GOP: We’ve been lying all along

[DonViejo]

Boehner's admission that we don't really have a debt crisis reveals his party's ulterior, program-cutting motives

BY DAVID SIROTA

I never thought I’d write these words, but here goes: thank you, John Boehner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for finally admitting on national television that all the fiscal cliffs, sequestrations and budget battles you’ve created are, indeed, artificially fabricated by ideologues and self-interested politicians and not the result of some imminent crisis that’s out of our control.

America owes this debt of gratitude to Boehner after he finally came clean on yesterday’s edition of ABC’s “This Week” and admitted that “we do not have an immediate debt crisis.” (His admission was followed up by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, who quickly echoed much the same sentiment on CBS’ Face the Nation).

In offering up such a stunningly honest admission, the GOP leader has put himself on record as agreeing with President Obama, who has previously acknowledged that demonstrable reality. But the big news here isn’t just about the politics of a Republican House Speaker tacitly admitting they agree with a Democratic president. It is also about a bigger admission revealing the fact that the GOP’s fiscal alarmism is not merely some natural reaction to reality, but a calculated means to other ideological ends.

Before considering those ends, first remember that Boehner (like Obama) is correct on the facts.

As Nobel-winning economist Paul Krugman has pointed out, “Even if we do run deficits, federal debt as a share of GDP will be substantially less than it was at the end of World War II” and “it will also be substantially less than, say, debt in several European countries in the mid to late 1990s.” It is also lower than the 80 percent of GDP level that many economists say starts to put countries in a precarious position. Additionally, citing Congressional Budget Office data, the Center for American Progress notes that the long-term debt outlook is only dire because the projections simply assume without question that “future Congresses will enact huge new deficit-increasing tax cuts and spending hikes.”

more
http://www.salon.com/2013/03/18/boehners_debt_confession_reveals_gops_intentions/

[Sunlei]

1. The GOP media blitz really need their own politics forum to discuss their years of lies.

There will be thousands of stories just like this one, intended to cover our current politics. Much of the current political information will directly effect Americans.

[Newest Reality]

2. If you pull back

and look at the BIG picture ...

The truth, (relative as it may be) is obvious in the results beyond the papers, bills, cameras, screens, speeches, etc. We are living in it and it is all around us. Some bubbles are more impervious and compelling than others, but often are just as fragile as most bubbles are by nature.

The media, political rhetoric and manipulative obscuration quickly fades into a whining, grumbling sort of white noise. The facade is powerful and functional, but it cannot keep the show going forever. The funnel efficiently pumps our productivity and collective wealth into a real pot at the end of a systemic rainbow, and all you get is the pretty show. The thunder clouds come and one has to wonder how millions can be managed so precisely when they are gnawing on bones in the mud while a storm rages around them.

Being expertly managed, manipulated, cajoled and distracted works until the actual structure underneath it is stripped of its flesh and muscle. When the corpse is revealed to the naked eye and the buzzards stare you down with angry, jealous eyes, then you know for sure what situation you are, (and have been) in.

Oh, but what good is it to be at odds with reality, be it actual or imagined?

[ThomThom]

3. So does this mean they are done obstructing and trying to screw the President?

time to raise the minimum wage
pass a jobs bill
fix our infra-structure
build high speed trains
go green
legalize
scale back the military
end wars
finally do what is right for the people not the corporations
end corporate subsidies for the rich
raise taxes on corporations and millionaires
regulate the financial sector
tax stock transactions
that should get us started

[Plucketeer]

4. Save this list

In case there's another Big Bang to go forward from.

[NewJeffCT]

5. Now, will this get reported outside of salon.com

Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Ed Schultz and a few other places?

[AnnieK401]

6. I'd bet no.

[judesedit]

7. 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 VOTE IN THE PRIMARYS! GET THESE PARASITES OUTTA THERE

[santamargarita]

8. What we have is a Republican Problem!!!

"Screw the poor", these people aren't even human!

[lexw]

9. ...and they're intent on creating more poor.

[blkmusclmachine]

10. The Administration's Grand Betrayal Has Gotta Go!

Hey Ho!

[Bette]

11. Ryan wasn't lyin'

Yeah, last week Ryan actually admitted they will stop at nothing to DESTROY healthcare. And still, how many 'followers' will refuse to accept the truth as it comes out? After all, the republicons are great are walking everything back and trying to double-talk an explaination. I must admit, I'm amazed at how well they are all the same 'parrots'... it's like they were collectively hypnotized, eh?

[King_Klonopin]

12. I think they were told to quit the fear-mongering

by the concerned, thoughtful folks on Wall Street.

Consumer confidence indexes are going down because of
all this BS, which they created, and that is bad for business.

[PolitFreak]

13. K + R

[KharmaTrain]

14. Boner's Job Is One Thing: Obstruct...

...all these "crisis" have been manufactured by the rushpublicans to try to slow down or derail as much of President Obama's legislation as possible and pander to their unhinged voters. Boner knows his coveted speakership relies on him keeping the savages happy and the moment he capitulates on any tax increases he'll face some sort of internal challenge...ala what Gingrich went through when he compromised with Clinton. Boner's playing for time...his gamble is President Obama caves under corporate media and right wing media pressure. If it looks like he's not gonna get what he wants, he'll try to kick the can down the road and create yet another "crisis" and we go round and round.

Rushpublicans like to say we should run the government like our "family budgets". They must assume we all have zero debts...own our homes and cars and never borrow a dime. It's selfish and naive "thinking" and flies in the face of how their coveted "free market" really works. It's all bullshit that when repeated constantly on hate radio and faux noise becomes unquestioned gospel...