I'm gonna hold my breath until I get what I want! *sigh* No, there's no question?

I'm gonna hold my breath until I get what I want! *sigh* No, there's no question. Just sadness at what our elected officials have become - petulant children.

GOP says it'll block bills until tax cuts extendedSenate Republicans threatened Wednesday to block virtually all legislation until expiring tax cuts are extended and a bill is passed to fund the federal government, vastly complicating Democratic attempts to leave their own stamp on the final days of the post-election Congress. news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_democrats_lame_du... Asked by TurboB 16 months ago Similar Questions: gonna hold breath *sigh* question Recent Questions About: gonna hold breath *sigh* question Politics & Law > Politics.

Similar Questions: gonna hold breath *sigh* question Recent Questions About: gonna hold breath *sigh* question.

Here's Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's response on the Senate floor this morning: "My Republican colleagues...know that the true effect of this letter is to prevent the Senate from acting on many important issues that have bipartisan support. With this letter, they have simply put in writing the political strategy that the Republicans pursued this entire Congress: Namely, obstruct, delay action on critical matters, and then blame the Democrats for not addressing the needs of American people. Very cynical, but very obvious.

Very transparent. " .

I know this is very over the top drama queen, but this literally makes me want to vomit. The fact that they can do this out of nothing but sore loser spite,racist hatred, and a need to line their pockets and the pockets of their big corporation money machines while in the meantime bringing this country to a more or less grinding halt, is disgusting. They care nothing for the people of this country.

It's very evident. How can people actually support this behavior? Are they stupid?

TurboB 16 months ago .

Breathe. One ray of light (albeit tiny) is that START is exempted from their obstructionism. And do something.

Write to your elected representatives and tell them how you feel. Then take a walk, or do some yoga. Something calming.

If we meet hate with hate, there is nobody left to do anything positive. Com/en/still-hope-for-ui-if-congress-is-willing-to-act-gop-willing-to-give? Utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+politicususa%2FfJAl+%28Politicus+USA+%29.

Thanks Goldie, and Pam, for the simple facts. TurboB 16 months ago .

One thing, however, galls me. Susan Collins said, “It’s the right thing to do. I think it’s only fair," about repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell.

She knows perfectly well that if it isn't done during the lame duck session, it doesn't get done, and the miscarriage of justice will continue for years. If she wants to be a good little drone and invoke the filibuster on everything, there's little I can do but roll my eyes and point out that sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander next term. But she is on the record as supporting an end to DADT, and she is now out of excuses.

She can block Democratic priorities out of spite if she hasn't anything better to stand on, but if she's going to tell millions of loyal Americans that they're not good enough to serve, she will have earned my contempt.

I think the difference now is the entire attitude about it. There was a time when, even though this happened, no one went on tv to brag about it. Now the hatred, bigotry, racism and homophobia they exhibit is a badge of honor to them.

They BRAG about it! How on earth could you possibly be proud of that? And, the icing on the cake is that they proclaim themselves to be Christians.

They tout the tenets of their religion as being the right way, insisting that everyone believe as they believe, and then act in a manner that is the polar opposite of their supposed beliefs. TurboB 16 months ago .

I always try to pause whenever I think it's worse now than it was in the past. Fifty years ago, Barry Goldwater said, "I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!

" Compromise has never been really big in Washington. And yet, one has only to look at the use of the filibuster to see that it's definitely getting worse:senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/cloture_... doubled as soon as the Democrats took office. The year of the quote I mentioned above (1964), it was 1.

From 1920 to 1960, it was invoked a grand total of 8 times. After the last Republican takeover, the Democrats invoked cloture just 9 times in the next Congress. That's a clear measure that the Senate has become now, regularly, by default a 60-vote-requiring body.

Actual numbers can be misleading (there are ways to avoid it getting to a cloture vote), but it's clear that things have shifted, and a simple majority is no longer sufficient. And it was the Republicans in the minority who took it to a whole new level. I'm all for preventing the tyranny of the majority, but to proclaim each and everything your opponents do, universally, to be in that category is hyperbole.

It's an end to the fragile institution of democracy, which depends on people being fairly reasonable most of the time. Not universally, but a majority of the time. Nobody is forcing you to be.

You can scream and shout all you want. There's even tolerance built into the system for some of it. But not all the time.

It stresses the system to its breaking point and beyond. I simply see no way forward from here. Become subjects of the Queen, perhaps.

She seems a nice old lady. Jpg.

Well if you give children power they tend to abuse it.

If you put them all in the same sandbox some kids will want the whole box no matter how many times you tell them you have to share.

Terribly sad that the people who are supposed to be looking out for the best interests of this country, and ALL of its people, will resort to acting like spoiled children out of childish spite. Continuing them at least gives the country a fighting chance to pull out of the recession and put people back to work. Letting the tax cuts expire will only drive more jobs overseas!

If the Democrats don't want to be bipartisan about it, then they should stop talking about bipartisanship! .

DZ, ok. You offered an opinion, which I can respect. But the tax cuts have been in place for years, and have not created any jobs, nor have they kept jobs from being outsourced.

So the popular claim that stopping them will further hurt the economy is simply not valid. This country is not going to go into a recession because the very rich in this country suddenly have to start paying a small percentage more in taxes. Looking back over the past eight years, there is no proof that supports your claims.

Therefore , there is no valid reason to continue the tax cuts. Now, please. Explain to me how childishly blocking every single thing that congress is trying to do is "looking out for us" - as it is clear the GOP are actually only looking out for themselves.

TurboB 16 months ago .

But the tax cuts have been in place for years, and have not created any jobs, nor have they kept jobs from being outsourced. >This country is not going to go into a recession because the very rich in this country suddenly have to start paying a small percentage more in taxes. >This country is not going to go into a recession because the very rich in this country suddenly have to start paying a small percentage more in taxes.

Well, obviously, you haven't looked into the facts. When the Bush tax cuts end, the income taxes on the working poor will increase 50% (going from 10% to 15%), and for the middle class, the income taxes increase 15% (25% to 28%, 28% to 31%). Those people are not the very rich by a long shot.

>>Therefore , there is no valid reason to continue the tax cuts. >Now, please. Explain to me how childishly blocking every single thing that congress is trying to do is "looking out for us" - as it is clear the GOP are actually only looking out for themselves.

If you're against killing people and I'm for killing people, how do you compromise on that? Oh, you'll let me kill people on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays? Oh, you'll let me kill only cop killers?

Oh, you'll compromise and throw in some rapists? I mean, if you believe that continuing the tax cuts that are already in place is going to save this country, how do you compromise on that? Do you say, well, let's raise taxes because it might only destroy half the country?

We'll let California fall into the sea because the East Coast might be able to absorb these tax increases. Look, the real solution is to stop spending. Since that's not going to happen, the only way to get Obama and his crazed Democrat supporters to slow down the spending is to not allow any tax increases.

The more money that goes into government, the more government will spend. It's that simple. More spending depletes the economy.

If the country comes out of recession, the amount of money that starts pouring into the IRS increases substantially. When Ronald Reagan cut taxes, the government was taking in 2x as much as when he took office. Look at Bush's record.

Unemployment was around 5% for most of his terms until the banks crashed, not because of Bush's policies, but because Congressional oversight was virtually absent! You had idiots like Barney Frank trying to convince the American people that Fannie and Freddie were fine, that nothing needed to be done more than a year before it all came crashing down. Bush's policies didn't cause this recession.

Greed in Congress did -- and on both sides of the aisle.

That's a lot of screed,with no substance other than your opinion. And to be truthful, I didn't bother to read it all. I stopped when you started into the whole proven to be incorrect GOP mantra about "The top 1% pay 40% of the income taxes.

". The truth of this statement is a matter of wording. You can spin it to appear the way you claim, but when you actually look at the facts, it is not true.

Thanks for offering your opinion, though. TurboB 16 months ago .

Yeah, typical Liberal stunt. Put your fingers in your ears and say, nah-nah-nah-nah-nah. I don't know why I bother.

You really don't want to learn. >>I stopped when you started into the whole proven to be incorrect GOP mantra about "The top 1% pay 40% of the income taxes. ".

Just say you like Obama. He's your God. And you don't need to debate any facts.

But thinking like yours is why this country is $14 trillion debt. Why we've spent $40 trillion on the war on poverty, and guess what? It just bred more poverty.

As Christ said, give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime. The government thinks it's racist if we try to train someone for a job, or even tell someone to get a job.

It would just rather hand out someone else's fish. Well, I'm tired of the government handing out my fish, and my company's fish, and then it turns around and says it's not enough. Cough up more fish!

I've only got a limited number of fish! But at least I know you read my medical advice although not my political opinions.

There is no reason to be insulting, DZ, because my political opinions are different from yours. You think I am wrong, and I think you are wrong. End of story.

And, to be honest, I don't read your medical advice either, because, for one, I know you are not a medical professional and very often give incorrect advice, and two, to be frank, I find your penchant for answering every female health issue question rather creepy. TurboB 16 months ago .

You think I am wrong, and I think you are wrong. End of story. >And, to be honest, I don't read your medical advice either.

>I find your penchant for answering every female health issue question rather creepy.

Nice try, dude, but I'm no longer interesting in having some sort of snark fest with you , or DM, for that matter. Sorry for not having addressed your long comment, but I didn't read it. I'm sure I've seen it all before.

Have a pleasant evening. TurboB 16 months ago .

Oh, I know you read it. You can't help but read it. You read everything.

You know all of this. You're just saying you didn't read it because you can't dispute any of this. You like keeping the weak-willed in the dark, creating boogie men from the evil "rich.

" Woooo! But you should thank "rich" people because everything you have came from them. They are the inventors that invented the light bulb, and your TV set, and your car, and your computer.

They probably gave you your jobs you've had in life. They founded companies that provide all your goods and services. They invested in other companies that give people their jobs.

And you can share in all of this too! Buy some shares of stock in a company. You then become an "owner" of that company.

Your investment grows as the company grows. You too can become rich. There's no secret to it.

You know that $10 billion profit that Exxon made? Guess what? It got distributed back to shareholders as dividends!

Evil companies don't get to keep the money. It gets recirculated into the economy. Your own retirement fund may have profited from Exxon.

Oh, well, just wasting my breath. You want to keep the myth alive that somehow rich people are profiting at the expense of poor people. But I think it's more of a drowning person trying to pull people down with them rather than trying to lift people up.

Unfortunately, TurboB, you will hold your breath for a long time, however it may be a pretty shade of blue.

Susan Collins kind of teeters between the two parties. Whose side is she really on? .

DZ, the recession start under Bush. Clinton's surplus disappeared with Bush National Debt. Now you worry about a recession?

.

One can only hope that independent voters are taking note of the antics going on in Congress, and that in two years the wave that brought Republicans to power will recede leaving them again in the minority where they belong.

Oh, I'm sure people are taking notice. TurboB 16 months ago .

As for don't ask don't tell, what really irks me the most is the obstinate behavior of Senator John McCain. Every time a report comes back which he initiated that is not what he wants, he moves the goal post again. Maybe he would finally change his mind if his wife cut off his allowance.

And then people complain that Obama isn't doing anything. Try running when you're standing in front of a brick wall. Where are our champions in all of this?

I don't feel as though anyone is fighting for the good of this country anymore. Obama, though I love him, needs to toughen up and kick some ass. The Democrats need to grow some balls.

It seems everyone in the country is getting plowed over by the 'good ol' boys' machine. Where is Batman? Where is Spiderman?

Where is Mighty Mouse? I am in awe at what is happening in this country. But.......there are two sides to every coin.

I'm fairly sure some Alien life force seeking idiotic, morally degenerate earth specimens for their own entertainment, will soon abduct every last one of these uncomprehending baffoons, put them all in a big arena together, and watch them eat each other alive without harming innocents in the process, while crowds of Aliens in the stands cheer them on while eating buttered Gorp snacks. Until then, what are decent people with an actual IQ and a heart to do? It is maddening!

.

Thanks for the answer! TurboB 16 months ago .

Truman ran well against a "do nothing Congress. " .

Wow DanZee, that is the best response I have seen from you. You have hit the nail right on the head. I read the answers and comments to the question, and nowhere, and I mean nowhere, do I see anybody say lets cut spending.

I don't always agree with everything the GOP says and does, but this constant borrowing to spend has got to end somewhere. You are correct. If the government raises taxes, history has shown they just spend the money.

TurbobB misses the point of the GOP saying it will block bills until the tax cuts are extended. It was the American voter that said, stop the spending and stop the tax increase. What they see is the GOP gained 63 seats in the house, but what they miss is the GOP won 242 seats.

There was a message there for Congress. Stop borrowing to spend. Cut taxes and cut spending.

History has shown over and over again this is the best way to spur a weak economy. It has nothing to do with Democrats and Republicans. It has all to do with you don't raise taxes in a weak economy.

Just look at what happened to Herbert Hoover in 1931 and FDR in 1937. FDR raised taxes to try and balance the budget and started the second phase of a double dip recession that lasted until Harry Truman and Congress cut the income tax rates and got the economy going again. And now they are talking about the START treaty.

Seems like there are some games being played here as well.1. 10,000 Russian tactical nuclear weapons are not covered by START2. The White House is threatening to withhold funding to upgrade our nuclear arsenal unless the treaty is passed.

This should never be held hostage to a political deal.3. The Administration says the U.S. is in danger without START because without a verification system we lack insight into Russia's nuclear forces. In the past the Administration has stressed Russia is not a threat.

So do we need verification or don't we. In a recent weekly address the President said the new START treaty will not limit our missile defense. Forgive me for not taking this President at his word.

This is the same President who said Americans could keep their doctor under Obamacare, the same President who promised a net spending cut, and the same President who promised that his economic stimulus plan would keep unemployment below 8 percent. Legislators have been saying they really don't know what is in the bill. If the bill is as strong as they claim it is, let the legislators read the bill and stop pushing for a lame duck vote.

Actually, I missed nothing. This is about the GOP childishly blocking every single thing in congress until they get their own way. Has nothing to do with any of your long comment.

But thanks for offering your opinion. Just don't present it as fact, as it is not. TurboB 16 months ago .

TurboB, you are missing some very important FACTS. This is a lame duck Congress. There are the same number of Democrats in the house and one less in the Senate.

So why is there so much trouble trying to decide what to do about the the Bush tax cuts. There is so much trouble, because there are now not enough Democrats to support a tax increase. If the Democrats wanted to raise taxes, they could have done it before the election and there would have been nothing the Republicans could have done about it.

But, they knew there was an election coming, and the last thing they wanted to do before an election was to raise taxes. They have known about the tax cuts ending for two years. The Democrats let politics control their decisions.

See, it works both ways. Call your Senator and Congressman and tell them to ignore what the American people want and raise taxes. Now, just so you get your history correct.

The information above is fact not opinion. Here is the history of the Great Depression, the Presidents who were involved, and how they raised taxes. President Herbert Hoover asked for a temporary tax increase…in June 1932, raising the top income tax rate from 25% to 63% and quadrupling the lowest tax rate from 1.1% to 4%.

That didn’t help confidence or the Treasury. Revenue from the individual income tax dropped from $834 million in 1931 to $427 million in 1932 and $353 million in 1933. This caused a double-dip recession, pushing unemployment to well over 20%.

Unfortunately, President Roosevelt made the same crucial mistake President Hoover made 5 years earlier, so the recovery didn’t last. FDR raised taxes sharply in 1937 in an attempt to balance the budget. Once tax increases took effect, the economy collapsed into another recession – the second stage of the double-dip which lasted into WWII.

FDR raised the top marginal rate to 94%. But, it was Harry Truman, a Democrat, who with the help of Congress cut the top marginal rate from 94% to 86.45%. The lowest rate was cut from 23% to 19% and 12 million Americans were eliminated from the tax rolls.

Corporate tax rates were lowered from 90% to 38% and the excess profits tax was repealed. By the late 1940's, the economy was generating more annual federal revenue than during the war years when the tax rates were higher.

Yes, loo, it is. Terribly sad that the people who are supposed to be looking out for the best interests of this country, and ALL of its people, will resort to acting like spoiled children out of childish spite. So much for bi-partianship.

You get what you give, and the GOP would do well to remember that. As to your comment - well, it simply reflects the entire attitude of the GOP. "I've got mine - who cares about you".

And that is the saddest thing I can say about the GOP these days. They have lost any and all compassion for other human beings, and that means they have lost their very souls. TurboB 16 months ago .

In the words of our most esteemed President, "Elections have consequences. " Or, like he said at the last bi-partisan meeting with the GOP when addressing Sen. McCain, "I won the election".

What a guy! .

I cannot see how this comment has anything to do with the actual question. Please express your extreme dislike of our President elsewhere. Thank you.

TurboB 16 months ago .

Excuse me but you said yourself that "there's no question". Maybe you should stop holding your breath and read what you wrote.

Have a nice day, loulou. TurboB 16 months ago .

Good for them. First things first. Help the economy and create jobs to get the economy rolling again.

Sigh. Come on, DM. Did you actually read the article?

They are not interested in helping anything, or creating jobs. They are simply going to block everything until they get their cookie. As for helping the economy and creating jobs - as I stated before.

They have been getting tax breaks for years, and have not created any multitude of jobs, or helped the economy. Now their time has run out, and all of a sudden, they are going to have a change of heart? I don't think so.

TurboB 16 months ago .

Of course you don't. That would require an understanding of how an economy works. Obama is now in the world of reality where he is going to have to deal with a congress that is not bullet proof for him.

This will be interesting.

As I told DZ, I am not interesting in playing some sort of snarking flame war with him, or you. Therefore, have a plesant evening. TurboB 16 months ago .

Power does that to human beings. It is nice to know we still have government of the people, by the people, and for the people, tho.

. It is nice to know we still have government of the people, by the people, and for the people, tho. Really, DPD?

It would appear that the people are meaningless in the current situation. TurboB 16 months ago .

Right. "Extend the tax cuts to the rich or we will not extend unemployment benefits to the hungry and jobless. " Merry Christmas!

.

I think we should remember what Warren Buffet had to say and that was, "My secretary pays more taxes than I do. " That doesn't sounds like the top 10% pay 70% of the taxes, or the top 1% pay 40% of the taxes to quote DanZee.

I know, MaryAnn. I dropped off some things yesterday at the local community center. Lots of people needing food - most of them senior citizens, and the shelves held little but bread and salad dressing.

I know I am very strident about this, but DAMN IT! It's disgusting and unconscionable that these petty little creatures are so childish that they would let people go hungry simply to get their own way. It, and they, as well as the people that support them, make me ill.

And Dz has stated that before, and was proven wrong. Makes one wonder why he continues with mouthing falsehoods when we all know the truth. TurboB 16 months ago .

Yep, another republican temper tantrum. I hope Obama treats it the same as Clinton treated the "we're going to close government until we get our way" tantrum back when HE was in office.

It's not true. The top 1% pay 40% of the income taxes. The top 10% pay 70%.

If you squeeze this group of people too hard, then they stop investing in new companies that create jobs, and they just hunker down with T-bills that do not stimulate the economy. And what percentage of the income to the top 1% of Americans bring in? Bet it's over 40%.

And they have done nothing but hunker down with their money - hoarding it, for years. To claim they are going to create jobs is BS. I'm sorry.

This whole thing, and some of the comments here, make me ill. Seriously. TurboB 16 months ago .

And for the record, I asked a business owner how many people she would be hiring if the tax cuts were extended, and she said, "none, why would I waste money on employees that I don't need. " .

An office politics question" "Jus' fer ol Wooly, I's gonna ask a question, and it's gonna be about critters. " "ROcketeer Question--Christmas is not far away--the best part is giving--So- What are you gonna get me for Christmas? " "Hey!

A question NOT about politics! " "How about a politics question "truce"? " "How long can you hold your breath?

" "I have a question about politics that is pretty absurd at face value............." "I sent a question to Politics & Law but it has not appeared in My Askville. Why? " "Ask a question!

Can there be science of politics" "What is in puppy breath that makes it so irresistable? This is a serious question!

Jus' fer ol Wooly, I's gonna ask a question, and it's gonna be about critters.

I have a question about politics that is pretty absurd at face value.............

I sent a question to Politics & Law but it has not appeared in My Askville. Why?

Ask a question! Can there be science of politics.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.