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[eznark]

Who's your guy?

sexist!

If I hate to pick a republican it'd be Gary Johnson.

 

[jamesinclair]

It's not so much that. It's WTF is it trying to convey? Roads are going everywhere and there's no clear direction. At least that's what it says to me.

First of all, you asked if it was real.
http://republicans.transportation.house.gov/Media/file/112th/Highways/Reauthorization_document.pdf

Thats the document.

So yup, its real.


-How the fuck are highways, novelties in the 1950s, "a new direction"
-If the highways are all empty, why the hell do we need more of them?
-Are we supposed to be impressed by a rural landscape destroyed by piles of concrete?
-Is it a social commentary on what highways will look like when oil gets too expensive?

WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY DOING!?!


BTW: A major cornerstone of this bill is that it eliminates absolutely all funding for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, because it doesnt matter if 1%, 5% or 20% use that to get to work, it apparently doesnt count as transportation. If you dont drive your car, paid for with a lon, on roads, funded by loans, then you dont deserve to leave the house.

 

[Jackson50]

Yeah sometimes saying the truth is not the best politics to use. And yes voters are selfish and have always looked after their self interest.

But again I do agree that Plouffe shouldn't have said it. People don't want to hear that kind of stuff, even though it's true and we all know it.

He may have been candid, but his statement was specious. Sociotropic considerations usually predominate egocentric considerations.

How is Romney not sane?

Romney is as sane as the average Republican; you may determine how sane that is. He is orthodox on most issues. He deviates marginally on gun control and AGW; the HCR policy passed in Massachusetts is perhaps his only genuinely unorthodox position. Otherwise, he is an average Republican.

 

[Ether_Snake]

When it comes to transportation, what the US needs is very fast trains.

But no, that would be way too "European". The US can NEVER copy Europe!

 

[SolKane]

BTW: A major cornerstone of this bill is that it eliminates absolutely all funding for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, because it doesnt matter if 1%, 5% or 20% use that to get to work, it apparently doesnt count as transportation. If you dont drive your car, paid for with a lon, on roads, funded by loans, then you dont deserve to leave the house.

Infrastructure which creates more jobs than road-only infrastructure:

http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/2...ts-create-more-jobs-than-those-for-cars-only/

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

sexist!

If I hate to pick a republican it'd be Gary Johnson.

There's a lot I like about Gary Johnson. Mountain climber, weed smoker, fiscal conservative, hates the packers... I can get behind that. But he has no chance in hell.

 

[eznark]

There's a lot I like about Gary Johnson. Mountain climber, weed smoker, fiscal conservative, hates the packers... I can get behind that. But he has no chance in hell.

sacrificing principles for "electibility" is what got us stuck with the two shades of shit we have now.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

sacrificing principles for "electibility" is what got us stuck with the two shades of shit we have now.

That's true. But it's not saying much.
If Obama could rule with his true convictions and principles would we be better off now?

 

[Jackson50]

When it comes to transportation, what the US needs is very fast trains.

But no, that would be way too "European". The US can NEVER copy Europe!

Very fast trains and more parties. Your platform intrigues me.

 

[eznark]

That's true. But it's not saying much.
If Obama could rule with his true convictions and principles would we be better off now?

Probably, because you'd have true believers in the House actually opposing him instead of trying to work with Obama to find the most optimal way to fuck America.

 

[PantherLotus]

Sometimes I wonder if middle-right Obama is who he really is, or if he just has to act that way so he doesn't get accused of being a Marxist tyrannical dictator (thank you, Mike Savage).

 

[Oblivion]

Sometimes I wonder if middle-right Obama is who he really is, or if he just has to act that way so he doesn't get accused of being a Marxist tyrannical dictator (thank you, Mike Savage).

Once again, he's the former. No politician loses a debate against some assholes who want to take away chemotherapy for 6 year olds unless he want to.

 

[ToxicAdam]

When it comes to transportation, what the US needs is very fast trains.

But no, that would be way too "European". The US can NEVER copy Europe!

If only the people in Des Moines could travel to Witchita faster! What a wonderous world that could be.

 

[gkryhewy]

If only the people in Des Moines could travel to Witchita faster! What a wonderous world that could be.

It would actually be pretty great if mobility could be improved in more economically-productive places like the many megaregions that have been identified.

But anyway the House transport bill is going nowhere, because even the chamber of commerce hates it. We are boned if people aren't willing to pony up for increased transport expenditures, however. We can't even maintan the facilities we've got.

 

[jaxword]

And I'm sticking with my old prediction: as no one person or party or policy has the power to address the predicaments we're now facing, we're going to see a series of one-term presidents. I'd love to be wrong and see Obama re-elected.

Obama won the re-election on 1 May 2011.

 

[Particle Physicist]

So you know that transportation proposal that intends to do more harm to this country than a nazi invasion would have?

Check out the cover.

I'm a little tired, but what exactly am I supposed to be looking at?

 

[Particle Physicist]

President Obama has consistently marginalized his own base and if he caves in again, I'm just not voting for him in 2012. I am liberal, but I will not hesitate to vote for a Republican who has balls: although I have yet to find a GOP candidate who is sane (Huntsman, maybe?).

.... Who has balls pushing a republican agenda? How does this make any sense at all?

 

[jamesinclair]

I'm a little tired, but what exactly am I supposed to be looking at?

Thats what cutting 33% of the transportation budget looks like. It's an innovative new future, a new direction for this country. One where apparently, we have to close the highways built in the 1950s to traffic because we cant afford to maintain them and theyre unsafe.

 

[RustyNails]

President Obama has consistently marginalized his own base and if he caves in again, I'm just not voting for him in 2012. I am liberal, but I will not hesitate to vote for a Republican who has balls: although I have yet to find a GOP candidate who is sane (Huntsman, maybe?).

"I will not vote for a candidate who shares my ideals because he compromises too often for my tastes. As a matter of fact, I'll vote for a candidate whose ideals are completely opposite to mine simply because this candidate will not compromise on his ideals."

What? This poli season is completely insane.

 

[Dude Abides]

Thats what cutting 33% of the transportation budget looks like. It's an innovative new future, a new direction for this country. One where apparently, we have to close the highways built in the 1950s to traffic because we cant afford to maintain them and theyre unsafe.

That's fine. Us Manhattanites are tired of subsidizing car-driving leeches.

 

[jamesinclair]

That's fine. Us Manhattanites are tired of subsidizing car-driving leeches.

I think you missed the article above (I linked to it) showing what the cuts will do to NYC transit.

Hint: Not good.

Less money for roads.
Less money for transit.
Less money for freight rail.
Much less money for passenger rail (another attempt to eliminate amtrak, this time with a 25% cut)
No money for pedestrian/bike infrastructure.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Obama won the re-election on 1 May 2011.

No he didn't. I think he'll winn reelection but this won't be an election about bin laden.

 

[Baraka in the White House]

That's fine. Us Manhattanites are tired of subsidizing car-driving leeches.

Hey that's cool, us Houstonians are tired of refining your heating oil/natural gas.

This is a dumb game to play.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

Hey that's cool, us Houstonians are tired of refining your heating oil/natural gas.

This is a dumb game to play.

I'm enjoying this game. I bet you win.

 

[maximum360]

What do you want?

It's come to this. I want to know what else we would have him do. We can go back in time to an imaginary congress and pass an astronomically higher stimulus bill, or we can go back in time and deliver a better anti tea-party message an hope we don't get a House full of idiots, or ...

I dunno. Your criticisms of him are reading more and more like you have no idea why you're upset. And I get that. I don't know why either. It's the long, slow realization that Obama can't stop the inevitable 2nd Depression (and our true fear, world war III).

There's very little that Obama could do that's right in PD's eyes. B. Obama's problem is that his first name doesn't start will "Hil" and last name doesn't end with "inton".

 

[GhaleonEB]

Details on the Senate Dem proposal: http://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...duction-plan/2011/07/08/gIQAFQbS4H_print.html

Senate Democrats have drafted a sweeping debt-reduction plan that would slice $4 trillion from projected borrowing over the next decade without touching the expensive health and retirement programs targeted by President Obama.

Instead, Senate Democrats are proposing to stabilize borrowing through sharp cuts at the Pentagon and other government agencies, as well as $2 trillion in new taxes, primarily on families earning more than $1 million year, according to a copy of the plan obtained by The Washington Post.

........

Under the blueprint, the top income tax rate would rise to 39.6 percent for individuals earning more than $500,000 a year and families earning more than $1 million. That group, which constitutes the nation’s richest 1 percent of households, would also pay a 20 percent rate on capital gains and dividends, rather than the 15 percent rate now in effect.

In addition to raising rates for the very wealthiest families, the blueprint proposes to obtain fresh revenue by targeting offshore tax havens and corporate shelters. It would also scale back the array of tax breaks and deductions known as tax expenditures, perhaps by focusing on the wealthiest households, which claim an average of $205,000 in tax breaks each year on average income of $1.1 million.

The blueprint would take nearly $900 billion from the Pentagon over the next decade — the same amount recommended by Obama’s fiscal commission. It would slice more than $350 billion from domestic programs. And it would produce interest savings of nearly $600 billion attributable to reduced borrowing.

Only about $80 billion would be cut from Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health programs, and nothing from Social Security. But even without touching those programs, the plan would stabilize borrowing by 2014 and begin pushing the national debt down as a share of the economy.​

Would have been nice to see more of this when they were actually in power and all.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

Details on the Senate Dem proposal: http://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...duction-plan/2011/07/08/gIQAFQbS4H_print.html

Senate Democrats have drafted a sweeping debt-reduction plan that would slice $4 trillion from projected borrowing over the next decade without touching the expensive health and retirement programs targeted by President Obama.

Instead, Senate Democrats are proposing to stabilize borrowing through sharp cuts at the Pentagon and other government agencies, as well as $2 trillion in new taxes, primarily on families earning more than $1 million year, according to a copy of the plan obtained by The Washington Post.

........

Under the blueprint, the top income tax rate would rise to 39.6 percent for individuals earning more than $500,000 a year and families earning more than $1 million. That group, which constitutes the nation’s richest 1 percent of households, would also pay a 20 percent rate on capital gains and dividends, rather than the 15 percent rate now in effect.

In addition to raising rates for the very wealthiest families, the blueprint proposes to obtain fresh revenue by targeting offshore tax havens and corporate shelters. It would also scale back the array of tax breaks and deductions known as tax expenditures, perhaps by focusing on the wealthiest households, which claim an average of $205,000 in tax breaks each year on average income of $1.1 million.

The blueprint would take nearly $900 billion from the Pentagon over the next decade — the same amount recommended by Obama’s fiscal commission. It would slice more than $350 billion from domestic programs. And it would produce interest savings of nearly $600 billion attributable to reduced borrowing.

Only about $80 billion would be cut from Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health programs, and nothing from Social Security. But even without touching those programs, the plan would stabilize borrowing by 2014 and begin pushing the national debt down as a share of the economy.​

Would have been nice to see more of this when they were actually in power and all.

All Democrats including Obama should go all IN for this plan

 

[Baraka in the White House]

Republican response: Job killing class warfare.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

Republican response: Job killing class warfare.

That's their response to anything Obama/Dems do.

Also, Atrios once again with some good insight:

What everyone seems to forget is that as the stimulus passed its peak and began to decline it became anti-stimulus. The recovery had to be strong enough to weather that pullback in spending. It hasn't been.

 

[besada]

Interesting ProPublica article about educational disparity:
http://www.propublica.org/article/opportunity-gap-schools-data

In many states, those economic differences are reflected in the classroom, with students in wealthy schools taking many more advanced courses.

But not in Florida. A ProPublica analysis of previously unreleased federal data shows that Florida leads the nation in the percentage of high-school students enrolled in high-level classes—Advanced Placement and advanced math. That holds true across rich and poor districts.

Studies repeatedly have shown that students who take advanced classes have greater chances of attending and succeeding in college.

Our analysis identifies several states that, like Florida, have leveled the field and now offer rich and poor students roughly equal access to high-level courses.

 

[RustyNails]

All Democrats including Obama should go all IN for this plan

The 39.6% tax hike for millionaires will alone give Boehner epilepsy. It has no chance in the house.

 

[Byakuya769]

I wonder if Obama is still listening to Buffett:



Video at link.

I'd hope not. The more Buffett talks, the more of a joke he's shown to be.

(edit) Ah he said that in jest. Still think his popularity with the left is unwarranted.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Interesting ProPublica article about educational disparity:
http://www.propublica.org/article/opportunity-gap-schools-data

The state subsidizes the test. Its free to all and highly promoted. Pretty good reform done by bush.

 

[Baraka in the White House]

That's their response to anything Obama/Dems do.

Unfortunately they have an uncanny knack for establishing the national narrative. So unless Dems come out hard and fast for this proposal, prepared to refute any bullshit that will amost certainly follow it, then...

 

[airmangataosenai]

You know what would really boost employment right now? Cutting off that rail project that was the centerpiece of Florida's planned recovery.

<3 My Hero

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

I'm a little tired, but what exactly am I supposed to be looking at?

Looks like some shithole on the SW border.

 

[Jackson50]

Obama won the re-election on 1 May 2011.

I doubt you genuinely believe this. Otherwise, if only.

Also, Bachmann has signed yet another conservative pledge. Titled The Marriage Vow: A Declaration of Dependence Upon Marriage and Family, it contains some essential provisions. My two favorite points:

--Rejection of Sharia Islam and all other anti-woman, anti-human rights forms of totalitarian control.

--Fierce defense of the First Amendment's rights of Religious Liberty and Freedom of Speech, especially against the intolerance of any who would undermine law-abiding American citizens and institutions of faith and conscience for their adherence to, and defense of, faithful heterosexual monogamy.

 

[SolKane]

You know what would really boost employment right now? Cutting off that rail project that was the centerpiece of Florida's planned recovery.

<3 My Hero

HSR gets killed but SunRail is going forward, what a waste.

 

[Ether_Snake]

If only the people in Des Moines could travel to Witchita faster! What a wonderous world that could be.

Being able to move quickly from one location to another results in the following:

1- Higher employment as workers can live further away from their jobs.
2- Living directly in a city no longer becomes a necessity for as many people since they can live outside of it, which means city housing cost would stabilize and become more affordable.
3- Under developed areas would become more developed as people decide to live in such places due to it being more affordable, which over time raises the value of those under-valued properties.

Among others.

It is EXCELLENT for the economy. People widen their job search areas, and people don't need to all live in the same areas, which leads to development and higher employment.

It is one of the key steps to make the US economy recover, it is absolutely necessary, whether you like it or not.

 

[dschalter]

Being able to move quickly from one location to another results in the following:

1- Higher employment as workers can live further away from their jobs.
2- Living directly in a city no longer becomes a necessity for as many people since they can live outside of it, which means city housing cost would stabilize and become more affordable.
3- Under developed areas would become more developed as people decide to live in such places due to it being more affordable, which over time raises the value of those under-valued properties.

Among others.

It is EXCELLENT for the economy. People widen their job search areas, and people don't need to all live in the same areas, which leads to development and higher employment.

It is one of the key steps to make the US economy recover, it is absolutely necessary, whether you like it or not.

well, it is a question of cost/benefit. obviously it is good for the economy, but it costs money and resources that could be used elsewhere. generally i am in favor of it, though i do get a bit worried when people go on about putting it in relatively sparsely populated areas.

 

[Hitokage]

--Rejection of Sharia Islam and all other anti-woman, anti-human rights forms of totalitarian control.

--Fierce defense of the First Amendment's rights of Religious Liberty and Freedom of Speech, especially against the intolerance of any who would undermine law-abiding American citizens and institutions of faith and conscience for their adherence to, and defense of, faithful heterosexual monogamy.

In the contest between Huxley and Orwell, score one for Orwell here.

 

[Ether_Snake]

well, it is a question of cost/benefit. obviously it is good for the economy, but it costs money and resources that could be used elsewhere. generally i am in favor of it, though i do get a bit worried when people go on about putting it in relatively sparsely populated areas.

People said the same about concrete and asphalt roads before.

You need to fix the economy, this is what you do. Money is not an issue, the government has been letting the rich class keep their money away from taxes, they have accumulated unreasonable levels of wealth, and there has been a lot of deregulation. All of this can be fixed to fixed the "money" problem. But US politicians don't care, they'll keep using the house's walls to light up their fireplace.

 

[faceless007]

I never got that mentality. People don't enjoy being lied to, but they want the politicians to tell them what they want to hear and not the cold reality of the situation? What kind of bullshit logic is that?

Reagan used the Morning in America slogan and got-reelected. Carter gave the Malaise speech and lost.

Yeah, we're a pretty fickle country.

 

[dschalter]

People said the same about concrete and asphalt roads before.

You need to fix the economy, this is what you do. Money is not an issue, the government has been letting the rich class keep their money away from taxes, they have accumulated unreasonable levels of wealth, and there has been a lot of deregulation. All of this can be fixed to fixed the "money" problem. But US politicians don't care, they'll keep using the house's walls to light up their fireplace.

there are always other good uses of money though. that money could be spent on education, on strengthening medicare, on what have you. you can't just say "this will produce benefits, like other stuff", you have to show that what you want is worth the opportunity cost.

 

[Measley]

Has there been any jobs bills out of the House of Representatives since conservatives took it over in January?

 

[eznark]

The 39.6% tax hike for millionaires will alone give Boehner epilepsy. It has no chance in the house.

The cap gains hike will be a bigger road block.

 

[Chichikov]

In the contest between Huxley and Orwell, score one for Orwell here.

So that's what?
756-2 for Huxley?

Spoiler

though to be honest, I'm not sure I see what's so Orwellian about these quotes.

The cap gains hike will be a bigger road block.

And the inheritance tax.
Which is the two ways that most rich people in this country get their money.
Sure, income tax cuts are great for starving the beast, but for all their whining, income tax brackets have a rather small impact on their overall finance of billionaires.
And I have no doubt that if push came to shove, they will sacrifice the income tax rates in order to preserve their real money makers.

 

[Hitokage]

So that's what?
756-2 for Huxley?

Spoiler

though to be honest, I'm not sure I see what's so Orwellian about these quotes.

The first quote is just ironic, given its mention of anti-women creeds. The second quote is classic doublespeak though, citing religious freedom to enforce religious tenets on others.

 

[RustyNails]

The Economist: Shame on Republicans for playing a cynical political game with hugely high economic stakes

Now, however, the Republicans are pushing things too far. Talks with the administration ground to a halt last month, despite an offer from the Democrats to cut at least $2 trillion and possibly much more out of the budget over the next ten years. Assuming that the recovery continues, that would be enough to get the deficit back to a prudent level. As The Economist went to press, Mr Obama seemed set to restart the talks.

The sticking-point is not on the spending side. It is because the vast majority of Republicans, driven on by the wilder-eyed members of their party and the cacophony of conservative media, are clinging to the position that not a single cent of deficit reduction must come from a higher tax take. This is economically illiterate and disgracefully cynical.

...

Both parties have in recent months been guilty of fiscal recklessness. Right now, though, the blame falls clearly on the Republicans. Independent voters should take note.

It was a pleasure reading such a bodyslam of an article in Economist against Republican Party.

 

[Chichikov]

The first quote is just ironic, given its mention of anti-women creeds. The second quote is classic doublespeak though, citing religious freedom to enforce religious tenets on others.

Ahh yes, I see it now.
I think my head was still spinning from how she managed to make banning gay marriage a 1st amendment issue.