The United States Debt Limit Explained

[Jill]

It's pretty hard to fault or to not be able to follow the explanation provided in this really well done video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no21PgET3Co&feature=player_embedded

 

[Katiean]

Good video Jill. Now so something will pass, I think Boehner and Reid need to take both of their plans and sit down together with no one else to toss in their two cents ( this means even Berry is excluded) and find a common ground with both of the proposals. Then the two of them could draft a bill that would pass. It isn't rocket science. Good thing too since they shut down the space program.

 

[andi]

I love the explanation of the debt limit, very informative and easy to follow.

The solution on the other hand isn't quite rational. Replacing the guy in charge has made no difference. The same problem keeps happening no matter who is in charge sense 1917. We all need to take personal responsibility for insisting on adding the pool and getting the job for our friend, those are the actions that caused the problem, and we can't blame the person in charge for giving us what we asked for. The idea that replacing the person in charge is going to make everyone happy to give up their unnecessary Jobs and sell their pool table that they payed for with their home owners fee's isn't realistic. This shifting the blame to the person in charge is everyone's way of not feeling guilty for there own poor decisions.

This video is a wonderful example of the sneaky way politics are played. I don't think that it is a coincidence that we have a very non threatening cartoon video, that is very well thought out and informative that explains a lot of information, relatively in-depth. But then in the last few moments throws in, vote out the president and magically the sun will start shining and all of our problems will disappear. I am thinking Tom made this video, and don't see it as a good sign that he will be any different than Steve if he is already spending his time and money makeing manipulative videos to trick voters into getting him in a position of power. LOL

 

[Jill]

Happy you enjoyed the video

At the risk of being accused of having an opinion, I will say that the biggest reasons I identify with the Right / Conservative / Republican side of the fence is how I feel about personal responsibility and National defense

 

[andi]

Of course you have every right to your opinions, I have never questioned that. Just because I voice a different one isnt me telling you that you cant have yours. If you notice my opinion says nothing about republican or demorcrats. It does not group or stereotype anyone. When you say that your opinions on personal responsibilty and national defense make you a republican you imply that liberals are lazy and prefer handouts and don't care if we get killed by terrorists. If we could all talk about these issues independant of what party you are connected to we could get so much farther. If you really think about it, in the video you can see it was both sides getting them into this mess. "Liberals" want a pool, screw personal responsibilty, and the "Conservative" want more guard shacks put up, protect our borders. Both sides need to take responsibility for the mess and the solution and quite blameing it on the other side, or more easily the one single person they all elected to be the scapegoat, cause at the end of the day, thats what the posisiton has become, poor Steve.

 

[Jill]

Of course you have every right to your opinions, I have never questioned that. Just because I voice a different one isnt me telling you that you cant have yours.

Oh, I know. I was actually making fun of myself because I do realize I am extremely opinionated. Go figure, though, that it doesn't bother me

When you say that your opinions on personal responsibilty and national defense make you a republican you imply that liberals are lazy and prefer handouts and don't care if we get killed by terrorists. ... "Liberals" want a pool, screw personal responsibilty...

Liberals do not have the same set of priorities that I most value when it comes to those items I mentioned (personal responsibility & National defense). If they did, they'd be conservatives. And, yes, I do think most liberals tend to be kind of lazy, love government handouts, and while they don't want to be killed by terrorists, they also kinda don't want to hurt their feelings.

"Conservative" want more guard shacks put up, protect our borders.

YES, please.

 

[andi]

Wow, I just don't really know what to say. Liberals are lazy and are afraid of offending terrorists. The fact that you can write those words, a well educate person who has all the oportunities to be informed, really concerns me. You do understand Jill, people, not just liberals, are concerned about offending INNOCENT, honest, law abiding muslims who are being lumped into the same catagory as terrorists by bigots. Not for one moment are people afraid of offending actuall terrorists. Following the attacks we DID need to be concerned about the backlash against an innocent minority, that was a real issue that we should all be able to admit. We should not be afraid to have empathy towards another human being, and we shouldnt be targeted and considered faulted for feeling that way. The idea that supporting goverment funded financial aid means your lazy. What a simple uninformed assumption. I am understanding why "adults" can't seem to get this goverment thing right. A bunch of overgrown, know it all teenagers . . . it seems all the simple rules of respect for one another and fair civil debate are just something you need to pass some ethics tests in high school.

 

[HGFarm]

Well, I liked that so much I stuck it on my FB. Makes a pretty clear picture to all, except those that would rather still sit with their heads stuck in the sand and pretend that all is well.

Dont worry about having opinions Jill, I do too. Apathy never got anybody anywhere as far as I recollect.

 

[HGFarm]

Ok, I can't help myself- Here are many of the proposed cuts being discussed.... I am not surprized by some of the 'swimming pools', 'pool tables' and other things here. Sugar Program? Ready To Learn TV Program? Economic Assistance to Egypt? (250 MILLION a YEAR?) Eliminate Mohair Subsidies? Huh?

What the... ??!!

Corporation for Public Broadcasting Subsidy. $445 million annual savings.

Save America's Treasures Program. $25 million annual savings.

International Fund for Ireland. $17 million annual savings.

Legal Services Corporation. $420 million annual savings.

National Endowment for the Arts. $167.5 million annual savings.

National Endowment for the Humanities. $167.5 million annual savings.

Hope VI Program. $250 million annual savings.

Amtrak Subsidies. $1.565 billion annual savings.

Eliminate duplicative education programs. H.R. 2274 (in last Congress), authored by Rep. McKeon, eliminates 68 at a savings of $1.3 billion annually.

U.S. Trade Development Agency. $55 million annual savings.

Woodrow Wilson Center Subsidy. $20 million annual savings.

Cut in half funding for congressional printing and binding. $47 million annual savings.

John C. Stennis Center Subsidy. $430,000 annual savings.

Community Development Fund. $4.5 billion annual savings.

Heritage Area Grants and Statutory Aid. $24 million annual savings.

Cut Federal Travel Budget in Half. $7.5 billion annual savings.

Trim Federal Vehicle Budget by 20%. $600 million annual savings.

Essential Air Service. $150 million annual savings.

Technology Innovation Program. $70 million annual savings.

Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program. $125 million annual savings.

Department of Energy Grants to States for Weatherization. $530 million annual savings.

Beach Replenishment. $95 million annual savings.

New Starts Transit. $2 billion annual savings.

Exchange Programs for Alaska, Natives Native Hawaiians, and Their Historical Trading Partners in Massachusetts. $9 million annual savings.

Intercity and High Speed Rail Grants. $2.5 billion annual savings.

Title X Family Planning. $318 million annual savings.

Appalachian Regional Commission. $76 million annual savings.

Economic Development Administration. $293 million annual savings.

Programs under the National and Community Services Act. $1.15 billion annual savings.

Applied Research at Department of Energy. $1.27 billion annual savings.

FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership. $200 million annual savings.

Energy Star Program. $52 million annual savings.

Economic Assistance to Egypt. $250 million annually.

U.S. Agency for International Development. $1.39 billion annual savings.

General Assistance to District of Columbia. $210 million annual savings.

Subsidy for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. $150 million annual savings.

Presidential Campaign Fund. $775 million savings over ten years.

No funding for federal office space acquisition. $864 million annual savings.

End prohibitions on competitive sourcing of government services.

Repeal the Davis-Bacon Act. More than $1 billion annually.

IRS Direct Deposit: Require the IRS to deposit fees for some services it offers (such as processing payment plans for taxpayers) to the Treasury, instead of allowing it to remain as part of its budget. $1.8 billion savings over ten years.

Require collection of unpaid taxes by federal employees. $1 billion total savings.

Prohibit taxpayer funded union activities by federal employees. $1.2 billion savings over ten years.

Sell excess federal properties the government does not make use of. $15 billion total savings.

Eliminate death gratuity for Members of Congress.

Eliminate Mohair Subsidies. $1 million annual savings.

Eliminate taxpayer subsidies to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. $12.5 million annual savings.

Eliminate Market Access Program. $200 million annual savings.

USDA Sugar Program. $14 million annual savings.

Subsidy to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). $93 million annual savings.

Eliminate the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program. $56.2 million annual savings.

Eliminate fund for Obamacare administrative costs. $900 million savings.

Ready to Learn TV Program. $27 million savings.

HUD Ph.D. Program.

Deficit Reduction Check-Off Act.

TOTAL SAVINGS: $2.5 Trillion over Ten Years

 

[Jill]

Great post, Laurie!!! I'm going to be sharing it along!!!

James, we just have two very different points of view. I probably saw things more like you do when I was your age but now and for many years, I feel honestly just as I said and I don't like to sugar coat these things... I am right wing to the bone on all important issues except for one (I support equal marriage rights for all committed couples). Obviously, do not let my opinion, Dennis Miller, Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Glenn Beck, or millions and millions of bumper stickers, signs, teeshirts and coffee mugs shatter your affection for the liberal ideal

 

[andi]

I just can't beleive that this retoric is considered a logical conversation back and forth. How abought explaining your opinions. Dont just say they are mine so thats it. Explain why. WHY should we not have empathy for others. Well actually that one was answered, "it never got anybody anywhere". I guess Gandi and Mother Teresa must have been liberals. The whole point of morals and values is you do the right thing weather or not you get something for it, YOU JUST DO IT. Is anyone teaching this to their kids anymore, what the h*#$.

Correct me if I am wrong, but this list is a list of "pools" that have ALREADY been bought, and this is an example of the new guy cleaning house and stopping what the home owners can't afford.

 

[Jill]

James, you're assigning points of view that are not mine to me, asking me to explain them, and find yourself "outraged" at the rhetoric

 

[Jill]

Here's one of many charts that sums up Conservative vs. Liberal in some key areas. Everytime I read these, I wonder how many people are as liberal as they think... but then I am pretty much as Conservative as I think so it's possible

http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/other/conservative-vs-liberal-beliefs/

 

[andi]

I was not assigning anything to you Jill. My post is in reference to the comments on this thread, some of them not made by you, which is why your name isn't mentioned. I am just asking that if someone wants to voice their opinion on a public forum that they be willing to explain it, excpecially if they are going to act like it was a "teaching" lesson. It is not fair to just say, well a large amount of people agree with me, so there. You know it is not a widely held belief by liberals that they are afraid of offending TERRORISTS. You are obviously referring to the concern about innocent muslims being targeted. That is a realistic concern and not one that should be considered a fault. Why, Jill, do you see that as a problem with liberals, Why does that show a lack of concern for National Security? Also, I'll ask again, doesn't this list show that the right thing is being done?

 

[Jill]

James, I am more concerned about keeping our Nation safe than I am about generating good will. I do favor profiling when it comes to security, as do many Americans. Yes, I want our borders protected (yet you seemed to imply that was right wing extreme). I do not look to government as the answer to personal problems yet that is a hallmark of the liberal-left point of view. I'm not sure what else you want from me as far as an explanation goes... which believe it or not, you are not actually owed.

 

[andi]

There is a massive difference between saying, Liberals are concerned about offending the majority of innocent Muslims, and liberals are concerned about offending Terrorists. The first one is what you should of said, the second one is what you did say and is very hard to explain away. Either you are simply racist, or just were trying to twist the truth to make liberals appear like terrorist sympathizers. I personally think it is the second, I assumed calling you a bigot would motivate you to accept the lesser evil.

You don't owe me an explanation, but I will be on every single one of these manipulative threads, making sure everyone who reads them see's the other side, even though the silent majority has been silenced by the loud mouth minority.

 

[Jill]

There is a massive difference between saying, Liberals are concerned about offending the majority of innocent Muslims, and liberals are concerned about offending Terrorists. The first one is what you should of said, the second one is what you did say and is very hard to explain away. Either you are simply racist, or just were trying to twist the truth to make liberals appear like terrorist sympathizers. I personally think it is the second, I assumed calling you a bigot would motivate you to accept the lesser evil.

You don't owe me an explanation, but I will be on every single one of these manipulative threads, making sure everyone who reads them see's the other side, even though the silent majority has been silenced by the loud mouth minority.

James, in my opinion, you just really don't get it -- but I'm always glad to have you chime in

Just don't count on baiting me into an argument with your thinly veiled accusations and name calling

 

[andi]

I am sorry if they seem thinly veiled, they are not meant to be.

Don't you agree that using the term "terrorist" instead of "innocent muslim who needs to be racially Profiled to guarantee all of our safety" is either racist or an attempt to make liberals look bad. That is not a trick, I admit, either one is hard to admit to, and I wouldn't want to either, so I can understand your refusal.

 

[Jill]

James, I don't think you need any help making liberals look... exactly like what so many of them are.

AND, while I hate to confuse you with any facts -- I never said racial profiling. I never said guaranteed safety. One of my big political priorities is the safety of our Nation. You can try to vilify that if you want

 

[andi]

Jill I have only stated facts. I agree, you used the word terrorists. The second description, "innocent muslim who needs to be racially Profiled to guarantee all of our safety", is what you SHOULD have said, but you said terrorist instead. The second is the ones that liberals have concerns about. I feel that profiling is an important tool that we can use but need to always be aware that it could go to far. When people see no difference between a terrrorist and muslim there is a problem. Like I said, I know you see a difference, you were just saying it to support your agenda and make liberals look worse than they are. If you had a different reason, LOVE to hear it.