Will Common Sense Prevail Or Will The Republicans Turn Into Deadbeats?
Posted by Michelle Moquin on January 15th, 2013
Good morning!
And that question is being somewhat “nice.” Because this isn’t about “common sense” or “doing the right thing.” We already know even if it is common sense (which by the way isn’t very common these days) to “pay the bills”, the repubs don’t “do the right thing.” I should ask, “Will racism and the need to have Obama fail at any expense including the expense of our country subside, or will the repubs turn into deadbeats and completely crash the American Economy?
I’ve been avoiding talk about the debt ceiling…avoiding reading about it and avoiding blogging it here. But last night I just felt I needed to lend my ear and listen to what’s been in the news.
In case you missed Obama speaking about the debt ceiling yesterday, I myself just watched it last night, I am posting it today. What I like about Obama is that he speaks in layman’s terms so that the average person can understand exactly what is going on. Many think that raising the dept ceiling means that we take on more debt. It does not. So, let me repeat what Obama said just to be clear: “Raising the debt ceiling does not authorize more spending. It simply allows the country to pay for spending that Congress has already committed to.”
Here’s Obama’s almost 1-hour talk on the debt ceiling, gun control, etc. – I believe it is well worth listening to.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
I also pulled this from Maddow’s blog. It highlights some of the most important parts of this debt ceiling talk.
‘We are not a deadbeat nation’
President Obama held another White House press conference this morning, and fielded seven reporters’ questions — four of them about the debt ceiling.
By the time the president was making his case for the fourth time, the responses started getting a little repetitious, but Obama’s line didn’t change: we’ve already made enormous progress on debt reduction, he’s willing to do more, but a hostage strategy based on the debt ceiling isn’t acceptable.
In fact, the president spent a fair amount of time trying to explain to the public what some reporters occasionally overlook:
“The debt ceiling is not a question of authorizing more spending. Raising the debt ceiling does not authorize more spending. It simply allows the country to pay for spending that Congress has already committed to.
“These are bills that have already been racked up, and we need to pay them. So while I’m willing to compromise and find common ground over how to reduce our deficits, America cannot afford another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they’ve already racked up. [...]
“So to even entertain the idea of this happening, of the United States of America not paying its bills, is irresponsible. It’s absurd…. And Republicans in Congress have two choices here: They can act responsibly and pay America’s bills or they can act irresponsibly and put America through another economic crisis. But they will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the American economy. The financial well-being of the American people is not leverage to be used. The full faith and credit of the United States of America is not a bargaining chip.”
It doesn’t sound like he’s ready to cave. On the contrary, it sounds like the president is issuing a not-so-subtle challenge to congressional Republicans: do your duty or we’ll all suffer the consequences.
The president went on to say:
“[T]he issue here is whether or not America pays its bills. We are not a deadbeat nation. And so there’s a very simple solution to this. Congress authorizes us to pay our bills.
“Now if the House and the Senate want to give me the authority so that they don’t have to take these tough votes, if they want to put the responsibility on me to raise the debt ceiling, I’m happy to take it. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, had a proposal like that last year, and I’m happy to accept it.
“But if they want to keep this responsibility, then they need to go ahead and get it done. And you know, there are no magic tricks here. There are no loopholes. There are no, you know, easy outs. This is a matter of Congress authorizes spending. They order me to spend. They tell me: You need to fund our Defense Department at such-and-such a level. You need to send Social Security checks. You need to make sure that you are paying to care for our veterans.
“They lay all this out for me, and — because they have the spending power. And so I am required by law to go ahead and pay these bills.
“Separately, they also have to authorize a raising of the debt ceiling in order to make sure that those bills are paid. And so what Congress can’t do is tell me to spend X and then say, but we’re not going to give you the authority to go ahead and pay the bills.”
Obama added that he’s ready to negotiate on debt reduction, and he’s even open to entitlement changes, but he doesn’t intend to reward Congress for doing what it must do anyway.
What’s more, of particular interest was the president highlighting Republicans’ philosophical goals, which have less to do with debt reduction, and more to do with undermining public institutions.
“[I]t seems as if what’s motivating and propelling at this point some of the House Republicans is more than simply deficit reduction. They have a particular vision about what government should and should not do. So they are suspicious about government’s commitments, for example, to make sure that seniors have decent health care as they get older. They have suspicions about Social Security. They have suspicions about whether government should make sure that kids in poverty are getting enough to eat or whether we should be spending money on medical research. So they’ve got a particular view of what government should do and should be.
“And that view was rejected by the American people when it was debated during the presidential campaign. I think every poll that’s out there indicates that the American people actually think our commitment to Medicare or to education is really important, and that’s something that we should look at as a last resort in terms of reducing the deficit, and it makes a lot more sense for us to close, for example, corporate loopholes before we go to putting a bigger burden on students or seniors.”
I’m glad Obama reminded the political world of this basic truth; I get the sense folks sometimes forget what the driving motivations are behind many of our ongoing partisan fights.
*********
Readers: How many times does the same same question need to be asked? To me, it’s very simple. The answer to all these questions is the same same – Look, either Congress pays its bills or not. How many times does Obama need to say it? Will the republicans be responsible and pay the bills or will they hold the American people hostage and screw with our economy big time – Not to mention the profound affect it will have on the world economy?
So…who’s really to blame?” We all know who the “who” is. I love the way Obama simply puts it that if the House republicans want to shut down the government to see if they can get their way, that is their right to do so – that is how the system is set up. Hey, the American people voted those republicans back into office back in 2010. The keys were handed over and they are in the driver’s seat. So…How’s that working out for you now? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Blog me.
Peace & Love…
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:
Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129
Thank you for your loyal support!
All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012
“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream
" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"
January 15th, 2013 at 10:35 am
Misch, talk about being in da nile…
Ethan, ‘buy bull’ that’s rich : ) I’m going to use that one!
It’s my kidlets b’day today so we are outta here.
Luv, Zen Lill
January 15th, 2013 at 2:55 pm
Hi Michelle:
I was discharged from the hospital and now I am Home Sweet Home. I have a good tale to tell about a slice in history which makes me ashamed to be American.
Why is Quu angry? . . . Why did he vote against the Earth becoming a member of the Galactic club? Because Quu and other Aliens do not trust the white man because our history contains nothing but a bunch of lies. Why should they trust us now to offer them sanctuary?
Why is FDR’s death attributed to a cerebral hemorrhage when Aliens claim Murder? This post will explain it all . . . The TRUTH about a very important slice of history.
Winston Churchill wanted to insure that England would remain in control of the countries which were colonies of England before the war — there were many. He also wanted to extend the white man’s control over all the other non-white countries and he also wanted to continue the German goal of eliminating the Jewish race from the planet.
He attempted to offer FDR a slice of the planet. But when FDR refused, he decided to make a deal with Stalin. The French got wind of the deal and demanded in. So Churchill, De Gaulle, and Stalin worked out an agreement dividing up the planet between their three nations.
Many of the super rich families of the U.S. were in league with Hitler, throughout the war. They were the ones that set up Hitler and introduced the concept of genocide of the majority of the non white races beginning with the Jews. They fully intended to have Hitler assassinated after he defeated the powers of Europe. But Hitler proved more resourceful than they anticipated. He figured out a way to insulate himself from their control by making himself into a demigod.
As the war was nearing an end the rich American families knew they had to protect themselves from being called war criminals and they wanted to be part of dividing up of the world between the white nations.
However, they also wanted the U.S. currency to be the dominant world medium of exchange because it would be a means to insure their wealth and power forever world wide. So even as they plotted with Churchill to eliminate an obstacle to the U.S. taking part in the domination of the planet by the white man, they plotted to end the Pound as the world’s medium of exchange and replace it with the U.S. Dollar.
The Germans had been persuaded by the Americans in the late 20′s and early 30′s to force their Jewish black population to submit to sterilization or be deported or killed. White American history deliberately leaves out the fact that there were tens of thousands of black Germans most from the fact that the French had used colonial soldiers from the famous North African Regiments such as the Foreign Legion, the Bat’ d’Af’, Zouaves, Spahis, Algerian Tirailleurs (sharpshooters) and Goumiers, all of which were part of the Army of Africa, a part of the French Metropolitan Army.
Many German women married African soldiers from the occupying forces, while others had children by them out of wedlock. Hence by the late 20′s and early 30′s there were tens of thousands of black Germans in Germany. The Americans came to Germany and showed them how to use compulsory sterilization or rendition to concentration camps. The blacks, unlike the Jews could not mix with the white race to escape the only two choices they were given. Hence by the late 30′s there were no more black children born in Germany. But because the many Jews escaped those choices they were targeted to be exterminated. This too was planned and taught by American whites. The children were taken from their homes or schools without parental permission and examined by commission members. The children would have been about 12-16 years old. Once a child based upon his physical appearance was decided to be of African descent, he or she was taken immediately to a hospital and sterilized. Therefore by 1940 there were no more black children born in Germany.
Churchill always hated the OTW and especially the Jews because they could assimilate with the white population. The American racists became even more rabid towards Jews because they prevented Hitler from winning the war with unmanned guided missiles. The white Germans never were too smart — most of their true academia was from the Jews and blacks. When they got rid of them, the Germans couldn’t originate anything from the notes and math left behind by the escaping Jews. Without the gyro the Germans couldn’t make their guided missile skim the earth as it headed towards its target.
The Jews took the secrets of the gyro and atomic bomb with them. The Germans were left with the math but the inability to understand it sufficiently to take the formulas past what was left behind.
Again the white historians attempt to leave the OTW with the lie that the white German was the genius, when it was their Jewish population that were the brains of that nationality. They were killing the geese which laid their golden eggs.
I will finish this story next time.
HOWIE
January 15th, 2013 at 9:16 pm
”The greatest sin of our time is not the few who have destroyed but the vast majority who sat idly by.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Born January 15, 1929.
January 15th, 2013 at 10:35 pm
When I say to my friends that Howie as finally made the most startling revelation possible, you top that.
My friends are calling me telling me saying they have uncovered a new conspiracy.
January 15th, 2013 at 10:54 pm
Zander on How to Stop Interrupting
Just the other day, I was telling a friend about a situation that had become particularly complicated.
I wasn’t even half way through my story when she blurted out, “Well, how are you going to take care of that?”
I explained that if she would let me finish, she would find out…
It occurred to me that I have to say that to her…a lot.
My friend is an interrupter, but, interestingly, she has no idea that this is a habit of hers. That’s not unusual, according to life coach and regular Daily Health News contributor Lauren Zander.
Are you an interrupter? Zander gave me helpful tips on how to recognize whether you are—and how to change your ways so that you can communicate better (and get along better) with friends, family and colleagues…
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE INTERRUPTIONS
Not all interruptions are bad, said Zander. For instance, if you don’t understand what someone is saying, it is helpful to cut the person off and say, “Hang on, I’m not following,” before he wastes his breath.
If there’s an emergency or, say, you see that a big celebrity happens to be walking by, it’s OK to interrupt and point this out so the other person can see this, too.
But that’s not why you usually interrupt…right?
Very short interruptions don’t bother most people. For example, if you’re throwing in a quick “Right” or “I agree,” it’s almost the same as nodding your head—a way of showing that you’re paying attention.
But when you start adding more words to those phrases (such as “Right, right, right” or “Yes, the same exact thing happened to me!”) or finishing someone’s sentences, then those become bad interruptions, Zander said—and you’re being rude.
Why? What you’re actually attempting to do is to speed up the other speaker and deflect attention away from that person and onto yourself.
In my personal experience, I find that women, in particular, are prone to making these sorts of interruptions—perhaps because women tend to be more empathetic than men.
They may want to show that they “relate” to what’s being said by sharing an experience of their own—and that’s not a bad intention, but if they want to be appreciated, they need to wait their turn!
I find that men, on the other hand, are more likely to get competitive during conversation and use interruptions to make a completely different point—and steer the conversation in an entirely new direction.
KEEPING PACE—SOCIALLY
Every person has his or her own “rhythm” when it comes to speaking—think of it like an internal metronome (the tool that clicks audibly to pace the desired beat of a song), said Zander. And whether an interruption is welcome or unwelcome depends on the relative speeds of the two people in conversation.
If you have a fast rhythm (let’s say that you’re a hyper chatterbox) and you’re in conversation with another person who moves at an equally hurried tempo, then the two of you may constantly talk over each other and—get this—be perfectly OK with that.
In other words, interrupting someone may not be an etiquette “no-no,” but only if the listener doesn’t mind and does the same to you. More commonly, two people in conversation move at different paces—and this is when unwelcome interruptions are more likely to occur.
Are you an interrupter?
The best way to find out, Zander said, is simple: Ask someone you talk with a lot, such as a friend or family member. “Tell the person that you read this article and wondered whether interrupting is something that you do regularly,” she advised.
HOW TO KEEP QUIET DURING CONVERSATION
“Modifying your internal metronome and adapting yourself to another person’s pace is something that everyone should be willing to do,” Zander observed. So here are some ways that she suggested putting a lid on it…
Ask friends to police you. “Tell others that they have your permission to let you know when you are interrupting,” she said. And when they point it out, pay attention to when and why you’re interrupting.
Knowing what triggers you might help you learn how to stop yourself from doing it repeatedly.
Write notes.
Some people interrupt due to anxiety—when they think of something, they’re worried that if they don’t spit it out in that instant, then the thought (however brilliant) will be forgotten.
So instead of blurting out a thought, jot down a quick note by using pen and paper or typing a digital note on your smartphone. But it has to be fast—just a word or two (think about how the presidential candidates did it during the debates this past fall)—because if you start writing or typing a monologue, then you risk ignoring (and insulting) the speaker.
Change your perspective.
Too often in conversation, we’re not listening to the other person but really just waiting for our opening to speak. If you find that you’re constantly focusing on when the other person is going to finish a point, then you may be missing out on key parts of the conversation.
Instead, listen intently to what’s being said and chime in only when there is silence. You might discover that the point you originally wanted to make has already been made—or that your opinion has changed.
Apologize.
When you’re learning how to stop interrupting, you’re likely to slip up sometimes. And when you do, simply catch yourself midstream and say, “Sorry, please keep going.”
Source: Lauren Zander is a life coach and the cofounder and chairman of The Handel Group in New York City, http://www.HandelGroup.com, which provides life-coaching services to individuals, corporations and schools.
She teaches at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University School of Business and has moderated a roundtable for the White House Office of Social Innovation.
She has been a monthly contributor to Daily Health News since 2006, supplying advice to readers in dozens of articles that help them shed the psychological and emotional burdens that hold them back. For more stories featuring Lauren Zander, click here.
January 15th, 2013 at 11:22 pm
Howie, I don’t know much about US history so this is very interesting to me.
Weici
January 15th, 2013 at 11:25 pm
Howie, keep it coming. The jewish side of our family are grinning from ear to ear. Of course, it was the latino side that found you hear first.
January 15th, 2013 at 11:30 pm
This kind of gun violence has got to stop. Fortunately, there are numerous common sense steps our leaders can take right now if they summon the political courage to do so. Our Center for American Progress colleagues outlined 13 such steps in a paper out this week.
Here’s what Congress needs to do:
Universal Background Checks: Right now a whopping 40 percent of guns sold in America are purchased through so-called “private sales,” which means they are completely exempt from background checks. It’s time that everyone who wants to buy a gun goes through a background check. This requirement is supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans (92 percent), gun owners (87 percent), and NRA members (74 percent).
Make Sure the Background Check System Has Updated Data: A background check system is only as good as the information it contains. Many states, federal agencies, and others fail to submit information to the current system, which means that some people (felons, the dangerously mentally ill et al) who are not supposed to have guns can still pass a background check and obtain them.
Prevent Convicted Stalkers from Getting Guns: If you’ve been convicted of domestic violence you can’t possess or purchase a gun, but if you’ve been convicted of stalking you still can. This needs to be fixed.
Close the “Terror Gap”:
If you are on the Terrorist Watchlist, chances are you probably cannot get on an airplane. But it’s still perfectly legal for you to go buy all the assault rifles and ammunition that you want. This is not simply a theoretical problem. From 2004-2010, 1,119 known or suspected terrorists purchased guns or explosives from federally licensed dealers. We have no way of knowing how many purchased weapons at gun shows, over the internet, or through other private sales.
Re regulate Assault Weapons:
Assault weapons are designed for one purpose and one purpose only: killing as many people as possible as quickly as possible. Congress should enact comprehensive legislation protecting the U.S. public from these deadly military-style weapons. A poll out yesterday poll found that such legislation is supported by 58 percent of Americans.
Ban High-Capacity Magazines:
Gun magazines with a capacity of more than 10 bullets should be banned. These dangerous components serve no legitimate civilian purpose and pose a danger to public safety. A poll out yesterday found that a ban on clips that hold over ten bullets is supported by 68 percent of Americans.
End Restrictions on Gun Violence Research, Data Collection and Sharing:
Congress has repeatedly put so-called “riders” on appropriations bills that restrict or ban federally-funded research on gun violence and prevent the government from collecting and/or sharing vital data. These restrictions could be lifted in March or September when Congress considers the next round of spending bills.
Treat Gun Trafficking as a Serious Crime:
Currently, traffickers are typically charged with selling without a license or knowingly transferring to a prohibited person—both of which carry penalties of only zero to five years.
Congress must immediately consider legislation such as the Gun Trafficking Prevention Act introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) that targets criminal gun-trafficking networks.
Here’s what the president can do through executive action that does not require Congressional approval:
Penalize States That Refuse to Provide Data for the Background Check System:
Some 18 states have submitted fewer than 100 records of dangerously mentally ill persons since the system began in 1999. The president should issue an executive order directly to the attorney general to withhold federal Justice Assistance Grant funding from any state that fails to submit a plan—and act on the plan—for facilitating the transfer of these records to the FBI.
Ensure That Federal Agencies Provide Data for the Background Check System:
Many federal agencies have also done a very poor job submitting records of people who should not be able to purchase guns. People have died as a result.
The president should issue an executive order requiring every federal agency to submit a plan to the attorney general for submitting all eligible records into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and requiring the agencies to submit all the records within 12 months.
Perform Background Checks on the Employees of Federally-licensed Gun Dealers:
Currently, there’s nothing to stop someone who is legally prohibited from owning or purchasing guns from working in a gun store. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives should therefore use the authority it already has to conduct background checks of employees during the course of the more than 10,000 gun-dealer audit inspections it conducts each year.
Require Reporting on Multiple Assault Rifle Purchases:Federal law requires federally licensed dealers to report to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives when an individual purchases multiple handguns within a five-day period.
The bureau should expand its multiple-sale reporting requirement through its “demand letter” power to any multiple sale involving either:
A dealer on the southwest border
A dealer linked to more than five crime gun traces in the prior year
A rifle that accepts a detachable magazine and is capable of firing a round larger than .22 caliber or any tactical shotgun with a pistol grip
Move the ATF to the FBI: In recent years, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has become a beleaguered agency that is unable to adequately fulfill its mission to oversee and enforce federal firearms laws.
Senate Republicans have made it essentially impossible to confirm a head of this agency and the position has been vacant for seven years. For reasons such as lack of funding, limitations on its activities included in appropriations riders, and a leadership vacuum, the bureau is simply incapable of functioning properly as a standalone agency in its current state. Moving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives from the Justice Department to the FBI will allow it to actually perform its vital duties.
BOTTOM LINE:
Tomorrow, the Obama administration will announce its own specific proposals, both legislative and executive, to stem gun violence. It’s time for Congress to take up and pass proposals to stem gun violence as soon as possible. We can’t wait for another tragedy like Newtown and we as a society shouldn’t tolerate 33 gun murders every day.
January 16th, 2013 at 8:14 am
test
January 17th, 2013 at 9:26 pm
Howie, I like your posts about things we wouldn’t have known but for your input, but I love your insights like the one about our bodies.
You could grab a big following if you had your own blog. I am glad that you decided to be a part of Michelle’s she’s my favorite daughter I didn’t have.
June