"A black sheriff?!": The Official Topic of Obama and New Era American Politics

[recursivelyenumerable]

The Republicans did some great soul searching these past few months.

They searched and searched, but they didn't find anything.

I'm sure everyone's already seen this but when has that ever stopped me: Romney Spends $600 Million On Top-Tier 'Soul Searching' Team

[Great Rumbler]

New jobs:

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/adp-report-215-000-new-jobs-in-december

[Dickie Dee]

[Joe Molotov]

Straight pimpin'.

[Phoenix Dark]

http://media.talkingpointsmemo.com/slideshow/a-new-congress/1-289003?ref=fpblg
 

[Brehvolution]

She came to my office and I shook her hand. 

[Joe Molotov]

Haha, I guess it's not too surprising that Boehner retained the Speaker position when you consider that this was what he was up against:

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/conservatives-rebel-against-boehner-85749.html?ml=po_r

Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) — who was recently removed from key committees and supported Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for speaker — sat on the House floor during the speaker vote brandishing an iPad. A message was displayed on the screen ticking off members of the House Republican Conference he hoped would oppose the sitting speaker. The title of the document: “You would be fired if this goes out.”

Among the Republicans on the list were Reps. Steve King (Iowa), Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Scott Garrett (N.J.), Steve Fincher (Tenn.) and Scott Desjarlais (Tenn.). All of them ultimately supported Boehner.

In the end, nine Republicans abandoned the Ohio Republican’s bid for a second term as speaker, and cast votes for people as varied as a former member of Congress who lost his reelection bid in November [Allen West] and a 1990s-era U.S. comptroller general who appears on cable television.

[tiesto]

Hooray, 120 bucks less a month due to this payroll tax increase. 

[Brehvolution]

It's just the 2% of your Social Security deduction added back. You don't want to short yourself. It was a bad "tax cut" to begin with.

[Mupepe]

Hooray, 120 bucks less a month due to this payroll tax increase. 

I know that feel, bro. 

I don't really care though.  I wasn't a big fan of the tax cut anyways.  Seemed to do very little as far as economic stimulus.

[Mr. Gundam]

Hooray, 120 bucks less a month due to this payroll tax increase. 

I'm fine with it. Gotta pay for shit, yo.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

Hooray, 120 bucks less a month due to this payroll tax increase. 

I'm fine with it. Gotta pay for shit, yo.

What, like Michelle Obama's multimillion lavish vacations?  Fuck that, this is bullshit!

[Steve Contra]

Hooray, 120 bucks less a month due to this payroll tax increase. 

I'm fine with it. Gotta pay for shit, yo.

What, like Michelle Obama's multimillion lavish vacations?  Fuck that, this is bullshit!

More like multi-billion

http://minnesotaindependent.com/73801/using-inflated-figure-bachmann-calls-obamas-india-trip-over-the-top-spending

(This may have been my favorite part of the whole Tea Party movement)

[Eric P]

that deadbeat can fly coach like the rest of america!

[Joe Molotov]

I read it in a chain email and it sounded legit to me.

[Van Cruncheon]

Hooray, 120 bucks less a month due to this payroll tax increase. 

I'm fine with it. Gotta pay for shit, yo.

yup.

[AdmiralViscen]

Hooray, 120 bucks less a month due to this payroll tax increase. 

I know that feel, bro. 

I don't really care though.  I wasn't a big fan of the tax cut anyways.  Seemed to do very little as far as economic stimulus.

I agree it was iffy policy, but it is probably good for half a point of GDP

[Joe Molotov]

http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/01/04/bachmann-introduces-first-bill-in-113th-congress-to-repeal-obamacare/

The new Congress is already hard at work!

[Oblivion]

I don't mind the payroll tax expiring either, but it seems a lot of people on the left (including Krugman) have said keeping it would have been one of the best forms of stimulus.

[tiesto]

It's just the 2% of your Social Security deduction added back. You don't want to short yourself. It was a bad "tax cut" to begin with.

In that case... it's not so bad. I was getting a more conflicting message from the "fiscal conservatives" I know. Still, would rather have the cash now (as I really really really need to save money) than later.

[Mandark]

Well, that 2% was still being credited to your SS benefit calculations (and the SS trust fund, IIRC), so it's not like you were borrowing against the future.

It's just a temporary tax cut that was passed for a year, extended for a year, and then not extended this time.  So it's not a tax hike compared to what you've been paying for most of your life, or what you'd normally expect, but it is more than you paid the last couple years.

And yeah, I'm agin' it.  Contractionary policy is contractionary.

[Oblivion]

[Brehvolution]

Obama can still say he never raised taxes on the middle class.

[ToxicAdam]

Whatever people will lose in income from the payroll tax rate, they have more than made up for it in a myriad of other tax reliefs that have been passed over the years. Child care, EITC, child credit, tuition reimbursement and on and on.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/11/30/us/tax-burden.html?ref=us


Everything should be rolled back to 1996. I still don't understand why capital gains taxes remain so low. That should be the fight that Democrats take on. I guess they love that Wall Street money also.

[TakingBackSunday]

My dad tried to explain why a reduced capital gains tax made perfect sense for high income individuals

I wtf'd

[TakingBackSunday]

your basic "they deserve that money, it shouldn't go to the gubmint and filthy poors" etc

[Mandark]

I think the typical econ argument is that investment drives growth in the long term, and people are very risk averse when it comes to their money, so taxing capital at a lower rate would mean more wealth in general.  People don't risk their own money when they sell their labor, the demand for investments are much more elastic, etc.

You can illustrate this through a model, if you make certain assumptions (like how to mathematically represent the utility of wealth), and it's treated as proven by some folks who are inclined to believe that sort of conclusion.  It's probably not complete bullshit, but in the context of the US political economy, the side effects being discussed are pretty weak and unimportant compared to what the policy's actually trying to achieve.

[Oblivion]

[Eric P]

 

[Steve Contra]

 

“Angela, I need to know, are you committed to being my porn star?

“I do not want to hear ‘no’ or ‘we’ll see about that.’ I want my fantasies to be with you. God has authorized you and you only as my partner for intimacy and that is what I want.”

- Allen West

[Great Rumbler]

“Angela, I need to know, are you committed to being my porn star?

“I do not want to hear ‘no’ or ‘we’ll see about that.’ I want my fantasies to be with you. God has authorized you and you only as my partner for intimacy and that is what I want.”

- Allen West

[Phoenix Dark]

(Image removed from quote.)

The sign ruins it. The point is quite obvious without that part, which ruins the serious nature of this piece

[Joe Molotov]

Daily Kos wishes they were funny enough to have drawn that.

[Brehvolution]

Today in 'no fucking shit'

http://www.salon.com/2013/01/07/the_conservative_movement_is_still_an_elaborate_moneymaking_venture/

Brandnew should show this to his dad even though his dad probably wouldn't believe it.

[Great Rumbler]

I know that article really isn't saying anything that everybody didn't already know [or at least suspect], but that doesn't make it any less cringe-worthy/horrifying.

[Joe Molotov]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/01/palazzo-sandy-katrina-fema.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

How about this guy, begging for Katrina relief, but then when the Sandy relief package is on the table, he's all like with his Blagojevich hair.

[Phoenix Dark]

Thoughts on Hagel? In the general, limited familiarity I have with him I like the choice. Still, I'm curious about his views on drones, which I haven't seen any discussion of from him. During the Bush years I always enjoyed seeing him rip the bark off some of the most vapid conservative talking points. Given the role reversal we've seen recently as neoconservatives have been brushed to the side, it's almost easy to forget how Iraq war criticism was labeled treasonous by republicans, even after the American people solidly moved against the war.

Seems to me there should be more drama and talk over the Brennan nomination, but alas no one ever talks about the drone war

[Brehvolution]

He's realistic about Iran and doesn't fellate AIPAC. Seems fine to me.

[Mandark]

He favored direct talks with Iran over sanctions, thinks there's room to cut military spending, and has been somewhat critical (by American political standards) of the Israel lobby, which is what's getting him heat now.  On the other hand he never voted against military action while in the Senate and supported John Bolton for US ambassador.  Glenn Greenwald might be rushing to praise him, but Hagel's no Andrew Bacevich.

The Israel/Iran stuff isn't an area where he'd have a ton of influence as Secretary of Defense, as far as I know.  I'm not sure how he'd manage a bureaucracy, what the main goal would be at the DoD the next four years, or even what the responsibilities and influence of the SecDef is vs. the Joint Chiefs.

Seems alright I guess?

[Great Rumbler]

Hagel routinely dressed as other members of Congress on Halloween:

http://media.talkingpointsmemo.com/slideshow/chuck-hagel/1-289155
http://media.talkingpointsmemo.com/slideshow/chuck-hagel/1-289163
http://media.talkingpointsmemo.com/slideshow/chuck-hagel/1-289164

[Phoenix Dark]

I remember hearing his "Jewish lobby" comment a few years ago and chuckling. One of those things you're not supposed to say out loud, even if it's true. Nothing in those comments suggests he'll treat Israel any differently or not be concerned about their safety...it was moreso a welcome admission that the US should put its best interest and safety ahead of other countries, including Israel. The dust up over Obama's 1967 lines/land swaps comments was especially pathetic; you don't often see members of a president's party throw him under the bus over a distortion.

[Oblivion]

Even if Hagel is more outspoken of Israel than most people, will he actually have much influence? He would be acting in whatever Obama makes him.

I mean, I could be wrong about that, but that's how I thought it works with members of the president's cabinet.

[Phoenix Dark]

He won't be doing much of anything in relation to Israel; if he were nominated for Sec of State this would make a bit more sense to me, considering he'd be dealing with the Israelis often.

Jennifer Rubin was going insane on twitter today. Full blown "any criticism of Israel=anti-Semite" shit

[Dickie Dee]

While Israel isn't necessarily in DoD's general purview - I'm sure Defense would have a pretty big say in giving a thumbs up/down to a potential Israeli strike on Iran

[Brehvolution]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/01/07/rep-grayson-mocks-bath-salts-caucus-for-voting-against-sandy-relief/

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) on Monday mocked the 67 House Republicans who voted against disaster relief funds for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

“It’s the same 67 over and over again,” he noted on The Stephanie Miller Show. “It’s the bath salts caucus, the people that would rather eat your face than cut taxes on the rich.”

  Glad he's back.

[Great Rumbler]

[Joe Molotov]

http://dailycaller.com/2013/01/09/dick-armey-on-why-he-gave-that-interview-to-media-matters/

LAWL, Dick Armey thought he was talking to Media Research Center when he gave that interview to Media Matters last week.

[Great Rumbler]

I guess the implication is that he thought the right-leaning Media Research Center would help him spin all that stuff he said and/or cover it up?

[Phoenix Dark]

Meh, that sounds like a "I said blah people" excuse.

[Oblivion]

Think of the debt limit as your monthly credit card limit. You can't go over it on your credit card and the United States government can't spend more than what its credit limit is or its debt limit. Now, Ali Velshi at CNN says that has no relation to spending.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matt-hadro/2013/01/08/cnns-velshi-calls-out-rush-limbaugh-lectures-him-debt-ceiling#ixzz2HYGGmRbs

Take that libruls and Ali Velshi.

The comments are great too, btw.

[Human Snorenado]

Jesus fucking Christ, the debt ceiling shit is going to be the end of me.  It's not like your fucking credit card limit, IT'S YOUR FUCKING CREDIT CARD BILL.  YOU'VE ALREADY PUT ALL THIS SHIT ON YOUR CARD, FUCKING PAY FOR IT ASSHOLES.

[Great Rumbler]

I didn't realize until this year that it's the right of the minority party in the Senate to choose the opposition President's cabinet. The more you know!

[Oblivion]

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Found this from my friend on FB:

So never owned a gun in my life, but became a member of the NRA today. I'm not very politically active but some times it's important to get involved when your rights are being infringed upon. That's my two cents.

I found out a few months ago that he's a tea bagger, which is really both a shame and shocking since he is one of the nicest people I've ever met.

Le sigh. :/

[Positive Touch]

"i dont really give a shit about how people didnt have medical coverage or how they cant get livable wages or any of the other massive inequalities in our country, but when they came for my guns that i dont even own THATS WHEN I GET PISSED"

[Great Rumbler]

Hmm...yeah, I really need to get out there and buy a gun before Obama starts taking them all away, you know make me feel like I'm getting the full American experience.

[Yeti]

Obama needs to threaten to take more things away, really kick this economy into high gear.

[Joe Molotov]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/gorilla-sales-skyrocket-after-latest-gorilla-attac,30860/

“After seeing yet another deranged gorilla just burst into a public place and start killing people, I decided I need to make sure something like that never happens to me,” said 34-year-old Atlanta resident Nick Keller, shortly after purchasing a 350-pound mountain gorilla from his local gorilla store. “It just gives me peace of mind knowing that if I’m ever in that situation, I won’t have to just watch helplessly as my torso is ripped in half and my face is chewed off. I’ll be able to use my gorilla to defend myself.”

“Law enforcement and animal control can only get there so quickly,” Keller added. “And you never know when you’ll need to use a gorilla to save your life.”

[Dickie Dee]

[Oblivion]

     Former Senator Jim DeMint, the new president of the conservative Heritage Foundation, has decried Obamacare as “a cancer” that is “is fundamentally inconsistent with liberty.” During the Senate Obamacare fight, DeMint famously declared “If we’re able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him.”

    But a new report from DeMint’s own organization suggests that, far from being incompatible with freedom, countries with health care systems with as much or significantly more government control over healthcare are the freest countries in the world.

    The report in question is Heritage’s Economic Freedom Index, released annually since 1997. The report defines the concept of “economic freedom” in misleading right-wing terms, but even by those standards, it appears that universal health care systems far more expansive than Obamacare aren’t “fundamentally inconsistent with liberty.” In fact, the ten “freest” economies in 2013 by Heritage’s lights range from mandating individuals save a certain amount of money for health care to almost the entire health care system, including hospitals, being owned and operated by the government:

The countries they listed were:

1. Hong Kong
2. Singapore
3. Australia
4. New Zealand
5. Switzerland
6. Canada
7. Chile
8. Mauritius
9. Denmark


The U.S. under Obama's oppressive socialist regime comes in at a fairly distant no. 10. If only Obama would learn more from one of the paragons of right wing governments, like Canada.

http://readingisforsnobs.blogspot.com/2013/01/heritage-releases-report-that-shows.html

Proving yet again that Obama is the weirdest socialist dictator in the history of despotism.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

The health care thing is so baffling because I never really knew of anyone who didn't bitch about their health insurance not being there when they needed it.

Case in point: my semi retired mother who just spent $3,000 on dental work to find out that her dental insurance didn't cover a cent of it.