I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Interesting, A.

I noticed that we have new Community Rules on BCO, which say: "limit your discussion of politics and religion to their role in your physical and emotional health."

My physical and emotional health are both endangered by worries that the global economy will crash even worse!  In that spirit, I hope it's okay to post what Cokie Roberts said at Betty Ford's funeral:

Cokie Roberts, the daughter of Rep. Hale Boggs, a Democrat who was House Majority Leader while Gerald Ford was House Minority Leader, said giving the eulogy is an "assignment" from Ford "to remind everyone of the way things used to be in Washington."

She said, "I wouldn't be at all surprised if she timed her death to make sure that she could convey the message of comity during this week, when it seems so badly needed," Roberts quipped as others burst out into laughter.

"We were all friends and that's what Betty Ford wanted me to talk about here today," Roberts said. Her father and the former President Ford were good friends, even though they often disagreed with each other. Her mother, Lindy Boggs, and Ford were close friends for 60 years.

"That friendship made governing possible," Roberts said. "They weren't questioning each others' motives, much less their commitment to the country. Underlying many of those across-the-aisle and even more remarkable across-the-dome congressional friendships was the relationship among the wives."

Amen, Pat. 

The demagoguery must stop.  Scaring old people into thinking their checks will not make it into the mail is horrible.  It will be up to Obama to stop those checks an any others that go to "entitlements". 

And, no, Republicans DO NOT WANT to strip away Medicare or SS.  The new Affordable Health Care (what a laugh..so many waivers) has stripped away $500 billion.  The Republicans want to save Medicare and SS.  And it may take reform OR the other option would be that it is going to run out of money very, very soon.

Raising taxes WILL NOT save SS, Medicare or Medicaid.  And, to think Obama wants to only raise taxes on millionaires and billionaires is wrong.  He wants to raise them on people making $250,000. 

Business are NOT hiring today because they do not know what the future is.  With Obamacare and higher taxes they are holding tight instead of expanding.  We need JOBS so more revenue can come in.  To raise taxes is foolish and the fools in Washington will spend it instead of getting us out of debt.  It happens in both parties.

This is a snippet of an article that I find RIGHT ON.

http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/62877

Ambrose: Time to raise demagoguery ceiling

Others see it differently. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Cantor was "childish" during the White House debt ceiling negotiations, although a quick check of the record shows Reid has never, ever said anything perceptive, sensible, accurate or adult himself. The slur may have been improperly employed.

The worst thing, of course, would have been if Cantor had stood up and said, "The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure." There would have been a gasp as Cantor continued, talking about "reckless fiscal policies" that weaken the country "internationally and domestically."

But Cantor did not utter that denunciation. President Obama uttered it when he was Senator Obama, and then went on to vote against raising the debt ceiling without murmuring a word about sure-enough defaults making us a banana republic or the elderly and disabled being immediately deprived of Social Security checks.

No, all of that would be reserved for another time, when another mode of attack was necessary and when Obama would again burst through the demagoguery ceiling, which really should be raised for the sake of a skull that will otherwise be perennially bruised. That is not the whole story, however, for he is a truly sincere welfare-state enthusiast, a redistributionist, a devout believer in big government and, when recession wanders into the room, he is a Keynesian who thinks you can spend your way to glory.

I guess some just never stop blaming Obama for all the ills of years past.................apparently someone was under the "rock" I spoke of way back when we began this conversation...............Repeat.....................does the name BUSH ring a bell, or bring back any memories of what went wrong...........................didn't think so.

I'm not an Obama "rah rah", just saying he didn't create the problems we now have, and yes I was Republican for years.............

Speaking of loopholes, and paying less when they can.....................I am not rich, but I know people who 'can go to bed confident each night that they are secure in their wealth, trust me, they actually brag about how they can get around paying taxes every April 15h............and it is a disgrace because they laugh at the ones who can't do that.............these are mostly..........business people who can hide all the shit they can find to hide.................and some are even relatives so I know its true.

That is not the whole story, however, for he is a truly sincere welfare-state enthusiast,

This writer doesn't know what a welfare state is if he says that.

a redistributionist,

In a country where the gap between rich and poor is at its highest since the Gilded Age, I welcome that.

a devout believer in big government

To be devout about something you really have to have expressed yourself in it or worshipped at its alter. The only government Obama has called for is government "that works." 

and, when recession wanders into the room, he is a Keynesian who thinks you can spend your way to glory.

Silly, ignorant John Maynard Keynes. Only the greatest economist of the 20th Century, arguably. He established the blueprint for successfully overcoming the Great Depression.

Oh, and the recession didn't "wander into the room" - it was hauled in by an ideologically bankrupt corporate welfare state under president Bush, an ideology that has Rousseauian views of Big Business ("all financiers are born good and regulations corrupt them").

Really, this writer needs to get his name calling straight.

There is an enormous difference between proposing changes to the retirement age for people who are just now graduating from college, and threatening to withhold payment from current retirees and the disabled who are counting on that money to pay current bills and put food on the table, starting in just over 2 weeks.

Unemployment benefits are taxable income.  Lots of people are surprised by that but they are taxed just like earned income.

Athena ... big campaign contributions to politicians are basically bribes IMO.  They buy access and special breaks that regular people can't even dream of. 

Libby ... so happy that they got your surgery date changed!!! 

I just love Betty Ford.  And it was different back then.   Political opponents were usually just people who disagreed on some issues ... but maybe met for dinner later.  This demonizing and total failure to work together no matter how important an issue is will be the death of us all if we don't get it under control.  

I'm actually having vegetables at the moment - my mid-afternoon snack. This shows that everything is possible!

thenewme, looking forward to the recipe!  I really love cilantro. 

Very happy not to be able to participate in where the conversation is going cuz I use the Ignore button for what it's meant for - 

Thanks to, I think it's Kira, my dinner will include Sorbu noodles - gluten free. 

Chaplain .. the BCO Bar and Grill is open ... whatcha drinking tonight?

Blue .. I have low blood pressure too ... takes a lot to get it to go up!

hugs,

Bren

oooooohhhhhh...Linda   what's this about tins of dill pollen???? how do I find out about it?

I think a Bailey's Irish Creme would be wonderful right now - not that I can have any alcohol any time soon.

Anne - I love Adelaide - our daughter lives there - I love the Barossa, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale etc. Last time we went down there, we had 5 dozen bottles of wine follw us home



Enjoyful - I didn't leave by choice, I was only 10. I've never liked it here much. I didn't go back to NZ for 39 years and ever since have longed to return permanently. Also, stragely, I've never been to the Sth Island - that's on my list of things to do.



Athena - I remember there was a bit of a fuss when Murdoch gave up his Australian citizenship - he's never been well thought of here.



It's finally raining here - my garden will be happy, my tank will fill up I hope.



Sue