And insurance companies estimate the cost of the damage to be one third of the amount of the senate bill. Guess where the rest of the money is going?

mouse... I guess you can't read.

Mouse: the decision to not vote late the other night on Hurricane Sandy relief was political. Tough to vote to raise taxes at the rate of $40 to $1 of spending cuts (incuding pork estimated at 69 billion) and then turn around and vote for a 60 billion relief bill with additional pork (such as for fisheries in Alaska and new roof for the Smithsonian). Items that had NOTHING to do with Hurricane Sandy. So now there will be a vote for immediate relief and a vote by mid-month for the rest of the 60 billion .... Anyone willing to bet that the non-Sandy related items will taken out by then. I am not. That is why "thetruth724" comment at 9:01 is so true and relevant but sadly will be totally ignored by our politicians and many bloggers.

Ryan's credibility disappeared with his cave in to Obama on the Fiscal Cliff Bill and his vote for Boehner!

This is one Constitutional, Christian Social Conservative who is now, finally, completely divorced from the Republican Party; I don't care HOW close the race is!! Unless, of course, they purge themselves from these phoney neoconservatives and libertarians, in leadership especially! Which they'll never do!

Walker already earned my pledge to NEVER vote for another Republican in Wisconsin!

My vote is sacred; and, worth too much to hold my nose and vote for candidates who are not completely conservative, just to "oppose" Democrats.

little mind mouse....why don't you do your research before mouthing off? I guess you think it's just fine to pass a bill so full of pork the people who really need the help are insignificant to those greedy politicians (both sides of the aisle) who load it up with freebies. Oh that's right you are one of those freebie loving lefties.

mouse...why bother with you....you are not worth the effort to explain what is real and what is in your small little mind.

tiki...all you got is quote from someone 8 years ago? Why don't you quote some of Obama's campaign promises? Empty promises.

muse ...in your small little mind.

Cheney had a quote that is the mainstay of the republican party.

"Deficits don't matter." Dick Cheney

Whenever people like Cheney or the Koch cartel are brought up in these conversations is is for a good & factual reason.

mouse...if you couldn't use racism or Bush or Cheney, in this comment, as a feeble defense of the Obama's lousy performance, you would be at a loss for words. Oh and I forgot, also Koch brothers is a favorite diversionary tactic of yours.

Maybe if Ryan wants to do something, He should propose a pay cut for all of them, and no retirement or health care. When did we the tax payer get to vote on their compensation package.

It is a fact that spending will not be cut. Pork will not be eliminated, debt will continue to climb to new heights and all we will hear from either side is the same repetitious comments. Everybody wants something done but neither side is willing to give in. The money tree is dying folks. It would seem that it would live with all the manure that is being spread around but that isn't the case. To be able to spend you need income and right now, that income is disappearing. Taxing the rich doesn't help as many of you will soon find out.

wislady- I whole heartedly agree about line item vetoes.

Time for Obama to start using the line-item VETO.

"On the authority of a 1996 law, which enabled U.S. presidents to select portions of legislation to void before signing a bill into law, Clinton cut three measures from a tax and budget bill, declaring victory over Washington special interests in a signing ceremony for the law."

"From now on, presidents will be able to say 'no' to wasteful spending or tax loopholes, even as they say 'yes' to vital legislation," he said at the time. "Special interests will not be able to play the old game of slipping a provision into a massive bill in the hope that no one will notice."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-5749...

thetruth724, great point, that extra pork they add to bills is huge reason we are in this mess. Good work

Ryan's a joke.

Long post but please take time to read and digest. 2011 Tax Facts: Personal exemption 3700. Standard Deduction if not able to itemize was 5800 for a single person and 11600 for a married couple. So 9500 deduction for single person and 19000 deduction for married couple. Page 98 of 2011 1040 instructions show that effective tax rate JUMPS from 15 to 25% for single taxable income of 34500 (total gross income of 34500 + 5800 = 40300. JUMPS from 15 to 25% for married couple taxable income of 69000 (total gross income of 69000 + 19000 = 88000). BTW. In both individual and married case the effective tax rate is nearly 13.8% on the income prior to the JUMP. Rate continues at this 25% up to 83600 for individual and 139350 for a married couple. Then gradually took additional steps of 28, 33, and 35%. MY POINT: People get your head out of the sand and realize that both parties in our government are heavily taxing the bulk of the middle class while hiding it with smoke and mirrors by creating this class warfare envy. I do not have the numbers but am guessing a good portion of this country that is not receiving government aid are gettting caught in this JUMP to 25%. And both sides claim they are trying to help the middle class ??? I am not buying it. They are helping the poor and the rich at the expense of the middle class. IMO

thetruth724: Excellent post imo.

thetruth....Amen!!!!

I guess some reform I would like to see happen is if they pass a bill, it only contains one item. Let that item pass for its own merit and don't add pork spending or anything else to it so if someone votes yes or no for something, we truly know what they are and are not for. I don't like the current set up as their bills contain many other things so if someone is against something in the bill and they vote no, everyone jumps on the band waggon that they are not for something that makes sense. If they want to vote for spending cuts, they there are only spending/cuts where each items is labeled with a separate yes/no vote for them as they go down teh line. All too often they rig their bills to make the others look bad because if they don't vote for a certain bill, they are considered heartless because of something else that was contained in the bill they were against.

carlitosway, omg are you kidding me? your partisan crap is over the top, Obama is for the American people are you serious, yeah just like Bush was, whatever. They are all in it for their own egos and helping out their friends. Your comment about a woman supporting the GOP can be just as valid as asking why a middle class person would support the Democrats when with the 'fiscal bill' people earning 30-50k are actually paying .4% more in taxes than millionaires due to payroll tax increases, not to mention the incoming devaluation of the dollar and inflation which will impact the middle class much more than any rich person due mostly to democrat type policies of both parties with uncontrolled spending. Plus when was the last time a democrat pushed to close loopholes in the tax structure for millionaires? Neither party is out for anyone but themselves, wake up.

Again I will say, any woman that stands with republicans is not in their right mind Unless they love having Men dictates their very Being!!!!!!! That would be women that have no VALUE in themselves!!

Donnaw OBAMA is about the American People, get your head out and get away from Fox News and Limbaugh and O'Reilly What is wrong with you The ones you support are sick and demented when it comes to The American workers of this Country I pray you can actually see through the lies that you have come to believe. You will never find a republican that stands with the people that matter more then Obama and Biden. Some of you amaze us that GET IT!!!!!!!

And mouse adds so much to the discussions. I liked it better when she went into hiding after Walker was re elected.

Mouse, why do you hate Ryan so much? He ends up supporting all the things you want, confusion is rampant among partisans.

This guy has had opportunity after opportunity to propose cuts and push for them, yet he consistently votes for massive spending increases time and time again, TARP, Bailouts, Fiscal Bill. The partisans that think he is a fiscal conservative are being fooled again, the ones that think he is heartless are just as foolish, he never cuts anything. Important rule: Watch what politicians do, not what they say. Cynical and Carlito are right the Bush admin spent nearly as much as Obama's I have been asking Republicans for years where they were on that issue. However I need to ask you this, where are you in opposing those useless wars now that Obama is in charge? Partisans of both parties are just as hypocritical and it is getting old.

mouse...and Obama is all about Obama, the empty suit, the narcissistic PoTUS we are stuck with. But I pray for his health because the only thing worse than Obama is Biden, the brainless Cheshire Cat.

Will Ryan put a bill on the table that they all cut their own wages & benefits ?
They are all so over paid for what they do

cynical...where were you recently when Obama and the Dems added trillions to the debt? Lets deal with the current fiscal bill, like adding another YEAR of unemployment and adding pork to the bill, what don't they understand about the word no! ...and what cuts will be put forth, probably nothing that will help lower the debt. I know, cynical...it's all Bush's fault. Obama wanted the job and made all kinds of promises, had both the house and senate for two years and what did he focus on? Not the economy, not the debt, but passing his socialist healthcare bill which in the end will take this country down. It did nothing to lower health care costs but rather added to them.

Where was Paul Ryan when the Bush administration was spending BILLIONS on two unfunded useless wars?

What a joke as we all know his agenda and what cuts he seeks and it isn't where the cuts need to come from, Mooshoo I agree good one. wi55lady where was your complaint during the GOP presidency spending The blame is not all on who you continue to accuse Obama of. Bush and Bush Jr. sure spent enough on their wars.

Good Luck Rep. Ryan on getting spending under control in DC. However, I feel you are in for a huge uphill climb. Obama doesn't want any cuts, only wants tax hikes to pay for government spending, and if Reid has anything to do with it, there won't be any cuts. Hopefully Congress will get a clue that the American people are tired of outrageous spending and bickering between parties. Washington needs a lot of civility, not childish behavior.

"Thank you Paul for calling for cuts in the outrageous spending on defense"
.
Good one!!!LOL