Budget talks: This is getting nasty

That's just fine, as long as you understand that despite the flag-waving rhetoric that America was built on everyone paying his "fair share," the idea that the rich are overtaxed and should be burdened less has been popular twice in American history, and both times the nation plunged into economic chaos.

 

OK, difference noted, and I would still say that the two periods in which this was the prevailing theory have not ended well for America.

 

Btw, a story came over the wire today that said a study shows the prescription drug program is actually saving money because people aren't having to be hospitalized as much and Medicare is saving on that. So sometimes it takes a while to see the benefits of a program that aren't always evident. I believe that's called foresight.

 

The polls suggest completely the opposite. They just do. The poll afterward said that Boehner's "did what he had to do" speech got a rousing 19 percent support. That's not only because of his position. That's because of the nature of his delivery.

The trouble, obviously, with message boards is that people constantly talk past one another and that it's hard to determine. When you write "he did just fine," I mean, he didn't. The poll numbers say that. The reaction to his plan today - which is really a reaction to his speech last night - says that.

 

Also, they are rewriting the plan because what Boehner said it saved, it didn't. They are going to have to write more savings into it to satisfy GOP lawmakers, apparently.

 

If true, it would be pretty interesting.

I'd be happy to admit I was wrong.

But, it makes the point I've said all along. You can't just look at a single line of spending, or a single tax cut/loop hole, in a vacuum.

I don't give a shit about closing "corporate jet loopholes". I just want to make sure it will result in higher revenues, and not just make people feel better.

If it does, close 'em.

But, if people change their activity, leading to lower revenue, coupled with job losses, then it makes no sense.

I just want us to look at the whole budget this way.

If a prescription drug program saves money -- by all fucking means.

 

Boehner Bill is not doing well:

 

CNN just reported that the debt ceiling might not be hit until August 10. They reported that an increase in revenues (of all things) is leading to the possible change in the Treasury's forecast.

 

Where is the plan:

 

A longer version:

This goes on for ten minutes without an answer.