The disappointment in Obama by his base and Congressional allies is growing faster than the national debt now that he has decided to allow the GOP to blackmail him into a position where Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid “changes” (cuts) are finally on that butcher block – once known as “the table” – if any of Obama’s plans to raise the debt ceiling and tax the highest earners and corporations to save our country from all hell breaking loose can be accomplished.
How does a minority party in government get to such a powerfully malignant place? By lying - that’s one way. Another is by refusing to do anything sensible to decrease the debt because, as written many times, it is clear as sparkly clean glass that corporations and individual billionaire power-brokers run our country, and are protected by Republicans.
Anyone with knowledge of the flow of financial ups and downs in the USA cannot ignore the facts that our national debt increases more often than not under Republican administrations. There is no conspiracy here to point this out. That is why I and others decry the hypocrisy (“lying”) of the GOP regarding the “tax and spend” mantra they always throw at the Democrats.
Look at this:
Now, tell me how anyone can defend their position that it’s all Obama’s fault that the USA is having a terrible time getting out from under an enormous inherited debt. How in the world can any rational person continue to argue that by now all should be better in the economy – as well as point a damning finger at the steps the administration has made, and continues to attempt, to pull us out of this mess?
WTF are you doing, Mr. President! many of us are now bellowing. Lay it out in plain English. With passion. With strength. With much needed righteous indignation. Tell the world what most already know: the GOP is willing to send our country into an economic and social crisis because they do not want you to win a second term. Because they must protect their financial masters. Because too many back-room deals have been made that defy comprehension when those who will suffer from this egregious power play are the most vulnerable of all.
I will continue to bring the Flogging Whip out each week to bash on these issues. More people need to keep these concerns alive until the sound of the growing thunder of dismay, disappointment, and anger from those who expected more from both Obama and what some once believed would be at least an ounce of sincerity in the form of compromise from the Republican party for the safety of our country, is heard. Very loud, and very clear.
And not just on cable TV.
I hope Nancy Pelosi will take Obama to her own version of the flogging woodshed during her meeting with him today. Despite her public tone of respect for the president’s desire to work with the opposition, I doubt that she’ll curtsy and sip a nice cold beer in his presence. In the midst of all the Testosterone in Washington, it’s ironic that the primary balls of steel in the Democratic party belong to an Estrogen-based entity.
Chart Source: The Rachel Maddow Blog (2010)
Let me think about this for a few minutes.....John
ReplyDeleteI don't know what left wing rag you got your cute little chart from, but consider this:
ReplyDeleteObama Added More to National Debt in First 19 Months Than All Presidents from Washington Through Reagan Combined, Says Gov’t Data. In the first 19 months of the Obama administration, the federal debt held by the public increased by $2.5260 trillion, which is more than the cumulative total of the national debt held by the public that was amassed by all U.S. presidents from George Washington through Ronald Reaga
The first two fiscal years in which Obama has served will see the two biggest federal deficits as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product since the end of World War II.
“CBO currently estimates that the deficit for 2010 will be about $70 billion below last year’s total but will still exceed $1.3 trillion,” said the CBO’s monthly budget review for September, which was released yesterday. “Relative to the size of the economy, this year’s deficit is expected to be the second-largest shortfall in the past 65 years: At 9.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), that deficit will be exceeded only by last year’s deficit of 9.9 percent of GDP.”
By contrast, President Reagan was sworn into office on Jan. 20, 1981 and left office eight years later on Jan. 20, 1989. At the end of fiscal 1980, four months before Reagan was inaugurated, the federal debt held by the public was $711.9 billion, according to CBO. At the end of fiscal 1989, eight months after Reagan left office, the federal debt held by the public was $2.1907 trillion. That means that in the nine-fiscal-year period of 1980-89--which included all of Reagan’s eight years in office--the federal debt held by the public increased $1.4788 trillion. That is in excess of a trillion dollars less than the $2.5260 increase in the debt held by the public during Obama’s first 19 months.
When President Barack Obama took the oath of office on Jan. 20, 2009, the total federal debt held by the public stood at 6.3073 trillion, according to the Bureau of the Public Debt, a division of the U.S. Treasury Department. As of Aug. 20, 2010, after the first nineteen months of President Obama’s 48-month term, the total federal debt held by the public had grown to a total of $8.8333 trillion, an increase of $2.5260 trillion.
In just the last four months (May through August), according to the CBO, the Obama administration has run cumulative deficits of $464 billion, more than the $458 billion deficit the Bush administration ran through the entirety of fiscal 2008. John
For the life of me, I can't understand how you can extol the virtues of Nancy Pelosi, and her "balls of steel!!" This is the woman who has repeatedly lied her ass off to the American people. She's the one who promised the "Drain the swamp," and give us the "most ethical congress in U.S. History." And there she was, standing behind the biggest tax cheat in the country, (Charlie Rangel) and making sure all he got was a slap on the wrist.
ReplyDeleteThis is the woman who stood before the American people, and told us that we would "Have to pass the (Obamacare) health legislation to find out what was in it." We've found out quite a bit since it was passed. Federally funded abortions, and robbing half a trillion from Medicare for starters.
Lied again to the American public about being briefed by the CIA concerning waterboarding and enhanced interrogation.
She and her cronies introduced and passed legislation that restricted water to the California central valley. The result of this, was 40% unemployment in the area, 1/2 million acres of prime farm land being turned into a dust bowl, rising food prices, a $36 billion crop loss, and 70,000 unemployed. All of this to save the California smelt. Of course, there's no mention that she circumvented EPA requirements for two endangered species on one of her investment properties in San Martin, California. And lo' and behold, there's plenty of water for her very own vineyards.
You speak of too many "back room deals by the Republicans, that defy comprehension when those who will suffer from this egregious power play are most vulnerable of all." Care to elaborate on the backroom deals that got Obamacare passed? I would love to hear your answer on that one!! John
It amazes me that you still don't get it. Sure, let's tax the hell out of the rich. In case your aren't aware of the figures, they break down like this:
ReplyDeleteThe upper 1% of the wealthiest pay 21% of our taxes
The upper 2-5% pay 14.55%
The upper 5% pay 36%
The upper 50% pay 97%
The lower 50% pay 3% of our taxes.
It makes no sense to penalize people any further for being successful. Particularly since they're the ones who provide businesses, jobs, and income. And I don't think you, like me, have every cashed a paycheck that was signed by a poor person. If this keeps up, the wealthy and their vast fortunes will exit this country just like the jobs did when one of your wonderful leaders enacted NAFTA. John
ENOUGH blaming Bush. That's all you've got?? It's been nearly two years now, and the worst thing that Obama has to contend with in the 2012 election is running on his own record.
ReplyDeleteThe liberal vision of economics has failed. Most of President Obama's financial advisers have already jumped ship, and there's no clear economic plan coming from the White House.
Up until two weeks ago, Obama had played golf 17 weeks in a row, taken countless vacations, and had made 33 campaign fundraisers. (compared to Bush's three fundraisers during the same time span. With all of this going on, it's no surprise that he spent a TOTAL of three hours with the Republicans concerning the debt. Then he stood in front of the American public on national tv last week, and slammed the Republicans. "Get it done....do what it takes. Stay here in Washington and come up with some answers. I'll be here." Then he immediately headed for Camp David for some "rest." My hero. John
John - I always admire your tenacity and info. I have two other charts (NOT from Democratic sources) that I will provide in a future post when I'm again ragging on this issue. In fairness, you will see what I am talking about.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, my nemesis, I will, indeed, continue to blame Bush. That's the truth.
Re: Pelosi. She has her stuff, too...as so many in politics do. My overall point is that of most Democrats these days, she seems to be one of the few willing to twist some arms behind-the-scenes -- and get things done. Where are the other guys? Nowhere. I am extremely disappointed in the Democratic House and Senate.
I have to get back to posting the music and street art for today, and then return home from a week's break...so, for now, that's all she wrote.
Whoops - I mean "...disappointed in the Democrats who are IN the House and Senate."
ReplyDeleteYou're always a challenge. :) Did you get the songs I sent? John
ReplyDelete