Democrats FINALLY step up to the plate

**Nynus** · 07-25-2011, 12:00 PM

According to a speech by Harry Reid, the Dems have put together a deal that cuts 2.7 trillion in spending, raises the debt ceiling by the same amount, and does not add any revenues.

Quote from Forbes.com

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is now offering up a plan that ostensibly meets the GOP demands by proposing a $2.7 trillion cut in federal spending to be matched by a like increase in the debt ceiling – with no tax increases or revenue boosts required.

The proof is in the pudding I guess. If the text of the law holds up to the speech, then BRAVO! Hopefully, the Republicans go for it. I'm not so sure the Democrats will.

Sanity in Washington, and from a Democrat no less. What's the world coming to?

**billybob** · 07-25-2011, 12:04 PM

Hmmmm sounds almost too good to be true. We can only hope they all agree, have a feeling Obama will not be happy though.

**curtinsea** · 07-25-2011, 12:07 PM

from what I've read, the Speaker and Reid were on the same page, but it was the Pres who said no. I gotta think that the Sen. Dems who are up for re-election care more about their own seats than they do about Obama's, maybe some action will happen.

Regardless of the final deal, this much is sure. We are only talking about cutting the budget, reducing spending, BECAUSE OF THE TEA PARTY. Even if they don't get all they want, they moved the discussion. Just as in 1994, there is all this crying from the left and all the blame goes to the right, but in the end we got a balanced budget (however short lived it was) out of that deal.

It's time for a Constitutional amendment, as that seems to be the only thing that will keep our Federal budgets in check.

**Nynus** · 07-25-2011, 12:57 PM

Ahhhh some of the nuts and bolts are coming out now.....

$1.2 Trillion of the reduction is accredited to cutting Overseas Contingency Operations. (i.e. Afghanistan) Let's see, we were already pulling out of Afghanistan, so now Reid's counting that as a spending cut. Dipping even further into that well is the $300 billion in interest payments we would need to cover for borrowing money for the $1.2 Trillion that we weren't going to spend anyways. Since we aren't spending the money we weren't going to spend anyways, we don't have to pay interest for borrowing the money that we didn't need to borrow either. If you understood that, rush immediately to the nearest elected Democrat's office. They're in need of people that can grasp 'flexible accounting concepts' without having their head explode.

Another chunk of the cuts are to medicare. They're shifting the burden to Medicaid. Yeah, the states have plenty of money for that.

btw - that $2.7 trillion 'cut' is to a projected deficit that was supposed to go from $14 trillion now, to $27 trillion in 10 years. If the Democrats plan goes through, the projected deficit in 10 years will only be $24 trillion dollars.

In other words..... We're still fucked.

**billybob** · 07-25-2011, 01:31 PM

Yep, Yep, Yep would drive a person nuts if we let it. Think I know where the nuts are though, both parties. This two party system needs adjusting, revivsing, done away with, or something. No I do not have the answer.

**curtinsea** · 07-25-2011, 02:05 PM

I stick by my assertion that "deficit reduction" is a complete joke. It's time for "deficit elimination". If they would focus on elimination, there would be no need to address the debt ceiling in the future.

The deficits are what they are because of unemployment levels and a stagnant economy. There simply isn't enough money coming in. Raising tax rates won't help that I'm afraid, regardless of how well "tax the rich" sounds to the average person.

Cut Federal Spending - do this judiciously, end the wars, cancel obamacare, eliminate pork projects that aren't valid infrastructure issues, cut foreign aid, trim defense spending

Encourage economic growth - reform the tax code, create certainty, restore confidence, keep interest rates low, buy American

**curtinsea** · 07-25-2011, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by billybob

This two party system needs adjusting, revivsing, done away with, or something. No I do not have the answer.

Emphasis on the primary elections, replace a member of "your" party who fail with another member of "your" party. This keeps them honest and holds them accountable. As it is, the parties discourage primary challenges because they weaken the party itself. As long as the alternative is "the other party" you will always vote for "your party" regardless of his failures.