They won't talk about what brought on the deficit

[edhopper]

Bush and the GOP took over in 2000. The had a budget SURPLUS. They then threw it away on a tax break for the rich, a Medicare Drug Program with no cost controls and nearly doubling the Military budget, including to wars.
But you will not see that recounted anywhere in the Media. You will not see anyone, anywhere mention that without Obama's capitulation on the Bush Tax Cuts in December, we would not have a "budget crisis".

It's all about the horse race and who's "winning".

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. Why don't Democrats talk about the damage the GOP have caused?

It could only help them. (Democrats). I don't get it.

[edhopper]

3. The failure of the Dems

to give a simple, clear message, which has the added advantage of being true, baffles me daily.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

7. Yes, I don't get it! nt

[kentuck]

10. Maybe they're just incompetent?

Or maybe they don't want to?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

11. Or maybe, the stranglehold the fascist psychopathic GOP has had on the U.S. since 1980....

and the willingness of the generally ignorant American population, has made it near-impossible for Democrats to fight back. Maybe Democrats need to get stronger and fight the right wing assholes at every step. Maybe, just maybe, we need to fight CHURCHES, who have done nothing but aid the GOP in destroying our nation. I have no respect for churches at all.

[Jim Warren]

2. You notice that too

Is there a 'deaf ears' smiley?

[HopeHoops]

4. It is called "Republicans".

Reagan ran against Carter's "record deficit". In reality, that "record" was set by every president since we ALLOWED a deficit - and on a linear growth pattern. Reagan quadrupled it in his first year. He also kept education funding level for his first three years, effectively cutting it when you adjust for inflation. For his fourth year, a campaign year, he proposed an increase that was "greater than any previous administration had ever proposed". That was a technically true statement, but it STILL left the federal contribution below the 1980 level after adjusting for inflation.

Does anyone remember something called a surplus? Clinton took on the Reagan/HW Bush mind-numbing deficit and turned it around into a surplus for his last two years. The shrub came in with that surplus and immediately went back to mind-numbing deficits.

The Republicans don't have a leg to stand on with this issue - they created the problem. And they can all just kiss my hairy ass.

[Jim Warren]

5. Well said

I just got around to watching "Inside Job" (highly recommend it!) and I was satisfied they had the presence to wind the current mess back to where it started, with Reagan and the first round of deregulations.

[HopeHoops]

6. "deregulation" is GOP for "corporate welfare".

[spanone]

8. this deficit sat there during the bu$h* years and the republicans yawned

[kentuck]

9. Right! Let's backtrack ten years.

We had a $260 billion dollar surplus and a projected surplus of $5 trillion by 2011. (That is today) We had paid down the national debt by a small amount without using the SS fund. We had full employment of 4.0%. The budget was balanced and we were on the way to pay off the entire national debt by 2011. (today)

But then Bush and the taxcutters came into power. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out.

[spanone]

12. it only takes our media to ignore it.