Scorcher!!!!! 
It is still sweltering and the Sesquicentennial is going full blast. Mr. Howler had to go up to Prince William Hospital and he said this evening there was a fleet of ambulances bringing in the war wounded…from the heat. Many of the friends are in period dress. I asked him if Robert E. Lee was up there and he said, no, he wasn’t at first Manassas. Geez! So much for my attempt at humor.
JEB, Jackson and Mosby are all asleep still and enjoying the AC.
Interesting use of statistics. Of course, tax cuts are not expenditures. Oops. That’s not to say that Bush didn’t spend recklessly, but their definitions are partisan.
Also, how is it that Obama has spent OVER 4 trillion in deficit spending and that is not shown?
Heath reform, as stated by Democrats, is expected to cost much more than 152 billion. The CBO shows 1.5 trillion dollar deficits for the next 10 years…..where’s that projection?
I find the interpretation of the data to be highly suspect.
Oh, and I forgot…..nothing from the 2009 fiscal year budget, written in 2008, should be considered under Bush, as it was never submitted to him. The Democrats waited until 2009 and Obama took office.
Interesting article on how much money we have, with graphs.
http://www.slate.com/id/2299845/
A key phrase: So for decades the strategy has been to borrow new money to pay down old debt—plus a little extra to kick to the Treasury’s coffers, since we habitually spend more than we take in.
Doesn’t anyone else see a problem with doing business like that? Shouldn’t we be structuring our finances to pay down the debt and actually LOWER the debt ceiling?
Moon, here’s your bipartisan deal. It appears that all of the Congressional leaders were on board.
http://keithhennessey.com/2011/07/25/president-obama-says-no-to-a-bipartisan-debt-limit-plan/
Congratulations to Grandma Grizzly on the expected arrival of a new grand-cub in the Palin clan. Judging from the size of the baby bump visible in the picture made 2 months after the May wedding the cub must be huge. http://gawker.com/5823062/
TP favorites Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry both said they’ve heard the call to run for President. Doesn’t that mean God has punked at least one of them?
Moe, you made me splatter my computer screen with ice coffee. re: God punking at least one of them.
Grandma Grizzly ought to take a lesson from Grandma Howler. 1. Keep your mouth shut.
The last time I said I was a woman of the 90’s I paid dearly for those careless words. 😈
@Morris Davis
I was amazed at the comments about the girl’s name “Britta”. Last name “Hanson” shows that she’s fr a Scandinavian family. Britta is a rather common name up north.
Yes, yes, I know what a “Britta” is and does!
I thought a britta was something that purified your water on the tap. Fess up, what does it mean?
It’s rather refreshing to go from talk of our national and global economies to the low-brow of discussing the sex life of another Palin family member. Bravo.
President Obama is having a press conference to discuss the stalemate tonight. I think the Republicans are being offered a chance at rebuttal.
Should be interesting. If I’m not changing a diaper(s!) I may just watch.
The free market has spoken and the homage to Tea Party darling Sarah Palin – “The Undefeated” – has bombed. The TP’s Mad Hatters, Tweedle Dees, and Tweedle Dumbs will be crying in their beers.
@Censored bybvbl
This one’s for you: http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6195716/the-mad-republican-tea-party
Did someone say lowbrow? How about a Democrat Congressman raping the daughter of a longtime friend?
“The woman left a ‘distraught’ voice mail at Wu’s congressional office in Portland, a message heard by some of Wu’s staffers. The woman ‘accused Wu of aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior,’ The Oregonian reported. A Democratic insider familiar with the call said the claims against Wu ‘were disgusting and appalling.'” http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59783.html
At least Weiner just tweeted his junk to teenage girls. Wu apparently hand delivered his.
That’s pretty low-life also. He needs to go to jail. Why isn’t he there now? re Rep. Wu. I don’t think it matters if he is a D or an R. Rape is rape. I expect most rape victims don’t even ask.
@marinm
When Ellie Mae touts the high morals of the Alaskan Clampetts then you should expect some low-brow humor when her family values fall down around her ankles and she trips into the cement pond.
Censored – The Undefeated was only defeated by 54 other movies last weekend. Had it only taken in about $1,200 more it would have surpassed “Turtle: The Incredible Journey” for 54th place.
Does that mean you won’t be seeing Grandma Grizzly at the Oscars?
Moe, I want a song, please.
Y’all come back, ya hear
http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/294079
“Caylee’s Law” – Hopefully it passes ASAP.
Cato, ha ha! Good one.
M-h, yes, there are plenty of low-lifes in both parties. I guess each offender thinks he’s the one who isn’t going to b caught.
Interesting speeches. I had to miss the end of The Speakers rebuttal as I had to soothe a screaming neonate.
I like this quote on Twitter.
@LarrySabato Dems think Obama did well. Rs think Boehner did well. And in a nutshell there’s the problem.
I don’t totally agree with it but it’s a good one.
Hold the line ladies and gents. Win one for liberty.
marinm – “Win one for liberty?” Is “liberty” the new euphemism for billionaires and oil companies? I thought you guys had settled on “job creators.”
Boehner lies – “the bigger government, the smaller the people.” The Dutch are the tallest people in the world (we’re #9) http://wapo.st/8bPCW6 and at 45% of GDP going to government spending they outpace us. I guess we’ll get one of those “not intended to be a factual statement” corrections like when did when Kyl lied about Planned Parenthood.
The math of the Republicans is just voodoo math. Where will the money come from? Do we cut infastructure? education? National Parks? I want to know where that money comes from before I start cheering.
Why are we still protecting the very wealthy from a 1% or something similar?
Why can’t we exclude those who create jobs?
The answer is simple. That’s the base that supplies the campaign money. Shame shame shame. It is easier to take it from M,M and SS.
And once again Boner gets sent out from the freshman class who probably failed 8th grade math.
Elizabeth Edwards would tell her dreams in her sleep if you asked her. She didn’t want her husband to know.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-12-12/news/os-ed-elizabeth-edwards-myword-12121020101210_1_elizabeth-edwards-henry-james-mary-elizabeth
@Moe, yea, he lied. I guess the tea-jadists have him back on his leash now.
He also lied about Obama moving the goal posts. I listened the other day to his chronology. By his own admission, that isn’t what happen. spin spin.
I liked James Carvelle’s line about the Dems keep trying to surrender but they can’t find a Repub willing to take their white flag. One part of the Repub cuts would be Veteran medical care. The medical for life they sold us as a bill of goods when we joined changed into the Tricare system. The Tricare premium is cheap, $460 a year for a family. DefSec Gates wanted to raise it to $520 a year. Coburn’s plan raises the annual premium to $3,500 which is an eight-fold increase. He sees $11.5B a year savings by raising the rate. For medications, generics are $3 for a 30 day supply and $9 for a name brand. Coburn changes the rate to $15 for generics and $25 for name brand. He sees $2.6B a year in savings with the higher copay. Isn’t that in effect a$14B tax increase on the backs of veterans as we’re giving the government more of our money for the same care we get now. So making a Vet pay more is okay just as long as the Kochs and Exxon are offlimits. Some gave all, all gave some, and we’ll go to the wall to ensure the top earners give nothing more.
Moe, I can understand charging new recruits entering now that amount. With that you are getting off cheaper than what most recipients pay for medicare. But a promise is a promise. I don’t think the govt should go back on their word.
I suppose that I am sitting here sucking air over how little it all costs. If retired military can get medical care that cheaply, why can’t we all get on that plan? Oh I know…..that would be socialized medicine.
What are the requirements for a retired vet to get veteran medical care?
Veteran Medical Care…the simple answer:
The V.A. has a broad Health Care Package available to all active duty Veterans discharged under other than dishonorable discharge. For the National Guard and Reserves called to active duty, they may qualify for some…and if they did a combat tour, there is another set of special eligibilities because of the tour. You do not have to have served in combat to get VA Health Care.
There are is also a long list of Other Groups eligible for some health care benefits, mostly related to WWII Service. Also, for the widows of WWII Veterans, when the Veteran was found to be 100% disabled related to service, are eligible for some benefits….nicknamed the “War Widow Benefit”.
Of course, there is a nice three page form to fill out giving personal, any other health insurance information, employment, military service, financial disclosure (basically a person’s IRS 1040 info). Either fill out the form ahead of time or go to your nearest VA Medical Center and walk in with all the supporting documents, fill out the application, and once once verified on-site, take the longest physical you will ever experience, and when done, you get the V.A. Identification Card reflecting what health/dental benefits you are qualified for.
Now, with the V.A. System, there are 8 priorities for care. Income and disablity is a big driver for highest to lowest priority, plus whether you have a co-pay or you get free health care.
But if saying disabled, then the process is seperate for determining if it is a service-connected/related disability. And that is another very long process involving a medical review board.
If you were lucky enough to be on active duty after 2001 when “fast track” was instituted, at the same time you go through the outprocessing from the military, you get run through the V.A. Primarily, “fast track” is for those with an active duty determined disability for which you went through the Medical Review Board, and so IN THEROY, it is supposed to speed up the V.A. review and determination of priority for care.
I say in theroy because that is a hot issue in the V.A. as their process is long and a pain in the butt.
But that is how you get V.A. Health Care in a nutshell!
Not so simple. So, is this only available to people who retire at 20 years? That is what I am trying to figure out. Let’s say there are no service related disabilities.
I have a favorite saying: “As Medicare goes, so goes Tricare” since for the last two decades or so, the movement has been to make Tricare more like it’s other government run health care. This has been especially true as the military became more of a “married with family” force than single troops, and the surviving spouses living longer, and also many not remarrying so they could retain the dependent benefits.
A lot of military hospital clinics now (Pediatrics comes to mind) are run by Tricare Contractors with a couple of active duty or GS Employees overwatching the clinic. 20 years ago, it was more of contracted doctors, less full contract staff as we have now.
“a promise is a promise” – well, that is a sticky point indeed. If you look at what the benefits on active duty are about, the military never really got themselves ready for the “married” force. It is another case where the mindset after creation of the Volunteer Military beginning back around 1972 still focused on “single, and we give you three hots and a cot”. The V.A. of course is primarily only for the Veteran – dependents only get benefits under special circumstances (another very long process).
If you really take a look at some of the “promises”, a lot of them are structured still around the days of a small force who went to the recruiter and enlisted, with a good chunk of two year draftees. One example is the troop’s Freedom of Religion and providing of Military Chaplains. The whole reason the Chaplaincy can exist was the trooper was drafted, and because he did not “choose” to serve in exotic locations, the Federal Government had to ensure that military member had access to practicing religion. Originally, it was the “big three” of Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and a Chaplain would try to provide worship or support as best he could (think of M*A*S*H and Father Mulcahy).
So many of the promises were based on the days of conscripted military. Toss in the military was not prepared for long long long deployments such as now, and the increase in disabled Veterans, and the promise is hard to fill.
V.A. Health Care is open to any period of service…in terms of time, only one I ever encounterd was someone who was discharged before completing Basic Training in the Military. Most often, because it is such a short period of time, they have not completed “entrance” to the military for benefits. The Retiree after 20 years can access both the Military Base Health Care, and also the V.A. His dependents can access the Military Base (a lot of that is reduced care now with referral to Tricare Doctors or Clinics such as the one in Woodbridge).
Rachel Carson was just so stirred up rewatching the president and bohner that she was sputtering mad. Again, she made a fool of herself. What I can’t figure out is why I was watching the Brian, Steve and Rachel gang make sputtering fools of themselves. The ‘I hate Obama’ Club was sure going strong this morning.
Hedgefund managers are really getting away with paying very low taxes. They have a whole set of different rules than say a mutual fund manager. does. When will someone suggest equalizing this situation?
When will companies like GE have some tax accountability?
It sounds to me like these situations need correcting before social security recipients need to even think about paying their fair share.
It seems to me that both Boehner and Reid both are willing to make “cuts.” I put that in quotations because we all know that future cuts never happen.
So….Boehner’s plan cuts less than Reid’s but extends the limit only until April, while Reid’s extends it past the election, which is its purpose.
Since they both cut, and they both raise the limit, everyone should be happy, right? Personally, I don’t care which they take, as long as the “cuts” are on the record. I do favor the first one, because I don’t favor giving the Feds (Read Obama) a blank check and I want them to reexamine this soon. But its not a priority.
So, when Obama rejects these….who will be at fault? Congress – both parties – seem to working towards an agreement.
@Moon-howler
I have a plan to equalize this.
Flat tax. 15% on everything above an arbitrary “poverty” level, which should be generous. No deductions.
I don’t like that plan. I’m just one of those people who doesn’t think at my age I should be taxed at the same rate as some hedgefunder.
Thank God we have a deal!
America survives! Leaders reach agreement! Doomsday averted!
Yes! Yes! Our worries are over!
WE WILL HAVE NFL GAMES THIS FALL!!
All is good with world again — right?
(Wanna beer?)
One has to wonder why you insist on watching them in the first place. You’re either looking for something to make a snit about(which is so noble), or you have some sort of self-torturing tendency. My guess is the former. Maybe you free-lance for media matters?
I always stop in to see what the friends are up to before I go check out Mika and Joe. I also watch Faux News without sound to see if anything important is happening in the world.
Only a fool doesn’t check out the enemy.
@Big Dog
HAHAHAHAHA!
So the REAL complaint isn’t that he pays lesser rate (not amount) than a secretary, but that he’s not being penalized for making more money.
Ok, then.
You might want to compare the tax rules for a mutual fund manager vs a hedgefund manager. You will see that they are not comparable. They are also far less regulated. Now why is that?
Is that fair?
ps that was an example of putting words in my mouth.
George Soros just dropped all of his commercial clients from his hedge fund. So, at least, one good thing just came of the Dodd-Frank bill. He’s limiting it to “family” which has less restrictive laws.
What difference does it make? I sure don’t have the money to invest in a hedge fund and neither do any of my friends.
I don’t see why you would care who was his client.
No, it has nothing to do with success. It has to do with rules and regs governing both industries. I just know they are not comparable. One is govt favored, the other is not.
It isn’t worth discussing. I never brought up a secretary. I think that was Obama.
@Moon-howler
But that’s the inference.
You have complained that the fund manager is taxed at a lesser rate. Then you don’t like it that the person with a lesser income is taxed at the same rate, in fact, everyone is taxed at the same rate.
If someone is taxed at a higher rate because they are more successful, that is a penalty.
http://manassaspark.patch.com/articles/manassas-parks-credit-rating-drops-five-notches
Wish them well in dealing with issue.
@Moon-howler
I’m not caring about his clients. I’m stating that, apparently, he was doing something shady that the new rules would reveal.
Actually that was Warren Buffet. I was using the secretary as an example of a lower salaried person. And my statement on taxes was about leveling the playing field for all. No industry should be “government favored.” So, we need to lessen the power of government. We still need referees but referees should not pick sides.
And now, for something completely different.
Infallibility, and the God of the Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
http://wintersoldier2008.typepad.com/summer_patriot_winter_sol/2011/07/the-god-of-the-people-of-the-book-and-the-god-of-muslims-has-to-be-the-same-god-according-to-islam-i.html
I must say, Moon, you are becoming a very good blog temptress. Every time I punch into this thread, I find myself running that video “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”
@Cargosquid
Not necessarily. Why would you assume he was doing something wrong? Maybe the new laws didn’t fit his existing business model. He could change for any number of reasons. I have a relative who is in a similar line of work, but not hedge fund. His rules actually get more strict for family members. He isn’t doing anything wrong but if I were to buy his ‘product’ in one in particular, he had best declare me of the SEC would crawl all over him.] I don’t know why. Above my paygrade.
@Wolverine
Maybe we are just trying to ensnarl a yankee boy, Wolverine. 👿 😈
My new blog name will be Siren of the South.
I also like Ashokan Farewell a lot.
Moon, this should make you feel better. For all his panic causing rhetoric, President Obama has been telling the banks that there will be no default. So, he’s been telling us one thing and the banks another.
http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2011/07/25/obama-to-banks-were-not-defaulting/
However, because of this:
Major ratings firms — namely Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s — have said even if the country raises the debt ceiling and doesn’t default, there’s a strong likelihood that the triple-A bond rating will be cut to double-A unless a budget can be crafted that results in $4 trillion in savings, the result of the massive debt load the country has accumulated in recent years. The nation’s outstanding debt is more than $14 trillion.
Because I believe that the administration will continue to spend, spend, spend….. I feel that the Republicans should just adopt Reid’s program when Obama vetoes the Republican, and explain, “See, we had a plan that cut the debt. Now look what happened.”
That’s right. Mantra: Democrats Bad. Republicans Good. Tea Party Excellent.
That’s what it boils down to. Everyone get out their three corner hat.
Ok, then.
Of course, I was just talking political tactics since I believe that both parties aren’t actually cutting taxes. But I would rather the GOP win than the Democrats. Even if the Tea Party doesn’t get candidates, at least the GOP is bankrupting us more slowly……and they are more amendable by pressure from the conservatives.
@Cargosquid
The person I heard making the reference to the secretary and the hedgefund manager was Obama. I ‘reheard’ it last night.
Hedge funds continue to be shrouded in secrecy. People should be ill at ease when small groups of people have control of huge amounts of money. Buffett is transparent. Others, not so much.