ACTUAL Budget Cut? $116 Billion Per Year. Not $38 Billion.

[MannyGoldstein]

Ever wonder why Harry Reid was saying the other day "We agreed it’s 78... The number was 78…. There’s no question about the number... the number is 78. It was agreed upon last night"? And now the number is suddenly $38 billion? 78? 38? WTF?

Here's what happened.

Last year, Obama and the Democrats cut $40 billion from the 2011 budget during their pre-emptive surrender phase of negotiations.

Now another $38 billion has been cut, for a total of $78 billion. However, we're half-way through the fiscal year, so the $38 billion cut for this fiscal year is truly a $76 billion cut on a yearly basis (unless you believe the cuts will be rescinded for next fiscal year).

The $40 billion cut, plus the additional $76 billion per year cut, total $116 billion.

Well played, Democrats!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4SJ0xR2_bQ

[aquart]

1. Not one billionaire was harmed in making this budget.

[Angry Dragon]

2. And that is the shame

[WillyT]

7. + 1,000,000,000... What You Said !!!

:mad:

:banghead:

:kick: & Rec!!!

[xchrom]

12. indeed. not one. nt

[liberal N proud]

3. I have tried to respond to so many thread today, I have nothing to say

It is just so damn depressing sitting here watching the country overrun by corporations and the stupid who continue to do the dirty work for the rich. Teabaggers have to be the absolute stupidest group politically ever to walk the face of this earth.

[aquart]

6. I just call them teabags now.

I cut the three wasteful letters. If I have to cut more, they'll be bags.

[d_b]

4. someone needs a vacation

I hear the Washington Monument is nice this time of year...

[mopinko]

5. it seems you are assuming that the $40b were cuts

that we did not want to cut. i'm pretty sure that any honest broker could find that much and more that ought to be cut, whichever side of the aisle you are on.

[nashville_brook]

8. damn, that's SOME negotiation skillz. go team Dem!

[HowHasItComeToThis]

9. DON'T YOU SPEND MONEY IN A RECESSION??????

HUH

[KeepItReal]

18. Anti-FDR indeed, huh?

And anti any economist of worth.

[sasha031]

10. thank you,

plus we have the riders we know nothing aboutx(

[Buzz Clik]

11. Can anyone challenge the notion that this country is hemorrhaging money?

We cannot continue this way.

[MannyGoldstein]

14. We're hemorrhaging because we slashed taxes on the wealthiest

The wealthiest American are now taxed at about the same rate as the median worker;

http://fdrdemocrats.org/the-common-sense-guide-to-social-security/5/

Discretionary spending is at a 60-year low:

http://fdrdemocrats.org/2011/03/13/a-great-chart-on-taxes/

We need to go back to policies that worked.

[Buzz Clik]

19. Yes, that's part of it. But, we also spend money irresponsibly with no thought of the bottom line.

As insane are the conservatives are, they are correct that you must balance spending with income.

So, yes -- make taxes fair, but cut spending. It won't be hard to find hundreds of billions in fat.

[MannyGoldstein]

22. It's called War! War! War! nt

[Buzz Clik]

24. That's one place. There are others.

[aquart]

15. Which is why the rich must be heavily taxed.

And inheritance punitively taxed to prevent the massive accumulation of wealth in private, greedy, meddling hands.

And then we must accept the decision of the Iraqi people and leave Iraq entirely.

[n2doc]

16. and...you think that 38, or 78, or even 114 billion makes a bit of difference

in a 1.6 Trillion dollar (that is T, not B) deficit? You are truly deluded. We are talking 1% of the total!

This was all about social engineering- hurting small (in comparison with Military, health care, farm subsidies, homeland security) programs that help people or the nation under the guise of deficit reduction.

[MannyGoldstein]

17. It means a lot to those least able to defend themselves nt

[n2doc]

28. exactly. n/t

[Buzz Clik]

20. So, you feel that all this noise (including this thread) is purely political posturing?

Couldn't agree more.

[n2doc]

27. No. The cuts will hurt real people

They won't do squat to solve our deficit problems. So only one side is posturing.

[Buzz Clik]

33. ALL cuts hurt real people?

That makes no sense. Who was hurt when the bridge to nowhere disappeared?

[SidDithers]

13. What would McCain and Palin's budget have looked like....

You must have a pretty good idea, since you now would have preferred them over Obama.

Sid

[n2doc]

29. I am beginning to wonder if it wouldn't have been better

Frankly, the Democrats in Congress fought harder when W was in office. And it is quite possible that if they had fought harder in 09 and 10, they would not have lost the house.

Not that you care about such things. The Icon must be defended at all cost!

[jaxx]

21. 2010 budget

<..> The vice president’s “$73 Billion” in cuts, and the Republicans’ initial “$100 Billion” number, are both reductions from President Obama’s proposed 2010 budget, which was never passed. That’s the key point. That proposed, larger budget, never became reality.

<..> In reality, government has slogged along under 2009 spending amounts. So, to “cut spending” (actual spending), would mean to reduce from that current spending level.

Politicians could theoretically argue that they are still “cutting” when they compare numbers to Obama’s proposed, theoretical, never-became-reality budget. But they are only cutting their own fantasy budget, on paper. It is not the same as cutting actual dollars that agencies expect to spend.

<..> <..> The “deal” announced by Biden would cut $33 Billion in actual, current spending. That’s how much of government agency’s expected budgets would be cut immediately if this plan wins out.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/31/american-sauce-beware-biden%E2%80%99s-math/

[MannyGoldstein]

23. Finally, an honest campaign poster picture

Obama with his back to us.

[jaxx]

25. The image isn't the subject matter.

But it's a very positive image, Obama supporters have got his back.

[TheKentuckian]

30. Nothing positive about having Farmer Jones' back.

Sheep being led to the slaughter have the shepherds back or at least are looking at it and are free to pretend however pleases them.

See, I already had his back and he has not only failed to return the favor but scoffs at the idea while telling me that I have nowhere else to go.

I don't respect that.

[jaxx]

31. Analogies are fun, aren't they?

I like the image.

[SidDithers]

32. +1. Facts are good...nt

Sid

[mckara]

26. More Cuts Will Put More People in Pain

Perhaps, this needs to happen before people start voting for THEIR interests, again.