I see no problem with the sequester at all. We all took a 2% hit on our take home pay Jan1. This is simply a decrease of an increase -- so simple -- hiring freeze, no additional manpower, and wage freeze. Fixed. Then the government workers will be dealing with the same thing that the general public has for several years. Done.

OK, let me get this straight - we're $16 TRILLION on the hole and we're running scared over spending $85 BILLION less? That's 0.5% . It's insignificant.

In August of 2011, Paul Ryan told Fox News that himself and the Congressional Republicans deserve all the credit for the sequester. And if I'm not mistaken didn't Boehner say that because of the sequester they (the repubs) got 98% of what they wanted. They all need to stop the blame game and just get back to work.

The only person that was in the government that made sense and tried to covey a message about fixes was David Walker, former Comptroller General, DVD I.O.U.S.A.

fearandrhetoric4dummies, you're funny over here too. To sum it up, government is out of control.

"The latest semantic spin is to call the looming $1.2 trillion in cuts, which could throw the whole economy back into recession, “Obama’s Sequester.” House Speaker John Boehner indulged this approach half a dozen times in a floor speech before he went on break, establishing its place in the talking-points firmament.

There are a couple problems with this tactic, as my colleague Michael Tomasky pointed out Tuesday. Congress passed sequestration before the president signed it, and the whole self-defeating exercise was carried out in response to Tea Party Republicans’ insistence that we play chicken with the debt ceiling, which ultimately cost America its AAA credit rating.

But here’s the thing. I happened to come across an old email that throws cold water on House Republicans’ attempts to call this “Obama’s Sequester.”

It’s a PowerPoint presentation that Boehner’s office developed with the Republican Policy Committee and sent out to the Capitol Hill GOP on July 31, 2011. Intended to explain the outline of the proposed debt deal, the presentation is titled: “Two Step Approach to Hold President Obama Accountable.”

It’s essentially an internal sales document from the old dealmaker Boehner to his unruly and often unreasonable Tea Party cohort. But it’s clear as day in the presentation that “sequestration” was considered a cudgel to guarantee a reduction in federal spending—the conservatives’ necessary condition for not having America default on its obligations.

The presentation lays out the deal in clear terms, describing the spending backstop as “automatic across-the-board cuts (‘sequestration’). Same mechanism used in 1997 Balanced Budget Agreement.”
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/20...

"Being a repeater doesn't make you intelligent"
-
You have proven this over-and-over.

Not into intelligence contests 916 apparently you believe yourself to be high on that scale, many on these boards, including myself, would beg to differ.

LOL 916, if you have to talk about being "more intelligent" it usually means you're struggling. Being a repeater doesn't make you intelligent, didn't Rush tell you that?

Being fixated on hating people who belong to unions as your main talking point , also doesn't make you intelligent. It makes you a simpleton. Now for one of your condescending smiley faces right back atcha;)

Nothing funnier than reading people complain about the tea party in one post but then tell folks we should all get along in another post; just more of the same from the party of do as I say not as I do.

45 years of welfare under Democrats and poverty continues....keep voting Democrat....you will still be poor.

Although both parties have stood at odds with each other through the years, it was only after the Tea Party gained power that the extreme polarization between Republicans and Democrats came to the surface.

I once was a Republican. The stain the Tea party has left on it will continue to drive level-headed people away from it as their stubborn and often blind perspective allows no real vision for the direction needed to work together and compromise...sad isnt it?

Chop chop here's comes the ax on top

For jobs Dumbocrats create

It's just a little late

Expansion of government jobs is not the answer

Limited government is what we are after

Sad that the two sides could not agree to a plan that serves the fine citizens of the U.S. It was initiated by Obama and carried forth by Reid and now they want to place blame on the Republicans for allowing it to happen. I think that most reasonable people feel the Republican's relented to the wishes of the President over the Fiscal Cliff and achieved nothing in return in the form of spending cuts. It is time for the President to come to the table with some realistic spending cuts. Everyone with the exception of the most hard core liberals realize this country has a severe spending problem, most definitely not sustainable and made much worse under the watch of this President and his Democratic party.
I hope the people that voted for this current administration and his fellow Democrats are content with their votes. These voters are the ones I blame for our present situation as they voted for a President that is bent on redistribution of wealth and creating a huge welfare country. They are taking the incentive away to invest money and achieve success. Just look how the integrity of the United States has dropped in the past 4 years in the eyes of the rest of the world. Maybe in the next election, the voters can become informed on the issues and see through the hype and lies that the Democratic party has become noted for.

Like who fear?? The republicans? Just a little fyi--many of us are younger and much more intelligent than you!:)

These cuts are small slice of the deficit. Not even close to balancing the budget. These cuts should be a no-brainer, they are mere peanuts, with much larger ones made because we have to. These cuts need to be ten times larger just to get to breakeven.

Just racist against stupid old white people like........

"President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans made no progress last week"
=
Immediate attack on the GOP, and a complete lack of knowledge of how the government is supposed to work. Essentially, WHO CARES what Obama wants vs. the Republicans working with him???? He's the President, he doesn't work for the people anymore. Congress does. The POTUS doesn't vote for anything. Stupid journalists.....

Eagle 1, ..you have landed .

Obama is very good at playing poverty politics.
Why wouldn't the 47% on the gov't dole love him?

Modern day politics: my party can spend more than yours on 'popular' programs, at what point do people realize when you rely on government for ANYTHING, job, welfare, healthcare, etc, you are at the mercy of budget cuts and revenue to the government not to mention the danger we have been skirting of running an unsustainable debt. So people willingly go along with the government spending because there is something in it for them and then when this become stressed at best, they complain and play the victim card, both parties do it and both parties are embarrassing, learn to do thing for yourself and not rely on government for your everyday daily life, it is much more enjoyable.

fear...news flash, Bush isn't president, Obama is. And your reply is so typical...divert, don't deal with the issue of our country is going over the cliff and Obama takes off for Florida to play golf....that's the issue. Plain and simple.

Ahh I see the racist fearfulrhetoric is back to her game of claiming to know what other people think...why do all these leftest fringe members claim they can read others minds?

Yeah Donnaw keep rolling over on Obama and his vacations, I am sure you were just fine when the office of the president was at the Crawford ranch.
I am glad you admit you think that poor people are lazy, I give you credit RAF and Darlene wont do it. The REALITY is the VAST majority of thoe who recieve assistance dont want it. No matter how the old ornry white people want to stereotype them(see what I just did there?).
Do ou think I care what you or any other person percieves of me, my posts , or my opinions on this anonymous website? What ou think I look like is irrelavant to me. Kind of like wislady calling oout others credibility when really no one on a board like this has any who uses an anonymous handle.

Republicans are anti-pork? Really, since when? They just like the appearances that they are, appearance and REALITY are 2 very different things. Why do you think Chris Christie was so pissed?

Wouldn't you like a leader who says, "I'll meet with anybody, anywhere, any time to get this fiscal cliff solved!" Obama says, "Oh no, I'd rather go on vacation to Florida and play golf with Tiger Woods." Just what he's doing today. In less than two weeks this country goes down the tubes and he can't be bothered to stay home and work on the problem. Even if he just stayed around DC it would set an example and tell us he is at least concerned.

Other than housing and food and agriculture, I would say, let the cuts take place.

fear...and stop with the name calling. You look juvenile.

fear..you mention all these pork barrel items but when Repubs held up the Sandy relief bill BECAUSE of added pork barrel items, some of which you had included in your rant, you liberals had a fit! What's with the hypocrisy?
And yes, I do feel there are many lazy people who live off the govt rather than get a job and take care of themselves. We have created an entitlement attitude and I'm not including those on social security who are old. You have listed billions in govt programs...that's the point fear, govt is TOO BIG! The left hand doesn't know the right hand is doing. Duplication after duplication. Keep the federal govt small and let the states take care of its citizens. We don't need half the monolithic buildings and bureaucrats eating up our taxes in DC.

fearfulrhetoric, to bad the person you voted for hasn't done what he claimed he would do...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuR4b2Rzx...

fearfullrhetoric you are indeed clueless. You have copy&pasted items researched and identified as pork barrel spending items; by others. Again, providing information supplied by others is fine, but LAME attempts to declare them as something you are OFFERING is pretty weak. I am all for reduced spending at all levels, again you looking at spending as the problem is at least a start.

I see you are still confused, continuing to call me by several different names. If it helps you to vent your frustration, so be it. Sounds like you could use some anger management.

Wislady: How come you never complained when Bush flew off to the Texas ranch?

" I have offered Billions in savings this evening "
-
LOL, copying other peoples suggestions is something you AGREE with not OFFER. At least have the credibility to say you agree with other people who have done research into things that can and should be reduced/cut. I do find it a good thing you are at least looking at things that could be reduced/cut. Recognizing the big problem, spending, is the first step in fixing it.

"Darlene my words? But I actually believe in a society not just degrading people for my own political purposes. ou are truly a right wing lunatic."

Priceless.

Now...send your list to Obama and the Senate dems.

See the lists of the true waste that needs to go.........http://www.opensecrets.org/bigpicture/earmarks.php

Then tell me your plan.

SAIC Inc
Battlefield Sensor Netting
St. Petersburg, FL

Defense

$2,400,000
Custom Manufacturing & Engineering
Advanced Electronic Components for Sensor Arrays
St. Petersburg, FL

Consolidated Communications Facility
MacDill Air Force Base, FL

Military Construction
Tropical and Subtropical Research/T-Star
FL; HI

Ag-Rural Development-FDA

$6,677,000
$21,000,000

St Petersburg College
National Terrorism Preparedness Institute, Anti-Terrorism/Counter-Terrorism Technology Development and Training
Clearwater, FL

Defense

$2,800,000

C. W. Bill Young (R)

$5,870,000 for the East-West Center in Hawaii. Meant to promote improved relations among Pacific nations, the East-West Center has received 10 earmarks worth a total of $103.8 million since FY 1997.

$9,980,000 for assistance to small shipyards, awarded for “capital improvements and related infrastructure improvements at qualified shipyards that will facilitate the efficiency, cost effectiveness, and quality of domestic ship construction for commercial and Federal Government use.” Appropriators in the House of Representatives did not add funding for this program.
$6,000,000 for a small community air service development program, which provides “financial assistance to small communities to improve their air service.” Communities with airports that have been classified as “small hub” or a lesser size by the Department of Transportation are eligible to apply for the program, which is eerily similar to, and just as non-essential as, the Essential Air Service.

$114,770,000 for the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), which supports global democratization efforts. Since FY 2001, UNDEF has received three earmarks totaling $351.8 million. The Obama administration has never requested funding for UNDEF.

$6,900,000 for UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter conversions. On its website, Sikorsky, the Connecticut-based manufacturer, describes the Black Hawk as “versatile, dependable, and rugged.” While those characteristics may be true of the aircraft, they also apply to Congress’s penchant for earmarking funds for Black Hawks. Since 1996, there have been 18 earmarks totaling $571.7 million for Black Hawk upgrades, modifications, and purchases.

$38,522,000 for the high intensity drug trafficking areas program (HIDTA) at the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). After 40 years and $1 trillion spent, drug use among Americans has not changed much, while some reports suggest drug use among teenagers has increased in the last three years. ONDCP Director Richard Kerlikowske has admitted the shortcomings of the War on Drugs, stating in May 2010, “In the grand scheme, it has not been successful. Forty years later, the concern about drugs and drug problems is, if anything, magnified, intensified.”

Tell the Obamas to quite taking so many vacations on the taxpayers dime, while you are at it.

$34,000,000 for navigation maintenance, which has received 14 earmarks worth a total of $70.4 million since 1999.
$13,840,000 for hydropower construction. New York seems likely to benefit from this earmark. Since 2008, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) have teamed up on four hydropower earmarks worth a total of $7.7 million.
$10,084,000 for the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal Dispersal Barrier, which has received a total of $14.2 million from nine earmarks since FY 1998.
$3,000,000 in additional funding for ongoing shore protection, which has received $21.9 million in earmarks since 1998. In FY 2010, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) secured $4.9 million for New Jersey shore protection, which may be a good Situation for Snooki, but not for taxpayers.
$3,000,000 for aquatic plant control. Since 1994, there have been 15 earmarks worth a total of $17.9 million for aquatic plant control projects, including two by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and one each by Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.).

$74,145,000 for navigation construction, which has received 41 earmarks worth a total of $117.7 million since 1999, including $50,000 in 2005 for the Cleveland Lakefront State Park.
$35,031,000 for National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) coal research and development. The NETL, headquartered in Pittsburgh, “supports the Department of Energy’s mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States.” There were three NETL earmarks worth a total of $19.5 million in 2005, when former Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) secured $10.5 million for NETL’s facility in Morgantown and other members anonymously added $9 million.

$3,200,000 for peer-reviewed bone marrow failure disease research. This funding is redundant, since there is $23.4 million for research on bone marrow disease in the FY 2012 Labor/HHS appropriations bill.

$111,099,000 for flood control by the Army Corps of Engineers, $9 million of which will go to “ongoing projects.” Since 1996, CAGW has unveiled 320 Corps of Engineers flood control earmarks worth a total of $523.4 million. In FY 2010, porkers in this category included Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Senate appropriators Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.).

$50,000,000 for the National Guard for Counter-Drug Program state plans. Formerly earmarked to individual states, the program, which allows for the use of military personnel in drug enforcement operations within the states, is now funded in one bundle as a work-around to the earmark moratorium. The Drug Enforcement Administration, with a budget of $2 billion, is already responsible for these activities. Since FY 2001, there have been 63 earmarks costing taxpayers $281.1 million for the National Guard Counter-Drug Program. Members of Congress who have inserted earmarks for this program in the past include perennial porkers such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers (R-Ky.), and former senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

Thank you for admitting those were YOUR words.

$120,000,000 for three earmarks of $40,000,000 each for alternative energy research within the Air Force, Army, and Navy. On March 13, 2012, Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member John McCain (R-Ariz.) asserted that the Navy’s efforts to develop biofuels to power its planes and ships could devolve into a “Solyndra situation,” citing the solar panel manufacturer that received a $535 million loan guarantee through the Department of Energy before filing for bankruptcy in September 2011. According to Sen. McCain, the Navy has spent in excess of $400 per gallon for approximately 20,000 gallons of algae-based biofuel. In a February 2011 hearing, House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Randy Forbes (R-Va.) fired a shot across the Navy’s bow, telling Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, “You’re not the secretary of Energy. You’re the secretary of the Navy.” The FY 2012 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act supplies $3.2 billion for alternative energy research. While searching for alternative energy options, Congress must ensure that taxpayers do not get burned

$239,000,000 for five earmarks funding peer-reviewed cancer research, including studies on breast cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer. Funding research on endemic cancers is a responsible use of taxpayer money. However, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS) Appropriations Act of 2012 provided $5.1 billion for the National Cancer Institute, making the earmarks in this bill redundant.

9,500,000 for high energy cost grants. Such grants are available for “improving and providing energy generation, transmission and distribution facilities serving communities with average home energy costs exceeding 275% of the national average.” Both the Bush and Obama administrations targeted high energy cost grants, which are duplicative of the Department of Agriculture’s Electric Loan Program, for elimination. Apparently members of Congress did not get the memo

The latest installment of CAGW’s 21-year exposé of pork-barrel spending includes $255 million to upgrade the M1 Abrams tank, which is opposed by the Pentagon; $5,870,000 for the East-West Center, a pet project of Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), $3,388,000 for national fish hatchery system operations, and $3,000,000 for aquatic plant control.

I will post several cuts that can be made as a beginning NOW that will make a huge difference Ill post short ones so the right wingers cant even turn away, ready BILL?

Yeah bill I am such a schill, get over yourself, please.
You want to see some cooked up talking points? look no further than Winkladys-"Obama Fires 20,000 Marines, But Sends $700 Million to Palestinian Terrorists.

Is something wrong with his priorities?""

That is par for the course for her and you knuckleheaded Republican Zombies let her get away with garbage like that? Not surprising.

BTW- Darlene That line you took from one of my quotes was an imitation of what you and the rest of your ridiculous right wing Zombies keep repeating when it comes to Government assistance. I know you never read anyone else's posts that disagree with you, just skim and plagarize. You and the rest of the simple minded righties keep repeating garble about food stamps.

So in essence I was imitating(portaying) your attitude. HILARIOUS that you would use it. Shhows your lack of comprehension or simple reading capability.

Sorry....the money is being held up by Congress, so they don't have it in their hands yet.

Kerry Seeks To Unblock $700 Million In Aid For Palestinians
By Agence France-Presse
Monday, February 11, 2013 20:50 EST

Secretary of State John Kerry is working to try to free up almost $700 million in aid for the Palestinians which has been held up in Congress, a top US official said Monday.

“The secretary feels extremely strongly that it is time now to get this support to the Palestinian Authority,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

The department was working with Congress “to get appropriated money released for the Palestinian Authority because we think it’s very, very important that they remain effective in supporting the needs of the Palestinian people.”

Some $495.7 million was set aside for the Palestinian Authority in the fiscal year 2012 which ended on October 1, while another $200 million for this fiscal year was notified to Congress last week.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113...

Fear will have to get back to you later with his "idea". First, he has to check the list of Democratic Party talking points, then he has to decide which is most appropriate to copy and paste. Be patient, he may need help deciding which point to post. Expect delays.

What is your idea fear4dummy? We have 2 options. Cut programs & raise taxes to stop the bleeding OR keep going down the current path until the country collapses under its own weight. Then there will be no safety net at all.

Obama Fires 20,000 Marines, But Sends $700 Million to Palestinian Terrorists.

Is something wrong with his priorities?

fearandrhetoric4dummies says.....

"Get off welfare you lazy poor people, even if you work 60 hours a week with no benefits and need medicaid and foodsatmps to help cover the difference for your kids."

I am glad this is not what most people think. People need opportunities that will enable them to help themselves, unfortunately, this has not been the pattern over the past few years.

The president should come up with a budget and do his job. Campaigning for five years is not part of his job description as president. He should stop blaming republicans or George Bush, again, for his budget mess.

Only 7% of the population have government jobs. How bloated is the government again?

Like the credible one Darlene likes to post "Hand up not hand out" whatever that really means. I know what she means, "Get off welfare you lazy poor people, even if you work 60 hours a week with no benefits and need medicaid and foodsatmps to help cover the difference for your kids." Thos people are EVERYWHERE. That is the new reality that the "legitimate business world" has created to increase their own bottom line, FACT.
The whole mentality is....."feel lucky to have this crappy job, dont like it, our fired." And this is acceptible to the so called "Christian Right wing"

Nicely put eyeball, unfortunately your posts are big on rhetoric and short on any ideas. Like it or not we the people are responsible for a society that provides us opportunity, and like it or not tens of millions of Americans that actually need help, need it through no fault of their own. No matter what the Wislady gang would have you believe.

eah Ronald, but the out fo control spensing is NOT the crucial programs wee need as a society of 300 million doverse people. Of course if we all lived like Ms. Perfect conservative values Darlene Winklady the world would be just perfect. Are these scare tactics? Yes!! You should be scared, very scared these cuts will drastically effect the global economy and millions of your fellow Americans. As we have found out many of the conservative right wingers that claim to be "good Christians" are barely that, and could give a crap about their fellow man. Anyone who is poor or needy must be so because they are lazy "welfare recipients" right? Wake up and smell the coffee.

If you truly want to see how poorly government spends money Read:http://cagw.org/reports/pig-book you will find out how conservatives in congress are big government spenders just like the Dems that they chastize for the very same thing.

The problem is there are so very few people that see both sides have good ideas, and both sides are equally full of......lets call it hot air. They get their followers like wislady for example to believe that every single thing they say is the ONLY way to go. That if we were a one party nation somehow everthing would be alright. Instead of a nation of ideas we are now a nation of political cults, their followers and big money interests on all sides. Citizebns United has succeeded in turning this nation into a Oligarchy and a Plutocracy and cult followers that believe everything they read on sites they are glued to as "reliable news".
even if half of the things listed above are true, or even if they are half true, is that the kind of society you want? If you are a God fearing Christian, do you want to live in a society where hundreds of thousands and even millions of citizens are poorer because we want to argue over a few dollrs? For those that hate unions and good wages for middle class folks that sweat for a living, remember the country before corporate America took over? We WERE the greatest country on earth. Now we are a shrinking giant because we the people have been bought and so have our so-called leaders.

Understand this, the federal government's job is to protect our borders & settle disputes between states. That's it.

Why all the bitterness here? We don't have enough money to run the country, & it isn't just one party's fault. We could raise taxes on the rich again, rollback the Bush tax cuts on everyone else, & cut programs.....& we are still short on cash! Sooner or later EVERYONE has to learn that it's a cold world. We are all on our own, and the federal government cannot save us from our problems.

What, the pres can't take any time off from work? Because he is black? They could get some stuff done if the repubs would show up for work....

Grandmas gonna die,kids are going to starve,no military blah blah blah scare tactics. Enough of this out of control spending.

It seems the repubs are awol.........are they at the clock tower inn? Why are they not at work to vote on SOD?

foxlady at it again.....yawn

Obama demanded the sequestration, he was given the additional funds he requested, and now it is up to him to finish the deal. He has instead chosen to do nothing....except for his vacation again.

HOW ABOUT PAYROLL REDUCTIONS AND SERVICES OFFERED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERMENT ( CONGRESS AND SENATE NOT TO MENTION PAST CONRESSEIONAL AND SENATORS ALOND WITH PAST PRESIDENTS..)..
Do they really need all that crap.. we don't get anything like that when we retire.. hell we can't ( most of time ) afford going out and enjoying our retirement...

And more lies by Ofluma and his DemoRats, a little more soda, please...

Just more games being played by the reflublicans....pass the popcorn...

Anything the media runs with or the govt says can be just dismissed as its all lies anymore. Just grab some popcorn and sit back and watch is about all one can do now.