Mitch McConnell: We Must Rewrite The Constitution Because ‘Elections’ Haven’t ‘Worked’

[kpete]

Source: Think Progress

Mitch McConnell: We Must Rewrite The Constitution Because ‘Elections’ Haven’t ‘Worked’

By Ian Millhiser on Jul 13, 2011 at 11:49 am

Speaking on the Senate floor this morning, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) offered what may be the most concise summary of conservative constitutionalism ever spoken — America must rewrite the Constitution to force conservative outcomes because we the people consistently elect lawmakers who disagree with McConnell:

*****The time has come for a balanced budget amendment that forces Washington to balance its books. If these debt negotiations have convinced us of anything, it’s that we can’t leave it to politicians in Washington to make the difficult decisions that they need to get our fiscal house in order. The balanced budget amendment will do that for them. Now is the moment. No more games. No more gimmicks. The Constitution must be amended to keep the government in check. We’ve tried persuasion. We’ve tried negotiations. We’re tried elections. Nothing has worked.

VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nPCYT8A96g&feature=player_embedded



Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/07/13/267791/mcconnell-hates-democracy/

[meegbear]

1. Checks and Balances Mitch?

[Roy Rolling]

53. thanks

I forgot about that reference. I did hear last week "his son is working for "the Daily Mail" it's a steady job but he wants to be a paperback writer." It took me 40 years to put that "News of the World" reference together....

[meegbear]

59. +1

[fascisthunter]

2. go to hell you right wing traitor

[Rosa Luxemburg]

101. McConnell needs to be rewritten

The GOP is imploding!

[fascisthunter]

131. so true...

... and I'm glad to see them implode.

[butterfly77]

208. We need to rewrite the constitution...

so that old no chin stupid mfkers like him can't stay in the senate for 30 years,promoting ideas for the world that was in the 30's,40's and 50's..

[freshwest]

220. Damned straight!

[TwilightGardener]

3. "We've tried elections..." You know what's scary? WE THE PEOPLE are supposed to

be the government (via representation/elections). He's trying to stop the ability of the American people to govern themselves.

[No Elephants]

12. American people don't govern themselves. They only get to pick people to govern them.

And, of late, their only realistic choice is, in primaries, between or among people picked for them and, in general elections, between two handpicked people.

[TwilightGardener]

20. ??--Choosing your elected leaders is governing yourself. It may not work

as well as it's supposed to, but it's the essence of democracy. McConnell is saying "elections don't work"--in other words, we the people keep hiring people to act on our behalf who are doing things HE doesn't agree with. So let's eliminate that pesky tendency through an amendment.

[harmonicon]

78. we elect the people who make the amendments...

so it's really all in the same.

[No Elephants]

196. It's not the same at all and amendments are not adopted by people we elect.

Electing representatives is not the same as self government, by far. Please see Reply 192.

If you think this country would be doing what it's been doing if America's voters had a direct say on things like gridlock in D.C., wars, public option, ending tax cuts for people making over $250k or more a year and so on, you have not looked at many polls. So, no, self government is not at all the same as representative government at all, either from a definitional standpoint or from a practical standpoint.

And, I was not talking about amendments, but about federal statutes and running wars and the other things our legislative, executive and judicial branches do.

When it comes to amendments to the Constitution, however, we <[b>do have a say, but not because our federal system is built on self-government or anything similar to it.

Amendments originate as a proposal voted on by Congress, but have no legal force or effect unless and until the states ratify (2/3 I believe offhand, but I would not put that in stone unless I googled and I haven't).

Though the U.S. Constitution is silent on how a state decides whether to ratify or not, states have chosen on their own to make that decision by putting the question to a vote by their citizens.

[oldbanjo]

139. Proof elections don't work is an ass hole like Him still being in that job.

[No Elephants]

198. If elections put in office the person people voted for, elections work. However, that is not self-

government or the same as self-government, as posited by other posters. As to that issue, please see Replies 192 and 196.

I would say that proof elections don't work is, as I said in Reply 196: four wars, no public option and no end in sight to tax cuts for the rich. No one campaigned on any of that. And, if Social Security or Medicare get cut, that would be more proof elections don't work.

[humbled_opinion]

184. Contextually, I thought he was talking about

the 2010 elections where the Pubs were given control of the House and that even having control they still can't fix any of the long term debt problems the country is facing because politicians will not make the tough choices.

Anyway its all hooey.... Just raise the damn taxes and revenue will flow from the wealthy or shut down the loopholes and force the corporations to pay more to the government this will pay off the debt.

[No Elephants]

192. No, choosing representatives really isn't self government or democr

Choosing representatives is choosing representatives.

We are not a democracy, or we'd be voting on everything Congress votes on, along the lines of what the ancient Greeks did. Should we go to war or not? All male Athenians voted. Should we build road? All male Athenians voted. That is self-government, not going to the polls every two, four and six years.

A democracy is not a representative form of government. A Republic is. We are a democracy within a republic, just as the pledge of allegiance states. Meaning, we are a democracy in that individuals do vote. However, we are a republic in that, on the federal level, individuals vote only for representatives.

We are much more of a republic than a democracy.Voting for representatives every two or four or six years is not heavy involvement in self-government by any means.

In fact, when asked what form of government the Founders had given us, Ben Franklin supposedly said simply, "A republic, if you can keep it, madam." No mention of democracy at all.

ETA: Please see also Reply 196.

[ThomThom]

224. it really doesn't work when the ballot box is able to be hacked

I still don't think the right would get a majority if they didn't cheat and manipulate the system. What should change is party chair people also running the elections (Fla, Ohio). If everyone had to vote Dems would win every time especially if the corporate money was taken out.

[Hubert Flottz]

83. He thinks he should be the King...

People with a mental problem as bad as the one Mitch has, shouldn't even be a freakin' dog catcher.

[Quantess]

240. He thinks he's Yertle the Turtle.

[Beartracks]

193. True. GOPers always accuse others of what they themselves...

... want to do.

They claim that liberals want to limit your freedom?
That means that conservatives want to limit your freedom.
They accuse liberals of media bias?
That means conservatives are engaged in media bias.
They accuse liberals of lying?
That means conservatives are lying.

The Republicans doth protest too much.

==========================================

[reformist2]

4. It's the Republican party that doesn't work anymore... a party that won't compromise is dying.

[No Elephants]

14. I'm not too pro compromising with increasingly crazy Rethugs.

[reformist2]

24. I'm not either, but when Republicans turn down Obama's offer, there's something wrong with them.

And I don't just mean they're wrong on policy. I mean to say they are serious trouble as a party.

[nadinbrzezinski]

52. Can you say Whig party?

:hi:

[No Elephants]

199. Yes, holders of elected office who are increasingly insane do usually end up in serious trouble

as a Party.

It was folly to turn down Obama's offer because he offered much more than they deserve or should get. However, if no one revives that offer, I won't be sad.

[atreides1]

15. Agree

Maybe because it would rather honor pledges made to the likes of Grover Norquist and the Christian fanatics, then to honor the oath of office they took...

Those who falsely swear have already made up their minds to betray this country...and should be treated accordingly!!!

[Kurmudgeon]

154. Don't use your anti-Christian bias to shove me in with Grover Norquist.

There's LOTS of Christian Democrats, we've been fighting the right wing for years.
Don't spit on your allies just because your faith or lack of it is different.

[jwirr]

160. As a Christian you should like I do know that there are Christians and

then there are christian fanatics. Sure there are Democratic Christians - I am one of them but none of us on this board defend the right wing christian fanatics. I am against them as much as any one on this board.

[Kurmudgeon]

242. I've never defended right wing in anything, it's why I came here.

I don't defend them either, just getting tired of being lumped in with them so often, or my faith bashed at every opportunity by someone.

[jwirr]

246. I hear you. It just is not worth the argument to fight it here on DU. I

stay here because I share a commitment with the people of DU, regardless of religious leanings, on the issues. Just wish I could be me.

[jberryhill]

183. You are a "Christian fanatic"? Really?

[Kurmudgeon]

243. Do you think the bashers really make that distinction? All are the same to them.

[atreides1]

18. Self Delete

Double entry

[rasputin1952]

81. A party that won't compromise is already dead...

we should have staked it into the coffin last election, too many D's and I's didn't vote to crush them once and for all.

[Jim__]

5. We can't pass legislation, so we'll pass a constitutional amendment.

Yea, real good thinking there Mitch.

[LiberalAndProud]

9. Do you think he even knows what the procedure is?

What an ass.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

203. Either talking out of his keister...

...or using that "fear factor thingy". Who but the desperate would say the constitution needed fixing just because the populace doesn't agree with Mitchy and his cronies.

[Historic NY]

76. Yeah that will be easy like the ERA amendment women are still waiting on.

[Taverner]

175. I was going to say - what makes him think he'll get the support for a BBA?

[Newest Reality]

6. Maybe we need some way

to keep McConnell in check, since he has a hard time with that and is in a government position.

I'm all for starting with adding a "Keep McConnell in Check" amendment. Let's see how that goes, first.

[FSogol]

7. Dog whistle to the tea party crowd. n/t

[No Elephants]

17. And a fake one, at that. No controversial amendment has passed

in well over 50 years. Even equal rights for women is still in unpassed limbo.

[msongs]

8. or..."I can't leave it to myself and my friends.." nnt

[yellowcanine]

10. When did the chinless wonder become Mr. Fiscal Restraint?

Article from December 2010......

But the spending plan contains hundreds of millions of dollars worth of earmarks requested by Republicans, including from Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) himself.

Earlier this year, McConnell asked for $4 million for marijuana eradication efforts by the Kentucky National Guard; $1 million for construction of the Kentucky Blood Center Building; and $650,000 for Advanced Genetic Technologies, a DNA research center at the University of Kentucky.

When reporters asked about his earmark requests Tuesday, McConnell said he was “actively working to defeat” the massive omnibus bill since the Senate never had a chance to take up individual appropriations bills.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46404.html#ixzz1S0CpNxLO

[No Elephants]

21. The real question is (say it with me now), "Why does Mitch McConnell hate America so much?"

[The Wizard]

162. Mitch McConnell hates himself

because coming out of the closet would end his career. He's a self loathing prick who needs to get out of town, like last year.

[era veteran]

225. The chinless weasel should have grown a beard rather

than marrying one. The closeted cross dresser should just come out.
He must loathe himself at times.

[No Elephants]

11. I agree with Mitch. Let's eliminate the electoral college, so the voice of the people can finally

REALLY be heard. And let's also do away with the bit about states approving Constitutional amendments and just let the voters decide.

Why should Democratic voters in red states or Republican voters in blue states be effectively disenfranchised when it comes to electing a President or amending the document that governs all else in this country?

Maybe that made sense or seemed just in 1789, but it's damned undemocratic now.

Come on, Turtle, me and you, fighting for truth, justice, the American way--and a permanent Democratic majority.

[socialist_n_TN]

170. Yep. And if we're going to go the Constitutional Amendment

route we might as well get rid of the Senate and just have an expanded House. That would be more direct representation. Oh yeah, and while we're at it, make it easier to recall House members if they don't vote they're constituency's interest.

These amendment games can be used by the left as well as the right.

[PoliticAverse]

13. The uselessness of the 'Balanced Budget Amendment'...

Any Balanced Budget Amendment likely will include a provision excluding 'times of war'
or 'national emergency' which is pretty much all the time now thus meaning it will rarely
if ever actually come into play.

[lark]

42. He knows that

this is just red meat for the tbaggers since he threw in the towel and said he'd let Obama raise the debt ceiling with little accompanying budget cuts.

[vrp]

16. It's impossible

to know what this guy wants. Obama has bent over backwards to negotiate with these people. Elections don't work? No wonder so many right wingers loved Hitler and Mussolini in the 1930's. Actually these guys are scary.

[global1]

29. He Wants Exactly The Opposite Of What Obama Wants & If Obama Gives Him That.....

he doesn't want it anymore. His only mission - and he said it - is to make Obama a one-term president.

[oldbanjo]

143. what I don't understand is if someone threatens our President, they will go

to jail,but these people can and are threatening to destroy our Country and nothing can be done. They should be sent to Gitmo as Terrorists.

[KamaAina]

19. And the dreaded balanced budget amendment rears its ugly head

I had a heads-up on this yesterday from a community organizer out here:

http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3509%20

A balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution — including the version that the House Judiciary Committee began considering June 2 and is expected to pass next week after it returns from a one-week recess — would be a highly ill-advised way to address the nation’s long-term fiscal problems. It would threaten significant economic harm while raising a host of problems for the operation of Social Security and other vital federal functions....

When the economy slows, federal revenues decline or grow more slowly and spending on unemployment insurance and other social programs increases, causing deficits to rise. Rather than allowing the “automatic stabilizers” of lower tax collections and higher unemployment and other benefits to cushion a weak economy, the amendment would force policymakers to cut spending, raise taxes, or both. That would launch a vicious spiral of bad economic and fiscal policy: a weak economy would lead to higher deficits, which would force policymakers to cut spending or raise taxes more, which would weaken the economy further....

Beyond the economy, the balanced budget amendment would raise other problems. That’s due to its requirement that federal spending in any year must be offset by revenues collected in that same year. Social Security could not draw down its reserves from previous years to pay benefits in a later year but, instead, could be forced to cut benefits even if it had ample balances in its trust funds as it does today. The same would be true for military retirement and civil service retirement programs. Nor could the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation respond quickly to bank or pension fund failures by using their assets to pay deposit or pension insurance, unless they could do so without causing the budget to slip out of balance....

That version would require two-thirds supermajorities in both the House and Senate to raise any taxes. That requirement would not only prove an extremely steep hurdle to raising any tax rates, including modest increases in payroll tax rates as part of larger packages to shore up Social Security and Medicare for the long term, but also would serve to protect the more than $1 trillion a year in “tax expenditures” — subsidies provided to individuals and corporations through the tax code. Tax expenditures predominantly help well-to-do Americans, who tend to get most of their federal subsidies through the tax code, as opposed to low- and moderate-income Americans, who get most of theirs on the spending side of the budget.

Because that two-thirds supermajority thing has worked so well for us here in California. :sarcasm:

[Odin2005]

201. California Pukes obviously like it!

[L0oniX]

22. Obviously it hasn't worked ..because you are in the senate you f*cking asshole!

[deacon]

223. lol!

[TBMASE]

23. I don't see why a Balanced Budget Amendment is so horrible

Wasn't runaway spending under Reagan, Bush 41 and 43 what created the problem we're talking about today?
Am I missing something?

[Maeve]

27. Think carefully--what would balanced budgets have done to WWII?

It isn't the spending, it's the refusal to EVER pay for it.

[TBMASE]

28. wouldn't they HAVE to raise taxes to pay for those wars

to comply with the amendment?
It would force them to increase taxes to pay for that shit if they want to go to war. The cuts would have to come from Defense Budgets if they were to be made.

[lark]

44. Welcome to DU

Of course the spending cuts wouldn't come from defense - these are Repug wish lists so would never include that. Don't you know that Repugs only cut from the elderly, infirm, children or low paid workers and union workers.

[No Elephants]

219. Not only Rethugs.

[nadinbrzezinski]

48. Taxes were at 90% for the top 2% and at over 70% for every body else

Debt in 1945 was at 105% of GDP and paid off within five years.

No, we could not have paid for WWII with a balanced budget.

This is not a household. This is not how GOVERNMDNTS run.

[TBMASE]

67. So then, deficits really DON'T matter?

Okay

[nadinbrzezinski]

80. They matter but read us history please

We have always had debt, with very few exceptions, such as the Clinton Years when we actually ran a surplus. Also read some history, who's created most of these very high debts? Please check what party tends to be in power.

I will repeat this... Your government is not run like your household. PERIOD.

[TBMASE]

107. I know who created the debt

and no one is saying run the government like a household. But we had 2 years to get tax increases in place on the people who should be paying them. Which means we wouldn't be in this position now, trying to demand tax increases with unreasonable people controlling the House and ready to hold their breath until they turn blue.
Instead, we'd be having them demanding tax cuts for the rich.

And still, I don't see what's wrong with a balanced budget if debt and deficits are a detriment.

[nadinbrzezinski]

114. Read T BONDS

That is what is used by many as a FORM OF INVESTMENT... no debt, no T-BONDS...

And who fought getting those taxes repealed? Look I don't like that party taking the US hostage, nor do I like the POTUS negotiating with terrorists but I understand that getting rid of this level of debt is not a two year proposition. It is more like a ten year proposition.

It also requires taxes on the top 2%, in my view, to go up by not 3% but 10%

Alas that won't happen in the current environment.

[TBMASE]

117. No, it won't happen in the current environment

that's why I with Pelosi and Reid should have gotten them when we had the chance.

[nadinbrzezinski]

126. Once again, RE-READ THE FRACKING HISTORY

And have a good life... welcome to my iggy list.

I really get tired of thi

:banghead:

[Ter]

217. Wow, people use the ignore list far too quickly

n/t

[Mojorabbit]

147. They keep cutting revenue(taxes)

which is exacerbating the deficit. Also in a time of high unemployment revenue is decreased as less people are paying in. Add wars all over creation to expenditures plus safety net needs when times are bad and there will be a heck of a deficit. Boosting employment and winding down some of the war making would go a long way towards returning to a reasonable balance without hamstringing govt/s flexibility.

[jobendorfer]

149. Thank You

Yes, A government is NOT the same thing as a household or business.
The function of a government is to serve the stated needs of its citizens, and defend them from real threats ( as opposed to imaginary ones ).
At times of crisis, this can require deficit spending, an option that should be a last resort but by no means permanently removed.

My advice to McConnell would be:
a. End the insane war in Iraq
b. End the insane war in Afghanistan.
c. End the insane undeclared war in Libya.
d. End the insane undeclared war in Somalia.
e. End the proven failure that is the war on drugs
f. Raise taxes on persons making more than a million dollars a year
g. Tax the living hell out of short-term capital gains

And he'd not only balance the budget but be well on his way toward a surplus.

If he wants the budgeting process to work better, write an amendment directing that when the Congress fails to approve a budget
by a target date, a) the House and Senate go into 24 hour session, with the house and senate armsmen empowered to round the
reps up and lock them inside chambers, b) their pay stops and they get fined $1,000 per day, until they produce a budget.

Then you would see this nonsense stop, and everybody in the house & senate get all lovey-dovey and cooperative-like.

Another amendment that states that voting yea, nay, or present on a bill is the same as legally swearing under penalty
of perjury that you have personally read the legislation you are voting on, would also go a long way. No more of this
"We're gonna vote in 4 hours on the 9,300 page bill we just handed you" idiocy.

J.

[No Elephants]

187. Your advice to McConnell is to end the wars we're in? How does a Senator do that?

[kenfrequed]

60. Absurd

It would never work.

It would be used to start up additional austerity economic ideas where social services, pensions, social security, infrstructure, and anything else that didn't have K street bribing the hell out of it would die. What we need is fewer McConnells and more Wellstones. Hell we also need fewer Blue Dogs that go along with absurd tax cuts and massive spending hikes and graft so that they can settle in K Street after they are out of office.

[Maeve]

119. There was no cash available at the time--that's why it's called the Great Depression

Don't change the subject to Bush's wars yet--it only confuses the issue. In cases like WWII, it wasn't a case of wanting to go to war, but having to. And sometimes you have to spend to survive.

A balanced budget amendment would put us in a strait jacket when government spending is needed, such as during a major war OR when in a recession. The money can be paid back when the economy is working again. Unless, of course, you blow it by cutting taxes like there is no tomorrow..

[eridani]

158. They raised taxes to the highest levels ever, and came nowhere near complying n/t

[Angry Dragon]

34. mcconnell was in office when bush 43 was

why did he not bring it up then??

Does he not have a great share of the blame for the shape
the country is in right now??

Isn't he a stupid man that should never been elected
showing he is partially correct??

Republicans create the mess and get pissed
when someone comes along and tries to clean it up

[TBMASE]

39. Clean it up?

We still have those wars, we had 2 years to raise taxes, 2 years to address most of the things that are being talked about today and you call it "cleaning it up"?
I'm sorry but if Democrats had done their job before the pugs got power, we wouldn't be having a discussion about taxes today or wars that keep going and new ones being started.

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. Who cried foul over returning taxes to the Clinton era?

Oh yeah Repigs.

[TBMASE]

66. They cried foul over the Healtchcare Bill too

I don't see why we're making excuses for the failure of Pelosi and Reid to get the job done in 2007

[Name removed]

82. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TBMASE]

110. Why? Am I wrong?

We had control of the House and Senate and the Presidency. We're arguing with people who now control the house and will hold their breath until they turn blue to keep something that should have been taken care of 2 years ago.

[nadinbrzezinski]

How many of the bills passed in the house

were held back in the Senate? The Republicans used the requirement of SIXTY votes to hold back EVERYTHING... READ on that fracking history.

[TBMASE]

123. Then how did the healthcare bill and the stimulus bill pass cloture?

neither got a single pug vote for cloture

[nadinbrzezinski]

125. You are worst than the conures

RE_READ THE FUCKING HISTORY...

[TBMASE]

128. History that has the stimulus not passing the Senate in Feb 2009?

And why couldn't we get a tax increase at that time?

[socialist_n_TN]

172. That's why I say get rid of the Senate

And expand the HoR too, so we get more representative democracy.

[Name removed]

111. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TBMASE]

115. The healthcare bill passed and you're telling me that

we couldn't have gotten tax increases at the same time?

[nadinbrzezinski]

116. No, there were NO SIXTY VOTES in the US SENATE

do your damn fracking homework!

[TBMASE]

118. Then how did the healthcare bill and the stimulus bill pass cloture?

Both needed 60 votes and the pugs didn't vote for either of them. Not for cloture and not in the floor vote.
So, how did they pass without 60 votes to end the debate

[nadinbrzezinski]

120. They did not have the fracking votes... get it over your head

they did NOT... PERIOD...

There are days

:banghead:

As is using cloture, or rather ABUSING cloture, is exactly what the GOP is doing.

[TBMASE]

121. Then how did the healthcare bill and the stimulus bill pass cloture?

Don't tell me they didn't have the votes when they got those bills passed without a single pug vote for cloture

[nadinbrzezinski]

124. Re-read the hsitory please

as to the 59-60 Dem in the Senate dance...

On and the Stimulus was based under BUSH... and unlike the Rs, they did not use Cloture to put the economy of the US at risk...

Oh and so was TARP

[TBMASE]

127. TARP was Bush's, the Stimulus was passed in Feb 2009 and signed by Obama

Don't tell me to read history if you don't know when bills were passed by whom and signed by which president.
And Both the Stimulus and the Healthcare bill cleared Cloture and you're telling me that we couldn't get a tax bill passed?

[Nihil]

237. The difference is simple:

> Both the Stimulus and the Healthcare bill cleared Cloture and you're
> telling me that we couldn't get a tax bill passed?

Both the "Stimulus" and the "Healthcare bill" were wanted by Obama and
his sponsors supporters but a tax bill wasn't.

:shrug:

You're not going to get any of "The Faithful" to admit the simple truth
no matter how many times you try but at least it makes it obvious for
anyone who is of a less fanatical disposition.

[Thor_MN]

234. Do you truely believe everything is along party line votes?

And that one bill is going to have the exact same outcome as the next? You are questioning history of a very well documented process. As others have told you, if you are curious about how something passed, go look it up. You seem to want to blame the Democratic Party for failing to pass legislation that the Republicans blocked. If a supermajority does not exist, the minority party can hold up many, but not all processes. The minority party also usually chooses to let a few things through so not to be labeled as totally obstructionist and be further removed from power in the next cycle.

[SoutherDem]

138. OR...

If they did "do their job" to day we may have a supermajority in BOTH isles of Congress and Obama would be the longest lame duck President in history. Remember a supermajority in the house and senate plus a right leaning supreme court would be able to in essence eliminate the President for the last two years of his term.

[The Wizard]

166. Democrats have a record of

cleaning up elephant shit.

[Hosnon]

72. Because credit is sometimes necessary to survive downturns.

Ask any seasonal business.

[SoutherDem]

135. It is the way it would be balance

A previous post stated it would take a supermajority to raise taxes, in other words we would never raise taxes again.
War and National Emergency would always be an allowed exception, and remember there has been a war under every Republican President since Nixon, (Vietnam, Cold, Gulf 1, and Gulf 2) so they could have continued to spend anyway amendment or not.
Once the war is over, (usually the next Democrat President) they would need to pay for all the war money they spent so since they can't raise taxes, they cut things the rich doesn't like.
Plus, if we do ever again start to get our heads above water, a Republican will want to "give the money back" and cut taxes, nothing said about 2/3 to lower taxes.

Get THAT balanced budget amendment and in 8 years the top tax rate will be maybe 3%, corporate 0%, No SS, No Medicare, No Medicaid, no social safety net at all. 8 more years and people will be talking about America like we talk of the Roman Empire (it will be no more).

[quaker bill]

Yup

You actually believe there is a problem. There is no problem. We have in the past held a considerably higher debt to GDP ratio without a problem. Another 7 or 8 trillion at current GDP could start to be a problem.

[quaker bill]

155. Yup

You actually believe there is a problem. There is no problem. We have in the past held a considerably higher debt to GDP ratio without a problem. Another 7 or 8 trillion at current GDP could start to be a problem.

[provis99]

182. requiring a balanced budget would lead to economic collapse.

just look what's happening in the states today that require balanced budgets in their constitution.

[MadMaddie]

205. You are correct

however; raising the debt ceiling and balancing the budget have always been two seperate activities.

The Republicans are trying to link the two as if cutting social network has any impact on raising the debt ceiling. You know that they themselves don't believe it because they are willing to raise taxes on the top 2% to bring in revenue. That's the key, you have to cut true wasteful spending, which includes massive tax cuts for the rich and corporations and you have to make revenue.

Let's see....If I am a small business and I want to cut my expenses would I stop charging customers for my product to cut my expenses? This is exactly what the Republicans are proposing.


or would I look at not having so many delivery trucks or modify employees schedules? I would look for wasteful expenditures, maybe move into a cheaper smaller building and property...Does this makes sense?

[FiveGoodMen]

25. Wake up, America! They're not even hiding their intentions anymore.

They intent to grab all power and rule absolutely.

[area51]

35. +1 n/t

[gratuitous]

26. We had balanced budgets Mitch, remember?

We even ran a surplus back when we had a reasonable tax rate on you and your wealthy pals. Then you and your wealthy pals cut your tax rate, started two wars, and the budget went back to Fucked by Republican Governance mode. We don't need a constitutional amendment; we need elected officials more interested in running the country than in pleasing their corporated overlords.

Retire, Mr. McConnell.

[Lasher]

32. You can cut the hypocrisy with a knife.

Let's not forget those trickle-down dollars that didn't, and the Great Recession that was caused by the invisible hand McConnell loves.

[LynneSin]

30. For once I agree with Mitch McConnell

simply because the 2000 elections were a total failure!

But in all seriousness, I still think that there should be 3 rounds of elections.

First is the primary election which determines which candidate runs on the party ticket.

Second election is the general election in which that candidate runs against other candidates who won their primary

Final election is the run-off election, only done if necessary. If no candidate gets over 50% of the vote in the general election then the top 2 candidates will run in a run-off election.

Doing this could probably help strengthen 3rd party candidates. Because right now voting for a 3rd party candidate on your side of the political spectrum pretty much benefits the political party of the other side.

[harmonicon]

85. instant run off voting would be much faster and cheaper

I think it should first be done in primaries, because that wouldn't require a constitutional amendment. The only candidate I ever remember suggesting IRV was Howard Dean, but perhaps others have. He did great things as the party leader, but I really wish he'd done more to reform the primary system, which I see as being completely corrupt and having very little to do with the public choosing who they want to be their candidate.

[Cereal Kyller]

31. The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Mitch, please keep talking until November of next year.

[gordianot]

33. Enimies foreign and DOMESTIC. The end is nearer every day. n/t

[Zen Democrat]

36. We had a balanced budget until the Republicans took over ...

After 2002 they were off to the races in breaking spending records. "Hypocrite" is too nice a word for these gasbags.

[SoapBox]

37. Corupt... Vile... Crazy... Traitor.

Chinless Mitch and his crazy at it's best.

Stop the crazies America...Vote them OUT!

[BeFree]

38. He's right

Electing republicans has not worked.

It was a democrat - Bill Clinton -- who last came close to balancing a budget.

[sybylla]

40. Two words to make Mitch McConnell's head explode...

Bill Clinton.

What a fucking idiot. The more he opens his mouth, the more people are seeing it.

[cstanleytech]

41. Ya know I just thought of what the perfect lobbyist job for McConnell would be.

After reading what he said it occurred to me that he would be the perfect lobbyist for clowns....that or wood puppet makers.

[guruoo]

43. Video: "I don't want everybody to vote."

Paul Weyrich, "father" of the right-wing movement and co-founder of the Heritage Foundation, Moral Majority and various
other groups tells his flock that he doesn't want people to vote. He complains that fellow Christians have
"Goo-Goo Syndrome": Good Government. Classic clip from 1980.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GBAsFwPglw



"Now many of our Christians have what I call the goo-goo syndrome — good government. They want everybody to vote.
I don't want everybody to vote. Elections are not won by a majority of people, they never have been from the
beginning of our country and they are not now. As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly
goes up as the voting populace goes down."

[still_one]

45. He is playing to his base. He knows what he is saying is bullshit, and that it won't happen, but

his dumb ass base probably doesn't realize that, just as they don't realize that a lot of them are benefiting from Social Security and Medicare

This country is made up of a lot of dumb people

[chervilant]

51. Yep...

Pure dee ate up with the dumb A$$!

[Fire1]

103. 60% n/t

[Metta]

46. He's got nothing and he's showing his hand. Just trying to see if anyone salutes this.

He's scum and an anti-American.

[Plucketeer]

47. Hah!

PROOF that our election system is busted is that this ass-hat keeps getting re-elected! McJowels needs some meds. Too bad the Pharma that helps keep him in power, prefers not to medicate him back to some degree of sanity. :crazy:

[nadinbrzezinski]

50. To the base: Get your guns boys.

[BattyDem]

54. The Constitution is just fine ... it's the GOP that has the problem.

The government doesn't work because YOUR PARTY refuses to honor the oath they took to uphold the Constitution. YOUR PARTY does not believe in the separation of church and state. YOUR PARTY does not believe in the idea of "majority rule" (unless you're in the majority, of course) and has done everything possible to prevent the changes that Americans voted for. Elections only work if you listen to the people who voted ... but YOUR PARTY has no interest in representing the people they were elected to serve. Their loyalty is to the GOP, the RW agenda and the corporations (not necessarily in that order). YOUR PARTY has no interest in governing - they want to dictate. The fact that you want to amend the Constitution to prevent Americans from choosing their government proves it! YOUR PARTY is filled with ideologues, extremists and corporate whores who want to use government to control the bodies, thoughts, beliefs and overall lives of every person in America.

The Constitution hasn't failed this country ... YOUR PARTY FAILED THIS COUNTRY!
Elections haven't failed this country ... YOUR PARTY FAILED THIS COUNTRY!
Representative democracy hasn't failed this country ... YOUR PARTY FAILED THIS COUNTRY!

Stop blaming the rest of us for YOUR failures! :grr:


edited: typo :blush:

[Roy Rolling]

55. From "On the Waterfront"

And by "nothing has worked" he means nothing has prevented people like him from cheating the system. It's not government, it's people like him. Like the famous Marlon Brando line in "On the Waterfront":

Charlie: "You coulda been another Billy Conn, and that skunk we got you for a manager, he brought you along too fast."

Terry: It wasn't him, Charley, it was you.

So Mitch, it's not the system, IT'S YOU AND PEOPLE WHO THINK LIKE YOU.

*sigh* The US coulda been a contender . . .

[barbtries]

56. every once in a while

they come up with something to make my jaw drop. i know, call me Pollyanna.

[Nossida]

57. Hypocrite

the ReThugs were just fine running up
the Tab on their Wonderboy George's watch
up til 2008. That's the year the republican
controlled US Government broke the Bank
and handed the keys to the Treasury to the
Bankers.

The US Government in Washington DC is a total
farce at this point.

[Warren DeMontague]

58. We had a fucking SURPLUS until Chimpy McDumbass stole the 2000 election.

Dick.

[truth2power]

61. What an idiot! Who are these "politicians" he speaks of? Isn't he one of them?..

Isn't Boehner one of them? He (McConnell) is part of the government. Does he think he needs to be kept in check?

It would have been more honest if he'd just said "Democrats" instead of "politicians", "they", and "them". It's clear who he's talking about.

And what's that shit about "We've tried elections." So he doesn't believe in the democratic electoral process?

Jeezus! Why do the people of Kentucky keep electing this shithead?

[SoutherDem]

144. Why does Kentucky keep electing him $$$$$$$$$$$$$

The money he earmarks for the state

[BlueCaliDem]

62. At least he's being honest! As I've suspected for decades now, Republicans want to replace

the U.S. Constitution with a corporate charter, and put the boot in the necks of workers to force a new form of slavery on us all who aren't connected, monied, and CONservative.

The Republicans Party needs to be removed from our governments. We don't need a repeat of 1940's Germany; something they've got a strong hankering for...just like Chinless Mitch alluded to.

[AlbertCat]

92. with a corporate charter

Government run by & like a corporation was an idea the Italians came up with in the 1930's. They called it Fascism.

[Beavker]

63. Yep, they love the Constitution and Dems don't.

They love it so much, that wish to re-write it. "Honey, I love you so much, I wish I could change everything about you".

Oh, and how about balancing that budget when you killed Clinton's surplus and kept 2 wars off the books. What a puke. Anyone that votes for this guy is a moron puke numb nut.

[Moonwalk]

134. LOL! That's just what I was thinking. Remember how things started out...

With that demand from the Republicans to read the constitution out loud? Remember how they boasted about carrying around copies, getting back to what the founders intended, following it to the letter....

But bring up the part about America paying its debts there in the constitution and they're all "Oh, no! If the president tries to follow that part of the Constitution that we'll impeach him!" And "Let's change it!"

Assholes.

[defendandprotect]

64. There is no "lock box" and no "balanced budget amendment" which excludes MIC and wars -- !!!

Therefore, it's simply a sham -

We should also note that right wing has been attacking the Constitution every which

way possible -- and in fact had Ollie North assigned to make it "disappear" -- !!

Ollie North was in charge of making the Constitution moot -- !!

[Islandlife]

65. Why do we "need" a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution?

We seem to have done pretty well without a balanced budget.

Why amend the constitution to require Congress to balance the budget?

Can anyone speak for Mitch?

[quaker bill]

157. It would be a really bad idea

[KamaAina]

68. He's right. Elections haven't worked.

Look how long he's been in there, for Pete's sake. :eyes:

[Demeter]

69. Insanity--Better Than Napalm in the Morning

[get the red out]

70. Slimy little bastard

The constitution must be strictly upheld, until you don't get what you want, then it needs to be trashed.

Conservatives define hypocritical. At least their true motives are showing more and more.

[catbyte]

71. What a shithead. The GOTP tantrums have gotten so old.

[rasputin1952]

73. Good God...that man is an asshole of the highest order...

perhaps they should plaster that claptrap all over KY so those that elected him can really feel like assholes too!

McConnell has both feet stuck in his mouth and his head up his ass...KY needs to retire the goomer.

[AlbertCat]

87. KY needs to retire the goomer.

Bingo!

The only Constitutional amendments needed are for term limits and the money OUT of elections altogether.

[iamthebandfanman]

239. hey, we are trying darnit.

..lol

im actually pretty upset about him crossing the line over the debt .. but he got smart..

lots of people who vote for him are getting social security... theyd remember if the checked wasnt in the mail box. youre gonna hafta a ton of people who didnt care about politics all of a sudden being interested because they are angry.


it would have been political suicide for him to have let it happen, trust me

[geardaddy]

74. Godwin's law be damned, but...

:wtf:

[harmonicon]

75. I'm afraid that I 1/2 agree....

If that had been done before Bush took power, we'd be in a much better situation right now. How long was that budget surplus Clinton generated projected to last?

[Solly Mack]

77. "...we can’t leave it to politicians in Washington..." said by a politician in Washington

lololololololol

[Hubert Flottz]

84. Mitch wishes he could torture the people who don't vote to suit him.

Starve them to death...

[wordpix]

190. he's been working on the Hill since '67 (!) and first elected senator in 1984

If anyone's to blame for the financial state we're in, it's Mitch McConman

[Hubert Flottz]

79. Well then, you go fight the next fucking war yourself you born to

the manor bag of shit!

Mitch thinks he's the fucking king.

[AlbertCat]

86. The Baloney Bullshit Dance

He's talking out of his ass and doesn't mean a thing he says. The way they lie with conviction is psycho.

What a useless man, party and ideology.

[sinkingfeeling]

88. That's right Mitch, you fools refuse to re-instate the tax rates and revenue that the government

needs to run and the American people know who it is that is causing the recession.

[mckara]

89. Republicans Don't Believe in Democracy or Equality

Neo-liberal philosophy states that there are winners and losers, and the wealthy are the winners. Therefore, the world must be skewed to their alternate universe.

[craigmatic]

90. fuck a balanced budget for most of our history we haven't had one and we got along just fine.

It's as overrated as limited government. Translation to what that fucking turtle is saying is that Obama is kicking our asses in the debt negotiations.

[Ganja Ninja]

91. Why wasn't this a priority during the Bush years?

I think we all know the answer to that.

[Somawas]

93. McConnel is a giant bag of douche.

[Ccarmona]

94. The only thing missing

from McChinless' rant was Boehner's tears.

[Blue Owl]

95. If I happened to see McConnell's freshly guillotined head rolling down the street

I'd give it an extra big kick for posterity.

[tcaudilllg]

96. The more I see this guy actually stand for what he believes, the more I like him.

He's a brilliant manipulator. He's not doing this for the GOP... he's doing this to energize the left.

First there is his action, then the mobilization... and then the expected reaction.

[AsahinaKimi]

97. I can just imagine a futuristic Constitution....

It probably wouldn't include a Bill of Rights. It would probably give Corporations rights over human ones. It would push the far right Religious agenda. It would not be "We the People" but "We the Conglomerate"...Perhaps with a chairman of the Board...

It would include a great military where first strikes were possible to capture resources.

Common citizens would have no rights what so ever. The top 5% of the richest corporations would own this country. Anyone below that would be stripped of their holdings and merged into a powerful cartel, which could decide to mine any other Country of their resources and go to war if the Cartel needs were not met.

There would be only one voting party, and you would have to meet certain standards to actually obtain voter registration, (Your vote would not count for anything, anyways as the Cartels would run the country in any way they see fit.)

There would be mass slave labor camps, which included children. No one would own their own home, it would all belong to the State. You would have to rent, or move to makeshift shelters in the Streets. There would be beefed up Police patrols who would be given the power of life or death as they so chose. No more judges, just Roaming Executioners. There would be heavy tax collection, and ways to control the population under a constant military observations.


It might even become a MAD MAX kind of world..in the end. Revolutions would rise and be put down, and countries invaded and vanquished. Perhaps the world would be separated by Conglomerate needs, and Religious rule.

Democracy would be dead, and Freedom would belong to those who could afford it or who could escape the society that has plunged us all back into the dark ages.

[Guilded Lilly]

98. Scared are you Big Fella?

[patrice]

99. No Mitch, maybe you just need to investigate SaintCo for Tax Exemption violations. nt

[jmowreader]

100. We need to do this because balanced budgets work SOOOOOO well at the state level

Every state except Vermont requires a balanced budget. Since none of them will raise taxes to get themselves out of the financial hole they're now in (and in almost all of them they're talking about tax cuts, for God's sake) they're resorting to all sorts of creative accounting tricks. The quickest example I can come up with is Idaho, which "solved" its budget imbalance problem a few years back by ending state funding for education. Now we fund schools with federal money and local levies, and many of our school districts are doing fundraisers so they can have athletic teams.

[krispos42]

102. How about limiting $$$ in politics?

That seemed to work before 1886.

[louslobbs]

104. This man is unstable and needs to be removed from any position where he has any power. The mentally

infected Republicon is a danger to all of us and it is not the constitution that must be amended, but we must rid this country of tyrants, liars, hypocrites and thieves like McConartist. This comment should be the end of this pathetic dirt bags free ride on the government dole and his ability to wreak havoc on our political discourse and the needs of the majority. Those of his ilk must be removed before they further damage, what's left of, what used to be, "The United States". And as for games and gimmicks, McConartist needs to look in the mirror and stop projecting.......although if I had that face and neck, I might find it difficult to look in a mirror as well. What a toad. Sorry Miss McConartist, everyone knows you and your corporate hacks have been gaming the system for a long while now and the majority of us don't trust a word that comes out of your pathetic, lying, scamming pie hole.
Lou

[Fire1]

105. Slavery won't be far behind. n/t

[Clear Blue Sky]

106. Ha! And they say WE want to rewrite the constitution...

[harun]

108. Someone needs to remind McConnell HE IS a politician in Washington.

What a load of crap these GOP'rs keep blaming Washington when they are the real problem. Unlimited defense spending, unlimited wars, unlimited Corporate Welfare and unlimited tax breaks for the super rich.

[Turbineguy]

109. That motherfucker

needs to have his brain removed for examination.

[Maineman]

112. He is so full of BS, it is pitiful.

Furthermore, he is an old white guy from Kentucky with an agenda of hate much of the time. I figure he is or has been associated with the Ku Klux Klan. But, this is just my perception of him and his typical BS, which is usually much worse than this.

[Amonester]

113. So that will be his (theiR) NEXT hostage-taking oppoRtunity?

Watch who will cave again.

They'Re cRazy.

[DesertDiamond]

122. "Elections" don't work when their rigged, that's for sure. Which may be how Mitch got "elected."

[derby378]

129. They already tried circumventing the elections

Y'all do remember George W. Bush, right?

[marions ghost]

130. Elections?

You've even pulled off integrity-free "Selections" Mitch. But you just can't seem to make the country go Fascist fast enough. You greedy bastards have won so much more than you ever dreamed possible.

Call the Waaaaahmbulance. What a grotesque act.:hurts::nopity::puke::boring: :boring: :boring:

[patrice]

195. Bravo! You Nailed! it!

:applause:

[DallasNE]

132. How Would America Have Fared During WW II

With a balanced budget amendment in place? And how many unbalanced budgets has McConnell voted for while in office. McConnell, in other words, has been part of the problem rather than part of the solution. Also, why didn't McConnell mention the Supreme Court because they have tried that quite successfully with Bush v. Gore, Citizens United and other decisions. So his bottom line in my way or the highway -- good luck there! But I don't feel sorry for him just now as he is getting his butt kicked in public opinion and feels the need to cut his loses. Yesterday Wisconsin just rejected all 6 phoney Democrats and elected a Congressional Democrat in Los Angeles County, California where the Republican tried to pull out all stops to offset the recent loss in New York 26.

[Major Hogwash]

133. Send in the wahmbulance, use crying towels and apply to cheeks, stuff cotton in mouth and ears.

To avoid future tantrums, McConnell, try and see what being a man is all about.
Stop the sniviling or we're going to pass laws preventing half man/half turtles from being elected to office in the first place!

Why don't you just resign?

[DFW]

136. I got a copy of the English translation:

"We have cheated in every national and statewide election we could. We have used the Supreme Court to win a presidential
election, a corrupt Republican Ohio state government to win another presidential election, the Supreme Court again for 2010,
as 2008 showed clearly that we didn't yet have enough firepower to achieve Tom DeLay's one party (ours) state.

"Therefore, we have had it with gimmicks like elections. The Constitution needs to be amended so that the Republican
Party can achieve absolute control of the State as did the Communist Party of the Soviet Union under Stalin. Why?
Because we WANT power. ABSOLUTE power. It won't corrupt us. Really! How could it? We're already corrupt. That's a
done deal. We want a president who will do whatever we want him to do. 2001-2007 showed how good to our benefactors
that was. That was VERY good, and in turn they were good to us. If all the lies and the Koch-funded and Murdoch-funded
propaganda machines aren't enough to put us into power via elections, then we need to try something other than elections."

Sincerely (OK, not so sincerely, but I'm a Bible-thumping Republican, ergo thou shalt shut up),

Mitch McTurtle, R-Inquisition

[eringer]

137. Too Bad Bruce Lunsford Lost to this Jerk

[truedelphi]

140. Why would it not shock me if Obama decides to consider this point of

View?

He has already, contrary to the legalese protecting Social Security, happily met with those who would dismantle Social Security. He happily let the EPA approve of Corexit after only a one week study (see my sig line) so the profits of BP could be protected.

He loves Monsanto, "clean" energy like natural gas that has with its fracking, the potential to destroy our major resource, clean water. He loves coal, which destroys the topography of our land.

Et cetera.

[felix_numinous]

141. Non hackable voting machines Mitch.

--let's start with that. Of course we never heard from you when W stole the presidency. :eyes:

Threatening our Constitution will definitely get a rise out of the left, just try it.

[Luciferous]

142. What an idiot.

[valerief]

145. Why is this guy still breathing? nt

[BlueIdaho]

146. After the last election the republicans had a choice to make

Should they turn their party towards the center, or should they go even further right. They chose to take their party further right.

Looks like they chose the wrong direction.

[jtrockville]

148. Would a balanced budget amendment END THE WARS?

If so, then even with all the drawbacks of this ridiculous notion, I might support it.

[quaker bill]

156. Nope

[jtrockville]

164. So we're able to pay the cost of wars with each year's revenue?

[quaker bill]

244. yes

but it does not really matter, they will always figure out a way to pay for wars. There is no such thing as "spending too much on defense" in politics.

[Ragrum]

150. Re-Write for Term Limits

That is about the only cure for the Dysfunction!

[russspeakeasy]

151. Mitch, you are a spineless piece of shit.

Your parents would be ashamed of you.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

152. May this serve as Exhibit 1,000,000,000 for those on DU who insist that Obama can get ANYTHING

done with these traitors!

[NC_Nurse]

153. Hilarious. the Repubs CAUSED these huge deficits. Now that a Dem prez is in,

we MUST have a balanced budget amendment. Good thing for them Americans have the attention span of a gnat. They probably won't remember that they had 8 f*cking years to do this when they were in power but NO, nobody mentioned it. Back then "deficits didn't matter".

What assholes.

[christx30]

159. I can understand his posistion

if you can't get people to vote for their own oppression, you have to force it on them. I can't get my kids to go to bed. I have to sit there until they fall asleep.
And to the GOP, we are children that don't know what's best for ourselves.

[geckosfeet]

161. I don't know. I'd say that stradles the border of sedition.

[beac]

163. A constitutional amendment requiring

Mitch to balance his meds would be a whole lot more productive.

[LongTomH]

165. K&R & Forward

I gotta send this out to my political maillist! :kick:

[and-justice-for-all]

167. Well yeah, to keep those puke fucks from stealing elections!! nt

[rury]

168. Seems like it's "country last"

For these rabid, right-wing kooks!

[TxVietVet]

169. Sen. Chinless has said his main goal is this: Keep President Obama to one term.

Now, that's one helluva game plan. Running government off that game plan. The conservanazis are guided by their hatred for Obama, Democrats, Progressives, Liberals and anyone else who opposes them. That's their only strategy. No compromise. I don't believe the conservanazi republikan party is going to accomplish much for their masters if that's all they have to offer. So be it. Watch them implode or else they will destroy this country. These same conservanazis had no problem adding trillions to this debt when their boy gwbu$h, aka "the crackhead", was pretzeldent. F*ck 'em. Feed 'em fish heads.

So, for Sen. Chinless I have a quote for you from me. It is especially appropriate to use at this time.

Message flagged Monday, July 11, 2011 12:10 PMMessage bodyWith reasonable men, I will reason; with humane men I will plead; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost.
William Lloyd Garrison

BTW, Sen. Chinless, GFY with a cheney and wipe up with a bu$h when your done. :rofl:

[alfredo]

171. He's trying to justify revolution.

[JAnthony]

173. Sounds to me like he's starting to lose his mind.. much like GW and RR did

before him.

Being a tight ass Republican usually results in crazy brains in their 70's !

Of course, GWB was always stupid and the decline from half sane came in his 50's!

[Stinky The Clown]

174. How about a line item veto, fuckwad?

[Faith No More]

176. Maybe you're right McConnell..........

after all, elections are what got your incompetent ass elected.

[Dept of Beer]

177. If Mitch can make shit up then so can the president.

"The republican party is in violation of protecting the Homeland therefor I will be asking AG Holder to issue arrest warrants for him and the rest of his GOP confederates."

[myrna minx]

178. K&R n/t

[glinda]

179. On a serious note, these people should be in jail and prison for treason.

[Divine Discontent]

191. exactly, glinda, seriously - they should be tried for anti-American acts against the people and our

fundamental pursuit to live without them constantly doing everything they can to harm the poor and working class. They are against even our right to vote - I have no problems with the Justice Dept corralling them all up and putting them on trial. But we know that won't happen. But, we must continue to educate people. I am amazed at the amount of people pissed at the govt, but not more pissed at the GOP for their actions against all of us working class or disabled/poor/elderly people.

[MissDeeds]

180. Well, there it is

He's fluckin' nutz.

[hay rick]

181. Elections don't work?

You're right Mitch. Look in the mirror and you'll see Exhibit A.

[Bill USA]

185. A true Republican, with a deep seated aversion to Democracy.

[muntrv]

186. Mitch, that is such a King George III mindset!

[Joey Liberal]

188. McConnell is a Bitch. nt

[wordpix]

189. heh, heh, I thought Mitch & his ilk were all for the Constitution

:banghead:

[Beartracks]

194. He's not familiar with why this country was founded, is he. n/t

[OwnedByFerrets]

197. You weren't saying this 10 yrs ago were you asshole?

[OmahaBlueDog]

200. He's just teeing up their next election cycle meme -- Constitutional Convention

Social conservatives want an RTL amendment and to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. Fiscal conservatives want a balanced budget amendment. Add to that a desire to rewrite birthright citizenship. They know they can't get these amendments through Congress, but they may just control enough state houses to get a Convention done.

[Odin2005]

202. He's a TRAITOR.

[MadMaddie]

204. mmmmm can you smell the desperation perhaps Sedition?

What is turtle proposing?

se·di·tion   /sɪˈdɪʃən/ Show Spelled
Show IPA

–noun
1. incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government.
2. any action, especially in speech or writing, promoting such discontent or rebellion.
3. Archaic . rebellious disorder.


Keep on talking turtle....:freak:

[Phlem]

206. GFY Mitch!

you freakin waste of air.

-p

[Sportsguy]

207. That's Like, Fucking Treason, Isn't It?

Or am I wrong?

[Corruption Winz]

209. Yeah.. that's what we need... We need to rewrite the constitution...

Because elections haven't worked... Therefore, we take the guys that we've elected and have them rewrite it. Sure-fire plan there....... idiot.

[Pharaoh]

210. Fuck you Mitch!

:nopity:

[wordpix]

211. good article about McConnell's debt ceiling proposal, by a repug

http://blogs.ft.com/crookblog/2011/07/mitch-mcconnells-good-idea/#ixzz1S2tTHDJA

Mitch McConnell’s good idea
July 13, 2011 7:24 pm by Clive Crook
0 2

Hard to know whether to laugh or cry at the Republican party’s response to Mitch McConnell’s debt-ceiling proposal. One segment of conservative opinion sees it as a shrewd idea, a masterstroke even. Another regards it as a sell-out of historic dimensions. And a third appears to think it is both, and is trying to clarify its position.

What McConnell is suggesting is absurd in an inimitably Washington way, but may very well be the best way of out of the impasse. He suggests an arcane procedure that, if I understand it correctly, would let the president propose a raising of the ceiling, which the House would then vote down, leaving the president to veto the rejection. (Presumably there would be too few votes in Congress to override the veto.) Republicans can like this, goes the thinking, because they can vote against the raising of the ceiling, which would thus be all Obama’s fault. Democrats can like it because the ceiling is raised without having to meet all (or any?) of the GOP’s demands on spending. Come the election, voters can decide who they agree with.

I like the idea because, at a time when more intelligent options appear to have no traction at all, it is way to get the ceiling raised, and that should now be the overriding priority. But I do wonder about McConnell’s political reasoning. This kind of procedural squirming is one of the things Americans most detest about Congress. McConnell is suggesting a way to raise the ceiling–which he quite rightly says has to be done–while retaining and then exercising the option to denounce the raising of the ceiling. “We agree to let you do it, so long as you agree to let us attack you for it.” How brave. How principled. Voters are expected to like this?

Mind you, they would like a default even less–and they would rightly put most of the blame for that on Republicans. I don’t know whether the legislative kinks can be ironed out of this scheme in time to make it work. But if they can I see this as sensible damage control for Republicans (judged against the hit they would take under the relevant alternative: default); a good thing for Democrats; and a good thing for the country. Go McConnell.

[Swampguana]

212. nothing has worked?

the only thing mitch wants is a dictatorship so he can get rid of people who disagrees with him. As long as he's the dictator.

[high density]

213. New goal posts: Constitutional Amendment

Amazing

[JDPriestly]

214. Someone needs to vote this guy out of a job.

The Tea-Baggers love the Constitution as it is, McConnell. Leave it alone. It is just fine without your re-write.

[orbitalman]

215. What a treasonous asshat, he's got to go. n/t

[Chisox08]

216. Mitch thinks that the American voters are stupid.

Because we won't put enough Republicons in office so that they can lower taxes on the top 2% and multi-national corporations. Mitch has also shown that the Republicons only care about cutting taxes on the rich and not the American people.

[Nihil]

238. He's indisputably right on that point.

> Mitch thinks that the American voters are stupid.

Sample evidence:
1) 2 terms of George W. Bush as President (one might be unfortunate, two is careless).
2) The continued presence of Mitch McConnell in the Senate (+ many, many of his ilk).

and the biggest one (in this context):

3) Taxes on the top 2% of earners HAVE been lowered (and kept lower by the current
president) despite the fact that said top 2% (i.e., the tiny minority who benefit)
couldn't elect a single representative with their own votes ... unless they were
supported by a sufficiently large majority of STUPID voters.

The three points above are facts thus American voters are stupid. QED.

[Islandlife]

218. The title of the article is meant to mislead

don't be fooled. the video shows that Mitch suggested amending the constitution to require congress to balance the budget every year.

But why should we? we've been doing ok so far. :sarcasm:

[Thor_MN]

236. That little bitch McConell is the one that's fooled.

He has been spouting the same bullshit so long that he is starting to believe it himself. He thinks that he represents the majority of Americans. That most people thinks the way he does. Which is funny since he is the Minority Leader in the Senate. The very title of his position defines that most people do not think the way he does.

[obxhead]

221. Hey Mitch! Here's your ball...

Why don't you go on home now.

[deacon]

222. Sounds like he's been drinking out of boehner's flask. n/t

[GTurck]

226. McConnell...

always reminds me of one of those Puritans who after branding Hester Prynn tears up with pity for himself for having to do such an evil deed. I can even see him in black wool plainclothes doing his job.
Doesn't he seem always on the verge of tears? Or is it that he is afraid to move his face?

[Dash87]

227. I find it hard to believe even a TP Republican would say that

It would be openly advocating Fascism, which is a career-ender. I think he might have meant something else.

Unless if he was openly advocating Fascism, which would be downright crazy!

[AnneD]

228. Hasn't worked....

For whom?

The only thing I would consider is a parliamentary system. Don't think he would like that.

[liberalla]

229. It just hasn't worked out as you wish, Mitch...

because the voters haven't been bought and paid for like you and your cronies (and the 5 Supreme Court justices).

[SemperEadem]

230. yeah, like the one that keeps returning you to the senate

as if you're an hereditary prince. Maybe the answer is to stop electing you. And to do something with the raggamuffin idiot who is your junior counterpart.

Why don't we start with term limits... just a thought, mitch...

[StevesRedLens]

231. God, I hate McConnell

And am embarrassed daily by the fact he is from my state!

[randr]

232. And I suppose it should be illegal for any one citizen to go into debt as well?

[peacetalksforall]

233. This is a sales opportunity. The Federalist Society has already rewritten it.

Constitution and are trying to get things changed little by little - spying is OK - a grand success at changing. Police brutality - plainly observable Mercenary armies - plainly observable and costing us plenty. Privatization of our citizen souls - they are working hard at it.

[City Lights]

235. "No more games. No more gimmicks."

You first, Mitchie. All the GOP does is play games. Games and gimmicks are what Republicans use to get "elected."

Blow it out your ass, Mitchie.

[indy legend]

241. Mitch may be right. After all somehow half wit fucks like him keep getting reelected

He could have a point.

[unkachuck]

245. "We Must Rewrite The Constitution Because ‘Elections’ Haven’t ‘Worked’"

....alright, mitchy....when do you want to do this Constitutional re-write? And who's going to do the re-write?

....we have a problem....if elections don't work, how are we to find the authors of our new Constitution? Any suggestions? Any volunteers?