Florida State Seminoles

[eCat]

Just about everyone who lives and works in Washington knows it is all about spin. Substance matters to a few serious-minded wonks in Congress and perhaps even in the White House, but they are outnumbered by those who realize that in politics, perception almost always trumps reality. This knowledge has Democrats telling everyone they can find that the Standard & Poor’s decision to downgrade the nation’s bond rating is directly traceable to the presence and outlandish extremism of Tea Party Republicans. Democrats everywhere are labeling the Standard & Poor’s action as “the Tea Party downgrade” to pin the blame on someone other than their fellow Democrats and to further demonize lawmakers who actually listen to their constituents.

It may even work, but it is a shameless undertaking. The constituents Democrats decry as unrealistic, stupid or even domestic terrorists were saying almost exactly what the ratings agencies were saying before the brouhaha about the debt ceiling. They were arguing that spending is out of control and that it has to be cut lest we end up on the scrap heap of history.

Then came the debate over whether Congress and the president can or should own up to reality or succumb to the inevitable outcome of kicking the can down the road for others to deal with later. The Republicans tried the best they could and, ultimately, took what they could get in the face of Democratic obstinacy, but it wasn’t enough for either the Tea Partyers or S & P. The fight over the debt ceiling didn’t result in the downgrade; what led to the downgrade was the deep-seated belief that the symbolism of a so-called compromise is reality and enough to fool S & P, which clearly demanded actual cuts.

It’s the way Washington seems to work these days. Decisions are characterized as solving problems they don’t even address and debates on substantive issues are painted by spin mongers as arguments about questions that aren’t even at issue.

[eCat]

You are already getting Clinton tax revenue starting in 2013. You have your benefit from a compromise already.

Unless this is something the tea-party agreed to, I don't see it as any compromise. Plus, that is already calculated. The point was to reach 4 to 5 trillion in addition to already calculated spending and revenue. Thus, your assertion isn't part of this. Plus, you are leaving out the Obama tax cuts (yes, Obama has cut taxes since he was President).

Either way, I don't think any of this should be done with the debt ceiling (I agree with Moody's, this is something that should not even be voted on).

You're blaming the people but its S&P that is saying that the debt ceiling and massive spending cuts go hand in hand in determining the credit rating.


That is why I can't understand the vitriol for the tea party - they are the only ones that were saying what had to be done to S&P's expectations.

[hedge]

Been awhile since I read this thread, but I LMAO at this:

"The dumbass was using his father's computer to set up his buggery."

[aTm]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hea ... 98131.html

[Bklyn]

He's an idiot and a fraud. No way he could be a vampire. He entered the woman's house without being invited...

[Bklyn]

and in other drunk and/or insane news...

http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/08/12/r ... passenger/

[Owlman]

Wonder how well this will go over with the masses

Rick Perry warns Fed's Ben Bernanke of 'treason'


Rick Perry Wants to Get Ugly With Ben Bernanke

http://news.yahoo.com/rick-perry-wants- ... 00247.html

[Bklyn]

Germans are funny

http://www.vanityfair.com/business/feat ... #gotopage1

[aTm]

FALSE!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/8560 ... untry.html

[youtube]NqpCEusAXRs[/youtube]

[TheBigMook]

Shhhhhh, nobody tell eCat...

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/surv ... 20531.html

By examining which respondents became supporters of the tea party, Campbell and Putnam's survey "casts doubt on the tea party's 'origin story,' " they write in the Times.

Early tea partiers were described as "nonpartisan political neophytes," Campbell and Putnam write, but their findings showed that tea partiers were "highly partisan Republicans" who were more likely than others to have contacted government officials.

"They are overwhelmingly white, but even compared to other white Republicans, they had a low regard for immigrants and blacks long before Barack Obama was president, and they still do," they went on.

In addition to being socially conservative, the study found a close tie between religion and the tea party, whose supporters seek out "deeply religious" elected officials.

[TheBigMook]

It's a trap!

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2011 ... 308170145/

Don't bite. Kasich just wants to keep that issue off the ballot because A) He thinks he will lose and B) It could drive turnout that would also help him lose the state house.

[Dave23]

Not many details yet, but word is that 2 of the West Memphis 3 are being released tomorrow.

Don't know why only 2, and not sure which 2, but one of the victims fathers is reporting that Damien Echols is one of the two that will be released...

[Hizzy III]

Through July 2011, Houston's homicide rate is down an eye-popping 40%, despite HPD being understaff (and short about1,500 officers) and unemployment being between 8.5% and 9.0% for the last several months. My theory, however, is that it's too freakin' hot to shoot anyone in the head. Much better to find an AC and just let shit go until the end of September.

[10ac]

They need to pick it up. The First 48 needs the material.

[Bklyn]

•Of the 46% of households who don’t pay income tax, nearly 2/3 pay payroll taxes.
•Of the 18% who pay neither income nor payroll taxes, more than half are elderly.
•More than 1/3 have incomes below $20,000. (Note: Ronald Reagan made the decision in 1986 to exempt people with incomes below the poverty line from federal income tax. Twenty-five years later, that still seems like a good call.)
•Only 1% of nontaxpaying households are nonelderly with incomes over $20,000. I’m dismayed about them too. Maybe we should close some of the loopholes that allowed almost 1,500 millionaires to escape income tax in 2009.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/leonardburm ... ome-taxes/

[sardis]

Letting the Bush tax cuts expire will make it worse for them...

[TheBigMook]

[youtube]mINUnwifgaA[/youtube]

[Bklyn]

eh, mildly funny...but that was a Sikh.

[Ron Mexico]

Happy birthday to Truman Capote!

[AlabamAlum]

What?