Gloria Borger(CNN) calls out everybody on the fiscal cliff

[ms maggie]

Gloria Borger and CNN are now lackeys of the, Republicans. I wonder if you realized how assinine that statement is before you pushed submit?

Kind of hard to govern from a golf course in Hawaii isnt it? But what the hell Nero played the Harp while Rome burned.

Uh, pretty sure that's a fiddle OB.

And you know as well as I do that Presidents never really are on vacation. Why anyone would want that job is beyond me. That's why I never ran.

[Omaha Beach]

Also, the fiscal cliff was an illusion and stupid. There was never any threat. At worst, worse case scenario, the federal agencies take a 1% budget cut per year.
Seriously, that's a disaster they can't survive? I call B.S.

Sure Polyanna and now tell all those RICH folks making 50k or more that their SS tax did not just go up 2%. Keep telling yourself that the 15 trillion national debt is noooo problem. We can all hold hands sing Kumbayah and wish it away.

[Omaha Beach]

Uh, pretty sure that's a fiddle OB.

And you know as well as I do that Presidents never really are on vacation. Why anyone would want that job is beyond me. That's why I never ran.

No it really was a Harp.

[ms maggie]

No it really was a Harp.

Maybe drinking a Harp? Always a good idea.

Apparently was a lyre. (I knew a fella once who made lyres, a surprisingly lucrative business!!)

Happy New Year OB.

[flyboy56]

Sorry, can't keep up with your ever changing arguments.

But stick with that "great leaders" idea. It's very malleable, kinda suits you.

Obama is too weak to truly be a great president. His presidency is being mired in micro managing social issues. A great president would be focusing on the national debt and immigration which falls under national security. Neither of which he is.

[Phineas Finn]

"Leaders, especially second-term presidents, are supposed to lead." Berger

We need Obama to be a great leader. Instead, he's just being a good leader, only giving the people what they want and not what they need.

You're right.

I don't understand why the President continues to pander to the part of the Democratic Party that refuses to discuss spending cuts in a meaningful way.

He doesn't need their votes, and in 2014 they're not about to run to the Republicans.

He's overplaying his hand.

[CajunRaven]

Borger nailed it. Only the die hard partisans on either side don't agree. But that explains your position.

Byngo.

[CajunRaven]

Uh, pretty sure that's a fiddle OB.

And you know as well as I do that Presidents never really are on vacation. Why anyone would want that job is beyond me. That's why I never ran.

I would've voted for you Maggie, even though you're a leftie!

[ms maggie]

I would've voted for you Maggie, even though you're a leftie!

Well there's 2......

[CajunRaven]

You're right.

I don't understand why the President continues to pander to the part of the Democratic Party that refuses to discuss spending cuts in a meaningful way.

He doesn't need their votes, and in 2014 they're not about to run to the Republicans.

He's overplaying his hand.

And the hard right that would not even discuss revenue as part of the solution are just as useless. Our generation created this problem and we have to fix it. And that means we have to cut up the credit cards and pay down the balances.

Somwhere, somehow, these people need to start behaving like adults and get serious about what we've done.

Passing this problem on to our kids is reprehensible to even consider.

I'd like to see them go back to Simpson Bowles as a starting point. It really was a good idea, too bad no one pushed for it after it didn't get the votes it needed the first time around.

[flyboy56]

Also, the fiscal cliff was an illusion and stupid. There was never any threat. At worst, worse case scenario, the federal agencies take a 1% budget cut per year.
Seriously, that's a disaster they can't survive? I call B.S.

The threat still exist. The fiscal cliff issue is yet to address the spending issue.The threat is only being prolonged.

[flyboy56]

You're right.

I don't understand why the President continues to pander to the part of the Democratic Party that refuses to discuss spending cuts in a meaningful way.

He doesn't need their votes, and in 2014 they're not about to run to the Republicans.

He's overplaying his hand.

Thanks Phineas for being a fair and balanced American. America can no longer be the worlds cash cow. It's time we started to focus on our own needs and get our debt paid down.

[flyboy56]

And the hard right that would not even discuss revenue as part of the solution are just as useless. Our generation created this problem and we have to fix it. And that means we have to cut up the credit cards and pay down the balances.

Somwhere, somehow, these people need to start behaving like adults and get serious about what we've done.

Passing this problem on to our kids is reprehensible to even consider.

I'd like to see them go back to Simpson Bowles as a starting point. It really was a good idea, too bad no one pushed for it after it didn't get the votes it needed the first time around.

People blame the far right, as in Tea Party members, for not wanting to increase taxes. And the reason they do not want taxes increased is because they know the government will only spend it on more programs. Our government has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. When the spending gets under control, we can start balancing the budget with both taxes and spending.

[flyboy56]

And the hard right that would not even discuss revenue as part of the solution are just as useless. Our generation created this problem and we have to fix it. And that means we have to cut up the credit cards and pay down the balances.

Somwhere, somehow, these people need to start behaving like adults and get serious about what we've done.

Passing this problem on to our kids is reprehensible to even consider.

I'd like to see them go back to Simpson Bowles as a starting point. It really was a good idea, too bad no one pushed for it after it didn't get the votes it needed the first time around.

The last person to address Simpson Bowles was Paul Ryan. It went back to the President where it ended.

[reg_indy]

Thanks Phineas for being a fair and balanced American. America can no longer be the worlds cash cow. It's time we started to focus on our own needs and get our debt paid down.

Cut defense by 35-40 percent and bring every soldier home.

[flyboy56]

Cut defense by 35-40 percent and bring every soldier home.

No problem indy. But starting early in 2013 a US Army brigade out of Kansas is going to 35 nations in Africa. Ask Obama why?

[CajunRaven]

Cut defense by 35-40 percent and bring every soldier home.

We need to stop being the world's cop. We need to stop giving free cell phones out too.

[CajunRaven]

People blame the far right, as in Tea Party members, for not wanting to increase taxes. And the reason they do not want taxes increased is because they know the government will only spend it on more programs. Our government has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. When the spending gets under control, we can start balancing the budget with both taxes and spending.

I actually agree with you on this. I'm against taxes going up until they get serious about spending. But both sides need to be in play to get the debt down.

Ideally, we bring the budget into balance going forward and require it to be in balance each year. Then any new revenue should be dedicated to paying down the debt and taking care of the debt service so it isn't part of the budget any longer. Once the debt is taken care of, that revenue stream is no longer needed. Of course, that would be ideal.

[veritas]

Good article. Borger basically gives the blame to everybody in Washington for the fiasco. And she's right. They are all idiots.

I think she's got one part wrong. Obama is already following his beliefs. He's following them in a die hard fashion. That's why he refuses to make any serious spending cuts. He wants more and more spending, not less. He wants lots more taxes. This is why fiscal calamity will only be papered over and delayed, not stopped. It probably won't happen during Obama's term but if we keep on as is, it will happen.

[CajunRaven]

The last person to address Simpson Bowles was Paul Ryan. It went back to the President where it ended.

It was Obama's commission, he should have lead on it and didn't. I've made that complaint here many times.