Try again:
...why do you think Bush was right in NOT paying down the debt?
give me a break; the republicans aren't going to listen the President now anymore than they have for the past two years, so what the calls for Obama to act are really saying: "please come and get the democrats to cave, again."
No thanks, do your job Congress; if the cuts and taxes are really too painfull then stop making political theatre and trying to derail the government and the economy to get them.
Small Business Owner, well said.
Mitt is a darn greasy liar. He knows the solution, and that solution is to raise revenue.
Job1, you are so very right. And a novel concept that he might address is creating jobs - more people working means more revenue for the government. Oh, but I forgot, his job at Bain was to cut jobs. Oops, my bad.
So true, and send the jobs over seas.
Romney isn't stupid. However he does know the people who vote Republican are stupid. Just telling them what they want to hear,
Name one company Romney and Bain took over, gutted, fired the majority of the employees and actually increased revenue with? Not one, everything Romney touches turns to gold for him and Bain and turns to rust for those who used to work for a living.
Its not about getting the Dem's to cave, is Obama can't get the two parties to work together then what good is he?
lahater...I wonder if you have kids and if you're very involved with them. It is virtually impossible to FORCE anyone to do anything they don't want to do. In an exceptionally rare moment of honesty, Mitch McConnell made it crystal clear that the #1 goal of the repugs was to make Obama a 1 term president. They have diligently worked (if you can call it that) to that end. Even a hard-core redcoat like you must know in your heart of hearts that it would be impossible to force the party of no to say yes to anything. I think if Mr. Obama were smart, he would issue an executive order forbidding any repugnican Senator or Congressman from committing suicide in the Capital Bldg. Problem solved. They'd all do a Jonestown just to show Obama," You're not the boss of me!!"
How wonderful! it's just like watching the GOP debates. not a one of these MORONS can give an idea on how to fix the economy or the deficit, But they can all blame Obama for not fixing it.
what aload of crap!! Mittens, go gut a company or something.
Gotta love the Blame Obama crowd. Congress created this ridiculous committee, but Romney blames Obama for its failure because it was under his watch. Using that simplistic process, I get to blame Obama for EVERYTHING. Gee, my car battery died last year, it was under Obama's watch, well gosh darn, my dead battery is Obama's fault. Now I'm going to jump on a blog and rant and rave that Obama policies cause dead car batteries.
LOL
do you live in Florida? Cause I hear that all the time. the other day a roofer said at the bar, "We need to get somebody else as president so I'll have more work"
President Obama is now responsible for roofs not leaking. I never knew :)
LOL back at you fuzzy .. your example is very funny. What surprises me is that Mitt hasn't blamed Obama for Newt beating Mitt in the polls.
they created it cause OBOMBO is the worst president ever!!!
If that's why they created it, we would still be trying to LIST the commitees created during the Bush jr. presidency........
Ervin, are you the out of work roofer I referred to in 8.1????
Interesting rating system you are apparently using, Ervin. Just for the heck of it, google 'presidential ratings' and you will see that the collective wisdom of historians, pundits, economists and academia have ranked all of the Presidents on many different criteria. The top five seem to be Lincoln, Washington, FDR, Teddy Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson.
There also seems to be universal agreement on the worst Presidents. The bottom three are George Bush, Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon.
Obama currently ranks between 13th and 16th place depending on the source.
Careful Bruce, things like stats and facts are, to many conservatives, like sticks and stones - it breaks their bones, so they avoid them.
We've had more foreign successes in 3 yrs than in the previous 8. Even if the cuts of sequester happened in full, we'd still have several times the military strength of the world combined - hardly disasterous. The cuts will not happen. They're not even scheduled till 2013 and prior to that we get to deal w/ the sunset death of the Bush tax cuts. If we gut up and allow the expiration, problems solved w/o the super-cuts. Truth: Congress has utterly failed to accomplish ANYTHING since the clowns took control of the circus in 2010. Blaming that on Obama doesn't change or fix anything.
"Congress has utterly failed to accomplish ANYTHING...."
So right you are Marv. I just looked it up...the previous Congress had passed more than 3x as much legislation at the same point in their tenure. And...of the legislation passed by this Congress...almost half was just to extend existing laws and whatnot. "Failure" doesn't even begin to cover it...does it?
Our Congress is positively embarrassing.
This republican congress is the worse we have ever had, or so the American public think and they are wise in cutting through the bull.
If the American public is so wise why do they keep electing the same criminals and clowns over and over? Oh, that's right, because every legislator in America is corrupt except the one I voted for.
Daryl, Because politicians can say whatever they want to get elected and once they are in they can do whatever they want, which has now become nothing.
The Republicans are ensuring failure so they can blame that failure on the president they hate. Sorry, but that goes beyond politics into that gray area surrounding treason.
But in the end it doesn't matter much, because the numbers don't add up no matter how we try to tackle this debt crunch. It's a multi-decade and bi-partisan failure to live within our means.So in the end we'll intentionally devalue the currency to a point that allows us to keep managing the ever-growing debt. And anyone who looks at this situation without blinders knows it. This is why you see ads every couple minutes on television for precious metals.
We really should be fair to Romney, it is to soon to know what he really believes, he needs to know what the majority believes before he makes a final decision.
At least the majority of right wing primary voters.
He wasn't supposed to you imbecile!!!!!
It was a BI-PARTISAN effort of the congress and senate you idiot.
If Obama chimed in the first thing the GOP would have screamed is FOUL!!!!
What a bunch of destructive hypocritical lunatics.
P.S. -- I did not vote for Obama.
Acctually it is the Presidents Responsibility to bring the country and partys together. Obama bigest flaw was his ability to devide congress. He used mean hateful language and constatly blamed the Republicans. Mother Teresa herself (if she wer alive today) could not work with this man. He has put our country risk. I just do not understand the people that post on here that are constantly trying to make excused for him or protect him. I guess they dont realize that they are hurt themselve. They also look like big idiots.
Wow, the mind blowing ignorance needed to type the following is beyond description:
Obama bigest flaw was his ability to devide congress. He used mean hateful language and constatly blamed the Republicans.
Have you been paying attention at all?
Realhope, get real. No President can bring the country or Congress together if one side refuses to participate in the process. Mean, hateful language? Like what? Need some specifics there, Realhope. I'd call mean, hateful language "our goal is to defeat President Obama"; "our goal is to make him a one-term President"; if we can defeat health care reform, "it will be Obama's Waterloo" . Never mind if the country collapses in the process.
100% correct Realhope.....
Obama wasn't even ready to be a state senator let alone president.
He continues to be one of this country's biggest embarassments in modern history.
Mean hateful language? You mean like "worst president ever" even before he took office? Or like "Kenyan, Muslim socialist black not my president?" I still hear that garbage, including on Fox though they have muted it a bit.
While both sides spit and snarl, the right seems to have taken the hatred, anger and violent talk to extremes not seen since pre-Civil War.
And Rob, you are so right. Obama quit torturing prisoners, quit telling our allies to do as they are told because we are better than them, quit lying to the people, quit (hopefully) illegally wiretapping American citizens, and worst of all quit the handout of the American treasury to Halliburton and other highly politically connected corporations. And his greatest embarrassment of all, he doesn't invade countries while ignoring the real war on terror.
Yes, he has embarrassed us by returning to sanity.
I almost had to vote for that one .. Mother Teresa visiting conservatives to Obama Bash is a hysterical vision (put intended).
That "embarrassments poll" was quite a referendum on Obama's performance. It was conducted in Ma, by Rob, and the single vote was an Obama Basher.
nisl
Acctualy,
I have been paying attention and both sides are obstructing each other, and Obama is doing nothing about it. Libs and Dems love to blame it all on the repubs, but there is plenty of blame to go around. Obama is going to have a hard time getting reelected the way things are going, and he he deffintly not blameless here.
You actually haven't been paying attention. Obama has proposed several "republican" ideas, but they are systematically refused based simply on the grounds that they were proposed by Obama. This is what happens when the Republican leadership claims their number 1 goal is to make Obama a one term president. It means that they must block any Obama/Democrat policy and try to point the blame of inactivity on that group.
Most republicans are beholden to only two ideas, make Obama a one-term president, and keep allegiance to the Norquist pledge. When those are the only two goals of a party, what else is there to work with? The answer is nothing, and who is screwed because that ideology is the American public.
Fortunately, most Americans are waking up to this problem, and beginning to mobilize.
grover's boys sold out the country- market tanked yesterday and a down grade is coming- grover most likely will reward his munchkins with large financial contributions-- watch and see.
Yes Mittens, are you going to sound like your republican rivals now and say "God told me we have to be the world's policeman!!"???
Spending more than the next ten largest military budgets in the world combined is not enough?
Fear mongering at it's finest.
The Republicans insisted that President Obama stay away to avoid politicizing the committee. It was a trap, of course.
Who invited Gordon Norquist?
Do we have a shadow government waiting in the back room ready to take over the American Republic under a concocted national emergency? It happened in 1933 in Germany.
The answer, dls, might be found by looking up the word, 'oligarchy'.
Ah, the newest talking point- Obama would have gotten involved, but the republicans told him to stay away! They would not let him weigh in- they wanted him to fail!
So unfortunate that, in the electronic age, nothing ever goes away
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/18/obama-super-committee-veto_n_969056.html
Next?
Good Shot no joe!!!
It's a little hard to compromise when you are hit with an ultimatum to do it our way before you even start......
No wonder he refused to get involved. absolute proof that he never intended for it to succeed....
And from the huff no less. Liberals can't wiggle off that hook.
How you managed to read that into that article is a mystery to me.
What an ASS. The super-committee was put forth as a mechanism by BOTH parties without regard to who was in the White House since this was their issue that by law HAD to be addressed by them. For this idiot to now attempt to blame an outside party for their failure is disingenuous at best and down right stupid at worse.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2010/11/should-obama-quit-after-one-term
Oh Mitt your so clever, trying to once again blame Obama because the GOP has kissed the as# of Grover, over doing something for the American people.
Romney is "criticizing" President Obama....
How is this even news?
Did some fact checking after reading an article. Romney says he did the health care thing in Mass. WITHOUT raising taxes vs. obamacare which raises taxes.
Romney, the cunning shyster he apparently is, fails to state that his Mass. plan got the extra cash it needed from the federal government. You call it what you want, I call it a blatant lie. But hey, that's what they do best I guess.
How does a person running for president not know that his fellow republicans asked Obama to stay out of it, and an average guy like me knows this. No matter what Obama does hes blamed for it, even though hes been getting regular updates on the situation, hes just not making it political. sigh....if only conservatives would be informed....
Oh my, too bad but you are misinformed! You obviously are a young voter. As you experience life under under more presidencies your opinion will change. As I review my experience living under various presidents for the last 70 plus years, I have to rank Obama as very near the Worst.
Here are 2 articles explaining how Boehner asked Obama to stay out of it. Sorry to let facts and my RESEARCH done in order to INFORM myself with the facts ruins your entire outrageous claim.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/richard-adams-blog/2011/nov/21/congress-debt-supercommittee-failure-live
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-11-21/politics/30424519_1_president-obama-federal-budget-flat-tax
I wont even comment about you saying Bush is better than Obama. Thats a joke and It'd be like debating with a mentally handicapped person.
Fayanne! It helps when you tell someone they are misinformed, to then inform them with articles and proof. I know it makes a sh*t load of sense, but you conservatives will just have to learn to accept the truth sometime.
I bet he is really pissed at how much America hates him !
GOP is clearly stupid and ignorant. All they care about is the rich and the money they can get from the rich.
ron- who told you to say that?
Republicans need to be lined up against a wall and !!!!!!.
People like Romney are the reason we have so much debt. Throw trillions at war (because they dont cost money), but cut off grandma's social security check for $100. Can't touch defense, cant raise taxes. cant cant cant. So who should Obama have spoken to? Kyl? Good luck, he doesn't listen.
You got it, Liberals like Mittney always like to spend you into the poor house then steal your hard earned cash to pay for it.
Wasn't Nitmit against the President getting involved with the supercommitte negotiations before he was for it. Even Nitmit can't figure out where he stands.
thats because he flip flops on EVERYTHING
the day anyone believes a biased partisan hack... well, shame on them.