Such binary thinking here, it's amazing some people can tie their shoes in the morning

[scheming daemons]

1. Polls showed that the overwhelming majority of Americans are against raising the debt ceiling. The reason is because the overwhelming majority of Americans have no idea how catastrophic that would be.

2. Obama needs to turn those numbers around.

3. In order to do so, Obama says, "If the debt ceiling is not raised, I cannot guarantee that there will be enough money in the coffers to pay out SS and other obligations."

4. The clueless masses now "get it". Failure to raise the debt ceiling *IS* catastrophic.

5. The American people begin to realize that raising the debt ceiling *MUST* happen, no matter what.


There's never any intention to not send out SS checks. If the debt ceiling isn't increased, there are still tax receipts coming in - just not enough to pay EVERYTHING in the budget. So the first thing that will get paid in that scenario is interest on the debt. After that, the Treasury has to prioritize what gets paid for. SS and military pay would surely come next.


But in order to make sure the clueless American people understood how important raising the debt ceiling is, Obama had to put it in the plainest language he could: Without a debt ceiling increase, we will not be able to meet all of our obligations - somebody isn't going to get paid.


Now, all the clueless hordes who thought failure to raise the debt ceiling was no big deal understand clearly that is *IS* a very big deal.


It is no coincidence that McConnell blinked within 2 hours of Obama saying this.



The administration knows exactly what they're doing here, and they're doing it correctly.


If your pissed, then your anger should be directed at the Tea Partiers who want to NOT increase the debt ceiling... and at nobody else.

[mike_c]

1. checks feet....

Yup, slippers. :rofl:

[hfojvt]

14. let me take this opportunity to compliment you on your fashion sense

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5JECrtNMJc&feature=related

[FSogol]

2. True dat. n/t

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. flip-flops.

[Fumesucker]

12. +2

[aquart]

4. You are not the only one who got that.

[emulatorloo]

6. Yes I got it too. I think many here get it.

They just don't make a lot of racket about it.

[DearAbby]

5. Barefooten

:::dancing on tippy toes:::

[DevonRex]

7. Yep.

Even though I'm barefooted. KnR

[Fire1]

8. Thank you!! K&R

[Lifelong Protester]

9. I'm in slip-ons, and I agree with the timing of President Obama

saying what he did about SS checks not going out....and Turtle Man blinking. If Turtle Man's species blinks....

Well played, I thought.

[damntexdem]

10. No, some of my anger is correctly aimed at Obama.

Not for his correct message about what would happen to SS checks.

Rather at his putting SS and Medicare on the table, whether or not he thought a deal would be made. This helps the GOP frame the issue as SS "reform" having something to do with the debt. And it might in fact lead to a "deal" where SS and Medicare are cut. And if it were still to come to the latter, Obama will have lost my vote in 2012 -- I may have nowhere else to go, but that wouldn't mean I would need to stay.

As for binary thinking and shoe tying, remember that most of us do have TWO shoes. ;-)

[scheming daemons]

11. I was addressing anger about the SS payments "threat"

Which wasn't a threat at all, but a dark reality if we reach August 3rd with no deal.


There won't be any cuts to SS and Medicare.... that's just gamesmanship, because Obama knew the GOP wouldn't accept the "grand bargain".

[Raschel]

13. I don't think the "clueless masses" "get it" because the President said he can't guarantee SS checks

will be sent out. The only thing they 'get' AFAIC is that the President is threatening to use SS checks for bargaining.

[mitchtv]

15. be kinda nice if congressional paychecks and USSC checks

were noted as the first to not be issued.

[JDPriestly]

16. I still don't think it i big deal.

The Obama deal to raise the debt ceiling is just a cover for lowering Social Security and Medicare payments as well as other programs for ordinary people.

The raising of the debt ceiling protects the interest of the rich -- our creditors.

A default would force us to be more self-reliant as a nation.

If we simply focused on becoming more self-sufficient in terms of energy and if we stopped importing so much stuff and put Americans back to work, we could keep ahead of our debts.

I know how this works. If you don't have enough money, you cut back to a reasonable extent, but the most important thing you do is try to get a better job so that your revenue, your income goes up.

These cut-backs will just set the whole country back.

My suggestion would be to end all cost-plus contracts. Just stop that business. Can you imagine calling a construction company to remodel your house and telling them, "Oh, just add up your costs and I will pay you a profit of 10% more." Insanity.

Examples from a list for July 1, 2011

CONTRACTS

ARMY

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $145,467,956 firm-fixed-price contract. . . . .

ITT Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colo., was awarded a $68,020,223 cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to provide maintenance, supply and transportation services in support of the Army preposition stocks Kuwait, and direct theater support for southwest Asia missions. Work will be performed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2015. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with five bids received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W911SE-07-D-0006).

VSE Corp., Alexandria, Va., was awarded a $66,992,137 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. The award will provide for the professional services required for the rapid equipping force. Work will be performed in Fort Belvoir, Va., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2014. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with seven bids received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-11-C-0128).

http://www.defense.gov/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=4569

Padding costs is an old, old game. This is a horrendous waste of money.

[Hawkowl]

17. A moment of briliance

I, an avowed Obama basher, admit that this is a pure stroke of political brilliance. I can only hope that Obama sees his advantage and really puts the screws to the Rethuglicans. He doesn't need to offer cuts now. In fact, he should be able to repeal the Bush tax cuts on the rich at the very least.

[backscatter712]

18. That's why I voted for Obama.

I knew he wasn't a 100% progressive, but more of a moderate, but for everything, Obama is very intelligent (the people backseat-quarterbacking don't appreciate this), very disciplined in his political strategy, and very much knows how to play the game.

He did some rope-a-dope and completely punk'd the GOP!

[Forkboy]

19. DU's penchant for binary thinking extends to pretty much every issue.

As soon as an issue develops two sides form and try to force everyone else into a black and white binary mode on the issue, and sadly, a lot follow right along and do just that. It's the biggest flaw I see in DUers (myself included at times).

Maybe that's not fair, maybe it's a human nature thing and not confined to politics and DUers, but either way it's got me to the point where I want even less to do with people than normal, and considering how asocial I am to start with that's really saying something.

[NeedleCast]

20. No, it's a fair. n/t

[Bobbie Jo]

21. Recommended.

:kick:

[whatchamacallit]

22. Got it all figured out do you?

So much so that you can denigrate fellow DUers before you even know the outcome of the deal? Very smart...

[chowder66]

23. yes but

was it ok for so many to do the same to Obama before it has all played out?

It goes both ways.

I'm still waiting to see how this all unfolds.