On Friday night, Fareed Zakaria talked to Anderson Cooper about the Tea Party. Fareed argued that the Tea Party held America hostage and undermined the democratic process throughout the debt crisis. Here's the transcript of that conversation, lightly edited:
Anderson Cooper: Fareed, you say the Tea Party is anti-democratic at this point. And you talked about the polarization that is occurring. How do you mean that they're anti-democratic?
Fareed Zakaria: Well, Anderson, if you think about what's going on, the Tea Party is trying to pass a particular agenda, which is basically this all-cuts budget. It cannot get it through the Congress of the United States. It cannot get it through the political democratic process that we have, which is that Congress passes something and the president must sign it. That's the normal workings of democracy.
So, instead of accepting some compromise that can get through the democratic process, what they're saying is we'll blow up the country if you don't listen to us. We'll hold hostage the credit of the United States, the good standing of the United States and we'll blow it up.
Now, that is why even Charles Krauthammer, columnist for The Washington Post, fire-breathing conservative urged today in his column in The Washington Post not to go down this path because he called it "counterconstitutional." In other words, they are not acting in the way that constitutional democracy expects you to act. You are meant to respect the democratic process. You try your best to convince to get a majority in the House, a majority in the Senate and the president to sign it.
But if you control just one of those three branches of government, you can't hijack the entire system and say I'm going to blow the country up unless you listen to me.
They have only won one election to one house once.
Anderson Cooper: They're saying they're not holding anybody hostage. They're saying, 'Look, this is what we said we would do to get elected. We've been elected. This is what people elected us to do.'
Fareed Zakaria: Well, unfortunately, as I say, I think they don't understand the workings of democracy. They have not been elected as dictators of the United States. They have been elected to one house in one branch of the American government. The only way you can translate your wishes into public policy in America is if you can convince your branch and the other one, the Senate and the White House, to go along with it.
If you can't, you've got to figure out amongst yourself what you can agree on. This is why it is fundamentally anti-democratic –"counterconstitutional" in the words of Charles Krauthammer - to be trying to do this. It's just an extraordinary act of hostage-taking on the part of the Tea Party. It is holding the country hostage.
And it has already damaged the good standing of the United States. It's very important to understand that Tea Party talks a lot about morality. In a capitalist framework, the obligation you owe in terms of repaying your debts is a moral obligation. When the Visa bill comes you can decide that stuff you bought is stuff that you don't want. You pay the bill.
Then you can have an interesting conversation about how to reform your spending. But you can't renege on your debts.
Anderson Cooper: What do you think is going to happen now?
Fareed Zakaria: It seems very difficult to see how the kind of people you were talking to, Anderson, are going to accept some kind of compromise. Iit seems to me you have to accept that 300 million people in this country, not all of them agree with you. And so you make your best case, you take as much as you can.
They had a deal. John Boehner provided a deal with $3 trillion of spending cuts for $1 trillion in revenue enhancements - all of it through closing tax loopholes, none of it through raising rates.
Now, if that's not acceptable, I really don't know where you go. And my sense is, I hope that President Obama is seriously exploring the possibility of invoking the 14th Amendment.
Anderson Cooper: Really? You think that's a valid option?
Fareed Zakaria: He has the legal authority to simply raise the debt ceiling himself. I think that President Bill Clinton thinks that it is a viable argument. I'm not a constitutional lawyer. But I think we have reached a level of dysfunction here that this is the kind of national emergency almost like a war.
And if the president were to invoke that and if it were to go to the Supreme Court, I have a feeling the court would as it does with War Powers issues and say, 'This is a political issue. We're not going to get involved.' And the president's writ would stand.
Anderson Cooper: And, Fareed, to the Republicans who say, well, look this August 2nd is not really going to be the cataclysm that people talk about?
Fareed Zakaria: Look, it may not be August 2nd. It may be August 4th. Nobody doubts that we're running out of money. Nobody doubts that we have to borrow more money, whether it's August 2nd or 5th.
Is this how the greatest economy in the world should be run that we should be saying, 'We'll take the first 20 cents out of every dollar and pay the debt, but we won't pay the veterans and we won't - and if you listen to what the congressman said to you, Anderson, he said, 'I don't want any tax increases. No closing of loopholes. I want to pay the interest on the debt. I want to look after our seniors. That's Medicare, Social Security. And then I want to look after the army.'
Well, you know, I've got news for you, Congressman. There ain't much money left. If you aren't willing to cut any of those things and not willing to raise tax revenues then you're going to have to rely on magic to somehow balance the budget.
That's all the big money. That's where it is. It's not in some mythical waste fraud abuse. The bulk of the money is in Social Security, Medicare, the military, interest on the debt.
You can abolish the space shuttle program and the Department of Education and that's going to get you four days' worth of money.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
I hope that the Americans have learnt a lesson with the Tea Party and that they won't support any of its presidential candidates. Anybody who doesn't have the country and the people's wellbeing but his self-interests in mind is not qualified to rule the country.
And that's PRECISELY why they will win. This is the logical conclusion to our nation. That the perversity of Ayn Rand's objectivism, the Tea Party is composed almost entirely or these characters that are the very image of the corrupted government incarnate, yet they themselves hold themselves up as paragons of the very ideals she espoused, hyper-individualism and anarchic-capitalism.
My guess is that you are a socialist, a Marxist... one who agrees with the re-distribution of wealth, and that there are a select few who possess the intelligence to lead us. Is that correct?
Kevin – Do you not agree that there are a select few that have the intelligence to lead us?
ROFLMAO at your insane pseudo-intellectual rant. They will win because they have the people at their backs like at no other time in American history, despite the constant hatchet job by CNN, MSNBC and the leftist media. PS – The company takes orders often for 100s of 1000s of dollars from government agencies spending money for things they don't need just to set the following year's budget basis. Stopping THAT is the essence of the Tea Party.
When you ask Obama and the current govt where are the jobs? They say that it is the private sector that creates jobs. So I have two questions/comments:
1) If the private companies creates jobs then they should be given more incentives to create jobs. More jobs, more money in circulation, number one way to stimulate the economy. When people will have money, more income and sales tax will be generated.
2) Since govt doesn't do much why are they asking to raise taxes. Well, they (including GWB) spent $2T in stimulus which didn't do anything.
I am not a Tea Party member but I agree with the general philosophy that we need to curb the useless spending. I personally wouldn't have voted to increase the debt limit because the more opportunities you have to borrow, you will end up borrowing and eventually land up in the same situation where you started.
The point is that many who have been frustrated with the government spending and waste are finally stepping up big (especially after the stimulus waste, the healthcare costs, the sheer amount of debt piled on in such a short amount of time, etc),..
Zakaria and many don't understand what the democratic process is,.. we elect representatives to represent our point in congress,.. these Tea Party members are actually doing what they were elected to do,... this is the democratic process in its truest essence and what this country was founded upon,... sorry that these people didn't bend over like almost every other politician,... that is why they will get reelected and maintain a presence for years to come
I am also against raising the debt ceiling unless a huge amount of cuts take place,.. so I think that much more needs to be done,... this country has been a financial disaster waiting to happen,... living week to week and paying off the payday loans by taking out more payday loans,... eventually it is a bubble that bursts,.. and if we don't take strong measures now,.. then we really will have an economic collapse, (the overhyped hysteria around the recession is what is likely to actually take place for instance)
The thing the Tea Party doesn't get is that raising the debt ceiling is our only way to pay our bills.
The RepubliCONS ran up all of the debt. Reagan tripled the debt. Bush I added more yet. Clinton actually ended up with a surplus and Bush II blew everyone out of the water and more than doubled the debt even though he was handed a surplus.
VooDoo economics does not work!!! We have had 30 years to see it is a sham.
I agree we need to cut waste. I agree we have places we can cut. I also believe that money in the hands of 294 million people is better than it all being concentrated with 6 million people.
Raise taxes and if the wealthy don't want to stay they can go. Try low tax places like Somalia. They also won't have anywhere to sell their stuff as the US buys more than anyone else.
LEE, are you insane? the teabagers have almost no one behind them, unless they are rich, or hard core christian, and who cares about those nutbags.
This is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle becomes a precedent for a second; that second for a third; and so on, till the bulk of society is reduced to mere automatons of misery, to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering... And the fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression."
–Thomas Jefferson
so...the tea party congressmen doing WHAT THEY WERE VOTED INTO OFFICE TO DO is wrong?
You honestly think that is a valid excuse? When you're actively trying to DESTROY a country, then yeah, I think that is wrong, and anyone who voted them in is wrong. They should know better. Peoples lives are not a game. If you can't compromise, they need to step down and let those who can, do so. They had their 15 minutes of fame, and now they're going to be ostracized for acting the way they did.
Politicians are voted into office as representatives of the people that voted them in. The voters are the bosses. THAT is a true democracy.
Anyone who voted for a Tea Party candidate EXPECTING them to hold a gun to the head of our economy is of questionable patriotism.
Everyone in government is there to represent those who elected them, not to ride roughshod over other politicians, other views, other voters. The Tea Party doesn't represent the nation as a whole. Trying to force their view on others shows a lack of respect for other citizens.
14trillion? and more debt and more spending and even more expansive government and again more debt and again more spending and again more expanding government. Some of us can actually see the lunacy and the eventual self-implosion. Thanks to everyday citizen with sense, the tea party, at least light is being shone on the very, very unsound economic congressional and lobby-laden directives. The federal government is obese. Or don't you get it?
The people who are trying to destroy this country ARE THOSE who want us to spend beyond our means. We are already spending over 40% of federal revenue as interest on national debt. The more we borrow and spend that number would simply go higher.
Obama has already raised the national debt by $4 trillion in just three years from around $10 trillion to $14 trillion and the lefties like Fareed are rooting for even more increases to the national debt without cuts in spending.
The retarded left supported by people in the liberal media like Fareed would see to it that this country goes down the road of Greece or Spain or Portugal. They believe that taxing more is their way of getting out off of their unsatiated need for spending out of our means. Its never about living within our means. These lefties are bringing this nation to a disaster.
Caspian, you're not thinking. You're just expressing knee jerk insults. I expect a lot of that as the next election nears. Half-truths, untruths, spin. Hopefully most people are informed enough to pay no attention.
Jean,
Tea party members (I am not a member) are legitimately concerned about the national debt situation and the fact that the democrats are unwilling to curb their enthusiasm to borrow and spend and ruin this nation. They do have a right to be worried about higher taxes and more spending on borrowed money. Since they will be impacted by the higher taxes. Don't they have a right to be concerned when someone wants to pick more money from their wallets to pay for their excessive spending habits?
Perhaps you don't care as you may not be impacted by the tax hikes or the increase in national debt. But those who end up having to cough up the money to pay for these ultimately have a legitimate right to be concerned. Now, does that sound unfair to you... then so be it!
And by the way... its the leaders of your party like Biden and others who throw insults around calling tax payers names like "terrorists".
I'm not worried about raising taxes, I'm ready to support. Raise taxes, cut spending (federal aid to nations that take advantage of us, for example), our only focus right now should be this balooning debt and everyone needs to sacrifice to reach our goal.
Well in that case, the Nazis in WW2 were elected to execute thousands of people. They were arguably just doing their job and representing the views of the people who elected them. Is that a valid argument?
Let's say somebody gets voted into office to get rid of all mosquitoes. They get into office, and find out the only way they can do it is to nuke the entire planet. Would it be wrong for them to glass the Earth?
If so, then "doing what they were elected to do" is not an absolute defense, and I would say "yes, it is wrong for them to threaten to destroy the Country's economy to fulfill an absolutist campaign promise".
Vesstair,
That the Tea Party is 'threatening to destroy the country' is a phrase coined by the extreme leftists in the democratic party, since they challenged the never ending cycle of increasing the national debt ceiling without corresponding cuts in spending. Tea partiers know who will end up footing the bill for increased spending and national debt – the tax payers like them. Not the leftists or the supporters of the welfare nanny state who voted them to power.
George C,
Nazis weren't exactly elected to power, if you have studied world history to begin with! Comparisons to Nazis are quite juvenile, when the Tea Party has been raising legitimate questions of ever expanding debt ceiling to accommodate increased spending on BORROWED money that puts the nations economy at severe risk. Obama promised to create millions of jobs and bring unemployment down and see what the increased federal spending has brought. Persistently stubborn unemployment rate at nearly double digits and an increase in national debt by 40% in just THREE years.
Yep. It's wrong. When 40% of the country is full of bat guano, and elected politicians do what those people want, the country gets run into the ground.
That's what happened when George Bush and the Republicans ran everything in 2000-6, and it looks like that's what's happening again.
The only difference is that this time, the wingnuts only control one of three major pieces of government. The other two (Senate, and President) are merely too cowardly to stop them, and keep caving every time the Teabaggers throw a temper tantrum.
Yeah. What a concept. No wonder the socialist communist are screaming bloody murder. By the way I hope this wacko Fareed Zakaria gets some professional help. He is clearly very very mentally unstable.
Really? Who here elected these teatards in order to ruin the country's credit rating and ensure we all pay massive interest on every loan we take out? Funny because I thought they were also elected to create JOBS, but no luck on that front. Perhaps what the feudalist right wingers can't grasp is that we need BOTH spending cuts AND tax increases to pay down this debt.
Really? I am so confused as to how there is even a relationship between cutting spending and the increase of taxes. These are 2 separate issues entirely. Isn't this like saying before I act fiscally responsible with my wallet...you, my boss, has to give me a raise....huh? How stupid is this. The Tea Party was doing as asked...and instead now we have accomplished next nothing. Who the heck is Fareed Zakaria, a CNN host, that he should be interviewed, by another CNN host, about what he thinks. Who cares what you say Fareed! Sometimes you just have to stand up for what is right!
Come on people....Dems and Pubs.....get us out of this debt!
Um...Fareed Zakaria is amongst, if not the, most respected political commentators and journalists in this country.
If you don't know who he is, that's your shortcoming.
And oh yeah...he's a centrist as well, and extremely thoughtful in his comments.
If he's calling the Tea Party a bunch of hijackers, then they've earned it.
Are you serious??
Deficit = Revenue – Spending. That's how they're related. Have you ever take a math course?? Here's a problem for you:
If I take 25% of Billy's salary away today. And tomorrow Billy can't pay all his bills, would you say Billy has a spending problem or a revenue problem?? Remember, these are bills he ALREADY owes! Think about it....and please show your work for full credit.
Fareed is a another left wing hack. The tea party has completely changed the political narrative. Just 6 months ago our socialist leader, Obama, was talking about all the new programs and expenditures that he wanted to implement. No longer. When the numbers came out on how much this countries monthly income vs debt obligations were, the American public was shocked. You can't live like that. Freeloaders and left-wingers, your days of spending our money like drunk sailors are over.
Keith, I can't wait till you feel the cuts. My experience of those who think they believe in smaller government and more independence is that they don't realize how much they benefit from government spending.
major flaw in your argument!
Deficit = Revenue – Spending. That's how they're related. Have you ever take a math course??
before you can determine how much revenue you need, you must first determine what your bills are! not just ask for more revenue! problem is gov't spends unwisely then asks for more revenue...first fix spending, then talk revenue!!! after all, if you only make 1,000 a month, you wouldn't be foolish enough to spend 1,500 would you? gov't does, then says i need 1,500..then gets it and boosts spending to 2,000..the asks for more and gets it! and on and on and on....
Fareed is just another colored foreign hater of America. Start there.
1) You have to show that raising taxes actually results in increased revenue to the federal government in this economic environment. The real question is: where are we at on the revenue vs taxes curve for this economic state? That is, if you start at a 0% tax rate, the government receives $0 in revenue. Now start increasing the tax rate and revenue increases; but at some point, as the government redirects capital from growth sectors, the revenues will decrease due to the drag the government is placing on economic growth. So where are we on the curve?
2) If my wages were cut, my first priority would be to reduce my outlays to see if I can manage on my reduced income. If I cannot manage, then I would seek other opportunities. But I think it's clear that Medicare is completely out of whack and must be redone before the baby boomers are all back in diapers. As far as I'm concerned the baby boomers have ruined the country by voting themselves all these benefits that they thought they would be collecting on now. Losers.
3) Fareed is a well-known liberal. I don't respect his opinions or the ideology that drives them.
At Keith in Houston
There is on elittle detail that you are omiting.. the biggest spenders were Regan (six times the original debt. from between 600 to 700 bilions debt to 3.5 trillions), and your buddy Mr Bush from 4 trillions to more than nine trillions.. how do you justify to blame the democrats.. Clinton hadf a surplus when he finished his term.. these are real numbers, are you that fanatical follower of a political party? or just plain stupid?
No one asked the tea party to ruin the US's credit rating to get the job done. Furthermore, both the dems and the main stream GOP comprimised many times to reach argeements that would have put into legislation far more spenting cuts and tax loophole closures (no new taxing) which would have meant $4 trillion in savings/revenue. Instead, the Tea Party held a gun to Boener's back and the only thing he could settle with is this crap two part deal to reduce the debt by only half as much while barely avoiding a default. Breaking the system doesn't fix it. It take's comprimise. You control only the house so ruining the country when you don't get your way hurts everyone far far more then finding the middle ground!
dude looks like a terrorist to me. i don't overspend my budget and neither should this country. that's what the tea party is trying to correct. let's get rid of over 1 trillion in debt by repealing obamacare. unfortunately, our pres is a loser.....
Part of the reason for the increased deficit is that job losses from the recession and from outsourcing has meant fewer people paying taxes. But corporations just keep sending jobs overseas. (Last week, GE and its Xray division.)
The US pays more for health care per person than many other countries, without better results. Obama's health care plan, if ever allowed to function, is meant to result in lower costs. That's why so many in the medical industry are doing their best to destroy it.
You said, "Dude looks like a terrorist to me."
I say, "You sound like an imbecile to me."
Apparently Jean doesn't realize that Obama is GE's slappie....they used him to drive the energy narrative in their favor, and yes, surprise, surprise, they pay him back in the expected manner.
mr sluggo, balancing the budget has nothing to do with the debt ceiling.
You're just proving the growing impression that the teabaggers have no clue what they're talking about.
You saps are OUT come next election.
mike,
your right, the issues of spending versus credit can be handled separately. However, if not negotiated together, its not going to get much done. After all, politicians vote for spending bills than need to vote to raise the credit limit for the spending bills they just voted for. Conflict of interest? Any chance that debt ceiling isn't going to get raised?
The Tea Baggers do not understand history or economics (and many other subject areas for that matter). If this movement of outrage over 'out of control government spending' would have occurred during and directly after the Great Depression, we would probably not have the privilege of bickering on these forums as we are enjoying today. It is economics 101 that in times of prosperity, government spending such be decreased, Bush did the opposite. When the economy tanks, tax revenue decreases, because of unemployment and decreased demand. So the government needs to intervene to stimulate the economy by spending. Gov't spending creates jobs too! So Obama, being a college educated person, listened to the economic leaders and increased spending. Some may argue not enough to be truly successful, BUT it did prevent a greater depression. Tea Baggers need to understand that the budget will be balanced eventually, but it requires a balanced approach-both cuts and revenue increases (letting the Bush tax cuts on 250k+ households, expire) ONCE the economy stabilizes.
For the first time in recent memory the American people have gotten Washington's attention. Our current problems have come to a boil because of the very CULTURE of Washington. The PERFECT must not be the enemy of the GOOD.
With appalling predictability and regularity Congress has spent every dollar up the preceding “debt limit” and then some. It has for far too long been thought by our “elected ones” that if they spend it, we, the people, will pay for anything and everything.
The courage of the Tea Party people in the House and their stand on the debt ceiling brought the scissors to the credit card Congress issued to itself and continued to raise the limit on. Like the old prospector with the 2×4, this mule’s attention has finally been gotten. There will eventually come to pass NEGATIVE government growth because everyone is now aware that the "money tree" is bare for the foreseeable future!
Just think! Politicians are going to have to PRIORITIZE, and then stand in the winds that then blow. I find this both amazing and highly encouraging for the future of the country. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
You didn't really read the article, did you? It's a myth beloved by Libertarians that there's a lot of waste in government. Some, sure, there's bound to be. But the waste is like a speck of dust when you look at the amount the government spends.
No doubt you think government should spend a lot less. When you talk about priorities, don't think about the few examples you've heard of silly expenditures or of people scamming system. Think about the services provided and the responsibilities for law enforcement etc and consider how many things you truly believe the US doesn't need. Should infrastructure be allowed to crumble? Should education become less available and less effective? Should Homeland Security have fewer resources? How about the FBI and the CIA? Should people go hungry? Vets receive worse care than they already do, after their sacrifice? and so on
Words words words, yet not a scrap of viable understanding of issues to be found. Just hollow rhetoric. You teabaggers should just move to a country that reflects the fruition of your values, like Somalia.
Jean,
I work as a government contractor and I can assure you that there is plenty of waste in the government to go around. Trillions worth? No, but enough to contribute to the solution. In my program our computers are replaced every 3 years, a third at a time. It might sound reasonable, but the fact is that most are office computers where reports are made and replacing them every 5 years wouldn't hurt a thing. In the small program I work for alone that would result in 1.3 million dollars in savings over 10 years on just the hardware. Just how many office computers does the government own? That is just one small example of waste in the government.
Now, our program recently changed contract owners and some of the crew was laid off. Most of them planned to retire anyway and are enjoying retirement and unemployment at the same time. If they weren't on unemployment the government would save around 300,000. Again, just a drop in the bucket, but again we represent a very small segment of the U.S.. I think adding a requirement to the unemployment laws that call for up to 16 hours of community service each week would reduce the fraud, and help our communities while still giving the unemployeed time to search for a job. You could look at doing something similar for those on welfare who aren't also employeed. If our government is going to pay people, we might as well get some work out of them even if it isn't much.
so, they forced gov't to make hard decisions on outrageous spending on broken processes and departments and that is bad thing? gov't should have just arbitrarily raised debt limit and borrowed more from China? who do you think is ACTUALLY getting the money gov't spends? you? what scares me is you are not alone in thinking this way! step back and really read my words!!! but most importantly, when the democrats had control of house, senate and presidency last year, why didn't they pass a budget then? why is this being blamed on minority republicans and tea party? because they were FORCED to make decisions and if those decisions go wrong, blame repubs if they go right it's because of their wonderful leadership! sigh...we're screwed!
btw, there is something very wrong if our economy is built around gov't spending!
Something wrong if it's built around shopping, too.
hehateme, I'll bet you can't explain why. You don't know. You're just a parrot.
actually it is quite easy. We live in a capitalistic economy where there is private ownership (non-government) of business. The government doesn't produce anything on its own, thus it is a consumer.
We should vote in a Tea Party Republican because they DO have the country's best interest at heart. They understand that we have to balance our budget and It's only going to happen if there's pain and drama involved. So, we just witnessed the pain and drama.
The debt ceiling has been raised 79 times since 1960, all with promises of getting our fiscal house in order and cutting spending. Well, the first 78 times, none of this happened! This is why voters finally woke up in November 2010 and sent a swarm of freshman Republicans to Washington to stop the insanity! They did their job. Now, thanks to this debate, the nation understands how close to the abyss we truly are, and they understand that we can't continue borrowing and spending money. I applaud these brave souls who withstood tremendous backlash for doing what they were elected to do.
Sam, the debt ceiling was raised, yes. But the GDP increased as well. If you set a static cap on a growing system, OBIOVUSLY that cap will need to be revisited periodically. This will never change unless the ceiling is set as a percentage of GDP (or something similar), rather than a hard cap.
Once again, you guys don't understand themost fundamental aspects of the issues you go on and on about.
Do you really believe that the leftists who root for more spending and bigger government have the best interests of the nation in mind? They love to offer more freebies in services so that they would get re-elected. They are NOT doing this in the best interest of this nation.
The national debt has gone up by nearly 40% or $4 trillion in just three years under Obama! The federal budget has more than doubled in the last 10 years. All this at the expense of increasing the national debt. We will soon get to the point where a major portion of the federal budget is devoted to paying interest on national debt, which is at 40% now. Who are we helping?... the Chinese?
This demand for more spending using borrowed money has to stop before it ruins this nation. And people in the liberal media like Fareed are not helping the cause.
why is it that the brainwashed keep spouting that the 'lefties' created the debt? The facts are the opposite, Reagan, and Bush II were the biggest contributors and they both could spell veto. None can match Bush II – is he a 'leftie'?
I'm not sure why the Tea Party is getting such a bad rap. I know jobs and the economy are of concern but reigning in the national debt needs to be debated and resolved at some point. And besides, Obama's #1 priority was supposed to be jobs and then he went ahead and pushed through ObamaCare. Yup, jobs was CLEARLY his priority after giving the inaugural address. 1 month focusing on debt vs the rest of his term where he was SUPPOSED to be focusing on jobs/economy every other month he was in office does not seem like its holding the country hostage. Obama could have very well made this an issue a long time before this debt vote came up for discussion. If there isn't some type of made up crisis when would the debt issue every be discussed? Now it will be mostly out of site and mind again until its time to vote the national debt higher again. Besides, it was all scare tactics anyways perpetrated by good old Obama. Notice how it was the elderly with their social security checks who were on the chopping block and not military contracts? There was never a real crisis anyways. The interest payments on the debt is about $20 billion per month and we bring in $200 billion per month. That could have easily been paid without risk to defaulting. The fact that there is even interest to pay at all is one of the greatest frauds against the american people. We only have to pay interest because the Federal Reserve Board was established. As a result, we have to pay inflation tax as well as interest tax. Without the Fed, we'd only have to be the inflation tax.
But go ahead, please feel free to waste all my money on crap I don't want. Force me into servitude longer every time the debt ceiling is raised. Go ahead pile on the debt to those unborn yet. We don't ever need to talk about it. It will just magically go away somehow if we ignore it. Ignorance is always bliss. You do realize that with a 30% tax bracket that means 10 years of your salary goes directly to the government don't you? With an average salary that's about $500,000 that each individual sends over the course of their lifetime. And what do we have to show for it? the promise to steal even more money from us because $500,000 wasn't enough for their greed.
Please look at the facts, and don't listen to the phony emotional rhetoric Oh wait, we're just a sound bite nation anyways. Start looking at the facts and not those stupid one sentence tag lines.
Well, FAREED is just another colored foreigner who hates American. What foreign country are you from, Mr. J. Von SHUT THEEFUP ?
J. Von -
Are you kidding??? Please tell me that you are a visitor to this country or not old enough to vote. I'm always amazed at people that have abrogated their personal responsibility to be educated about the political process in this country, the issues and the respective party positions, and the truth about the motives of those that are in power. I personally live by two beliefs: 1) Old money and long term power lead to corruption and 2) Any vote that liberals are willing to gangpile on is a direct defeat of the American ideal! Don’t be foolish and don’t get your info from a single source. Read not just what you agree with, but also from sources that will provide some perspective with which to assess your beliefs. Oh yeah, and please stay away from the voting booth until you grow up!
Another word for "Tea Partiers" is voters. The voters are speaking. If the current legislature doesn't listen, they must speak louder. Mr. Zakaria is incorrect. He is the one that does not understand democracy. It is the tyrant that tries to silence all opposition, not American voter. Oh, and the founding fathers, that formed this country and created our democracy, never voted to raise the "debt ceiling".
I have to agree that the Tea Party is holding America back and is a dictatorial process they are trying to get to America.
Fareed and many other liberals are claiming that the Tea Party is horrible because "they won't budge from their principled positions". Gee, how horrible is that? Someone in one party is doing what they said they would do. Chris Mathews and others are now resorting to calling Tea Partiers "terrorists". Funny...they won't call the radical Muslims that ACTUALLY kill people "terrorists". How does a liberal even breathe when their brainstem is obviously not attached? $15 Trillion GDP, borrowing $120 Billion/Month to pay bills, but spending isn't the problem????
I have leanrnt that this country is being perverted and deluded by progressive socalists and that the tea party is trying to save this country from people trying to tear it apart. Fareed Zakara should go back to the country that he came from and talk his smack there. He is always saying /crying about how this country is so messed up why doesn't he get the ***** out and anybody else who doesn't like the principles we were founded on should go with him.
Tea Party folks have an agenda, the same as the extreme left. Who's right and who's wrong is all subjective on which side of the fence you're on. Get over it. People have diverse opinions and agendas. What matters is who's in the majority.
I guess Freed never learned much about our founding fathers or our basic American principles. If he likes socialism, he should try the U.K., but he'll learn that they don't pay as well over there.
You lightly read Democraps don't understand. Someone must control you LIberals until we can get rid of you in 2012. Americans don't want to continue giving money away for nothing. I pray more Tea Party politicians step forward. They are Americas only hope. Our survival depends on them! Can you spend money that you don't have? Well Obama and the Dems can and it has to stop!
There are times when the severity of the situation can, I think, morally justify a person or group subverting the democratic process. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement was ANYTHING but democratic. They didn't negotiate. They didn't comprimise. They didn't sit down with the Ku Klux Klan to try to find common ground.
Yet nobody in their right mind would say that the Civil Rights Movement was "hijacking" the country or ultimately bad for the democratic process. This is because, sometimes in politics, there are issues that are non-negotiable. Continuously running the country into obsene amounts of debt is probably one of those issues.
We as a nation are facing a debt default.We have two choices–to spend as we have and inflate the dollar to do so, or to cut spending. We have seen the dollar drop by half its value in the last decade. We are now below the CANADIAN dollar. It's shameful all of the wars and social spending we've done. We've now gone past our limit.
So what is better? A short term solution for the few causing inflation for us all (no one's retirement checks will be worth anything by then) or cutting back on repeat spending and asking for a balanced budget. The Tea Party asked for 1 penny out of every dollar to be cut. That is not extremism! How much have we Americans been cutting from our own budgets because of this unfair inflation?
I'm not tea party, but I do get what their trying to do.
I think you're missing the point...Concessions in budget cuts are being made. The people who aren't compromising are those who don't want to see revenues raised. They're demanding that we balance the budget on cuts ALONE with no tax increases. It can't be done, so then it's a question of what's more important? Are you more concerned with paying slightly higher taxes and eliminating the debt, or are you just pretending to care about how high the debt is and aren't really committed to fixing it.
This report outlines those responsible for holding out votes on a compromise based on the idea that taxes will be raised, and that group is the tea party. Have you been paying any attention to any news?
Why not cuts alone? How do you balance your household budget? If you can pay your bills, do you go borrow more money? I t may not be completely realistic, but there is nothing wrong with the premise. Trying to cut the budget rather than add to our debt and causing further erosion of our economy should be the way people are thinking.
Cutting back on spending is important. (Both sides agree on this) But at some point after cutting back, you need to get more money coming in. That is why so many in middle class have more than one job. It isn't rocket science. If you are serious about paying off the debt you do both!
You can't control tax revenues!! Revenues are based on economic growth projections. Sure, you can raise rates, but then you might as well forget about any kind of recovery. But... you can control spending. I for one, will never endorse higher taxes, because that is an explicit endorsement of the perpetual wars, socialization of medicine, welfare state, corporate cronyism, etc etc.
If this fabricated debt ceiling crisis is nothing else, it's a rousing indictment of our elected leaders who can't get anything done. Why would we want to send these bungling bureaucrats more of our money?! This is absolutely absurd!
The debt ceiling and balancing the budget are TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES.
You just keep drinking that Washington Cool-Aid, Mike!
Move along folks, nothing to see here!
Did Zakaria say that the Tea Party is trying to blow up America or has someone misquoted him? What did he say?
It was an expression, referring to the economic mess if the US defaulted.
zareed,
too bad you have no idea what you're talking about. must be the reason you're on cnn.
Becuase clearly you do. With smug, empty statements like that, perhaps you should be running for congress. You would fit right in.
Fareed Zakaria – Please read this novel "Nation's Financial Woes Resolution" iRport posted today, any comment from you would be most appreciated. Thank you.
http://ireport.cnn.com/themes/custom/resources/cvplayer/ireport_embed.swf?player=embed&configPath=http://ireport.cnn.com&playlistId=643825&contentId=643825/0&
Fareed Zakaria has been saying for several weeks, echoed by Ali Veshi, what now we are hearing from the sober second look commenters are saying. Paul Krugman is saying very similar things.
The exteme right-wingers are the new Marxists Fareed said, ignorant ideologues pushing a flawed viewpoint with religious zeal.
The reall issue now is not the false debt crisis. The real issue is jobs. The debt issue is manufactured from whole cloth and has no contact with the world of extended time and space. It is not a crisis.
In 2000 we were on track to a debt of zero this year. That was thrown away by George Bush, who bequeathed President Obama a debt of $12 trillion. This debt is wholly a product of George Bush using the same policies the right-wing extremjists are still pushing.
Ali Veshi has called out the right-wingers to provide one hard study that shows taxes hurt jobs. No one has.
The jobs programs we still need have to come from federal spending. The private sector has shown that despite the ARRA stimulus it is not investing in jobs.
Cutting federal spending means cutting jobs, hundreds of thousands of jobs. This is exactly backwards.
This entire drama is a conversion of otherwise reasonable people to the lunacy of the extreme right. This has been a trojan horse operation to grind down the federal government programs the right-wing extremists don't like. This is also a defensive ploy by the very super-rich who should be asked to return to sensible higher tax rates, whose gift from George Bush alone accounts for half of the federal debt.
I am extremely grateful for Fareed Zakaria's learned take and his willingness to go against the general grain, and point to the obvious facts.
Mike Kiley, PhD, MPH
President, Colorado Alpine Advanced Trauma Care Project, Inc.
This logic of the left is so naive. Sure, the problem is jobs. And in a perverted, steroid-induced form of Keynesianism, we pumped trillions of dollars and expanded the government by over 30% in the past few years.. all done under the hope of improving jobs. How has that worked out??
The private sector doesn't need stimulus to hire. They need certainty. Unfortunately, the left just doesn't understand this. With regulation creep all over the place and the 2nd highest corporate tax rate and threat of new taxes, businesses are hoarding cash instead of investing. We have nearly $2 trillion of corporate earnings that are still overseas from our multinationals who won't repatriate the money back, because Uncle Sam will come in and tax 1/3 of it away.
Small/medium sized businesses are disproportionately hurt by uncertainty, overburdensome regulations, and taxation. They don't have the capital to buy political influence. Many entrepreneurs are simply giving up. Why should they take on all this risk only to be demonized by Obama and the Democrat establishment's constant class warfare demagoguery.
Washington can't manage anything. Why should we give them more money? Why should we empower them to manage our economic future? The solution is more aligned with the Tea Party / Libertarian movement... get the federal government out of the economy. They should be enforcing contracts, property rights, limited regulations that are focused on transparency and nothing else, providing sound money. Right now DC's interference is the root of all our economic problems.
Sure would like to see the libs plan for creating jobs and a budget. Don't take that PHD to figure that one out.
Correction:
Fareed Zakaria – Please read this novel "Nation's Financial Woes Resolution" iRport posted today, any comment from you would be most appreciated. Thank you.
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-643825?ref=email
I see. When Lou Dobbs is critical of illegal immigrants, he is fired. When Fareed Zakaria joins the current liberal phrasing and calls Tea Party members terrorists, he gets praised. The problems have developed over decades through actions by both Republicans and Democrats. While Tea Party is a little too far for me, they are the only reason that spending cuts are even a consideration. Apparently, supporting fiscal responsibility is equivalent to treason. To quote a great patriot, "If this be treason, make the most of it!"
Shame on CNN for allowing someone purporting to be a reporter, with his own show no less, to be a political commentator. Just once, I'd like to see a reporter show the facts behind both sides of the story and leave it to the viewer to make up their own mind. It's clear why I stopped watching CNN years ago.
"Just once, I'd like to see a reporter show the facts behind both sides of the story and leave it to the viewer to make up their own mind."
There is such a show ... it is the PBS News Hour. CNN is entertaining but it sure isn't news.
Henry Patrick, the problem isn't that the TP asks for cuts in government, the problem is that they won't even consider raising revenues. The Democrats, particularly Obama, gave in on cuts from the very beginning. The Tea Party Red Guards have been the ones unwilling to give an inch this whole time. They have been the ones on television talking about how default wouldn't be such a bad thing.
GOP solution to everything = Turn the Old, Sick, Poor, Unemployed, and Gay into slaves. Then whip them until they are Young, Healthy, Rich, Employed, and Straight. Or until they are dead. Then turn them into Soylent Green to feed the military. A self sustaining system.
Fareed Zakaria continues to display his selective ignorance, when it comes down to polorizing issues. Please explain to me how the Tea Party is anything BUT healthy in what is supposed to be a representative democracy (while it still lasts, lest it turn into socialism with continuing beaurocratic measures). How fitting that an anchor whom has worked for the establishment his whole career, continues to voice his skin deep opinion and intellect in favor of continuing the establishment trends that this country so deperately needs to break away from. Him and Obama are perfect for each other, and the funniest part is they are both such elitist representatives, that they are miles away from the humble, common sense intellect they WISH they stood for (and conceitedly believe they do). One simply needs to cast an objective eye toward the Vice President's comments about the tea party as "Terrorists," then compare that with Zakaria's OUTRAGEOUS and rediculous comment of how the tea party wishes to "Blow up America," to see where the true terrorism and hypocrisy is coming from!!! Support the little guy! Support smaller, smarter, EFFICIENT gov.= Support the tea party!
I am still waiting for the changge I can believe in! I believe it will never happen. While Obama may have been born an American citizen, he did not grow up in this country. consequently, he does not have the background of being an American child with an American father, growing up with the American experience. what kind of job is a community organizer anyway? Does that provide experience to be U.S. President?
Not in my mind!!
A vast empty space exists. And the only sounds are echoes.
Your limited viewpoint at a time like this is unintelligent,,,, kindest words I can use here.
I suggest you open your mind beyond worrying about Obama being President.
Bush Jr started the debt crisis after year 2000, Obama inherited this debt. Concentrate on this first, and let your mind think of ways to assist your country..... but bashing Obama is really getting mighty stale
The 50th state is not in this country? There is no hope for America.....
So someone with an expanded world-view, and someone who commits to helping the less fortunate is essentially un-American to you? As much as I'd like to disagree, I'm afraid I can't. We're so far from where we were meant to be, and where we could be, and where we think we are...
OH = and if the Tea Party, has enough backing to actually hold the country hostage in the name of REAL fiscal responsability, then more power to them, I say! The real crimes are being comitted elsewhere, cheifly by the establishment pork spending politicians (regardless of party affiliation)
If you read the Tea Party comments on some of these sites, a window opens into the mind set of these people with their tricorner hats off. Rarely a positive comment, always full of vile hatred, mocking, intense hostility. It goes way beyond the traditional conservative message. For example, many comments disparage the elderly for having Medicare and Social Security. Maybe this reflects only a few extremists in their movement, but one has to wonder.
Like any movement, behind it there lurks a fundamental philosophy and it seems the Tea Party ideals are based loosely on libertarianism, indirectly or directly Ayn Rand. Now the problem with this philosophy is human relationships are defined entirely by economic relationships. This is what it shares with Marxism. Duty, obligations to one's fellow man, and social responsibilities are considered suspect. The only duty is to one self, the only happiness is oneself, the only good is oneself. Anyone who demands anything from us is to be damned.
This narcissism is absorbed deeply into the Tea Party's values which continues into a hostility to any government that demands duties in the form of taxation or regulations. Wealth unimpeded is the only highest end. No taxation at all for the wealthy. Eliminate all spending on social programs. The poor be damned. A sort of reverse Marxism, class warfare by the wealthy elite.
Anyhow, this is what seems to be their mind set. The little ironic fact is Ayn Rand was an atheist, having little use for mystical religion. That she should be embraced by a segment of the Republican party is certainly interesting.
Probably one of the most insightful comments I have ever read. Very well articulated thoughts.Thank you for giving me some faith in humanity back.
The poor are not served by the Democrats. The government has a poor record of helping the poor, inefficient, slow to respond, way too expensive.
Government does best when it provides incentives and frameworks. If you want to help the poor go do it. At the end of the day people have to help themselves though, they have to see their options and make a plan and get on the path. Self reliance is the path to liberation, spiritually and economically. Govt programs impede this more then they help this. Go back to the 60's and see the things that were tried and failed so bad. You can not give people pride.
And the "poor" don't want to be helped, they want to be rich
, may be you should get to know a few.
You're not even close. You act as if after you get mugged then perhaps you should be glad to have given to the poor underpriviledged soul that had the knife to your belly. This is not about a war on the elderly or some class or race issue. It is about spending the money collected for our country. It needs to be used wisely. Instead this president and his buds Ried and Pelosi act like its burning a hole in their pocket...they can't wait to spend it on some stupid project like Dune Mice in CA. Look, there are people out there that really need help and projects that really need to get done...so stop with all the bull and do some real work. I am willing to sacrifice...just as some of my Tea Party friends are....but not for the status quo.....
Wait you said to support the little guy? You realize that by simply cutting spending, you're destroying the little guy right? You're saying, average american work your ass off and we will just keep taxing you at the same right. Oh wait, multi-billion dollar company, no no no no you do not have to pay more taxes. Sole cutting of spending is stupid because that is just short term money. You just keep cutting and cutting. Raise taxes on the wealthiest 1% of the country and hey, look at that we have long term money. Support the little guy- support the Democrats
Giving the government MORE power is never the answer. The little guy should help himself and thast exactly what so many of these immigrants do, how about that? Now, I can show you, I know them... Americans need to learn from all the Asians that have come to our shores over the years and see how they have gone from nothing to owning houses and businesses in less then half a generation. Not depending on government jobs or handouts or all the "programs" But, darn, that takes hard work!
JJ
you do realize that most Asians coming to america have a degree already? I work in technology areas and all if not most are here on H1b's visa and then decide to stay. They are well educated and an articulate bunch. Unfortunately, they also take a lower salary to just take the job. I did not have a degree when I came here because I could not afford college here in the states. So, I went back overseas and got a free college degree. Now I am having to move back overseas because of outsourcing. I believe America is a in a downward death spiral and everyone is trying to feed off the carcass and still "make" it. The brain drain is coming....
I don't believe in extremes from either side, so I guess that makes me a moderate. I have always felt that having a 2 party system ensures that neither will get their way all the time & both will have to compromise to get things done. Not only is this logical, but it is the democratic process. Now though, we have these teaparty (gang) members who should in reality be a party unto themselves, but they know piggy backing on the republicans will serve their agenda better & will give them a platform their voice would not have, if they had gone through the normal process. They are leaches who have attached themselves to an established party & are now spreading their true goals. This budget/debt ceiling debacle has been a perfect "testing field" to see how far they can push the government! The fact that they are controlled by people outside the government is somehow not questioned, but it should raise red flags! Why should a political party sign pledges written by non-politicians? Questions need to be anwered!!
Conservative Republicans are just trying to take the country back. We want to slash welfare and illegal immigrant entry and increase deportations. Illegal means illegal! You want to give people $$ for not even trying to work and contribute to society, only to take away from others. This is redistribution of wealth. The sooner we get rid of liberal thinking the better off we will be.
You have no idea what kind of trash you are spouting off. Those illegals pay taxes more often than not. They also contribute to the work force by taking jobs American's feel are beneath them. I don't see you getting mad at companies (American owns and operated) that use tax loops holes, offshore accounts, shady accounting and outsourcing. Do some research, the numbers are fairly easy to understand. Those are far more detrimental than "illegals" you are whinging about. I've got an idea for you. The sooner we get of people like yourself who display an astounding lack of critical thinking ability, the better off we all will be.
Debate about who is paying what taxes is one we should have but useless without looking at the whole tax picture. The media trots out an item about deductions about corporate jets and everyone goes "boo hoo". Then we hear about all the benefits illegals get and someone else goes "boo hoo". You cant discuss tax cuts for the rich without taking into account the enormous taxes the rich pay and you can't discuss taxes the illegals pay without looking at what they are not paying, we need the whole picture. US corporations pay more then European ones and who really pays those taxes anyway? You and I. Our tax code needs overhauling to make it fair.
what kind of taxes do they pay on wine and consumer goods
yes they pay payroll taxes if they are using false names and such
but they are bleeding the system as much as lowlife liberals who think this country owes them a living
I don't know anyone who thinks this country "owes them a living." You're spouting empty propaganda. And the immigrants coming to this country illegally? How about getting angry at the companies that hire them instead of the workers themselves? It's not like they're coming here and starting businesses - they're coming here to work for established companies. Where is your anger toward them?
OK, not the focus here, but since someone had to bring this up...Illegal aliens are not the main problem here, only a smokescreen thrown up by republicans so you focus on the big 'oz', and not the man behind the curtain. US is less attractive for illegals now anyway. Skilled workers don't need to come here illegally. Corporate America has created lots of good jobs: in china and India mostly. The corporate fat cats get lots of bonus and stock options for saving the company $$ on salary as china and India employees get paid 1/4 what US based employees get and less benefits and protections. then the fat cats pay lower tax rate than the ones who are lucky enough to be their secretary, 'cause they're the 'job creators'..meanwhile China and India based employees grow more experienced and skilled
How do I know? 'Cause I'm the middle manager forced to hire them and stay up till wee hours of night managing them. Not that I dislike Chinese or Indians, buy I'd much rather hire either US citizen or legal resident who lives in a closer time zone, and spend my nights on more personal matters, or sleep.
“”Taking the country back.. “” same excuse Hitler Mussolini, and Pinochet had, all of them got the economy to succeed, but the price was horrendous, thousands in some cases millions of people lost their life, and the social price was extremely high.
The Tea party have the same philosophy, lets pay the debt (that the right created) at any cost, if people have to go hungry, is because they deserved. That is the extreme right philosophy.
But remember they created the problem and now they demand all of us to pay for it..
I’ll say we all pay for it, let the big multinationals pay the same tax I am forced to pay..
Fareed Zakaria is absolutely right. The Tea Party, a bunch of ignorant and out of touch, are ruining the country. Thanks to them America will loose its prestige and power, which is already very obvious by the latest Debt Ceiling actions and reactions around the world. We need to change the Congress who is becoming a slave to those backward people. Instead of taxing the rich they want to deprive the majority of the working class of their basic living rights
your just another lazy liowlife liberal looking for a handout
You're just another Joe on the internet that doesn't know how to use the words "your" and 'you're". And you think the republicans represent you. And you make less than $40 an hour. You are a minion. Deal with it.
I am on the same boat, I am not lazy, work for a living, but I expect everybody to pay the same taxes I am paying, is not right some that make much more than me to pay nothing..
America's "power" is and has always been the "power of the purse". The purse is now empty. America's "prestige" lasts only as long as recipients are happy with what they received from us last week. The gravy train is dry, time to face reality.
It's kind of like the undisciplined kids that are everywhere today. Permissive parents don't realize that their little darlings are going to be taught the word "NO" someday. If that lesson does not come from someone that loves them, it will be as harsh as it will be certain. There are always choices...just not necessarily the ones we would like.
Zakaria is an extremest spendthrift and borrower who is wrong, as are many of the folks supporting his position. Think about this: The "debt ceiling" and the requirement to vote on it were perfectly lawfully passed when some adults in the Congress realized that, if there were no ceiling vote, Congress could be depended on to keep throwing more and more money around, not just revenue from taxes but borrowed money. As the number of times it has been raised clearly shows, these adults were quite correct.
Was the the debt ceiling increase never to be voted against? Do you think its designers never intended to enforce a debt ceiling? That makes no sense. Voting for an increase in the ceiling was designed as an emergency step to ONCE IN A WHILE fund the government to solve an emergency need for more funding. Zakaria and friends somehow think the "ceiling" vote is supposed to be a ritual or charade of some kind. No. A vote against raising the ceiling should be made by any in Congress who feel the government is spending too much too fast without good reason. In other words in a situation like the one we have at present.
From Wiki:
"The modern debt limit, in which an aggregate limit was applied to nearly all federal debt, was substantially established by Public Debt Acts[32][33] passed in 1939 and 1941. The Treasury has been authorized by Congress to issue such debt as was needed to fund government operations (as authorized by each federal budget) as long as the total debt (excepting some small special classes) does not exceed a stated ceiling. Since 1979, the House of Representatives by rule has automatically raised the debt ceiling when passing a budget, except when the House votes to waive or repeal this rule.[34]
During President Obama's term starting on December 16, 2009 marks the only time in the history of the US debt that the debt ceiling was ever numerically exceeded. "Extraordinary accounting tools" were used at that time to meet the necessary federal obligations. [35]"
then explain why debt ceiling was raised 18 times during Reagan's 8 years
And please explain all the increases in the debt ceiling AND DEBT under Bush II.
Because that's the way Washington has always worked. Never a reduction in actual spending, just in the rate of growth of that spending.
What part of NO MORE MONEY or UNSUSTAINABLE don't you understand? Our lack of discipline for decades has forced upon us a new reality. Get used to it!
Fareed's rhetoric is exactly why we do not have good public debate in this country. Calling a position he does not agree with "dictators" and "do not understand democracy" creates the polarization and alienation that so hurt us as a nation. He fails to demonstrate any insight into the Tea Party and as such has no business commenting on them, in fact as one who holds himself out as an expert on current events he open himself and cnn open to being liable for this misiniformation. I normally think this guy offers good perspective but clearly he did not do his homework on this issue.
Zakaria wasn't even born here and is CLUELESS about the motivations of the American people who ally themselves with the TEA PARTY. We are tired of LYING, THIEVES, SOCIALISTS and economic TRAITORS who continue to do all they can to destroy the financial well being and future of the Republic. Zakaria doesn't know what democracy is. The Tea Party ORGANIZED democratically, protested that way and GOT THEIR folks elected. HOW is that NOT democratic?
Fareed, you are a flaming IDIOT!
If the TP was brought in to promote fiscal responsibility, I fail to see how helping the country default on its bills/obligations, lose its favorable credit rating, and cost us over a billion dollars (according to a CNN Money article) due to a Congressional impasse qualifies.
I also fail to see how passing on a $4T deal (with $3T in cuts) to reduce spending is better than a $1-2.5T deal (at best) is just to keep from closing loopholes (that shouldn't exist in the first place) and extending more cuts to folks who need them the least–and clearly aren't using their (piddling 3%) extra cash to create jobs. Basically, all Americans just lost another $1 in promised spending reductions over this b.s.
We narrowly averted a potential disaster this time. However, a reluctance to compromise on *anything* may be fine to win a few battles but may eventually cost everyone the war. If no one compromises WE ALL LOSE.
All Americans began as immigrants. You're insulting everyone. You're insulting the whole reason for American's existence. Shame.
Please give us your definition of "Socialist".
I am still waiting – define "Socialist", please.
Think you can respond without resorting to an all-caps ad hominen attack? (ad hominen means personal).
Extremists always call people who disagree with them extemists. Pathetic.
our republic government has never before been so perverted as it is now by the tea party.
murdoch and koch's tea party has figured out that laws don't matter much if the house controls funding..... this has never been done before with such belligerence to one extreme...
the tea party started by defunding planned parenthood, next the FAA and EPA, then the debt limit.......
the tea party is systematically inflicting its agenda on all of America and has neutered all other politicians of both parties including the president.......
what continues to be funded are massive subsidies for health care ($700 Billion annually) and other subsidies in the form of unpaid taxes that have been hidden away in the tax code.... but still the tea party seems to rather like the idea of redistributing the $700 Billion from the middle class to large corporations for health care so funding for this massive subsidy continues on......that subsidy (redistribution of wealth) would quite a dent in the deficit and debt in time
so why is gov't funding planned parenthood in the first place? why does gov't fund most anything? the tea party is about STOPPING gov't funding of things not essential and then being fiscally responsible about things we as a nation have decided are important enough to fund! PLEASE go get some facts about how gov't works and what exactly it is funding! Go read some neutral books on gov't waste MAYBE you'll understand the outrage on why gov't is not doing a good job and giving it more is NOT going to work...in fact, it's downright dangerous to give gov't more!!! THINK don't be a blind sheeple following your parties ideology blindly!
"THINK don't be a blind sheeple following your parties ideology blindly!" – Great advice, Now follow it yourself!
Obama is the shepherd I did not want.
He leadeth me beside the still factories.
He restoreth my faith in the Republican party.
He guideth me in the path of unemployment for his
party's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the bread
line, I shall fear no hunger, for his bailouts are with
me. He has anointed my income with taxes,
My expenses runneth over.
Surely, poverty and hard living will follow me all
the days of my life, And I will live in a mortgaged
home forever.
Joe, have you heard there's been a global recession? Obama didn't cause it. Have you heard about outsourcing? It's been going on for decades. That's why factories are still. Americans want cheap products, stockholders want bigger profits, so businesses send jobs overseas, where the work can be done more cheaply.
The Bush tax cuts have contributed to 3.5 trillion dollars of the existing debt, then there is the two front war being fought that has placed a drain on the coffers. The unemployed can thank the former admin for allowing companies to build factories overseas, pay a pittance for the labor only to line corporate pockets and raise the prices on products produced elsewhere.
Let me ask you this genius, If the products are made cheaper overseas, then why do we pay the same or higher in price? The Tea Party needs to go. Period. There part of the limited base of the Republican party that is scared by social issues and turn out to vote in droves against their best interest.
It is a group of sheep.
Obama and the DEMORATS are the worst thing that happened to the US since 9/11
Zakaria gets a paycheck from the liberal left hes a puppet
secondly he was not born here so who is he to judge this country
Spoken like a true tea bagger.
Guacho? You are probably one of those Mexicans waving your flag at the soccer game in LA. You have no loyalty to America. You just want our welfare checks and jobs so you can send all your money back to Mexico.
Fareed Zakaria is a naturalized citizen of the United States. I suspect as such he knows a hell of a lot more about the U.S. than you, lowlife troll joe. To become a naturalized citizen of the United States, you have to pass a test that illustrates your knowledge of America. I dare you to take the test to see if you can pass it. Many naturalized citizens of the U.S. have made great contributions to our growth. As a matter of fact, practically the entire infrastructure of this country was built on the backs of immigrants, both those who chose to come here and those who were forced to come. Clearly the only way you can express yourself to demonize and denigrate anyone who doesn't agree with you. Do you even know what the word demonize or denigrate mean?
Joe, Conservative: interesting to see how quickly Tea Party supporters bring in knee-jerk judgments and intolerant assumptions. When you disagree you attack someone's race or ethnicity. You have no respect for the views of your fellow citizens. That means you don't respect your country, its history, its origins.
actually I don't like people named joe
The Tea are stupid patriots, who would rather cut off their own nose to spite a neighbor, than to come to a compromise. In any language, that is extremism at its worst.
Holy Toledo! 95 democrats voted aginst the house bill!!! I did not know the democrats had soo many extreme terrorist hostage takers on their side of the aisle!
We need to face the economic reality that there are more Mexicans in the U.S. than there are toilets to clean.
Cut Welfare... I don't want my tax money going to support highschool drop outs, drug abusers, and single mothers. These people had no morals and they are paying the price for it.
You're an ignorant fool. How can you make a statement that single mothers have no morals?
I think it's about time America pooped purple. Maybe now the other 60% of Americans – the ones who don't vote even though they're eligible to – will wake up, engage and start letting their voices be heard.
What democratic process????
Let's get real. We do NOT have a democracy. We never have! The wealthy and powerful control everything in this country, and what political party they belong to, has little to do with anything. Both parties intend to keep the citizens at bay, by pretending to be democratic, when in fact, they intend to conduct a monarchy, with the citizens nothing more than serfs to serve them.
What this action has done, is force the very first small, but real, debt reduction, in the past 45 yrs. The very first time, anyone has reduced the debt, by any amount. Every administration, in both parties, has increased the overall debt of this country......and for what? That has been the gradual undoing of America.
The Dems have become the "welfare party", where they never mention the debt they cause.......they justify it all as the "welfare state". Well, I have news for them......this ISN'T a welfare state. If that's truly what they want, they need to move elsewhere.
The GOP are such money mongers, they would throw anyone under the bus, to make a profit. The saving grace of the GOP, is they spend less than the Dems, and are far more fiscally responsible. As decent people......they come up very short.
This country will never escape the iron grip of these 2 political parties, without a revolution. It just cannot happen, any other way. They will continue to exercise their monarchy, switching sides when one overspends, or the other ignores the needs of the people. The people will remain serfs to those in power.
America, however, will die in the not too distant future, if we don't demand that these political parties take positive actions, to solve the very real problems, threatening our existence. Debt is the most serious problem now, but the other issues that are critical to solve, includes illegal immigration, which neither party wants to deal with. Obama is indeed encouraging illegal immigration, and doing nothing to stop or even reduce it. The Dems WANT illegal immigration, to enable the defeat of the opposition, and take final control forever, because they envision that their "welfare party" will get most of the Latino vote.
No one is doing anything about jobs, whatsoever. They give lip service to that issue only. There has been not one single proposal to actually enact anything that will help the jobs problem. Anyone with half a brain, knows the only way to stop the shipping of our jobs off shore, is to enact a severe tax penalty for American corporations who produce and import their products back into the country, from off shore. That is the only way to level the playing field with China.......because in China, the government owns the factories, employs the people, pays the benefits, and pays the overhead. All the American companies pay, is the price of the product..........so all those other normal business expenses are saved. Why would they even consider manufacturing in the US, where they have to pay all those business expenses? The tax, is all that will change their minds. Period.
Until people can get jobs, there will be zero improvement in our economy. People have to earn money, to spend it, and the economy will NOT improve until people get jobs. The stock market will do just fine......and the rich will get richer, and the poor will get poorer. It will NOT matter which political party is in charge.........because both want to be a monarchy.
You lost me at following up your accurate "We've never had a democracy" comment with whining about the rich and powerful
That is soo true. You have done your research and I could not have said it any better. This is the land of the lost.
Corporations would not hire me to defend them. But it is true that they are responsible for providing us with the highest standard of living the World has ever known. They have their faults, sure. But they know how to destribute merchandise and use creativity to improve our lives.
Small business provides most new jobs at the end of a recession. That has nothing to do with big business (obviously). All we need to do to create jobs is to allow small businesses (with less than 100 employees) to STOP paying their FICA payments for 2 years (for each new employee) if they hire a specific percentage of new employees based upon their size.
Ergo: End of Recession. Period.
sanjosemike
It's funny to watch radcals like this clown backpedal , which is what he will be doing as soon as he finds out the deal has passed both houses .
What you do when someone takes hostages is give them whatever they want, then when the hostages are released you renege.
The Democrats controlled both houses of the US Congress from Jan. 2007 – Jan. 2009. The Democrats controlled the US Congress and the Presidency from Jan. 2009 – Jan. 2011. What happened? The Democrats went on a spending spree that made the recession worse and increased the US debt by $4 trillion. You can't blame that on the Republicans. The Democrats had to force their way on us all and saddle us with crushing debt. That fact can neither be explained nor justified. The Democrats like to call it a moral imperative (although they are against religion).
Excellent post. You left out the part about 47% of the people that don't pay any taxes. They just cry that the rich aren't paying their fair share.
Failed to mention the give aways and spending spree by Bush. He was handed a surplus budget by Clinton. You also need to read your own books when republicans have been in the White House (because all these extremist views vanish as soon as the elephant walks into the white house). Guess under whom the Debt Celing has been raised most number of times? Guess who has contributed more to add to the Debt problems? Republicans!! I am sure name calling will resolve all your anger management issues but both parties don't get it. A conservative party built on compassion doesn't give a damn about poor and the needy ones. A democratic party which is more concerned about their favorite pet projects than the fiscal responsibility. A media which is strongly tilted towards right (yeah right) in every debate which has become a shouting and name calling. Where are the hard hitting journalists who would research and ask tough questions (and take a stand on logical facts and not as per party talking points). Tea Party folks who hide their racist anti immigrant bias (legal or illegal) or democrats who shelter the illegals have extreme policies. High time someone sets up new direction or new party – more common sense, more responsible (fiscal policies), more sensitive, more inclusive and more progressive!
The 'spending spree' was to prevent an economic depression, like the one the world went through in the 30's. It was begun by the previous Republican administration and most world governments did the same thing in their country. Of course, when a problem is prevented you can never know for sure what would have happened. There's a good chance, though, that we'd all be in much worse trouble if stimulus spending hadn't been done. The idea is to recover when the economy improves, not to sink it with cuts while it's weak.
Zakaria is off his rocker. We can't keep overspending and remain a free nation. I'm not a big follower of Zakaria because I dont see him as part of the solution in America. In fact, I see him as just the opposite, and the sheeps clothing seems a bit out of place on him.
It does not matter what occurs the American taxpayer always gets screwed, period. Both sides only care about themselves and the money from special interest groups funding them.
It's not the Tea Party, the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, or any other...Our Congress is failing us.
The Tea Party did just what they said they would, and why they got elected. They said "No more 'business as usual'". GOOD FOR THEM. Don't cave to the machine that has driven our government to unbelievable size. We can't afford to live like this ANYMORE. They won't CAVE to 'deals'
And here we have another example of CNN's objectivity. I don't need CNN to tell me what their opinion is. Report news. You know "facts"? I don't need Zakaria or any other CNN tool to tell me what I should think. All you are doing is preaching to the choir. It's funny, the democrats have 0 blame for this whole thing? It's only the tea party? You hear comments like "they were trying to destroy our country". Yes, fiscal responsibility will destroy our country. Borrowing and raising the debt ceiling however makes us strong, right?
Me, media outlets have always had opinion pieces as well as news. All of them, including Fox etc.
Although I don't entirely support Tea Party ideas, I think they are legitimately concerned with spending. I don't get the impression that they have any "sacred cows" when it comes to spending. They also criticize military spending, which the Repubs rarely do. Although Tea Party advocates would not "hire" me to defend them, I can understand their points.
We currently borrow 42 cents on every dollar the US spends. How can this be considered reasonable? We are printing money like crazy to help cover this debt and encourage liquidity. How can that be considered reasonable?
The Tea Party does understand Democracy and used it successfully to get their point across. That is no different than, say Mothers Against Drunk Drivers who used Democracy to get laws against DUI's toughened and enforced. They had the double challenge of convincing drunk legislators to this goal.
Tea Party used Democracy the way it was designed to be used: Legally, morally and properly. We have been held hostage by our spending, not the Tea Party.
sanjosemike
Just think about this for a sec – when Clinton left office there WAS NO DEBT! Bush, with 2 wars, tax cuts, deregulation of anything regulated, this is why we are in this mess!! With just the deregulation alone in finance and housing almost destroyed, might destroy this country! When you have millions of people out of work, not paying taxes, these are the kind of problems you end up with. I see talk of socialism – well guess what? We are almost a socialist country! With all the subsidies (ultra rich/corporate welfare), SS, Medicare (regular people welfare) we are almost there!! Why do you think the GOP was so adament about NOT CUTTING LOOPHOLES??? Corporate welfare!! Even with the bush tax cuts – all these companies are stockpiling cash instead of doing what they were supposed to do – HIRE PEOPLE!!!
Tie the corporate tax rate to the unemployment rate – the more people out of work the higher the taxes!!!
But the bottom line is this : the reason the tea baggers and the GOP will not cooperate for any reason is because a
BLACK MAN IS PRESIDENT!!!
that's right, play the racist card as if that will solve everything.
Shame it's true. No President in my life has suffered the kind of disrespect that this one has recieved. It is typical of the hillbilly republicans though. If he was a Jew he'd be dead already.
You were actually starting to make sense until you made the dumb statement about a black man as President. You have no clue...it's the congress that controls just about everything in this country. And until this morning they have been spending not only every penny we have, but every penny we'll take in for decades to come!
The so called "Tea Baggers" will go down in history as the out-cast group that saved the United States for bankruptcy.
Again, this is not a race issue–GO GET SOME HELP WITH THAT, it will eventually destroy you!
He's black? How'd that happen?
When the lunatic fringe possessing the mentality and reasoning ability of six-year-olds are allowed to totally disrupt the U.S. governmental functions, we are indeed in severe crisis. The puppeteers, Koch brothers, etc, who enabled and control them have planned well far ahead and will accelerate their intent to exert more disastrous control if not contravened. This threat is the a far greater danger to the American people than Communism ever was because we were able to oppose it. Such obscenely massive wealth utilized with all deliberate intent to control insidiously is the most severe challenge our country has ever faced. Politicians will never accomplish the task because they are in awe of them!
well, for your information the gov't has designated key personnel that never stop working just in case something does happen so the reality is, key folks don't stop going to work because gov't shut down..amazing how ignorant people are of gov't but yet challenge those who challenge the way gov't runs!
That's why the FAA inspectors are flying around on their own dime.
yes the tea confederates party is disgusting, dude like joe walsh, rand paul and ron paul, bachmann,romney are all misfit to the greater good of society. they spew out division among america and for what ? to be spreading racism? and it seem the dummy of america eat that s h h i t up like a three square meal. disgusting. this country was at the blink of civil war b/c of these ignorant people. american of today isnt american of the 17th hundred. a hand full of u tea confederates representative will get whatever u dish out. that the rule of survival. i suggest u confederates member stop the warmongering among american citizen. nobody respect ur ideology of racism. we dont have to like each other, but for certain we have to keep america as the untied states of america. the day we decide to divide america into north and south again, it will be the day america have lost it nation.
I DO HOPE AMERICA VOTES ALL THE TEA BAGGERS OUT IN 2012 BECAUSE OF THEIR RADICAL, GREEDY WAYS... THEY ARE TRAITORS TO AMERICA. THE GOP ALSO SHOULD BE VOTED OUT FOR THEIR INSISTENCE ON GIVING BILLIONS TO THE RICH AND THE LARGEST CORPORATIONS.
You are ignorant to the truths of the Tea Party...spend some time and see what they are all about. It's called saving our country!
dear dem troll, so saying gov't spends too much is greedy? i'd think it's just the opposite! my gut tells me, you work for dems and spend all day trolling blogs to slam anyone who is against policies of your party (tea party, repubs, fox news, whomever!)...and yes there are people who do this, i should know i was once one!!!
I am a tea Party supporter and do so gladly. The Parties in power have spent us into oblivion BOTH have. We elected a group of people to come in and BEGIN to change things. They did exactly as hoped. We want cuts to the ever growing bureaucracy called Government. It is too big too costly and can not be maintained. Every department and agency in the government goes up autiomatically 8% a year. Cut this out first-start cutting departments and services immediately. Get our debt under controlCUT It CAP it and then Balance it. Otherwise everyone needs to withdraw their dollar denominated funds out of their 401-k's and invest in a new currency because the dollar will be like toilet paper. No I am not a terrorist Mr. Biden but you Sir are an Idiot.
Re-take America from the Socialists -Join a tea Party near you!! It is our only hope.
Tea partiers are traitors, pure and simple. President Obama was elected fair and square, yet they don't respect our votes and our mandate, yet they want us to respect and bow down to their illogical demands. Why didn't they congregate when GW was ruining this country and causing our future to be indebted to paying for an illegal war in Iraq? And don't tell me things were good for americans during GW terms (one which was bogus), the housing market propped up this country while he was in office and we saw how unreal that all was, it bought the country down and made the middle class poorer.
Tea party = hostage takers = terrorists = unpatriotic
Most of you just don't get it, DO YOU??
You can gripe all you want about the Tea Party, but those people are actually saving our country!! If it were not for the "Terrible Tea Party" our idiotic legislatures would have rubber stamped (for the 75th time) an increase in the debt ceiling without hesitation. You all that are blinded by two-party politics should be thanking the Tea Party people–they are, unlike most of you, getting off their duffs and giving up their weekends and free time to steer this country back on a sustainable path! Just what have any of you done lately, that accomplishes such a task??? Oh, I know, you send a campaign contribution and then type a few words into blogs such as these!! BIG DEAL! I bet most of you that are complaining about the Tea Party don't even take the time to go and VOTE! I say to every one who has march with the Tea Party and supported them–THANK YOU for saving our country!!!
The Tea Party is not solely to blame. We, the people, allowed them to get their power. Much like in Germany, we chose to look the other way, laughed them off as being harmless freaks and now look. No one's laughing anymore. So what do we do? Stay their hostages or take our country back from the lying nutcases?
I've said all along to anyone who would listen that we will regret we ever heard the word "Tea Party." Government by anger & emotion is for the Hitlers of the world.
The problem with the Tea Party is they purport to embody the essence of the original tea party. The original tea party (no caps) was not about taxes, not exactly anyway. It was abou taxation WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. It was about the wealthier and more influential merchants in England paying a smaller tax rate on tea than the "middle to lower class" American merchants. The English merchants had the money, power and access to influence the Crown. The Tea Party is all about NO MORE TAXES, period, the real tea party patriots of our forefathers just wanted to pay a FAIR rate compared to the "elite".
So... one branch of government is not supposed to hold the others hostage, but negotiate. When the President says, if you pass the bill, I will not sign it.. is that negotiating or holding congress hostage?
How can such a relatively small group of activists have such a major impact on policy, I don't get it. Democrats have the Presidency, the Senate, 45% of the House, the tea party caucus is only about 60 members, and the majority of americans view them unfavorably.
As usual, Mr. Zakaria's liberal views continue to dominate his commentaries. Pathetic. When will CNN be objective and really become a MAINSTREAM news source, not a televised version of the New York Times?
You mean more like Fox, right? "Fair & Balanced"
These so called Tea Party people are anti american and have turned out to be one of the worst fringe group to have surfaced in a long time. They do not have america's best interests in mind just their own racist,bigoted agenda. To embarrass President Obama they were willing to bankrupt the country and cause untold suffering to the elderly and low income people,ruin our 401K's and destroy our credibility abroad. Thanks to them the tax burden once again rests on the shoulders of the middle class while the wealthiest get off scott free and corporations don't pay a dime. Those zealots need to move to Russia or China or someplace that shares their lust for power and a single tinted ruling party. The sooner the american people realize this the sooner we can start working together to get this country back on it's feet.
Of course, your rant lacks total credibility since don't know the facts. Facts are a tough thing to deal with when all you can do is name-call and berate.
So, let me give you a few facts: 1. The top 10% of wage earners pay around 70% of all federal income taxes. 2. The bottom 50% of wage earners (includes much of the middle class) pay NOTHING – ZILCH – NADA in federal income taxes.
So, by saying that the rich don't pay their fair share and the middle class bear the burden, you show your ignorance!
The "the wealthiest get off scott free and corporations don't pay a dime". Like hyperbole a little do we? (Let aside the abject fact that the wealthy and corporations foot most of the country's bills. As much as some would like? No, but, still, most.
Sorry Mr. Zakaria, it is unsustainable spending that is still holding America hostage whether it is Democratic handouts to freeloader friends who will vote to keep them in office or the Republican mania for maintaing a military presence at 700 bases in 122 foreign countries when it is very clear that the American Empire has reached its dead end in history.
I like our balances approach. You are right, both parties are at fault here for insisting we continue to spend on their pet projects.
so, the tea party is bad because they think gov't spending is out of control...well i ask you this, name me ONE THING the gov't runs efficiently? JUST ONE! and you want MORE money to the gov't? Amtrack? postal service? TSA? Education? the problem is the gov't doesn't work as is so we really ought to think maybe gov't isn't the answer and more money WON'T fix it!
You must not like driving on paved roads, or police to investigate crimes, or clean water, or electricity, or parks and beaches, or confidence in prescription drugs, or a defined boarder, or....see my point. Love it or hate it, the government, including its spending, is a big reason we live such a high quality of life.
Always left out of the [left's] equation, as a matter of convenience, is assuming that the 'right' when referring to less government means all government at the federal, state, and local levels. The goal is for less federal involvement in local affairs (where appropriate). If local municipalities want to raise taxes to 60% to support their infrastructure that's absolutely fine. Likewise, if they want to provide no services that's fine as well. On the upside, at the local level one's vote actually carries weight. Of course, the downside is that there is less money to do all these great things. There is no right/wrong here, just a difference of opinion on how it should be funded and its scope.
Something tells me that no one is going to say 'fine' if the local gov't raises taxes to 60%. In any case, local municipalities cannot support things like the interstate systems, the FDA, FBI, ICE, National Parks Service. Your point is well taken, but things are never so simple. I live in DC which, believe it or not, is rife w/poverty in certain areas because of an insufficient and incompetent local government. Local governments are no more beneficent than the federal gov't.
And you think Bopal was good? You think Enron was good and efficient and moral? I could go on and on about the crassness and immoral activities of large corporations. Give me the government postal service, libraries, police any day. I don't want a stinkin' private company charging me to save my house from burning. Get real
getreal, you have a fire department whose members work for free and buy their own equipment? You are a lucky guy! Where is this paradise?
Ok.... the United States Armed Services!
Fareed Zakaria, is a puppet of George Soros, and the Obama administration, if you want European socialism so bad, go to Europe
George Soros is as relevant to this conversation as 'floridation of water' or 'the John Birch Society'.
Go sell crazy someplace else. We are filled up here.
If tax cuts create jobs, as the GOP claims, WHERE'S THE JOBS? The Bush tax cuts have been in place for years!
By the way, in economics there's something called the 'marginal propensity to consume/save' (MPC or MPS). Anyone that studies macro-economics knows that $1 of gov't spending does more for the economy than $1 of tax relief.
I'm not sure I would characterize the Tea Party as having held hostages, but if they did, THANK G-D!
Of course the Tea Party held the entire US hostage, they don't give a rat's rear end about "America", only their own goals and greed.
OH no! Let's not pin this on the TEA PARTY.
Let's be very clear....THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE ONLY ONE PROIROTY...TO DEFEAT OBAMA.
The REPUBLICANS DO NOT HAVE THE BEST INTEREST OF AMERICA OR AMERICANS AS THEIR #1 PRIORITY.
If Government is so bad – why are Tea Party folks lining up for Government Offices (Local, State and Federal) !! Let us all abolish few congressional offices or committees that these tea party folks are salivating for!! If Debt was such a problem why did we allow Reagan, Bush Sr or Jr to raise the limits so many times. If its not an issue then why did Obama vote against it in the senate. If Small Businesses/Big Businesses are so good why is their cash reserves so high and they are not hiring (and sending money to offshore accounts, jobs to China, and taking tax incentives from our budget)!! Tea Party folks are estremists who have forgotten that this is country of immigrants (and built by proud immigrants) and none of them had VISAs or Papers when they displaced Indians and Mexicans!! Democrats need to learn how to balance their budget but I think tea party concervatives need to balance their soul and get rid of their hatred towards everyone!
Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas.
Joseph Stalin
I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.
Margaret Thatcher
Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.
Thomas Jefferson
That says it all!
You Bunch of Morons, that is why we voted them! in !! Someone has to hold the rest of these tax and spend liberals in check, The country is bankrupt and you dependents keep wanting more and more. Personally I can't wait to 2012 we will be even stronger and the prince of hope will lead the pack out the door.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/obamas-and-bushs-effect-on-the-deficit-in-one-graph/2011/07/25/gIQAELOrYI_blog.html
The tea party freshman republicans did what was right, and they won!
The debt ceiling has been raised 79 times since 1960, all with promises of getting our fiscal house in order and cutting spending. Well, the first 78 times, none of this happened! This is why voters finally woke up in November 2010 and sent a swarm of freshman Republicans to Washington to stop the insanity! They did their job. Now, thanks to this debate, the nation understands how close to the abyss we truly are, and they understand that we can't continue borrowing and spending money. I applaud these brave souls who withstood tremendous backlash for doing what they were elected to do.
It is all a dog and pony show to get the wingnuts raved up before the upcoming election. It is all a scam. The whole debt limit issue is false. The debt limit is an artificial cap on spending. Since Reagan, this cap has been raised some 36 or more times. It is a usual part of business and honestly, the cap is unnecessary. Look! The US is going bankrupt! Please don't pay attention to the multiple WARS the US is in and soaking the taxpayer dry! Quick! Lets cut education, medicare and social security! We need more bombs! No! Look over there! Forget the wars. Ignore it. Yes people are dying daily, but corporate profits are up. We need more oi.. I mean. Look! The debt limit! Over there!
Mr. Zakaria should get this drilled into his head: we are broke. We can't continue to spend like crazy. The spending party is over. It's tough medicine, but it must be done.
What does this foreigner Fareed know about Americans and how we think? His opinion DOES'NT matter one bit!!
Go back to where you came from Fareed, we don't need you here.
I'll take 100 Farheed's over a bigot like you any day, political persuasion notwithstanding.
Pack your bags also and take Fareed with you.
Cause this country is more yours than mine, right???
Hopefully all of you who voted for these teabagging fools will correct your mistake in the next election.
Its those teabagging fools who kept the well oiled status quo from both parties from accomplishing their inteded goals you dumb a**!!
Yes, everyone will wise-up and think just like you. :rolleyes:
Stay stupid....keep drinking the fools-aid.
Comment was addressed to Kerry of TX.
Zakaria – take the histrionics and shove em where the sun doesn't shine. Like it or not the people in Congress were representing those who elected them in a way that the people who elected them wanted. No different than when your party sticks up for what it believes, or any other party. I'm so sick of the never ending blather and histrionics from every corner.
CNN, to scared to post my previous comment? Go figure, it made sense.
It seems quite obvious to me that we're being held hostage by our massive debt. Even Zakaria admitted that abolishing two Federal programs only covers a few days of our massive spending problem. The "compromise" plan that raises the debt ceiling makes no real cuts – it only slows the rate of growth. If we were to freeze spending now, the CBO would score that as upwards of a 9 trillion dollar cut over 10 years. This plan "cuts" about 2 trillion at best – and from what? What, exactly, is this plan really cutting? It passes the buck to some committee. Our government doesn't want to make the difficult decisions it needs to, and it has barely even acknowledged the fact that we're facing a massive problem.
He's just preaching to his choir; pull out some big scary words and use them in the same sentence as your opponent and that's all you need to do. They all do it. They all sound equally ridiculous doing it, except of course to their own fervent followers who'll believe anything as long as it agrees with their politics.
By defaming a large segment of our elected officials you are illustrating the failures of a two party system. Few industrial democracies are composed of only two parties.
What we are really seeing is the emergence of a third party. Something that should be embraced.
I am not a Tea Party member. But I do ask these questions:
1. Why am I responsible to pay for the children YOU have but you cannot afford?
2. Why am I responsible to pay for your retirement when YOU overspend, buy lots of consumer items, a house you could not afford and didn't plan for your retirement?
3. Why should I be responsible to pay for YOUR healthcare when you took stupid chances with a motorcyle, didn't buy health insurance, use tobacco, etc.
These are reasonable questions that Tea Party members ask. Maybe YOU ask them too.
sanjosemike
Good luck in life sanjosemike, because if bad luck befalls you, why should I care?
It is ok to ask those questions but to refuse to listen to any other ideas. To refuse to compromise on any issue. That is not how our government was set up to operate. If there is no compromise then our government does not work as we have just been witnessed.
Zakaria a self proclaimed expert on everything and always ready to critisize republicans
I think most folks agree with Fareed. Political discourse has been high-jacked by people who don't even know where "the shot heard round the word" was fired. LOL Many of those Tea Party visionaries who signed anti-tax pledges are, themselves, recipients of huge government subsidies! LOL harder. So, you bet!, most of us welcome the opinions of smart people without Fox News backing who may be able to help guide public opinion and contribute to better government. Which begs the question: Just who, in your view, are the wise "voices of reason" we should heed in the Republican Party and Tea Party other than Sarah Palin?
Tom what do you do for a living? Why do you believe the govt has a right to confiscate wealth I have earned. No one is against helping those who need it, but we should not have an elite ruling class of govt workers who enjoy pay and benefits far exceeding the rest of us. Nor should the govt engage in any activity that can be done in the private sector.
Just like Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Hitler of Nazi Germany, Benito Mussolini of fascist Italy or Jimmie H Davis – Louisiana Governor that fought integration. Grover Norquist and the extremist group Tea Baggers are anti-democratic because they do not want to hear any other points of view except their own.
What is your point of view?
Zakaria must think democracy is two sides bought by the same corporations. WE DO NOT HAVE A DEMOCRACY. What we have in the US is a puppet show. CNN is ran by the Corporations, Fox is ran by the corporations. Do you think commercials are free? If you don't see what has happened to the "free press" and what has happened to this government then you are asleep. The American Dream is just that, a dream. IMPERIALISM AND DUMBING DOWN THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS NOT FREEDOM!
What a bunch of crap. The debt ceiling vote was held hostage by party politics. The house Republicans, Democrats and Obama could have passed a debt limit increase WITHOUT the tea party but they didn't. How many senate democrats voted for Obama's budget? ZERO. Why didn't the senate debate and vote on the cap, cut and balance bill sent to them from the House? The Senate voted on Obama's budget knowing it wouldn't pass. The Senate voted on the Ryan plan knowing it wouldn't pass.
Thanks, Fareed. Messrs. Boehner and Cantor won the battle, but lost the war. They turned a noble cause [fiscal sobriety] into a smug, arrogant, "my-way-or-the-highway" sideshow. They high-jacked fair debate. They have done great harm to our credit standing - not because national indebtedness is high, but because their brand of fiscal management is so shrill, dogmatic, and inflexible. (And that is the express view of every major international newspaper and economist.) They have given this county spending cuts FAR BELOW those sought by the White House or the Bowles-Simpson Commission. But they ADDED to our awareness that Congress is woefully incompetent when it comes to managing the country's finances. Count on it, the majority of us will remember the brinkmanship of these party hacks in the next elections. Messrs. Boehner and Cantor, you will be swept into the back, back footnotes of American history.
Thanks, Fareed. Messrs. Boehner and Cantor won the battle but lost the war. They turned a noble cause [fiscal sobriety] into a smug, arrogant, "my-way-or-the-highway" sideshow. They high-jacked fair debate. They have done great harm to our credit standing - not because national indebtedness is high, but because their brand of fiscal management is so shrill, dogmatic, and inflexible. (And that is the express view of every major international newspaper and economist.) They have given this county spending cuts FAR BELOW those sought by the White House or the Bowles-Simpson Commission. But they ADDED to national awareness that Congress is stictly incompetent when it comes to managing the country's finances. Count on it, the majority of us will remember the brinkmanship of these individuals in the next elections. Messrs. Boehner and Cantor, you will be swept into the back, back footnotes of American history with our - majority of Americans' - greatest distain.
Fareed,
I have a tremendous amount of respect for your journalistic integrity, but on this particular issue, you are way off-base. The Tea Party movement began as a large grassroots movement against big government policy – both as a reaction to the Democrat controlled House/Senate and White House AND neocon republicanism that destroyed the party under the Bush administration. In fact, it began from Ron Paul's supporters in late '07 during his Presidential run in the most famous one-day fundraising event ever (the Dec 16 '07 $6million moneybomb event commemorating the Boston Tea Party). While certain fractions of the Tea Party have splintered since then as well as some trying to exploit the movement for political points, the fundamental philosophy motivating this movement is based around the idea of reigning in big government.
The problem is NOT the debt limit. The problem is the debt itself. All this political posturing, deal-making, so-called cost cutting vs revenue generation, is all distracting away from the core issue - we can no longer afford our federal government, plain and simple. We are not just $14.5 trillion in debt. The number is closer to $200trillion when you tack on the SS and Medicare/Medicaid future liabilities. We are destroying any chance of prosperity for future generations. And to say that the Tea Party is trying to "blow up this country" when most of these reps and Senators (not all) are simply standing on principle, representing the wishes of the electorate which voted them into power, and finally framing the debate around pragmaticism and reality that we are broke.
Funny how I've heard very practical, creative short-term solutions to this issue (1- wipe away the $1.6 trillion debt that the taxpayers owe the Federal Reserve; Ron Paul introduced a bill today to address this, can't wait to see how our legislators try to demagogue this one, 2- freeze spending for the upcoming year, everyone gets the same amount as last year; we're in a financial crisis, why can't we just be content with a flat budget that is exactly the same as what we had in 2004; was our federal government too small back then??).
While the Tea Party certainly has some members with questionable integrity; the overwhelming majority are finally bringing to the forefront the most important issue we face today... it's not a budget issue... it's a question of what we expect the role of our federal government to be. once we define that, our budget problems will fall into place.
I commend all representatives who stood up to this President who shamefully demagogued this issue to death, fear-mongering the citizens about checks not going out, and who offered ZERO solutions to this problem. Fareed, this is a government spending problem and should be addressed as such. We need more representatives that stand on principle and not political expediency.
MT, I agree with you. But now more than ever, we need visionary, agile, and respect-commanding Congressional representatives who can make prudent decisions to ratchet down the national debt while avoiding further damage to our fragile economy. I'm afraid your Tea Party friends are neither "visionary" , "agile", nor worthy of respect. On the contrary. They have turned fiscal management into a sideshow. Their buffoonery and intransigence have actually hurt our financial standing (check out the "Financial Times" , "Jornal do Brasil", Singapore's "Strait Times", Switzerland's "Zeitung", etc.). Sorry, but I side with Fareed. The noble cause of fiscal sobriety has been high-jacked by people who need to study American history, democratic compromise, and Finance 101.
The country is already being destroyed by the Obama Administration. He is the worst and most ill equipped President ever to be elected. He has already put this country in great debt by a health reform bill that the majority of the popoulation of this country did not want. He has systematically ruined this country and I hope that the voters of this country realize what his socialist, weath distributionist agenda has already done to this country.
May I politely urge you to get your facts straight. Please go on line and look up "U.S. national debt". Wiki has some great information (so do conservative think tanks). Rather than spout the usual claptrap about "the damage caused by President Obama", here are some facts to reflect on:
1. The two times when our country went dramatically into extreme debt vis-a-vis the GNP was under the Regan and Bush II Administrations because taxes were cut and spending increased.
2. Bush II inherited a lot of debt but a handsome government surplus. Obama inherited monstrous debt and a large deficit. It was, however, the creation of Medicare D, two wars, and the near collapse of our financial system PRIOR TO THE OBAMA PRESIDENCY that did, indeed, trigger the need for "revival spending" and took us into greater indebtedness.
3. There are detailed analyses of spending under Obama. Much of the debt increase that incurred under his leadership has been due to stimulus spending and war costs. And while we may not at all like the results of his stimulus spending, most mainstream U.S. and international economists actually believe we need more of it, not less or none!
4. You say: Obama "put the country in great debt by a health reform bill" that no one wanted. That is also inacurate. The financial impact of that legislation has thus far been strictly negligible. Its key features only come into effect in future years. So whether you like that legislation or not, it has done virtually nothing to our current indebtedness.
You can learn a lot doing independent research and turning off Fox news. It would be interesting to her your views after you get the facts straight.
Many of these comments could only have been written by parasites whose livelihood fully depends upon the govt stealing on their behalf. Much of what I see is outright nonsense. Do you know what a debt is? Do you understand a trillion? All of you in favor of this benevolent govt should simply give substantailly more of your income to them. Write a check. Problem is you likley derive all of your income in the form of a govt check.
How could people in favor of indivdual liberty be a threat to you? Do you fear that when govt cuts these completely useless programs and the private sector grows accordingly your human worth will be diminshed? Do you fear having to actually compete for a job, and perfom to keep it?
We are past the point of negotiating. You are either in the mafia that takes what is prodiuced by others, or you are a producer.
Hey Fareed Zakaria, are YOU even a citizen of our country?
Blaming this on the Tea Party is hooey. The Republicans did this once before the last election. When the Bush tax cuts were set to expire (a provision added by conservatives at the time to hide the 10 years cost of the plan when the cost started to balloon after 8 years when the original bonds sold to fund it started maturing), the Republicans threatened to withhold an extension of unemployment benefits. Unemployment benefits are routinely extended during recessions since jobs are not available. They threatened to withhold the money millions of people needed for rent and food to get what they wanted but could not pass.
Now the Tea Party does the exact same thing. They threaten to hurt people if they don't get what they want. Other Republicans are blaming the Tea Party for acting like, well, Republicans did less than 2 years ago.
Make no mistake: taking hostages, threatening to hurt people if you don't get the legislation you want, is not a Tea Party tactic. It is a Republican tactic. The Republicans are hostage-takers.
Or, was it the Democrats that held the U.S. hostage by demanding higher taxes when Americans (or at least the majority of them) said they did not want to raise taxes?
Hmm...first he lectures America on civility and the impacts of words utilized in political debate (directed ONLY at Republicans), then turns around and utilizes very charged terms against those he disagrees with. Second, those he feel he is an objective centrists are hillariously uninformed since this man has been an unofficial 'advisor' to this President. What a joke this whole article is.
Plus, isn't it funny that if this was SUCH a priority with Democrats, why didn't they make it a priority during the 4 YEARS they controlled both the House and Senate? Instead, they refused to create even a SINGLE budget...just kept overspending money like drunken buffoons. And like drunken buffoons, when the parents came in and took away their credit cards, they react with name calling and anger (how dare someone spoil my good time by saying I can't spend their money anymore!!!).
The Tea Party has done great! Look at all the jobs they created and all the positive economic growth their legislation has made! Oh...wait...no...
Tea baggers are the biggest waste of human life on this planet. It would be a great day if they all died and hopefully took their families with them. I have no doubt that their ignorant bumpkin children will turn out just as worthless as they are.
Wow...what a shining example you are for the liberal left. Hate and death wishes... Civility at its best.
Funny, Arick. You expect the Republicans in the House to accomplish in 6 months what the Senate and House Democrats couldn't do in 4 years. When the Democrats took over the entire Congress (2006) thus began the destruction of the Economy, collapsing in 2008. But hey, let the House Republicans fix that in 6 months.... what a funny joke you are!!
what a joke? This all started because of the 2006 democratic majority? Are you kidding? The debt we have now spans back to Reagan. Clinton started clicking the debt back but in 2000 when Bush took office that all got trashed. He cut taxes, increased spending and spoke like a retard. The 2006 legislatures have little to do with this. By then the damage had already been done.
Leaving the state in order to prevent a quorum in the state legislature, as Democrats in Texas and Wisconsin have done in the past few years, is similarly anti-democratic.
Yep. maybe people will start to realize that democrats and republicans both are fallible. What we as a nation need to learn to do is compromise. No one party is going to get their way. I think until this is realized we are going to continue to get garbage like this bill just passed or the obama care bill... Both of which I believe could have been great pieces of legislation but compromise was too hard...
I fail to understand how ANYONE can object to this country getting it's finances in order. Before any cuts are made to programs Congress needs to honestly oversee it's spending and cut out the fat, the waste and duplication. They need to see how being efficient will save money, then they can make cuts if needed. And in this economy no tax increases should be put into play either. I do not agree with all the TeaParty says...however, if they had not raised the issue of waste so greatly, of cutting spending as they have the country would continue with business as usual...more debt, more spending, more waste. It has got to stop, we need to put things in order for us now, our children and our grandchildren. Truly this country cannot proceed as it has in the past...we are talking TRILLIONS in debt.
Yes we need to cut, however we do not need to sensationalize the debt ceiling debate nor tie it to the deficit reduction bill. That did no one any good. Instead of allowing the politicians time to come up with a good plan, the Tea party tactics forced them to make a bad, short sighted plan that doesn't satisfy anyone's needs.
Our nation is at roughly 120% debt to gdp, which believe it or not, has happened before. We paid it off. The best way to pay off the debt is to invest in our economy. A strong economy will help pay off the debt much faster than any cut will.
We need to decrease spending carefully. A government employee just like a private sector employee aids the economic recovery. Corporations and small businesses are cutting, or at least not hiring, we don't need the government to follow suit to quickly. I agree government is too big. I agree that we shouldn't be a socialist nation, however I don't agree with the notion that corporations should get a break that I don't. I can't just decide funnel my income to Ireland to get a tax break, neither should big business.
We need to reform the tax code and get rid of all the damn loop holes. We need cut across the board however carefully and not to quickly. Government spending got us out of the last depression... WW2 anyone? And it is a critical tool in recovery. It can also be a knife if removed too quickly.
Unfortunately because of the Tea Party's political strategy no one got a good deal. What came out of this is horrible. Had this bill not been tied to the debt ceiling legislators could have had more time to make a good compromise instead of this crap.
If it were not for the Tea Party, there would not be any compromise about anything. The fools we have in Washington can only get something done when it's the last moment and there is pretty much a gun to their heads! Unless of course they are voting for benefits for themselves, then things get done very quickly and did I mention, QUIETLY!!!
Fareed Zakaria–
Your words are way too dangerous. Holding America hostage? Seriously? Excessive Government spending is destroying this country and you find the Tea Party are holding the country hostage. Pathetic rhetoric.
Listen sharky, telling other members of the legislature that they will force the nation to default on its debts unless their needs are meet is amount to hostage taking. Explain too me how that isn't......
Everyone wants to fix the debt, not just the Tea party. However the tea party doesn't want ideas, they already think they know the answer and are not willing to compromise... Its really unfortunate.
From what I recall, Tea Party Representatives were elected by the people, Fareed is a self appointed hipocrite that seems to lack understanding of free markets (and for that matter free minds)
Wow!!! Usually when I'm confused... someone is trying to pull a fast one on me. I believe that the truth lies in the middle... not to the right or to the left. Too bad we live in a world of extremes; political, weather and Jersey Shores
Amen. Compromise is the only answer. If we don't realize that, our nation is doomed.
If somebody asks you to sleep with your wife, how much would you compromise?
Sometimes you do a fairly good job of telling it how it is, but you are WAY OFF BASE this time. The Tea Baggers just saved the United States of America. And I honestly believe this whole fiasco will show in history books as the year the United States re-assumed it's financial responsibilities! Now if we could only get a Balanced Budget Amendment, Term Limits for All Elected Officials, Outlaw Lobbyists, and replace the income tax with the Fair Tax (National Sales Tax), we'd really be running on all cylinders!
The Tea "Party" is a cancer.
You must be a politician, in a union, or on some other type of "free ride"! Those of us who pay all the taxes are sick of Congress doling out our hard earned money to their friends and lobbyists. THE FREE RIDE IS OVER, there Buddy! And that's "Truth 2 Power"!
Thanks for telling it like it is!
Compromise is what losers do. The Tea Party is full of independents and democrats as well as republicans. While we're all busy at work, we're not going anywhere, and we will be back at each election, supporting a smaller-government, lower taxes, less regulation republic. Period.
If we could get my way this is how it would work.
1) If a corporation/business wants to sell in the states they have to pay workers, regardless of where they work, a comparable wage to what would be acceptable in the states. IE if the wage would buy someone in the states a 1 bedroom house, a comparable wage would do the same in the laborers location... This would remove the motif to outsource and would create a system which looks after the bottom without taxing the top.
2) Any income garnered from a US transaction MUST be taxed in the states and can not count towards profits in other nations. This would force GE, for example, to pay taxes.....
3) Corporate profits must be shared with employees. How exactly to set this up im am not sure however I imagine a system where the top most employee (CEO) should only be allowed to bring in a certain % more than the lowest. This would go the same for bonuses. If a CEO gets a 1 million dollar bonus, the lowest paid employee must also get a certain percentage of this, lets say 5% (5000$) and so on moving up the employee chain. Basically the profits need to be split amongst employees and should not be allowed too be horded by the top. This should be in law because unfortunately human nature does not like share if it doesn't have too...
I feel these three ideas if put into motion could be very beneficial to society, in the US and abroad, as a whole. We need to setup a system that promotes welfare, not just wealth.
Obviously these ideas have not been fleshed out and there may be holes I have not see. Please share your thoughts, ideas and opinions.
Sorry bad math... .5% (5000$)
I bet you lead when you dance...
TEA = Satan Sandwich Deal = Kills US Economy !!
Markets seemed to agree today.
Wrong. Markets went down because the cuts are NOT deep enough, which might end up costing our credit thanks to Obama and his moronic followers.
thank you for interjecting some sense
WRONG! The market went down because there was no revenue in the deal since those loopholes are so dear to the Teabaggers. Go takes some econ classes. You cut spending like this you very well may get a double dip recession. But so long as the rich get to keep their tax cuts that they pocketed while moving jobs overseras, are sitting on more cash reserves that they EVER have had before and won't invest in jobs, you are OK with that. None who thinks like you is a patriot, NOT AT ALL!!
Why don't we just fix the definition of a corporation. It will fix most of our problems.
Currently a corporation is for the benefit of its shareholders.... Employees should be included in the term shareholders and thus should be compensated accordingly. The top managers should not be the only employees sharing in the profits.....
Great idea, however how would this help our fiscal problem?
Corporate profits would be shared with the masses. This new income to the public would be taxed as it already is.. Income tax... It would increase the base revenue without increases in taxes at all. Additionally it would help spread wealth from the top to the bottom without actually taking money from anyone. It would just spread profits equally before any one person could get their hands on them.... This increased revenue would promote growth because now we as citizens would have slightly more money to buy things....... You get the idea.
Extremism of any sort can destroy America as easily as any terrorist.
What an extremist remark!
SILENCE BIT#*ES.!!! Zilch was spoken from you pus heads when Bush was raisin' the ceilings and starting unfunded wars. STFU and go back to your heads in the sand. Seems the the Obama election brought silent ugliness to life. Trying to defend mere megaphones. Just SHUT UP!! How dare you criticize Democrats (or Socialists if you will. How ignorant) after what you allowed your party (yes GOP and T Party are one in the same) to do.
Reggie, I think I love you!!!
Where were the Teabaggers when Emperor W was jacking things up!!! They never answer that question. They also like to act like the Dems were in "control" since 2006 but are too ignornat to know that Bush wasn't going to sign-off on anything the presented to him by the Dems.
Oh Reggie how sweet it is – right? Now that the tables have turned and sane, yes – Tea Party, those who still believe in the American Dream, those who do not resort to Gov't handouts are in Washington and are FINALLY changing the Business as Usual to accountability – now you blow a gasket? Go ahead, foam at the mouth a little......
I don't really feel the tea party members are less democratic than any other political group. There are many who want the government out of our pocket and lives. That's no less democratic than wanting the government to take care of U from cradle to grave.
No, the tea party just held us accountable. Why are we wasting so much money all the time? And Zackaria you are a liberal hack, so you would have a problem with anything that Republicans did, so just shut up.
Fareed is such a tool. Using extreme metaphors to link the tea party to terrorists.
This isn't about the Tea Party or any other party. This is about us. We as voters have allowed this to happen. If our elected officials have been behaving like spoiled children, its because that's who we voted for. And that goes for everyone; none of this "well my Congressman is OK its the other reps that are the problem." Wrong. Your representative is part of the problem. My rep is part of the problem (I live in Michele Bachmann's district) The only answer in the House is for 435 new faces in 2012. Its time to step up or shut up.
Fareed is spot on. If the Republicans have any sense, (which they clearly don't) they'll cut all ties with the Tea Party. No American in their right mind should vote for a Teabagger after what they did. If the Tea Partiers want to run on a third party ticket, fine, but they won't win anything. I all for diversity in the representation in Congress, but voting for a Tea Party-backed candidate is like choosing to get into a car with a severelly intoxicated driver. It was easy for Tea Partiers to get elected without having any kind of legislative record for the American to base their decisions on, but they won't get anything in 2012 with this on their record.
It doesn't matter what happens to this country and the middle class. Tea Party wants Obama a one term President and give more tax break for the billionaires and protect their business in China.
Republicans are the dumbest people on earth. Put them in a poor country and they be worse that the most ignorant people there.
what happened to not using violent rhetoric??!! oh wait.. i guess thats just for the right wing nuts right? NO they are left wing nuts too. its not right for either side to use them.
what i would like is for these nimwits in washinton to stop worrying about getting relected, stop worrying about the lobbyist, and start worrying about The United States of America.
you can blame the republicans, you can blame the democrats, but honestly its all of their faults. the US government has not been for the american people in a long time. we have been accruing debt like its going out of business for decades and both sides of the aisle are to blame. its not even the american peoples fault. other than we seem to have elected self serving corrupt individuals to run our country.
its time as americans we stand up and say enough is enough. cutting 2.1 trillion dollars on future debt is NO CUT AT ALL!
are the tea party people nuts? maybe, but at least those nuts realize that you can spend trillions more dollars than what you take in.
Chis, I concur that the spending is unsustainable and we must turn things about and get a balanced budget. Unfortunately, this will take some actions that many people don't want. Which includes, bring our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines home; generating more revenue from taxes; smart management of business to allow them to produce, but not pollute; bringing jobs back to America which means we all are going to have to be willing to pay more for our products; and compromising with our political adversaries to make the democracy function.
We've been held hostage by liberals like Fareed and the lefties by spending us into the grave. Thank God for the tea party!! I'll vote straight ticket.
This is democracy in action. Political action groups form to influence public policy. I know this process was ugly and lots of people got angry; but it was a necessary wake up call for the nation that excessive spending is not sustainable. Hopefully, this political engagement will continue to influence public policy. However, I really do not want to see the U.S. put in a position where we look like an out of control 3 ring circus again.
Sadly that 's what it's gonna be. Remember how close we came to a government shutdown not 4 months ago? Every debate that the tea party doesn't get its way 100% they will threaten government paralysis until they do.
You are out of your minds. You have just pushed down the entire country's throat one thing.... NO TAXES FOR THE WEALTHY. That's it. What fools you are. Wrapping yourself in the flag does not mean you are doing good for this nation. The second I see someone wapping themselves in the flag, I know they are LYING, CHEATING, AND STEALING.
Relax. Democracy is a message process. You don't always get what you want, but this is only the first salvo in a long battle to get the deficit under control. All of us are going to have to compromise to make this work otherwise it will turn into a culture war where no one wins.
Does Zakaria read CNN? "Muted applause from experts who understand". A $4 trillion "grand bargain" is what budget experts say is the minimum needed to start hitting the brakes on growth in the country's debt.
These experts would have been more pleased with a deal that had more closely resembled the Tea Party candidate proposals. Zakaria cutlivates the appearance of not understanding this in this article which makes him banal and insipid in my opinion. You can't negotiate with broke, you can't compromise with it, you can't ask it to give you more time. You just grab a shopping cart and start sleeping in the park. This deal only guarantees that our bond rating will go down some time during the next two years which will cost millions of jobs. It accomplished less than nothing. And the only reason we got a deal this "good" was because somebody was standing there insisting that our government should have a balanced budget. Zakaria's complete failure here to cultivate even the appearance of understanding the economic situation in order to score points with the fiscally irresponsible has now fully earned his place as a hit man hack of someone's political ambition.
Mean ol' Tea Party. They wouldn't let liberals destroy America all at once.
... maybe it needed to held hostage.
How is this nut the conscience of CNN? HE is pathetic.
and ur a nut tea beggar..go get a life.
Who is this clown Zakaria and who cares what his opinion is on anything?
u cared enough to comment
He is a Obama Advisor....Only in America....He spits his intellectual venom into Obamas ears......Makes you want to declare seperation from the union and declare Civil War. But I can't right now . Got to keep looking for a job.
1. This article belongs in the Opinion section.
2. Democrats wanted dramatic health care legislation. They used every political advantage they had to ram it through. The Tea Party wanted smaller government & the rest of Republicans wanted less spending. They used every political advantage they had to ram it through. There are no "hostages". That's just how our political system works.
Democracy in action. We will vote even more teabaggers in to take the contry back from the lost and never found department (WhiteHouse). We need term limits. Time to get the professional ploitician out of Washington.
It always gives me a chuckle that Mr. Zakaria, one of CNN's talking heads, it so pompous and full of himself that he has to be interviewed by another talking head.
I don't see the same criticism of the 90+ Democrats who also voted against this bill.
It's not about the vote against the bill, it's the tactics used. "Give us what we want or we'll blow up the building." Stay focused, it's the tactics.
"It always gives me a chuckle that Mr. Zakaria, one of CNN's talking heads, it so pompous and full of himself that he has to be interviewed by another talking head."...................................................................................................Yes, the medium is the message. I wonder how much it would raise the productivity of this country if our thousands of talking head "journalists" would get real jobs and do real work. They remind me of that old saying about t**s on a boar hog.
I don't like mentioning stuff like this but should anyone believe anything a guy with a name like Fareed Zakaria" I think his brother was a terrorist involved in 9-11.
Hmmm...you must be Jim Crow Jr.
Fareed like Barrack is a very refined individual who does not have a anglican name like Timothy.
Refinement is not some thing racists understand.
best interest of our nation is through which:
1. continuing to let the debt increase (16 trillion by 2012 and 23 trillion by 2021) or
2. cutting spending and thus reducing the debt?
oh ... by the way Mr. Zacharia ... we aren't a democracy we are a republic (which allows enough power to the minority group to protect itself from being bulldozed by the majority group).
Where were the Teabaggers when Bush and Rethugs went on the spending spree? 2 UNNECESSARY AND UNFUNDED WARS, Tax cuts for the rich and raised the debt ceiling 7 times unchallenged, and that was of course when the Rethuds had control for 6 of the 8 years when he was president.....Is it a coincidence that their existence was right after Obama was elected? Koch Brothers funding of course.... They will DESTROY AMERICA....Any rational person knows that you can't fix something in 2 years that took 8 years to destroy..........Do you really think they have America's best interest?
Who in tea party is an economist? Those who listen to Sarah Palin and hold the placard in the town squire? They are pawns of Koch brothers and they are too ignorant to know it.
This is how power is concentrated in underdeveloped countries. The rich and powerful show the vulnerables a perceived enemy and they waste their time on the street. Have you ever seen Koch brothers talking about this? They are too busy reaping the rewards.
Anti-democratic? I'd call it anti-democratic for elected officials to absnet themselves so that legislative business can't be conducted as happened recently in Wisconsin. I'd call it anti-democratic when protestors jam legislative chambers so that business can't be conducted, as also happened in Wisconsin. I call it the epitome of democracy when elected representatives stand their ground and make their point by use of the legislative process.
Did the Unions try to thwart the Democratic process in Wisconsin when they tried to employ mob rule by taking over the State Capitol building and doing $7 million in damage? Did the Wisconsin State legislators try to thwart the Democratic process when they left the state and went underground? Are the goings on in Greece a threat to the Democratic process and are they the prospect of things we should expect from Government Union workers in the U.S. when their gravy train is cut back?
Don't recall any critical commentary on these issues by Mr. Zakarian as those events were unfolding which leads me to believe he is merely a Liberal partisan hack unable to look objectively at the gross misbehavior by Liberals as compared to the conduct of the Tea Party.
Oh freakin brother. Something doesn't suit your political bias, so you're being "held hostage"? Yeah, sure. And I suppose the old saying, "the tyranny of the majority" is meaningless in your eyes because you happen to be in the current majority, politically speaking? And when the majority gets its way, that's just hunky dory with you, Fareedy?
Thankyou, Fareed . what seems apparent to me is the republicans are using the Tea Party to further their cause to remove Obama aspresident in 2012.
Absolutely from day one of Obama's term....Never heard of them until then... Newly organized group by Dick Army, Freedom Works, and Koch Bros., Their main objective is never have the rich pay taxes. Screw America, and people think their Patriots. HA
Look, it's no telling what the American people will do because they can be fickle minded at times. However, what they should do is remember how politicians on both side including Obama(whom I voted for) tried to pretend there were these big fights over the debt ceiling when really they were creating an opportunity to screw the American public. Ask yourself why hasn't the debt ceiling been tied to the budget before? Why didn't the Democrats pass a budget and the debt ceiling while they had control of the Senate and House? Why did the Republicans insisted on combining the debt ceiling with the budget? Most importantly, how did they come up with a solution so fast if it wasn't already plan. You can't come up with a solution of that magnitude out of the blue. Lastly why didn't Obama invoke the 14th amendment that would have given him the power to raise the debt limit without the house and senate?The deals were made (combined) when Obama and Boehner played golf,anyone familiar with corporate america knows deals are made on the golf course.
Get Luck and remember!
Zakaria is an idiot. Claiming that elected officials acting on the will of those who put them in power is un-Democratic? It is the very definition of democracy to stand in the face of tyranny – the tyranny of a bloated nanny-state that spends and spends us into turmoil and then fabricates new currency instead of keeping themselves in check. It's time to take away the credit cards from the little Suzie Senators, since they've proven they can't handle fiscal responsibility.
Yeah, I would just like to say to all you Tea Party supporters that you guys do not speak for the majority of Americans. You speak only for yourselves. And plus you guys are sore losers because McCain didn't win.
Zakaria is as dumb as rocks and islam is vile.
Yeah, Tea Party! Its about the spending. Tea Party, (the people), will ultimately rule! Regulation: OUT! IRS: OUT! Obama: OUT! Progressive: OUT! Muslims: OUT! Soros: OUT! Gay Marriage: OUT! Reid/Palosi: OUT!
Power back to the majority! God Bless America!
Yeah, no regulation or oversight, seems thats what got us in such trouble during bush years....Lets all go back to the 90's when we had no deficiet and had a balanced budet and most everyone was happy and working....but no such luck with the right wing and tea party...
So the tea party people are hostage takers or terrorists? Or are they both. I can't nail down the democratic strategy on vilifying them. Perhaps CNN could just publish the democratic talking points memo that was sent out to Fareed and Joe Biden.
They are obstructionists too, don't you keep up with anything yourself. Never heard a peep out of them during Bush's spending binge.
This democratic talking point that CNN constantly puts out needs to be on the Ridiculist! The original intent of the debt limit was designed by both parties so that pressure could be put on Congress to cut spending. They never expected it to stay at one limit! When you negotiate in any bill you are threatening not to sign it if you don't get your way, which also threatens that the "needed" laws won't go into existence.
There's a pair to draw to ......................Cooper and Zakaria
This guy is ridiculous, listen to his words. Very unprofessional, blow up, hold the country hostage, this is what you call pathetic news. Why even give this guy the time of day? Can someone explain? You can't spend more then you bring in, pathetic! The Tea Party is for the people by the people, please view Marco Rubio speech on Youtube, you will see hoe our government is out of control, how can anyone run a country without a budget for over 2 1/2 years, now that is dumb, come on people, wake up. You must do your own research and stop listening to professional idiots take our country down the wrong path. Do this for you children and grandchildren! Vote Tea Party. Blessings upon our country and your family.
I can explain, 2 UNFUNDED WARS, TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH, HUGE NO-BID CONTRACTS TO KBL AND HALIBURTON, SUBSIDIES FOR BIG OIL, INS. AND FARMERS, ETC........NO BALANCED BUDGET, 7 DEBT CEILING CHANGES. YOU CAN'T FIX THE DESTRUCTION OF 8 YEARS, IN 2 YEARS. the teabaggers are being financed by Dick Army and Koch Brothers and I would never consider them Patriots , just GREEDY. Obama's is trying to fix things, but it has been nothingbut continued obstructionists..... You need to really think about the America we once had.
Louise, you started out strong, but apparently can't look at your own party with the same microscope. Obama has 4 unfunded wars, huge no-bid contracts for Wells Fargo and other bankers during TARP, still left the subsidies for big oil, then also allowed no-bid contracts and price setting by pharmaceuticals in the health care plan. Obama has also not only left us with an unbalanced budget, he didn't even come out with a budget until the Republicans took the house. Bush has spent more than Obama, but he had 8 years to do it. Obama is spending at a faster rate than Bush.. should he have 8 years, he will easily surpass him as the most spendaholic President ever. The Republicans and Democrats have been one in the same when it comes to fiscal and reckless foreign policy with just slightly different priorities. They are coke and diet coke. We need Sprite.
The Tea Party (the people) is really frightening the Liberal-Socialist-Marxist elitists.
They are pouring out attack words.
They have been unmasked, and that is terrifying to them..
They are dismayed to find out that they do not have a lock on intellectualism anymore.
But they have achieved great measures of infiltration.
There are 70 members of the HR who are members of the Democratic Socialists of America, which
is a Marxist front organization.
Isn't the moral of the story that our Congress f'ed up for years now, including Bush who grew government and government programs by reaching out across the aisle?
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if you take in "x" dollars, you don't spend "x+1" dollars.
Both parties are at fault. However, the Democrats are the most irresponsible fiscally. Look at the track record for spending.
Our founding fathers are turning over in their graves.
I'm not a Tea Partier but what other group is most focused on getting us on track? Our lame Congress sure isn't.
I marched with the Tea Party in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, PA. Never have I been more proud and happy to be a part of this movement than today. To have a leftist toad like Zakaria resort to name calling shows that the tea party has won the war of ideas.
Someone calling you an idiot or reckless doesn't mean that you have good ideas. It could very well mean that you are an idiot and reckless.
CNN Marzist wannbes are in a snit over the resurgence of American values as represented by us, the Tea Party....Don't Tread On Me !
wow, all these posts about the tea party doing what they were elected to do and how it's all the left's fault for our debt. first, hijacking our democratic process simply to get votes and try to push your agenda on everyone else is not what you're elected to do. killing our country's credit is not what's best for this country. and all you hard working, middle class republicans who voted for the tea party who think they actually have your best interests at heart should be tested for mental retardation. you really think that they want to protect you, the middle class? if you do, you need serious help.
secondly, let's not forget why we're really in this mess in the first place. it's because of faulty economic policy by the likes of reagan, bush 1 and most importantly, bush 2 that got us here. clinton left a SURPLUS. like it or not, give him credit for it or not, it was there when he left office. W, the moron he is, spent more than anyone in the history of this country and you republicans just straddled the party line and didn't complain one bit about the debt ceiling. where was the tea party then? where was the outrage?
i'm not a leftist and can't stand the way many people in this country are fleecing our social welfare systems and getting paid to sit around and do nothing but pop out babies. but i also can't stand the concentrated super wealthy who are trying to destroy the middle class leaving only them and a labor class. because one thing i'm certain of is if the middle class is destroyed, i, like most of the readers here (many reps i'm sure) will not be in the upper class. so take your blinders off republicans who support the tea party, because they only care about making themselves and their rich supporters even richer, at everyone else's expense, including yours.
So now the tea party are terrorists? hmm...i don't agree with them but now liberals are injecting the hate that they claim the tea party injects into the political realm. Zakaria believes the same thing but is smart enough to tone down his rhetoric. The fact is both party are being held by their respective lunatic fringe.
I think the democrats can overcome their lunatic fringe that wants to simply tax more and spend more. The problem for republicans is that they can't overcome their lunatic fringe because they need them so desperately to remain relevant.
Ooh rah!!!
Former Marine 1997-2001, 2003
The two parties have been passing the power back and forth just like two kids throwing a ball. Each waiting their turn so they can pass their agendas. Each blaming the other side and nothing getting done except falling further down the rabbit hole. These parties need their higher debt ceilings to finance their agendas and the fed is only to wiling to help them. It’s just not sustainable. Why does the gov’t obligate more going out then they have coming in? The Teaparty is just the people who are tired of this, which is now conceived a threat to the status quo. The news doesn’t like them because their own owners contribute heavily to the two parties that keep this status quo going.
I definitely agree with you to a point. but the TEA Party is also lining up to protect these rich power-brokers from having to pay for their excessive expenditures.
We arrive in rusty 1964 motorhomes.
We bring our bibles and carry loaded assault weapons.
We wear ridiculous costumes and have teabags dangling from our earlobes.
We carry misspelled racist signs as we stomp all over the White House lawn.
We are Sarah Palin's real Americans and we look to Michele Bachmann to pray away the gays.
We love the baby jesus the most and we also love to boink our cousins.
We believe the earth is only 6,000 years old and that nascar is a real sport.
We are the birthers. We are the baggers. We are republicans.
We are morons and we are proud.
What part of NO MONEY does this 'author' not understand???? Is the way to manage your finances to IGNORE the problem and GO INTO HOCK SOME MORE? Just because you are a LIBERAL BIGOT? You people disgust me.
It's like going to lunch with a group of people. You have a modest meal, but there are some who drink most expensive drinks and eat most expensive food and then INSIST ON SPLITTING THE BILL.
The tea party is merely insisting on preventing such people from doing that. The pity is that in this analogy, many of those complaining and insisting on dragging the rest of us into greater expenditures and debt do not contribute any taxes to the Treasury and live entirely off public assistance.
I wish to go back to the old ways when one did not get a vote unless one owned property and paid taxes, i.e. had a voice in how the money was spent.
Welfare reform was passed back in the 90's, so I'm confused as to who you think is living entirely on "public assistance." Even for the old folks dependent upon Medicare and Social Security, they paid into those programs so of course they can draw something out of it. If I'm an E-2 in the Marines, I'm likely 18 or 19 years old, with no property to speak of and I pay very little if anything in taxes, should I be allowed to vote? What if I just had my leg blown off by a toe-popper in Afghanistan? Knee jerk reactionary rants add nothing to the coversation. You're a part of the problem. And yes, I actually pay taxes.
That is what a political "party" does. If the anemic and paranoid little party that is closer to my side of the spectrum can not convince enough of the country they are more right than wrong, then I'm ucking sorry.
It's unfortunate that Fareed is blaming the Tea party for this debacle. The TEA party didn't get a single thing they wanted in this legislation. Instead we end up with another bill that'll just add another 7 Trillion to the national debt, without a chance of a balanced budget amendment that 70% of people want according to Gallup. The Republocrats fleeced us again. My hope is that more TEA partiers get elected in the future, without them we wouldn't even had a debate over this fleecing.
Before you get so enamored with the TeaBaggers, maybe you need to do an indepth study on who funds them... very few but extremely large!!!!!!!!Now check Obamas contributions, many, but very small. Thats the REAL AMERICANS fighting for our country to be great again.
Big teabagging rally tonight in the Walmart parking lot. Plenty of trailer parking available. First 25 teabaggers get a free autographed copy of Sarah Palin's 'crosshairs' poster. We will also be raffling off boxes of ammo !!!
Personally I would have said NO to the stimulus, but remember, everybody kept saying to Obama that "You have to do something" and that is what they came up with. And there WERE benefits to it, just drive down the new highway or look at all the new construction at your nearest military base. And tax cuts don't actually create jobs because you don't pay taxes until you already have a profit, and once you have a profit, you can deduct the salary in computing the tax anyway. The proof that tax cuts don't equal jobs is found in the Eisenhower administration in which the max rate was 90% (!) but that was a period of unequalled expansion. And you can't keep cutting taxes every time a recession comes along because eventually they would get down to zero and then the government would collapse amid chaos - and chaos will clearly KILL jobs. Case in point: Somalia and Haiti have no taxes and no government, and you don't exactly see them leading the world in creating jobs.
There are times when the severity of the situation can, I think, morally justify a person or group subverting the democratic process. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement was ANYTHING but democratic. They didn't negotiate. They didn't comprimise. They didn't sit down with the Ku Klux Klan to try to find common ground.
Yet nobody in their right mind would say that the Civil Rights Movement was "hijacking" the country or ultimately bad for the democratic process. This is because, sometimes in politics, there are issues that are non-negotiable. Continuously running the country into obsene amounts of debt is probably one of those issues.
The civil rights movement did not subvert Congress. There was no group of Congressmen holding the country hostage unless their civil rights demands were met. And while obscene amounts of debt is non-negotiable, how it should be addressed IS negotiable. The TP has no right to hold the country hostage to their demand of no tax increases to address the deficit. That is the problem here. They need to learn to compromise like adults.
That's just dishonest to say that the Civil Rights Movement wasn't egnaged in their fair share of intimidation, manipulation, and suppression of truth. Any well organized movement of that type would have to be. Whether you agree with the goals of a movement is completely subjective, but that's exactly the point I'm making. When and where it is appropriate to take a hard-line stand is dependent on your own political beliefs. But for this knucklehead to say that what the Tea Party is doing is unprecedented is patently ridiculous. Its clearly happened many times before in American history – it just so happens he's on the losing end this time.
Aloysha, you keep dancing around the issue or just missing the issue altogether. The issue is "holding the country hostage" to force everyone to concede to what you want. That's the issue, not manipulation or anything else. There were no Congressman in the Civil Rights debate threatening to hold up the passage of laws unless everyone else caved in to what they wanted.
Quite the contrary.
The Tea Party demonstrated that they were the responsible people in the room.
No sooner was the deal done, than Obama announced new, large spending programs. Obama is going to totally bankrupt this country. There will not be a dime unspent, in this 2.4 trillion increase, by the time Obama leaves office in 2013.
1) "Obama announced new, large spending programs." What "new" spending programs? Details, please.
2) Obama doesn't pass the budget. Spending bills originate in the House of Representatives and if I recall correctly, the House is currently under control of the GOP.
You're just quoting talking points with no factual basis.
Yes
Democracy is under attack in the US...When a small minority of the populace can extort and control the democratic process, you have started down the same route as germany in the 30's...If you look at the demographic makeup of the teabaggers you will see that they are not a true representation of the melting pot that is Amercia..Taxes and spending is a smokescreen for the real agenda of the leaders of the tea party..That agenda is states rights over a weakened federal government...One of the greatest men and presidents this country ever had realized the danger in this and rallied those dedicated to this country to preserve the union..It looks as though that fight will have to be fought again....
The tea party and republicans should be held for treason
Damn right.
The Tea Party is worse than the Republicans, and they need to be stopped.
Republicans have pulled a fast one on the American people. I want to know when the Bush cuts tax cuts are finally going to spur some of these "job creators" to start creating some jobs. They talked about jobs, built up the debt as the enemy of jobs, and then knocked down the debt without explaining the correlation between the debt and job creation. Right-wingers have now started to name the debt as our number one issue, but for most Americans, jobs are the number one issue. The reality is, no one cares about your ideology, they just want to be able to put food on the table for their families. There is no historical correlation between tax rates and job growth. None.
Republicans have pulled a fast one on the American people. I want to know when the Bush cuts tax cuts are finally going to spur some of these "job creators" to start creating some jobs. They talked about jobs, built up the debt as the enemy of jobs, and then knocked down the debt without explaining the correlation between the debt and job creation. Right-wingers have now started to name the debt as our number one issue, but for most Americans, jobs are the number one issue. The reality is, no one cares about your ideology, they just want to be able to put food on the table for their families. There is no historical correlation between tax rates and job growth. None.
What I see is that the tea party (and I do NOT agree with all of their points!) are trying to do what they were mandated to do. Express the extreme displeasure that many (at this time most) experience with Washington. Washington doesn't seem to give a damn about what the people want. They go about their 'business', mostly taking care of their own personal interests. NOT acceptable!!!
There are literally oodles of bureaucracies that are totally useless and should be disbanded. The amount of money to be saved staggers the imagination. Instead our 'representatives' (who mostly represent themselves!) run amok. They put laws on the books that are mostly jokes, and blow money on stuff that is generally useless.
The US government has become a circus, which the rest of the world looks at as a stupid joke. And unfortunately by rights.
Washington HAS TO BE reigned in, if this country doesn't want to go the route of the Roman empire! And we are almost there. The amount of interest we pay on our debt is so large, there is nothing left for what needs to be done. Also, we still blow money collected for one purpose (like the road system) on idiotic crap that only pays for the representatives job security. A total no no. Wake up America, before it is too late.
I'm not going to say that I feel what the Tea Partiers did was the best thing they could have done, but to say they held Americans hostage is stupid. We are already ARE hostage to overwhelming debt, deficits, rampant handouts, a military empire across the globe.... the American Dream is gone, now only a pipedream. If the Tea Partiers hadn't held their ground so much, it is VERY likely that Congress would have done what Washington has done for the last 30 to 40 years: just get us blindly into more and more debt, securing our financial ruin, and not talking about cutting spending. Folks, we ARE ALREADY hostage to a whoring and corrupt Washington over the last few decades. Any more of the same (increasing debt) should not be acceptable.
SILLY RABBIT, I Think we all recall Bush started his term with a SURPLUS, yes. The price setting pharmaceuticals was during the Bush reign. No comparison in what was spent on wars....Obama winded that down and Caught Bin Laden on top of that, mind you with intelligence....Tax cuts and subsidies were extended only because Rethugs and Teabaggers would not extend unemployed benefits for Americans who deserved it....Looks like obstructionist to me...No I can't see the fairness for the average middle class that they claim their fighting for....
Fundamentalist are fundamentalist and the Tea Party is our own home grown terrorists. Americans need to pull their heads out of their Bravo TV Housewives mentality and start giving a damn about this country. The fact that our government has enacted policy because of these racists, moronic, hypocrites scream the loudest is absolutely shocking. While the rest of the world fights for democracy, we are handing away our civil liberties because we are too self absorbed to lift our heads from between our legs to notice.
The only message the Tea Party has is 'lets the the N***** out of the White House.' That is their only true goal and they will scorch earth our foundation of civil liberties, environmental gains and separation between church and state to do it. The straight white male who makes over a million bucks a year is the only one that wins. The rest of us can tread water in the sewers.
This is like a Shakespearian tragedy where the ignorant thirst of the mob must be be quenched by compromising sanity. The tea party evolved as a mass brainwashing scheme by misinforming the ill informed . Now the very people that the current policy's is designed to help , are the ones who are bellowing against it. It is a tragedy because the acts of it's citizens has become the poison that is sickening America.
End the wars. I'm sorry, but when you're financially broken you do not go on war toy spending sprees. That would be a good start to fixing our deficits. Emphasis on start. It's that simple.
Melbourn my favourite burg, close to the avenue is an compelling site relative to this city, http://melbourne-city.org.
Melbourne is the seat of government and most peruse burg in the governmental of Victoria, and the second most peruse see in Australia. The Melbourne Conurbation Core is the heart of the greater geographical areaand the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater geographical precinct had an inexact citizens of four million. Inhabitants of Melbourne are called Melburnians.
I'll right away grab your rss feed as I can not to find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you've any? Kindly permit me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
The IRS targeted a political movement?
Who was fired? That group should be gutted – wholesale
Disgusting abuse of power..